North East Catholic Research Forum

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Unequal, Even in Death

Opinion | Articles | Chhotebhai |

“So it is said We are all equal when dead. It is indeed the great equalizer; But only, and only when Subtle lies are the tranquilizer! Else, those who lie down in death, Are not equal yet”. If you are wondering which moron had muttered these immo.....

Diocese of Agartala Celebrates Silver Jubilee

Current Updates | NE Brief | NECARF Rep |

The Diocese of Agartala on December 4, 2021, celebrated its Silver Jubilee, alongside the Silver Jubilee of Bishop Lumen Montero, who is the first Bishop of Agartala. The glittering ceremony which was held at the Holy Cross ground at Agartala was attended.....

Taw Tebin, and Pekhi Nabum, Re-elected APCA Leaders

Current Updates | NE Brief | NECARF Rep |

Newly elected members of APCA

Two prominent Catholic leaders of Arunachal Pradesh - Mr. Taw Tebin and Mr Pekhi Nabum, were re-elected as President and General Secretary of Arunachal Pradesh Catholic Association (APCA) on November 28, 2021. Following their re-elections to the position,.....

History of Manipur

Opinion | Articles | Irene Salam |

Manipur can boast of having a recorded history from 33 A.D. when Pakhangba ascended the throne of Manipur. On the other hand, there is no concrete chronology of the pre-historic culture of N.E. India, except for some sites in Tripura. A few ceramic wares .....

Unlocking Value, while Locking Democracy

Opinion | Articles | Victor Ferrao |

Some critics of the Government have declared that the new policy of monetization of the asset has put India on clearance sale. If not sale, it is surely putting India on rent. While the private players will look for the profit and the Government will get.....

Brief History of Catholic Faith in Zhavame Village

Opinion | Articles | Benjamin Chang |

The seed of Catholic faith was sown in Zhavame village on 18th October, 1964 when a group of traders Mr. Akha, Mr. Tho-o, Mr. Theba and Mr. Thesii came across Mr. Panii of Liyai village from Mao Parish on their journey to Imphal. They embraced the Catholi.....

The Hug, Unplugged

Opinion | Articles | Chhotebhai |

On 31st October 2021, Christians in India woke up to a screaming headline, accompanied by a large photograph of Pope Francis and Narendra Modi hugging each other. It evoked mixed reactions. As per views expressed in the Catholic media, it gave an impressi.....

NECCOD Breaks Free Finally

Current Updates | NE Brief | NECARF Rep |

NECCOD Choir Singing for the Holy Mass

After months of being confined to restricted engagements in view of the pandemic, members of the North East Catholic community, Delhi (NECCOD) came together for a full-fledged monthly Eucharistic celebration on November 7, 2021 at the Sacred Heart Cathedr.....

Bridging the Gap through Sports

Current Updates | NE Brief | NECARF Rep |

Group Photo before commencement of Play

In an initiative that could go a long way in bridging the gap between Priests and young Catholics, a Basketball match was organized at the St. Paul’s School Campus, in Manipur’s Chandel district, between young priests of the Archdiocese of Imphal and the .....

CM Meghalaya Visits Bishop’s House, Itanagar

Current Updates | NE Brief | NECARF Rep |

CM Meghalaya at the Bishop's House in Itanagar

On October 18, 2021, the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma, called on Most Rev. John Thomas Kattrukudiyil, Bishop of Itanagr, at the Bishop’s house in Papunallah. Besides the Bishop, the CM was warmly received by Taw Tebin, president of APCA, Nab.....

The Realm of the Raconteur: Khasi Women and Storytelling

Opinion | Articles | Desmond L. Kharmawphlang |

The connection between memory and culture cannot be overemphasized. In oral cultures memory functions as an instrument that does not only connect the present with the past but that which makes sense of the world and its myriad dimensions. Humans require m.....

Battle of Imphal: The Forgotten Chapter of Manipur’s History

Opinion | Articles | Irene Salam |

In school days, we have studied something about World War-I and World War-II. But did this include the Battle of Imphal which was the fiercest Battle of World War-II fought in Imphal and Kohima. Are we aware of the reasons why this battle was fought in Ma.....

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-.....

Roman Synod or the Greek Tragedy?

Opinion | Articles | Chhotebhai |

In my previous piece I wrote about some of the salient features of Synodality, for which Pope Francis began the process in Rome this 10th October. It will culminate, again in Rome, in October 2023. This Roman Synodal process will take two years because it.....

Editorial

The determination was written on every Indian player’s face

On the intervening night of November 2nd and 3rd, the Indian women’s cricket team created history by winning the ICC Women’s World Cup for the first time at the DY Patil stadium in Navi Mumbai. They defeated South Africa, a team dubbed by many cricketing.....

