A regional Catholic bishops’ council in the Telugu-speaking southern Indian states of Telangana and Andhra lauded the contribution of a nun to the country through her legal profession.
The Telugu Catholic Bishops’ Council (TCBC) honored Sister Jessy Kurian, a prominent human rights activist who helps marginalized women and the poor in India with legal representation.
She is a member of St. Anne's Providence of Secunderabad and a former member of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions. She is the first nun in her congregation to study law.
The lawyer-turned-educator is now based in New Delhi and works for the Supreme Court of India.
"It was a proud moment and I was honored for my service to society, my community, and the country, also as the chief guest of the function," Sister Kurian said.
For the first time in history, TCBC, under the leadership of Bishop Jaya Rao Polimera of Eluru, south India, who is himself an advocate, organized a one-day conference of Catholic advocates of the Telugu region, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh on September 24 at Eluru, Andhra Pradesh.
In its first attempt, more than 100 participants were there, including priests, nuns, and laity who are advocates.
The objective was to strengthen the means to serve the nation better through the legal profession.
"I appreciate the venture. Thanks to Bishop Jaya Rao. Let justice flow like a river," the nun said.
There are approximately 900 priests, brothers, and nuns in India who are lawyers, though some are not actively practicing. The majority of them work to obtain justice for ordinary people.
More young Catholic priests, nuns, and brothers are needed to train as lawyers in India as cases pile up, causing justice for the poor to be delayed or not delivered at all.
The inefficient legal system in India causes delays, and many people cannot afford expensive lawyers.
The Supreme Court has repeatedly stated the issue of unequal access to justice, but no serious efforts have been made to correct the system.
According to published reports, India's judicial system is under "impossible strain," with 80,000 cases pending in India's Supreme Court.
Cases continue to pile up, with millions of cases pending in state and district courts across India.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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