The bishop of Kalookan and president of the Bishops’ Conference spoke about the fate of thousands of people who died during the Duterte years, whose fates have remained under investigation for years, with no answers for their families, this despite an inquiry by the Philippine Congress. To close this dark chapter, an independent body is needed to ensure that courage overcomes fear and accountability prevails over impunity.
In the Archdiocese of Verapoly, the Catholic community is preparing for the beatification of the nun who founded the first Indian Carmelite congregation, combining contemplative life with service to her brothers and sisters. Cardinal Sebastian Francis, who will preside over the ceremony on 8 November: ‘Stronger than any challenge by putting Jesus at the centre: a testimony to be imitated even today’.
In its message on the occasion of Deepavali - which is being celebrated at this time - the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue recalls the anniversary of the Second Vatican Council document that encouraged Catholics to engage in dialogue, recognising the values that every religious tradition brings with it. ‘Hindus and Christians together nurture peace in our homes, communities and societies.’
The Archbishop of Colombo made an appeal to this end during celebrations for the anniversary of the founding of the broadcaster TV Derana. Sri Lankans, who today struggle hard to earn a living, must learn to discern which influences are positive or negative, without passively accepting everything that comes from abroad.
1 October marked the anniversary of the canonisation desired by John Paul II which gave rise to the most conflictual moment in relations between Beijing and the Holy See. In the context of today's dialogue with the Beijing authorities, marking the feast may be cause for embarassment for some but the Chinese Catholic community has the right to remember and honour its martyrs, just like other churches around the world.
In the Noto Peninsula, the Diocese of Nagoya witnessed the joy of the consecration of a new church in Wajima 20 months after a devastating earthquake razed the old one. As a sign of things to come, the new place of worship welcomed some 20 Filipinos who discovered a home amid the tragedy and show of solidarity for this small community.
AsiaNews editorial director Fr. Gianni Criveller comments on the Pope's words on China in an interview released in recent days: "He guarantees the continuity of previous choices, aware that there is time between now and the new expiry of the Agreement in 2028. But he also says he is listening to the “underground” communities that (rightly or wrongly) feel they have been sacrificed. So that the government's narrative is not the only one in this complex and painful ecclesial affair."
Bishop Moon of Cheju, chairman of the Bishops' Conference's Committee for Family and Life, met with Democratic Party lawmakers who are promoting a bill that the Church sees as a path towards unlimited abortions. The issue came to the fore in 2019 after a ruling by the Constitutional Court. For Bishop, “We must move towards respect for life.”
St. Andrew's School in Mumbai - where teachers of different religions work side by side - has promoted a trip in the name of the historic document signed in 2019 by Pope Francis and Imam al Tayyeb. Headmaster Fr. Magi Murzello: ‘A common religious response to the challenge of pluralism and the promotion of diversity as a value rooted in religious freedom.’
Hundreds of people attended the ordination of Fr Limon Biswas, a PIME missionary like Fr Antonio Marietti, who was the first to speak about Jesus in 1856 in Jessore, a village in the present-day Diocese of Khulna. Now he himself will leave as a missionary for Papua New Guinea. “I hope he will spread the Gospel with dedication and love,” said Bishop Boiragi.
An international symposium in Hong Kong marks the centennial of the consecration of six Chinese bishops in Rome in 1926, a milestone in the inculturation of Chinese Catholicism and the subsequent experience of native cardinals.
A few days before the big event in Tor Vergata, the Archdiocese's Justice and Peace Commission held its Youth Day. Kashif Anthony: ‘I want to see their conditions improve and help them work to contribute to the betterment of society and our country.’
The Vietnamese Catholic Church celebrated the 400th anniversary of the birth of its first martyr, who was killed at the age of 19, with a live-streamed event involving communities across the country and the diaspora, which was also attended by the Pope.
The bishop visited a community that has grown nearly eightfold thanks to a wave of young families who arrived following the events of 2020. God is with them as they have “a fresh start.” The challenge now is to find a Cantonese-speaking pastor.
In first ever, a training course organised in collaboration with a company in the sector explored not so much the ethical implications but the opportunities for the practical use of these tools in pastoral care. Participants said: ‘It can become an essential aid in improving preaching and pastoral care.’
