1) Altar servers rally for nature: Over 350 altar servers serving Salesian institutions in western India rallied in

ecology/Seminar

Mumbai as part of their efforts to care for creation. Father Edwin D’Souza, the guest of honor for the Nov. 15 rally, urged the youngsters to thank God for creating nature and challenged them to do their part to protect it. They resolved to work for environmental protection on personal and community level.

Cf. http://www.cathnewsindia.com/2010/11/17/altar-servers-rally-for-nature/

2) Without Rain (A film on climate change): Caritas has released a film highlighting the impact of climate change on villagers’ lives in western Nepal. The film Without Rain contrasts the richness of village life and culture with the struggle for survival caused by a lack of water in the foothills of the Himalayas. There are now more months without rain, dry stream beds that used to water crops in the dry season and snowless hilltops that send an ominous message about future water supplies. The film ends with a plea for worldwide action to reverse the dangerous environmental trends and to minimize the impact of irregular climate changes.

http://www.cathnewsindia.com/2010/11/17/nepal-learns-to-cope-in-a-world-without-rain/

3) Seminary Rectors of India promoting the cause of ecology: According to Jesuit ecologist Fr. Robert Athickal, the main resource person of the Nov 7-13, 2010, meeting of ARMS (Association of Rectors of Major Seminaries), asserted the Church would experience positive changes if one fourth of those involved in training priests and Religious decided to promote ecology.

Cf. http://www.cathnewsindia.com/2010/11/16/ARMS

4) Research Seminar on Ecology at Mount St. Thomas, Kochi (24-26 November, 2010)

Keynote address   Rev.  Dr. Francis Vineeth CMI,   Acharya, Vidyavanam Ashram, Bangalore.

1. Eco in Bible:  Rev. Dr. Sebastian Kizhakkayil MST,   Director, Santhome Bible Centre, Pariyaram, Kannur

2. Eco in the Fathers of the Church:  Rev. Dr. Emmanuel   Kaniamparambil OCD, Carmelaram, Bangalore  

3. Eco – Spirituality: Rev. Sr. Dr. Ancil FCC,   Generalate,   Aluva

4. Eco – Ethics: Rev. Dr. Jacob Koippally,   Director, John Paul 11 Institute of Studies   for        Marriage   and   Family, Cana, Changanacherry

5   Eco – Science: Rev. Dr. Augustine  Pamplany  CST,  Little Flower  Seminary,   Aluva

6   Panel discussion on Eco -resemblance in Christian Art, Culture and Literature.

I       Eco – resemblance in Poetry and Fiction: Prof. Dr. Kurias Kumblakkuzhy, Malayalam   Literary Critic; Chief Editor,   Pratichaya

2      Eco – resemblance in Theatre and Movie:     Dr. C.K   Thomas,    Direction, Doordarshan

3      Eco – resemblance in Children’s Literature: Sri Sippy Pallipuram,   Balasahityam   Award

Winner,   Kendra   Sahitya   Academy

4      Eco – resemblance in Music: Rev. Dr. Philip Vysanethu OIC,   Musicologist,

Bethany   Ashram,   Thiruvalla

Br Philip of the Holy Cross School, Whitefield was assaulted by a bunch of hooligans on Saturday, 23rd October 2010 by

karnataka/Christian/Attack

forcing him out from a public transport bus and taking him back to his school with a pre-planned programme.  This act was also aimed at defaming the institution of the Holy Cross School where he now functions as the Vice-Principal and the Head of his religious community.  What shocked the public was the manner in which Brother was assaulted on a fictitious charge in order to legitimize the unruly action of 300 people in front of the cameras and the press.

