A bit of both.

When the Vaticanʼs Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue held its first Confucian-Christian colloquium in Seoul, South Korea, on Aug. 4–5, some 150 participants from more than a dozen countries spoke about shared values and universal fraternity, virtuous leadership, and moral formation in a pluralistic society.

Three centuries ago, the tone was different. A Catholic in China who took part in the rites honoring Confucius could be told he had abandoned the faith.

The ceremonies were not just polite gestures: “Lǐ (礼),” usually rendered as rites or ritual propriety, is foundational to Confucian thought. They comprise customs that form a person, order relationships, and hold a society together.

The sage who taught this, centuries before Christ, is known in Chinese as “Kǒng Fūzǐ (孔夫子),” Master Kong. He died in 479 B.C. Missionaries who reached China some two millennia later latinized the name as Confucius.

Arriving in 1582, Father Matteo Ricci observed educated Chinese lighting candles and bowing before Confucius. Ricci, a Jesuit, concluded the rites were civil rather than religious. Dominicans and Franciscans disagreed. They argued that the offerings, the prostrations, and the temple setting could surely not be separated from religious worship.

The quarrel that followed, the famous Chinese rites controversy, was not just about rituals and religious language.

At stake was also imperial authority: The cult of Confucius was bound up with Chinese emperors claiming to govern by the Mandate of Heaven, and officials and scholars had to perform the rites to hold office or earn degrees. So telling Chinese Catholics to stay away from them meant a foreign power ruling on Chinese legitimacy.

From a Catholic perspective, given the role of the rites and the weight of the decision, the popes also took their time to make up their minds — several centuries, in fact.

A scintillating question remains

First Pope Innocent X condemned the rites in 1645. A decade later, Pope Alexander VII permitted them. When asked in 1669 which of the two papal decisions was now in force, the Holy Office answered: both of them.

Several decades later, Pope Clement XI condemned the rites again and confirmed this decision with a papal bull in 1715. In 1742, Pope Benedict XIV backed up the bull and required missionaries to swear an oath never to raise the question again.

That settled the matter for nearly two centuries. Then, in 1939, the Vatican abolished the oath under Pope Pius XII. Rome now judged that the ceremonies had come to carry a merely civil meaning. This stance affirmed that no Catholic doctrine had changed, just the judgment about what a gesture meant.

What remained, however, was a scintillating question: Is Confucianism a religion, a religious philosophy, a cultural good, or something beyond such Western categories altogether?

Confucians themselves give different answers.

Father Gianni Criveller, PIME, who took part in the Seoul meeting, noted on AsiaNews that Confucianism enjoys public or national recognition as a religion in South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. In mainland China it is not among the five official religions, even as authorities promote it as the original core of Chinese thought.

The pace of friendship

On the ample evidence of the last 400 years, friendship between the two traditions might look like a matter of slow progress over centuries — but the pace may be quickening.

The Aug. 4-5 gathering was the third step in a sequence, after an expert study group and then a workshop at Fu Jen Catholic University in Taiwan that began drafting formal guidelines. Delegates already know when they will meet again: in Indonesia in 2028 and Hong Kong in 2030.

In Seoul, Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad told participants the two traditions converge in what they hope for and differ at the foundation.

Ricci put the method more simply, in a line the Holy See still quotes: “Before engaging in friendship, one must observe; after engaging, one must trust.”

The Holy See’s Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea teamed up with the Sungkyunkwan Confucian Academy to hold the event at Sogang University in Seoul, South Korea, on Aug. 4–5.

A joint statement, approved by Catholic and Confucian scholars, recognized “our traditions arise from different religious and philosophical foundations” but that “our dialogue revealed important shared convictions.”

Both traditions expressed agreement that “human flourishing begins with the formation of virtuous, compassionate, and responsible individuals.” The statement added: “Personal transformation, ethical living, and care for others are the foundations of healthy families, communities, and societies.”

Scholars in both traditions agreed “a just and peaceful society depends on leadership rooted in integrity, humility, service, and concern for the common good” and “good institutions matter, but they can truly serve society only when guided by moral wisdom and public responsibility.”

There was also agreement that “care for the vulnerable, future generations, and our common home is both a moral and spiritual responsibility,” people are called toward solidarity, and hope requires people to “work together through the trials and imperfections of the present.”

With the growth of artificial intelligence, the scholars found similarities in the Confucian spirit of benevolence and the Christian value of love, which both point toward ensuring “all technological progress actively [enhances] human dignity and ethical values.”

Confucianism, rooted in the philosophy of fifth-century B.C. Chinese thinker Confucius, is a philosophical and ethical system focused on benevolence and harmony with an emphasis on living virtuously, adhering to tradition, and respecting one’s parents and ancestors, among other ideals.

Adherents often engage in ritual honor of their ancestors. Confucius discusses deities but focuses more heavily on the way one should live. His philosophy is influential in many East Asian countries. Many adherents follow other traditions as well, such as Buddhism or local religious traditions.

Christianity, and specifically Catholicism, has grown in some countries heavily influenced by Confucian thought in recent decades, particularly South Korea, Hong Kong, and Vietnam.

‘Datong’ and new heaven

Father Paulin Batairwa Kubuya, SX, who serves as the undersecretary for the dicastery, told EWTN News that Catholic dialogue with Confucianism is growing, although it is still not one of the religions that is technically under the dicastery’s jurisdiction for outreach. He said the need for dialogue is emphasized in the Second Vatican Council documents.

“But the idea behind the document Nostra Aetate is one of greater openness toward religious realities, and so this dialogue marks a moment when the conditions for officially beginning talks with the Confucians had matured,” he said. “And so we went there to Korea, one of the countries that still bears the marks of these religions.”

He said the theme of the conference was based on the Christian belief expressed in the Book of Revelation about the new heaven and the new earth and the Confucian idea of “Datong” — the “great unity” or “great harmony.”

“These describe an ideal state where everyone lives together in a society organized to care for the weak and the orphans — a place where everything is so beautiful,” Kubuya said.

“It is a city where the gates are never locked because there is security,” he said. “It’s the same as what is said about the New Jerusalem. There is no more death; there is openness — so there was that similarity between these two visions of these two religions. And those were the starting points, the reflections: so, as a society, how can we bring that vision to life?”

Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, prefect of the dicastery, discussed the two concepts in his opening speech at the conference, according to Vatican News. He said Catholicism and Confucianism both emphasize a similar human aspiration.

“That our common life may be in harmony with a Way that is truly good and beautiful; an ethical justice lived in the warmth of friendship and mutual care; a peace that recognizes and promotes the dignity of every person and every community; a harmony born from differences, like the notes of music blending into a single melody or people from different places becoming one community,” he said.

Batairwa told EWTN News that during the conference, participants visited various religious sites, including a Buddhist temple that is influenced by Confucianism, a Confucian academy, and sites of Christian martyrdom.

The joint statement recognized that the two traditions view the ultimate reality, human fulfillment, and the transformation of society differently, but “these differences are not barriers to friendship; rather, they invite deeper listening, mutual learning, humility, and continued dialogue.”

Scholars in both traditions renewed commitments to deepen friendship and dialogue; to promote societies rooted in compassion, justice, harmony, and shared responsibility; and to work toward the flourishing of humanity together.

The conference had about 150 participants from more than a dozen countries. The groups are planning two additional conferences over the next four years: Indonesia in 2028 and Hong Kong in 2030.

Sections of India’s mainstream and social media have alleged that the Church orchestrated opposition to the measure and that the United States pressed the Indian government on the Church’s behalf.

“We do not indulge in any conspiracy. We put our concerns across to our government and it decided to refer the FCRA Bill [the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act] to the JPC,” Father Mathew Koyickal, deputy secretary general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, told EWTN News on Aug. 20.

The conference is the umbrella body for Catholics of the Latin, Syro-Malabar, and Syro-Malankara Churches in India.

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act has governed foreign donations in India since 1976. It is administered by the Ministry of Home Affairs, which tracks how domestic groups, trusts, and charities receive and use money from abroad.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government amended the act in 2020 and has tightened FCRA rules several times since coming to power in 2014, curbing the flow of funds to Christian and advocacy groups. Critics say the tightening advances a Hindu nationalist agenda. Fewer than 15,000 of some 52,000 FCRA accounts are now active, according to the government’s FCRA online dashboard.

The roughly 37,000 licenses canceled or not renewed include those of Church charities and Christian social action groups, along with Indian and international advocacy networks such as Amnesty International, Bread for the World, Compassion International, and Greenpeace.

In March, the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced a harsher amendment to the FCRA and listed it to be passed in Parliament on April 1. Opposition protests inside Parliament and public opposition — including from the Catholic Church — forced the government to delay the bill to the monsoon session.

Ahead of that session, the government notified new rules on June 22 requiring groups that receive foreign funds to specify their activities by category and geographical area, to disclose social media accounts, websites, and publications, and to pay a separate fee for each category and each area in which they operate. Political content is barred, and the rules set high penalties for each infringement.

With protests spreading to more areas, including Christian-majority states such as Mizoram, and with opposition parties accusing the government of choking civil society groups and the churches under a Hindu nationalist agenda, the government put the bill on hold on Aug. 5 and referred it a week later to a 31-member joint parliamentary committee that includes opposition members. The committee will scrutinize the bill and report to Parliament during the winter session.

‘Join the dots’

Amid steady news coverage of the FCRA amendment, Republic TV — known for speaking up for the BJP government — devoted a segment on Aug. 19 to what it called the link between the bill and the student protests.

“Why is FCRA being linked to the CJP [Cockroach Janta Party] protest? And is there actually a connection?” the anchor asked. “The issue gained traction after the Catholic priest was seen marching with the CJP in New Delhi. This is amid the U.S. also warning that the new FCRA bill could damage the India-America relationship.”

The report, presented by the channel’s editor Niranjan Narayanswamy, put the question directly: “Are you wondering what does the church have to do with the Jantar Mantar protest? It’s about students, but why is the church being a part of it? Why are Americans taking an interest in the protest?”

It went on to allege that foreign money routed through Christian organizations had reached Maoist-affected areas such as Chhattisgarh, where it was “being used by church bodies to convert and to push people into becoming Maoists,” and described the funding as part of a push into India by “the American deep state,” including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The segment closed: “Join the dots and watch this space.”

The protests it referred to were mounted under the banner of the Cockroach Janta Party, a satirical youth movement that grew out of anger over repeated leaks of national entrance examinations, including the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, the fiercely competitive national examination for admission to medical courses. Weeks of demonstrations, centered on Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and marked by baton charges and tear gas, ended after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on July 25.

“Vested interests are behind floating baseless conspiracy theories, [as they are] embarrassed by government going soft on FCRA amendment. We challenge them to prove such wild claims,” Koyickal said.

Jesuit Father John Chathanatt, former principal of the Jesuit theologate Vidyajyoti in New Delhi, told EWTN News: “We are not surprised with such wild conspiracy theories being spread whenever the BJP government narrative fails. Since it could not pass the FCRA bill, the blame is being put on church.”

