National

Federal rule imposed in violence-hit Indian state

A Church leader from India’s Manipur expressed optimism after the strife-torn state in north-east region was brought under direct federal rule days after its chief minister resigned. Chief Minister N Biren Singh from the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) quit on Feb. 9 after facing pressure to step down for failing to stop the continuing […]

Indian Church prays for Pope Francis

Catholics in India have joined their counterparts across the world to pray for Pope Francis, who has been undergoing treatment for double pneumonia in a Rome hospital. Archbishop Andrews Thazhath, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, on February 19 called on the country’s Catholics to pray for the Pope after the Vatican announc-ed […]

Visiting bishops give hope to India’s most persecuted district

An Indian archbishop who led a group of bishops on a Feb. 5 visit to eastern Odisha’s Kandhamal district — the epicenter of anti-Christian violence nearly 20 years ago — has said the land will become a pilgrimage centre for Catholics. “I am sure, one day, this land of martyrs in Kandhamal will become a pilgrimage […]

Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão re-elected CCBI President; Abp. Peter Machado elected Vice President, Abp. Vincent Aind as Secretary General

Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão has been re-elected as the Presi-dent of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), while Archbishop Peter Machado of Bangalore has been elected as the Vice President and Archbishop Vincent Aind of Ranchi as Secretary General. The elections took place during the 36th Plenary Assembly of the CCBI at XIM […]

Indian Catholics lend helping hand to Kumbh Mela pilgrims

A Catholic-run hospital and a college in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh have offered free meals to Hindu devotees as mi-llions gather to attend the Kumbh Mela, dubbed the world’s largest religious gathering. Father Vipin D’Souza, director of Nazareth Hospital, said they are glad to lend hands to the pilgrims. The hospital, in […]

First Christians jailed for conversion in India get bail

A Christian couple convicted of trying to convert people to Christianity in the first such case in India has been granted bail, after they challenged the conviction in the high court of Uttar Pradesh state. The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court, the northern state’s top court, has granted bail to Pastor Jose Pappachan and his wife, Sheeja […]

Indian bishops oppose movie disparaging faith, conversion

Bishops of Christian Churches across India have jointly condemned a film, saying it deroga-torily portrays their religion and faith in the language of an eastern Indian state having a history of anti-Christian violence. The movie Sanatani–Karma hi Dharma, made in the Odia language of Odisha state, was released in cine-mas on Feb. 7, despite calls […]

Become Christ’s followers, not his fans: Indian bishops told

Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli on January 28 urged India’s Latin rite bishops to become the disciples of Christ and not just his fans. When Jesus worked miracles, he had many fans watching him, but only a few chose to follow him generally, said the nuncio in his homily at the […]

Hindus call off rally through Christian villages in eastern India

Dayal among three awarded for promoting religious freedom, civil liberties