Vikas Maitri
Voluntary Development Society in Jharkhand
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www.vikasmaitri.org |
website for rural and tribal development |
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Vikas Maitri |
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Voluntary Development Society in Jharkhand |
| Bishop Micheal Minz passes away Moderator Bishop Belas Lakra passes away Moderator Bishop of Gossner Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chotanagpur and Assam Rev. Belas Lakra passed away on Tuesday (13.01.2004). He was suffering from cancer. Rev. Lakra was ordained priest in 1972 and was promoted Deputy Moderator in 1995. He became the Moderator of Church since November 1, 2001. He was due to retire from his post in July this year. A large number of representatives of all Church denominations and people attended his burial service at GEL Church cemetery. Prominent among them were Fr. C.R. Prabhu, Fr. DeCyper, Rev. Cyril Hans, Rev. James Kandulna and Bishop P.D.S. Tirkey. Elevation of Archbishop Toppo as Cardinal-elector Ranchi 21 October 2003 The Pontiff on Tuesday hailed the new Cardinals from 22 countries as a reflection of the multiplicity of races and cultures that characterize the Christian people. Cardinal Toppo became the first tribal from India to receive his red hat and habit from the Pope. His joining as a new member of the Consistory of 135 Cardinal-electors may be a recognition of the suffering of the adivasis of Jharkhand and the contribution of the Church in its efforts to alleviate the suffering of the people. Cardinal Toppo is the incumbent President of Vikas Maitri. Congratulations and wishing His Eminence all the best. Archbishop Telesphore
P. Toppo nominated Cardinal According to information received from Archbishop's House Ranchi, Archbishop Telesphore P. Toppo D.D. has been nominated Cardinal on September 28, 2003 by the Holy Father Pope John II. The announcement was made in Rome at 12.00 noon (IST 3.30 p.m.). The Apostolic Nuncio Most Rev. Pedro Lopez Quintana rang up from Apostolic Nunciature in India to the Archbishop and conveyed the good news to him. He would be the first adivasi to be raised to the rank of a Cardinal in the Roman Catholic hierarchy. We congratulate His Eminence and wish him all the best. Ranchi Catholic Archdiocese celebrating Platinum Jubilee The Ranchi Diocese which has now become full-fledged Archdiocese is celebrating its Platinum Jubilee Celebrations of its creation in May 25, 1927. However it was in the year 1869 Father Auguste Stockman, a Jesuit Priest open the first catholic mission at Chaibasa in Singbhum which is now in Jharkhand State. It was, however, Fr. Constant Lievens who pioneer the spread of Christianity in Jharkhand around 1885-86. The celebration will be opened with a symposium on "The Catholic Church in Jharkhand: challenges and prospects of Development" organised by Xavier Institute of Social Service, a premier management Institute at Ranchi between 7-9 November 2002. The following are the subtopic to be discussed in the symposium:
The Symposium will be addressed by high level dignitaries and will be attended by Shri Sitaram Yechuri MP as Chief Guest. The key-note address will be delivered by Dr. Kumar Suresh Singh, Former DG, ASI. The celebrations will be concluded by a Solemn Eucharistic Celebration, Procession and Cultural Programmes on 10 November 2002. |
. Bishop Belas Lakra unwell Moderator Bishop Belas Lakra of Gossner Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chotanagpur and Assam is physically unwell for the last several months. Despite medical treatment no improvement in his health could be discerned at the moment. Special prayer meetings were organised in the GEL Church and Office for his quick recovery. We pray and wish him early recovery. Cardinal grieves death of mother Mrs. Sophia Toppo, Mother of Cardinal Toppo, breathed her last at about 7.20 a.m. on 25 November 2003. At the age of 101 she was hail and hearty when death came. An all religion prayer meeting was held in the evening at St. Mary's Cathedral, Ranchi. On 26 November at 11.00 a.m. she was buried in her village Dadgaon near Chainpur, Gumla. Our hearty condolences. Judgment day for Staine's killers The local district and sessions Court on Monday sentenced Dara Singh to death for the murder of Australian missionary Graham Stewart Staines and his two sons, Philip (11) and Timothy (7). The Judge also awarded life imprisonment to 12 other convicts. The death penalty will be subject to approval by the higher Court. Gladys Staines, the widow of the slain missionary, said, "No individual is above Law. The law has taken its own course. Personally I have no bitterness against Dara or any of the other convicts. I had already forgiven them four years back." Killers of Australian missionary convicted September 16, 2003 Dara Singh and 12 others were on Monday found guilty of