Blaj, June 3, 2019: Pope Francis ended his three-day visit to Romania with an apology to the Roma people, who trace their roots to northern India, for the Catholic Church’s “discrimination” against them. Roma people make up around 10 percent of Romania’s 20 million people. Many are marginalized and liveContinue Reading
Blaj, June 2, 2019: Pope Francis on June 2 beatified seven bishops who were martyred during Romania’s communist regime. The Pope presided over the eastern rite liturgy in Blaj, a stronghold of the Greek-Catholic Church that was outlawed during communism, on his third and final day in Romania. The sevenContinue Reading
Bucharest, June 1, 2019: Pope Francis on June 1 braved a rain-soaked, twisting drive through the mountains of Transylvania to visit Romania’s most famous shrine, urging Romanian and ethnic Hungarian faithful to work together for their future. Pope Francis arrived in Romania on May 31 for a three-day, cross-country pilgrimage.Continue Reading
By Matters India reporter Yangon, May 31, 2019: The head of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences has congratulated Narendra Modi on the occasion of his swearing-in as the Prime Minister of India for a second five-year term. “On behalf of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) which hasContinue Reading
Matters India reporter Bangkok, May 29, 2019: Cardinal Charles Bo of Myanmar has asked Church leaders in Asia to preach peace, not vengeance. The 71-year-old president of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences urged his fellow prelates to follow leader of India’s freedom struggle Mahatma Gandhi who is revered asContinue Reading
By Irudhaya Jothi Bogor, May 29, 2019: The train from Jakarta Kota takes around 90 minutes to reach the city named Bogor in the heart of West Java, which is some 1,000 feet above sea level. The mountainous range is cool and out of reach for pollution of Jakarta city.Continue Reading
Karachi, May 29, 2019: The Pakistan government has sought the help of the World Health organisation (WHO) to probe the recent outbreak of HIV in the country’s Sindh province, that has till now affected over 600 people, mostly children, according to a media report. Till now, 681 HIV positive casesContinue Reading
Poland, May 28, 2019: The Congregation of the Sons of Divine Providence in Poland has ordained a seminarian who is sick with cancer. 31-year-old Michał Łos was diagnosed with an acute form of cancer one month ago. A graduate of the Major Seminary of Saint Luigi Orione, Michal desperately wantedContinue Reading
Vatican City, May 26, 2019: Pope Francis has appointed the first women consultors to the secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, which under his pontificate has become a crucial vehicle for setting the Church’s pastoral agenda. Four women – three religious sisters – will be tasked with offering advice andContinue Reading
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, a bipartisan, independent federal government commission has said that there is an “overall deterioration of religious freedom conditions in 2018” in India, in its 2019 report released earlier this week. India continues to remain a Tier 2 country, according to the Commission,Continue Reading