Now Reading: Indian Catholic Church warns new foreign funding law may hurt poor
-
01
Indian Catholic Church warns new foreign funding law may hurt poor
The Catholic Church in India will observe 'Justice Sunday' on August 23, with church leaders calling for safeguards over the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 (FCRA), which they say could affect…
The Catholic Church in India will observe 'Justice Sunday' on August 23, with church leaders calling for safeguards over the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 (FCRA), which they say could affect the Church's humanitarian, educational and healthcare work for the poorest. The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 25 and referred to a joint parliamentary committee on August 12 after criticism from the opposition, civil society and religious groups.
Archbishop Peter Machado of Bangalore, chairman of the CBCI Office for Justice, Peace and Development, said 'true worship of God is inseparable from the daily practice of justice'. Cardinal Anthony Poola, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), expressed concern over rising violence against Christian communities and urged authorities to uphold constitutional principles of justice, equality and secularism.
The CBCI submitted a memorandum to Home Minister Amit Shah on July 10 highlighting concerns over the FCRA, religious freedom and the rights of Christian Dalits. Jesuit Father Cedric Prakash urged the faithful to recover a 'prophetic voice' against caste discrimination, crony capitalism, corruption and violence against religious minorities.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The FCRA bill has become a flashpoint between the government and faith-based NGOs that run large social welfare networks. The Church runs thousands of schools, hospitals and shelters across India, many funded by overseas donations. If the bill's provisions on seizure of property acquired through foreign contributions are enacted, the Church's ability to serve Dalit and tribal communities, who are disproportionately poor, could be severely curtailed. The key date to watch is when the joint parliamentary committee submits its report, which will determine whether the bill is revised or passed as is.
Source: fides.org
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
