Families fled the village in the Sheikhupura district when a mob set fire to the home and clinic of Kamran Masih, after he was accused of blasphemy. Five arrests have been made in connection with the arson. The incident highlights the importance of political action to defend marginalised communities.
This was revealed by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute ( SIPRI). After the United States, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Japan and India are - in this order - among the top 10 nations.
The diocese of Novara and Dinajpur twined in 1964, giving rise to the "Novara Technical School" in Suihari on the outskirts of Dinajpur, now directed by PIME brother Massimo Cattaneo, and which is one of the most popular Catholic Church institutes among Bangladeshi people, not only for the thousands of young men and women it has educated, but for the concrete example it proposes.
In his homily during Palm Sunday Mass, Mgr Anthony Sharma, apostolic vicar of Nepal, slammed politicians for their failures. "They have made so many promises that they have not kept." Hundreds of people, including young people who are preparing for baptism on Easter Eve, attended the service. "We shall give a Bible to our Members of Parliament," said one. "We hope they will find inspiration."
The 5th round in India's general election is set for Thursday. Mgr Thomas Dabre calls on the community in his archdiocese to vote for "candidates and parties who will take care of every citizen, [. . .] especially minorities. This is true secularism." Fearful of a victory by Hindu nationalists, the prelate notes that "No religious community has a monopoly over the nation's history and culture".
In their Easter message (in Sinhala, Tamil and English), the country's bishops call on fellow Sri Lankans to search for "true peace" that "can be lived united with God [. . .] in the aftermath of a war that ravaged the country."
The Independent Electoral Commission has scrutinized about 500 thousand votes in 26 provinces . The candidate of the National Coalition of Afghanistan (NCA, Islamic democracy) is in the lead with 41.9% , followed by Ashraf Ghani with 37.6% . Final results expected for April 24.
The Christian Solidarity Movement (CSM ) celebrates the 51st anniversary of the Encyclical Pacem in Terris by the Roncalli Pope. The the arrest of Fr. Praveen and Catholic activist Ruki Fernando, "guilty of giving voice to the oppressed".
High Court began proceedings this morning, only to adjourn the hearing. A new date for a case that has lasted for years might be announced tomorrow. Optimistic, the defendant's lawyers hope to see her walk free soon. However, fundamentalist groups continue to make threats. For Lahore priest, "the situation in Pakistan is getting worse by the day, not only for minorities, but especially for women and girls."
The Xaverian priest, 74, has lived in the Asian country since 1970 where he has translated into Bangla Vatican II documents, the Catechism of the Catholic Church and some encyclicals. He has also written 200 Christian books directly in that language.
Speaking at a meeting with seminarians at the Pontifical Leonine College of Anagni, Pope Francis reminded them of "the four pillars of education," namely "Spiritual life, strong; intellectual life, serious; community life; and, ultimately, apostolic life". In view of this, it is "better to lose a vocation than take risks with an unsure candidate."
In an unscripted speech for his Palm Sunday homily, the pontiff asks, "Am I able to welcome Jesus as he enters Jerusalem? Am I like the Pharisees, like the man from Cyrene, like the crowd that chose Barabbas? Or am I like the apostle who wanted to solve everything with the sword? Or like the courageous women at the sepulchre? Where is my heart? Let this question accompany us throughout the week. Afterwards, during the Angelus, he saw young Brazilians hand over the cross to young Poles. "John Paul II will be patron of World Youth Day. God willing, I shall be in Korea in August."
For now, only the capital Dhaka offers the service. Buses will also be fitted with vehicles tracking technology.
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