National

Vatican approves beatification process for 35 Kandhamal martyrs

The Vatican has given a go-ahead to start the beatification process for 35 people who were martyred for their faith during the 2008 anti-Christian violence in Kandhamal in eastern India. A message from Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli to Archbishop John Barwa of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar says the Vatican Dicastery for the Causes of Saints has granted […]

Christian group files complaint against Indian godman

A Christian organization in a northern Indian state has filed a police complaint against a Hindu godman, accusing him of hurting religious sentiments by making baseless statements on religious conversion. Jatinder Gaurav of the Global Christian Action Committee said they complained against Dhirendra Krishna Shastri to the police in Amritsar, the holy city for Sikh people in Punjab […]

Indian priest who joined Hindu nationalist party relieved of duties by bishop

An elderly Catholic priest in India’s Kerala state was suspended from priestly duties for joining India’s ruling BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party or Indian People’s Party), which is known for pursuing a Hindu nationalist agenda. The BJP is the party of Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi. The priest’s action took place at a time of rising […]

Religious leaders of Manipur meet for peace in Guwahati

Even as Imphal Valley was in turmoil over the disappearance of two students, Interfaith Forum for Peace and harmony, Manipur, were meeting with Kuki Church leaders searching for ways of peace. While this meeting was the initiative of interfaith forum, it was prompted and supported by Archbishop Emeritus Thomas Menamparampil of Guwahati, who had visited […]

Catholic priest, three others sent to jail in India

A court in a northern Indian state has remanded four Catholics, including a priest, to judicial custody under the stringent anti-conversion law. The court in Prayagaraj district in northern Uttar Pradesh on Oct. 2 sent Father Babu Francis, director of social work of Allahabad diocese, and three other Catholics to jail, a day after their arrest. […]

Journalists urge India’s chief justice to uphold media freedom

Media organizations have urged India’s chief justice to uphold freedom of speech following the arrest of a popular editor and raids on 46 journalists. In a letter to Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, 18 media bodies noted, “The fact is that today, a large section of journalists in India finds itself working under the threat of reprisal.” The […]

Court relief to India’s minority institutions

The top court in a southern Indian state has ruled that education institutions of minorities, including Christians, do not have to implement reservation quotas, which are part of the country’s affirmative action program. In its order, the Madras High Court in Tamil Nadu said that the government cannot compel educational institutions run by religious and linguistic […]

Priest brother donates kidney to sister nun

Sept 6, 2023: Father Ebi Poruthoor is the latest Catholic priest in the southern Indian state of Kerala to donate one of his kidneys. The 31-year-old priest of the diocese of Palghat on September 4 donated the kidney to Sister Bini Maria, his sister.The 27-year-old member of the Holy Family congregation required dialysis thrice a […]

Salesians elect Maltese priest Fabio Attard as Don Bosco’s 11th successor

Pope Francis does not accept Cardinal Koch’s resignation: could continue at least until anniversary of Council of Nicea