Zubeen Garg unites people even in his death

Many ordinary people who are not connected to music and art might not have even heard of Zubeen Garg, despite being an iconic artist and a person who cared for others. However, after his unfortunate and untimely demise on September 19, 2025, social media.....

How serious are educational Institutions about the mental health of young people?

During the monsoon session of the Parliament in July 2025, Union Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar informed the house that student suicide cases accounted for 7.6 per cent of all suicide cases reported across India in 2022, showing a slight.....

Religious Persecutions in the Land of Vivekananda and Gandhi

The dictionary meaning of ‘persecution’ reads as ‘unfair or cruel treatment based on race, religion, or political belief’. Therefore, persecution can occur through racial discrimination or political exploitation and is not necessarily limited to the relig.....

From a Murderer to a Pilgrim of Faith

Prior to June 27, 2025, not many people in this country and elsewhere would have heard of Chengu@Sudharsan@Chandu Hansda, who at the age of 13 turned into a murderer when he joined the mob that brutally burnt alive an Australian missionary, Graham Stewart.....

Ominous Signs and the Catholic response

India is a country that boasts staggering diversity—a colourful mix few in the world have the privilege of sharing. Since independence and the enactment of the constitution, freedom, liberty, and equality before the law has always been our treasured right.....

The New Pope and His Message

This time, 1.39 billion Catholics across the globe were fortunate to see the white smoke come out of the Sistine Chapel chimney on the second day as Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected by the cardinal conclave in the fourth round of voting, one less than .....

The Pope didn’t Sulk or Shun

The Vatican News released a video of Pope Francis extending Easter greetings to a multitude of people at St. Peter’s Square in Rome, which was one day before his final journey to the eternal world. A close look at that video reveals that the Holy Father w.....

The CBCI blinks yet again

The Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI), regarded as a father figure by an estimated 23 million Catholics in this country, has yet again shown lack of wisdom while taking decision on crucial matters. While the organization may like to downplay som.....

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.....

Previous Articles

The Khangkhui Mangsor cave of Ukhrul

Current Updates | Culture | TS Shimreingam Angelus

Khangkhui Mangsor Cave is one of the first known caves in Tangkhul area, located between Khangkhui and Nungshong villages. During the World War II, it served as a refugee camp, as it was in the midst of a thick jungle (in those days), with hardly any acce.....

The Mongolian Contribution to Our Civilization

Opinion | Articles | Thomas Menamparampil

The Mongolian Contribution to Our Civilization The Mongolian Contribution Calls for Recognition It is generally recognised that in ancient days, Bihar and further east was inhabited by Mongolian and Austro-Asiatic tribes. Possibly, some of the weste.....

Prime and Prejudice

Opinion | Articles | Victor Ferrao

The number theory is profoundly educative. Some of the mathematicians call it as the queen of mathematics. Within the numbers, the Greek identified the prime numbers. Indian mathematician, Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887-1920), made great contributions to nu.....

A Journey to a Catholic School

Opinion | Articles | John S. Shilshi

I was not born in a Christian family, but in a pagan family that believed in animistic and the supernatural gods. My father was a Thimpu, in Lamkang dialect, which loosely means a pagan priest. Lamkang Khunthak, the village where I was born being a small .....

Penny for your Penance

Opinion | Articles | Chhotebhai

There are two common English phrases where the word “Penny” is used – “A Penny for your thoughts”, and “Going to spend a penny”. The first is obvious; the second means going to relieve one’s bladder. That could cost a penny in a British public convenience.....

Vikas - Vishwas –Vilash – Vinash

Opinion | Articles | Chhotebhai

There has been a progression, or rather regression, of Vs over the last week. For those unfamiliar with Hindi, let me first do a literal translation of the 4 Vs in this title – Vikas (Development), Vishwas (Faith), Vilas (Luxury) and Vinash (Destruction)......

Safety of women in India

Opinion | Articles | M L Satyan

“In our country every woman has to struggle to survive”, said a woman at Jantar Mantar. She further said to a press reporter, “Today women in our country are not safe. If the medal winning women wrestlers are sexually abused, then, what about other common.....

Lay people are not Guests in the Church, says Pope Francis

Current Updates | Editorial Pick | Editorial team

The Church is a home that priests and laypeople need to care for together, Pope Francis said on Saturday. “It is time for pastors and laypeople to walk together, in every area of the Church’s life, in every part of the world,” he said in the Vatican’s Ne.....

The Church and Family

Opinion | People's Edit | Joseph M Thohrii

The Catholic vision describes the family as a community of life and love. Family life is sacred and its activities are holy because God’s love is revealed and communicated through these activities. As a result, families can come to believe that God dwells.....

The Poor are with Us!