“They even found a hook to peg the Vatican conspiracy theory linking it to a Jesuit from Kerala working at the Rome Generate,” Chathanatt said.

The Kerala allegation

Hindu nationalist outfits alleged that the CJP protest was part of a Vatican conspiracy led by a Kerala priest. The allegation was made by K.S. Radhakrishnan, a philosopher and former vice chancellor of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit at Kalady, who had long been described as a friend of the Catholic Church and who is now state vice president of the BJP in Kerala.

The claim, which went viral on social media in southern Kerala and drew furious rebuttals from Catholics, named Jesuit Father George Mutholil — former Jesuit provincial of Kerala and, since 2019, the Society of Jesus’ regional assistant for South Asia and a general counsellor to the superior general in Rome — as the organizer of the CJP protest.

Mutholil told EWTN News that the claim was “built on a single unverified podcast quote and gets basic facts wrong.” He added: “This is the familiar move: when there’s anger to redirect, blame the minority.”

The American strand

American interest in the bill is a matter of record. Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, wrote in May that the amendment would disproportionately affect Christian charities and churches and could “do lasting damage to the relations between our two countries,” and he urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to raise it during his visit to India.

Rubio began that visit on May 23 in Kolkata, at the Mother House of the Missionaries of Charity, before traveling on for talks in New Delhi. In early August, Rep. Riley Moore, R-West Virginia, called the amendments a “clear attack against Christians” and warned they could affect relations between the two countries. Sujeet Kumar, a BJP member of Parliament, wrote to Moore on Aug. 10 rejecting the claim that the bill would enable a government takeover of churches.

Church officials in India say none of this was done at their instance. Savio Rodrigues, a Goa-based journalist and BJP member who founded the news portal Goa Chronicle, has advanced a broader claim in an online video, suggesting that U.S. President Donald Trump was trying to “topple Modi” through the FCRA with the Church’s support.

“I watched this crazy video. I don’t think there is an ounce of truth in his accusations that the Roman Catholic Church has an agenda to dethrone Mr. Modi or his government,” Cyril Fernandes, president of the Catholic Association of Goa, told EWTN News.

“The CJP [protest] too has nothing to do with the FCRA demands. The whole interview appears stage-managed to change the narrative for which the central government machinery is famous,” Fernandes said.

A ninth-grade student shot and killed a classmate in the grade above him on the morning of Aug. 18 at the junior high school campus of Ateneo de Zamboanga University in the southern Philippines before taking his own life, police said.

Authorities have identified the attacker only as a minor. Officials said he livestreamed the attack on Facebook.

The junior high school is part of Ateneo de Zamboanga University, founded by the Society of Jesus in 1912. The institution educates students from grade school through postgraduate level.

Father Guillrey Anthony Andal, SJ, the university president, canceled classes at all levels and declared a day of mourning and prayer across the universityʼs campuses. “We do not want any of these things to happen,” he said, adding the safety of students was the universityʼs first priority.

The university urged the public in a statement not to share unverified information, photographs, or videos of the incident, saying these could harm those affected and hinder the investigation.

The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines, which represents the countryʼs Catholic schools, colleges, and universities, cautioned against speculation, saying in a statement that behind every report and social media post were students, families, and teachers in “profound grief and shock.” Ateneo de Manila and Ateneo de Davao universities issued statements of solidarity, local media reported.

The attack was the second at a Philippine school in two months. Three students were killed in June when two schoolmates opened fire at a public high school in Tacloban City in the central Philippines, local media reported.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered an investigation and directed agencies to work with schools on safety measures. Schools “must also be among the safest places in our country,” he said in a statement. Education Secretary Sonny Angara traveled to Zamboanga City on Wednesday to meet the university president, city officials, and police.

A senior Bureau of Customs official told local media one of the weapons used had been issued by the agency to the attackerʼs father, a customs enforcement officer at the Port of Zamboanga, who has been placed under preventive suspension.

The Australian reported that in a letter to the ABC ombudsman, Fiona Cameron, he claimed the national broadcaster had breached its own guidelines on impartiality.

He asked the ombudsman whether its platforms “operated to amplify one side of a contentious policy debate."

VAD is legal throughout Australia apart from the Northern Territory, which is expected to pass enabling legislation soon.

However, a federal law banning advice about committing suicide over the phone or internet also bans telehealth consultations for VAD.

VAD advocate Andrew Denton — a former ABC television host, comedian, and founder of Go Gentle Australia — has campaigned to have the ban overturned.

Fisher cited four occasions in nine days in July when Denton promoted his views on ABC platforms. Three of them appeared before the Australian Labor Partyʼs national conference in July, which supported an end to the federal ban on telehealth consultations.

In his letter, Fisher set out what he said was documentation of a failure by the ABC to present the contentious issue impartially.

He wrote: "Over a period of nine days the ABC repeatedly provided the founder of an organization established to advocate for euthanasia and assisted suicide law reform with opportunities across television, radio, online, and social media to make the case for amending a federal prohibition on the use of telehealth for euthanasia and assisted suicide.”

"The principal arguments for retaining the prohibition were not put forward by those who hold them; rather, they were largely summarized or characterized by Denton,” he said.

The imbalance is particularly significant, the bishop continued, “because three of the relevant items, as well as two associated social media posts, were published or broadcast in the four days immediately preceding an Australian Labor Party National Conference vote on the issue being advocated.”

A subsequent ABC current affairs program interview occurred in the context of a foreshadowed parliamentary attempt to amend the law, Fisher added.

He stressed: "In those circumstances, providing an alternate perspective at some indefinite later time could not remedy the absence of diversity during the period in which the issue was the subject of an active and imminent political decision.”

Given the “significance of the issue, the imminence of the political decisions to which the coverage related, and the ABCʼs particular obligation to maintain public confidence in its impartiality,” Fisher asked that these matters be carefully investigated and addressed.

The archbishop also said Denton had misrepresented remarks he made in 2011 on “redemptive suffering.”

“Denton omitted [my] immediately preceding response, which clearly states that the goal of the Catholic Church is to reduce suffering,” he wrote in his letter to the ombudsman.

Responding to questions from The Australian, an ABC spokesman said a complaint had been received by the ombudsmanʼs office.

This story was first published by The Catholic Weekly, the news outlet of the Archdiocese of Sydney, and is edited and republished by EWTN News with permission.

“We are happy and relieved as our people have been released after being imprisoned for over 100 days on false charges,” Bishop Devprasad John Ganawa of Udaipur, a Divine Word missionary, told EWTN News on Aug. 17.

Hindu activists barged into the church and disrupted the Mass at Communion time on the evening of May 1 in the remote village of Kalinjara, in Banswara district in southern Rajasthan, shouting accusations of “conversion.” Catholics confronted the intruders and chased them out.

Instead of registering a criminal case against the intruders, police in the state, which is governed by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), charged the Catholics with “conversion and attempt to murder” and arrested members of Bandaria Parish on the nights of May 1 and May 3. Ten were held in judicial custody.

Father Arvind Amliyar, the parish priest, told EWTN News in May that the group entered during Communion and began filming and that one of the men drew a knife before parishioners took it from him and forced the group out.

Members of a Hindu Sena group said they had acted on information about alleged cow slaughter and conversion activity, according to Catholic Connect, a news platform of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India. The Banswara district superintendent of police said days after the incident that the situation was under control and that an investigation was underway, with evidence collected from the scene, the outlet reported. Police did not confirm the parish’s allegation that officers had refused to register its complaint.

“Our people are victims of the anti-conversion law. Our legal team pursued the case after bail was denied by the district court. We thank God that they are now out of jail,” Ganawa said.

Under the Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, which took effect in 2025, the burden of proof rests on those accused of causing a conversion, who must show that it was not unlawful. As in several other BJP-ruled states, that reversal has made bail difficult to obtain in the lower courts.

The act is under challenge in India’s Supreme Court, which in November 2025 issued notice to the Rajasthan government on petitions contesting its constitutionality, including one brought by the Jaipur Catholic Welfare Society.

‘A day of great joy’

“It was certainly a day of great joy for us,” said Amliyar, who was celebrating Mass when the May 1 incident occurred. He was at the Kushalgarh jail to receive the men after the Aug. 12 bail order from the Rajasthan High Court reached the jail the following day.

“Our people were thrilled to receive them at the church,” said Amliyar, who had been traveling back and forth to the legal team on behalf of his distant parishioners.

“We thank the Lord for our bail after 104 days,” one of the released Catholics told EWTN News on Aug. 17. His identity is being withheld because of legal restrictions.

“All of us spent days in jail praying. But since we were kept in different cells, we could not pray together. But the Lord took care of us. None of us had any sickness in the jail,” he said.

“The days we spent in jail did not frustrate us. It has only strengthened us in faith,” he added, while thanking all those who prayed for their release and those who worked for it.

A pattern of arrests

Human rights defenders point out that anti-conversion laws are misused against Christian and Muslim minorities, with hundreds arrested under the laws but hardly any convictions.

In a similar case, Father Babu Francis, director of the Diocesan Development and Welfare Society of Allahabad Diocese in Uttar Pradesh state, was detained by police on Oct. 1, 2023, when he went to find out why his driver had been taken from his house by police.

Police were looking for the driver’s brother, a pastor, against whom a Hindu activist had filed a case of “conversion” for conducting prayers in a house. Unable to find the pastor, they took the driver from a nearby house to the police station. The eldest of the three brothers rushed to the station and was also detained, and the driver’s son-in-law was arrested when he went to question the detentions.

The driver’s wife slipped away from the police station during the argument and called Father Francis, who rushed there. Three hours later, the priest was also arrested, and all of them were charged with conversion and even “attempt to murder.”

The Allahabad High Court released the priest on bail 82 days later, just before Christmas 2023.

On Aug. 12, houses in the village of Gazarikura, a community in the Diocese of Mymensingh in the north of the Muslim-majority country, were attacked, looted, and vandalized. Local Indigenous Garo people said the stolen property included cash, cows, goats, and other valuables.

The Indigenous families said the attack and looting were carried out by people from a neighboring Muslim village after the body of a Muslim man was found in their village.

Father Simon Hacha, vicar general of the Diocese of Mymensingh, visited the village together with other priests, sisters, Garo Indigenous leaders, and local leaders.

“We never want unrest; we are for peace,” Hacha, who is himself a Garo, told EWTN News.

“We pray for the soul of the deceased person around whom this problem has arisen and we offer our condolences to his family,” he said.

He urged police not to harass those who are not guilty and to identify the culprits and take appropriate action.

“I hope that the administration will provide security to the Garo Indigenous of this village and that the villagers will maintain good relations with each other so that peace can prevail in the future,” Hacha added.

Losses and arrests

Village leaders told EWTN News that six houses in Gazarikura were vandalized and that the furniture of one house was burned. The attackers took away seven cows, 10 goats, a motorcycle, cash, and expensive furniture. The incident spread panic among local residents.

