Asian

Vietnam urged to free prisoners of conscience over Covid-19

Rights groups have asked communist Vietnam to release all prisoners of conscience as a way to save them from the deadly coronavirus pandemic. On April 4, Vietnam-based Human Rights Defenders said the pandemic is spreading across Vietnam and the number of infections may surge if the government fails to apply proper measures or demand all […]

Covid-19 forces China to ease crackdown on Christians

China has relaxed a crack-down on unofficial religious groups amid the intense fight against Covid-19, but some Christian leaders feel the freedom could be short-lived. Since this year’s Chinese New Year, which fell on Jan. 25, the harassment of under-ground Christians has eased as most officials have been engaged in fighting the raging pandemic, said Father […]

Sri Lankan cardinal seeks probe into cause of Covid-19

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith has called for an international probe into the cause of the coronavirus pandemic. Speaking in a televised Mass on March 15, the archbishop of Colombo said powerful countries cannot be allowed to play with the lives of the innocent public. He said that experimenting with nature had resulted in the coronavirus. “We […]

Living the Catholic faith in times of crisis

Emanuel Marianus Tapu, 29, usually goes to church to attend Sunday Mass. However, for the last two Sundays he has been unable to do so because Mass and other church activities have been suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. Luckily, though, churches have turned to the internet and are streaming daily and Sunday Masses. Last […]

Cardinal Zen: ‘Parolin manipulates the pope,’ and Vatican’s China policy is ‘immoral’

Cardinal Joseph Zen publish-ed Saturday a blog post accusing the Vatican’s secretary of state of manipulating Pope Francis, and continuing his ongoing criticism of the Holy See’s approach to the Catholic Church in China. “My personal impression is that [Cardinal Pietro] Parolin manipulates the Pope, at least in things regarding the Church in China,” Zen, […]

Communist Vietnam lauds church steps against coronavirus

Vietnam’s communist government has thanked Christians, including the Catholic hierarchy, for taking preventive steps to check the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Head of religious affairs Vu Chien Thang used a March 17 statement to extend Easter greeting to all Catholics, Protestants and their leaders, Vietnam News Agency reported. “We thank the Episcopal Council and bishops of […]

Pope’s visit to Indonesia off, Vatican insider says

Indonesian Catholics have called on the Vatican to re-schedule Pope Francis’ visit to Indonesia after it was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Though the Vatican never confirmed the pope would be visiting Indonesia, Timor-Leste, and Papua New Guinea this September, diplomatic sources had said the visit was planned. However, officials have now said that due to […]

Filipina nun who worked in India dies in Spain due to covid-19

A Filipina Benedictine nun has succumbed to coronavirus in Spain, her congregation reported on March 28. Sr Maria Gratia Balagot, who was the superior of their community in India, was only visiting Spain to renew her visa when she was infected with Covid-19. “And while there, (she) contracted the virus,” the US-based Missionary Benedictine Sisters […]

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Youth taught to use social media to become Good Samaritans

Pakistan’s oldest priest passes away at 97