Hundreds of people accompanied the journey from the airport to the nunciature. Some have walked for a week from the country’s remotest to be present. For the Secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference, Fr Giorgio Licini, youth unemployment and the victims of witchcraft are some of the issues, “which we hope Francis will address.”
For almost a month, Kolkata has been shaken by protests and rallies, initially organised by feminist groups. In recent weeks, however, the Bharatiya Janata Party has taken advantage of widespread dissatisfaction to call for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s resignation.
In Iyankarni, a village in the Eastern Province, the civil war destroyed lives and relations between Muslims and Tamils. Now, thanks to an organic farming project promoted by Caritas Batticaloa, the two communities are working together to rebuild their lives. For the charity’s director, Fr Samson Jayanixon, “healing people and building harmony between them are the core of religions.”
The concept was reiterated this week at a meeting attended by 50 monks recognised by China, but which Tibet’s spiritual leader has always opposed. The Dalai Lama could end the line of succession next year on his 90th birthday, excluding Beijing from controlling Tibetan Buddhism.
The Archbishop of Mumbai, Asia's representative in the Council of Cardinals, called to lead the commission wanted by Pope Francis to address the issue of relations between the papal representatives and the local Churches, one of the topics that emerged from the synod consultation. The group will present its conclusions by June 2025.
Archbishop Martinelli stresses to AsiaNews the link that makes the declaration signed yesterday in Jakarta and the 2019 text on human fraternity‘different and complementary’. In a world marked by war ‘the danger is getting used to dehumanisation’. Strong ‘symbols’ such as the Tunnel of Friendship or the Abrahamic House are essential. From the Pope also the call to look in depth’ in interreligious dialogue, returning “to the question of God as a fundamental human question”.
