The United Christian Forum (UCF) has written an urgent letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, drawing attention to what it describes as a sharp rise in targeted violence and hostility against the Christian community across India. In the letter dated December 26, UCF acknowledged the Prime Minister’s recent outreach to Christians, including his visit to the Cathedral Church of the Redemption in New Delhi on Christmas and earlier engagements with Christian leaders and institutions. However, the organisation said these gestures stand in contrast to the ground reality of increasing attacks on Christians.

UCF highlighted repeated incidents in tribal regions where Christians were allegedly denied burial rights and forced to exhume bodies. Cases from Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand were cited, including instances where families were attacked or compelled to abandon villages after burial disputes. The organisation also raised concerns over the implementation of anti-conversion laws in 12 states, arguing that while framed as safeguards, these laws disproportionately target religious minorities. UCF said Christians have been arrested based on third-party complaints, often without direct evidence of force or coercion. The letter detailed several recent incidents, including mob violence following a burial in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh, vandalism of Christmas decorations in Raipur, alleged attacks on a carol group in Kerala’s Palakkad, and the disruption of Christmas observances in Assam and Uttar Pradesh. It also cited inflammatory speeches allegedly followed by violence and harassment in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The letter concluded by appealing for urgent action to safeguard minority rights and restore communal harmony, stating that decisive steps are essential to uphold justice, peace and equality in the country.

Major Archbishop Cardinal Baselios Cleemis of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church on Christmas Day criticised what he described as a contradiction between the Prime Minister’s public outreach to Christians and the continued incidents of violence faced by the community in different parts of the country.

The Cardinal’s remarks came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended a Christmas service at the Cathedral Church of the Redemption in New Delhi. Referring to recent incidents, Cardinal Cleemis pointed to an alleged attack on a Christmas carol group in Palakkad district of Kerala, reportedly involving a worker affiliated with a right-wing organisation.

Highlighting the contrast between symbolic gestures and ground realities, the Cardinal said that while the Prime Minister’s participation in Christmas celebrations sends a positive message, such actions lose significance when Christians continue to face intimidation and violence elsewhere. He questioned the effectiveness of repeated assurances given by authorities, stating that they have not resulted in visible or lasting change.

The Major Archbishop noted that Church leaders have consistently raised concerns regarding attacks and harassment with those in power, but said that these representations have rarely translated into concrete action. He expressed frustration over what he described as a lack of accountability and follow-through.

The comments come at a politically sensitive moment, as the ruling party has sought to broaden its engagement with Christian communities, particularly in Kerala, ahead of upcoming elections. The Prime Minister’s presence at Christmas events has been viewed as part of this outreach.

However, Cardinal Cleemis’ intervention underscores persistent concerns within the Christian community that public gestures of goodwill must be matched by effective protection on the ground. His Christmas Day statement has added weight to the ongoing national discussion on minority safety, political responsibility, and the need to ensure that assurances of harmony are reflected in action.

Christian leaders in Chhattisgarh have appealed to authorities for police protection during Christmas and New Year celebrations, citing a sharp rise in violence and intimidation against the minority community. The state has emerged as a major hotspot of anti-Christian hostility, recording 165 attacks in 2024 — the second-highest in India, according to the United Christian Forum. Christian leaders say the situation has worsened since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) returned to power in 2023, with many attacks allegedly carried out by Hindu nationalist groups targeting tribal Christians. “We met the district magistrate of Jashpur on Dec. 8 and requested security for churches and Christian families,” said Kamal Kujur, president of the Rashtriya Christian Morcha. He said delegations will approach officials in all districts to ensure peaceful Christmas celebrations.

Christian pastors report that house churches are frequently attacked, with mobs disrupting prayer meetings, abusing worshippers, and physically assaulting them. Many allege that police often refuse to register complaints from Christians while readily accepting accusations from Hindu groups claiming “forced conversions. “Instances of police pressure have increased, leaders say. In August, hundreds of Pentecostal congregations suspended Sunday services after police instructed them to seek prior permission for worship. In Raipur, nearly 100 pastors were reportedly asked to halt gatherings to “maintain law and order.” Concerns grew in November when the Chhattisgarh High Court upheld village hoardings restricting the entry of “converted Christians,” ruling that they protected tribal culture — a decision Christians say has deepened their sense of vulnerability. With Christians forming less than 2% of the state’s 30 million people, community leaders urge authorities to safeguard their right to celebrate peacefully amid escalating fears.

Around 2,000 Christians from across India gathered in New Delhi on 29 November 2025 to protest what organisers described as a rise in sustained and systematic violence against the Christian community, calling for justice, unity and constitutional protections amid rising incidents of attacks. The demonstration was held under the banner of the National Christian Convention, bringing together representatives from over 200 denominations, civil society groups and legal advocates to highlight concerns over increasing violence and impunity. Speakers at the rally pointed to data showing reported incidents of anti-Christian violence rising sharply over the past decade, with cases documented nationally by organisations such as the United Christian Forum. 

