Girls aged 13 and 14 are raped and killed by members of upper castes. Families and the elderly are tied up and beaten. For Archbishop Machado, such violence is “inhumane” and must be “recognised as a serious violation of human rights”. Silence by political parties over the mounting atrocities is “disconcerting”.
The Sisters of the Cross of Chavanod join the Laudato Sì movement. Starting tomorrow, they will undertake an initiative to mark the social encyclical Pope Francis issued six years ago.
Right-wing extremists are behind the violence. The false accusation of proselytising unleashed the attack. A 25-year-old clergyman and his family were the target. For GCIC president, the mob carried out “deliberate acts of violence even against women”. Scriptures and sacred books were torn up, wounding Christians’ religious feelings.
Despite objections, the Synod decided to go ahead with the introduction of the single mode of celebrating the liturgy, which will see the celebrant turn towards the faithful in the initial rites but then turn towards the altar in the central part. Some exceptions will be allowed in eparchies where there are more opponents, but only until Easter 2022.
Some priests and believers are against a uniform mode of celebrating. Pope refers to the issue in a letter. Fr Paul Thelakat attacks the “dictatorship of uniform thought” and notes that Catholicism - as Francis says - favours “unity in diversity”.
The Missionaries of Charity prayed today at the tomb of the foundress born 111 years ago. Several Indian politicians also wanted to remember her service to all humanity on her birthday today.
A village chief led a mob of 250 against Christians who refused to give up their faith in Christ. During a prayer meeting, Hindu nationalists broke into a house-church accusing the Pentecostal pastor of engaging in conversion activities. The Global Council of Indian Christians asks: “Are we second-class citizens?”
Thirteen years ago, violence spread across Kandhamal district. A nun survived a rape during the anti-Christian pogrom to tell her story. “During the lockdown period I completed reading Holy Bible. I realise that the Word of God is reality for me,” she writes. Her community suffered so much, but now they “have a deeper faith”.
The court stayed the amendment to the State’s anti-conversion law introduced by Hindu nationalists if there is no fraud or coercion in marriage. This issue also touches other Indian states. For Father Babu Joseph, the ruling “does a good service to the cause of social justice.”
In 2008 seven Christians were arrested for the death of the Hindu guru who triggered the pogrom against Christians in Orissa. Victims of a sham trial, they were released on bail only after 11 years in prison. Yesterday the wife of one died. She had been a tireless campaigner for her husband's aquittal. Bishop Barwa: "We will continue her battle for justice".
Fr Jerome Sequeira works for the Jesuit Refugee Service, which has suspended all its activities. He and a fellow Jesuit are safe, but the Taliban “will come once they have fully captured all of the country. They have a list of all organisations”. Fr Robert Rodrigues is still in Bamiyan, in the central region. Jesuits in South Asia are in “contact with UN agencies for their evacuation.”
The family of Omana, 68, approached the local church priest for the Hindu rite because they had no room for a funeral pyre on their land. Fr. Varghese Mathilakathukuzhy and some volunteers didn't think twice and welcomed the funeral in the Catholic cemetery.
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