Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has awarded Cardinal Joseph Coutts, Archbishop emeritus of Karachi who was born in India’s Amritsar, on the country’s 78th Independence Day. The 79-year-old cardinal is among 104 people awarded for their contributions to the nation. Pakistan celebrates its Independence Day on August 14, a day before India’s Independence Day. The award “Tamgha-i-Imtiaz” (medal of excellence) is given to any civilian in Pakistan in recognition of their exceptional contributions to the nation. Cardinal Coutts has been recognized for his efforts in fostering dialogue among various religious communities and promoting social welfare and minority rights. His initiatives have focused on improving healthcare, education, and community well-being across Pakistan. In his remarks, President Zardari commended Cardinal Coutts’ contributions to interfaith harmony. “His service to humanity and his role in bringing different faiths together is an inspiration for all Pakistanis,” President Zardari said, highlighting the cardinal’s impact on peace and prosperity in the nation. The awards ceremony is scheduled for March 23, 2025.
Cardinal Coutts served as the archbishop of Karachi from 2012 to 2021. Earlier, he served as the bishop of Faisalabad from 1998 to 2012. Pope Francis created Coutts a cardinal on June 28, 2018. He was born in Amritsar, British India, now in India’s Punjab state, on July 21, 1945 in a Goan family. His father Pedro Jose Couto was from Aldona, a village in north Goa. Archbishop Anil Joseph Thomas Couto of Delhi is his first cousin.
He received his seminary training at the Christ the King seminary in Karachi and was ordained a priest in Lahore, Pakistan, on January 9, 1971. After ordination, he completed ecclesiastical studies in Rome from 1973 to 1976 and then became professor of philosophy and sociology at Christ the King Regional Seminary, Karachi, rector of St. Mary’s Minor Seminary, Lahore, and diocesan vicar general from 1986 to 1988. On May 5, 1988, he was appointed coadjutor bishop of Hyderabad in Pakistan by Pope John Paul II and consecrated a bishop on September 16 that year. He became bishop of Hyderabad on September 1, 1990 and on June 27, 1998, he was appointed the bishop of Faisalabad. In Faisalabad he developed ties with Muslim scholars and clerics. The Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Germany, awarded Bishop Coutts the 2007 Shalom Prize for his commitment to interfaith dialogue in Pakistan. The award is given to people and projects working for human rights. On January 25, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him the Karachi archbishop to succeed Archbishop Evarist Pinto. In both Faisalabad and Karachi, he has campaigned against Pakistan’s blasphemy law, which he believes is too easily manipulated for personal attacks or to target religious minorities for insubstantial or pretended offenses. In Karachi he has established multiple connections for inter-religious dialogue between Muslims and Catholics, aiming at both acceptance by the general population and increased understanding on the part of political and religious leaders. He was president of the Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference from 2011 to 2017. He became a cardinal on June 28, 2018. He became the country’s second cardinal after Joseph Cordeiro, who was also of Goan origin. He is a member of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. Pope Francis accepted his resignation on February 11, 2021.

Indian bishops and laity groups have joined Catholics around the globe to deplore the parody of Leonardo da Vinci’s iconic painting of the Last Supper at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. “The Last Supper is not merely a piece of art but a profound symbol of the Holy Eucharist, established by Jesus Christ himself,” said a press statement from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI). The July 29 statement signed by CBCI’s public relations officer Father Robinson Rodrigues said the Olympic games which symbolize unity and respect among diverse cultures and faiths, should uphold the highest standards of sensitivity towards all religious beliefs. “Christ’s Last Supper event unites Christians worldwide, and its disrespect can never be perceived as a celebration of community tolerance as mentioned by the Olympics organizers,” it added. The apex body of the Catholic Church in India urged all concerned to reflect on the importance of mutual respect and understanding in fostering true global harmony. The CBCI also called upon the International Olympic Committee “to ensure that such instances of disrespect towards religious sentiments are not repeated.” A drag performance during the July 26 opening ceremony in Paris depicted a scene based on a parody of Leonardo da Vinci’s iconic wall painting in Milan’s Dominican convent, causing outrage among Christians across the world. Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Bombay said, “The Last Supper is a sacred event, which commemorates Jesus Christ’s final meal with his disciples, and is of immense significance to Christianity.” “The parody of this profound moment watched by millions is not only deeply offensive but also a blatant display of insensitivity towards the religious sentiments of believers worldwide,” he said in a statement. The cardinal stressed the need for respect towards religious beliefs in artistic expressions, particularly at globally significant events like the Olympics. “The organizers of the Olympics need to address this grave incident with the seriousness it warrants, the current apology issued by the Olympic committee is extremely condescending and a poor attempt to appease everyone,” he said.