Father Lawrence Ribeiro, the parish priest of Mariamnagar, told EWTN News by telephone during a visit to the village on Aug. 14 that 11 houses had been looted and that televisions, refrigerators, cows, and goats had been taken away. The families do not have enough food, he said. “So, we brought food, soap, and other items for these families.”

Ribeiro said the families had been calculated to have suffered losses of about 4 million taka (about $32,000). “We are preparing to file a case of looting for this,” he said.

The body of a rice trader, Billal Hossain, 40, was recovered by police. Nineteen people, including men and women from the Garo community, were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the case. Police later released 14 of them.

According to police sources, Hossain, a resident of the Jarultala area of the upazila, or subdistrict, went missing on Aug. 4. On the afternoon of Aug. 12, local farmers working in a field smelled a foul odor near a canal, searched the surroundings, and found the body buried in the ground. Police went to the spot and recovered it after being informed.

An organization of Garo Indigenous students said in a statement: "We want to say very clearly that the responsibility for the crime of an individual can never be imposed on an entire ethnic group, community, or population.”

“If someone is involved in any crime, his involvement will be determined through an impartial and fair investigation. If the crime is proven, he will be tried according to the prevailing law. But suspecting, harassing, or victimizing another innocent person on the basis of an individualʼs identity, ethnic identity, or community identity is against justice,” the student organization said.

S.M. Noor Mohammad, officer in charge of the Jhenaigati police station, said the atmosphere in the village is now calm and that police have been deployed.

“The police are investigating the incident and are continuing their efforts to identify the criminals involved in the incident,” Mohammad said.

On Aug. 9, Indigenous people had rallied for their rights and to protest atrocities against them on the occasion of the International Day of the Worldʼs Indigenous Peoples.

Organized by CHARIS India and hosted by the Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore, the event featured Catholic leaders including Cardinal Anthony Poola, archbishop of Hyderabad and president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India.

JCD Prabhakar, speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, opened the event. According to march organizers, he is the first Indian politician to publicly express his commitment to the protection and promotion of human life. At the march, he unveiled a memorial dedicated to unborn children. India’s National March for Life has previously been held in Delhi (2022), Pune (2023), Thrissur (2024), and Bengaluru (2025).

UK bishop urges prime minister to push for Jimmy Lai’s release

Auxiliary Bishop James Curry of Westminster, England, has written a letter to Prime Minister Andy Burnham urging him to do everything possible to secure the release of jailed China democracy activist Jimmy Lai.

“Jimmy Lai’s ‘crime’ was to voice concerns, engage in peaceful protest, and publish a newspaper which was critical of oppressive new laws,” Curry said, expressing concern that Lai “has no access to the sacraments” and about his deteriorating health conditions.

“Around 200,000 migrants have come to the U.K. from Hong Kong since 2020, many of whom are Catholic. The Church in England and Wales continues to provide pastoral support to all those from Hong Kong who seek it,” he said. “I also offer my prayers for those who are persecuted because of their faith or political beliefs throughout the world. I ask Catholics in England and Wales to join with me in seeking the intercession of St. Maximilian Kolbe for Jimmy Lai, and in seeking the intercession of St. Alban and St. Frances Cabrini for all those who have had to leave their own country because of persecution.”

Lebanon’s general amnesty law raises concern among Christians

Lebanon’s Parliament approved a sweeping general amnesty law on Aug. 12, drawing support from a majority of lawmakers, including representatives of Christian parties.

The vote came shortly after the country abolished the death penalty, but the amnesty has proved far more divisive, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported Aug. 11.

Critics, particularly within Christian circles, fear the release of large numbers of prisoners without adequate rehabilitation programs could deepen Lebanon’s security problems. They argue that the measure does little to address overcrowded prisons, prolonged pretrial detention, slow judicial proceedings, or the rights of victims.

The law also permits some Lebanese who fled to Israel after 2000 to return, provided they did not participate in military or security activities. Lebanese activist Maryam Younes, who was deported to Israel, rejected the measure as inadequate, saying returnees could not be certain of their safety from Hezbollah.

Young Russian Catholics gather to discuss Christianity in a digital world

Around 80 young Russian Catholics participated in the 24th annual Catholic Youth Meeting in the Diocese of St. Joseph in Irkutsk, Siberia, the largest geographical diocese in the world.

Participants in the program, titled “Nets of Jesus: Towards Dull Presence,” included young people from Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk, Transbaikalia, and Buryatia, Vatican News reported Aug. 10.

The Aug. 6–9 event included reflections on the parable of the good Samaritan, discussions on remaining Christian in a digital age, and discussions of their experiences and plans for future projects at their respective parishes. Participants were also guided in a daily spiritual reflection centered on young saints of the Church, including St. Carlo Acutis.

Ireland’s Mayo Gaelic football team carries trophy to Croagh Patrick in thanksgiving

Footballers from the All Ireland winning Mayo Gaelic football team carried the Sam Maguire cup to the summit of Croagh Patrick, Ireland’s holy mountain, in thanksgiving. They won a historic All Ireland match on July 26, breaking the legend of a 75-year curse by a parish priest placed on the last Mayo team that won for disrespecting a funeral procession during homecoming celebrations.

Mayo won their all Ireland Championship on Reek Sunday, traditionally a day of pilgrimage in the western county, when thousands of Catholics climb the mountain, many barefooted.

The group of Mayo players led by manager Andy Moran and captain Jack Coyne brought the famous trophy to the summit, where there is a small oratory. There they greeted other pilgrims and said a prayer of thanksgiving for their victory.

Kidnappings heighten anxiety among Syrian Christians

A series of reported kidnappings involving Syrian Christians has renewed concern over security in the region.

The cases include the abduction of a deacon near Homs and the disappearance of a young Christian man in Saidnaya, ACI MENA reported Aug. 11.

Elias Khazal, a farmer and deacon at the Syriac Orthodox Church of St. George in Zaidal, was seized by masked gunmen while working about two miles north of his village. His captors held him for 41 days near Tall Manin, between Damascus and Saidnaya, and demanded a ransom of $1 million. Father Hamid Masouh of Our Lady of Deliverance Syriac Catholic Church said security forces eventually raided the building where Khazal was being held. They freed him without a ransom payment and arrested members of the gang. Although the deacon endured several forms of torture, he returned home in good physical condition.

In Saidnaya, local sources reported that armed men abducted jeweler Fadi Samaan after entering a parking area in vehicles without license plates and opening fire. His fate remains unknown.

Mauritius religious leaders pledge united action against drug abuse

Leaders from several religious communities across Mauritius expressed their commitment to closer collaboration in confronting the country’s growing drug crisis in a meeting at Bishop Jean Michaël Durhône’s residence in the Diocese of Port-Louis.

At the Aug. 11 meeting, Durhône emphasized the importance of the family, which he described as “the foundation of society,” and called on Mauritians not to lose hope, ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, reported Aug. 12. “We are not giving up,” he said, inviting the different religious communities to pool “their experiences, programs, and strengths.”

In a statement issued after the meeting, participants described the drug situation as “alarming,” noting that drugs, particularly “synthetic drugs,” are affecting all sectors of Mauritian society, with young people becoming increasingly involved.

“Families, both rich and poor, are directly affected, while communities are facing a growing deterioration of their social fabric,” the religious leaders said in their statement.

Roman pilgrims prepare to return to the Holy Land

After months of suspended pilgrimages because of war in the Middle East, the Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi, the Diocese of Rome’s pilgrimage office, is preparing to return to the Holy Land. Its first trip is scheduled to depart Monday, Aug. 17.

Father Giovanni Biallo, the organization’s spiritual assistant, told ACI MENA on Aug. 13 that preparations resumed after fighting between Lebanon and the Galilee region ceased and direct flights between Rome and the Holy Land began returning during the past two months. He said European pilgrims have been slower to return than groups from Asia and Latin America, partly because of widespread fears about instability across the region.

The priest welcomed the resumption as a sign of solidarity with local Christian communities whose livelihoods have been devastated. In Bethlehem alone, he said, 100 hotels had been closed and are now waiting for pilgrims to return.

Kevin Mario and Patrick J. Passmore contributed to this report.

Saunders, who is 76 years old, led the northwest Australian diocese from 1996 until 2021 when he resigned. He was convicted of 13 charges, which included nonconsensual sexual penetration. He originally faced 26 charges, but seven were dropped and he was not found guilty for the other six.

Bishop Tim Norton of the Diocese of Broome published a pastoral letter to the faithful after his predecessor was convicted.

Norton thanked the police and the prosecutors “for their commitment to bringing this matter before a jury.” He acknowledged “the courage of victims, survivors and other witnesses” who “showed extraordinary resilience and commitment through a long and difficult process.”

“They deserved to be heard with compassion and treated with dignity,” he said.

On behalf of the diocese, Norton apologized for “the hurt [the victims] have experienced,” for “the shame they have endured,” and “that it has taken so long for their voices to be heard and for their pain to be acknowledged.” He said the diocese would “do all we can to reach out to them for hope and healing.”

“We are acutely aware that the victims of this betrayal are not just those who have told their stories to police and before the court,” Norton said.

“Trust has been broken and wounds of betrayal and division have been exposed across the diocese,” he said. “The hurt extends to those who have placed their trust in our leadership and our Church. Many who have served their parishes and their communities selflessly have been left with difficult questions and unresolved feelings.”

Norton said he is committed to ensuring that the diocese is “a place of safety, respect and accountability.” He said leaders “will do all we can to create an environment of trust and openness” and will move to “ensure that people are treated with dignity and compassion and continue to seek authentic and peaceful relationships, even if we do not always agree with each other.”

Norton said diocesan and parish staff can connect people to independent support services if any person requests support.

“We ask Our Lady Queen of Peace, the patroness of our diocese, to intercede for us and to accompany us on this journey of reconciliation, healing and hope,” the bishop concluded.

According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), prosecutors said Saunders hosted “shirts off” gatherings with young men who would wear only boxer shorts. They said he supplied alcohol and food with church funds and would touch the men sexually and in at least one case engaged in oral sex without consent.

ABC reported that Saunders’ defense lawyer acknowledged "boozy" and "sleazy” behavior, but they rejected claims of nonconsensual sexual activity. The former bishop maintained his innocence in the trial.

The initial charges accused Saunders of sexual activity with minors, but he was not convicted of any charges related to victims who were minors.

The Western Australia Police Force first investigated Saunders in 2018 but chose not to file any charges in 2021. The Vatican launched its own investigation in 2022 and submitted its findings to the police in 2023. The police reopened their investigation in 2023 and arrested him in 2024.

Although the Vatican did not release its findings to the public, it was leaked to Seven News in Australia, which reported that the investigation found Saunders likely sexually assaulted four youths and possibly groomed 67 others.

The Order of Cistercians of Strict Observance reported that Chao was born in 1918 in Chengting, Hebei Province, China. He entered the monastery in Hebei in 1941, made his solemn profession in 1947, and was ordained a priest in 1949.

He lived as a monk for 79 years and as a priest for 77. His funeral is scheduled for Aug. 14.

