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 Catarman by giving your donations directly to them,” Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, chairman of the CBCP National Secretariat for Social Action Justice & Peace, said in a statement.

“We are hoping that you will positively respond to this appeal, while steadfastly praying that all will be well,” he added.

Pope Francis entrusted China to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and asked people to pray for a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the most populated country in the world.

“Dear Catholic brothers and sisters in China, I wish to assure you that the universal Church, of which you are an integral part, shares your hopes and supports you in trials,” Pope Francis said on May 24 after the Regina Caeli prayer.

“It accompanies you with prayer for a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit, so that the light and beauty of the Gospel, the power of God for the salvation of whoever believes, can shine in you,” the Pope said.

Pope Francis imparted a special Apostolic Blessing upon China for the feast of Our Lady Help of Christians. The Marian shrine of Sheshan in Shanghai, which is dedicated to Our Lady Help of Christians, remains closed on this feast after the Diocese of Shanghai suspended all pilgrimages for the month of May to prevent the spread of the corona virus. “We entrust the pastors and faithful of the Catholic Church in that great country to the guidance and protection of our Heavenly Mother, so that they may be strong in faith and firm in fraternal union, joyful witnesses and promoters of charity and fraternal hope, and good citizens,” Pope Francis said.

Plumbing leaks swamp the basement. Red stains reek of dried medicines. Broken furniture lies piled up with burst pipes that once supplied oxygen. A rusty ventilator gathers dust in a corner of the emergency department of United Christian Hospital (UCH), one of the oldest missionary hospitals in Lahore.

“Cracks have appeared on the large water tank that could flood the facility anytime. The gas supply was cut off earlier this year over unpaid bills. Electricity is often suspended. We were once served on a silver spoon; now it’s a living night-mare,” Christian nurse Mary (not her real name) told UCA News.

“There is no general surgeon; the gap is filled with visiting doctors and consultants. Only nurses care for patients in evenings and at night. Yet the staff have not received their full salary for two years. The administration owes me half a million rupees (US$3,145). The residential staff are being charged over-priced electricity bills.”

Mary is one of the 60 employees of UCH, the most talked about institute among Christian social media users over many years. The rumors include a red light bar, fake degree holders, encroachment and sale of its land and medical equipment. Established in 1948 by Presbyterian American missionaries, the hospital was opened in Forman Christian College and later moved to the Gulberg area. Presbyterians bought the land while the US Methodist Church constructed the building with the help of Britain’s Anglican Church. The first open heart surgery in Pakistan was done here in 1968.

There are already clear signs that the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is leveraging the Covid-19 crisis to increase repression and cultural destruction in Tibet and Xinjiang.

Christianity is also in its sights and it’s highly likely that under-ground/house churches will be the key focus of a fresh round of repression that will take advantage of the blanket ban on all worship that was enacted in February as China was locked down.

On May 1, controversial new regulations on “ethnic unity” came into effect in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). The “Regulations on the Establishment of a Model Area for Ethnic Unity and Progress in the Tibet Autonomous Region” were adopted by the TAR’s People’s Congress on Jan. 11. The TAR spans about half of traditional Tibet, a historically independent country that China has brutally occupied for more than 60 years.

“The regulations explicitly depart from the principle of ‘preferential treatment’ for Tibetans, which was supposed to guarantee that Tibetans could maintain their culture and traditional way of life in their own homeland,” the International Campaign for Tibet noted.

Human rights activists are condemning an Islamic missionary group for trying to convert non-Muslims while distributing rations amid Pakistan’s corona-virus lockdown. A cleric of Ma-dani Channel broke the news of one conversion at the Faizan-e-Madina head office of Dawat-e-Islami in Karachi. A clip shared on Facebook has been viewed more than 500 times.

“Here is good news for you. I just received a message from Faizan-e-Madina where a welfare program is being run. Moments ago a non-Muslim came for rations. They become Muslims after reciting Kalma [the Islamic proclamation of faith],” he said.

“He was named Muhammad Ramzan. He already had sehri [pre-dawn meal in Ramadan] and will observe his first fast. We are trying to make worshipers while delivering food and knowledge of faith at home. Remember us in your donations.”

Minority activists slammed the news. Catholic professor Anjum James Paul, chairman of the Pakistan Minorities Teachers’ Association, requested Dawat-e-Islami to stop using food for religious conversion.

Christian nurses and doctors in Bangladesh are vowing to continue their battle against the Covid-19 pandemic on the front line as they mark International Nurses Day on May 12.

Clara Biswas, 34, is a Catholic and senior nurse who has worked in private and government hospitals for 11 years. She now works at a state-run hospital in capital Dhaka that treats both Covid-19 and other patients despite various challenges.

“I have not worked in such a situation in my life. This is a very risky time for us and other medical personnel, though all medical staff are using personal protective equipment (PPE) for safety,” Biswas told UCA News.

In addition to the fear of infection, the wearing of PPE for more than eight hours is tough as it gets hot and she feels sick, while the hospital does not allow them to use a common toilet and provides no food, she noted.

Joyanta Mrong, 32, is an ethnic Garo Catholic who works at state-run Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He is aware that his wife and son face risks because of his job.

“I know how to handle myself, but they are not medical persons, so I’m afraid for them,” Mrong told UCA News.

There are 2,500 nurses and 170 doctors from the Christian community actively fighting the deadly virus in Bangladesh, according to church officials.

Cardinal Patrick D’Rozario of Dhaka has made an appeal to Bangladeshi Catholics to engage more in prayers to seek God’s intervention and to donate charitably to support poor and needy people during the Covid-19 pandemic.

He urged all Catholics of Dhaka Archdiocese to observe special “prayers, fasting and acts of mercy” on May 14 in line with Pope Francis’ call. “I praise the Lord and thank you all for your strong faith, love and hope as Christian faithful during this grave crisis. We can win this test of faith one day by placing our trust in God,” Card. D’Rozario said in a pastoral letter circulated on May 7. On May 14, all priests in the archdiocese will participate in a special prayer and recollection to be united with the faithful spiritually, he said.

Catholic and Buddhist leaders teamed up in southern Vietnam to promote religious values as they met for Buddhism’s Vesak festival.

Archbishop Joseph Nguyen Chi Linh of Hue, who led a nine-member delegation from Hue Archdiocese, paid an official visit to the Buddhist Sangha Executive Committee based in Thua Thien Hue on May 6.

The delegates were warmly welcomed by Most Venerable Thich Duc Thanh, head of the local executive committee, and eight other Buddhist dignitaries.

Archbishop Linh offered congratulations and good wishes to the hosts and Buddhists celebrating the Vesak festival, which commemorates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Lord Buddha.

The president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Vietnam said Buddhism is a large religion and has deep and great influence on the world, so the United Nations yearly holds the Vesak festival. Vietnam has hosted the UN Day of Vesak three times, in 2008, 2014 and 2019.

Archbishop Linh said traditional Buddhist teaching highlights humanity and sacrifice and leads people to find happiness. “This is a meeting place between Buddhism and other religions, especially Christianity,” he noted.

The prelate also expected to foster community solidarity between local Catholics and Buddhist followers.

He expressed high hopes that “this frank meeting today will serve as a first step to fulfill the dream of promoting solidarity between the two religions.”