National

Peace activist launch interreligious prayer in Varanasi

Peace activists from various religions have launched a series of interreligious prayer services at different parts of Varanasi as sectarian tension over the Gyan Vapi mosque controversy gripped Hinduism’s most sacred city. “These prayers are taken from ten different religious sources namely Hindu, Tao, Jewish, Zoroastrian, Jain, Buddhist, Christian and Muslim faith tra-ditions. They were […]

Attack on shrine upsets Christians in southern India

Unidentified vandals destroy-ed statues of Mother Mary, Infant Jesus and the Sacred Heart of Jesus at a hill shrine in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh causing shock among the local Catholics. The incident happened on the intervening night of May 14 and 15. “We came to know about it through some Catholics who […]

Christian leaders welcome loudspeaker removal from religious places

Some Catholic leaders in Uttar Pradesh have welcomed a government drive to remove loud speakers from religious places in the northern Indian state. “If the government is doing it in a non-partisan way and without religious prejudices, it is to be appreciated,” says Father Anand Mathew, who quoted some reports to point out that majority […]

Karnataka faces loudspeaker controversy

People in Karnataka began from May 9 to get up at 5 am to pray, sing or curse. Muslims in the southern Indian state start their day with Azaan announced through loud-speakers fit atop mosques. Hindus, on the hand, use the public address system to counter the Muslim call to prayer with “Suprabhata” and “Hanuman […]

Theologians renew demand for Indian Dalit Rite

The demand for a Dalit Rite in the Catholic Church in India was reiterated at a conference of theologians, biblical scholars and canon law experts from the community. Caste is a stark reality and caste-based discrimination is rampant in the Catholic Church’s hierarchy, parishes and institutions, bemoans Reverend Vincent Manoharan, a theologian, while introducing the […]

Delhi archdiocese’s Synodal sessions help focus “unnoticed persons”

Thousands of Catholics have attended the Delhi archdiocesan consultation meetings to prepare for the Rome Synod that began more than six months ago. While Jesuit Father Stanislaus Alla, a theology professor, finds the process “truly historic,” Abp Anil J Couto of Delhi, who initiated it, says the Church in the archdiocese will not be the […]

Itanagar diocese ordains first indigenous priest

Itanagar diocese in the north-eastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh May 7 ordained its first priest of indigenous origin Bishop John Thomas of Itanagar ordained Father Roshan Bamin Peter, a member of the Apatani tribe, at Mary Immaculate Church, Hapoli, Ziro, his home parish in Lower Subansiri district. “It is a proud moment for all […]

Indian Catholic hermit nun needs support in old age

An aging Catholic nun, who adopted Hindu ascetic life during the movement for inculturation of the Indian Church some five decades ago, now lives under the care of a parish priest in western India. The 88-year-old Sister Prasanna Devi lived alone for around 40 years in a forest around the sacred hill of Girnar in Junagadh […]

Page 28 of 113« First «...10 20...26 272829 30...40 50 60...»Last »

Pope: Red Cross’ humanitarian work shows that fraternity is possible

New Vatican document lists ‘grave violations’ of human dignity