New government measures will come into force on 1 June, placing the economy of religious sites into the hands of the United Front Work Department and the Ministry of Finance. The new rules, which also regulate donations and offerings, are meant to promote the “sinicisation” of religion.
Authorities have detained bishop Shao Zhumin of Wenzhou: he had been freed at the beginning of November after a previous arrest. Msgr. Cui Tai, bishop of Xuanhua, has also disappeared. He had been under house arrest for more than 10 years and there are suspicions of torture.
A reflection on the 60th anniversary of the priestly ordination of a spiritual father, a lover and deep connoisseur of China. A life spent teaching young seminarians. "Pray and love God with all your heart," is the advice he always gave.
It aims to "broaden the horizons of pupils and the formation of honest, worthy and orderly citizens and patriots." A tool for Putin patriotism. A rereading of history through the prism of "truth and values".A new book by Patriarch Kirill also presented.
The Chinese continue to gloss over the possibility of mediating between Kiev and Moscow. The EU threatens to respond in case of Chinese aid to the Kremlin. Europeans demand an end to Beijing's trade boycott of Lithuania. The Union wants to relaunch human rights dialogue with the Chinese government.
The reservoir will enable the local community to erect its own church and survive during difficult times. Locals, of any religion, will now own and manage their water supplies.
During Lent, the small market will continue to move around the various parishes. Donations are also planned for two hospitals. Fr Joseph Nguyễn Văn Vang: "This work has an important human and emotional significance".
The Ukrainian crisis must not divert attention from the atrocities committed by the Chinese regime, say the signatories of an appeal to Europe. Abuses against Uyghurs, Tibetans, the Hong Kong democracy movement and dissidents in China are in focus. The EU must demand the release of all political prisoners. Tensions are high between Europeans and Beijing.
Reports of four Mossad agents killed and seven others wounded. The Chaldean Patriarchate proposes "dialogue" to resolve disputes and the urgency of a "national government". The Arab League and the Gulf monarchies speak of a "terrorist attack" at the hands of Iran. Haaretz writes of a "secret war" between Iran and Israel thathas become "public" because of drones.
Although masses continue to be held online due to the pandemic, the faithful have taken up Pope Francis' appeal to turn their thoughts to the ongoing conflict during Lent. “We ask God to remember in a special way the Ukrainian people,” said Archbishop Giuse Vũ Văn Thiên of Hanoi.
The deaths have raised concerns about internet censorship and the protection of workers' rights. China's high-tech giants face the double challenge of strict government regulation and stagnant economic growth.
The move by the Russian president caused a stir, including in China. Moscow has 5,977 nuclear warheads. For Savelyev, “Putin acts against all logic. He’s unpredictable”. He is sending “a signal to NATO,” says Kortunov. It seems that no one in the Kremlin can stop the Russian leader.
Three plaintiffs sterilised in the 1960s and 1970s will receive about US$ 240,000. A law remained in force between 1948 and 1996 to prevent people with physical or cognitive disabilities from having children. A 2019 law limited the amount of compensation for victims.
The missionaries will carry out their pastoral work in Manulete, an inaccessible mountainous area. Amused, they told the local bishop that they were not ready to go to such a remote area, but that “Local hospitality and generosity have strongly motivated us to serve them.”
The leader of the Russian Orthodo church calls for assistance to refugees and the needy, for mutual understanding between the conflicting parties. For Putin, however, the attack was inevitable: the defence of Russian values from Western aggression.
Faithful of Xinxiang diocese: "He is being held in an unknown place, illegally". Arrested last May after a cancer operation. Under to Chinese law, the detention of a person without charge cannot last more than three months. The provisional agreement between China and the Holy See appears to have been "betrayed" by many.
The youngest, Fr Shi from Liaoning, was 45. Fr Han of Lanzhou died at the age of 56. Fr Wang, 87, from the archdiocese of Beijing, was a victim of Maoist repression when he was young. Sister Teresa Li Xuefang was a member of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in Shaanxi.
His sixth profile on the popular messaging site has been deleted. The lawyer says Tencent - owner of the social media - is trampling on civil rights. It was a veiled attack on the authorities, who tightly control the Internet. The academic has long been a government target.
Four articles in Ta Kung Pao slam the cardinal for the 2019 protest movement and the pro-democracy movement, which was recently muzzled by the authorities under the security law. The move could herald a crackdown against religious activities in Hong Kong with Catholic and Protestant schools as the first targets.
Metropolitan Ilarion: new law needed on "age of consent for sexual relations". In 2021 the sale of sex-toys in the country grew by 18%. Patriarchate points to need to protect the population from excesses.
In its latest statement, the Bishops' Conference outlines the decision by the Church to divest from companies investing in "destructive" energy. For Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara, Conference vice president, this heeds the “teachings of the Laudato Si’” encyclical by Pope Francis.
Some have been waiting to be tried for more than a year. PIME missionary Fr Mella urges Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, a Catholic, to put pressure on the central government. He hopes Pope Francis will sign a petition presented to local authorities.
The measure covers five provinces. Almost all of the children adopted out to staff of the closed facilities, civil servants and policemen. Obligation of adoption in all probability imposedby the authorities: the State contributes between 120 and 250 euro per month per child. Fears about the physical and psychological wellbeing of the adopted out.
The Pontiff's appeal picked up by all Russian and Ukrainian news sites; silence from political leaders. Kiev: "The future of Euro-Atlantic security is being decided in Ukraine". Francis' request recalls his interventions for Syria. The support of Ukrainian Greek Catholics.
The Bangladeshi writer takes a stand against the womb-for-rent practice two days after Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra and her partner announced the birth of their child via surrogacy.
The distribution was made possible thanks to the support of the Saving Lives Welfare Organization. Now 11 people with different handicaps will at least be able to leave their homes. For the father of one of the lucky beneficiaries, only Caritas takes care of them.
Mideast Church leaders start Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in Beirut. In his address, Armenian Catholic primate slams divisions that still remain in the Church. The true meaning of the sacrifice on the cross is lost when the work for unity is aimed at “winning others to one’s principles”.
The Edelman Trust Barometer found that trust in China’s government stood at 83 per cent. In liberal democracies, public support for leaders has plunged, except in India, largely due to the way they tackled the COVID-19 pandemic and handled the economy. Among advanced economies, only Singapore and Greece see China more favorably than the United States.
A Catholic from Karachi has been bringing friends of all faiths to the Salvation Army Church for months to distribute food to day labourers brought to their knees by pandemic. One of the people helped: "This place is different from other centres, because everyone is served with respect and a smile".
Around 10 million children born in 2021, just 480,000 more than the number of people who have died. The population may have reached its peak. The demographic slowdown is being affected by high cost of living and new social habits. The situation is a further threat to the country's economic growth.