Opinion | Articles | Cedric Prakash

The Catholic Church, will observe the ‘World Day of the Poor’, on 16 November 2025. The day has a special significance this year, since it comes in the wake of Pope Leo XIV’s first major papal document: An Apostolic Exhortation addressed “to all Christian.....

Under Attack from Hindutva Forces, 'Convent' Schools Fight for Survival

Opinion | Articles | John Dayal

Well into the liberalised economic order, matrimonial advertisements in north Indian newspapers had parents of eligible men seeking brides who were fair, accomplished, homely and ‘convent educated’. The last qualification was an omnibus one, ensuring that.....

Education

Job Fair in Don Bosco Kohima

College | NECARF Rep |

Job Fair Notice

For kind attention of young boys and girls who are interested in getting recruited in different Comnpaies......

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 |

aa

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.....

Opinion

Reclaim the Constituion

Articles | Cedric Prakash |

On 26 November, the nation will once again observe ‘Constitution Day’! There will be the usual plethora of speeches (ad nauseam!) of ‘how important the Constitution is for all of us’, ‘why it is important to safeguard it’, the fact that we have the best C.....

A reality check on SIR-driven Reverse-migration and the Internal disquiet

Articles | Isaac Harold Gomes |

Homeward Bangladeshis at the Indo-Bangladesh border

Since my last report of 10th November on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), an unprecedented reverse migration into Bangladesh has begun through Hakimpur, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India-Bangladesh check-post. On 23.11.2025 Anandabazar.com rep.....

The spectral presence of Christians in Indian politics

Articles | John Dayal |

There are hardly any Christian MPs and MLAs in India other than those elected on a political party ticket from Kerala, Andhra, Telangana, West Bengal, Karnataka, Goa, Orissa and the tiny-population north east states of Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunac.....

The Yellow Card

Articles | Chhotebhai |

There are two reasons why I remember the Yellow Card. The first dates back to boarding school more than 60 years ago. We had monthly tests for which we got cards – Gold for excellence, Blue for good work, Yellow for average marks and Pink for failure. Dur.....

The Poor are with Us!

Articles | Cedric Prakash |

The Catholic Church, will observe the ‘World Day of the Poor’, on 16 November 2025. The day has a special significance this year, since it comes in the wake of Pope Leo XIV’s first major papal document: An Apostolic Exhortation addressed “to all Christian.....

Youth: A Time to be Educated

People's Edit | Capt. Eddie Viegas |

“‘Tis Education that forms the common mind: Just as the twig is bent, the tree’s inclined.” (Alexander Pope) Indeed, if you ask any of the youngster in schools or colleges, “What is education?” You will get a plethora of replies ranging from getting a.....

Current Updates

Attacks aginst Christians increased by 500% since 2014: Rights Groups

Editorial Pick | Editorial team |

Attacks Against Christians Increased by 500% Since 2014: Rights Groups New Delhi: On November 4, Christian rights activists assembled at the Press Club of India to release a report about an alarming and sustained annual surge in incidents of violence a.....

An MSMHC Nun from Mizoram did the North East Proud

NE Brief | NECARF Rep |

Sr Rose Paite

October 14, 2025: Sr Rose Paite, an MSMHC nun from Mizoram, received the prestigious National Award from the Catholic Mental Health Ministry (CMHM) at the World Mental Health Day Conference in Kerala. The prestigious award was handed over to the recipie.....

Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez’s address

Editorial Pick | Editorial team |

Synodality: Why No, and Why Yes Some have hoped that our new pope would ease up a little on this matter of synodality. Instead, Pope Leo has expressed a strong desire to continue along the path of synodality. For example: “Synodality becomes a mindset, .....

North East Catholic Community of Delhi puts up a Glittering show

NE Brief | NECARF Rep |

Mr Lalduhoma and Archbishop Anil J T Couto, with other dignataries

The North East Catholic Committee of Delhi (NECCOD) accorded a warm welcome to their new members who had joined them in the Delhi NCR region with spiritual and a social gathering worthy of the colours mix of the region they come from. This was the 33rd oc.....

NEIRBC Gets a new Education Commission Team

Editorial Pick | Editorial team |

Guwahati, June 25, 2025 – The Northeast Bishops Council’s Commission for Education has appointed a new leadership team, with Fr. Dr. Paul Pudussery, a Holy Cross priest, taking the helm. This transition marks the third leadership handover since the commis.....

Francis’s Bottle Craft: Miniature Homes in Glasses

Editorial Pick | Editorial team |

The Miniature Artist of Sikkim

In a quiet corner of Sikkim’s Lingzey, Gairigaon, an artist has been creating entire worlds inside bottles—one intricate house at a time. Meet Mr Francis Rai, the man behind Francis Bottle Crafts, whose passion for miniature architecture has turned into b.....

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