Indian Cardinal opposes anti-conversion law in poll-bound state
12,000 gather as Goa starts exposition of St. Francis Xavier relics
Pope warns Vatican pension fund needs urgent reform as employees demand transparency
Pope: ‘Synod final document forms part of papal Magisterium’
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
Light a lamp for COURAGE – to illumine the darkness which has engulfed many everywhere! Diwali, the Festival of Lights is a reminder that each one of us is called to be a light in our world today; a light that is visible, enkindling other lights with hope and in doing so, dispelling the fears and hopelessness that have gripped the lives of many! Light a lamp for JUSTICE – which we desperately need in our country today! A justice which is objective and impartial; which is not of fear nor seeks any favour; which does not kowtow to the rich, the powerful, the influential or to the ruling regime! A justice which hears the cry of the poor, the Adivasis, the Dalits and the sub-alterns of our society. Light a lamp for LIBERTY – that India awakes to that “heaven of freedom,” which Rabindranath Tagore prayed for. When every single citizen has the freedom of speech and expression and is not slapped with archaic laws of sedition and contempt of court; where freedom of religion and belief is not some theory but a reality in practice. Light a lamp for TRUTH – which should be an indispensable dimension of our daily lives. Sadly, the beautiful prayer from the Upanishads, “from untruth lead me to truth,” has been destroyed beyond recognition by ‘fekuisms,’ lies and half-truths. We no longer seem to align our lives with Gandhi’s ‘satyagraha’ or with ‘Satyameva Jayate.’ Light a lamp for JOY – of childhood
I am sorry for the slight delay in commenting upon the latest issue of the paper. It is one of the best you have done recently. There are two points I liked specially .The first is the editorial on the latest Encyclical, including its beginning. The second is the long letter to the editor on the national education policy about which I had written last month. Even if our wise bishops decided to ignore it, now at least someone has taken it up. PTK
The October 21st Virtual Press Conference, organised by PUCL, and addressed by representatives of Opposition Parties and eminent personalities, gave a new awakening against the BJP government’s use of the draconian UAPA. The Conference witnessed the Party representatives and other eminent persons unanimously calling for removing from the Statute Book the draconian UAPA. This ‘hangover of British colonialism’, they felt, is an inhuman and barbarous law and an affront to humanity. It was pointed out that this obnoxious and anti-people Act is used to punish people as anti-national. Britain, the prime architect of this ancient centuries-old law, found it obsolete and abolished it in 2009. And we, here in India, use this archaic law to target rights activists or those who condemn social injustices or voice dissent against the government. The speakers pointed out that this law is not exactly misused as often understood. It is truly used to treat people cruelly and inhumanly by arresting them without warrant and detaining them in jail on flimsy and fabricated charges to rot in jail. The tool the government uses is the government-controlled National Investigating Agency, NIA. Inflicting such cruelty on 83 year old Fr Stan Swami or 80 year old Varavara Rao or the paralysed and wheel chair driven professor Saibaba demonstrates the sinister and heartless intent of the government. The video-recorded message of Jharkhand Chi
The New Education Policy begins with the UN goal of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” It continues, “Such a lofty goal will require the entire education system to be reconfigured to support and foster learning.” This hasty conclusion shows a total lack of respect for and knowledge of the educational process which is cumulative and gradual. It therefore makes proposals which will be devastating to the educational system in India. The NEP document uses very beautiful language to describe the principles, processes and goals of education but it proposes solutions which will be most damaging to education. Anti-Constitutional, anti-Minorities 1. No Christian educator was involved in the whole exercise, inspite of Christian educational institutions being among the most sought after and highly rated. Was there an ulterior motive? 2. No mention of Minority Education Rights at all. A Total eclipse! What about Art 30 of the Constitution? 3. Under Constitutional values, there is no mention of Secularism – one of the pillars. This is obviously deliberate. Is this to inaugurate Hindutva? 4. Parallel to removing Constitutional guarantees to Minorities, the reservations for SCs and STs also do not find mention. This cannot but be deliberate. The Supreme Court had guaranteed that the basic character of the
When I started my journey from Kerala, my native place in southern India, my mind was full of hopes of a bright future. I had somehow collected enough money for a post-graduate course abroad. After my studies I should find a job to pay off the debts and support my parents. I landed at Frankfurt airport, the fifth largest city in Germany. One of my friends had arranged for his acquaintance to pick me up from the airport. I had two big suitcases, a cabin luggage and a hand luggage. I was also wearing three shirts to reduce the weight of the suitcases. I looked around for a trolley to keep my luggage when I noticed a board written “50 cents for trolley hire.” So I kept my hand luggage on top of my cabin bag and turned around to get the coins. As I moved forward to get the trolley I turned back and was shocked to see that both my cabin bag and hand luggage had disappeared. My hands froze and I ran around with my other two suitcases, asking the people around me. I managed to reach the police counter. Their first response was that it was my duty to look after my belongings. They asked me to fill in a complaint about the loss of property. I then realized I did not have my friend’s mobile number or address to submit to the police. In my panic, I even struggled to speak properly with the little English that I knew. I could see the police officers make fun of my decision to keep both my mobile and passport in the hand lugg
