A volcanic eruption destroyed a monastery in Indonesia on Nov. 3, leaving at least 10 people dead, including a Catholic sister.
Just minutes before midnight on Sunday, Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki on the Island of Flores erupted, spewing ash 6,500 feet high and destroying local villages, causing residents to evacuate. Locals did not receive alarms or warnings of the eruption, according to a report by Asia News. Sister Nikolin Padjo, head of a local monastery in Boru, Wulanggitang, died in the eruption, according to a report by Union of Catholic Asian News. Padjo was a Missionary Servant of the Holy Spirit (SSpS) and lived in the Hokeng Sisters Monastery. Another sister reportedly went missing as the sisters fled amid the volcanic ash, according to the Associated Press.

A group of scholars recently announced the discovery of the remains of a fourth-century church in Artaxata, the ancient capital of the kingdom of Armenia. For experts, the building represents one of the oldest places of worship in the world and the oldest in the area where the kingdom once ruled, which is also the first in history to have embraced Christianity as an official religion.
The remains of the octagonal-shaped church were unearthed in Artaxata, the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Armenia, by a joint team of archaeologists from the University of Münster (Germany) and the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, who have been working at the site since September.
The discovery “consists of an octagonal building with cruciform extensions” that “corresponds to early Christian memorial buildings,” reads the press release by the German university.
The researchers also found fragments of marble that show that it was “lavishly decorated” with valuable imported materials. “In the cross-shaped extensions, the researchers discovered the remains of wooden platforms, which were radiocarbon dated to the mid-4th century CE,” the statement goes on to say.
This dating enabled the researchers to determine that the structure “is the oldest archaeologically documented church in the country – sensational evidence for early Christianity in Armenia,” said Prof Achim Lichtenberger of the University of Münster.

“In light of the consensus reached for an effective appli-cation of the Provisional Agree-ment regarding the Appointment of Bishops, after appropriate consultation and assessment, the Holy See and the People’s Repu-blic of China have agreed to extend further its validity for four years from the present date,” according to a communiqué released by the Holy See Press Office on Tuesday, 22 October 2024.
“The Vatican Party,” the statement continues, “remains dedicated to furthering the respectful and constructive dialogue with the Chinese Party, in view of the further development of bilateral relations for the benefit of the Catholic Church in China and the Chinese people as a whole.”
This is the third renewal of the Agreement that, with the signing on 22 September, 2018, opened a historic chapter in relations between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China, and within the Church itself in China, allowing all bishops to be in full hierarchical communion with the Pope.

Shakeel Masih was asking for justice. Instead, the father of Roshani Shakeel, a 13-year-old Christian girl abducted, forcibly converted to Islam, and given in marriage against her will in March, was taken into custody last Friday and held for three days on the order of Judge Farooq Latif. Such an episode represents yet again justice “in reverse”, another human rights violation in Pakistan, where being part of a religious minority continues to be a serious risk factor for one’s own safety and that of loved ones.
Roshani was taken from her family on 13 March. With the complicity of an imam, local authorities facilitated her conversion, falsely registering her as an 18-year-old, and renaming her Zehra Bibi. She was married to Muazzam Mazher, and the union registered as consensual by local officials, effectively handing her over to her captor. Eventually, the girl managed to escape after hearing her captor talk about plans to sell her.

Tropical Storm Trami (also known as Typhoon Kristine) mo-ved over the Philippines leaving more than 150 people dead and entire communities ravaged by flooding and mudslides. 
Trami hit the island of Luzon, which includes the capital Mani-la, bringing two months’ worth of rain to some areas in just 24 hours. It made landfill at the Vietnamese city of Danang after crossing the South China Sea.
The Philippines’ Archdiocese of Lipa, which includes some of the areas south of Manila that have suffered serious mudslides, said in a Facebook post that Archbishop Gilbert Garcera is “calling for help and prayers for the victims of Typhoon Kristine in the province of Batangas.” “I continue to pray for our province, because after the storm hit us, many are suffering and many are in need of prayer. For now I am asking for help from you, espe-cially to our brothers and sisters who were hit by the typhoon,” Garcera said.
According to the archdiocese, based on the latest report from the Lipa Archdiocesan Social Action Commission (LASAC), the death toll in Batangas provin-ce has reached 43 while the search continues for at least 22 missing. Currently, about 13,000 families – more than 44,000 individuals – are temporarily housed in 277 evacuation centres in different parts of Batangas, the archdiocese said. 
Caritas Manila, a charitable agency of the Church, is expected to send food packs and non-food items as additional help to meet the needs of families in evacua-tion centres, the archdiocese concluded. The Philippines, one of the most disaster-prone count-ries in the world, is hit by some 20 tropical storms and typhoons every year.