The Plenary Assembly in Bohol elects the archbishop of Lipa to succeed Card David who has concluded his second term. The meeting is discussing how to continue the synodal journey in the Philippines. Noemi Saludo, a laywoman who contributed to the restoration of a hundred churches, is honoured.
The new coadjutor apostolic vicar of the Cambodian capital, appointed yesterday by Pope Leo, tells AsiaNews about the challenges facing the tiny local Church reborn after the persecution of the Khmer Rouge, who fifty years ago also killed Msgr. Samar, the only local bishop before him. The legacy of the martyrs, inculturation, encounter with Buddhists, but also individualism brought about by the spread of digital devices are among the pastoral priorities.
With the recognition by the Vatican medical commission that a miracle occurred through his intercession, a "direct, complete and permanent" healing, the Greek Catholic priest, Fr Beshara Abou-Mrad (1853-1930), could soon be proclaimed blessed, this according to the Salvatorian Archimandrite Mtanios Haddad.
Launched in 1975 as a Lenten gesture, over the years it has become an ongoing form of support for the activities of the 85 social action centres of the Philippine Church. And to mark the anniversary, Caritas has launched a campaign to engage one million Filipinos in a monthly donation. Bishop of Kidapawan Msgr Bagaforo: "Seed of hope and compassion".
Pastoral workers who carry out their ministry in prisons met recently in Bangkok for their national meeting. Prisoners are among the most marginalized groups in society. For Bishop Wuthilert Haelom of Chiang Rai, the “prison ministry is not just a social service – it is a living expression of God’s mercy.”
Fe Mantuhac Barino, a Catholic laywoman linked to the Charismatic Renewal, is behind a programme created in 2016 (when Duterte was president) that offers drug addicts and their families a way to take back their lives. Over the years, more than a thousand people have participated,” she said, adding that “Only God can make these changes.”
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.”
Yesterday the pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelisation addressed the conference in Milan that marked the 175th anniversary of PIME’s foundation. The door of a house, sitting together at the table, songs of lament and joy, cultural and human intelligence are the four faces of a Church walking on the “ground prepared by the Holy Spirit of the Risen Jesus.”
In the diocese of Dipolog, in the south of the country, Chrisma Bangaoil and a group of volunteers have already built 12 small churches in the most isolated mountain areas. ‘We are not just building buildings; we are building faith in these outlying areas’.
The prelate released a message on behalf of the Bishops' Conference while hundreds are still under the rubble. Despite the natural calamity, Myanmar’s air force conducted air strikes yesterday. Twinned with Myanmar for many years, the Archdiocese of Tokyo expressed its closeness. Showing its resilience, St Michael's Church in Mandalay will rise out of the rubble for a third time.
Born in German-speaking countries, today more than half of the missionaries belonging to the institute founded by Arnold Janssen are from Asia, and are also on the frontline in the existential peripheries of Europe today. Now the institute is being called to reflect on mission in today's world at an international conference In Rome from 27 to 29 March.
By opening a nunciature in the Southeast Asian country in 1950, the Holy See made a great contribution to the development of the post-colonial world, and unity among the country’s many religious communities. For the Indonesian ambassador to the Holy See, the two parties “share a common perspective on many global issues,” as Pope Francis’s trip showed.
A few days ago, Archbishop Travas presided over the consecration of the parish dedicated to St. Andrew. A sign of hope for the Catholic community in an area of the city marked by serious problems.
Youth from around the country travelled to Birishiri, Diocese of Mymensingh, for the gathering promoted by the Bishops' Conference in the Jubilee Year. Archbishop Bejoy N. D'Cruze of Dhaka urges youth “to be more actively engaged in the Church, making it more vibrant and beautiful.”
The story of Mei Li, who was contemplating suicide: ‘The thing that attracts me most about God is hope’. The story of the little girl who tells her parents tshe is going to the mall but instead takes part in activities in a church and chooses Joan of Arc as her baptismal name. The desire for unity with the whole world. In the Holy Year of the Chinese Catholic communities, the hope that offers a way out from the social, political and existential void that generates only infinite pressures.
