North East Catholic Research Forum

The North East Catholic Research Forum extends a hearty congratulations to Rt. Rev. Dr. John Thomas, Bishop Emeritus of Itanagar, on his 50th anniversary of priesthood.    **//**    Hearty congratulations to Prof. David Syiemlien and Prof. R. Lalrawna on being honoured with the Padmashri Award for their contributions in the field of literature and education.

Latest from us

The validity of Catholic Baptism

Opinion | Articles | Benjamin Chang |

The Catholic Church has always understood baptism differently. It teaches that baptism is a sacrament that accomplishes several things, the first of which is the remission of sin, both original sin and actual sin—only original sin in the case of infants a.....

Upholding Gandhian Values of Truth, Justice and Nonviolence for Journalism Today!

Opinion | Articles | Cedric Prakash |

It is good to be here at this the 29th Annual Convention of the Indian Catholic Press Association (ICPA). I wish to place on record my deep and sincere gratitude to the Executive Committee of the ICPA and all others concerned for giving me the joy and pri.....

Sacrificing Childhood magic to social media

Opinion | Articles | Peter F Borges |

Imagine a world where the echoes of children’s laughter are replaced by the quiet taps on a smartphone screen. Where once there were scraped knees from climbing trees and chasing friends, now there’s the glow of Instagram and TikTok keeping kids captivate.....

Where are we going?

Opinion | Articles | M L Satyan |

Every day news headlines, both in print and digital media, give us terrible shocks. News about murders, robberies, human trafficking, cheatings, corruption, atrocities on women, sectarian violence, caste-based discrimination, abuse of nature and natural r.....

Harvesting Souls?

Opinion | Articles | Chhotebhai |

Back in 2000 Arun Shourie wrote a book “Harvesting Souls – Missionaries, their designs and claims”. It was a condemnation of everything remotely connected with missionaries. In the Indian context it was about our Christian presence. For those who came.....

Fratelli Tooti

Opinion | Articles | Chhotebhai |

Had I entered a Spelling Bee contest I would have failed miserably, considering that I have mis-spelt the title of Pope Francis’ encyclical “Fratelli Tutti” that he wrote during the Covid pandemic. Unlike previous Popes, he wrote in Italian, not Latin. Se.....

Mother Teresa: Saint who taught us Compassion

Opinion | Articles | Cedric Prakash |

Today (5 September) is a very special day for the world: it is the Feast Day of Mother Teresa, the Foundress of the Missionaries of Charity. She died on this day in 1997. The Catholic Church throughout the world venerate her as a Saint – and rightly so. F.....

Tele-serials Propagate Destructive Values

Opinion | Articles | M L Satyan |

Of late I have been watching a few Tamil television serials. I was surprised to note a running thread in all the serials. What is it? HATRED. This hatred is usually fuelled by different types of revengeful activities. For this purpose, every serial has a .....

India: An ailing nation, a sick society

Opinion | Articles | John Dayal |

Sometime later this year, if all goes well in India and the United States, India will send its second citizen into space. The first one, fighter pilot Rakesh Sharma, was on board a Soviet spacecraft in 1984. The next, also an air force pilot, will be on b.....

Your Slip is Showing

Opinion | Articles | Chhotebhai |

Let me begin with a frank admission. From school days I have hated English grammar. On the other hand, my wife is a grammarian, knowing Wren and Martin’s grammar like the back of her hand. She compensates for my many inadequacies. The word “slip” is bot.....

India Cries for Freedom!

Opinion | Articles | Cedric Prakash |

India cries for Freedom: Thanks to the relentless struggles and sacrifices of our freedom fighters, on 15 August 1947, India made her tryst with destiny! After years of colonial rule, she finally became an independent nation. Ever since (during these past.....

Indian women live in an unsafe environment

Opinion | Articles | M L Satyan |

This year India is celebrating its 78th Independence Day on August 15, marking 77 years since the first anniversary of independence. As usual, hoisting of the national flag, colourful decorations, illuminations, fire crackers, cultural events, and tea par.....

TODAY, is WORSE than the ‘EMERGENCY!’

Opinion | Articles | Cedric Prakash |

TODAY, is WORSE than the ‘EMERGENCY!’ India will and should never forget that infamous night of 25/26 June 1975, when, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had a state of emergency declared all over the country. During that dark chapter of the country.....

Shankaracharya exercises his prophetic mission

Opinion | Articles | M L Satyan |

Shankaracharya exercises his prophetic mission A few days ago, I watched a YouTube video uploaded by AAA YouTube channel of Ajit Anjum. In this video the news reporter is interviewing Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand. He came across to me as a .....

Editorial

Persecution as an Opportunity

The history of the church is replete with stories of persecution; the crucifixion of Christ itself being the greatest of all. Rome, where the Vatican, the supreme seat of the Pontiff, stands today, in fact was one of the foremost places where Christian pe.....

Weaving a Christian Relationship

His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama, in his book, Toward A True Kinship of Faith, wrote, “I have boundless respect for my Buddhist faith, but to see it within the context of its brother and sister religions has afforded me a vision of the grandeur and exten.....

