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Cardinal Bo bids farewell: ‘We have forged a legacy’

Myanmar’s Cardinal Charles Maung Bo of Yangon has issued a farewell message as he concludes his second three-year term as the President of the Federation of the Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC), saying he is “filled with profound gratitude and humility.” “Our journey together,” he reflected, “has been one of profound growth, learning, and shared commitment […]

Sri Lankan cardinal mandates male-only altar servers in Colombo Archdiocese

Sri Lankan Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith has mandated that girls are not permitted to serve as altar servers in parishes within the Archdiocese of Colombo. “No girls should be invited to serve at the altar, as altar servers, in the archdiocese,” Ranjith wrote in an October 22 letter to parish priests that was made public in […]

Aleppo parish priest: Christmas of hope, amid packed churches and no incidents

A ‘very peculiar’ Christmas amid ‘reassurances’ from the new authorities that the faithful will be able to ‘continue to practise’ and episodes of sectarian violence in the days leading up to the holiday. Despite fears and uncertainties, Syrian Christians participated in the celebrations, as emerges from the account given to AsiaNews by Fr Bahjat Karakach, […]

Christmas Eve arson attack on Tripura Christian’s homes

A fire engulfed the houses of 17 Christian families of the Tripura ethnic group in the area of Sarai Tangojhiri, in the upazila lama of Bandarban, in southeastern Bangladesh, late in the evening of 24 December. The villagers claim that the fire was an act of arson, possibly related to extortion demands made earlier by […]

Indian Christians witnessed increased hostility in 2024

Christians in India will look upon 2024 as a year that challenged their faith and resilience with increased hostility, internal conflicts, scandals, power struggles, and natural cala-mities. Attacks against and harassment of Christians swelled this year amid growing hostility, particularly against those in remote villages of Hindu-dominated northern states, Christian leaders say. January through Sept-ember, […]

Indian bishops upset over media leaking closed-door discussions

The Catholic Bishops Confe-rence of India has expressed disappointment over the media spreading selective details of its officials’ closed-door meeting with Christian parliamentarians in New Delhi. “The selective dis-semination of details has created confusion and misrepresented the nature of the discussions held,” said the conference in an official statement on Dec. 13, ten days after […]

PM Modi creates history, celebrates Christmas at bishops’ headquarters

Narendra Modi created hist-ory on Dec. 23 when he became the first Indian prime minister to visit the headquarters of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) in New Delhi. The prime minister took part in the Christmas celebrations hosted by the bishops at the CBCI Centre premises. He also interacted with key leaders from […]

Church denies backing candidate in Indian state poll

Christians in Madhya Pradesh state in central India have slammed an order from the state’s child rights body asking children to seek written permission from parents to participate in school events. Father Thankachan Jose, an academician based in Jabalpur diocese, said the order holds “an ulterior motive” of targeting Christian-run schools in the state that […]