Members of the Rapid Su-pport Force (RSF) seized Bishop Yunan Tombe Trille Kuku Andali of El-Obeid, subjected him to a beating and threatened to execute him as he travelled back to his diocese from a meeting in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.
He had attended a Eucharistic Congress on November 24 and celebrations for the Golden Jubilee of the Sudan and South Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Confe-rence, whose members called on the authorities to protect Bishop Andali following the attack.
“We condemn the violence against the innocent bishop and servant for all,” said Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of Yambio-Tombura, in South Sudan. “We ask respect for this man of God and for all human beings,” he said. “We are deeply saddened and troubled by the news,” said Bishop Remijo Adam of Wau. He said Bishop Andali had told him in a text message that RSF gunmen had detained him and an aide as they crossed the border at the South Sudanese town of Renk, and beat him on the face, neck and the side of the head.
They had already been robbed by soldiers of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) during their travel. “I can’t eat food and worse of it, we narrowly missed martyr-dom,” said Bishop Andali in the message, explaining that the paramilitaries had been preparing to execute him and his companion when an RSF commander ordered their release.
Vatican: Former Choir Director, Manager Convicted Of Embezzlement, Abuse Of Office
A pair of former Vatican officials has been found guilty of embezzlement and abuse of office as part of a long-running investigation into financial irregularities at a prominent choir there. Monsignor Massimo Palo-mbella, who previously directed the Sistine Chapel Choir in Vatican City, and Michelangelo Nardella, who was the choir’s manager, were both found guilty in the Vatican City State Tribunal on various counts of embezzlement, laundering, and abuse stemming from their time leading the choir.
Nardella’s wife, Simona Rossi, was also convicted of embezzlement in connection with the scandal. News of financial improprieties at the choir first broke in 2018 amid reports that Palombella and Nardella used choir concert pro-ceeds for personal expenses. The Vatican launched an investigation that year.
Palombella resigned his position at the choir in July 2019. In January of that same year, Pope Francis issued a motu proprio that among other things moved the Sistine Chapel Choir under the administration of the Office of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations. Palombella was sentenced to just over three years in prison as well as a fine of 9,000 euros (about $9,500); Nardella will spend four years and eight months in prison and pay 7,000 euros (about $7,400) in fines. Nardella was also served with “perpetual disqualification from holding public office.” Rossi, meanwhile, will serve two years in prison and pay 5,000 euros (about $5,300) in fines, along with a similar disqualification from public office.
Christians in Aleppo feel an uneasy calm amid rebel takeover of Syrian city
An uneasy calm hangs over Aleppo, Christian leaders report, following the recent lightning takeover of Syria’s second-largest city by Islamist rebels driving out forces of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Concerns also mount over government airstrikes.
“A relatively calm day compared to previous days,” a Catholic priest in Aleppo, who asked not to be identified given the sensitivity of the situation, wrote in a letter made available to OSV News.
“However, this doesn’t mean there haven’t been problems of various kinds: Certain food supplies are already running low in the modest market available, and the survival instinct is pushing people to gather anything that can feed them, starting with bread. Several distribution points in the city are emptying quickly,” he added.
“The situation is confusing. We don’t know what will happen. People outside cannot reach Aleppo because it is closed off and under occupation,” Andrea Avveduto, communications chief for Pro Terra Sancta, told OSV News by phone.
Pro Terra Sancta, based in Jerusalem and Milan, Italy, supports the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land. Since the start of the conflict, it has aided Franciscan fathers in Syria by opening four emergency centers in Damascus, Latakia, Aleppo, Knayeh and Yacoubieh.
Asian Church must commit to interfaith talks: Cardinal Kikuchi
Cardinal Tarcisio Isao Kiku-chi of Tokyo has urged the Catholic Church in Asia, which is an “absolute minority” in the region, to commit itself to inter-religious dialogue. Kikuchi emphasized that the commitment towards inter-religious dialogue “is not a compromise of our con-viction, but to synergize our po-tential to create [a] better world,” the Crux reported on Dec. 9.
The Asian Church’s actions will aid in realizing the will of God through “peacebuilding, protection of human dignity, protection of the environment, eradication of poverty, and assisting people in difficult life situations,” Kikuchi added.
