The Kerala high court has set aside the Centre's decision not to renew the FCRA certificate of two NGOs, accused by central agencies of funding agitations against the Vizhinjam sea port, saying that financial support to a protest cannot be seen as diversion of foreign funds.
Controversy escalates in Goa over alleged objectionable remarks against St Francis Xavier, with protests and police complaints filed. The Congress demands the sacking of a minister, while the CM calls for maintaining communal harmony.
Goa Police are planning to issue a Look Out Circular (LOC) against right-wing activist Gautam Khattar, who has been untraceable since an FIR was registered against him over remarks on St Francis Xavier.
The 'rescue' operation occurred within kilometres of Iran's underground tunnel complex at Isfahan, assessed by the IAEA and US intelligence as holding a substantial portion of the country's 60 per cent enriched uranium stockpile. Retired senior US military officers have highlighted that the mission's footprint -- hundreds of special operators, multiple heavy-lift aircraft deep inside Iran -- appears outsized for recovering a single airman. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
A Christian school was allegedly vandalised in South Delhi's Vasant Vihar area
Pope Francis's connection with India was marked by a mix of hopes and challenges. His long-held wish to visit the country remained unfulfilled, but he made significant contributions to the Catholic community in India, including elevating Indian figures to sainthood and appointing an Indian priest as a Cardinal. While his efforts to resolve conflicts within the Syro-Malabar Church were unsuccessful, his legacy will be remembered for his efforts to promote unity and understanding in the Catholic Church.
Mother Teresa to be beatified October 19.
The pontiff, the first leader of the global Catholic Church from the United States, appeared for about seven minutes on Rate Field's jumbotron during the event, organized by the Chicago archdiocese and featuring several other local personalities, including Bulls announcer Chuck Swirsky.
Reacting sharply to the ban imposed on yoga by two churches in England in their halls, yoga exponent Baba Ramdev and a Catholic priest on Saturday said the decision stems from "ignorance".
The death of an Indian dentist in Ireland, whose life could have been saved through an abortion, sparked outrage in India on Thursday with political parties terming it as a violation of human rights while her parents demanded an international probe.
Alleging "connivance" between the Sangh Parivar and the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre, the Congress party on Wednesday said the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of reconversions will upset the social equilibrium in the country.
Bharatiya Janata Party chief J P Nadda had a couple of days ago met a few top Catholic priests in Kottayam district of Kerala, sources said.
A substantial part of a catholic church in northeast Delhi's Tahirpur area was gutted when a fire broke out at its premises on Monday morning with the Christian community suspecting foul play in the incident.
After two years of muted festivities due to COVID-19, crowds thronged churches across the country this Christmas on Sunday for special prayers as people celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ.
'Senior Vatican officials were pleasantly surprised at the number of Indians who had come to witness the ceremony.'
The 72-year-old attacker told Tomy Kalathoor Mathew that because he was Indian, he must be a Hindu or a Muslim and therefore unqualified to say mass.
The negotiations between the priests protesting against the the Synod's decision to introduce a uniform mass and a sub-committee comprising three bishops constituted by the Synod to find a way to solve the matter.
Over 300 priests of the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church on Friday said they cannot accept the warning issued by the papal representative to celebrate Holy Mass in a uniform manner as prescribed by the synod or face consequences -- as it goes against their conscience.
The ceremony, held at the famous St Peter's Basilica and attended by clergy and dignitaries from around the world, witnessed the induction of 21 new cardinals from various countries.
'All those who participated in the agitation were branded as anti-nationals.'
The Christian community, which has been critical of the Bharatiya Janata Party government following "attacks" on churches, on Friday welcomed US President Barack Obama's comments on religious intolerance in India, saying he spoke about the reality and pro-active action was required to ensure social harmony.
'This is the third time we are getting an assurance from the central government. We want the investigations to come up with results.'
As Christians took to streets of Delhi over recent attacks on churches, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday promised to step up security at their religious places amid his assertion that any discrimination on the basis of religion will not be tolerated.
Archbishop Anil Couto's instructions, though politically charged, are not unusual or unprecedented.
Police have detained a total of 10 persons in connection with the alleged gang rape of an elderly nun and loot at a convent school in West Bengal's Nadia district.
Father Dias met Biden during a 30-minute holy communion service for the US president at a hotel where he was staying in New Delhi on Saturday, ahead of the G20 summit.
Netto said that Christians in various parts of the country, especially in Manipur and north India, were being subjected to "cruelty and violence by dark forces" and alleged that there was no effective intervention against it by the authorities.
Scores of members of the Christian community and social activists staged a protest outside the Delhi Police headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday morning over alleged the police inaction in the case of the fire which on Monday gutted a church in northeast Delhi's Tahirpur area.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met the top priests of various churches in Kerala, giving a push to the Bharatiya Janata Party's efforts to reach out to the influential minority community in the southern state ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, sources said.
The Thalassery archdiocese of the Catholic church has condemned the "misinterpretation" of its archbishop's statement on political martyrs and said the church has a history of respecting the martyrs.
"The police is being forceful," said Father Dominic, who joined the protests.
Christmas was celebrated across the country on Saturday, but the festivities were low-key for the second year in a row due to Covid, with churches and other events witnessing lower footfalls, people avoiding large get-togethers and the administration in some areas imposing certain curbs.
A mob of agitators led by the Latin Catholic church Sunday night attacked Vizhinjam police station in Thiruvananthapuram in protest against the construction of Adani port, injuring at least 29 policemen and damaging police vehicles.
'People should realise that what we are fighting for today is actually for tomorrow, for future generations.'
The specter of how the Munambam issue was exploited during the November by-elections is proof of the price Kerala is paying for its emergent politics. Controversies become the stuff of slow-burn and brinkmanship. The former promises mileage; the latter searches for an advantage, notes Shyam G Menon.
With elections elsewhere in India showing that multi-pronged contests usually work to the BJP's favour, the party can gain if it hangs on stubbornly. In the meantime, any additional support helps. That is why the archbishop's comment attracted political traction in Kerala, observes Shyam G Menon.
"Since Catholics believe that the Holy Father is elected by a move of God, the Holy Spirit, prayers are necessary to elect the best man from among the good, in these trying times for the universal church."
With the Catholic Syrian Bank (CSB) board scheduled to meet on Friday to discuss the proposal of the merger with Federal Bank, the Catholic Church is also gearing up to agitate against the move.
A Catholic priest from India-- who previously worked with the Archdiocese of Winona, Minnesota -- was deported on Wednesday following his conviction for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old.
