Nirmala Carvalho

Students at St Andrew's College stage a musical performance to celebrate the feast of their patron saint and mark the end of the Year of Faith proclaimed by Benedict XVI. Songs and dances are interspersed with readings on topical issues like drugs, family problems, violence against women and suicide.

Together with Caritas India, the Archbishop of Mumbai has launched a Christmas campaign to raise awareness of the "needy" living in the city. The initiative was launched with a visit to the largest slum in India and Asia, home to hundreds of thousands of inhabitants. The cardinal recalled Pope Francis, who "praised the courage of the poor , urging society to welcome them with love and compassion."

The new building is on state land. According to the parish priest, the initiative is likely to cause tensions between the two communities, but local officials have so far failed to explain why the allowed the building of such a place of worship. For Christian leader, the state must "be courageous" and stop Hindu fundamentalists.

For a year the Sister Disciples of the Divine Master in Mumbai will lead the celebrations to mark this important anniversary . The superior of the congregation tells of how "people of every faith , age and caste came to our chapel" a sign that " anyone who is in search of God " therefore " is our guest".

Fr Errol Fernandes, a Jesuit, talks to AsiaNews about Christian workers bearing witness o their faith in the countries of the Persian Gulf. From 4 to 6 November, the priest led a spiritual retreat in Dubai on the occasion of the Year of Faith, on behalf of Churches that exist because of the presence of migrants. Wherever freedom of religion exists in Arab countries, Christianity is alive and vibrant. For the clergyman, those who are persecuted live like Christ and their witness brings new life to the Church.

The Diocese of Mangalore has organized a three-day rally to celebrate the closing of the Year proclaimed by Benedict XVI. More than 20 thousand laity, 186 priests and thousands of nuns participated. For Msgr . Aloysius Paul D' Souza it was a moving occasion, " the enthusiasm of the people , a sign of their faith and how they put it into practice ." In 2008, 24 churches in Karnataka were destroyed by Hindu extremists .

The president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) backs a bipartisan US resolution concerning relations between the two countries. The United States is "concerned" about the violations of freedom of religion. India's political parties and religious organisations must "publicly oppose the exploitation of religious differences and denounce harassment and violence against religious minorities, especially in the run-up to India's general elections in 2014."

This is the conclusion reached by Sajan George, president of Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) following certain statements made by Modi, the prime ministerial candidate of the Hindu ultra-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who said that that he likes Karnataka's "saffron wave". Saffron is the colour of radical Hindus, and the state has one of the worst records in terms of the persecution of religious minorities.

Kerala Court hands down acquittal on appeal. In 2010, Islamic extremists accused the teacher of having offended Muhammad. While denying any responsibility, a group of strangers cut off his hand and part of his right arm. After being suspended and then fired by the school authorities, today the teacher was offered his job again.

For the priest, the award dedicated to Mother Teresa "comes as a challenge that we transcend our own small world and reach out in more tangible ways to those who hunger and thirst for love, dignity and justice." He is the director of the Prashant Centre of Human Rights and Peace, and a defender of the victims of 2002 massacres.

Respecting nature means protecting man from the danger of self-destruction. The Church must promote environmental education and the community must learn to resist the lure of consumerism, preserve green spaces and avoid wasting of water. AsiaNews presents the fifth and final part of the results of the national symposium organised by India's Latin rite bishops.

Amy Lim is a married Christian nurse, mother of three. In 2014, she will volunteer at the first house for the dying founded by Mother Teresa. She explains that providing palliative care means helping the sick and their families "live meaningfully and with dignity their last days." For her, "In a world that considers each and every loss as a tragedy to avoid, palliative care shows that most human growth and humanity often comes out of tragedy".