Christianity is said to have been introduced in India in the first century by St Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ, who might have landed on the Malabar Coast in AD 52. Christianity is the first foreign religion to be introduced to the natives of this country. It is today the third largest religion in India, making up 2.35% of the total population.
The Catholic faith is today practised by over 19.91 million people in India, which represents just 1.55% of the total Indian population, and 65% of the total Christian population. Most Catholics reside in South India, with significant numbers in North East India. Though Catholics are a small minority community in India, their contributions in the fields of education, culture and languages, health care, social services, administration, defence, and tribal welfare and development are significant and well known.
Catholic Education: Numbers and Quality
Education is central to sustainable and overall development. It empowers people and builds a nation. Investment in education benefits the individual, society and the world as a whole. Education is the answer to many socio-economic and political problems.
Catholic involvement in educational work in India has a long history. It is part of the larger educational system in the country. The original purpose of Catholic institutions was to impart education to Catholic children, but, in due course of time, it was extended to children of other faiths as well.
Fr J Felix Raj SJ
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