An excited crowd of friends and co-workers welcomed home the Shafaq family as they pulled up to their new house in Owensboro the evening of April 2.
It had been a journey of two long years, but at last Khaibar Shafaq — a case manager and paralegal for Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Owensboro — was reunited with his wife and three children, who had flown into Chicago earlier that day.
“I feel really happy, blessed, grateful, so thankful,” said Shafaq, who offered both hugs of gratitude and introductions of his family to those gathered at his home.
Back in August 2021, Shafaq had travelled with his wife, Zuhal, daughter Farangis and sons Ahmad Belal and Ahmad Khetab out of Afghanistan to a safe location in Istanbul, Turkey.
The Taliban’s rapid takeover of Afghanistan that year after the departure of United States troops meant danger for many Afghan citizens — especially Shafaq, who had worked with and supported the U.S. government while aiding those displaced by the Islamic State group.
In order to cherish his quality time with his family, Shafaq had turned off his phone and did not check his email during his final day in Istanbul.
Khartoum Churches Damaged as Sudan Descends Closer to Civil War
The Evangelical Presbyterian church suffered a fire as munitions exploded in a nearby market. The Coptic Orthodox church was struck by a rocket. And All Saints Anglican Cathedral was occupied by militant forces.
Over 500 people have been killed, with more than 4,000 injured.
“The situation is very serious,” said Ismail Kanani, general secretary of the Sudanese Bible Society. “I am trapped in my house, without power and water.”
Prices for food and fuel are skyrocketing, electricity supply has been cut off in much of the capital, and hospitals have been looted and are barely operating. A three-day truce has been agreed—and violated—to allow civilian escape and embassy evacuations.
Almost all Christians have left the area, said Abdalrahim Musa, director of the Evangelical Cultural Center of the Khartoum Presbyterian church. An eyewitness to the carnage, like many other Christians he fled three hours south to Wad Madani, an area relatively distant from the conflict.
But in their absence, he hears reports of widespread looting of their properties.
They are not the only ones displaced. More than 100,000 people have fled Sudan, according to the United Nations, with an additional 334,000 displaced within the country.
UN Security Council invites Pope Francis, Al-Azhar imam for joint speech
The head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed el-Tayeb, have received an official invitation from the United Nations Security Council to each deliver a historic speech during its meeting in June in New York, Al-Monitor has learned.
An Egyptian clerical source told Al-Monitor that the speeches of the prominent religious leaders will be delivered before a high-level session of the council dubbed, “The Importance of Human Fraternity Values in Promoting and Sustaining Peace,” due in mid-June at the UN’s headquarters.
“The United Arab Emirates [which will be holding the Security Council’s presidency] will highlight pressing and urgent humanitarian issues and try to take serious steps toward establishing security and ending conflicts around the world,” the invitation states.
The two religious leaders will confirm their attendance this month, the source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity.
“They [the two leaders] are used to supporting any step that can promote peace in the world, so their attendance could help solve crises and stop wars around us,” the source added.
The historic speeches will come at a time the world is witnessing unending quarrels, fights and wars. The war in Ukraine has entered its second year and the latest fighting in Sudan could destabilize the fragile situation in Central, North and West Africa.
Moncef Slimi, a political analyst on Arab and European affairs and head of the German-Maghreb Institute for Culture and Media, told Al-Monitor that it would be the first time the Security Council hosts two religious leaders as prominent as Pope Francis and Sheikh Tayeb.
“That would be an important political and moral message at a difficult time for the world, both in the Arab world where wars are raging, most recently in Sudan, as well as in the West, where Ukraine’s war continues unabated,” he said.
Press bodies deplore woman journalist’s manhandling at wrestlers’ protest site
The Indian Women Press Corps and Press Club of India on May 4 deplored police manhandling a woman journalist near the site of wrestlers protests.
Syro-Malabar Church opposes same-sex marriage legalization
The Syro-Malabar Church, a prominent Catholic group in India, says it opposes legalizing same sex marriage, as it is “a denial of human nature and an injustice to the family system and society.”
“Legalizing same-sex marriage could lead to calls for the legalization of sexual perversions such as attraction to children, attraction to animals, and attraction between blood relatives,” says a May 4 press note from the Church’s Public Affairs Commission, based in Kochi, Kerala.
