Bishops plan fight against alcohol abuse in India's Kerela state

January 31, 2012

Catholic Church leaders in India’s state of Kerela are weighing a new campaign against excessive alcohol consumption, taking note of an alarming surge in alcoholism.

Kerela, the state with India's highest proportion of Christians, has an unusually high rate of alcohol use. The state’s bishops observe that the abuse of alcohol takes a heavy toll on family life.

The UCAN news story on the bishops’ deliberations make the unfortunate prediction that the Church might “make” alcohol abuse a sin, requiring confession. Drunkenness is a sin, and bishops may make it a priority to warn the faithful against that sin. But bishops do not “make” sins by policy votes.

 

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Further information:

• Church wants alcohol called ‘a sin’ (UCANews)