From The States

‘Everywhere, there is pain’: Indian sisters on life in the COVID-19 hotspot

Global Sisters Report invited its sister columnists in India to share their experiences of how the terrible outbreak of COVID-19 has affected their country in the last few months. Six sisters wrote special columns, compiled below, describing their experiences and what it is like on the ground as health workers, as tribal citizens, as compassionate caregivers and […]

Elderly Indian nun defies pandemic to feed street poor

At the age of 83, Sister Elsie Vadakkekara never miss-es her appointment with the poor on the streets, not even during a pandemic lockdown. Summer, winter or in pouring monsoon rains, the Catholic nun is on the streets at midday every day to dis-tribute food to mentally ill people living rough in her neighborhood in […]

Father Swamy admitted in Catholic hospital on court orders

Jesuit tribal activist Father Stan Swamy was on May 28 admitted to a Catholic hospital in Mumbai following the Bombay High Court intervention. Father Swamy arrived at Holy Family Hospital in Bandra, a Mumbai suburb, at 9:45 pm, according to Jesuit Father Arockiasamy Santhanam, spokesperson for the National Lawyers Forum of Religious and Priests, who […]

Church workers rally to help victims of Indian cyclone

Church workers are struggling to organize food and drinking water for thousands of people a week after Cyclone Tauktae ravaged the coast of western India. What we need urgently is food and water,” said Father Thomas Mathew, director of social work in Rajkot Diocese.

Indian appointed bishop in Papua New Guinea

Pope Francis on May 13 appointed a missionary priest from India as the bishop of Aitape, a diocese in Papua New Guinea, a country in Oceania. Bishop-elect Siby Mathew Peedikayil is a member of the Heralds of Good News, an India-based congregation. The 50-year-old priest is the current vicar general of the diocese of Vanimo. […]

120 young men take vows to be Salesians in South Asia

In spite of the pandemic times disrupting regular novitiate schedules, in the nine novitiates of South Asia region, this year has more novices making their first profession than last year. Starting from traditional 24th May date for the first professions, this year there are 120 young men making their first profession on varied dates of […]

Church converts hospital into Covid-care centre

The diocese of Balasore in Odisha has converted its 100-bed hospital into a centre for Covid care. The Church gesture was in response to a request from the District Magistrate, says Fr Paul Koonamparampath, the director of Jyoti Hospital in Balasore. Accord-ing to the priest, Odisha has seen a rapid increase in Covid-19 cases and […]

Catholic press body mourns death of priest-editor

The Indian Catholic Press Association (ICPA) on May 27 mourned the passing away of Father Cheriyan Nereveetil, former chief editor of Sathyadeepam (Light of Truth), an Institutional member of the organization. The 49-year-old priest died on May 27 from head injuries sustained in a road accident two weeks ago. A condolence message from ICPA president […]

Indian bishops slam terror attack on tourists in India’s Kashmir

No action taken against police who assaulted Catholic priests in India