Geographical areas In the spotlight

In the spotlight:
 
Pope: “render an account for the hope that is in us’ at Advent

During the Angelus, Pope Francis noted that "The Lord never abandons us" and this can help overcome "fear and discouragement" along with "pessimism, closure, and apathy" at this time of pandemic. The pontiff urged the faithful to pray for the new cardinals.

| 29/11/2020
| VATICAN
 
Sunday Gospel: expectation and gratitude (VIDEO)
by Bernardo Cervellera

Commentary (in Italian) on the Gospel of the Sunday before Advent B (Mark 13:33-37).

| 29/11/2020
|
 
Pope tells new cardinals to expect God who is close against the slumber of mediocrity and indifference

At the Altar of the Chair in St Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis celebrated Mass with the new cardinals created in yesterday’s consistory. “[W]hy should we be caught up with earthly concerns?” “Why should we look for ‘patrons’ to help advance our career?” “Some people seem to think that being compassionate, helping and serving others is for losers. Yet these are the only things that win us the victory”. “When the Church worships God and serves our neighbour, she does not live in the night. However weak and weary, she journeys towards the Lord.”

| 29/11/2020
| VATICAN
Editor's choices
 
Catholic Church tells politicians, not to put Christian sectarianism in the constitution
While the country is getting ready to welcome Pope Francis in September, amendments have been proposed to assert the country’s Christian identity. For the Catholic Bishops' Conference, this is a “dangerous” step that “obscures ...
| 24/04/2024
| PAPUA NEW GUINEA
 
Sipri: never before has arms expenditure been so high in Asia
Not only Gaza and the war in Ukraine: the global arms race is also driven by Chinese pressure on Taiwan.. The 6.8% growth represents "the highest year-on-year growth since 2009". China, Russia, India and Saudi Arabia among the world's top five with ...
| 22/04/2024
| ASIA - MIDDLE EAST
 
Palestinian Christian in 'administrative detention'. Rev. Isaac: a victim of injustice
by Dario Salvi
Layan Nasir, a 23-year-old native of Birzeit, is the only Christian woman under "administrative detention". She was taken, blindfolded and handcuffed, overnight by a military patrol without an arrest warrant or charges against her. The Bethlehem ...
| 19/04/2024
| ISRAEL – PALESTINE
 
Unequal law, the suffering children of Chinese dissidents
Chinese Human Rights Defenders released a report detailing the stories of children and young people victims of human rights violations, like He Fengmei's daughter, who was separated from her mother a month after her birth and kept in a psychiatric ...
| 16/04/2024
| CHINA
 
Amina and Bedouins, the hidden victims of Iran’s rockets and Hamas’s attack
Currently in intensive care, the seven-year-old is the only person to be seriously wounded by Iran’s attack against Israel because her house and village were not covered by Israel’s Iron Dome defence system. Nothing is known of the fate of ...
| 15/04/2024
| ISRAEL – GAZA - IRAN
 
Bishop Shomali: Jordan’s solidarity with Gaza, but relations with Israel remain fundamental
by Daniele Frison
The auxiliary bishop of Jerusalem and patriarchal vicar for Palestine looks at the protests in Amman. Diplomatic relations with Israel allow aid to be sent to Gaza. Some students from Gaza’s Holy Family Parish arrived in Amman thanks to the Patriarchate’s ...
| 12/04/2024
| JORDAN
 
Pope Francis will be in Southeast Asia and Oceania from 2 to 13 September
The Holy See has officially announced the long journey to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Singapore. Card Goh of Singapore hopes the pope will bring to his predominantly Chinese city, “renewed fervour to all Catholics [. . .], especially ...
| 12/04/2024
| VATICAN
 
Cardinal Poola: Don't ignore the parts in Dignitatis Infinita about the poor
by card. Anthony Poola *
The Archbishop of Hyderabad looks at the media reaction to the declaration released by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith on human dignity. The media are “focused on gender theory, sex change, surrogacy etc., but” people who “struggle ...
| 11/04/2024
| INDIA
“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”