Vatican Rubbishes Protests, Mother Teresa to Be Beatified

          KOLKATA: Notwithstanding protests from the medical community of Bengal, the Vatican has accepted a medical miracle attributed to Mother Teresa and decided to beatify her. She will be beatified early next year. The decision follows the report of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome. Just one miracle is required for beatification and one for canonization. Canonization will be considered by the Vatican later. The medical miracle refers to a case of one Monica Bersa who was cured of her ovarian tumour. Monica believes that it was Mother's medallion which was placed on her stomach that cured her. However, doctors in Bengal have poohpoohed the miracle theory and asserted that it was medical treatment that cured the woman.
(October 16,  2002)

Anyone Learned in Scriptures Can Be a Temple Priest

          NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has ruled that anyone well-versed in the rituals and scriptures can perform religious ceremonies and work as temple priests. The ruling allows non-Brahmins to perform pujas. The court said, "Any custom or usage, irrespective of any proof of their existence in pre-constitutional days, cannot be countenanced as a source of law to claim any rights when it is found to violate human rights, dignity, social equality and the specific mandate of the Constitution and law by Parliament".
(October 5, 2002)