Church leaders have criticized fringe elements in India’s ruling pro-Hindu party for giving a “communal colour” to the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples celebrations in the country, which has the second-largest tribal population in the world. The day was celebrated in different parts of the country on Aug. 9. However, the Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram (all India tribal welfare body), alleged that “external forces and Christian missionaries in India are hatching up a large-scale conspiracy to divide society in the name of the celebration.” The organization is affiliated with the ultranationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which is considered the mother organization of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Its president Satyendra Singh said on Aug. 8 that the celebration was meant for other countries like America, Australia, New Zealand and Canada” and had no relevance for India. “All people of our country are indigenous to this land, and we are now free from the clutches of colonial forces,” Singh said. Observing the international day whose theme this year is ‘Protecting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation and Initial Contact’ has nothing to do with any religion, said Father Vincent Ekka. “Blaming Christian missionaries of a conspiracy is misleading,” the Jesuit priest told . Ekka, who heads the tribal studies department in the Church-run Indian Social Institute in the national capital New Delhi, said Hindu groups are afraid that the tribal people may become aware of their rights “and may revolt.” The RSS has been campaigning against Christian missionary activities among tribal people and their conversion to Christianity. Its affiliate organizations run a nationwide campaign called Ghar Wapsi (homecoming) to convert tribal people and Dalits or former untouchables and bring them into the Hindu religion. “Blaming Christian missionaries is purely a political agenda [for them], said Ekka who belongs to the Oraon tribal community in the central state of Chhattisgarh. The Jesuit appealed to fellow tribal people not to fall prey to the “false campaign.” India’s tribal people make up 8.6 percent of its 1.4 billion people, according to the last Census conducted in 2011. The RSS and its fringe elements always come up with “new ideas to attack Christian missionaries,” said Ratan Tirkey, a former member of the tribal advisory committee in eastern Jharkhand state, which has a large tribal population. “Will they recognize the contributions made by Christian missionaries” for the welfare of the tribal people, the Catholic lay leader asked.

Ahead of a Hindu festival, India’s child protection panel has issued a directive asking schools not to discriminate against children, which some Church leaders said could become a tool to harass Christian schools. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, in its Aug. 8 directive, asked education departments in all Indian states not to “engage in practices that expose children to any form of corporal punishment or discrimination.” The directive comes ahead of Aug. 9 Raksha Bandhan, the Hindu festival celebrating the bond of siblings. Hindu girls and women tie a sacred decorated thread (rakhi) on the wrists of their brothers, who, in turn, promise life-long protection. Christian leaders fear the directive could help the panel file non-compliance with the directive based on some children not wearing the rakhi on their wrists. “The directive is superfluous as all education departments already have ample guidelines in this regard,” said Father Babu Joseph, former spokesperson of the Indian bishops’ Conference. Priyank Kanoongo, the chairperson of the child protection panel, noted some instances of students in some schools not being allowed to wear rakhis and other Hindu symbols by teachers and school management during Hindu festivals. The directive also has asked relevant state authorities to ensure its compliance and sought a report by Aug. 17. Christian groups accuse right-wing Hindu groups of harassing Christian schools for not celebrating Hindu festivals, particularly after the pro-Hindu party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014. “Our schools will abide by the decision of education departments in respective states,” Father Maria Charles, secretary of the education office national bishops’ conference told. The child rights panel has a history of targeting Christian institutions aiming to tarnish their image, said the Church leader based in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, a Christian leader who did not want to be named. The panel has “unleashed targeted attacks” on our institutions and registered false cases under the draconian anti-conversion law against “our bishops, priests, nuns and other school staff,” he said. He recalled that the panel had registered several cases against Church-run institutions in his state. Christians comprise 2.3 percent of India’s 1.4 billion population. However, they run thousands of educational institutions nationwide. The Catholic Church runs some 50,000 institutions, including 400 colleges, six universities, and six medical colleges in different parts of the country. India’s constitution allows Christians who are grouped along with Muslims, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, and Parsees as minorities to set up schools and colleges to propagate their faith.

The Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith sends a letter ahead of the feast of Our Lady of Health in Vailankanni, India, expressing the Pope’s appreciation for the shrine and noting the spiritual fruits enjoyed by pilgrims, including non-Christians. Millions of pilgrims faithfully visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Good Health in Vailankanni, in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. According to Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, “the many spiritual fruits that are produced at this Shrine make us recognize the constant action of the Holy Spirit in this place.”
The Cardinal Prefect wrote those words in a letter dated August 1, approved by Pope Francis, and addressed to Bishop-elect Sagayaraj Thamburaj, of Tanjore (Thanjavur) Diocese. The Shrine will celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Health on September 8, and devotion in Vailankanni dates back to the 16th century.
“Many non-Christian pilgrims who come seeking solace echo similar experiences,” emphasized Cardinal Fernández. “Some of them are healed of their illnesses and many find peace and hope. Without doubt, the Holy Spirit is also at work in them, responding by Mary’s intercession.” “This,” he noted, “should not be considered as a form of syncretism or mixing of religions. The Sanctuary is a place where the closeness of Mary, who welcomes everyone and demonstrates the love of the Lord to those who reflect on it, is manifested. Those who cannot receive the sacraments of the Catholic Church are not denied the consolation of the Mother of Jesus.”
Cardinal Fernández stated that he and Pope Francis recalled the spiritual beauty of this place of faith during the papal audience he was granted on August 1. “The Holy Father cares a lot about the popular piety of the faithful pilgrims, because they reflect the beauty of the Church on the move which seeks Jesus in the arms of Mary and entrusts its pain and hope to the heart of His Mother,” he said. For this reason, added the Cardinal, Pope Francis has expressed “great appreciation” for this place of faith. In preparation for the September celebrations at the Vailankanni Shrine, he added, the Pope extends his paternal blessing to all pilgrims.
According to an ancient account, the Virgin Mary first appeared in Vailankanni in the 16th century to a young man carrying milk for a customer, asking him to offer it for the Child she was holding in her arms. The young man promptly agreed, only to realize upon reaching the customer that the milk was still in his container. “This,” said Cardinal Fernández, “was an expression of the generosity of those who are willing to give something to others, in their own poverty. You do not need to have much in order to be generous. May this call to share, to assist, to be close to those who need us always resonate in this place. Mary loves the generosity of her children.”
The Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith praised the “beautiful traditions ascribed to the encounters that the Virgin had with poor and sick boys at this place of worship. Thus, the tenderness and closeness of Mary, whom Jesus desired to bequeath us as Mother of all, is manifested. Through her intercession, Jesus Christ often pours out his strength and restores health to the sick.” He recalled that, “in 2002, Saint John Paul II chose that place for the celebration of the World Day of the Sick. Thus, the same Virgin Mary who manifested herself at Lourdes also manifested herself in India as the Mother of Health.”
“It is not merely a matter of bodily health,” concluded Cardinal Fernández, “but also one that touches the soul. Contemplating the image of Mary we can all recognize the love of Jesus Christ that can heal our sadness, our anguish and our fears. If we pause before Mary, even in a brief moment of faith and love, her maternal gaze restores peace to us.”

Chief Minister of right wing Hindu Bha-ratiya Janata Party ruling northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh had words of apprecia-tion and praise for a group of Catholic Church leaders visiting him on July 17. In his official Facebook post Chief Minister Pema Khandu said, “blessed to receive a call-on from Bishop Benny Edathittayel of Itanagar, Bishop George Palliparambil of Miao and the members of the Arunachal Pradesh Catholic Association, led by President Shri Taw Tebin Ji.”
“Their tireless efforts in promoting peace, education, and social welfare in our state are truly commendable,” he wrote. Serving a second term as Chief Minister Khandu did not hesitate to place on record the contribution of the Church stating, “I deeply appreciate the Catholic community’s dedication to raising awareness on critical issues like corruption, drug abuse, and the money culture in elections, contributing to a more informed and respon-sible society.” In concluding the post the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh state which introduced the anti-Christian legislation – Freedom of Religion Act in 1978 – did not hesitate to say, “Thank you for your selfless service and commitment to the betterment of Arunachal Pradesh.” Pema Khandu born on August 21, 1979 is the son of former Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh late Shri Dorjee Khandu. Several states in India, including Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, and Odisha, have implemented anti-conversion laws. Anti-conversion laws are legislative measures aimed at preventing or prohibiting religious conversions. These laws can be used to discourage individuals from leaving a particular faith or to restrict religious groups from actively seeking new members from other religious backgrounds. The specific provisions and enforcement of anti-conversion laws differ across jurisdictions, and they may involve both criminal and civil penalties. Christian leaders content that the implementation of these laws have the potential to favour domi-nant religions or suppress minority faiths