According to AsiaNews, Chao also served for more than 20 years as superior of the Trappist community on Lantau.

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Persecuted by communists

In 1941, at the age of 23, Chau entered the Abbey of Our Lady of Joy, also known by its French name, “Liesse,” meaning “jubilation.”

According to AsiaNews, the monastery was occupied by Japanese troops in 1937 and several monks were imprisoned and killed.

However, the worst was yet to come when the Chinese dictator Mao Zedong took control of the region.

In 1947, the same year Chao made his solemn vows, the Abbey of Our Lady of Consolation in Yangjiaping was attacked. The monks were tortured and forced to leave the monastery.

A year later, six monks were executed by firing squad following a peopleʼs trial. Among them was 29-year-old Father Chrysostom Chang, the communityʼs sub-prior.

Those who were killed during the persecution are commemorated as the 33 martyrs of Yangjiaping, comprising 30 Chinese monks and three foreign religious, according to AsiaNews.

Exile and new monastery in Hong Kong

The Liesse community, where the young Chao was living, also came under attack, leaving the monks no choice but to seek refuge in another city.

As the persecution intensified, some monks were sent out of China. Among them was Chao, who arrived at the monastery of Notre-Dame-des-Prairies in Manitoba, Canada.

In 1951, the Xindu community also had to close due to communist persecution. The monks who had managed to leave China then began preparing to rebuild their community in Hong Kong.

With the support of the then-bishop of Hong Kong, Enrico Valtorta, a missionary of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, the monks were granted a plot of land in the highlands of Lantau Island.

There, eight monks built the new monastery, which was inaugurated in 1956.

In 1999, the Cistercian order recognized the Lantau community as an autonomous abbey, and in January 2000, it reclaimed the name Abbey of Our Lady of Joy, the same name the community had in Hebei.

With Chao’s passing, the abbey bids farewell to the last survivor of that generation of Trappist monks who were persecuted by Mao but managed to reestablish a monastery in Hong Kong.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

In Karachi, more than 2,000 protesters gathered at the mausoleum of Pakistan’s founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, carrying placards reading “My religion, my will” and featuring photographs of victims of mob lynchings, forced conversions, blasphemy-related attacks, and assassinated Christian leaders.

“Young people are saying: ‘We shall snatch our freedom,’” Luke Victor, organizer of the Minority Rights March, told EWTN News.

Addressing the rally, speakers demanded an end to faith-based discrimination and violent extremism against religious minorities and called for changes to constitutional provisions they say deny minorities equal access to public office.

Victor said protesters wanted Articles 41 and 91 of the constitution amended to allow minorities to become president or prime minister on merit.

The Minority Rights March’s 11-point charter called for stronger political representation, curriculum reforms, protection of minority property and worship places, safeguards against blasphemy-law abuse, and independent national and provincial minority rights commissions.

The groups said rising violence, discrimination, and attacks on minorities had fueled fear and insecurity, particularly among young people.

Official ceremonies

While activists took to the streets, the government marked the day with official ceremonies promoting religious freedom, equality, and interfaith harmony.

In Lahore, the Punjab government organized a weeklong program beginning Aug. 7 with an interfaith rally, cultural competitions, and welfare camps. Karachi and Peshawar, capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, also hosted official programs highlighting the contributions and rights of religious minorities.

Minority activists said such events should be accompanied by concrete legal and institutional reforms.

Aug. 11 was declared National Minorities Day in 2009 following a campaign led by Shahbaz Bhatti, Pakistan’s first Catholic federal minister for minorities and a prominent advocate for religious freedom.

Bhatti was assassinated outside his Islamabad home in March 2011. Two gunmen sprayed his car with bullets before leaving pamphlets describing him as a Christian “infidel.”

In his Minorities Day message, President Asif Ali Zardari recalled Jinnah’s Aug. 11, 1947, address to the Constituent Assembly in which the country’s founder said citizens were free to worship according to their religion and that religion, caste, and creed should have no bearing on the affairs of the state.

Faisalabad rally

In Faisalabad, Catholic lawyer Akmal Bhatti, a nephew of Shahbaz Bhatti, led a rally calling for greater protection of freedom of religion and belief.

Participants demanded a ban on the forced conversion of minors, a 5% quota for minorities in public services and educational institutions, direct elections for reserved seats, removal of religious qualifications for the president and prime minister, and the creation of a constitutional National Minority Rights Commission.

They also criticized the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, which oversees the National Commission for Minorities, saying the commission has remained dysfunctional since completing its three-year term in May 2023.

Archbishop’s appeal

Archbishop Joseph Arshad of Islamabad-Rawalpindi, in his Aug. 11 message, called for the protection of constitutional rights, religious freedom, and equality.

“Providing all citizens equal rights and equal opportunities for development without discrimination on the basis of religion or belief is a national responsibility,” he said, urging collective efforts to eliminate hatred, prejudice, and intolerance.

He recalled Jinnah’s emphasis on equal rights and religious freedom, saying the principles must be implemented “in their true spirit.”

Non-Muslims accounted for about 14.2% of Pakistan’s population in the country’s first census in 1951. According to the 2023 Population and Housing Census, non-Muslims now constitute roughly 3.5% of the country’s population of about 247.5 million.

Pakistan’s religious minorities include Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Ahmadis, Baha’is, Zoroastrians, Buddhists, and followers of the Indigenous Kalash faith.

The event involves a prayer relay linking Hiroshima to Nagasaki, Rome, and New York.

The Diocese of Hiroshima offered a Mass for the victims of the bomb and all war dead at 8 a.m. Thursday local time at the World Peace Memorial Cathedral in the cityʼs Noboricho district, the hour the diocese gathers each year, minutes after the 1945 blast.

The vigil, organized with the Community of SantʼEgidio — the Rome-based lay movement known for its peace diplomacy — runs until exactly 11:02 a.m. on Sunday, the very minute the second atomic bomb struck Nagasaki, according to the diocese.

The Focolare Movement, parishioners, and volunteers are taking part. SantʼEgidio has kept the vigil annually since 2022.

The day, Aug. 6, is also the feast of the Transfiguration.

The Japanese prelate and the SantʼEgidio president, Marco Impagliazzo, issued a joint message to link the commemoration with the call for the common good as set out in Pope Leoʼs first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas.

In the message, Shirahama and Impagliazzo reflected on the American pontiffʼs words, calling the vigil a way to receive the peace of the risen Christ, “a disarming, humble, and persevering peace” — the phrase Leo used from the loggia of St. Peterʼs Basilica minutes after his election in May 2025.

Three chapels are open to the public for this event: the crypt of the cathedral in Hiroshima, the Chapel of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in New York, and the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere in Rome.

The prayer is livestreamed, and organizers are reading aloud intentions sent in from around the world.

An observance dating back to St. John Paul II

Thursday also marks the beginning of the annual “Ten Days for Peace” for Japanese Catholics, an event of prayer and penance running from the day of the Hiroshima bombing to the date of Japanʼs surrender on Aug. 15.

The bishops began the observance after Pope John Paul II came to Hiroshima in 1981 and issued his Appeal for Peace, telling the world that to remember the city is to repudiate nuclear war.

Pope Benedict XVI, in his 2006 World Day of Peace message, called reliance on nuclear arms “not only baneful but also completely fallacious,” warning that in a nuclear war there would be “no victors, only victims.”

Pope Leo, in a foreword published in July, called for the elimination of nuclear weapons outright.

The announcement was made by Pope Francis at the closing Mass of World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal. Catholics from South Korea in attendance responded with happiness and excitement to the news.

This is only the second time an Asian country has hosted a World Youth Day — the last being in Manila, Philippines, in 1995 — and the first hosted in a nation where Catholicism is a minority religion.

With the date quickly approaching, South Korea is already preparing for this historic event. Here’s what you need to know:

The venues

The specific venues for the many events taking place are still being finalized by the Vatican and the WYD Seoul 2027 local organizing committee (LOC), which is led by Archbishop Peter Soon-taick Chung, archbishop of the Archdiocese of Seoul, with Bishop Paul Kyung-Sang Lee serving as the general coordinator. Additionally, Bishop Job Yobi Koo helps the LOC as the episcopal coordinator.

The theme

The theme of WYD 2027 is taken from the Gospel of John 16:33: “Take Courage! I Have Overcome the World.”

The program

While the schedule is still being finalized, attendees can expect an opening Mass to be celebrated by the archbishop of Seoul, morning catechesis sessions led by bishops from around the world, a papal welcome ceremony, the Way of the Cross, a pilgrimage walk to the grounds where the closing Mass will take place, Eucharistic adoration, and a prayer vigil with Pope Leo XIV as well as the closing Mass celebrated by the Holy Father.

Additionally, the youth festival will include concerts, cultural performances, and other events for the young people in attendance. Attendees will also be able to visit reconciliation park and the vocations fair.

The patron saints

The five patron saints of WYD Seoul 2027 are St. John Paul II, founder of World Youth Day; St. Andrew Kim Taegon and his companion martyrs; St. Frances Xavier Cabrini; St. Josephine Bakhita, and St. Carlo Acutis.

St. John Paul II (1920–2005) is remembered for centering much of his pastoral teaching on young people, the family, and the defense of the dignity of human life. St. Andrew Kim Taegon (1821–1846), the first Korean Catholic priest, together with his companion martyrs, represents a powerful witness of faith and courage, sealed by martyrdom at a young age.

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850–1917) was a tireless missionary, known especially for her work on behalf of migrants and the poor. St. Josephine Bakhita (1869–1947), a former slave who became a religious sister, is a witness of hope, freedom, and faith transformed through suffering. St. Carlo Acutis (1991–2006), meanwhile, embodies the witness of holiness in the digital age and remains a model of evangelization for young people today.

The official theme song

The official theme song for WYD 2027 was released on Aug. 3. The song, “Confidite, Ego Vici Mundum” (“Take Courage! I Have Overcome the World,” in Latin), was the winning composition from 434 submissions and was written by Korean composer Francis Jiyoon Kim.

How many Catholics are in South Korea?

According to data released by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea in 2022, South Korea has approximately 6 million Catholics, which is just 11% of the total population.

A 2020 survey by a Korean research journal tracking recent religious demographic changes in the country found that now about 50% of South Koreans are nonreligious, while 32% are Protestant Christians and 16% are Buddhist.

Pray for WYD 2027

You can find the official prayer for WYD Seoul 2027 here.

In a July 30 press release, the local organizing committee announced the start of the event’s implementation phase, continuing preparations for services to welcome pilgrims.

Pope Leo XIV will also attend the global event, to be held Aug. 3–8, 2027. His attendance will continue the trend of a regular papal presence at WYD since St. John Paul II established it in 1985.

WYD 2027 will be the first WYD to be celebrated in a non-Christian country and only the second in Asia.

Theme song and tree-planting campaign to launch Aug. 3

On Aug. 3, the WYD 2027 countdown will begin, and its official theme song will premiere on its official YouTube channel. The song, “Confidite, Ego Vici Mundum” (“Take Courage! I Have Overcome the World,” in Latin), was the winning composition from 434 submissions and was written by Korean composer Francis Jiyoon Kim.

