NEW DELHI (AP) -- Worried about its dwindling numbers, the Roman Catholic church in southern India is exhorting its flock to have more children, with some parishes offering free schooling, medical care and even cash bonuses for large families, church officials said Tuesday.The strategy comes as India's population tops 1.2 billion, making it the second most populous country in the world after China, and runs counter to a national government policy of limiting family size.But in the southern state of Kerala, where Catholics have long been a large, important minority, church authorities believe the state's overall Christian population could drop to 17 percent this year, down from 19.5 percent in 1991. While they don't have precise numbers for the Catholic population, they believe it is also dropping sharply."The Christian community in Kerala is dwindling. We realized that if the numbers decreased further, it would have a negative impact on the community," said Babu Joseph, spokesman for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India in New Delhi.Christianity is widely thought to have come to India in the year 52, when St. Thomas came to Kerala after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.What remains unsaid in Kerala is that the state's Muslim population grew by 1.7 percent between 1991 and 2001, while the Hindu and Christian populations have fallen.Kerala, once a communist bastion and the state with the highest literacy rate, was about 56 percent Hindu, 19.5 percent Christian and 24 percent Muslim in the last census in 2001.The church in Kerala is also incensed by a bill drafted by a government panel recommending a strict two-child policy to check population growth.The bill -- which is unlikely to become a law -- suggests three months of imprisonment and a 10,000-rupee ($200) fine for couples with more than two children.So Kerala's Catholic parishes have launched a variety of programs, from free education to free medical care, said the Rev. Jose Kottayil of the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council. Most begin offering the benefits with the fifth child, but the church helps poorer families with fewer children.The St. Vincent de Paul Forane Church, in the Kerala town of Kalpetta, is offering a bond of 10,000 rupees ($200) in the name of the fifth child. The money would be deposited in a bank until the child turns 18, church officials said.A large number of church-sponsored groups in Kerala have begun campaigns with the slogan "A large family is a happy family."Kottayil said the Catholic church plans to honor large families at a ceremony next month.
Catholic church in India says have more children
As numbers shrink, Roman Catholic church in India urges flock to have more children
By | AP – Tue, Oct 11, 2011View slideshows
Photos of the Day
38 photos - 21 hrs agoPhillies beat Cardinals in 10th
15 photos - 9 hrs agoDevils advance to Stanley Cup finals
18 photos - 9 hrs ago
Editors' Picks
Explore Related Content
1 - 4 of 12
Party like It's 1199: U.S. Conference …
COMMENTARY | I missed something. Either we were transported back to the Middle Ages, … Full Story »Party like It's 1199: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to 'Investigate' Girl Scouts
Yahoo! Contributor Network
Most Popular
[
[ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]],
'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p',
'[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]',
' ',
'630',
' ',
' ',
],
[ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]],
' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO',
'[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]',
' ',
'630',
' ',
' ',
],
[ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]],
'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ',
'[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]',
' ',
'630',
' ',
' ',
],
[ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]],
'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi',
'[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]',
' ',
'630',
' ',
' ',
],
[ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]],
'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN',
'[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]',
' ',
'630',
' ',
' ',
],
[ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]],
'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ',
'[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]',
' ',
'630',
' ',
' ',
],
[ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]],
'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ',
'[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]',
' ',
'630',
' ',
' ',
],
[ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]],
'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD',
'[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]',
' ',
'630',
' ',
' ',
],
[ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]],
'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO',
'[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]',
' ',
'630',
' ',
' ',
],
[ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]],
'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj',
'[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]',
' ',
'630',
' ',
' ',
],
[ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]],
'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/',
'Click image to see more photos',
'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg',
'630',
' ',
'AP',
],
[ [['Titanic', 7]],
'http://news.yahoo.com/titanic-anniversary/',
' ',
'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/b/4e/b4e5ad9f00b5dfeeec2226d53e173569.jpeg',
'550',
' ',
' ',
],
[ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]],
'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/',
'Click image to see more photos',
'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg',
'630',
' ',
'AP',
],
[ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]],
'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/',
'Click image to see more photos',
'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg',
'500',
' ',
'AP',
]
]
[
[ [['did not go as far his colleague', 8]],
'29438204',
'0'
],
[ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]],
'28924649',
'0'
],
[ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]],
'28811216',
'0'
],
[ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]],
'28805461',
'0'
],
[ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]],
'28771014',
'0'
],
[ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]],
'28759848',
'0'
],
[ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]],
'28747556',
'0'
],
[ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]],
'28744868',
'0'
],
[ [['short answer is yes', 7]],
'28746030',
'0'
],
[ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]],
'28731764',
'0'
],
[ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]],
'28723797',
'0'
],
[ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]],
'28712293',
'0'
],
[ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]],
'28687424',
'0'
],
[ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]],
'28667224',
'0'
],
[ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]],
'28660934',
'0'
],
[ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]],
'28647343',
'0'
],
[ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]],
'28630306',
'0'
],
[ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]],
'28493546',
'0'
],
[ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]],
'28413590',
'0'
],
[ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]],
'28413590',
'1',
'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ',
'on Yahoo! Music',
'http://music.yahoo.com'
],
[ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]],
'videoID',
'1',
'overwrite-pre-description',
'overwrite-link-string',
'overwrite-link-url'
]
]
News For You
Loading...
Featured
Education
5 Smart Online Degrees
These flexible online degrees could help you go to school on your terms.
Online Degrees to Fit Your Schedule
These five online degrees could make fitting school into your schedule a cinch.
22 comments