St. Joseph’s College, Bangalore responds to the assault on Br. Philip Noronha, CSC              Br Philip of the Holy Cross School, Whitefield was assaulted by a bunch of hooligans on Saturday, 23rd October 2010 by forcing him out from a public transport bus and taking him back to his school with a pre-planned programme.  This act was also aimed at defaming the institution of the Holy Cross School where he now functions as the Vice-Principal and the Head of his religious community.  What shocked the public was the manner in which Brother was assaulted on a fictitious charge in order to legitimize the unruly action of 300 people in front of the cameras and the press.             Brother Philip was a staff member of this college for three years – from June 2007 to May 2010 and functioned both as Registrar of the institution and the Warden of the Hostel. There were no allegations of the kind against him. While we do not desire to defend or denounce actions of any individual or group, in the case of Brother Philip if there were any allegations against his behavior, there are forums within the school and outside the institution in the state to complain and seek redress. Individuals and groups are not permitted to take the law into their own hands. That a group from the Public, several of whom have nothing to do with the school, make an allegation and take the law into their own hands to settle scores is against the rule of law. What stunned us was that the Police and the media, expected to be the protectors of the law colluded with the assaulters and desecrated the sanctity of the law.
That the incident was pre-planned needs no proof. How were the people mobilized and the TV cameras present there at the time of the assault then?  Why did the media collude with the attackers? How did they agree to be there at the time of the incident? Is what happened to Brother Philip an isolated case or the normal practice of the media for gain and profit? The whole episode makes mockery of the role of the media meant to protect the democratic citizenship and the rule of law. They have connived with the breakers of law for serving vested interests.  In the whole commentary in the more than three channels that the listeners heard, Brother Philip was made a culprit. No channel was prepared to unearth the truth. In a democracy the primary role of the media is to denounce anti-social forces to make democracy possible for ordinary and average citizens. Those with power and influence were allowed to be the accusers, Judges and implementers of that judgment.
The Police were no better. It was a horrible sight to watch that in the presence of the Police a person is assaulted, slapped and insulted and the police remain mere spectators or even join the attackers. What was more shocking was a police person slapping the Brother  watched by citizens in the various TVs. Is there anything worse than this that can happen to an individual? When the protectors of the state law turn into violators of individual rights to please vested interests in society, what are the avenues left to individuals for justice? What we have witnessed is the worst form of cruelty that can happen to any individual in the state of Karnataka. That is why it is important that citizens do not remain as mere spectators to this kind of state violence. It can happen to any person in this state if we have to go by the recent attacks on individuals and groups.
We are witnessing a total disregard to the process of law. A person is intimidated, threatened, beaten up, defamed and made to feel a criminal in front of the whole society. What if he is totally innocent? Defamation of an individual and physical assault with a threat to kill is a criminal act. Why is the state not acting? As an educational institution that is premised on the rule of law and is committed to form students to follow that law, we denounce this action of anti-social forces on Brother Philip, a former colleague of ours and demand from the state immediate action. Those who have erred should be dealt with in accordance with law. If we replace democracy with mobocracy, society will be taken over by anti-social elements. As citizens and individuals committed to build a democratic state and society, we demand the hooligans who attacked Brother, the police officer and the others who slapped him in Public, those who forced him out from the bus and all others should be booked in order to save democratic society and guarantee safety to its citizens.  A week has gone by and that no arrests have been made on the case is frightening. On the other hand, the physically wounded, mentally tortured and psychologically humiliated and socially defamed victim has to go to the courts and police station for bail to defend himself on charges that are manufactured.
Should we constantly fear and face unthinking violence of the state on innocent people? Should we tolerate the gross travesty of law? Should be remain silent when violence is heaped on common folk like Br Philip? As citizens of the state and as former colleagues of Br. Philip, we demand that the state acts immediately to book the assaulters, charge them under the law with criminal offence and deliver justice as speedily as possible.

A debate has been there ever since the murder of Mahatma Gandhi that whether the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is a Nationalist organization or not? Since people have varying understanding about nationalism, this question remains open ended even today.  Even though it looks very confusing to exact the parameters of Nationalism, we can understand the components that make nationalist behaviour.  It is understood as the feeling of  ‘WE NESS’ with all its diversity of religion, culture, language, food habits along with a strong feeling for the age old traditions of all sections of the country, national heroes from all communities and above all deep commitment to the constitution of this country. We shall examine the activities of this organization from this perspective.

This debate over the credentials of RSS took a new turn with the allegations made by former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Digvijay Sing and Member of Parliament and Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi.  Digvijay Singh flagged off a letter to the then home minister Shivraj Patil on September 16, 2008. In his letter he pointed out details of a spate of bomb blasts involving organisations affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) between 1992 and 2008 in Maharashtra , MP and Haryana.  He did nothing as accused by the critics of Patil to be the face of the soft core Hindutva within the Congress Party that supports the RSS activities with a feeling that to control minorities RSS needs to be supported from behind the scene.

Persistent Digvijay Singh on 10, May 2010 wrote another letter to Prime Minister naming Abhinav Bharat, Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, Dharmashakti Sena, Sanatan Sanstha, Guru Kripa Pratisthan and a few others as outfits that are part of the Hindutva terror network. Following it Rahul Gandhi  described the RSS as “fanatical”, saying it was no different from banned terror outfit SIMI and that both hold “fundamentalist” views. The stand of both stalwart leaders of Congress Party got vindicated with the clear charge sheet submitted by the Rajastan ATS. Yet one has all reasons to disbelieve the involvement of whole organization in the terrorist activity.   A question resounds in our mind is that can the involvement of a few leaders of RSS in the terrorist activity prove the whole organization anti-national? So we need to further examine its activities.