That same day, the Breath of Life Global Tree-Planting Campaign will launch, inspired by Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’. The campaign will encourage young people to practice ecological stewardship in line with the vision laid out in that encyclical.

The registration window for WYD 2027 will open in the latter half of 2026, offering pilgrims accommodation, meals, transportation, and insurance services. Volunteers will also be able to register at that time.

WYD 2027: A celebration of Korean hospitality

In the press release, Archbishop Peter Soon-taick Chung of Seoul, president of the local organizing committee, expressed hope that the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims expected in Seoul will experience the hospitality of the South Korean people.

“We will do everything possible to make WYD Seoul 2027 a celebration of hope and a witness to the hospitality and solidarity of Korea and Seoul,” Chung said in the release.

“Over the past three years, we have concentrated on laying the foundations for the event. The year ahead will be the time to complete our preparations and welcome young people from every part of the world.”

The 800-seat cathedral will rise on Barbadoes Street in central Christchurch, the site of the 1905 original that was demolished in 2020 after suffering irreparable damage in the earthquakes that struck the Canterbury region in 2010 and 2011, killing 185 people and damaging more than half of the diocese’s 68 churches.

Bishop Michael Gielen announced the launch in a pastoral letter read at Masses across the diocese on Sunday, July 26. The 11th bishop of Christchurch said today’s Catholic faithful carry the “responsibility” and “privilege” first shouldered by Bishop John Grimes, who built the original cathedral.

“Our Catholic communities have changed in the decades since Bishop Grimes led our diocese, but our desire for beauty, for welcome, and for honoring God has not,” Gielen said.

Following public consultation, Gielen announced in 2024 that the cathedral would return to the diocese’s traditional home on Barbadoes Street and retain its historic name, alongside a Māori name: Te Hāhi Matua o te Hākarameta Tapu Rawa. The design, developed over two years with architects Warren and Mahoney, also includes a perpetual adoration chapel and the Te Rangimarie community center, with space for 300 people.

“When I arrived in the diocese four years ago, one of the questions I was most often asked was, ‘What is happening with the cathedral?’ That question revealed something profound: the deep love our people have for their mother church,” Gielen said.

‘It’s now our turn’

Tony Brazier, who is leading the cathedral campaign, said about 45 million New Zealand dollars (about $26 million) will come from insurance proceeds and the sale of diocesan assets. Of the 35 million New Zealand dollars (about $20 million) to be raised, more than 19 million New Zealand dollars (about $11 million) has already been pledged.

“Bishop Michael is emulating what Bishop Grimes did — inviting every Catholic family to make a sacrificial offering to build our new cathedral,” Brazier said.

Gielen and many of the diocese’s priests have committed to making weekly contributions over the next five years. No construction date has been announced; the diocese says it will move toward final preparations once half of the remaining 16 million New Zealand dollars (about $9 million) has been raised.

“It’s now our turn to answer the ancient call to build something that will last for generations, and about which those who follow us will also say ‘Those people were generous, those people were courageous, they trusted in God,’” the bishop said.

Three stained-glass windows created in 1912 by the Zettler Studio of Munich for the original cathedral will take pride of place at the entrance of its successor.

Caritas Bangladesh is collaborating with local partners in dioceses affected by monsoon rains and flooding that swept the country in early July.

Caritas disaster relief efforts have been underway after the July 5–9 flooding, which has resulted in the deaths of at least 34 people in Bangladesh, according to a July 10 press release from the aid organization. “More than 241,000 people have been affected. Among them are more than 7,400 Rohingya refugees living in 25 camps severely affected by floods and landslides,” Caritas said.

The rainfall has impacted Bangladesh’s Chattogram Division, including the districts of Bandarban, Khagrachari, Rangamati, Cox’s Bazar, and Chattogram.

“Caritas Bangladesh has mobilized local staff and community volunteers, who went from door to door sharing early warning messages and helping families living in high-risk areas move to safety before the worst of the rains arrived,” the aid organization said.

“This latest disaster comes on top of a protracted humanitarian crisis,” the press release continued. “As humanitarian funding continues to decline, many Rohingya families face growing food insecurity, reduced access to essential services and fewer opportunities to rebuild their lives with dignity. The floods are a reminder that sustained international solidarity remains essential.”

Catholics in China distribute aid after flooding

The government-registered Catholic relief organization Jinde Charities has been acting on behalf of the Shanghai and Beijing dioceses to deliver humanitarian assistance in the wake of flash floods and tornadoes.

According to a July 18 press release on the organization’s website, Jinde Charities is collaborating with local partners and traveling to Shuangfeng Village, Sanli Town, Qintang District, Guigang City, Guangxi, to deliver food aid to disaster-affected villagers.

Jinde noted in an earlier release that as of July 13, about 827,000 people have been affected by the disaster in Guigang City. In addition to food aid, Jinde has distributed tools such as chainsaws, shovels, wheelbarrows, bamboo brooms, and other supplies. Fides News Agency, a Vatican news service, reported that many Catholic families in Guigang have been left without running water and electricity.

Bishop Christopher Saunders led the remote Diocese of Broome in Australia’s northwest from 1996 until his resignation in 2021. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges, which range from indecent assault to sexual penetration without consent, reported the West Australian newspaper.

The incidents allegedly took place between 2008 and 2017, while he was bishop. Saunders has consistently maintained his innocence.

In his opening address, state prosecutor Adam Ebell alleged that Saunders hosted parties for young aboriginal men at Church-owned properties across the Kimberley region, using what he described as a “seemingly endless supply of alcohol and cigarettes” purchased with Church funds, according to Australian court reporting by the ABC and WAtoday.

The court heard that the first complainant was 16 when he met Saunders and that the bishop allegedly groomed him with gifts before abusing him at properties including the bishop’s residence in Broome, a hotel in Kununurra, and the Kalumburu Mission until the young man turned 19. The three complainants are now in their early 30s.

Former diocesan employees are expected to testify, as is Bishop Michael Morrissey of Geraldton, who served as apostolic administrator of Broome after Saunders’ resignation.

Saunders stepped aside from governance of the diocese in 2020 after police opened an investigation.

A Vatican-ordered inquiry under Vos Estis Lux Mundi — the first in Australia — produced a 200-page report that was leaked in 2023 and handed to police, leading to his arrest in February 2024.

Saunders was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Broome in 1976. He was born in Melbourne. In 1989, he became the diocesan administrator and was consecrated as the bishop of Broome in 1996.

An anti-terrorism court in Faisalabad on July 13 sentenced Irfan Yousaf, a crane driver, to 10 years in prison for attacking the town’s Christian neighborhood after allegations of Quran desecration. He was among thousands of Muslims accused of participating in the riots that left 26 churches and more than 80 Christian homes vandalized.

News of the verdict was greeted with applause during a July 13 consultation jointly organized by the National Council of Churches in Pakistan (NCCP), the country’s main ecumenical body representing Protestant churches, and the nongovernmental Implementation Minority Rights Forum (IMRF).

Samuel Pyara, chairman of IMRF, who has filed petitions in the Supreme Court and regularly meets federal officials to press for speedy trials and compensation for victims, said the conviction was secured through digital forensic evidence.

“It followed forensic analysis of a video recorded by Wahida Mukhtar, a local Christian woman, showing Yousaf demolishing a church and an adjacent house with a crane. Government-certified experts authenticated the footage and testified before the court,” Pyara, the lead petitioner in the Supreme Courtʼs “suo motu” proceedings, told EWTN News.

Pyara said Christian witnesses faced sustained intimidation during the trial.

“One complainant, a brick kiln worker, was suddenly pressured by his employer to repay outstanding loans. A farmer’s ready-to-harvest radish crop was poisoned. Others were denied agricultural land by Muslim landlords, young Christians lost their jobs, and an internet cable provider saw his business collapse,” he said.

Participants at the consultation also gave a standing ovation to Mukhtar, 30, whose cellphone footage became crucial evidence.

Mukhtar said she fractured a bone in her left foot after being struck by a brick thrown by a rioter while filming the attacks with her family. The following month, her contract as an assistant subdistrict sports officer was not renewed, and she was forced to sell the equipment from her gym after Muslim members stopped using the facility.

“Christian witnesses who identified members of the mob, helped secure their arrests, and testified in court were pressured to sign compromise agreements. Fear could not deter us. This conviction is the result of our sacrifice,” she said.

A church official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the verdict as deeply symbolic.

“The crane was the election symbol of the now-banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan TLP, whose supporters were widely accused of leading the violence. Convicting the crane driver carries symbolic significance for many Christians,” he said.

TLP, a hard-line Islamist party, has built much of its support around defending Pakistan’s blasphemy laws and organizing mass protests over alleged blasphemy.

Human rights groups and Christian leaders have repeatedly accused the party’s supporters of fueling hostility toward religious minorities through inflammatory rhetoric, although the party has denied involvement in acts of mob violence.

Despite welcoming the conviction, Christian leaders said it should not obscure the broader failure to secure justice.

In a July 14 statement, the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) said that, since 2009, those accused of carrying out major mob attacks on Christians and Christian settlements have ultimately been acquitted.

The statement was issued jointly by Bishop Samson Shukardin of Hyderabad, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Pakistan and NCJP chairman; NCJP National Director Father Bernard Emmanuel; and NCJP Executive Director Naeem Yousaf Gill.

Sharon Shamir, a Lahore-based human rights advocate, cautioned against viewing the conviction as full justice.

“Calling this ‘justice served’ is premature. One conviction in a tragedy as massive as Jaranwala barely scratches the surface,” she said.

“Dozens of lives were shattered, homes and churches were destroyed, and an entire community was traumatized. Where are the rest of the perpetrators? Who is being held accountable for the systemic failures that allowed such violence to unfold? Selective accountability risks turning justice into symbolism rather than substance.”

She added that justice “is not a headline or a moment but a process. Until that process is complete, calling it ‘served’ is misleading.”

“The government order of June 12 [mandating Hindu prayers in schools at assemblies, meal breaks, and at closing] came as a shock to us,” Archbishop Victor Henry Thakur of Raipur, the state capital, told EWTN News on July 13.

“We were looking forward to the judiciary to uphold the fundamental rights of the religious minorities enshrined under the constitution. But the July 2 verdict of the High Court belies our hope, as it has dismissed the plea against the government order as ‘premature,’” Thakur said.

What the circular requires

The ruling came on a petition filed by former Chhattisgarh Waqf Board chairman Abdul Salam Rizvi and two others challenging the June 12 order. According to The Hindu, which cited a government official, the morning assembly would include the national anthem, national song, Deep Mantra, Saraswati Vandana, Guru Mantra, and excerpts from the biographies of great personalities.

During the midday meal, students would recite a food prayer, the Bhojan Mantra, while the closing session at the end of the school day would include the state song, the Gayatri Mantra, and the Shanti Mantra. The order also threatened punitive action “to ensure strict implementation of the order,” with officials inspecting schools to check for violations of the prescribed guidelines.

