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Oblates Benefit from VIVAT International Workshop in India August 26th, 2011

Seventeen Oblates from Asia (India, Jaffna, Colombo, Bangladesh, Japan) participated in a VIVAT International workshop held in Indore, India from August 8 to 11, 2011. Also present were Daniel LeBlanc, OMI from the UN in New York and Camille Piche, OMI from OMI JPIC in Rome.

Participants experienced the many social action activities of the SVD and SSpS, and Adorers of the Previous Blood, and heard the heart-breaking story of an Eritrean Comboni sister working amongst the Bedouins in Israel-Palestine who told of the daily bulldozing of Bedouin and migrant houses. It was very inspiring to listen to the bold direction of the SVD and SSpS to opt for social action amongst the Dalits and Tribal peoples instead of work in parishes.

The VIVAT workshop invited the participants to go a step further and through advocacy, work for structural change by taking on the issues and injustices suffered by the poor, and deal with the root causes of injustices by empowering the poor to take these issues to local, provincial, regional, state, UN, EU etc. levels where decisions are taken regarding the poor. Everyone found the workshop to be very worthwhile.

A Workshop report giving a short summary of the proceedings is available. Daniel LeBlanc, OMI, Sr. Mary John, SSpS and Fr. Richard Quadros, SVD formed the drafting committee.

Read the VIVAT International Workshop Report (Download PDF)

Oblate JPIC Work in India June 2nd, 2011

This OMI JPIC video features the Indian Oblate Provincial, Fr. Francis Nallappan, OMI, who describes the JPIC work done by Oblates in India.

Fr. Francis was hosted by the JPIC office in Washington D.C, who connected him with the U.S. Bishops Conference and Catholic Relief Services staff.

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Archbishop of Bangalore Issues Pastoral Letter on Persecution of Christians in India September 30th, 2008

The Reverend Bernard Moras, Archbishop of Bangalore, India has issued a pastoral letter on the recent violence against Christians in India. The letter decries the violence against people and church property and decries the lax response of the authorities.

Archbishop Moras called on the faithful to be united and respond non-violently to the persecution.

(Download PDF of the Pastoral Letter)

Violence Spreading Against Christians in India September 15th, 2008

We have received the following article on a recent attack against the Carmelite Sisters in Bangalore, India

Mayhem in Mangalore – Churches Attacked

September 14, 2008

In an incident that has shocked the peace loving Christians of Mangalore, a group of persons claiming to be from the RSS group have entered the Adoration Monastery Chapel at Milagres and desecrated the blessed sacrament and broken everything they could get their hands on.

Click here to read more »

Christians under attack in Orissa, India September 15th, 2008

At least seventeen people have been killed in Orissa State in Eastern India. Violence against the community erupted at the end of August after the killing of a Hindu leader and four of his disciples.

While the government held a Maoist group responsible for the killings, Hindu fundamentalist groups blamed Christians. Mob retaliation was swift and fierce. Hundreds of Christians, priests, nuns and children have fled to the jungle in order to escape further attacks. The violence is now spreading to ther parts of India.

The Commission for Justice, Peace and Development of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India is urgently asking for international support for beleaguered Christians who are mainly Dalits or tribals.

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