The Light Shines in the Darkness: Bangladesh Catholics face Christmas under military guard after church attacks
Dhaka, Bangladesh—As the Catholic Church prepares to celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the small but vibrant Catholic community in Muslim-majority Bangladesh finds its Christmas joy tempered by a profound sense of fear. Recent crude bomb attacks targeting Catholic institutions and explicit threats against prestigious Catholic colleges have cast a somber shadow over […]
FABC-OSC Bishops’ Meeting in Hong Kong Urges Ethical and Pastoral Discernment in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Hong Kong—The Church in Asia is charting a course through the rapidly evolving digital landscape, with the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) Office of Social Communication (OSC) concluding a pivotal meeting in Hong Kong. The three-day gathering culminated in a unified call for the Church to respond with wisdom and pastoral discernment to the […]
The Illusion of the Digital Cloister: Why a Social Media Ban Fails the Test of Catholic Formation
Sydney, Australia—As the Australian summer begins, a new piece of legislation has come into effect, aiming to keep children under the age of 16 off major social media platforms. The Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024, which took effect on December 10, prohibits minors from creating or retaining accounts on sites like […]
Filipino Bishops Stand Against Nuclear Power Plant in Pangasinan
Manila, Philippines—In a powerful defense of environmental stewardship and the principle of prudence, a group of Filipino bishops has voiced strong opposition to the government’s proposal to construct a nuclear power plant in Western Pangasinan, approximately 125 miles north of Manila. The Church leaders, citing profound concerns over safety, environmental impact, and moral responsibility to […]
The Shadow of Hatred: Sydney Archbishop Condemns ‘Unspeakable Evil’ After Terror Attack on Hanukkah Celebration
The city of Sydney, a vibrant jewel of the Pacific, was plunged into profound mourning and righteous anger this week following a brutal terrorist attack that shattered a peaceful Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach. The senseless violence, which claimed the lives of 16 people, including a young child, has drawn immediate and powerful condemnation from […]
India’s New Digital Law Casts a Shadow Over the Monitoring of Christian Persecution
The passage of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP) by the Indian Parliament in 2023, and its full implementation in November of this year, has sent a shiver of apprehension through the hearts of civil society and minority rights advocates across the nation. While ostensibly designed to safeguard personal privacy, this new legislation, they […]