India declined to speak at an informal session of the UN Security Council on safety of minorities in conflict when it was invited to take its turn on Aug. 29th. India was listed as a speaker at the informal consultation, but when Poland’s Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz, who was chairing the session, asked India to speak, the member of the Indian Mission who was present passed up the invitation.

According to the roster of speakers, India was to have followed Pakistan. The Pakistani delegate defended his treatment of minorities that had been criticised by Samuel Brownback, the US Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, Tariq Ahmad, a British Minister of State who is Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion, and Canada’s Permanent Representative Marc Andre Blanchard, as well as a Naveed Walter, the President of Human Rights Focus Pakistan, an NGO.

Unlike China and Russia, which in their responses hit back harshly against their Western critics, Pakistan’s rebuttal was mild given that the criticism came from the US and Britain.

Cardinal Charles Maung Bo of Yangon said the hopes that came with democracy have not been realized and, instead, the country is wounded and bleeding.

In a 7,000-plus word statement, released on the feast of the Assumption, on August 15, the cardinal expressed deep concerns about the challenges faced by Myanmar’s people, reported ucanews.com.

“Seven years ago, we saw what we thought was the beginning of a new dawn,” Bo said.

“As political prisoners were released, cease-fires were signed, space for civil society and the media relaxed, and a dialogue between political leaders led to the first credible elections in a quarter of a century and the election of a democratic, civilian-led government in 2015,” the cardinal said.

“But in recent years, very dark clouds have appeared again, overshadowing the flickers of light that had begun to emerge. Continuing conflict, continuing abuses, and the spread of religious and racial hatred threaten the hopes, freedoms, and dignity of people throughout the country.” “Myanmar is a wounded nation, a bleeding nation. It still suffers from old wounds, yet new wounds have been inflicted upon us,” the cardinal said.

The first ordination of a bishop since the 2018 China-Vatican provisional agreement has taken place in Jining Diocese, Inner Mongolia. Fr Anthony Yao Shun, 54, of Jining Diocese was ordained at the Our Lady of Rosary Cathedral in the city of Jining on Aug. 26.

The ceremony was held by Bishop Paul Meng Qinglu of Hohhot, a vice-chairman of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA), and concelebrated with Bishop Matthias Du Jiang of Bameng in the same region, Bishop Paul Meng Ningyou of Taiyuan in Shanxi province and Bishop Joseph Li Jing of Ningxia in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

An approval letter by the Bishops’ Conference of the Catholic Church in China (BCCCC) was read out during the ceremony, declaring that Bishop Yao had been elected “according to the tradition of bishop election by the Holy Church and the regulation of the BCCCC.”

“After verification   and a valid election, we give an official approval now. This candidate was approved by the Pope,” it continued.

According to the local source, the ceremony was overseen by minimum government security and ran smoothly. More than 120 priests concelebrated with 50 nuns together and more than 1,000 Catholic attended the Mass.

A diocesan priest, who identifies himself as Joseph, noted that their diocese had focused on evangelization and connection with local Catholics.

“God uses bishops as a visible sign to lead us and manage the Church. I think Bishop Yao has plans for how to develop the diocese development,” Father Joseph told ucanews.com.

More than 1,000 Catholics prayed during a candlelight vigil for Hong Kong to solve its political crisis in a peaceful, nonviolent manner. Organizers of the Aug. 8 vigil said they hoped the faithful can remain solely a prayer movement so that tensions ease in the weeks long series of mass demonstrations by Hong Kong citizens opposing a controversial extradition law.

A crowd estimated at 1,200 demanded a full withdrawal of the extradition amendment proposed by chief executive Carrie Lam; the establishment of an independent committee to investigate the conflict between protesters and police; and accountability by the Hong Kong Legislative Council and chief executive.

They gathered in front of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and marched through the central business district to the Court of Final Appeal of the Hong Kong, singing hymns and holding electronic candles.

The vigil was organized by the Justice and Peace Commission of Hong Kong Diocese, Hong Kong Federation of Catholic Students, Diocesan Youth Commission and St Benedict Parish’s social concerns group.