In a rare and humbling move, Bishop Paskalis Bruno Syukur of Bogor, Indonesia, has declined the honour of being elevated to cardinal in the upcoming Consistory on December 7, 2024. The Franciscan bishop’s decision to forego this prestigious role stems from his deep desire to continue growing in his personal priesthood and to further serve the Church and the people of God. As a result, the number of new cardinals set to receive their red hats from Pope Francis has been reduced from 21 to 20. The Vatican’s Press Office, headed by Matteo Bruni, confirmed the news in a statement: “His Excellency Paskalis Bruno Syukur, Bishop of Bogor, Indonesia, has asked the Holy Father not to be made cardinal during the upcoming Consistory. His Excellency’s request is motivated by his wish to grow further in his priestly life, in his service to the Church and the people of God.”
This decision has sparked interest and admiration within the Catholic world, not only because of its rarity but also because it reflects a profound sense of humility and dedication to spiritual growth—a testament to Bishop Syukur’s Franciscan values.
The 62-year-old Franciscan was consecrated bishop of Bogor, a diocese just south of Indonesia’s capital city of Jakarta, in February 2014. From 2001–2009, Syukur was the Franciscan provincial minister of Indonesia. In 2009, he became the general delegate for the Asia and Oceania region, which includes India, Pakistan, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia. The bishop has also held leadership positions in the Indonesian bishops’ conference.
With Syukur’s withdrawal, as of Dec. 7, the total number of eligible cardinal electors will be 140, 110 of whom were chosen by Pope Francis. This means the current pontiff has named 79% of the men who will one day elect his successor.

Sr. Minerva Caampued of the Franciscan Apostolic Sisters was recognized for her dedi-cated service to the Indigenous people of Sta. Ana town, where she has worked to preserve their heritage while promoting edu-cation and sustainable liveli-hoods. The award, established in 1983 by the AY Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Yuchen-gco Group of Companies, and the Manila Jaycees, celebrates outstanding individuals whose selfless service reflects the charitable legacy of Mother Teresa. Sr. Minerva was honoured during a cere-mony on October 4, a significant date as the count-ry marks Indigenous Peoples’ Month.
The awarding organizations praised Sr. Minerva’s comprehensive efforts in uplifting Agta’s quality of life through various initiatives, according to a report by CBCP News. ”She remains a shining example of compassion, inspiring hope, and trans-formation–elevating lives through selfless service,” the organization said. Her programs encompass education, environmental protection, hea-lthcare, and feeding initiatives, with the goal of addressing the marginalization faced by the Indigenous community.
In her message, Sr. Minerva shared her gratitude, dedicating the recognition to the Agta people. “I am not called to be successful, but to be faithful,” she said.
“I dedicate it to the Agta communities, who continue to face the challenges of defending their ancestral domain, asserting their rights, and preserving their rich cultural heritage amidst marginalization,” she said. “Their strength and resilience are a constant source of inspiration to me. This award is not mine alone, but a tribute to their unwavering spirit,” the sister added.
Sr. Minerva emphasized the persistent challenges that indigenous communities in the Philippines encounter, particularly the struggle to protect their ancestral lands from external threats.