Catholic shrine in Tamil Nadu opens breastfeeding room
Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child in her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands (Isaiah 49:15-16).
These are the words written in a new breastfeeding room, which was opened on February 20 at Our Lady of Periyanayagi Shrine. The shrine is in Konankuppam, Kallakurichi district of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, and was constructed by Italian Jesuit missionary Father Constantine Joseph Beschi (1680-1747).
Nuns protest drama depicting them as lesbians, priests’ sexual partners
Catholic nuns in Kerala continue to demand a ban on a controversial play two months after it was staged at an international theater festival in the southern Indian state. The play allegedly depicts them as lesbians and sexual partners of priests.
The play – “Kakkukali” – in Mala-yalam, Kerala’s local language, was staged Feb 5-14 at the International Theatre Festival of Kerala organized by the state government.
Christian Olympian Kom appeals against sectarian violence in Manipur
On May 4 sectarian violence broke out in the north-eastern Indian state of Manipur. For the past two days, majority ethnic Meitei, who are predominantly Hindu, have clashed with members of the Mostly Christian Kuki tribal group.
For local boxing champion Mary Kom, “The situation in Manipur makes me unhappy. [. . .] “Since last night it has become more frightening.” In view of events, “I ask the state and central governments to take steps and (to) maintain peace and security”. Sadly, “some people have lost family members in this violence.”
In a separate statement, Metropolitan Archbishop Peter Machado of Bangalore writes: “It is with deep concern that we note the resurgence of the targeting and persecution of Christians in the peaceful state of Manipur in the North-East, where the Christian population comprises 41%.
The prelate goes on to say: “We have received reports that three churches built in 1974 and some houses have been set on fire, and the people have been forced to flee to safer places.” What is more, “there have been disturbing reports in the news and on social media that the Jesuit Fathers serving in these areas have been threatened and made to feel insecure.”
Finally, “It is distressing to hear that despite having a sizable Christian population in Manipur, the community is being made to feel insecure. We are reminded that even the world-famous female boxer Mary Kom hails from this state.”
Giving women synod vote ‘should open Asian churches’
A papal decision allowing women to vote in the concluding discussions of the Synod on Synodality compels Asia’s national churches to widen the participation of lay people, particularly women, in Church activities, say leading Asian theologians.
A Vatican statement on April 26 said Pope Francis has “approved the extension of participation in the synodal assembly to ‘non-bishops’ — priests, deacons, consecrated men and women, lay men and women,” with voting rights.
It means “the universal Church, as well as local churches, must open their doors to welcome the greater and active participation of women in making crucial decisions about the Church’s activities,” said theologian Father Joseph Ho Thu, who teaches at Vietnam’s Hue Major Seminary.
Theologians across Asia expressed similar views alluding to how national churches have been excluding lay people, particularly women, from bodies that make decisions on their budgeting, ministry programs, volunteer labor, and internal operations.
Despite several resolutions passed in Church seminars and conferences stressing the need for lay participation, men, mostly clerics, continue to head even the offices or commissions meant to protect women’s interests in dioceses, and the regional and national bodies of bishops.
Church leaders discuss ways to combat human trafficking
The Commission for Migrants of the Conference of the Catholic Bishops of India on May 1 drew plans to combat the issues of forced labor and human trafficking in its Agra region comprising 10 dioceses.
Some 30 delegates from these dioceses attended a workshop at Gyandeep Bhawan Jaipur, capital of Rajasthan, to celebrate the International Worker’s Day and address human trafficking and bonded labor that are rampant in the agricultural field, brick kilns and factories of the region.
The participants decided to form a resource team equipped with legal knowledge and adequate skills to effectively address human trafficking which has become a serious issue after the Covid-19 pandemic in region.
They stressed the need for educating Christians on the Church’s social teaching to end injustice against workers.
They noted that the pandemic and the subsequent economic slowdown have worsened migrant workers’ situation. The number of unemployed youth in the country is on rise. Some states have failed to create enough jobs forcing workers to flee to metropolitan cities for livelihood leaving behind their families.