Catholic priest issues guidelines for nuns in North India to avoid hate attacks

The Hindu

29-07-2025

With attacks on Christians escalating in North India, a senior Catholic priest with 25 years of experience in the region has issued precautionary guidelines to help nuns avoid becoming targets of religious extremists.
The Catholic Church has welcomed the advisory issued by Fr. Suresh Mathew, former editor of Indian Currents and a priest based in Punjab.
The advisory follows the arrest of two Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate (ASMI) nuns at Durg Railway Station in Chhattisgarh on July 26 over allegations of human trafficking and religious conversion.
According to Church sources, several congregations are planning to adopt the measures. The advisory urges nuns to avoid travelling with young girls alone and suggests that congregations fund the travel of the girls' parents instead.
It also recommends rethinking religious attire while in public, advising nuns to adopt secular clothing similar to bishops and priests who often dress in plainclothes while travelling. 'This could help reduce unwanted attention and ensure safety,' the guideline states.
Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) official spokesperson Fr. Thomas Tharayil said that the Church has not yet issued any official guidelines for missionaries. 'But the Church welcomes the precautionary guidelines. It is a sensible decision. Many religious congregations have already adopted such measures. Nuns of some congregations have opted for saris in public places to avoid unwanted attention. Such decisions are sensible ones,' said Fr. Tharayil.
Church insiders note that wearing religious garb on public transport has increasingly drawn suspicion, leading to harassment and even detention. 'The situation calls for practical steps to avoid confrontations,' said a source.
Fr. Suresh Mathew said: 'Though we have the right to wear our religious dress, the atmosphere of hatred towards minorities in North India demands prudence in the face of growing threats.'
Responding to the precautionary guidelines circulated unofficially in the Christian circles, Fr. Jose Vallikkatt, a Catholic priest based in Bathinda, said that 'Catholic missionaries are forced to issue such advisories which is a clear sign of the pathetic condition of the country we are living. Wearing religious symbols is not a banned act in the country. People concerned issue such advisory for the sake of saving the lives of their fellow missionaries in North India. However, what is pertinent is bishops and other leaders take legal and political initiatives to safeguard religious rights of all minorities. Missionaries should be protected from fundamentalist and communal hooligans.'
'The priests are already wearing normal dress in public places. Nuns can choose to do the same. But wearing any type of dress is ultimately a choice for the person. The forcible change in dress code shows the actual situation in the country,' said the source.