Asian

China tells some priests they can’t celebrate funerals in people’s homes

In the eastern province of Zhejiang, the government has put in force a set of regulations on centralized funeral arrangements, which bans priests from attending funeral prayers out-side a religious place, reported ucanews.com. The government claims the new rules aim to “get rid of bad funeral customs and establish a scientific, civilized and economical way […]

Prosecutors drop sedition charges against Philippine bishops

Philippine prosecutors have exonerated four Catholic bishops charged with plotting to overthrow President Rodrigo Duterte and his administration. The Justice Department dropped the charges, saying there was no evidence supporting police claims that the bishops intended to commit seditious acts. The accused bishops were Archbishop Socrates Villegas, Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, Bishop Honesto Ongtioco and […]

Papal visit to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and East Timor possible in 2020

A visit from Pope Francis to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and East Timor may happen in September, according to an Indonesian Muslim leader who met with the pontiff mid January. Sheikh Yahya Cholil Staquf leads the 50 million member Nahdlatul Ulama movement, which calls for a reformed “humanitarian Islam” and has developed a theological framework […]

Catholic population of S. Korea grows by 50% in 20 years

The Catholic Church in South Korea has steadily grown over the past two decades according to a study by the Catholic Pastoral Institute of Korea (CPIK) of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea (CBCK). 11.1% of South Korea’s population. The number of Catholics has increased by 48.6 per cent, from 3.9 million in 1999 to […]

Taiwan president tells pope of China’s religious persecution

Taiwan’s President Tsai Ingwen has written to Pope Francis to complain about China’s persecution of religion, saying that Beijing aims to threaten its democracy and freedom. Taiwan has been concerned by the Vatican’s moves to normalize ties with China, especially after a landmark on September 2018 provisional deal on appointing bishops. Tsai won reelection by […]

When Chinese Christians adapt Lunar New Year

Chinese-speaking people across the world are busy preparing to celebrate the Lunar New Year, which this year falls on Jan. 25. The festival marks the beginning of the Year of the Rat. Chinese Christians, of course, are part of the celebrations, composing and adapting the parallel sentences of greetings typical of the festival. The expression “parallel […]

‘Grave situation’ as Wuhan virus infections soar

As the spread of the Chinese respiratory coronavirus (2019-nCoV) continues to accelerate, a global pandemic and ensuing massive humanitarian tragedy are threatening the country and surrounding territories. The virus has spread to almost every province in mainland China, while Hong Kong, Taiwan and Thailand are the worst affected outside the mainland, whose Spring Festival holiday […]

Card. Tagle bids farewell to hometown

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila bade farewell to his hometown in Cavite province, south of Manila, on Jan. 20, before his expected departure for Rome. The Manila prelate was appointed prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in last month. The 62-year-old cardinal is only the second Asian to lead the congregation, […]

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

Goans oppose tourism project near 16th century basilica