The Delhi-based International Human Rights Council has announced an “Ambassador for Peace” Award for retired Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil of Guwahati. The Award conferred on 9th December 2019 in New Delhi in the presence of invitees from all over the country and abroad. One of the earlier recipients of the Award is the Dalai Lama among many other internationally known figures.

International Human Rights Council is one of the world’s leading independent organizations dedicated to defending and protecting human rights. By focusing international attention where human rights are violated, the organization gives voice to the oppressed and hold oppressors accountable for their crimes.

Though a Church man, Salesian Archbishop Thomas believes in social activism and is firm believer of peace building and social harmony who often repeats, “Peace comes when all of us recognize that we need each other.”

“I was drawn into it [peace building] in 1996 when almost two-and-a-half lakh people fled into relief camps around Kokrajhar [Bodoland] having lost their dear ones and property,” recalls Archbishop Menamparampil.

Without hesitation the soft spoken archbishop adds, “Fortunately, like-minded people came together to help from different Churches and communities.”

“It was a people’s effort, of joint action” he says. With the encouragement and support of the State Government and the general public, relief work made progress and an atmosphere for peace was created.

Pope Francis has appointed Monsignor Antonysamy Savarimuthu as the new bishop of Palayamkottai diocese in Tamil Nadu State. The bish-op designate is a priest of the same diocese. The appointment was announced at 12 noon on November 20 in Rome and 4:30 pm, its corresponding time in India.

Indian Catholic girl, Jesvita Princy Quadras, among others, is appointed to International Youth Advisory Body.

On the Solemnity of Christ the King on November 24, the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life of the Roman Curia announced about the establishment of an International Youth Advisory Body made up of 20 young people from different regions on the world and some international movements, associations and communities, said a press note from the Dicastery.

A college in Darjeeling hills has won an international award for Faculty Orientation and Strategic Planning.

Salesian College Principal Father George Thadathil and CEO of Leader-ship Inc Hong Kong Mark J. Pixley were awarded IAF Silver Medal Inter-national Award by its Asia Head Farah at the Umrao, New Delhi, on Novem-ber 15.

The US-based National Geographic magazine has honoured Kerala’s five “rebel” nuns by featuring them in its November issue.

The 131-year-old magazine has hailed the endurance of Missionaries of Jesus Sisters Alphy Pallasseril, Ancitta Urumbil, Anupama Kelamangalathuveli, Josephine Villoonnickal, and Neena Rose in their demand for justice for one of their companions, who was allegedly raped by Bishop Franco Mulakkal of Jalandhar.

India ranked 82nd among 128 countries for generosity over the last 10 years, according to the tenth World Giving Index (WGI).

Up to a third of Indians helped a stranger, one in four donated money, and one in five gave their time volunteering, the report said, attributing India’s low ranking to its strong culture of unorganized and informal giving to family, community and religion.

It recommended more formal mechanisms of donating to charity.

The report, published on-line in October, was based on surveys of 1.3 million people in 128 countries during 2009-2018. It asked interviewees if they had helped a stranger, donated money to charity or volunteered their time in the past month.

The surveys used Gallup World Poll data and were commissioned by Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), a UK charity that provides services and assistance to international charities and their donors.

India’s rank on the Index has yoyoed vastly, the lowest being 134th in 2010 and the highest being 81st last year. This year’s report aggregated data for each country for the last 10 years. India’s overall WGI score this year was 26 percent.

Of the top 10 countries, seven are among the wealthiest in the world. Yet, global generosity is on the decline, stated the report, highlighting that individual giving is now lower in countries with long histories of philanthropy such as the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

The Conference of Catholic Bi-shops’ of India (CCBI) – Women’s Commission held a workshop in New Delhi to revitalize the role of mothers in the Church.

“The purpose of the seminar was to build a strong and united Church through faith-filled families by mothers in each diocese in India,” Sister Lidwin Fernandes, executive secretaries of CCBI Women’s Commission, told Matters India. The other aim of the event was to revisit the Mission, Vision and Objectives for the commission.

The 18-21 November programme was held at Navinta Retreat House, New Delhi. As many as 70 participants from 50 Latin dioceses of India attended it.

Participants resolved to draft the bye-laws and guidelines for Women’s Commissions at national, regional and diocesan levels, said Ursuline Franciscan Sister Fernandes.

Inaugurating the event that the theme “Chosen to be a missionary month.”