In the appointment of 21 new cardinals announced by Pope Francis on October 6, there is also an absolute novelty for Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation, and one that has caused great ‘surprise’ among the faithful and within the local Church: after the three cardinals originally from the province of Central Java and all linked to the diocese of Semarang, in fact, the pontiff has chosen the bishop of the diocese of Bogor (in the province of West Java) Msgr. Paskalis Bruno Syukur (Ofm), a Franciscan from Flores Island, historically the heart of the Catholic presence in Indonesia.
In the aftermath of the appoint-ment, mixed reactions emerged among Indonesian Catholics: surprise and joy for the archipelago’s new cardinal, but also a certain ‘concern’ because there is a strong fear in Bogor that he might be transferred to another post after the purple.
‘I am personally ‘shocked’ to learn the news that our bishop will become a new cardinal next December, as there had not been any ‘hint’ previously,’ an elderly priest from Bogor points out to AsiaNews. ‘I hope that my bishop will not be transferred to another diocese that is still vacant,’ adds a former seminarian from the area.
To date, Indonesia has had four cardinals, three of them from the Central Java province and of Javanese ethnicity, with deep ties to Semarang: they are the late First Cardinal Justinus Darmojuwono, a priest of the Semarang archdiocese; Card. Julius Darmaatmadja, a Jesuit and head of the order’s Indonesian province before being chosen as bishop of Semarang in 1993 and later transferred to Jakarta; a similar story for Card. Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo, archbishop of Semarang, later called to lead the archdiocese of Jakarta. Unlike his predecessors, as mentioned above, the new cardinal is originally from the island of Flores and from the local ethnic group.

The news of the appointment as Cardinal of Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan, one of the smallest dioceses in the Philippines, was greeted with great joy by lay people, priests and bishops. As announced yesterday after the Marian Angelus prayer, Msgr. David – who is 65 years old and has been the president of the Philippine Bishops’ Conference since 2021 – will receive the purple on 8 December, together with 20 other new cardinals.
A priest since 1983 for the diocese of San Fernando, of which he was also auxiliary bishop, and since 2015 at the head of the diocese of Kalookan in the immense metropolitan area of Manila, Msgr David is a highly respected voice in the Philippine Church, for his courageous stance against social injustice, but he is also known outside the country holding the position of vice-president of the Fabc, the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences.
A staunch advocate of human rights, ‘Bishop Ambo’ – as people affectionately call him – has worked tirelessly with the poor and marginalised, particularly in addressing the pressing issues of poverty and inequality in the Philippines. His pastoral leadership has made him a central figure in upholding the dignity of those who are most vulnerable in society.
Agnes Brazal, theologian and lecturer, comments: ‘David is a good theologian and administrator, as well as a courageous voice for the victims of extrajudicial killings during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs. Indeed, Kalookan was one of the areas most affected by the Philippine government’s bloody anti-drug campaign. During those years, Bishop David courageously used his position to speak out against acts of violence, upholding the rights of the weak and the sanctity of life. ‘Lord, my life is in your hands,’ Bishop David often repeats in his prayer, and it is the attitude with which he is also preparing to begin this new service to the universal Church. As of 8 December, he will become the tenth cardinal in the history of the Catholic Church in the Philippines, joining two other current Philippine cardinal electors: Pro-Prefect of the Department of Evangelisation Luis Antonio Tagle and Archbishop of Manila Jose Advincula.

A church of the Melkite Greek Catholic Eparchy of Tyre, Lebanon, was hit by a missile from Israeli airstrikes in the country’s south Oct. 9, killing at least eight people, the British branch of the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has reported.
Local sources told ACN that the church, located in the town of Derdghaya, was sheltering people displaced by the conflict. A priest’s house and a three-story building housing parish offices were also completely destroyed by another missile.
Pope Francis called for peace in the Middle East on X, stating that “all nations have the right to exist in peace and security: Their territories must not be attacked, their sovereignty must be respected and guaranteed through dialogue and peace.” In an additional post on Oct. 11, the pontiff said: “I call for an immediate cease-fire on all fronts of the war in the Middle East, including Lebanon. Let us pray together for the Lebanese, especially for the inhabitants of the south forced to leave their villages, so that they can return as soon as possible and live in peace.”