The critics of RSS allege that RSS is propagating Hindu theocratic state against the secular constitution of our country. They admire a section of the national heroes.  In the name of cultural nationalism they force Hindu traditions on everybody. It has propagated for decades to isolate Christians accusing them of religious conversion and the Muslims by branding terrorist activities.   Over the years they have created a biter animosity between Hindus, Muslims and Christians. They have constantly tried to ignore the individuality of Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism by propagating them as part of Hindu traditions.

They have exploited the religious sentiments of devote Hindus with ulterior motive of planting themselves in to all sections of the society.  They have managed to have their people from village secretaries to the highest offices in the country. They have their people in all political parties, socio-cultural organizations, literal and scientific field, educational, industry and all possible sections we can think of. They have hovered over the whole nation like an octopus tightening its arms over people to breathlessness. They have become the most fearful force challenging the Constitution and Governments.   A terrorist attack kills a few people but what about this organization which poisons the minds of millions.  If we tend to believe that there could be some truth in these allegations, then we need to answer the question, Is RSS a Nationalist organization?

Most. Rev. Kurt Koch, the President of The Pontifical Council of Fostering the Christian Unity appointed Most

Dr. Selvester Ponnumuthen

Rev.Dr. Selvister Ponnumuthan, the bishop of Punalur as a member of the Catholic delegation of the Joint Commission for Dialogue with both the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. This Commission meant to promote growing communion among the Disciples of Christ. Indeed, Christians must feel increasingly inspired to respond to the call to unity, so that together they can proclaim again the Gospel of Jesus Christ with one voice and give common witness to the world.

Bishop Selvister Ponnumuthan was born in Uchakkada, Neyyattinkara, India on August 10, 1956 and completed his philosophical and theological studies in St. Joseph’s Pontifical Seminary, Carmelgiri and Mangalappuzha respectively. He was ordained on December 19, 1981. After various pastoral and academic appointments in the Diocese of Trivandrum he was sent for higher studies in 1991. He got Doctorate in Spiritual Theology from the Pontifical Grgorian University, Rome. From 1996-2009 he served St. Joseph’s Pontifical Seminary handling different roles such as lecturer, librarian, director Missiology Forum, Dean of studies of Theology, Vice –Rector and Rector. Pope Benedict XIV appointed him Bishop of Puanlur on 28th June 2009. He is the Chairman of Commission for Evangelization, Ecuminism and Dialogue (CEED) of KRLCBC. He is also a member of Indian Theological Association, Fellowship of Indian Misssiologists and International Association of Catholic Missiologists.

India’s Supreme Court has accepted a petition seeking cancellation of bail for a legislator a week after he was jailed for murdering a Christian in Orissa.

The court yesterday ordered a notice to be sent to Orissa state asking for an explanation on why bail for Manoj Pradhan should not be cancelled, ucanews.com reports.

The Orissa High Court released Pradhan and his accomplice Praful Malik on bail on July 7 on condition that Pradhan would not tamper with evidence in other cases against him.

Pradhan, a member of the state legislative house, was sentenced to seven years’ jail on June 29 for killing Parikhit Nayak on Aug. 27, 2008 in Kandhamal district, the epicenter of anti-Christian violence then.

Kanaka Rekha Nayak, the murdered man’s widow, challenged the bail in India’s highest court. She told ucanews.com that the seven-year jail term itself was inadequate compared to her husband’s suffering and death.

However, Pradhan is now in jail after a court sentenced him on Sept. 9 to six years of rigorous imprisonment for the murder another person, Bikram Nayak, from Tiangia village. The murder was committed on Aug. 26, 2008.

The Supreme Court accepting the petition to cancel the bail itself “shows that there is merit in the case. We are sure the bail will be canceled,” said Ritu Singh, a lawyer associated with the case.

Singh said “no one should escape law because of political clout.” Cancellation of bail is necessary to build up people’s confidence in the judicial system, she said.
Pradhan has now been convicted in two murder cases and acquitted in seven others relating to arson and rioting. Three more cases are pending against him.

ORISSA,  (ucanews.com):

Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Mumbai and president of Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI), released the revised and updated edition of ‘ Shining Faith in Kandhamal’, authored by Anto Akkara, on September 23, 2010 in Bangalore at the 65^th founding anniversary of Asian Trading Corporation (ATC) – the publishers of the book.

“This is a very inspiring book,” said Cardinal Oswald Gracias in his presidential address hailing the book by international journalist author hailing from Thrissur. “What happened in Kandhamal I really felt was very sorrowful. But it was also a moment of grace. These stories (narrated in the book) will strengthen the faith of our people,” remarked Cardinal Oswald holding aloft the book – earlier edition of which has been translated into Malayalam ‘Theeyil Thilangia Vishwasam’.

