All India Catholic Union
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| India | 16 million |
| Religions | |
| Catholic Church | |
| Scriptures | |
| Bible | |
The All India Catholic Union (AICU) represents almost 16 million Catholics in India: followers of the Latin Rite, the Syro Malabar Catholics and the Syro Malankara Catholics. It has 120 diocese and district units. The AICU was established in 1930.
Plans for an organised union of Catholic laity were discussed at the All India Catholic Conference in 1919. The All India Catholic League was formed in 1930 (with C. J. Varkey, Chunkath as Secretary) and sponsored the All India Catholic Congress at Pune in 1934. The body was named the Catholic Union of India in 1940, with Professor M. Ratnaswamy of Anna Malai University as the first National President. The Catholic Union of India was registered at Chennai in 1966, and later changed its name to the All India Catholic Union.
Presidents of the Union have included Prof. M. Ratnaswamy, Madras, Chev. A. Soares, Bombay, Chev. J. C. Rayon, Bangalore, Chev. D. V. D. Monte, Madras, Chev. G. S. Reddy, Hyderabad, Mr. George Menezes, Bombay (1986–90), Mr. Chhotebhai, Kanpur (1990–94), Mr. Peter Marbaniang, Shillong (1994–96), Mr. Norbert D'Souza, Pune (1996–2000), Dr. Maria Emilia Menezes (2000–2004)
John Dayal was elected president of the Union on 20 September 2004, succeeding Dr Maria Emilia Menezes. In 2005 Dayal expressed concern that Ekal Vidyalaya ("single teacher") schools run by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Hindu nationalist organisation were spreading hatred towards members of the Christian minority. In May 2006 the union called on State and Central governments to take urgent action to protect the Christian community following escalating violence in states controlled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and allied parties, including armed demonstrations by the RSS.
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