According to figures referenced by participants, reported incidents of violence against Christians rose from 139 in 2014 to 834 in 2024, with nearly 5,000 incidents documented over the past decade. Organisers called attention to what they described as a pattern of assaults, threats and discrimination that they say often goes unpunished. Protesters resolved to draft a national manifesto outlining demands for stronger protection of religious freedoms and justice for persecuted believers. The manifesto is intended to be submitted to key constitutional authorities including the President of India, the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India and relevant ministers. 

Participants shared accounts of violence that included killings, assaults and denials of burial rights. In one reported case from Chhattisgarh in May 2024, a Christian man was killed and his case was recorded as a land dispute, while in Odisha a mob blocked the burial of a young Christian man, forcing his family to exhume his body despite a formal complaint. Organisers said a key concern remains impunity, with reports indicating that a high proportion of violent incidents do not result in formal legal action, and urged the government and law enforcement to uphold constitutional guarantees of religious freedom and equal protection under the law.

Church leaders across India have welcomed a Supreme Court directive reserving 30 percent of seats on state bar councils for women, calling the ruling a major stride toward gender equality in the legal profession.

The order, issued on Dec. 8 by a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, mandates that where elected representatives fail to meet the 30 percent quota, councils must fill at least 20 percent through voting and the remaining 10 percent by co-opting qualified women lawyers. The court said the measure aims to correct the severe underrepresentation of women in bar council bodies.

Petitioners informed the court that only 9 of the 441 elected members across 18 state bar councils — barely 2 percent — were women, and that 11 councils had no women at all. The bench held that such composition violates constitutional guarantees of equality and fails to reflect the steady increase in women entering the legal field.

Father Robinson Rodrigues, spokesperson for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), called the ruling “a wonderful order” that would help reduce gender discrimination and strengthen women’s participation in shaping legal institutions.

Supreme Court lawyer Sister Mary Scaria of the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary said the move would introduce “unique perspectives” to legal governance and improve public trust. She added that women’s representation should eventually rise to 50 percent.

Holy Spirit Sister Julie George, who heads a national forum of Catholic priests and religious lawyers, described the directive as progressive but noted that men would still hold 70 percent of seats. Jesuit lawyer Father A. Santhanam from Tamil Nadu called the ruling “historic” and a vital step toward dismantling patriarchy within the legal system.

In the crowded lanes of Perumbavoor and the quiet shelter of Palluruthy, migrant workers from Odisha, Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, and Jharkhand opened up about their hardships and resilience to a visiting team from Don Bosco for Migrants (DB4M). Their accounts — from mothers, factory workers, and young men living far from home — brought into focus the human side of India’s vast migrant labour force during a two-day immersion programme in Kerala.

The Source and Destination Visit, held on November 29–30, brought together DB4M representatives from Tiruchy, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Kolkata. The team met government officials, NGOs, police officers, and church institutions across Vaduthala, Angamaly, Perumbavoor, and Palluruthy. The mission opened with a Eucharistic celebration in Angamaly, where Fr. Francis Bosco stressed that migrant welfare is a shared duty of the Church, civil society, and the state.

Field visits exposed several pressing concerns, including limited healthcare access, workplace injuries, wage disputes, and social risks such as child marriage and drug use. Inspector Samad of Kerala Police highlighted the importance of proper documentation and child protection, while the Rajagiri Suraksha Migrant Project drew attention to the danger of sexually transmitted infections.

A positive example emerged at the Salesian-run Migrant Shelter in Palluruthy, where around 50 workers live with dignity through a self-managed system of housing and food — a model DB4M identified as worth replicating. Visits to Kitex garment factory and St. George Church showcased both the opportunities and restrictions migrant families navigate, including mobility limits and educational challenges for children.

The Centre for Migration and Inclusive Development (CMID) provided broader insights into Kerala’s rising dependence on migrant labour. Their mobile health units, multilingual outreach, and helpline partnerships demonstrated effective strategies for migrant inclusion.

In its final assessment, DB4M called for extended future visits and outlined priorities such as enhanced pastoral support for Odia migrants, stronger Mass offerings in industrial hubs, involvement of seminarians, and collaboration with Odia priests during major festivals. The visit concluded with gratitude to CMID, SEWA, the Salesians, and the Kerala Migrant Commission, reaffirming DB4M’s commitment to accompany migrant workers whose labour sustains Kerala’s economy and whose dignity demands continued attention.

India’s Supreme Court has admitted a petition filed by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) challenging the constitutional validity of Rajasthan’s newly enacted anti-conversion law, considered one of the harshest in the country. “We are happy that the Supreme Court has accepted our petition,” said Sister Sayujya Bindhu, secretary of the CBCI legal cell. Rajasthan became the 12th Indian state to pass such a law when the assembly approved the Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2025, on Sept. 9.

The law imposes penalties of up to 20 years in prison and fines of one million rupees for alleged conversions involving minors, women, persons with disabilities, and members of Scheduled Castes and Tribes. Mass conversions, if deemed illegal, can attract life imprisonment and fines of 2.5 million rupees, with repeat offenders facing even higher penalties. It also provides for up to 14 years in jail for using marriage as a means of conversion.