The court’s ruling

While dismissing the petition against the June 12 order as “premature,” the High Court said the plea was “based on mere apprehension rather than any actual grievance.”

The judge, Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad, said the petitioners could approach the court “afresh by way of an appropriate petition, supported by cogent and relevant material, if any exigency arises in the future.”

However, Thakur said: “In a secular democratic country, young children or their families should not be forced to wage legal battle against the system to uphold their fundamental rights.”

“We urge all concerned to ensure that the schools — temples of learning and harmony — are not reduced to communal battlefields of division and religious dominance,” reiterated Thakur, who heads the Catholic Church in Chhattisgarh, where Christians number less than 2% of the state’s 25 million people and the Catholic Church runs over 250 schools.

Article 30 of the Indian Constitution empowers all religious and linguistic minorities to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.

Protests and ‘deep disappointment’

The notification of the order drew protests from Christian and civil rights groups and opposition political parties, which dubbed it a Hindu nationalist “majoritarian show.”

Sushil Anand Shukla, spokesperson for the opposition Congress party, said: “Students of all faiths, castes, and communities study in government schools and making the recitation of specific religious mantras compulsory could hurt the sentiments of people belonging to other faiths.”

The Progressive Christian Alliance (PCA), in a statement on July 10, expressed “deep disappointment” with the High Court order: “The judgment fails to adequately protect the fundamental rights of students of religious minorities and other faith streams ... who now face daily pressure to participate in religious practices that are not their own.”

“The dismissal overlooks the real and immediate coercive atmosphere created by a government circular that uses the ... school setting where children have little agency to opt out without fear of stigma or exclusion,” said the Rev. Akhilesh Edgar, general secretary of the Evangelical Churches in India, in the statement issued on behalf of its educational wing, the Progressive Christian Alliance.

“We organized protests in several places including Raipur against this move to enforce Hindutva [Hindu nationalist] agenda,” said Pastor Simon Digbal Tandi, coordinator of the PCA.

“This court order has come even as we were preparing to move the court,” said Tandi, who heads the PCA’s Chhattisgarh chapter.

Tandi also said “the government is hypocritical and playing double talk.” While the government had told the court the order drew no objections, he said, it had already begun allotting 25,000 rupees (about $260) per village school to install sound systems to carry out the prayers.

A Catholic charity is one of the organizations helping survivors.

Caritas Bangladesh mobilized local staff and community volunteers, who went door to door sharing early warning messages and helping families in high-risk areas move to safety before the worst of the rains arrived.

“Our Emergency Response Program team in the Rohingya camps in Coxʼs Bazar is working in close coordination with the Camp-in-Charge offices to provide emergency shelter assistance, WASH support, and dignity kits to affected households, enabling them to meet their immediate needs,” said Apurbo Mrong, director of programs at Caritas Bangladesh.

The team is also maintaining close communication with government authorities and United Nations sector partners to assess emerging needs and identify gaps in services, Mrong said.

“Together with the support of Caritas Internationalis network members and other partners, we remain committed to standing alongside flood-affected people in both the Rohingya camps, the host communities, and other areas of Chattogram Division, ensuring timely and appropriate assistance reaches those who need it most,” he said.

How Caritas helps those in need

Caritas Bangladesh has worked in the camps for years, providing shelter, water and sanitation, child protection, and education. Between 2017 and 2024, its shelter and settlement program reached an average of 38,335 households a year through shelter assistance, repairs, tarpaulin distribution, and monsoon support, the charity said. It runs 12 learning centers and two youth and adolescent centers in the camps, teaching children under the Myanmar curriculum.

Rohingya have fled Myanmar for Bangladesh since the 1970s. In the 1990s, more than 250,000 sheltered in Coxʼs Bazar, though all but 20,000 were repatriated after a campaign that began in the early 2000s.

The influx resumed in 2015, and by 2017 an estimated 300,000 Rohingya were in Bangladesh. About 537,000 more fled across the border to Coxʼs Bazar in August 2017 as violence intensified in Myanmarʼs Rakhine state.

The United Nations called the 2017 campaign “a textbook example of ethnic cleansing,” a characterization Myanmar rejects and has contested at the International Court of Justice, where it faces a genocide case.

By December 2023, almost 1 million Rohingya were living in 33 camps in the Coxʼs Bazar district. Pope Francis met a group of them during his apostolic visit to Bangladesh in 2017.

The land the Bangladesh government provided to the migrants was once forested and hilly. Trees were cleared and settlements were built on the hills and foothills, and landslides now occur when heavy rains bring flooding.

“If we had stayed in our country [Myanmar], it wouldnʼt have been so difficult,” said Mohammad Kalam, a father of five. He said families are living in inhumane conditions unfit for human beings, and that while they receive food, the cramped living space is not habitable.

“We donʼt want to stay in this situation; we want to return to our own country with dignity,” he said.

The study — titled “Under the Bench: Mapping Corruption Risks in Pakistanʼs Justice System” — was released July 8 by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).

“Ethnic and religious minorities continue to face rampant discrimination in Pakistan — issues that are compounded by the fact that they also come from low-income communities,” the report states.

“Many of the victims in cases targeting Christians, for example, are sanitation workers or daily laborers, meaning that their resources to pay legal representation with necessary social and political connections or to pay bribes are very limited, if not absent, in effect widening the gap in access to justice.”

The report is based on 30 interviews conducted by FIDH and HRCP in February and March with lawyers, journalists, civil society activists, academics, and judges.

Several interviewees said anti-minority and anti-poor bias was evident in the language used by some judges in their rulings.

Bribes and stalled trials

Its findings echo those of a 2025 report by Human Rights Watch, which said blasphemy accusations were increasingly being used for financial gain, with some police officials allegedly demanding bribes from victims to avoid the registration of false first information reports.

The report also cited figures from the National Commission for Human Rights, a government human rights body, showing a sharp increase in blasphemy prosecutions. It said 767 people were detained on blasphemy charges as of July 25, 2024, compared with 213 in 2023, 64 in 2022, nine in 2021, and 11 in 2020.

Behram Francis, legal adviser for the Catholic bishops' National Commission for Justice and Peace, said the findings matched what he has seen on the ground.

“Police start dealing with families of blasphemy victims after an accusation is made and the case is publicized. Given the security risk, sensitivity, and public sentiment associated, the usual bribe rate in such cases starts from at least 50,000 rupees [$180],” Francis told EWTN News.

“Trials in lower courts can drag on for years, and the victim continues suffering in prison, as the accuser can easily get the next hearing postponed by paying 15,000 rupees to the court reader. Our lawyers usually encounter prejudice against Christians during trials.”

Concerns in the courtroom

Riaz Anjum, president of the Christian Lawyers Association of Pakistan, said procedural delays and intimidation inside courtrooms remained among the biggest obstacles to defending Christians accused of blasphemy.

“These cases are often not listed in the regular cause list, forcing us to file separate applications just to obtain a hearing,” Anjum told EWTN News.

“Muslim lawyers sometimes openly threaten us in front of judges and mobilize madrassa students outside courtrooms. The risk of external pressure and mob intimidation influencing judicial proceedings remains very high.”

Pakistan ranked 123rd out of 143 countries in the World Justice Projectʼs 2025 Rule of Law Index for absence of corruption, placing it second from the bottom in its regional rankings.

Memorials in Ranchi and Mumbai

Archbishop Vincent Aind of Ranchi led supporters in garlanding Swamy’s bust at “Bagaicha,” meaning “garden,” the Jesuit social action center Swamy founded near Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand.

After the floral tribute, Bagaicha director Jesuit Father P.M. Antony told EWTN News: “All of us proceeded to our program hall to discuss about the present socioeconomic and political situation in the country and the state of Jharkhand today.”

The commemoration featured a screening of “Carrying the Cross,” a roughly 100-minute documentary on Swamy’s life and work.

In Mumbai, where Swamy died, the anniversary was marked in the hall of St. Peter’s Church in Bandra, where his funeral was held in 2021. The Bombay Catholic Sabha, the lay wing of the archdiocese, organized the gathering with civil society groups, at which activists paid tribute to the priest, whom they praised as a fearless advocate for the oppressed tribal communities of Jharkhand.

“We are living in times when if you do anything to fulfill either the words or the spirit of the constitution you are likely to be the next martyr,” said senior advocate Mihir Desai, who led Swamy’s legal defense.

Desai repeatedly petitioned the Bombay High Court for the elderly Jesuit’s release on bail after he was brought to Mumbai following his October 2020 arrest at Bagaicha, in connection with the Elgar Parishad-Bhima Koregaon case, in which he was charged along with 15 others.

“If you speak with passion about equality, about nondiscrimination, about freedom of speech — all these are fundamental rights … If you speak about these things in the spirit in which they are incorporated in the constitution, you will be treated as an anti-national,” said Desai, who had worked with the Jesuit for three decades as a civil rights lawyer.

The Bhima Koregaon case

As the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, reported at the time of his arrest in October 2020, the priest, who championed the rights of oppressed tribal communities, was detained along with 15 other activists, academics, and lawyers on terrorism charges related to the “Bhima Koregaon conspiracy.”

The arrests, carried out on the grounds that the accused were allegedly linked to a banned Maoist organization, drew condemnation abroad, including a posthumous resolution honoring Swamy’s life and work in the U.S. Congress in July 2022.

Describing Swamy’s death as “institutional murder,” Desai said “why they wanted to arrest him was because they did not want any urban or rural voice … a dissenting voice of the marginalized to be heard” and alleged that documents had been planted on his computer by hackers, about which the priest had “no clue.”

In December 2022, Arsenal Consulting, a U.S.-based digital forensics firm engaged by Swamy’s lawyers, reported that “incriminating files” had been planted on his computer through a yearslong malware campaign — a finding his supporters said showed he had been framed. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has disputed the analysis, and the trial court declined to consider it.

“Father Stan is gone. But we want the court to declare him not guilty,” said Desai, who said he is preparing a fresh petition to that end after a judicial magistrate’s inquiry concluded that the priest had died of natural causes. “Compensation [must] be paid. Accountability has to be fixed and he has to be declared as innocent,” he said.

The NIA maintains its case, alleging that Swamy aided the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) through the civil society groups he worked with; the special NIA court repeatedly denied him bail, citing what it called “prima facie” evidence.

A judicial magistrate’s inquiry, mandatory in custodial deaths, ruled his death a “natural death” and found no wrongdoing, and in May 2025 the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission accepted those findings, concluding there was nothing “unnatural” in his death and no medical negligence.

In December 2025, the Bombay High Court disposed of a petition by Swamy’s family to clear his name but granted them liberty to file a fresh challenge to the magistrate’s report.

Speakers noted that all 15 surviving co-accused have since been granted bail, while Swamy did not live to see trial.

Teesta Setalvad, who heads Citizens for Justice and Peace, described Swamy as “a priest who jumped out beyond [clerical] culture and took up perverted cases [against the poor tribals] and worked for the release of prisoners, exposing fabricated cases.”

