Today's headlines: Chinese evangelical Christian under police control for over a fortnight; Pyongyang has fired two more ballistic missiles; a new shipping route connects Pakistan with Oman via Qatar; Burmese and Thai Catholic volunteers to help displaced people in the border area; several Russian oligarchs under sanctions allegedly saved hundreds of millions in capital abroad.
Today's news: panic among South Koreans over Seoul's failed missile launch crashed to the ground. Major gold-supplying banks cut shipments to India. Since the military coup 145 Burmese, mostly members of the Nld, have died in prison; since the beginning of the war Russian oligarchs have lost more than 94 billion Euro.
The prelate took over the vicariate, concelebrating his first Mass in St Joseph's Cathedral in Abu Dhabi. He thanked his predecessor, Bishop Hinder, for his “great work”. He also stressed the role Catholic parishes and schools play and noted that the document signed by Pope Francis and Grand Imam el-Tayeb should not be forgotten.
The Swiss-born bishop is preparing to entrust the mandate to his successor Msgr. Martinelli. In his last pastoral letter, he expressed his "gratitude" for a reality that has matured in 18 years of missionary work. With ups and downs, from the pope's visit to the killing of the four Missionary Sisters of Charity in Aden.
In recent days a church has been inaugurated in the capital, recalling the only episode of Christian martyrdom in the Koran. Catholics, a migrant reality with a "strong community spirit". Mascate remains a model of diplomacy and balance between Sunni (Riyadh, Abu Dhabi) and Shiite (Tehran) powers. Tourism - and oil - fuel the recovery.
The auxiliary of Milan, Msgr. Paolo Martinelli, replaces Msgr. Hinder in southern Arabia, who resigned having reached the age of retirement. A breath of vision that "embraces all Christians" and a particular "concern" for Yemen. The "historical" value of the document on Brotherhood, keeping its "memory alive". A "different" migrant Church, but part of "one people".
