The Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences echoes the words of Leo XIV, which “are not those of political partisanship, but of moral and spiritual leadership, exercised in fidelity to the Gospel.” Asia can teach that "peace is never achieved through domination”. The Church's mission is not to “wield power," but to “keep alive the hope that peace is possible.”
The nun, winner of the Ramon Magsaysay Award, passed away on 14 April at the age of 85. In 1986, she founded the Mission of Our Lady of Peace and established free health clinics, which have treated tens of thousands of people in need free of charge. Her compassion is celebrated as one of the pillars upon which to ‘build the nation’.
Faced with the crackdown on Moscow bookshops and publishing houses aimed at removing from circulation novels, essays or even literary classics now deemed “subversive”, some individuals are setting up small private libraries to share their books. People gather and talk about the war, without mentioning Ukraine, but by reading stories that would otherwise be impossible to find anywhere today.
Leo XIV arrived in Cameroon, the second stop in his trip to Africa. Speaking to the authorities of a country governed for more than 40 years by the same president, who is now 92, he called for “renewal” and some soul-searching. He also said to “love your neighbor as yourself”, a commandment that is “equally applicable to international relations!” Before leaving Algiers, he visited a local Church-run orphanage.
Last night, senior diplomats from Israel and Lebanon took part in a meeting in the US capital, chaired by the US secretary of state. This is the first time the two met since the failed 1983 agreement under then President Amine Gemayel. Hezbollah's hostility remains. Former Lebanese ambassador to the United States, Simon Karam, is expected to lead the Lebanese delegation.
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is pursuing demolitions in katchi abadis, informal settlements, where many Christians also live. Police agents and vehicles have been deployed in large numbers at the G-7 settlement (Allama Iqbal Colony). Residents are protesting, complaining of the lack of advance notice and alternative housing. NGOs are challenging the authorities, claiming they are hostile toward minorities and people living in poverty.
