South East Asia

Just days after the death of Pope Francis and during the conclave that elected Leo XIV, a statue of the Virgin Mary — who appeared in support of persecuted Vietnamese Catholics — was placed just a short distance from the Dome of St Peter’s. The Archbishop of Ho Chi Minh City said: “May she intercede for the Pope and for all our communities around the world.”

The priest is one of the few who knows the Filipino Sign Language. His choice goes back to a meeting with a group of deaf people during the papal visit in 2015. Ministering the sacraments, starting with confession, represents a challenge. Working with Setsunan University in Osaka has been a success.

During the official visit of the Malaysian prime minister, the two countries rebooted their historic economic, technological and cultural cooperation. Malaysia remains non-aligned in global power politics. Anwar said he raised the issue of flight MH17 shot down in 2014, after a UN body recently blamed Russia for the incident.

Almost 70 million voters cast their ballot in midterm elections for Congress and local government. The outgoing majority in Congress should consolidate its hold. Local elections are a mixed bag with differences and divisions, with local coalition building the name of the game.

In West Java province, an explosion occurred during the controlled detonation of old bombs. A group of civilians, present in the restricted area without authorisation, were caught in the blast—reportedly scavenging for bomb fragments to sell. The explosion is the latest in a long series of similar incidents; another occurred on 9 May. These events raise concerns over the security of military sites.

The religious family to which the new pontiff belonged, and which he led as Prior General for 12 years, has a long history of missionary presence on the Asian continent, beginning with the Basilica of Santo Niño in Cebu. Fellow Augustinians in India and Indonesia describe him as "a deeply spiritual man, capable of truly listening." His coat of arms features a phrase from Augustine and the order's emblem: a burning heart pierced by an arrow above a book.

Meeting with Bill Gates, President Prabowo Subianto expressed gratitude for the aid, which the foundation began to give in 2009. The Indonesia leader also pledged to award the US philanthropist Indonesia’s highest national honour. In addition to health, the money has been used in agriculture and technology. Indonesia's PT Bio Farma produces up to two billion doses of vaccine every year, distributed in over 40 countries benefitting more than 900 million people.

Since December, Sister Liza Ruedas, a nun of the Daughters of Charity, has launched an awareness campaign ahead of the midterm elections scheduled for May 12. The goal is to increase “awareness and participation in political change.” The Catholic Church of the Philippines has consecrated itself to Divine Mercy in the face of the "serious challenges" facing both the country and the world.

Francis picked the archbishop emeritus of Manila as pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelisation. The 67-year-old Philippine cardinal has been one of the foremost figures of Asian Catholicism for more than 20 years. A brilliant preacher for years, he has commented on the Gospel every week in a very popular TV programme. For him, “The Church is renewed in her identity when she is missionary, that is, when she bears witness to the Kingdom of God in dialogue with cultures, religions”.

The leader of the Nation Power Party was one of the few critical voices still free, opposed to the Hun clan, which has ruled Cambodia of 40 years. The court found him guilty of "incitement". His "crime" was that of defending peasants from land grabs and of criticising government policies.

Archbishop of Manila since 2021, Card José Fuerte Advincula is one of the main supporters of a missionary magisterium. At 73, he is in line with the synodal vision of Pope Francis. A strong promoter of inclusion, of listening to varied groups like women, LGBTQ+ people and workers, he supports education as a way to social redemption. He is open to the pastoral challenges of the present, such as the proposed divorce law in the Philippines.

The Philippine Islamic Burial Law fills a regulatory gap that has been a source of tensions with Christians. In compliance with Islamic religious precepts, burial can take place within 24 hours, while violations will be sanctioned with jail time or fines. This success for the Muslim religious minority has sparked reactions among some Catholics.