The Christian cultural center Vishwa Jyoti Communications organizes a pilgrimage from Nepal to Uttar Pradesh. The stages are rich in symbolic meanings, and recall the message of harmony and compassion of the Buddha. Fr. Anand: "Jesus challenges me to love my neighbor and his enemy".
India will have a new saint: Sr. Maria Teresa Chiramel Mankidiyan, 'like Mother Teresa'
by Nirmala Carvalho | INDIAWorld Day of the Sick was celebrated in Kolkata. As papal envoy, the archbishop of Dhaka cited the example of Mother Teresa, who "made God’s love for the poor and sick visible". Serving the dying "converts the hearts" of those who generously offer themselves.
NGOs complain about the crackdown on their work. NGOs are needed in India for children's education, support for the sick and help for the poor. For John Dayal, the Hindu nationalist party is against Western governments when they “raise questions about the treatment of Christians, Muslims and Dalits."
The blaze broke out on the attic of the Hotel Arpit Palace. Rescue slowed by the presence of wood panels in the corridors. Safety standards are under investigation: it seems that a kitchen was created on the top floor.
The new centre is a "Monument of Mercy", established as a response to Pope Francis’s appeal during the extraordinary Jubilee of 2016. It is located in Taloja, where PIME has run a dispensary for lepers since 1984. It will be a place of culture and interfaith dialogue, exchange of ideas and openness to the marginalised. The goal is to bring patients and healthy people into contact to overcome the leprosy taboo and the shunning of Dalits.
In Calcutta the celebrations for the 27th Day are underway, entitled "You received without payment; give without payment". The prefect of the Dicastery for Integral human development spoke about the role of health workers in the care of the suffering. The sick "are not only recipients of the work of evangelization, but also active subjects of this same apostolic action".
A new chapter opens in the case involving Msgr. Franco Mulakkal, on trial for sexual violence. The Missionary Sisters of Jesus had received a transfer order from the mother superior of the congregation. They do not want to leave the nun who has accused the bishop alone and they fear the sabotage of the trials.
The attack, which took place in Sultanpur district, saw three Christians seriously injured; yet, police did not allow them to file a complaint. For Sajan K George, “fanatics are whipping up hostility against Christians for political gain.”
The resolution passed unanimously in the State Assembly. The law is supported primarily by the Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. The norm that excludes converts to Christianity from reserved seats dates back to 1950. National Secretary of the Office for the Dalits of the Episcopal Conference: "It is a great support to our cause".
The effigy is located in the parish of St. Joseph, a few kilometers from the archiepiscopal seat. The police open an investigation. For the bishop of Jhabua, not all hopes are lost: "More than 25 thousand people will participate in the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes".
The advisory body wants to prevent the transfer of the nuns who might testify at the trial of Mgr Franco Mulakkal, who stands accused of raping a former superior of the Missionaries of Jesus. The nuns say they have been subjected to pressures and threats.
The Rev. Dharmendra Singh spent three days in prison, where he was able to meet and console 1,300 inmates. He was reported for forced conversions by a loyalist, who admitted he had received pressure from radical Hindu groups to present false accusations.
The Pope appointed the Archbishop of Dhaka, Card D'Rozario, as his envoy. Card Turkson, Prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for integral development will be present. The three-day event includes studies, as well as visits to patients in health facilities. A solemn Mass will be celebrated at the tomb of Mother Teresa.
Local bishops publish guidelines for priests and members of the clergy who are guilty of crimes against children and vulnerable adults. For the first time, the reduction to the lay state is foreseen for a guilty priest.
The "homecoming" program is sponsored by the VHP, an ultra-nationalist Hindu group affiliated to the government. The Christian leader emphasizes that "the tribals are animists and have never been Hindu, so the attempt to bring them back to the fold is just a political ploy".
