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
We, the Jesuit Major Superiors of South Asia, gathered for our Annual Conference in Godavari, Nepal (23-29 Feb, 2020), are appalled to learn of the recent communal violence in the capital city of Delhi where at least 42 people lost their lives and hundreds have been wounded. All the more shocking are the reports of the apparent complicity of the police forces in the violence, and the inexplicable postponement of legal procedures for four weeks.The concerned citizens know that the hate speeches and divisive politics of the recent elections in Delhi, the all-pervasive hate-politics and mob lynching of the last one decade and the attempts to appropriate ‘nationhood and religion’ for majoritarianism would all lead to unimaginable consequences for the body politic. We urge the Central Govt to immediately withdraw the hastily enacted draconian and discriminatory CAA and NRC and initiate a process of dialogue with all concerned.Meanwhile we invite all concerned citizens, especially the Indian Jesuits and our Institutions, i) to continue serious study and research on the ramifications of CAA and NRC for the concepts of nation, citizenship and the Constitution, ii) to join anti-CAA protest movements whenever and wherever possible, iii) to support rescue works in the violence affected areas, iv) and to initiate reconciliations among peoples and religions.We pledge to protect the integrity of the Constitution and to preserve the ethos of our nation that was shaped by the
Looking at the mood of the country and the sad state of affairs, I find myself failing to repeat the words of Christ on the Cross: “Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.” The non-violent protests and repeated representations of peace-loving people to the Government about the rampant persecution, violence and brutal murders of innocent people by divisive and communal forces under the open eyes of the administrators and custodians of law and security have fallen on deaf ears.The communal forces have been let loose to do what they want and that their challenge threatens the ancient spirit of secular and pluralistic India. While tolerance is a basic tenet of all religions, including Hinduism, intolerance has become the hallmark of fundamentalist “Hindutva” forces that spread venomous hostility towards minorities, Dalits and tribals. Their systematic attacks on minorities have increased alarmingly in the recent years. They are making a mockery of the Rule of Law. The Government is watching disinterestedly. One cannot but doubt the secular credentials of the Government. “Justice delayed is justice denied.”The world has witnessed too much bloodshed in the name of religious fundamentalism. To cite a few examples: the crusades in Europe, the Inquisition in the Middle Ages, the massacre of the Jains and Buddhists in south India, the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, the destruction of the Babri Masjid, the brutal burning of Rev. Graham Staines a
“By Ram Rajya I do not mean Hindu Raj. I mean by Rama Rajya Divine Raj, Khudaki Basti or the Kingdom of God on Earth” Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi [1].At the heart of the visceral animosity that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Hindu Mahasabha (HMS) and all the affiliates have against Gandhi is his deep, reasoned and passionate commitment to a composite Indian nationhood. His writings in Young India and Harijan are well-documented as also is his subsequent clarity on the issue which is unequivocal.Faced with the growing appeal of communalists across the religious spectrum, in the early-mid 1900s, Gandhi remained firm in his commitment to equal citizenship based on human rights and dignity. His equally deep commitment to reform in a caste-ridden Hindu Order also led him to launch campaigns for the dignity and place of those deemed by a discriminatory caste hierarchy as “untouchables’ and in his way of assimilation name them ‘Harijan’ (‘Creation of God.’ While his approach to the caste system and its attendant discriminations, not least his compromises and strategy around the Vykom Satyagraha [3] has rightly irked those committed to a more radical approach to the caste question, the fact that Gandhi, among others made central to the issue of mass mobilization dignity for those hitherto treated by caste Hindu society as invisible and worse, was an equally weighty factor behind this animosity of the Sangh....Later, on January 27, 1935, Gandhi addre
Writing in 1966 in his Theological Highlights of Vatican II, Professor Joseph Ratzinger pointed out that even in matters liturgical, Vatican II wanted greater decentralization and plurality within the Church. In 1970, the German bishops’ Conference received a proposal from some theologians, including Walter Kasper, Karl Lehmann, Joseph Ratzinger, to ordain married men of good character to the priesthood.Years later Pope Benedict XVI imposed the new English translation of the Roman Missal on all English speaking parts of the Latin Church, even though Latinists, Scripture scholars, theologians and liturgists had questioned the quality of the translations. Now the retired Pope comes out with a book defending priestly celibacy.In an article on the new English translation of the Roman Missal, written in 2013, I said that Pope Benedict had forgotten what Professor Joseph Ratzinger wrote about liturgy. Now, in the context of the book on priestly celibacy, one international Catholic paper speaks of “Benedict’s estrangement from Ratzinger.” May the Lord save us.Subhash Anand, St Paul’s School, Bhupalpura
Dear Catholic Bishops of India,Greetings and good wishes to each one of you, as you gather together today (12 February 2020) for your 34th biennial plenary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) at St John’s National Academy for Medical Sciences in Bengaluru. I am writing this letter (to each one of you) after much personal discernment and discussions with some, including those who have encouraged me to do so. It is not easy because I would like to be concise yet substantial; however, let me begin...Dear Bishops, millions of our sisters and brothers in our country are crying out for a more humane, just and equitable society; they are crying because divisive, discriminatory, draconian law and policies are threatening their very citizenship; they are crying because they are being targeted because of their faith; they are crying because they are poor and vulnerable; they are crying because they are Dalits and Adivasis, women and children, unemployed youth and beleaguered farmers; they are crying because they want to be listened to, to be in dialogue with, to be accompanied!Dear Bishops, so where do we stand as Church in India today? To put matters in perspective, some Bishops have come out in the open, joined protest rallies and have issued unequivocal strongly-worded statements asking for the repeal of the CAA and a stay on the NRC/NPR; several priests, religious and laity all over the country, have been responsible for organizing protests and/or ha