murdering Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons Timothy and Philip. They were burnt to death in Manoharpur village of Orissa four years ago on January 22, 1999. Staines and his wife had spent more than 30 years working with leprosy patients in Orissa's Baripada district. The sentence against the guilty will be announced by Court on September 22. The penalty for murder is death by hanging or life sentence which means 14 years of jail. Gladys June Staines, the missionary's wife, said: "Forgiveness is the process of healing which I have already done. The law of the land has now to do its part and I believe it has discharged it faithfully and effectively". Platinum Jubilee celebrations begin CPI Politburo member Sita Ram Yechuri praises the pioneering work of Christian missionaries Ranchi, November 7 While welcoming the delegates, the Most Rev. Telesphore P. Toppo, the Archbishop of Ranchi highlighted the need of the programmes and resolve to initiate the altruistic task with renewed vigour in the changed scenario of Jharkhand. The Chief Guest Mr. Sita Ram Yechuri addressed the gathering in the auditorium of Xavier Institute of Social Service, Ranchi. He outlined in his analysis the commonality between Marxist and Christian missionaries. Both are committed to the service to humanity, he said. The theme of the symposium was "Catholic Church in Jharkhand: challenges and prospects of development". While praising the role of Catholic Church in the development of Jharkhand for decades, Mr. Yechuri urged the Church to stand guard and prevent the people of Jharkhand from becoming fodder cannon of communal and casteist forces. In the first day the symposium was addressed by a number of distinguish speakers such as Dr. Kumar Suresh Singh, Former Director General, ASI, Dr. Ram Dayal Munda, Former Vice Chancellor, Ranchi University, Dr. Rameshwar Oraon, IPS, ADJP, Dr. L.N. Bhagat and others.
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Cardinal Toppo elected President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India Cardinal Telesphore P. Toppo has been elected as the President of the CBCI at Trissur on Monday. The Cardinal is currently in Trissur to attend the CBCI Conference. The Catholic Church in Jharkhand has hailed Cardinal Toppo's election. His Eminence is also holding the post of the President of the Catholic Conference of Bishops of India ( CCBI) I am on a goodwill visit - says Pope's Envoy His Eminence Lopez Pedro Quintana the Vatican Ambassador said he was on a goodwill visit and that he was very happy with the time spent here. He was replying when asked for his reaction on the RSS issue. The Vatican Ambassador along with Cardinal Toppo left for Delhi on Tuesday (11 November 2003). A large number of people thronged the Birsa Munda Airport to see him off. RSS Chief vents ire on Christianity Hindu outfit RSS Chief addressed a public function on Sunday (9 November 2003) and called upon Hindus to foil the Vatican plan to convert India to Christianity. Though non-admitting, this appears to be a backlash of the recent appointment of the Archbishop of Ranchi as Cardinal by the Vatican and the visit of the Pope's Representative to Khuntpani (Chaibasa), Khunti and Torpa where large crowds gathered to receive him on Saturday. Supreme Court says converting people to one's own religion is not a fundamental right Ranchi, Sept. 05, 2003 There is no such thing as a fundamental right to convert any person to one's own religion and the government can impose certain restrictions keeping in view public order, the Supreme Court has ruled. The ruling came while dismissing a petition challenging an Orissa law requiring police verification of all conversions. Citing the SC's landmark 1977 ruling in Rev. Stantslaus vs Madhya Pradesh, a Bench of Chief Justice V.N. Khare and Justice S.B. Sinha said that "what is freedom for one is freedom for the other, in equal measure". At dispute was a 1999 provision added to the Orissa Freedom of Religion Act, 1967, stipulating that a person wanting to convert to a particular religion must make a personal declaration which would be verified by the police also. Attorney General of India comments on anti-conversion laws June
24, 2003 "These state laws have the effect of deterring genuine conversions and impair the substance of religious freedom guaranteed by the Constitution," he said. "One's religious belief is essentially a private matter as is conversion from one religion to another. It is a result of the deep seated inner convictions," the Attorney General said. Ranchi Catholic Archdiocese launches its own website With
technical help of Vikas Maitri, Ranchi Catholic Archdiocese launched a new
website on Saturday 22 February 2003. It was inaugurated by Dr. Rameshwar
Oraon, IPS ADGP at 4.00 p.m. by clicking the mouse in the lounge of the
Archbishop's House, Purulia Road, Ranchi. |
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This site is designed by Dominic Bara, Vikas Maitri |
