Bernardo Cervellera

Many hope that Beijing might buy Italy’s and Europe’s sovereign debt; however, China’s economy has the same problems as that of the rest of the world: overproduction, export dependency, and overreliance on exports and foreign capital—add to that the yuan’s artificial value and an unfree workforce. Instead, China and Europe should heed Benedict XVI’s teachings, namely that man (not profits) and a sense of responsibility must be at the centre of the economy.

At the 23rd European week on Euro-Mediterranean religious history, a series of interventions illustrate the great saga of the Churches of Antioch, from martyrdom to deportations, but also passionate evangelization and inter-religious and cultural dialogue. An overview by the editor of AsiaNews on the current situation of the Churches of the Near East in the throes of radical Islamism.

Mgr Giovanni Martinelli expects strong resistance against the rebels. Dialogue is necessary for peace, even if it should come at the last moment. Boasting of bombing the civilian population for six months is horrible. Hundreds of Filipino women and a priest thought of fleeing by sea but were prevented by the prevailing insecurity and gunfire across the city. Tripoli’s main Catholic church is also closed because of security concerns.

Two years ago, national governments saved the banks. Now they appear to be the enemies of people’s well-being. The world’s financial system, once deemed the “culprit” in the crisis, now appears to have the final say, acting as its last, out of control, arbiter. This is threatening democracy and freedom. A world authority is needed, but one that is subject to national check and balances. What is especially called for is a conversion from a (single) standard based on material profit to one centred on global human development, as suggested in ‘Caritas in veritate’.

He dedicated 48 years of his life to pastoral care of the poor, lepers, Montagnards, abandoned children, single mothers, students. He had become the country's most famous priest, known to all the dispossessed. He also spent 10 years in the Vietnamese camps. Since 2006, he was director of Caritas Saigon. His most recent invention: the food market, soup kitchens for the poor marked by the economic crisis.

The State Administration for Religious Affairs defends the integrity of the two excommunicated bishops (Leshan and Shantou) and mimics the Vatican saying that the Holy See’s gesture inflicts "wounds" and "sadness" among Catholics in China. It reaffirms the decision to go ahead with the ordinations without papal mandate, but the "resistance" to their dominance of the faithful, priests and bishops is growing. Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao should tackle the violation of the "harmonious society" and corruption of representatives responsible for religious politics.

Together with Prime Minister Razak, his wife, Muslim representatives and the Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur. Importance of intercultural and interreligious dialogue stressed. In Muslim majority Malaysia, there are injustices against the Indian and Chinese ethnic groups and toward Christians and Hindus. The controversy on the use of the word Allah. The issue of human rights and "clean" elections after the demonstration on Bersih 2, in which the government arrested 1600 people.

Fr. Joseph Huang Bingzhang is publicly excommunicated. Many times, the Vatican had said he could not become a bishop. Appreciation for bishops, priests and faithful who have resisted participating in the ceremony. Fears of government revenge: a appeal to AsiaNews. The Pope’s sorrow and the right of Catholics to freedom

The statement by the director of the Vatican Press Office on the illicit ordination of Shantou. "An act contrary to the unity of the universal Church." But the Church prays little for China; presidents and secretaries of state are silent on the violations of human rights, the economy trumps everything. But this short-sightedness is preparing the ground for a huge and violent social conflict in China.

Italian Member of Parliament Alfredo Mantovano asks the EU to speak out on religious freedom in China. Without respect for human rights, market rules cannot be enforced. Being overly tolerant of China and its violations is of no benefit whatsoever to the economy, free market or respect for patents.

In a statement made public today, the Vatican states that it does not recognize the new bishop, that he can not administer the diocese and is excommunicated. Voices in Leshan say that the new bishop has two children. The Vatican had informed some time ago that he could not be accepted as a candidate "for serious reasons”. Bishops who attended the ordination also warned. Fears that the government wants to create a de-facto schism, ordaining dozens of other bishops without papal mandate.

The system’s ad machine extols heroic men and women in “red movies”, “red books” and “red songs”. “Pilgrimages” to the places of the revolution are the latest fad. Some scholars call however for a closer look to the Party’s failures: the great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution, and the ongoing corruption. Meanwhile, democracy is waiting.