Indore: Catholic Society To Celebrate ‘Indian Christian Day’ Today
ndore (Madhya Pradesh): The Catholic Society will be celebrating St Thomas’ Memory Day as ‘Indian Christian Day’ on Monday at St Raphael School from 6:30 pm. Prayer to Saint Thomas the Apostle leads to miracles such as healing of illnesses, protection from calamities, and liberation from adversity, and spiritual growth. Many individuals have been cured, protected, and guided through their prayers, receiving mental and spiritual support. "St. Thomas the Apostle's unwavering faith and dedication to spreading the message of Jesus are truly inspiring. His story reminds us of the importance of questioning, seeking understanding, and finding our own path to faith. As a Bishop of Indore, I strive to instil in all members of the Christian community the same spirit of curiosity and critical thinking that St Thomas exemplified. His commitment to sharing the teachings of Jesus in different regions serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative power of love and belief,” said Bishop ChakoThotamorical, Bishop of Indore Diocese. “As the Parish Priest of St Francis Cathedral Church in Indore, I am deeply inspired by the arrival of St Thomas the Apostle in India, which historical records indicate occurred in the 1st century AD. The accounts of his missionary work and
Manipur violence ‘genocide’, ‘another version of Gujarat riots’: Kerala Archbishop Joseph Pamplany
Archbishop Joseph Pamplany hit out at the BJP governments in the Centre and Manipur for failing to ‘quench the violence’ and alleged that Christians were being singled out and attacked. The Kerala-based Syro-Malabar Catholic Church on Thursday said the violence in Manipur has “turned into a genocide” and developed into “another version” of the 2002 Gujarat riots, with Christians being singled out and attacked. “There seems to be a concerted effort behind the riots. People have apprehension that the government is shielding those behind the riots,” Archbishop Joseph Pamplany, one of the core members of the Synod of the Catholic Church in Kerala, said on Thursday, addressing the media in Kannur. “The violence in Manipur has turned into a genocide. Both the Centre and the state governments have failed in quenching the violence. The tension in Manipur has turned into a genocide which is unheard of in the history of the country. It has developed into another version of the riots in Gujarat,” the archbishop said. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent statement in the US that there is no discrimination in India, the archbishop said the Prime Minister should have made that comment looking at the face of the people of Manipur. Pamplany
DMK MP Booked For Attack On Church Priest
In a major controversy in Tamil Nadu’s Thirunelveli, DMK MP Gnana Thiravam was sent a notice by the party leadership for attacking a church priest. In a major controversy in Tamil Nadu’s Thirunelveli, DMK MP Gnana Thiravam has been sent a notice by the party leadership. In the Thirunelveli diocese of the Church of South India (CSI), the DMK MP Gnana Diraviyam served as a member of the council as well as the treasurer of the Holy Yovana Bhavan school until a few days ago. However, the MP was removed from these positions all of a sudden, without any notice. He has been replaced by Arul Manickam, a government lawyer. Shocked by this move, the DMK MP and his supporters went to the Holy Yovana Bhavan school to express their angst against the decision and seek an explanation. While talks were on, the supporters of the MP and the new officials indulged in a scuffle. Furthermore, Gnana and his supporters locked some rooms in the CSI office at Thirumandalam in Palayamkottai, Thirunelveli, and staged a protest. The authorities then insisted that the rooms should be opened and the administrative activities should not be disrupted. Meanwhile, a senior priest, Godfrey Noble, visited the CSI Thirumandalam
Church in India to observe a national day of prayer for peace in Manipur
As sectarian violence continues in Manipur, the Catholic bishops of India call for a special day of prayer for peace in the riot-hit Indian state. By Lisa Zengarini The Catholic Church of India has called for a national day of prayer on Sunday, July 2, to end the ongoing sectarian violence in Manipur. Over 100 dead and 50,000 displaced by ongoing violence The violence erupted in the north-eastern Indian state on May 3, when Hindu-majority Meitei people, who control the local political power and represent or 53 percent of its population, attacked a demonstration of Kuki tribals, who are mainly Christians, protesting against a court proposal to extend the Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Meitei. The special status grants priority in government jobs, education, and other affirmative programs meant for the indigenous people, such as the Kuki. Nearly two months since the outbreak of the violence, which so far has claimed over 100 lives and displaced more than 50,000 people, mostly Kuki Christians, unrest hasn’t yet subsided. This has been confirmed in recent days by Archbishop Dominic Lumon of Imphal, in a letter addressed to Indian bishops updating them on the latest developments. According to the prelate, clashes continue unabated, notably in the outlying areas of
Christian Family Traumatized by Ethnic Violence in India
On the evening of May 3, an ethnic Christian in northern India’s Manipur state received a call from a relative advising her to pack up and leave home with her children immediately. Manngaihlun Tombing, of the Kuki ethnic minority in Churachandpur, did not take it seriously, she said. The worst that could happen, she thought, was that the government would impose a curfew. “Keeping that in mind, I quickly rushed to a nearby store and bought enough supplies to sustain us if a curfew was imposed,” Tombing said. Little did Tombing know that she and her family would flee their home and narrowly escape death several times over the next 24 hours. Tombing lived in the area known as Paite Veng, of the state capital, Imphal, with her husband, their two children, her mother-in-law and a domestic helper when the May 3 violence began between the predominantly Christian Kuki and the Meitei, who are majority Hindu. Tombing did not anticipate that the ethnic clash that originated during a march to protest the demand of the Meitei community for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status would result in the killing of almost 200 people and leave 60,000 displaced. When she returned home from the market, she received a
Warrior Sikhs attack persecuted Christians in India
Pastor Jai opened up his church in the city of Rajewal in preparation for Sunday services. Just as the congregation was worshipping, a mob comprised of men dressed in the traditional attire of a Sikh warrior stormed into the church, causing significant property damage and injuring numerous persecuted Christians in India. As previously reported on the GCR Prayer App, the South Asian nation has recently fallen under international criticism for the violent riots that took place in Manipur early last month, displacing tens of thousands of persecuted Christians in India. Throughout the country, religious tensions couldn’t be higher. The attackers in Rajewal wore blue robes and were armed with swords and spears. They barged into a peaceful church service and tore Bibles, vandalized vehicles and assaulted congregants. Pastor Jai and the church members were forced to hurl stones in self-defense. The police were called to help bring the hostile situation under control. The attackers are said to belong to the Nihang sect, which is a warrior order in India, but the sect has denied any involvement. According to the U.S. Department of State, Christians comprise just over 2% of the population. Many believe the number to be as high as nearly 5%—however persecuted
Manipur Is Burning: Why Are You Silent, Mr Modi?
