From The States

Teen rep at COP29 made climate ambassador

A student delegate from Don Bosco School Park Circus, Kolkata at COP29 held in Baku Azerbaijan last week, was declared Climate Ambassador by United Nations Agency for Develop-ment and Peace (UNADAP). The citation presented to 14 year old student Swanik Choudhury of Class 9 reads: We commend your invaluable contribution as part of the official […]

Assam college marks Constitution Day

Faculty members and students of a college in Upper Assam marked 75th anniversary of the adoption of Indian Constitution with seminar, pledge taking and medley of patriotic songs on Nov. 26. Faculty members and students of Don Bosco College Golaghat, the second oldest Salesian Educational Centre in Assam started in 1941 cele-brated the constitution in […]

Catholicos Baselios Thomas I of India’s Syrian Orthodox Church dies

Catholicos Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas I, the spiritual head of the Syrian Orthodox Church’s Jacobite faction in India, died on Oct. 31. He was 95. The prelate passed away while undergoing treatment for age-related ailments in southern Kerala state, where the Damascus-based Church has more than 2 million followers. Thomas, affectionately called Bava, “was an ardent supporter […]

Fresh violence may derail peace process in India’s Manipur

A Church leader in India’s Manipur has expressed concern that the latest killings in a fierce gunfight between tribal Kuki militants and security forces may lead to “further escalation of violence” in the troubled northeastern state. At least 11 militants, who were described as “village volunteers” by their tribal body, were killed when security forces claimed to have […]

Indian tribal Christians face trouble in burying dead

Indigenous Christians face difficulties in burying their dead because of their faith in a central Indian state, according to Church leaders. “It is really painful to see villagers create obstacles in burying the dead,” said Protestant minister Jaldev Andhkury after he was released from jail for officiating the funeral service of one of his relatives […]

Assam Christians outraged by Hindu leader’s “divisive” remarks

Various Church groups in Assam have demanded action against a rightwing Hindu leader who allegedly maligned Christians and tried to undermine religious harmony in the northeastern Indian state. On Oct. 27, Surendra Kumar Jain, the international joint general secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (world Hindu council), stirred a controversy by accusing Churches of drug […]

Curia centre caters to tea workers’ health, wellness

A newly inaugurated curia centre of Bagdogra diocese in Siliguri, serves health and wellness of local tea workers. The facility was blessed on November 9 by Archbishop Vincent Aind of Ranchi. “The building christened ‘Dishangan’ connotes direction, guidance, leading and nurturing; the kind of things which Jesus who is the ‘way and the truth’ came […]

Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão Elected to Synod Secretariat Council

Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, Pre-sident of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) and the Fe-deration of Asian Bish-ops’ Conferences (FABC), has been elected as a member of the Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod. The election took place on October 23, 2024, during the 15th General Congregation of the Synod […]

Eviction-facing Indian Catholics to fight Muslim charity’s claims

Goans oppose tourism project near 16th century basilica