Nirmala Carvalho

Adopted by the state’s lower house in December, the legislation allows anyone to file a complaint of forced conversion with the burden of proof of good faith on the convert. Conversions now must go through a long bureaucratic process provided no one raises any objections. The Catholic Church in Karnataka deems the new law “bitter, brutal and abrasive in its nature” and will challenge it “in its totality.”

The archbishop of Bombay, who also chairs the Conference of Indian Bishops, was ordained in September 1997. For newly created cardinal, Anthony Poola, he “has a unique way of handling issues with a beautiful smile.” Like Mother Teresa, he serves and shares “love for the poor,” said Dhaka’s Archbishop Emeritus D'Rozario.

Kerala’s chief minister attacks the local Church for its support of fishermen’s protest and their call for an environmental impact assessment. Development “should be for the people, not for corporate interests,” Fr Thelekat tells AsiaNews.

Archbishop D'Souza celebrates Mass with the Missionaries of Charity. 'In recent years the challenges and poverty have increased but the answer has always been the primacy of charity'. A new centre opened today in Park Street for children living on the street who cannot go to school.

A parish church located some 50 kilometres from Amritsar is vandalised. The Nihang, a Sikh warrior order, threatens to “take action’, targeting Christians for allegedly carrying out conversions. The local parish priest, Fr Poochalil, urges Catholics to pray to Our Lady Queen of Peace for peace and tranquillity.

The violence occurred in 2002 following a train fire in Godhra. Protesters complain that the rapists were released because they were Hindu nationalists and the victim was Muslim. “What justice system is this, in our country?” asks Sister Meena Barwa speaking to AsiaNews.

On Aug. 22 the inaugural session of the Bishops' Conferences of Asia at the shrine of Blessed Nichola Kitbamrung. 250 bishops, priests, religious and laity will participate in the meeting-which will have its focus Oct. 12-30. Adjunct Secretary Msgr. Allwyn D'Silva: "We will reflect on how to proclaim the Gospel to Asia today and what contribution our communities can make to the universal Church."

On the very day marking 14 years since the pogroms in Orissa, the Ministry of Home Affairs submitted a memorandum to the Supreme Court calling complaints about persecution at the hands of Hindu fundamentalists "falsehoods to meddle in nation's internal affairs." The testimony of Sr. Meena who was personally victimized in Kandhamal district: "God allowed me to see death and live again. I am close to those who are still suffering today."

For the archbishop of Vasai, the law should take its course after a local official was arrested for attacking some Christians. Members of a Hindu nationalist group staged a protest in front of the police station demanding his release.

They were celebrating the birthday of one of their children when neighbours called police., who arrested them after finding Christian religious texts in their possession. For Fr Vineet Pereira, the problem is “community polarization”. First application for bail was denied.

The archbishop emeritus of Guwahati looks at the pope’s words and gestures among Canada’s indigenous peoples through Indian eyes. “No more of that” also applies to Dalits, minorities, and the weakest groups in society who still experience abuse.

On the feast day of Saints Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus, the superior of the Redemptorist Vice Province of Majella in India offers his thoughts. For him, “Every elderly and infirm confrere is the hidden jewel” who must “be guarded with care”.