Activist Irfan Engineer read out a protest letter from Surendra Gadling — the last of the 16 accused still jailed, now over a separate case — who was staging a one-day hunger strike at Taloja Central Jail, where Swamy had also been held.

“Father Stan Swamy was a victim of institutional murder because he refused to surrender before those in power and chose to stand firmly for the rights of Adivasis [tribals], Dalits, and the marginalized and oppressed masses,” Gadling wrote. “He fearlessly raised his voice against injustice, repression, and attacks on democratic rights. This one-day hunger strike is to protest against the institutional repression that led to his death.”

Anand Teltumbde, a former professor at the Goa Institute of Management who was released on bail after 31 months in the case, told EWTN News: “July 5 has become a historic day for the country with 84-year-old Father Stan Swamy’s death in custody.”

Dolphy D’Souza, a Bombay Catholic Sabha spokesman, recalled: “During Father Stan Swamy’s funeral at peak COVID time, only 25 people were allowed inside the church here and many of us had to wait outside. Today we are all here to remember him.”

Across India, the anniversary drew commemorations in several cities, including New Delhi, along with a spontaneous wave of social media posts remembering the priest’s imprisonment and death in custody and pressing for his name to be cleared.

The faithful from St. Francis Xavier Parish in Gujranwala arrived in eight buses on July 4 at the archaeological site of Sirkap, where Christian tradition holds that St. Thomas preached at the court of King Gondophares before continuing his mission to India.

“The Gospel reached the far corners of the world through the companions of Christ, and that same mission has been entrusted to us,” Father Yousaf Yaqoob, the parish priest who celebrated the Mass, told the pilgrims.

He encouraged the faithful to visit Christian pilgrimage sites across Pakistan.

“The relics and even the air at pilgrimage sites are a source of blessing. In this digital age, people speak of the Gospel but have largely forgotten the great sacrifices and miracles behind it,” he said. “A nation that forgets its history is forgotten by history.”

After the Mass, pilgrims toured the Taxila Museum and the sacred sites at Sirkap, through which, according to Christian tradition, St. Thomas passed in the first century while proclaiming the Gospel in the Indo-Parthian kingdom ruled by King Gondophares.

Why Taxila draws Christian pilgrims

The Acts of Thomas, an early Syriac Christian text, recounts that the king gave the apostle money to build a royal palace. Instead, Thomas distributed the money among the poor. Enraged, the king ordered his execution. However, after the king’s brother, Gad, miraculously returned to life and described a heavenly palace built through the apostle’s charity, Gondophares pardoned Thomas and, according to tradition, embraced Christianity along with many of his subjects.

The Punjab Archaeology Department also preserves a local tradition that St. Thomas built a 3-foot-high stone throne at Sirkap and preached there for four decades. Two brick baptismal basins near the throne are still used for infant and adult baptisms.

According to archaeology officials, more than 25,000 visitors had visited the site by July 4.

The parish charged each pilgrim 1,700 Pakistani rupees (about $6), covering transportation, refreshments, and visits to Sirkap and Shahdara Valley, a popular tourist destination in the Margalla Hills near Islamabad.

Braving the summer heat

Sagar Rahat, the parish choir leader, joined fellow pilgrims in collecting small twigs and stones from around the stone throne.

“We keep them as souvenirs and blessings. Our hearts are filled with pride, passion, and honor simply by standing at a place visited by one of Christ’s apostles,” the 34-year-old told EWTN News.

Rahat, who has made the pilgrimage annually for the past decade, said the lack of basic facilities continues to trouble visitors. With the mercury climbing to 99 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius), the water in pilgrims’ bottles quickly turned warm under the blazing sun.

“There is no shade, so we have to bring umbrellas. There are no water coolers, and the water in our bottles becomes warm in the direct sunlight,” he said.

In a July 2 message marking the feast, Archbishop Joseph Arshad of Islamabad-Rawalpindi said St. Thomas’ witness continues to inspire Christians, especially young people and families, to remain courageous in bearing witness to Christ.

“The example of St. Thomas invites us to profess our faith courageously, remain committed to sincerity and sacrifice, continue proclaiming the good news, and persevere despite opposition and hardship,” the archbishop said.

Taxila, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its Buddhist and Gandharan ruins, also occupies a unique place in Christian tradition because of its association with St. Thomas and King Gondophares.

Although historians continue to debate the historical details of the apostle’s visit, the tradition remains an important part of South Asia’s Christian heritage.

In 1935, a farmer plowing a field near the ruins discovered a cross that was later presented to the Anglican bishop of Lahore. The relic, known as the Taxila Cross, is now preserved in the Cathedral Church of the Resurrection in Lahore, the Punjab capital.

Amir Peter, the younger brother of Capuchin Father Henry Paul, parish priest of St. Francis Church in Lahore, died July 1 after suffering severe medical complications while in judicial custody awaiting trial at Camp Jail in Lahore.

The father of three had been admitted to a hospital on the night of June 30 after his condition worsened.

Peter was arrested in July 2025 after a Muslim shopkeeper accused him of making derogatory remarks about the prophet Muhammad. He remained behind bars until his death, although his lawyers said medical experts had declared him mentally unfit to stand trial because of advanced dementia.

EWTN News contacted Peterʼs son, Tumaar Amir, who declined to comment.

More than 200 people attended Peterʼs funeral Mass on July 2, celebrated by Archbishop Khalid Rehmat of Lahore at St. Josephʼs Church.

“The whole Capuchin community and the Church are with Father Henry Paul and his family. We stand in solidarity with them,” said the newly appointed archbishop, who had returned to Lahore just a day earlier after receiving the pallium from Pope Leo XIV on June 29, the solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, at St. Peterʼs Basilica in Rome.

“We take pride in the fact that my brother didnʼt leave his Christian faith till the last moment,” Paul said.

According to Peterʼs legal team, his physical and mental health steadily deteriorated throughout his detention.

“He was falsely accused of blasphemy. We repeatedly highlighted his deteriorating physical and mental health and the urgent need for appropriate medical treatment. Regrettably, despite these efforts, he passed away before justice could be served,” Katherine Sapna, executive director of Christians' True Spirit, the legal aid organization representing Peter, told EWTN News.

“We mourn the loss of a man whose life was tragically cut short amid a flawed legal process. His serious medical condition was overlooked, and he was denied timely and adequate healthcare,” she said.

Sapna called on religious leaders, civil society organizations, and state institutions to work together to ensure that no one is deprived of dignity, due process, or essential medical care because of false accusations or social prejudice.

“The vulnerability of victims of the misused blasphemy laws is extreme. Mental illness offers no protection,” Samson Salamat, a Catholic and chairman of the Rwadari Tehreek (Movement for Religious Tolerance), told EWTN News after attending the funeral.

“The Punjab Institute of Mental Healthʼs medical board had already declared Peter unfit to stand trial. No one is safe from the misuse of these laws, not even a priestʼs brother. Instead of merely reacting to individual cases, Pakistan needs policy reforms. Otherwise, promises to protect religious minorities remain empty,” he said.

Concerns over the treatment of mentally ill prisoners

Human rights organizations have repeatedly expressed concern over the treatment of prisoners with mental illnesses in Pakistan.

In its World Report 2024, Human Rights Watch said that limited awareness of mental health contributes to the abuse and neglect of prisoners with psychosocial disabilities. The report also noted that Pakistani prisons face a severe shortage of mental health professionals and routinely fail to provide adequate psychological care.

Peterʼs death comes months after another prominent Christian blasphemy defendant died shortly after regaining his freedom.

In October 2025, Pastor Zafar Bhatti, founder of the Pakistan-based Jesus World Mission Church, died of cardiac arrest at his home in Rawalpindi three days after his release from prison, where he had spent 13 years facing blasphemy charges.

“We cannot remain silent while funds meant for the poor are being stolen. We cannot remain silent while the people’s treasury is being turned into the personal wealth of a few. We cannot remain silent while corruption continues to destroy the future of our children,” Bagaforo said at the White Ribbon March on Sunday, according to Licas News.

The chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ Commission on Interreligious Dialogue further condemned corruption as “a grave sin of theft and betrayal of the people.”

Bagaforo’s remarks come in the wake of a corruption scandal last year involving infrastructure projects worth an estimated $2 billion.

Catholic anti-trafficking leaders  meet in Thailand

The sixth international Talitha Kum Leadership Training Course conference drew 30 Catholic anti-trafficking leaders from 23 countries to the Sam Phran District in Thailand this past week.

During the seven-day conference, Talitha Kum Thailand delivered a presentation on education as a form of protection against human trafficking, according to a Licas News report on Monday.

Sister Marie-Agnes Suwanna Buasap, SPC, who was present at the first training course in Rome, announced a K–12 curriculum and textbook series called “Don’t Touch Me” aimed at raising vigilance among students and teachers to prevent trafficking cases.

“Preventing human trafficking begins in the classroom, from the heart of the teacher, and from the community of love and safety that the school provides,” said Archbishop Francis Xavier Vira Arpondratana, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand.

Australian bishops call on Catholics to pray for work on the sea

The Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference has called on Catholics to pray for mariners ahead of Sea Sunday on July 12.

“Sea Sunday is a time when we reflect on the lives and the work of all the seafarers of our world,” Father Tony Cox, SSC, the national director of Stella Maris Australia, said in a press release Wednesday. Cox described mariners as living on the margins of society, recalling how they were unable to set foot on dry land for over a year and a half during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, he said, they must face the war-torn Strait of Hormuz.

“One visiting seafarer said to me: ‘People do not see us and because of our invisibility they think we are not human. They do not see what we do and forget that we too have needs,’” Cox said.

Cambodia school takes name of Buddhist and Catholic leaders

A Buddhist primary school for monks in southern Cambodia has adopted the names of Buddhist and Catholic religious leaders in a display of unity between the faith communities.

The “Chomroen Olivier” school was inaugurated June 25 and combines the names of Venerable Nget Chomroeun, the Buddhist abbot of Ang Montrey Pagoda, and Bishop Olivier Schmitthaeusler, MEP, apostolic vicar of Phnom Penh, according to a report from Fides News Agency.

Schmitthaeusler hailed the school as "a beautiful, concrete, and living sign of collaboration between the pagoda and the Catholic Church.”

Maronite, Armenian Catholic leaders meet with Pope Leo

Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros Al-Rai and Armenian Catholic Patriarch Raphael Bedros XXI Minassian shared updates about the faithful in their respective countries with Pope Leo XIV during a meeting Tuesday.

Al-Rai told Leo a new phase of dialogue for peace began after the pope’s trip to Cedar, and they emphasized the need for continued dialogue and national unity at a fragile moment for Lebanon, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported.

Minassian and Leo discussed the witness of the Eastern Catholic Churches and the current state of the Armenian Catholic Church.

Irish government proposes abortion leave after removing reflection period

The Republic of Ireland’s government is considering proposals to provide paid leave for women who lose a baby before 23 weeks, including those who have an abortion.