It's said Emperor Nero played the fiddle while Rome was burning. Historians have pointed out that the story is baseless. The fiddle was not there in Rome during Nero's time, and his favourite instrument was the lyre. When the fire began, he was 35 miles away from Rome. However, it is true that Nero availed of the fire to blame the Christians and started a wave of persecution, the first of many. It would be wrong to say that the Central Government behaved like Nero, even though the fact remains that the Union Home Minister could find time to go to Manipur only three weeks after the fire started. In short, the fire raged on for three weeks before the fire brigade in the nation's capital thought of taking note of it. In defence of the Home Minister, it can be argued that the all- important Karnataka State elections merited his attention. Prime Minister Modi, in his super popular Mann ki Baat on 17 June 2023, spoke about the dark days of the Emergency imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on 25 June 1975. He spoke about the ravages of cyclone Biparjoy in Gujarat. He had no time to say even a
Blame for Manipur violence on BJP, Narendra Modi urged to ‘speak up and take accountability’
Over 550 citizens’ groups, academics and lawyers on Friday attributed the violence in Manipur to “divisive politics” by the BJP, a party they accused of “exacerbating” age-old ethnic tensions between communities for political gain. The groups and individual signatories issued a joint statement calling for an immediate halt to the violence and urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “speak up and take accountability”. “Manipur is burning today in very large part due to the divisive politics played by the BJP and its governments at the Centre and state. And on them lies the onus to stop this ongoing civil war before more lives are lost,” the statement said. More than 100 people have died and over 300 have been injured in violence between Manipur’s majority Meiteis and the tribal Kukis. The violence began on May 3 following tribal protests against the Meiteis’ efforts to gain Scheduled Tribe status, which had been bolstered by a Manipur High Court order in April. The joint statement said that while the high court order had been the “immediate trigger” for the violence, the situation had been “grim” since January when the state’s BJP government began eviction drives in the Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Tengnoupal districts, declaring tribal forest dwellers as
Burning of Khopibung Catholic Village Leaves 44 Families Homeless; Negotiations Fail, Church and Mobile Tower Destroyed
Imphal, 12 June 2023: Khopibung Catholic Village in Imphal suffered a tragic incident last evening when the entire village was engulfed in flames, leaving 44 families homeless. Despite the villagers’ courageous efforts to defend their homes throughout the day, negotiations between the residents and an attacking group failed, resulting in the destruction of the village between 5 pm and 5.30 pm. The fire also claimed the Catholic Church built by Bishop Dennis, along with a mobile tower. Thankfully, women and children had already been relocated to safer places prior to the incident. As the community grieves, prayers for peace in Manipur are requested. In a heart-wrenching event, Khopibung Catholic Village in Imphal fell victim to a destructive fire last evening, leading to the displacement of 44 families. The village’s residents valiantly fought throughout the day to protect their homes, but their efforts proved futile when negotiations with the attacking group failed, resulting in the complete torching of the settlement between 5 pm and 5.30 pm. The fire not only caused immense damage to the houses but also destroyed significant structures within the village. Among the casualties was the Catholic Church, which held great religious and cultural significance. The church was originally constructed
Archbishop of Imphal claims 249 churches burnt in Manipur: ‘Religious attack carried out’
Amid clashes between Manipur’s Meitei and Kuki communities, “religious attack has been effectively carried out”, Dominic Lumon, the Archbishop of Imphal, wrote in a letter Saturday. Recording at least 10 alleged instances of institutions under the Catholic Church being attacked since the violence broke out, he claimed that 249 churches belonging to Meitei Christians had been destroyed within 36 hours since the start of the violence. “The wonder is in the midst of the fight between the Kukis and the Meiteis, why did the Meitei mob burn down and destroy 249 churches located in the Meitei heartland? How is it that there was almost a natural attack on the church in the Meitei localities itself and how did the mob know where the churches were located if not previously planned?” he claimed. In his account, he has connected this with the revival of Sanamahism, the indigenous religion of Meiteis, and the emergence of groups such as Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun. “Some pastors have been indicated not to rebuild the churches. There is systematic silencing of the minorities. Is this not another ‘Ghar Wapsi’?” he claimed. He also questioned the role of the government and the armed forces in failing to maintain peace in the