We hope the Church Hierarchy is listening

According to the media report, the son of a pastor, Ramesh Baghel, has been prevented from burying the dead body of his late father in the village cemetery because some Hindutva activists from his village did not allow the burial to take place. He appeale.....

The Twin Pillars of the Catholic Church

Dealing with the differences between the laity and clergy, the two pillars of the church, is a perpetual problem for the Catholic Church. Though the problem is real and sometimes threatens to tear apart the cohesiveness of the synodal church, it has alway.....

It is time Christians learn to read things between the lines

The recent statement from the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court, proposing a regulatory body to oversee church properties akin to temple boards and waqf boards for Hindus and Muslims, undoubtedly raises concerns. However, given the number of controve.....

Look within, before gazing afar

Pope Francis has already announced the names of 21 new Cardinals who will officially assume the new role on December 8th, 2024. Following their appointment as cardinal-elects, the Holy Father wrote a short but powerful letter to all these men, who would s.....

The AICU needs to explore beyond its current boundaries.

The All India Catholic Union, which is the apex body of lay Catholics in India, was born well ahead of India's independence. It is a union with inclusive representation, upholding the Catholic faithful's mandate from all three rites of the Catholic family.....

Wayanad: Another wakeup calls for Mankind

Wayanad in Kerala is considered to be one of the rural districts in the state that has many attractions: a wildlife sanctuary, lush green forest cover, high altitude comfort, home to animals including Asian elephants, tigers, and leopards, and mesmerizing.....

Democracy has finally triumphed

The Parliamentary Elections 2024 have been one hell of an epic exercise, not because they were conducted in a country known as the world’s largest democracy, but simply because of the manner in which the entire exercise was carried out. Between the first.....

Unleashing Unity: A Synodal Mandate for the Catholic Church in Northeast India

As India engages herself in a general election since April 19th and braces for results on June 4, 2024, the air is thick with anxiety. The potential return of the Modi-led BJP, with its fascist undertones and anti-minority stance, threatens the very fabri.....

Is the CBCI admitting that Catholic Schools are indeed converting people?

Provoked by series of wild allegations on Christian institutes converting students from other religions, the NECARF Review ran an editorial as early as October 2022 under the caption “Forced Conversions: Christian Response to the Allegations." The editori.....

The Silence is deafening

The year 2023 ended somewhat on an unpleasant note for the Catholic Church, as there was a huge controversy over Cardinals, Archbishops, and Bishops attending a Christmas gathering on an invitation extended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. Ch.....

Previous Articles

Thinking Tears that Tears us

Opinion | Articles | Victor Ferrao

We are all born with tears in our eyes. Our cry is the first sign of life to our caregivers. It is our way of coming into the world. The cry and tears are performative. They mark the distance between us and the world. This marking of distance continues ev.....

A Reflection on the Importance of offering Suffrages

Opinion | Articles | Penny Rose Chinir

According to the Catholic faith, suffrages are intercessory prayers in the form of holy mass and other prayer services, beseeching the repose of the departed souls. For example in the FMA family – a family of over 12,000 nuns across the globe, of which th.....

Christmas Season

Opinion | Articles | Benjamin Chang

Here in India, only in recent years, I see so many Protestant Sects using this term Advent Christmas. I am confused as to why some terms and practices of the Catholic Church are simply borrowed and used without actually knowing the meaning. Advent Christm.....

Bishops, Pawns and Politics: Indian Church loses friends and makes new enemies

Opinion | Articles | John Dayal

No boat on a choppy Sea of Galilee would have been tossed as violently as the Church in India finds itself shaken today, trying to negotiate its way between competitive political space with Muslims and Hindus in distant Kerala, rampant persecution by non-.....

The Success story of Awungshi Shimray Augustina Sanyaola

Opinion | Articles | Philip Lyngdoh

The Success story of Awungshi Shimray Augustina Sanyaola From diamond seller to apple farmer, Awungshi Shimray Augustina Sanyaola has come a long way. Her story is one of hope for those who want to convert their passion and dream into a real enterprise. .....

India Cries for Justice

Opinion | Articles | Cedric Prakash

In India, the cries for justice, are becoming louder and longer! They come from different segments of society and particularly from those who continue to be exploited and excluded! These cries are heart-rending: anyone with an iota of conscience will hear.....

What is Education without Character?

Opinion | Articles | M L Satyan

I was deeply disturbed when I watched a video in WhatsApp sent to me by a Professor in Kerala. A Plus One student in a government higher secondary school at Anakkara in Palakkad, Kerala, issued a death threat to a teacher. The student's anger was sparked .....

Prominent Festivals of Tangkhul Tribe

Current Updates | Culture | TS Shimreingam Angelus

Nearly a century back, when Christianity, under the denominational name of the American Baptist Mission, reached Tangkhul, the missionaries of foreign origin could not fairly understand the believe and practices of the Tangkhul People, their culture, cust.....

Harvesting Souls?

Opinion | Articles | Chhotebhai

Back in 2000 Arun Shourie wrote a book “Harvesting Souls – Missionaries, their designs and claims”. It was a condemnation of everything remotely connected with missionaries. In the Indian context it was about our Christian presence. For those who came.....

