National

India’s Catholic bishops urge voters to keep country secular

As india prepares to elect a new federal government this spring, its catholic bishops have urged citizens “to vote wisely” to help the country remain a secular and democratic republic. “we urge all citizens to enroll as voters and exercise their sacred duty to vote wisely, so that we elect leaders who are committed to […]

Meghalaya assembly takes up Catholic nun’s humiliation

An opposition member in the Meghalaya legislative assembly on February 22 sought government intervention after a Catholic nun was humiliated while traveling in a bus five days ago. Charles, a member of the Trinamool Congress, told the zero hour that the nun, who works in Siju village in Meghalaya’s South Garo Hills, was forced to […]

Indian Christians wary of state’s plan to beef up anti-conversion law

The provincial government of a central Indian state has announced plans to add more teeth to its sweeping anti-conversion law, which is often used to target Christians in the country. The proposed bill by the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Chhattisgarh requires individuals seeking to convert to another religion to apply at least 60 […]

Mangaluru school denies nun teacher denigrated Hindu deitie

A convent school in Mangaluru, southern India, on February 15 denied the allegations from some Hindu nationalist groups that a nun teacher had made derogatory remarks against Hindu deities. St. Gerosa High School’s denial came three days after it suspended the nun, yielding to the pressure from the Hindu groups. A press statement from Sister […]

Half a million Catholics in India petition government for better living conditions

Hundreds of thousands of Indian Catholics are petitioning the government to improve living conditions there. The Syro-Malabar Catholic Congress presented Kerala state Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan with the petition late last month after a major signature campaign, one meant to address what the congress described as “unprecedented crises” facing the Christian community there. Vijayan “was […]

Church-run schools in India told to remove Christian symbols

A Hindu group has given an ultimatum to Christian schools in India’s north-eastern Assam state to rid themselves of all Christian symbols including religious habits and cassocks. Satya Ranjan Borah, president of the Hindu outfit Kutumba Surakshya Parishad (family safety council) said the move aims to stop Christian missionaries from using schools for conversion activities. […]

India’s bishops: ‘Attacks on Christians now common’

A body bringing together India’s Latin Catholic, Syro-Malabar, and Syro-Malankara bishops deplored Wednesday increasing attacks on the country’s Christian minority. In a six-page statement issued Feb. 7, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) ex-pressed alarm at rising intolerance in Indian society and political life. It said: “Attacks on Christians continue to increase in different […]

Minorities slam Indian state’s new uniform civil code

Christian and Muslim leaders have disapproved of the passing of a polarising and contentious uniform civil code by a pro-Hindu government in a northern Indian state. The Uniform Civil Code Bill was passed after two days of debate on Feb. 7 by the Uttarakhand state assembly through a voice vote amidst chanting of ‘Jai Sri […]

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

New Vatican document lists ‘grave violations’ of human dignity