Asian

80 years of Vatican ties with the Republic of China

Oct. 23 marks the 80th anniversary of diplomatic re-lations between the Holy See and the Republic of China, which exists today in Taiwan. As surprising as it may seem to many, in Via della Conciliazione 4 in Rome there is the embassy of the Republic of China. Its red flag with a white sun amid […]

Myanmar blacklisted, Russia side-lined by global watchdog

Myanmar was added on October 21 to a global financial blacklist while Russia was sidelined by the international money-laundering watchdog FATF. The move by the Financial Action Task Force puts Myanmar alongside North Korea and Iran as outcasts of the global financial system. Citing a “continued lack of progress” and the fact the majority of […]

Bangkok’s Priest to the Poor Finds His Fit Among Fellow Outcasts

Born in Longview, Wash., on Oct. 31, 1939, he was abandoned by his father, a house painter and farmer, whom his mother repeatedly took to court in fruitless attempts to gain child support. “He wasn’t abusive; he just left us, and it hurts so badly,” he said. “That’s the essence of it all: I wanted […]

Bishops want Asian Church to respond to social realities

Catholic bishops in Asia are working on a pastoral plan for the Church in Asia, taking into consideration the emerging so-cial, economic, religious and po-litical realities on a continent whe-re Christians are a minority. “What exactly is the reality? How should the Church respond? What priority should we have in the next few years? What […]

Vietnamese Redemptorist forbidden to go abroad

A Redemptorist priest who works to console old soldiers in southern Vietnam has been ba-nned from flying to the United States for social safety. On Oct. 24, Redemptorist Father Joseph Truong Hoang Vu was stopped by public security officers at Tan Son Nhat Inter-national Airport in Ho Chi Minh City while he was due to […]

Japan premier orders probe into Unification Church

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida ordered a government probe into the Unifi-cation Church on October 17, after the assa-ssination of former premier Shinzo Abe re-newed scrutiny of the sect. The church has been in the spotlight because the man accused of killing Abe was reportedly motivated by resentment against the group, which has been accused […]

Removing Satan from Pakistan parishioners’ pockets

The colourful posters advertising the annual Marian pilgrimage are plastered across Tera village in Pakistan, but they come with an unusual prohibition. “Photographing or videotaping on mobile phones is prohibited. We are all obliged to respect the holy venue. The incoming guests for pilgrimage are requested to observe the SOPs [standard operating procedures],” state notices […]

Papuans pay the price of graft in Indonesia

A multimillion-dollar graft scandal involving high-ranking leaders in conflict-torn Papua has drawn a public backlash and further impoverished people traumatized by decades of violence. Indonesia’s anti-graft agency confirmed last month a corruption scandal involving Papua’s top man — Governor Lukas Enembe. He allegedly embezzled around US$36 million of state funds aimed to advance people’s welfare. […]

Eviction-facing Indian Catholics to fight Muslim charity’s claims

Goans oppose tourism project near 16th century basilica