Hong Kong Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Ha Chishing addressed the gathering, saying the situation called for the Catholic Church to speak with peace and reason. “In the past two months, we have really experienced the limit of humanity and we should pray,” he said.

“Violence will only create more violence. Hatred will only produce more hatred. Injustice will never achieve justice. History will prove that only peace and reason can establish a long-term peace,” he said.

The bishop pointed out that the root cause of the demonstrations lay with the Hong Kong government, which, he said, had no excuse for its actions.

Catholic media workers from across the Philippines met in Batangas province to discuss strategies to spread church teachings and how to counter the spread of “fake news” especially among the youth.

Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa, host of this year’s National Catholic Media Convention, reminded participants about the importance of “renewal for truth” when working in the media.

“Fake news and attacks are out in the open, but we gather to renew ourselves like the transfiguration of Jesus,” the prelate said during the first day of the four-day gathering on August 6.

He also reminded the mostly young participants to think and reflect about the issues that they will post on social media as he stressed the importance of prayer in their work.

Archbishop Garcera said the Church’s social communications ministry needed to renew its commitment to truth especially with the challenges brought about by “fake news.”

Catholic and other religious leaders signed a joint resolution on August 8 encouraging the Pakistani government to adopt policies to protect religious minorities.

The leaders held a press conference in Karachi on August 8 organized by Aid to the Church in Need – Italy and by local advocate Tabassum Yousaf.

In attendance were Fr Saleh Diego, vicar general of the Arch-diocese of Karachi, who represented Cardinal Joseph Coutts. Representatives of the country’s Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, and Baha’i communities  were also present and signed the resolution.

The joint resolution, sent to Prime Minister Imran Khan and obtained by CNA, includes 10 recommendations meant to safe-guard the rights of minorities and women.

Pakistan’s State religion is Islam, and around 97% of the population is Muslim.

The country’s authorities have consistently failed to implement safeguards on behalf of religious minorities, despite numerous policies in favour of economic and physical protections for members of non-Muslim religions.

A new seminary to train priests for all of Asia will open in the Chinese territory of Macau in September.

The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples has entrusted management of the Redemptorist Mater College for Evangelization in Asia to the Neo-catechumenal Way, uca-news.com reported.

The seminary was established by a decree signed on June 29 by Cardinal Fernando Filoni, congregation prefect, after an audience with Pope Francis.

Filoni told Agenzia Fides, information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies, the college is “the fruit of apostolic creativity that looks to evangelization in that continent and expresses a will of decentralization of the congregation.”

The Neocatechumenal Way has long-standing experience of forming priests for the mission in Asia, he said.

The new college’s “specific nature is to take care of the formation for missionary priests who will have the evangelization in the territories of Asia at heart,” he continued.

With the anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, the bishops of Japan are renewing calls and prayers to build peace by abolishing nuclear weapons worldwide and promoting integral human development. They also expressed hope that Pope Francis’ visit in November and his expected calls for peace will strengthen people’s desire and boost efforts to bring about a nuclear weapon-free world.

The first atomic bomb used in warfare was dropped by the United States on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, killing more than 100,000 people. On August 9 another atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, killing about 74,000 people. Japan surrendered on August 15. St John Paul II visited both cities during a February 1981 trip and appealed for peace, calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons around the world.

“Let us work hard for peace through justice; let us make a solemn decision now that war no longer be tolerated and seen as a means to resolve disagreements; let us promise with our counterparts that we will tirelessly strive for disarmament and the abolition of all nuclear arms, let us replace violence and hatred with trust and care,” he said, addressing world leaders.

Throughout that speech at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, St John Paul repeated that “to remember the past is to work for the future,” which inspired Japan’s bishops to observe Ten Days of Prayer for Peace from August 6 to 15 every year.

Abp Joseph Mitsuaki Takami of Nagasaki, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan, said in a message for the days of prayer that guaranteeing peace and security in the world required “not only to eliminate the nuclear threat by abolishing nuclear weapons, but at the same time to make all people richer in all aspects” through integral human development.