Kikuchi pointed out that the movement of people over national boundaries has been “a major cause of creating a challenging environment for many in Asia.” “The Asian Church is expected to be a champion of protecting [the dignity of people on the move],” Kikuchi emphasized.
Kikuchi who also serves as the president of Caritas Inter-nationalis, the Vatican’s social service wing, said that his appointment shows Francis’ “expectation for Caritas to be a front-runner of the Synodal Church.” “Being Synodal Chur-ch is what Caritas has been doing for many years all over the world,” Kikuchi remarked.
Kikuchi pointed out that having several cardinals among Asian bishops – especially among the leaders of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) – symbolizes the Catho-lic Church’s expectation for the Asian Church to be “a front-ru-nner for the protection of human dignity.”
Promoting peace: Thai youth go the “Ektra” mile for religious harmony
Over 200 students from more than 40 schools in Thailand came together at the Sarasas Suvarna-bhumi Institute of Technology in Bangkok to present creative solu-tions for fostering interreligious harmony.
The event, titled “Extra Pea-ce: Project Presentation Compe-tition” held on Nov. 30, showcas-ed the ideas of 10 finalists from more than 40 schools, tackling some of the country’s most pressing issues related to religious understanding and coexistence.
The competition was inspired by the success of “Extra Peace,” a student team from Sarasas Ektra School, which received 100,000 THB in funding during the MISSION POSSIBLE: Youth Social Hackathon held in July.
The team used the funding to implement a project aimed at promoting dialogue among di-fferent religious groups, serving as a blueprint for the competition.
Finalists proposed diverse strategies to address challenges such as religious discrimination and fostering interfaith under-standing among youth.
Ideas ranged from creating immersive educational games and producing films to using rap music and augmented reality maps to highlight paths to inter-religious harmony and causes of religious conflict.
Chulabhat Tantichaibori-boon, leader of the Extra Peace team, said Catholic schools “are guided by values of love, compa-ssion, and respect,” adding, “Yet, our community is beauti-fully diverse, with students from many religious backgrounds.
South Korean Bishops: Martial law risks undermining hard-earned democracy
In a strongly worded state-ment released on December 4, the Korean Bishops’ Conference emphasized the importance of safeguarding democracy and called for an explanation and apology from President Yoon Suk Yeol over his declaration of martial law.
“The imposition of a state of emergency last night must have kept many Koreans awake,” the statement read. “Unless there is an urgent need, the government and administrative procedures of a state should be carried out in a normal manner and be known to the citizens.” The unprecedented move by President Yoon was announced live on television at 10 p.m. on December 3. He declared martial law, citing the need to “eliminate the pro-North Korean forces and protect the democratic constitutional order.”
“Constitutional lawyers agree that President Yoon’s declaration of the state of emergency raises numerous problems of procedural legitimacy. Although the state of emergency was lifted following a parliamentary vote, it is questionable whether the matter was serious and urgent enough to justify such a declaration, which was lifted after only six hours,” the statement read.
Kathmandu synodality forum: Indigenous people, ‘not the periphery but at the heart of the Church’
The Asian Forum on Celebrating Synodality and Indigenous Living Traditions in the Church in Asia was held in Kathmandu (Nepal) from 10 to 16 November 2024 to celebrate “Synodality and Indigenous Living Traditions in the Church in Asia”.
Various groups and individuals – lay people, priests, men and women religious, and bishops – belonging the Network of Ministries among Indigenous Peoples in Asia (NMAIPA) came together for the forum. Participants came from 13 Asian countries and various Indigenous communities, brought together by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC).
On December 08, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Forum released its final statement.
“We have resolved to continue to journey on the path of a synodal Church with a preferential option for Indigenous Peoples, with renewed hope and determination to celebrate and safeguard Indigenous living traditions within the local Churches in Asia,” the press release reads.
The forum in Nepal noted the need to provide continuity to the reflection that led to the establishment of the ROOTS network-Catholic Network Among Indigenous Peoples of Asia.
“The network plans to bring together institutions and individuals interested in working for the well-being of Indigenous People towards deeper study, theological and pastoral reflection, and concerted action,” writes Fr George Plathottam, on behalf of the organising committee. “The Network is currently drawing up a detailed action plan – including organising training leaders in transformative community-based leader-ship”.
