Catholics in a parish in Kerala in southern India have accused the state’s forest department of “terrorizing” them after officials uprooted a cross and registered charges against their priest and leaders for encroaching on forest land. James Aikkaramattam, parish priest of St. Thomas Church in Idukki district, told on April 21 that the cross was on “parish land that a parishioner donated decades ago.” On April 12, Palm Sunday, forest officials used an earthmover to remove the 3-meter concrete cross, claiming it was illegally occupying forest land. The forest department also registered a case against 18 people, including the parish priest, for violating forest laws by trespassing onto forest land and encroaching upon government property. ”The charges against me and others are false, as we did not trespass onto any protected forest. A parishioner built his house on the land and lived there for five decades before donating it to the parish.
Spanish bishops speak out after leaks of their meeting with Leo XIV
The executive committee of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference, (CEE, by its Spanish acronym) meeting in Madrid this week, issued an official statement regarding the leaks
