Bernardo Cervellera

In an interview with AsiaNews, the archbishop of Seoul says that Francis is travelling to the peninsula “to encourage our church to be at the forefront of mission. This is a great responsibility given the many challenges facing our society". A separate chapter for reconciliation with the North, "We would hope for a great gesture of peace, even if it may be somewhat difficult. I would hope that the Pope will bless Kim Jong-un and the President Park, wishing them both a future of peace” .

When the pope excommunicated the mafia during his visit to Cassano all'Jonio, it raised concerns in the South Korean government about possible repercussions for his trip to the peninsula. Asian Youth Day is vocational in nature and the pope is set to meet 2,000 young people preparing to enter the seminary and 500 young men already studying for the priesthood. Mgr Basil Cho Kyu Man, 59, auxiliary bishop of Seoul and one of the organizers of this great event, talks to AsiaNews.

The Jeoldu-san shrine saw the martyrdom of scores of Christians, beheaded during a wave of persecution because they remained faithful to Christ and the Church. "Their blood encourages us in the faith," the local church's rector said. "Although Francis will not be here with us, his heart-felt example makes him close to us." In order to prepare for the papal visit, people are encouraged to read and understand 'Evangelii Gaudium'. The Church is helping the families of the victims of the Sewol ferry disaster, and stressing the need to evangelise among business and workers.

At the Oasis international meeting, Card Alencherry urges Christians to take the first step in favour of dialogue. Card Puljic talks about the Siege of Sarajevo. "Religious" wars are used by the media, politicians, and arms dealers, Nigeria and Egypt for example. Christian martyrs push other religions to step back from violence.

At the conference organised by the Oasis Foundation, participants presented several points of view about the meaning of jihad. Originally intended in spiritual terms, the concept has gradually been for political, economic and nationalist reasons. After the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Sarajevo is still an example of coexistence. An exegesis of the Qur'an is needed to save its religious core, whilst cleansing it of those aspects related to Muhammad's historical experience of 60 campaigns.

The priest, Fr. John Peng Weizhao, disappeared in police custody on 30 May and the authorities refuse to give news of his whereabouts. Many apostolic administrators and underground candidates for the episcopate suffer arrests and torture to stop their election and to facilitate rise of 'patriotic' candidates.

Every year hundreds of thousands of police and soldiers are deployed to enforce silence on the massacre. Yet the repression and the arrests show that people have not forgotten. Everyday, farmers and workers endure their own daily Tiananmen because of China's unfair "success". From the ashes of the Communist Party and western materialist myths comes religious freedom.

Card Jean-Louis Tauran wrote the introduction, and various Catholic officials reviewed the book. It is the work of scholars from the University of Religions and Denominations in Qom, which seeks to know about other religions through their sources. Dialogue and mutual understanding are the path to peace. Christians are in a special situation in Iran. Here is the third part of the report on Iran.

The pontiff's invitation to host the Israeli and Palestinian leaders in the Vatican is a first sign of the "success" of the trip to the Holy Land. The meeting, possibly in June, will be a meeting "of prayer". Pope Francis believes in the power of invocation: to break down the walls, to hasten the coming of justice, to make real the "dream" of two safe and friendly States. The unity of Christians - realized through prayer and self-giving - gifting hope to the world. This is why the heart of this journey was not politics, but the embrace between Francis and Bartholomew.

Their method was to go to the "edges" of the world, visit remote villages and live among the people. Some natives, seeing a Westerner for the first time, mistook him for a strange animal and forced him to sleep in the pigsty. People bore witness to the faith in the dialogue between cultures and development. Many take pride in belonging to the Catholic Church. This is the third part of a report about Myanmar.

A delegation from the Diocese of Loikaw will attend the beatification of Fr Mario Vergara and catechist Isidore Ngei Ko Lat. As the diocese marks the start of its jubilee, Mgr Sotero Phamo resigned on health grounds. The task for the future is to "educate people to have an adult faith." This is the second part of a report about Myanmar.

Pope Francis announced today the upcoming beatification of the PIME missionary and his catechist. In so doing, he is expressing the Church's gratitude for their work. The Diocese of Loikaw (Myanmar) is the legacy they left through patience, love, free giving, and the sacrifice of their life. Despite its poverty, the Church of Loikaw sends missionaries to Asia, Oceania, Africa, and Latin America. This is the first part of a report about Myanmar and its Church.