The book provides critical study of the protracted anti-Christian violence in Kandhamal in Orissa and update on the situation of the homeless Christians after two years  along with over 60 spine-chilling testimonies of Christian faith from Kandhamal jungles.

Cardinal Telesphore P Toppo, Archbishop of Ranchi and former CBCI president, received the first copy of the book from Cardinal Oswald at the function in which Archbishop Bernard Moras of Bangalore was the chief guest while Archbishop Albert D’Souza of Agra, CBCI Secretary General, and several other Archbishops, KCBC officials, Bishops and other church dignitaries were present.

‘The RSV Holy Bible’ and ‘The Spirit of the Liturgy’ by Pope Benedict XVI, the exclusive publishing right for which has been granted to ATC – leading Christian publisher in India – were also released at the function attended by over 1000 Christians.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court issued an interim order in July 2009 suspending the state subsidy scheme for Christians going to Jerusalem on pilgrimage. Church officials have welcomed a Supreme Court directive instructing a state court to hear a petition challenging subsidies for Christian pilgrims.

The Supreme Court on Aug. 2 also said that the Andhra Pradesh High Court’s hearing of the case, to be done within four months, should not be “influenced” by “unwarranted” observations made in an interim order last year. The interim order in July 2009 suspended the state subsidy scheme for Christians going to Jerusalem on pilgrimage.

The High Court said the subsidy was improper and that tax payers’ money should not be used to promote any religion. The Supreme Court’s move “is a step in the right direction. We welcome it so far as it helps Christians obtain the subsidy,” said Father Babu Joseph, spokesperson the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India.

The state court’s interim order followed a petition from G. Mohan Rao who argued that state funding of Christian pilgrims discriminates against other religions. The Supreme Court’s “move is positive,” said Reverend Enos Pradhan, general secretary of the Church of North India, adding that “the subsidy does not violate secular principles.”

The subsidy is part of a state welfare package given to minorities, he said, adding that Muslims also get state help for their pilgrimages to Mecca. “We will wait for the High Court to make a decision,” said Catholic lay leader John Dayal.

The state subsidy, introduced in 2008, saw Andhra Pradesh spending about 10 million rupees (US$216,200) on Christian pilgrims going to Jerusalem in the scheme’s first year. The state had spent half that amount in the second year when the subsidy was suspended.

Brother Mani Mekkunnel of the Conference of Religious India says he would like to see the scheme extended nationwide by the federal government.- http://www.ucanews.com

Cardinal Oswald Gracias Elected the New CBCI President

2 March 2010, Kochi, Kerala, India: Cardinal Oswald Gracias, the Archbishop of Bombay was elected the new President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) the world’s fourth largest bishops’ conference. His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Mar Cleemis Catholicos the Major Archbishop of Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and Mar George Punnakottil, the Bishop of Kothamangalam Syro-Malabar diocese, were elected the first and second Vice Presidents respectively. Archbishop Albert D’Souza of Agra was elected as the new Secretary General of the CBCI for next two years. The Secretary General of the Bishops’ Conference is the chief functionary and as such he deals with the most important matters that come under the purview of the Conference.

Cardinal Oswald Gracias served as the Secretary General as well as the Vice President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India and currently the President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), belonging to the bishops of Latin rite, which is one of the three Episcopal bodies of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India. He is a consulter to the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts. His Beatitude Baselios Mar Cleemis Catholicos was also served the CBCI as its Vice President.

Cardinal Oswald expressed his gratitude to the bishops for placing their trust in him and assured them that he would continue the good work of his predecessors for the whole Catholic Church in the country. The outgoing President of CBCI Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil, Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church and Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly who was unable to attend the Plenary Assembly of Bishops thanked the religious heads of the Catholic Church for their cooperation and support to him for the last two years as President of CBCI.

The new office bearers were elected by the 29th General Body Meeting of the CBCI in the north eastern city of Guwahati, the capital of Assam state, at Don Bosco Institute, Kharguli, on the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra river. One hundred and forty five member bishops of CBCI took part in the election of new office bearers. The office bearers of the CBCI consist of President, 2 Vice Presidents and Secretary General. At every biennial General Body Meeting of the Bishops new officer bearers are elected to guide the apex body of the Catholic Church in India.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) is the permanent association of the Catholic Bishops of India. It was formally constituted in September 1944 at the Conference of Metropolitans held in Madras. Its objectives are to facilitate coordinated study and discussion of questions affecting the Church, and adoption of a common policy and effective action in all matters concerning the interests of the Church in India. The CBCI has 228 member Bishops from the Latin, Syro-Malabar and the Syro-Malankara ecclesial traditions. Among these are 158 heads of dioceses of whom 3 are Cardinals, 27 Archbishops and 51 Retired Bishops.