South Asia

About 2,500 Catholics celebrated Fr Dino Giacominelli's 25 years as a priest. Now the clergyman is getting ready to leave the parish where he served for 23 years. "Without him," said one faithful, "this community would be much weaker".

Francis makes a number of suggestions to the participants of the Third World Congress of Ecclesial Movements and New Communities, like preserving "the freshness of charisma," respecting people's freedom in their education and always seeking Communion, whilst remembering that to achieve this goal "conversion must be missionary".

Christians must proclaim the Gospel "to everyone without distinction, not proselytising, to tell others about what we have and what we want to share without forcing anyone”. “Going out means overcoming the temptation of talking among ourselves and forgetting the many who wait for a word of mercy from us, a word of comfort, of hope." “The mission is accomplished by all Christians, not just the few. It is a task for children as well”.

Redemption is free " when the Church or churches start doing business, then it is said that salvation is not so free ...". "There are two things that the people of God cannot forgive: a priest attached to money and a priest who mistreats people. This they cannot forgive!"

In a world of some seven billion people, about 60 per cent of its residents without toilets live in India. Poor sanitation and hygiene as well as water pollution cause acute, often fatal diarrhoea and cholera. The government's Clean India campaign promises to solve the emergency, but ordinary Indians remains sceptical.

Migration "remains an aspiration to hope… to seek a better future wherever that may be". Those who leave their country should not be seen as a problem, but a person who contributes to the economic development and a possible "partner in the construction of richer communities", "stimulating the development of inclusion, creativity and respect for the dignity of all".

The five dead bodies were found in the ashram where he was hiding. The causes of their death still unknown. More than 16 thousand devotees were held as a hostage in the holy place. Another woman died in hospital shortly after being released.

Samita Bajracharya has spent the last few years as "Kumari" or "living goddess", the incarnation of Kali worshiped by both Hindus and Buddhists. After her "divine" period, she chose to enrol in the St Francis Xavier Catholic School. "I am still a Hindu," she told AsiaNews, "but I received solidarity and respect from Catholics."

"I ask myself: today we Christians who know the faith, the catechism, who go to Mass every Sunday, we Christians, we pastors are we content with ourselves? Because we have organized everything and do not need new visits from the Lord ... And the Lord continues to knock on the door of each one of us and of His Church, the pastors of the Church”.

The "challenge" of solidarity and the "paradox of plenty": "there is food for everyone, but not everyone can eat". "The the struggle against hunger and malnutrition is hindered by “market priorities”, and the “primacy of profit”. The "moral obligation to share the economic wealth of the world." "A source of inspiration is natural law, inscribed in the human heart, that speaks a language that everyone can understand: love, justice, peace, elements that are inseparable from each other"

For over a week the supporters of Baba Rampal have been holed up in his ashram, to prevent police arresting him. Women and children are being used as human shields by their members, which are blocking more than 20 thousand people from leaving the place. The holy man is on trial for the death of one of his followers, which took place under mysterious circumstances in 2006.

"Unacceptable episodes of violence that have not even spared places of worship." The "universal call to holiness" which concerns not only consecrated persons, but is a "gift" offered to all Christians, towards which we must take "small steps", in everyday life. "Money is not to be considered idol to be served, but a means to pursue the common good."