As an Indian Christian and a member of the Roman Catholic Church, I have been wondering why sections of the Catholic Church appear to be opposing the proposed FCRA 2026 Amendment. The more I study the proposed changes and the debates surrounding them, the more I find myself asking a simple question: what exactly does the Catholic Church have to fear from greater transparency, stricter accounting standards and better regulation of foreign funding?
In Catechism, we were taught, that the Church believes in truth, accountability and integrity. Therefore, I believe, it should should be the first institution to welcome legislation that strengthens all three.
The reality is that the concerns surrounding foreign funding, opaque financial practices and organised proselytisation are not issues that have historically plagued the Catholic Church. They are concerns that have arisen largely because of the rapid growth of independent Evangelical organisations, missionary networks and loosely regulated ministries that have received significant foreign funding over the past few decades for aggressive evangelisation and church-planting activities.
Unfortunately, whenever the Government introduces stricter regulations, the entire Christian community gets painted with the same brush. That has never been fair to the Catholic Church. But by opposing the FCRA 2026 Amendment, the Church inadvertently allows itself to be painted alongside organisations whose opaque funding practices and aggressive proselytisation have brought such scrutiny in the first place.
The Roman Catholic Church is perhaps the most structured religious institution in the world. Every diocese functions through established administrative systems. Religious congregations maintain detailed financial records. Catholic schools, hospitals and charitable institutions routinely undergo audits and comply with both Canon Law and Indian civil laws. While individual instances of financial irregularity can occur in any institution, they do not define the Catholic Church. Transparency has never been the enemy of Catholicism. If anything, accountability has always been central to good stewardship.
Every rupee received from abroad for education, healthcare, disaster relief, social welfare or humanitarian work should be properly accounted for. Every donor should be identifiable. Every expenditure should be open to scrutiny. That is not government interference; that is responsible administration. The proposed FCRA 2026 Amendment merely strengthens those expectations. So why should the Catholic Church oppose it?
If there are organisations receiving foreign funds solely for genuine charitable work, they should have absolutely no difficulty complying with stricter reporting requirements. In fact, stronger compliance mechanisms enhance public confidence in those organisations.
The real discomfort appears to lie elsewhere.
Over the years, thousands of Evangelical organisations operating independently of the Catholic Church have attracted enormous foreign funding specifically for evangelisation and conversion activities. Many openly describe India as one of the world’s largest mission fields. Their overseas donors often fund church planting, missionary expansion and conversion programmes targeting economically and socially vulnerable communities.
This is not merely religious activity.It is organised, well-funded missionary expansion financed from outside India.
Naturally, any sovereign nation has a legitimate interest in understanding how such foreign funds enter the country, where they are spent and whether they comply with Indian law.
That principle applies equally to political organisations, environmental groups, educational institutions and religious bodies.
India cannot become the only democracy expected to ignore foreign financial influence simply because the recipients describe themselves as charitable organisations.
Supporting the FCRA 2026 Amendment does not amount to opposing Christianity. It amounts to supporting transparency.
As Indian Catholics, our loyalty to Christ has never diminished our loyalty to India. Catholics have served this nation with distinction as soldiers, judges, scientists, doctors, teachers, civil servants and entrepreneurs. Long before foreign-funded missionary networks became prominent, Catholic institutions were already building schools, hospitals and orphanages that served every Indian irrespective of caste, creed or religion. That proud legacy deserves to be protected.
Unfortunately, the actions of a relatively small number of aggressive Evangelical organisations have created a perception that all Christian institutions depend upon foreign funding for religious expansion. That perception harms the Catholic Church more than anyone else.
Instead of resisting stronger regulations, the Catholic Church should seize this opportunity to distinguish itself from organisations whose primary objective is funded proselytisation rather than enduring service.
There is another important reason why the Catholic Church should support the amendment. It protects the credibility of genuine Christian charity.
The Church’s mission has always been rooted in service. A Catholic hospital does not ask a patient to convert before receiving treatment. A Catholic school educates students from every religion. A Catholic charitable institution serves the poor because they are children of God, not because they are potential converts. That distinction matters.
If stricter financial regulations expose organisations that blur the line between humanitarian aid and organised proselytisation, they strengthen – not weaken – the reputation of institutions that have faithfully served India for generations.
Religious freedom is a constitutional right. Foreign funding is not. Receiving money from abroad has always been subject to regulation, and rightly so. Every sovereign nation reserves the right to regulate external financial influence within its borders. India should be no different.
The Catholic Church should therefore lead the conversation instead of reacting defensively. By openly supporting transparency, financial accountability and responsible regulation of foreign funding, it would send a powerful message – not only to the Government but also to the people of India – that it has nothing to hide.
The Church should not allow itself to become the shield behind which organisations with questionable funding practices seek refuge. Instead, it should stand for what Catholicism has stood for over two thousand years – truth, integrity, accountability and service.
The FCRA 2026 Amendment is not a threat to the Catholic Church. If implemented fairly and without discrimination, it is an opportunity for the Catholic Church to reaffirm that genuine faith never fears transparency, and authentic charity never needs to hide behind opaque foreign funding.
