Bernardo Cervellera

The Pope and eastern and western terrorism

A Colloquium just held in Triuggio (Milan) analyses changes that have taken place in the past 25 years within the Chinese Communist Party but especially within China's Christian communities. There was the revelation of a lively and modern Church, even if subject to persecution.

The Camillian priest spent more than 40 years dispensing medical treatment to poor, sick children on the island of Taiwan. His brother, a Camillian too, tells AsiaNews about the mission of Fr Antonio.

Lead by Archbishop Claudio Celli, the delegation will meet with the government. This encounter comes at a time of particular tension, caused by the Patriotic Association and the Religious Affairs Bureau.

Europe must get rid of its secularist and falsely neutral view of religion; Islam must rid itself of its fundamentalism which holds back its development and drives it towards religious wars; the Arab world is in turmoil: a reportage on the conference organised by the scientific committee of the Oasis journal in Egypt.

Beijing has to free itself of the ridiculous politics of the Patriotic Association

The government has decreed a total blackout about the most painful and disastrous era of the history of China's Communist Party. The fear to face history and the risks of repeating it.

In an interview with AsiaNews, the ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the Vatican explains what distinguishes Christianity from other religions and describes the different approaches to religious freedom of Taipei and Beijing.

The Patriotic Association, to defend its power, is jeopardizing signals of détente between Beijing and Rome. The candidate would want to backtrack, but the P.A. wants to proceed at all costs.

In an interview with China Daily, the director of the Religious Affairs Bureau confirms what has already been said by Cardinal Sodano and Archbishop Lajolo. Conditions remain on Taiwan and nomination of bishops, even though it seems a slight opening may be in the offing.

Fundamentalist theologians have led people to believe that apostasy undermines the unity of the Ummah, the Muslim community. But for Prof Francesco Zannini, who teaches at the Pontifical Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies, the issue is hotly debated amongst Muslims.

A Rosary for the martyrs