Asian

Vietnam court jails Catholic blogger for eight years

Vietnam has jailed an out-spoken Catholic blogger, known for commenting on social issues, for allegedly trying to undermine the state. The People’s Court in Lam Dong province on July 7 senten-ced Nguyen Quoc Duc Vuong, 29, to eight years in jail and three years’ probation for “mak-ing, hoarding and disseminating anti-state propaganda.” The blogger from […]

Jakarta cardinal to sit on Vatican interfaith body

Catholics in Indonesia have welcomed the appointment of Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo of Jakarta as a new member of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. Many of them stressed the need for him to promote tolerance in the multi-religious country. Cardinal Suharyo, also the chairman of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference and an ordinary of the […]

South Korean Christians discontent with online worship

Church-goers in South Korea, where religious services are typically characterized by large in-person gatherings, are growing increasingly dissatisfied with online worship, an inevitable reality at times given the government’s social distancing directives and the protracted coronavirus pandemic. According to a survey conducted by a publication operated by a Protestant denomination, more respondents said online worship […]

Muslim volunteers bury Christians who died from the coronavirus

Groups of Muslim volunteers are burying Christians who have died from the coronavirus. This is seen as a great example of interfaith harmony, and videos of their work have gone viral in Bangladesh. According to World Health Organisation data, almost 160,000 cases have been reported in Bangladesh with about 2,000 deaths, including a dozen Christians. […]

Bishops: concern over the increase in violence against religious minorities

“Despite the current Covid-19 pandemic, which is posing its share of challenges in Pakistan, religious intolerance and discrimi-nation in recent months have increased”: is the complaint of the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP), within the Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference. The statement sent to Agenzia Fides states: “Recently, Nadeem Joseph, a Chri-stian from Peshawar, […]

In Hong Kong, going back to Mass could be calm before the storm

Cardinal John Tong Hon, administrator of the Hong Kong, announced that the city will return to public Masses from June 1, at the same time China’s parliament is expected to pass a new national security law that already has pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong taking to the streets. “Thanks be to God that the situation […]

AsiaBibi’s relative murdered in Pakistan

Christian activists are visiting the family of Asia Bibi after her brother-in-law was murdered in a village of Pakistan’s Punjab province. The body of Younas Masih, 50, was found on May 25 morning in a furrow amid the crops of Dao Ki Mallian, a village in Sheikhupura district. The father of two was married to […]

Philippine bishops call for help to typhoon victims

The social action arm of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines has appealed to prelates to show solidarity to the dioceses of Borongan and Catarman in Samar by providing aid to those affected by Typhoon “Ambo.” In this great time of need, we urge you to show solidarity to the Dioceses of Borongan and […]

Indian bishops slam terror attack on tourists in India’s Kashmir

No action taken against police who assaulted Catholic priests in India