Br. Malvino Alfonso OCD & Verghese V Joseph – Karwar: In a solemn ceremony at St. Anthony’s Church, Mundkani, a small hamlet in Honavar Taluk in Uttar Kannad District of Karnataka State, Bishop Duming Dias of the Diocese of Karwar ordained Carmelite Deacon Siltan Noronha OCD as a priest. This ordination marks the fourth Carmelite priest from the Diocese of Karwar, a significant moment in the religious community. During the Eucharistic celebrations, Bishop Dias highlighted the profound role of a priest as a messenger of God, entrusted with proclaiming the Gospel, sanctifying the people, and ..read more

Thomas Lima csc – Readings: Acts 18:23-28; Jn 16:23-28 Today’s first reading deals with a very familiar text about Apollos and his encounter with Priscilla and Aquila who would literally change his life. Often, God lets people, known or unknown to enter our lives for a season. However, we often fail to see their purpose and instead choose to brush them off as though we don’t need their help. One thing I like about Apollos is that he was teachable. He was willing to be taught, to learn what he didn’t know. Once we learn, we can go and be effective in the things that God has called us. In today ..read more

Verghese V Joseph – Bengaluru: In a recent development, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CCBI) has named Fr. Dominic Pinto, a 42-year-old priest from the Lucknow diocese, as the new associate executive secretary to the CCBI Commission for Youth. This decision was reached during the 94th Executive Committee meeting of the CCBI, held in Bangalore from 7th to 8th May 2024. Fr. Dominic currently holds the position of regional director of the Youth Commission within the Agra Regional Bishops’ Council. Fr. Dominic Pinto’s journey towards priesthood began in Bajpe, Karnataka, where he was b ..read more

By Lavoisier Fernandes We are in the information overload generation and are inundated with information from Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube, TikTok, and WhatsApp, whether we want it or not. We have instant access to a plethora of information that is available to us around-the-clock, yet sometimes this information is confused for knowledge, quantity for abundance, and riches for contentment. Because of the abundance of information available to us now, there are more obstacles to effective communication, polarisation, net addiction, and mental health problems. Let us put this ..read more

Verghese V Joseph – Bangalore: The Commission for Canon Law in the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) has taken a significant step in establishing a clear path for recognising significant diocesan shrines as national shrines. The newly drafted “Norms for the Designation of National Shrines” was officially released as a book during the 94th Executive Committee meeting held at St. John’s Medical College in Bangalore on Wednesday. The comprehensive norms address the desire expressed by several bishops to elevate cherished diocesan shrines to national status, fostering greater recognit ..read more

Paul Suski –  The Church teaches that the use of contraceptives is intrinsically evil, a grave sin. On July 25, 1968, Pope Paul VI issued Humanae Vite, the landmark encyclical that reaffirmed the teaching of the Church in this regard. The Pope warned that the widespread use of contraception would lead to “conjugal infidelity and the general lowering of morality.” This is exactly what has happened. With the introduction of contraceptive pills to the Polish market in 1966, the number of broken marriages almost doubled. Fr. Bielawny compares the periods before the introduction of the contrac ..read more

Paul Suski – The celebration of Pentecost Sunday is also the perfect time to contemplate our life and review its history, a good opportunity to review our imperfections, ask God for his forgiveness. “The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name – he will teach you everything and remind you of all that [I] told you.” (J 14:26). Thus, we should pray for the Holy Spirit, the Helper, to guide us and give us a cleared understanding. I approach this sensitive topic with anxiety and trepidation hoping my article will not be putting the cat among the pigeons. To appreciate the wo ..read more

Fr Eugene Lobo, SJ – Sixth Sunday of Easter May 05, 2024 Acts 10:25-26,34-35,44-48; 1 John 4:7-10; John 15:9-17′ The love of God is universal, reaching out to everyone. The Holy Bible gives account of God’s love to humanity from the foundation of the world.  John in his writing defines God as love. Such an affirmation is simple and absolute. Initial knowledge of divine Love begins with opening Sacred Scripture and discovering the Creator who finds joy in his creation. Nonetheless, to enter into this mystery and truly understand it requires more than intellectual knowledge. To know that G ..read more

# chhotebhai – This is indeed a strange title. It is borrowed from the Vatican II document “The Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World”. Let me quote it. “The church admits that she greatly profited and still profits from the antagonism of those who oppose or persecute her” (GS 44). Perhaps “benefit” would have been a better choice of word than profit. Let’s not quibble over words and get to the point. What do we understand by persecution? Is it good or bad for us? I would first distinguish between persecution, harassment and isolated instances. Persecution means a planned pog ..read more

Book Review by Fr Yesu Karunanidhi – Author: Rev. Dr. M. John Diraviam Title: South Indian Christendom. From Malabar Mission to Madurai Archdiocese Publishers: Nobili Publications, Madurai Pages 240. Price ₹150. “If you don’t know history, then you don’t know anything. You are a leaf that doesn’t know it is part of a tree,” says Michael Crichton (an American author, screenwriter and filmmaker), reflecting on the significance of the study of history. History, in fact, is not a compilation of data, but a presentation of lived experiences. Rev. Dr. M. John Diraviam Rev. Dr. M. John Diraviam’s “S ..read more