Bindhu, a lawyer, said the law violates constitutional guarantees that protect an individual’s right to profess, practice, and propagate their faith. She warned that vague terms such as “allurement” and “coercion” could be exploited to target Christians and their institutions, noting that even providing education or medical care might be misinterpreted as inducement.

A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih admitted the petition on Dec. 8 and directed the Rajasthan government to submit its response. The case has been tagged with similar petitions challenging the law.

CBCI spokesperson Robinson Rodrigues said the legislation undermines religious freedom and has become a tool for filing false allegations of conversion. The Supreme Court is already hearing challenges to similar laws in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, and other states. Enforcement of these laws has triggered numerous complaints against Christians and Muslims.

Pope Leo XIV on November 26 appointed Carmelite Father Joshy Potteckal as the auxiliary bishop of Mainz, Germany. The announcement was made simultaneously in the Vatican and in Mainz. The 48-year-old bishop-elect is a member of the Order of Carmelites, a mendicant order. He is currently the regional superior of the Carmelites and representative for the clergy of the diocese of Mainz. He was introduced by Bishop Peter Kohlgraf at a press conference at the Mainz bishop’s residence.

The episcopal consecration is scheduled for March 15, 2026 in Mainz Cathedral. As auxiliary bishop, Father Joshy will serve as episcopal vicar for religious orders and continue his work in the personnel department until a successor is appointed.

He was born on April 30, 1977, at Meenkunnam, a village in Kerala’s Ernakulam district. He was ordained a Carmelite priest on December 28, 2003, in Thrissur. He served as a chaplain in 2005 and teacher of religion at the Martinus-Schule in Mainz. He was the head of youth pastoral care for the deanery of Mainz for three years until 2008.

During 2006-2008, he also served as the parish vicar of St. Alban, St. Jakobus and Hl. Kreuz in Mainz-Hechtsheim. He was parish priest of Hirschhorn and Neckarsteinach in 2009. He served as the vice dean of Bergstrasse-Ost in 2021. The following year, he was the staff representative at the Episcopal Curia. Within the Carmelite Order, he has served as regional superior for members of the Province of Saint Thomas resident in Germany (since 2016) and prefect for formation in the Episcopal Seminary since 2024, according to Vatican News.

A new multi-lingual animation film titled MOM – Manna of the Manger will be released this Christmas in Hindi, English, and Malayalam, offering audiences a fresh and imaginative reflection on who Jesus is, what he represents as the “Bread of Life”, when and where the story unfolds, why Bethlehem is significant, and how the narrative invites viewers to contemplate divine purpose. The film explores the profound symbolism behind the name Bethlehem, meaning “House of Bread”. Jesus multiplied bread for the crowds, proclaimed himself the Bread of Life at the Last Supper, and — in what the creators suggest may be a moment of divine intent — was born in the House of Bread.

This stable becomes a sacred setting where children shape clay suns, moons, stars, and bread. Jesus joins in their play, delighting in creation. When the children ask him, “Can you turn our clay manna into real bread?”, the moment echoes the temptation in the desert: “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.” The narrative invites viewers to ponder the choice before him — will the Bread of Life perform such a miracle in the House of Bread? With a concept that creatively bridges scripture and imagination, the film seeks to engage viewers of all ages through the expressive medium of animation.

MOM – Manna of the Manger is an initiative of Father Anand of Atmadarshan, Indore, and is produced by the St Peter Claver Sisters. The film is written and directed by Rajesh K Abraham, a filmmaker from Kerala, who spent months studying theology and scripture to craft this unique storyline. The release is expected to add a meaningful cinematic experience to the festive season, inviting families to encounter the Christmas story through a new lens.

On a tense May morning, villagers in Samba — a small hamlet along the Line of Control between India and Pakistan — woke up to the sound of fighter jets, mortar fire and heavy shelling. As thousands fled to safer areas, three Catholic nuns at St. Joseph Community Hospital made a brave decision: they stayed back to care for the sick and injured. St. Joseph Community Hospital, run by the Jammu-Srinagar Diocese, is the only charitable hospital for the poor in the region. The building is old and resources are limited, but for local villagers it is a lifeline. Sr. Annie Manickathan, the senior nun, said, “If we leave, who will be with them? God sent us here.” She has served in different mission areas for decades and believes this work is her calling.

The hospital has six departments and survives through “simple living and strong faith.” Many patients are migrants, widows and daily-wage workers. “Some don’t even have five rupees,” Sr. Annie said. “For them we give medicines free.” Sr. Lilly Thomas, who joined soon after the war, came from New Delhi’s Holy Family Hospital. Though her family feared for her safety, she said she felt called to serve in this border district. Sr. Anita Minj has been in Samba for eight years and earlier worked with local youth through skill development programs. During the four-day conflict in May, the nuns treated people injured in shelling, cared for mothers and children, and kept the hospital open even when power lines were damaged and bombs fell nearby. Many nights they stayed awake praying for safety.

In mostly-Hindu Samba, the sisters say they share God’s love not through words but through service. Villagers — Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs — come to them simply as “sisters.” For the people of this border village, their courage and compassion have become a sign of hope.