Indian Church refuses to endorse political party in election
Assam Christians outraged by Hindu leader’s “divisive” remarks
Moral theologians address challenges in biomedical ethics in India
Persecution of Christians has worsened around the globe, according to new study
Pope to Cardinals-elect: Keep your eyes raised, your hands joined, your feet bare
Tribal Christians avoid travel fearing attack in India’s Manipur
Pope Francis’ visit to Singapore ‘has revived the faith of our people,’ cardinal says
Cardinal Dolan: Harris received ‘bad advice’ to skip Catholic charity dinner
Although I had suggested many practical proposals of crisis prevention and management in my previous articles I feel it worth repeating many of them. I suggest the following practical tips after experimenting and found fruitful over last three decades. • Start interfaith prayers in the school assemblies and boarding houses to promote the pluralistic spirituality (You may make use of the book ‘Sangam’ with selected readings from eight different religious scriptures). • Display the preamble of Indian constitution in all the prominent places in the institution and class rooms. It contains Gospel values. • Stop saying traditional Christian prayers in the schools which have majority of teachers and students of other faiths. Organize Alumni Association in the schools and colleges and make it more effective that these ex students may come forward to defend the institutions in difficult times. Create emotional attachment to their alma mater. • Value education classes should be converted to leadership training of students with the values enshrined in the Constitution. Use motivational films suitable for this purpose. • Give exposure and leadership training to selected student leaders with the help of USM, Indore (It is successfully experimented over the last 30 years) • Form Peace Clubs with high school students in every school and delegate committed teachers to mentor them. • Have a full time co-ordinator
November 19 this year marked a great history in India’s Independence history. On this day ‘sovereignty’ of India was reaffirmed, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi a announced the repeal of three Farm Laws. They are: 1. The Farmer’s Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation)Act 2. The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 3. The Essential Commodities (Amendment)Act The chronology: June 5, 2020 Governnebt promulgated three Farm Bills. September 14, 2020 ordinance was brought to Parliament. September 17, 2020 Ordinance was passed in Lok Sabha. September.20,2020 Ordinance was passed in Rajya Sabha by voice vote Septenber 24, 2020 Farmers in Punjab announce a three day rail rook September 25, 2020 farmers across India took to the streets September 27,2020 Farm Bills were given presidential assent and became laws India is a ‘sovereign country’. The words, “We the people of India” indicate the ultimate sovereignty of the people of India. It means, ‘sovereignty’ lies with the people. Democracy means for the people, of the people and by the people. The recent success of the farmers’ protest re-affirms the same and we are proud that we are the largest democracy in the world. Right to protest is one’s fundamental right. “The power of people is always greater than the people in power” said, Wael Ghonim who galvanized pro-democracy d
Families in the Latin Archdiocese of Trivandrum in Kerala credit the home visits by nuns from multiple congregations with unknotting their problems and refreshing their Christian life. Nuns who have been part of the Home Mission program say it has revitalized their vocation as well. “I received lots of positive energy when people told me that our visits were a big blessing for them as they were waiting for someone trustworthy to pour out their heart,” says Missionary Sisters of the Queen of Apostles nun Felcy Mangalath, a member of the Home Mission. Sister Mangalath was among 25 nuns from 25 congregations working in the archdiocese who started visiting families in 2016. “People also told us that our visits have brought a new light to their homes and their neighborhood,” Sister Mangalath told Global Sisters Report. The Home Mission is an attempt by the Latin rite bishops of Kerala to implement Pope Francis’ 2016 call to strengthen and fortify families, says Father Suresh Pius, the director of the Basic Christian Community, a guide that helps diocesan ministries function, in Trivandrum Archdiocese. The mission continued until the end of 2019. The coronavirus pandemic and nationwide lockdowns forced its suspension. However, the nuns kept in touch with the families over the phone and through video calls for the past two years, said Holy Spirit Sister Sheeba Thottittekizakkathil, one of the coordinators of the m
“Where is the Life we have lost in living? Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information? The cycles of Heaven in twenty centuries Bring us farther from God and nearer to the Dust.” -T.S. Eliot Even as we struggle to limp back to normalcy from the onslaught of Covid-19, we seem to be bringing home an infection of another more dangerous virus – a virus of hate, intolerance, dishonesty, greed and deception – cautioning us of a plight, one that we can ill afford, that led the great Swami Vivekananda to describe Kerala 125 years ago – a lunatic asylum. A septuagenarian, I feel sad to see our deliberate, persistent departure from Christ and His message. Yet, I would rather avoid any controversy, for truth is the first casualty in any controversy. Let’s fix the problem, instead of fixing the blame. Prisoner’s dilemma does not take us anywhere. Restoration of mutual trust, and respect for one another, is the need of the hour. As a Civil Servant, who has had the onerous tasks of controlling communal strife, I could see for myself the unimaginable frenzy and fury of this satanic evil, which originates from our thoughts, magnifies into words and hardens into deeds. Seeds of violence, once planted, develop deep roots and spread its lethal canopy preventing access to the bright sunshine of reason. That is precisely the prompt for this note. When dark clouds portend assaults on our cherished edifice of communal ami
Rome: One should think that Indian Christians are becoming aggressively anti-Muslim if we are to believe the media, particularly the social media. Whether it is the controversy on ‘love jihad,’ ‘benefits for minorities allegedly being swallowed by Muslims,’ or a movie made by a Muslim director with the name of Jesus and the latest controversy around a bishop’s reference to alleged ‘narcotic jihad,’ there is an evident attack on the Muslims. This trend is particularly dangerous because it is both spiritually and politically naïve, unwise and retrograde. Of course, one cannot forget that the Christian-Muslim animosity is nothing new. Who could ever forget the story of crusades? For that matter, it is not just between Muslims and Christians alone. Who would not know the destruction that the ongoing violence based on religion is wrecking on humanity? According to Pew research, ‘in 2018 more than a quarter of the world’s countries experienced a high incidence of hostilities motivated by religious hatred, mob violence related to religion, terrorism, and harassment of women for violating religious codes.’ In the same year religion-related armed conflict took the greatest toll on the populations in Syria (with millions killed or displaced), Afghanistan, Nigeria, Somalia, and Yemen (with hundreds of thousands killed or displaced), and India, Iraq, Libya, Philippines, and Sudan (with tens of thousands killed
