Catholic students hold their 34th annual meeting in the Diocese of Barishal. The Youth Commission of the Bishops’ Conference calls for a "deeper relationship with God" against the negative things of life, like drug addiction.
The flames broke out in the area of Chawkbazar overnight, the historic district of the capital. The area is packed with shops and perfume factories. In 2010, the authorities banned warehouses.
Every year, the gathering is held on the banks of the Turag River. About 5,000 pilgrims come from abroad. Some participants called for Allah's blessing; others prayed for his forgiveness for their offences in this life.
Gloria Jharna Sarker, a 40-year-old lawyer and a mother of two, has a long history of involvement as a student in Christian associations and in favour of women. She pledged to work for needy children, women and young people.
The first Catholics to land on the coast near Chittagong were Portuguese merchants in 1518. After 80 years, the first missionaries arrived. The history of the origins of the local Church remains largely unknown. However, the example of the first believers, including many martyrs, continues to nurture a community that today continues to contribute to the country’s social and economic development.
The Hollywood star spent two days in the company of refugees. As a UNHCR goodwill ambassador she listened to the stories of several rape victims. At the end of the visit, she asks Myanmar to apply the recommendations of the Commission led by Kofi Annan.
The celebration took place at the Panjora sanctuary. The holy day attracts many migrant workers from abroad. Not only Catholics, but also Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists. A Muslim couple married for ten years: "We have asked for the grace of being blessed with a child".
The Xaverian missionary has been working in the Diocese of Novaliches for 13 years. Language and the relationship with tribals were among his greatest challenges. The great number of Catholics in the Philippines is also a challenge to evangelisation.
The ethnic group lives in the Bandarban hills, where Baptist missionary Edwin Rowlands carried out his work of evangelisation. Members of the 15,000-strong community now go to university and work abroad.
The words of Shah Ahmed Shafi, a radical cleric, have caused quite a stir. Later, he blamed the media for misquoting him. For activist, “He would like to take us back 100 years.”
The women belong to the Secular Institute Believers in Christ Community. The archdiocese of the capital has provided them with a home to live together. The lay sisters are active in teaching children and providing spiritual care to the sick.
US-born Fr Robert Terence McCahill is 81 years old. He came to Bangladesh in 1975 after 11 years in the Philippines. He chose to live poor among the poor. Muslims call him "brother Bob".
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