Participants were divided into four study groups “to continue study and reflection on major issues affecting the Indigenous Peoples of Asia.” The event provided an opportunity to celebrate “Indigenous wisdom”, which combines ancient practices with the values of sharing, acceptance, co-responsibility and healing.
Overcome worldly challenges with love, says Cardinal Tagle
Catholic Church faces tremendous challenges posed by hardening of borders across the world coupled with suspicion, exclusion, politics and fear which could be overcome only with love, said Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect of Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization. “Even within the same parish and the diocese, the Christian universal love is forgotten,” Tagle said. The Philippine cardinal made the remarks during an address to about 200 delegates at the biennial Meeting of the International Societies of Apostolic Life (MISAL) in the western Indian state of Goa on Dec. 2. The Dec. 2-6 event is hosted by the Society of Pillar, an indigenous missionary religious society founded by Father Benito Martins in 1887. Delegates from 22 religious congregations from across the world joined the gathering, themed “Journeying Together: Encountering Frontiers.” Tagle said conflict within the Church is a cause of concern nowadays.
The gathering coincides with the 18th Exposition of the Sacred Relics of St. Francis Xavier at Old Goa, the Patron of the Missions. In his keynote speech, Tagle said Christian love goes beyond all frontiers to witness Jesus through their mission. He emphasized the importance of understanding “frontiers” in the context of walking together for evangelization and offered a threefold explanation of the term. “A frontier is a border between two territories, encompassing civil, historical, cultural, and ethnic dimen-sions,” he said, adding that understanding these borders aids in describing local churches and facilitates inculturation. He pointed to Jesus’ example of moving across territories to foster appreciation and to disentangle Christianity from being identified with one culture. Highlighting the need for attentive-ness to frontiers, Tagle stressed the import-ance of redefining cultural elements for better understanding. “While respecting the first frontiers of borders, we fail to give testimony to the universal frontiers of Christian love,” he remarked.
Pope elevates Cardinal Gracias’ ‘successor’ in Bombay Archdiocese
Bishop John Rodrigues of Poona has been elevated to coadjutor bishop of Bombay archdiocese, paving the way for him to succeed Cardinal Oswald Gracias in India’s largest diocese. Cardinal Gracias, who turns 80 on Dec 20, is likely to step down as archbishop of Bombay, a diocese with more than half a million followers in western Maharashtra state. ”Pope Francis has appointed Bishop John Rodrigus as the coadjutor bishop of the Archdiocese of Bombay,” Cardinal Gracias said in a video message on Nov. 30. “Bishop John will come to Mumbai on Jan. 25 and reside at the Archbishop’s House” to ensure a seamless succession in one of India’s oldest dioceses in the nation’s financial and commercial hub, Gracias further said. Bishop Rodrigues, 57, had served as Bombay’s auxiliary bishop for 10 years before becoming the bishop of Poona in 2023. “John has always been a brilliant person,” his elder brother, Father Luke Rodrigues, told the media. Bishop Rodrigues was born in Mumbai on Aug. 21, 1967, and taught dogmatic theology in many seminaries in the country. The son of a widow, the prelate’s two elder brothers are priests. Luke is a Jesuit priest, while Father Savio Rodrigues in the archdiocese.
Christian youths buried 25 days after being killed in India’s Manipur
The bodies of 12 indigenous Christian youths were laid to rest 25 days after they were killed in India’s sectarian strife-torn Manipur state. Many people turned up on Dec. 5 for a special prayer meeting organized at the Peace Ground at Tuibuong in Churachandpur district, a tribal Christian stronghold in the northeastern state, bordering civil war-hit Myanmar. The mourners observed a one-minute silence before the bodies with gunshot wounds were buried in the Martyrs’ Cemetery. Speakers at the meeting called them “martyrs” who laid down their lives while protecting their tribal community which is fighting with the majority Hindus in the hilly state. A total shutdown was observed in Tuibuong and thousands of people joined the funeral procession. Among the 12 youths, 10 were killed in an alleged encounter with the Central Reserve Police Force in Jiribam district on Nov. 11. Two others were allegedly killed by Meitei groups. However, the pro-Hindu government in the state has called the youths “militants.” Their burial was delayed as the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), repre-senting Kuki-Zo tribal Christians in Manipur, insisted on their postmortem reports. The youths, aged between 19 and 35, accord-ing to the postmortem report, were shot from behind.