The need for Christians to move from blind faith to mature living of Christ’s values in society was stressed at a function organized by Vidyajyoti theologate in Delhi. The annual convocation and seminar conducted Vidyajyoti’s Distance Education Program in Theology was attended by 54 lay people from Europe and Malaysia, besides India. They awarded certificates for completing the course, Among them 44 attended the November 21 program online.
Archbishop Anil Couto of Delhi, the chief guest, lauded Vidyajyoti for conducting the “meaningful program” to equip the laity. The archbishop, who was a student of Vidyajyoti, stressed the need to bear witness to Jesus in the pluralistic world, through faith, truth and love. He reiterated that the Christians learning theology is part of the baptismal process.

A Catholic religious woman took to the streets in the city of a, the capital of Kachin State in the north of Mynamar, and ask-ed the security forces not to shoot young demonstrators
who are protesting peacefully. Sister Ann Nu Thawng of the Congregation of St Francis Xavier in the diocese of Myitkyina, became the heroine of yesterday, February 28th, which was marked by harsh repression of the Burmese police, who, according to the United Nations, opened fire, killing 18 people and injuring more than 30 nationwide.
“In the Myitkyina area, demonstrations so far have always been peaceful and without incidents. However, yesterday epi-sodes of violence risked precipitating the situation,” said Ca-tholic Joseph Kung Za Hmung, editor of the “Gloria News Journal,” the first Catholic online newspaper in Myanmar. “The action of the nun and the response of the police who, upon seeing the nun’s plea, stopped, surprised many of us. Sister Ann Nu Thawng is today a role model for Church leaders: bishops and priests are called to step out of the their comfort zones and follow her courage as an example.” Many non-Catholics also praised Sister Thawng’s brave efforts, whose entry went viral on social media. “More than 100 demonstrators were able to find shelter in her monastery. It saved them from brutal beatings and arrests by the police,” says the Director.

A postgraduate girl student at Christ University Bangalore staying home during Covid 19 lockdown in Kochi found employment for herself and 21 other youth thanks to her language skills.
From being a mere translator, she was promoted to the post of Kerala Technical Head and Coordinator and had a team of 21 technicians assisted by her former batch mate.
After resigning from her job as Head of Operations for entire Kerala State, Reshmi Rose Tom of Kakkanad spoke to mattersindia.com before leaving for airport to catch a flight back to Bangalore.
Stating reason for resignation she says, “As my MA degree classes are resuming and I need to continue with my research work, I would not get time to wholeheartedly continue this work and hence I have asked the company to relieve me.”
It all started with lockdown induced rage for fitness machines in Kerala.

The Covid-19 pandemic has greatly affected parish life, particularly in Jakarta Archdiocese, with the Indonesian capital recording the highest number of virus cases in the country. This, however, has forced the archdiocese’s parishes to be more creative. Indonesia has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic which first hit the country in March last year. As of Jan. 4, the country had recorded 772,103 cases and 22,911 deaths. As of Jan. 3, Jakarta ranked first, with 189,243 cases and 3,316 deaths.

A Catholic bishop in Kerala, southern India, has urged girls to avoid wearing outfits shorter than knee-length while inside the church. In a pastoral letter, Bp Mathew Anikuzhikattil of Idukki has women to keep special clothes to wear for prayers and rituals.

The pastoral letter was published in the latest edition of the diocesan bulletin. The bishop, who will turn 75 on September 23, also wants parents to teach their children to respect and obey Church authorities and expecting mothers to take part in prayers.

“Baptism of newborns should be conducted within eight days of their birth. The ceremony should not be delayed for weeks and months in the name of grand celebrations,” said the letter. The bishop also asked parents to give Christian names to their children, including their pet names. Parents, he added, should not blame priests and nuns in front of their kids, which would in turn affect children’s inclination toward divinity.

The Syro-Malabar prelate also urged parents not to encourage their kids to go after material gains. “Many young Christians choose married life without purity and this is reason for lack of faith,” he said. He also urged parents to restrict the use of social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp.

Father Jimmy Poochakkat, official spokesperson of Syro Malabar Church, supports the bishop’s letter. “There is proper dress code to be followed by women even in Vatican. The bishop’s instructions are in good faith and it will help girls to feel safe and secure when they are out in public or face the audience while reading out the Holy Bible inside the church,” the priest explained.

Bishop Anikuzhikattil was embroiled in a controversy last December when he issued a pastoral letter asking Christian couples to produce children till the end of their reproductive capacity.