Asian

Korean archdiocese plans contest to revitalize church music

A Catholic archdiocese in South Korea will hold a musical contest with an aim to revitalize church music and to provide the faithful with an opportunity to reflect and practice pastoral priorities of the Church. The Archdiocese of Daegu, which covers the third largest metropolitan area after capital Seoul and Busan, is launching the Creative […]

Indonesian Catholics mourn death of Dutch-born nun

Catholics in Indonesia’s Ruteng Diocese are mourning the death of a Dutch-born nun who spent more than half of her life doing family pastoral work in their diocese. Sister Robertilde Wihelmina van Der Meer from the Congregation of Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS) died on June 18 at 87 and was buried at the congregation’s cemetery […]

Cardinal Advincula is installed as Manila’s new archbishop

Cardinal Jose Advincula was installed as the new archbishop of Manila in a ceremony at the Philippine capital’s historic cathedral on June 24. The 69-year-old cardinal from Capiz became the 33rd archbishop of the country’s largest diocese, succeeding Cardinal Luis Tagle, now prefect of the Congregation of the Evangelization of Peoples in Rome. The installation was attended by […]

Pope in aid plea for Myanmar’s hungry displaced people

Pope Francis has appealed for aid for thousands of displaced people who are facing starvation in Myanmar after fleeing from their homes as fighting escalates in the beleaguered country. During his Sunday Angelus on June 20, the pope joined bishops in Myanmar who have appealed for humanitarian corridors to allow safe passage for those fleeing. […]

China’s new child policy means more babies but no freedom

The communist regime of China, the world’s most populous country of 1.4 billion people, announced on May 31 that it will allow married couples to have up to three children. The decision came from the Politburo, the highest policy-making body of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), chaired by President Xi Jinping. It signals a major […]

Caritas empowers female farmers in remote Pakistani villages

Caritas Pakistan Karachi under its Smallholder Adaptive Project launched its “Acre for Women” campaign to empower smallholder female farmers in the remote villages of Gharo and Gadap on the city’s outskirts. The female farmers are owners of one-acre plots where they grow vegetables for their self-sufficiency to fight against malnutrition and hunger. Caritas Karachi formed […]

Myanmar Church calls for end to attacks on places of worship

A priest from Loikaw Diocese in eastern Myanmar’s Kayah state has called for an end to attacks on religious buildings following military assaults on three Catholic churches within the space of two weeks. “We appeal to armed groups not to deploy troops, attack and burn down places of worship such as temples, mosques and churches […]

Indonesian Christians must always be on their guard

Christians in Indonesia have increasingly become the target of terrorist attacks, with the latest plots being aimed at a Catholic archbishop and several churches in the Papua region. Extremist groups, one after the other, are trying to send a message, particularly among Muslim communities, by attacking Christians. Last month the Islamic State-linked Jemaah Ansharut Daulah […]

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

Goans oppose tourism project near 16th century basilica