Church leaders have met the top leader of Sikhism after Sikhs objected to being called “crusaders” by unidentified pastors in a northern Indian Punjab state. The pastors alle-gedly called Sikh community members “crusaders” following a spate of attacks on the state’s Christians, who were accused of forced conversions. Christians account for 10 percent of Punjab’s population.
“Some unknown pastors have allegedly used the word ‘crusaders’ for them [Sikhs]. It is painful and unfortunate,” Bishop Agnelo Rufino Gracias, apostolic administrator of Jullundur diocese in Punjab state, told. The prelate added that they have had a “good rapport with the Sikhs” for years and hardly “faced any issues.” A delegation from Jullundur (Jalandhar) diocese in northern Punjab met Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh of the Akal Takht (the seat of power of the Sikh religion) on July 15. The Sikhs form the majority of Punjab’s 28 million population the Jathedar is the head of the Sikh religion. The meeting took place in Amritsar, where the Jathedar is based. The delegation, led by Father John Grewal, the diocese’s director of interreligious dialogue, handed Singh a letter titled “Masih Maha Sabha” (Christian General Assembly) and promised cooperation to address the contentious issue of religious conversion.

A family in Odisha now thanks a Catholic nun for rescuing them from bonded labour in the southern Indian state. “I can finally breathe freely. I thank Sister Sujata pro-fusely,” says Deepthi Singh, who was held in bondage along with her husband in a brick kiln in Karnataka state’s Mallur district. The 22-year-old pregnant woman told Matters India July 17 that they had spent “countless nights crying out for help, feeling bitter about my circumstances and even blaming my parents.” Sister Sujata Jena’s initiative has helped Deepti, her husband, father, mother and stepmother to return to Gandhinagar, their village in Odisha’s Gajapati district, on July 11 after toiling in the Karnataka brick kiln for a total of nine years. Sister Jena, a lawyer and a mem-ber of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, said she heard about the family on July 3 during her visit to villa-ges in Gajapati district to conduct awareness programs for migrant workers. One of the participants of an awareness program was Deepti’s mother Subasini Singh, who told the nun how her family – husband, daughter, son in law and another member – was held in bondage in Karnataka. On her return to Bhubaneswar, Odisha capital, five days later, Sister Jeana appealed to the Labour Commissioner of Karnataka to get the family released from the illegal bondage. “The family’s rescue highlights the demeaning conditions of migrant labourers in India,” Sister Jena, who has worked among migrants for more than five years, told.

A delegation of Christian leaders has urged India’s federal government to ask 11 states to repeal the sweeping anti-conversion laws, which they say target Christians.
“The anti-conversion law has been weaponized to target religious minorities,” an eight-member delegation from the United Christian Forum (UCF) told federal minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju. The delegation met the minister in his office on July 20 and asked him to “issue an advisory to the state governments to repeal the anti-conversion law.” Stringent laws that criminalize conver-sion have been enacted in 11 states, most of them ruled by the Hindu right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Christian forum monitors anti-Christian violence in the country and its delegation presented a memorandum to the minister highlighting the rising persecution against Christians. “The minister agreed to look into our grievances,” said A C Michael, a delegation member. Michael told on July 22 that they would discuss the issue further with the federal government and the provincial states concerned. The memoran-dum has the details of persecution, including murder, false cases, social boycotts, and denial of burial grounds. There were 727 incidents of violence against Christians in 2023, the memorandum said, and termed them “as a disturbing trend.” In the current year till June-end, “a staggering 361 incidents of targeted attacks” against Christians were reported, it said. The central Indian state of Chhattisgarh tops the list with 96 incidents, followed by northern Uttar Pradesh, which has 92 cases. Both the states are ruled by the BJP and have the anti-conversion law in force, which bans religious conversion by using force or allurement. “The primary reason for these attacks “was the false allegations of fraudu-lent [religious] conversions,” the memorandum noted. The memorandum said that “police collude with the right-wing groups” to target Christians, who make up a mere 2.3 percent of India’s 1.4 billion people. The delegation also told the minister that Christians were mercilessly beaten to death for their faith even when the Indian constitution guarantees religious freedom.