Catholic bishop to serve on India's green award jury

(June 15, 2011) Catholic Bishop Mathew Arackal of Kanjirapally, Kerala State, has been nominated by India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to sit on the jury that selects the national award winners for environmental protection. This would mark the first time a Catholic prelate has served on the seven-member jury, headed by the vice-president of India - for the Indira Gandhi environmental award, named after India’s former prime minister, who was assassinated in 1984. Introduced by the federal environment ministry, the award is given to two organizations and three individuals, who the jury considers to have carried out outstanding work in environmental protection, or promoting eco-friendly living. Bishop Arackal said on Tuesday that the nomination is recognition for the Church in India. He said “Protecting the environment is a major challenge for all, cutting across religions, and our diocese and Church have introduced several initiatives to educate people about the need for eco-friendly living and organic farming.” Kanjirapally diocese is in the southern Indian state of Kerala and most of its Catholics are farmers.