Nirmala Carvalho

The nuns belong to the Congregation of the Pious disciples of the Divine Master. The Prarthanalaya Chapel was decorated with gold-coloured streamers, symbolising the fire of love for Christ. For their superior, the two sisters “built their house on the Rock".

The toll of flood victims rose to 184, as well as one million displaced people. Msgr. Derek Fernandes managed to get to Kadra, in Karnataka, where the waters receded. The population has lost everything; the main concern is the spread of epidemics.

The most affected state is Kerala, with 72 victims and 260,000 displaced in over 1,600 camps. The Church at the forefront of assistance operations. The opposition calls for intervention by the central government.

Kerala, Maharashtra and Karnataka are the most affected states. More heavy rains are expected in the next 24 hours. “Catholics are at the forefront of saving lives,” said Mgr Derek Fernandes, bishop of Belgaum. “We ask for prayers and solidarity of all kinds,” he added. Card Gracia meets local bishops and coordinates aid from Bangalore.

Sushma Swaraj, who died on Tuesday at the age of 67, worked hard on the release of Tom Uzhunnalil, the Salesian priest seized in Yemen and held for over a year. She loved Mother Teresa. Card Gracias remembers her. Pope Francis called her "very spiritual".

A joint document from the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and of the World Council of Churches was published, entitled "Educating for peace in a multi-religious world: a Christian perspective". Card Gracias presented it to the Minister for Youth, Sport and Education of the State of Maharashtra. Educating for peace through a profound self-awareness, an openness to the other, a careful use of the media, an increasingly personal spirituality. The testimony of Pope Francis in Abu Dhabi.

Christian religious activities spark strong tensions in the northern Indian state. Hindu radicals attacked a Protestant pastor in Kanpur district. Another was banned from performing religious services in Gonda. For the president of the Global Council of Indian Christians, "insecurity, threats, intimidation and arrests mark the life of the Christian community."

According to Vasudev Devnani, the Pentecostal community offers money to those who leave Hinduism in the Ajmer district. Sajan K George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians: "Whatever has to do with the small Christian community is viewed with suspicion".

More than 3,000 people are attending the 14th International Youth Conference, currently underway in Kerala. The Archbishop of Mumbai cites the appeal by young people to the Synod asking to be listened to, trusted and accompanied. The prelate calls on young people to dream for “This is a sign that the Holy Spirit is with you.”

The priest was declared Servant of God in 2008. The same year the diocesan inquiry began. The historic commission visited 90 archives and libraries in India and Rome. The documentation now goes to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in the Vatican.

The Union government unveiled a plan titled ‘Empowerment without appeasement and development with dignity". The authorities recognise six minority groups – Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists and Parsees; however, Dalit Christians are still excluded from the quota system established by a 1950 presidential order.

Norm allows married Indian couples to use a surrogate mother passes in the lower house of parliament. Thanks to the low costs of artificial insemination techniques, the country has become the world capital of wombs for rent.