Kerala Church lures families with four or more children through welfare schemes

Kottayam, July 28: As the Uttar Pradesh administration's placed a proposal to bring in measures to curb population, on the other side the Catholic diocese of Pala in the Kottayam district of Kerala has come up with welfare schemes for families with four or more children.

Stating that 'Children are a gift from God', the circular issued by Pala Bishop Mar Joseph Kallarangatt lists a number of welfare schemes including financial and educational assistance to families with more than four children.

 

Financial assistance of Rs 1,500 per month for families with five or more children, scholarships for engineering studies and free medical aid for pregnancy-related needs from the fourth child. This is to encourage bigger families when the entire world has been struggling to control population growth.

 

 

With calls for early marriages, larger families and avoiding contraceptive measures failing to yield much results, the Syro-Malabar Church has now launched a campaign on social media to promote families with more children by community members as part of 'Year of the Family' celebrations called by Pope Francis.

 

Further, the Catholic Diocese of Pala is also offering free medical care for deliveries from the fourth child onwards along with free education. "Mar Sleeva Medicity and Holy Ghost Mission Hospital under Pala diocese will give free medical services for their members admitted for deliveries of the fourth baby onwards. Free education will be offered for children from the fourth child onwards who from the diocese family gets admission in St Joseph College of Engineering and Technology, Mar Sleeva Nursing College and Hotel Management College managed by the diocese," the circular reads.

 

 

"Pope Francis has declared March 19, 2021, to March 19, 2022, as the Family Year. Today is a time of great financial crisis for families. Children's education, health and employment are very difficult tasks today. We are pleased to inform you that the Diocese of Pala is implementing a number of action plans to the families having more children as a relief and as family welfare schemes," it added.