Shikyntien Kwai: A Folklore about Betel Hospitality in Khasi Society

Current Updates | Culture | Philip Lyngdoh

Once upon a time, in the idyllic village of Rangjyrwit that perched daintily on a beautiful hill slope, lived two bosom friends, Nik and Shing. They were companions since childhood and remained inseparable even after they married. Nik came from a rich and.....

Education

Step in to the World of Journalism and Mass Media

College | NECARF Rep |

Niscort Media College

For those who aspire for the world of Mass media.....

Avail Early Bird Discount in Media Studies

College | NECARF Rep |

Admission Notice

NISCORT, one of the Premier Media Colleges in the National Capital area, announces admission for several graduate and post-graduate level courses in Media studies. Interested students may visit www.niscort.com for details......

NISCORT Announces three different courses in Journalism and Mass Communication

College | NECARF Rep |

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For those Interested in Journalism studies, the above affordable courses comes as a boon.....

NICORT Media College Announces Short Courses in Media fields

College | NECARF Rep |

Annoucment

NICORT Media College Announces Short Courses in Media fields.....

For those interested to make a Career in Mass Media and Journalism, NISCORT provides the opportunity

College | NECARF Rep |

NISCORT opens Admissions for Course in Mass Media and Journalism

NISCORT opens Admissions for Course in Mass Media and Journalism.....

NISCORT Online Course

College | NECARF Rep |

Online Media Course Details

NISCORT is conducting an Online Certificate Course in Media for Grauates. Those interested to join may contact the Institute.....

Current Updates

Christian Today in Conversation with Dr. John Dayal.

Editorial Pick | Editorial team |

As India marks its 76th Republic Day, the Christian community faces what many describe as an unprecedented crisis of religious freedom. Recent appeals to both President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi paint a troubling picture: over 720 in.....

Statement of Concerned Catholics

Editorial Pick | Editorial team |

On Thursday 4 April 2024, Pope Francis in a very incisive message to the participants in the First Colloquium between the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue and the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, held in the Vatican said, “We n.....

Pope Francis says he is frightened by escalation in war

Editorial Pick | Editorial team |

Pope Francis in an interview

In an interview on an Italian TV program, Pope Francis laments the risk of escalation in war, says he has no plans to resign, announces Apostolic Journeys to Polynesia and to Argentina, and reflects on ‘Fiducia supplicans’, saying “the Lord blesses everyo.....

Our Baptism made us children of God: Pope Francis

Editorial Pick | Editorial team |

Pope Francis during Sunday Angelus

During his Sunday Angelus on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Pope Francis reminds faithful that the day they were baptized, we became children of God forever, and this date of great grace must be remembered and celebrated. At our Baptism, we became.....

Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil receives World Peace Award 2023

NE Brief | NECARF Rep |

Archbishop Menamparampil receiving the award

Archbishop Emeritus Thomas Menamparampil of Guwahati, whose name is synonymous with a crusader of ‘Peace and Reconciliation’, has been awarded the prestigious Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam World Peace Award 2023 on the occasion of the United Nations International H.....

Synodal myopia in the light of Synodality in the family and apostolates

Editorial Pick | Editorial team |

Recent statements by prominent ecclesiastics raise important questions about certain assumptions that isolate synodality from theological, ecclesiological, canonical, and practical realities.(The Catholic World Report) This essay is occasioned by (1) the.....

Opinion

Changing the Religious and Cultural Landscape of the Northeast through Saffronization

Articles | Pamreihor Khashimwo |

Abstract The religious and cultural landscape of Northeast India has undergone significant transformations due to the increasing influence of Hindutva ideology, often referred to as Saffronisation. This process, driven by organisations affiliated with th.....

Fails, Ails & Travails

Articles | Chhotebhai |

These words are not just a rhyme; there is reason behind them – fails, ails and travails. I use them in the context of the church in India and more specifically the Catholic Church. Looking at its grandiose institutions, wealth and prestige one could wond.....

Persecution as an Opportunity

Editorial | John S. Shilshi |

The history of the church is replete with stories of persecution; the crucifixion of Christ itself being the greatest of all. Rome, where the Vatican, the supreme seat of the Pontiff, stands today, in fact was one of the foremost places where Christian pe.....

No Other Land

Articles | Cedric Prakash |

Many years ago, there was a popular American song which one gustily sang at camps, picnics and other get-togethers. Thanks to its very catchy tune, it was always a hit. The chorus of the lyrics went thus: “This land is your land, and this land is my land.....

Saluting Zakia Jafri: Remembering the Gujarat Carnage 2002

Articles | Cedric Prakash |

February will always be a painful month for some particularly the Jafri family: on 28 February 2002, Ehsan Jafri, a former Member of Parliament and an authentic and much-loved citizen of secular India was murdered; on 1 February 2025, his wife Zakiaben wa.....

Pope Francis is a Miracle

Articles | M L Satyan |

At the age of 88 pope Francis is battling with his life. The health complications he is facing are indeed of grave concern for the doctors. His critical condition has caused grief to not only the Catholics but also to all the people of this world. Pope.....

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