The news comes after the Irish government voted to remove the three-day wait period for pregnant women considering an abortion of their unborn baby.

Eilís Mulroy of the Pro-life Campaign said that the government had its priorities in the wrong order. “After the way they voted recently to abolish the three-day reflection period prior to an abortion, senior members of government like Micheál Martin and Simon Harris are now, in effect, saying to women: ‘We recognize the grief and trauma you might experience after an abortion, so we believe youʼre entitled to five days' leave. However, we voted to abolish the three-day reflection period before an abortion despite the fact that it could potentially safeguard you from finding yourself in that awful situation in the first place,’” he said, adding: “The position these politicians are adopting makes absolutely no sense.”

Priest who developed video evangelization program named bishop of Arundel and Brighton

Father Stephen Wang has been appointed as the new Bishop of Arundel and Brighton, England, replacing Archbishop Richard Moth, who was recently appointed as the archbishop of Westminster.

Wang described the appointment as “a huge surprise,” adding: “I’m grateful to Pope Leo for calling me and putting his trust in me, and to Archbishop Moth for his care for the diocese over these years.”

The bishop-elect has spent the last five years as rector of the Venerable English College, one of two English and Welsh seminaries in Rome, training men for the priesthood.

Wang, whose appointment has been widely welcomed, is renowned for having developed “Sycamore,” a video-based Catholic evangelization program that explores the Catholic faith through short films and guided discussion. Designed to make the faith more accessible, “Sycamore” is now widely used by Catholic parishes, schools, and university chaplaincies across the world.

German bishops welcome apostolic nuncio from Kenya

Members of the German Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) have welcomed the former apostolic nuncio to Kenya, Archbishop Hubertus van Megen, pledging their collaboration in the Vatican diplomat’s new apostolic mission.

“We are delighted by your arrival in our country and wish you God’s abundant blessings for your new task,” GCBC Vice President Bishop Michael Gerber of the Diocese of Fulda said, according to a report from ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, on Tuesday.

Pope Leo XIV transferred van Megen, who served as the apostolic nuncio in Kenya for seven years, on April 9 to Germany after Archbishop Nikola Eterović resigned upon reaching the canonical age limit.

Christian Brothers Oceania Province said on June 22 it was proposing a plan to facilitate the “orderly distribution of [its] remaining property, funds, and other assets” to victims of abuse by congregation members.

The organization said its remaining property totaled around $216 million and that it would move to distribute that value to both abuse victims and the future care of its brothers in the province, which includes Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea.

A June 26 report by the Guardian, meanwhile, alleged that the group “has spent the last decade transferring large, multimillion-dollar property holdings for amounts of $1 to a separate Catholic church entity,” one that is “not part of the proposed sell-off scheme.”

The report alleges that the Edmund Rice Education Australia received the property deals from the brothers. The organization was “created in 2007 to assume control of schools previously associated with the Christian Brothers” including institutions in Sydney and Brisbane.

The Guardian did not publish the documents in full, though it did include excerpts of some documents in its report.

The newspaper alleged that the documents show “in New South Wales alone, the Christian Brothers transferred 26 separate properties to Edmund Rice Education Australia for amounts of $1 or $0 between 2013 and 2024.”

Those properties “are now worth well over” $50 million, the paper said, and include homes, schools, and vacant lands.

Neither the Christian Brothers group nor Edmund Rice Education Australia responded to requests for comment from EWTN News regarding the Guardian report. But the education group told the Guardian that it would “not be selling property to help the Christian Brothers” in its settlement, the paper said.

The group told the newspaper that it was established as a “separate legal entity” for stewarding the schools.

A spokesperson for the Christian Brothers group, meanwhile, told the Guardian that its “current advisers” were “not involved” in the establishment of either the education group or the property transfers.

The spokesperson said the property transfers would be subject to “scrutiny” amid the broader settlement efforts by Christian Brothers.

The Christian Brothers congregation was founded in 1802 by Edmund Ignatius Rice in Waterford, Ireland. It was formally recognized by the Holy See in 1820.

“It is very easy to complain and criticize. It is very easy to be a keyboard warrior on social media. It is very easy to say that there are many things wrong in society, in the family, in the Church, or in the world,” the cardinal said during a homily at Quiapo Church on June 24, according to local reports. “But only a few are willing to initiate change.”

New papal nuncio welcomed in Syria

At a Mass in Damascus, Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch Youssef Absi welcomed Syria’s new papal nuncio Archbishop Luigi Roberto Cona, with the leader describing papal diplomats as "messengers of justice, reconciliation, human dignity, hope, and care for the vulnerable,” ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported June 22.

In his own remarks, Cona emphasized Pope Leo XIV’s call for peace rooted in justice, love, dialogue, diplomacy, and forgiveness, warning that the desire for justice must not turn into revenge.

The nuncio went on to say that the country’s wounds must be healed "through mercy, forgiveness, and a renewed spirit of unity” and stressed that Syrians themselves hold the future of their nation in their hands.

Cona called on them to "see one another not as enemies but as partners and brothers.” He said the Holy See is ready to contribute to every effort that helps bring about "the birth of a new Syria, built on truth, practical solutions, equal dignity, and shared citizenship."

Scottish diocese warns monks against consecrating their own bishop

The Catholic Diocese of Aberdeen in Scotland has spoken out against plans by the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer to consecrate their superior general, Father Michael Mary, FSsR, without Pope Leo XIV’s approval.

“This ordination would be celebrated without a papal mandate, by a group of bishops who deny that Our Holy Father Pope Leo XIV is actually the pope,” Aberdeen Bishop Hugh Gilbert, OSB, said in a June 18 statement.

“Since this consecration is due to take place within the geographical boundaries of the Diocese of Aberdeen, I am obliged to make clear to the faithful of the diocese that any such episcopal ordination would be unlawful and a grave act of disobedience, separating those taking part from communion with the Catholic Church,” he said.

“No member of the faithful should attend. This action is not ‘for the good of the Catholic Church’ as is falsely claimed.”

Iraqi Christians pray novena for beatification of martyred priests

The Syriac Catholic Archdiocese of Mosul concluded its novena for the beatification of Father Yousif Zakaria and Father Behnam Mikho, who were martyred in 1915, on June 28.

Bishop Benedictos Younan Hanno of Mosul invited the faithful on June 19 to join in praying the novena. The nine days of prayer began during a solemn ceremony in Qaraqosh, Iraq’s largest Christian town, in which the bishop transferred the priests’ remains from the Dominican Sisters’ convent to the Great Tahira Cathedral, ACI MENA reported.

Preaching at the service, Hanno urged the faithful to “take an active part in these prayers,” renewing their fidelity to the faith, their attachment to the Church, and their gratitude for the witness of the two priests, who served the archdiocese with sincerity and remained steadfast in their Christian faith until martyrdom.

Myanmar religious sister sentenced to 8 months in jail

A military tribunal in Myanmar has sentenced a religious sister to eight months in jail after being detained while obtaining medicines for poor patients.

Sister Benedetta Nya Moe, a member of the Institute of Sisters of Reparation, was sentenced under Section 505(a) of the country’s penal code, according to a UCA News report on Friday.

Nya Moe has been transferred to Loikaw Prison, a large prison facility in the capital of Karenni state that is notorious for malnutrition among its detainees.

“From what we have learned, she crossed paths with a military column and was arrested while transporting a displaced patient to a hospital in Loikaw,” a local religious sister told UCA News.

Nya Moe was detained June 10 after soldiers searched her phones and found records of donations and news about the ongoing conflict, according to the report.

Quebec abuse victims reach $31 million settlement with archdiocese

The Archdiocese of Quebec in Canada, two seminaries, and an insurance agency will jointly pay victims of clergy sexual abuse $31 million.

The archdiocese, along with the Seminary of Quebec, the Collège François-de-Laval, and the Mutual Insurance of Quebec Factories, reached the agreement with representatives of 150 victims on June 18, according to a Catholic Register report on Tuesday.

Once the agreement gains final approval from the Superior Court on July 30, the archdiocese and its cosigners will have 45 days to send the full amount to the firm that represents the victims. Those who receive compensation will receive an apology letter by Auxiliary Bishop Jean Tailleur, who signed the agreement on behalf of the archdiocese.

Irish lawmakers vote to remove 3-day wait for abortion

Politicians in Ireland have voted in favor of removing the three-day mandatory wait for an abortion.

The 86-70 vote in the Dáil (Irish Parliament) on the bill from the opposition party Sinn Féin was carried having received the support of the Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) and Tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister), who both voted in favor of the measure.

A similar bill in May proposed by the Social Democrats was defeated by 85 votes to 30, with 36 abstentions. These bills are a free vote as abortion is considered a conscience issue.

The bill is now expected to go before the health committee for further scrutiny.

The Archdiocese of Delhi has broadened its youth coaching initiative to prepare students for Indiaʼs most competitive examinations, including the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) exam for government posts, the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) for university admissions, and the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination for elite civil service tracks such as the Indian Administrative Service and the Indian Foreign Service.

The program grew out of career-orientation and awareness sessions that the archdioceseʼs Commission for the Laity has run for young people since May 2022 at Yusuf Sadan, covering fields such as government service, the civil services, law and the judiciary, the private and creative sectors, the armed forces, and information technology.

In September 2024, as part of preparations for the 2025 Jubilee Year, the commission launched ‘Pehal – Ek Prayaas’ (‘Initiative – A New Effort’), a weekly coaching program for civil service aspirants; 15 students enrolled after an initial orientation.

In a circular signed June 10, Archbishop Anil J.T. Couto of Delhi said the program would guide and mentor candidates through a team of experts providing regular classes, supervision, doubt-clearing sessions, and assessments.

“The aspirants are welcome and encouraged to use the Diocesan Community Centre library for their regular study,” the archbishop wrote. “A space at Chetanalaya basement is also being created and prepared for classes and study purpose equipped with reference book.”

According to the circular, enrollment will be confirmed after an interview with each student, and candidates will pay a token fee of 1,000 rupees (about $11), covering “coaching and mentoring through classes reference books, study materials, regular assessment etc.”

Daisy Panna, secretary of the archdioceseʼs Commission for the Laity, told EWTN News that four students sat for this yearʼs preliminary examination, with others expected to appear next year.

“This year the Laity commission together with Justice & Peace Commission and Chetanalaya have decided to extend the support to youth preparing for SSC-CGL and CUET examinations also,” Panna said.

“In this regard an orientation has been planned on 14th of June 2026 at Yusuf Sadan for UPSC and SSC, and for CUET an orientation was undertaken on June 21, in the basement of the Church of Immaculate Conception.”

Coaching for the UPSC examination is set to begin July 1, while registration and classes for the SSC and CUET examinations will start in October and run for eight months and three months, respectively, the archdiocese said.

Among those enrolled is Simran A. Beck, 26, a biotechnology graduate who said she had long wanted to serve society, which drew her toward public service.

"I joined the coaching as preparing for such exams can be very challenging, overwhelming," Beck told EWTN News. "A proper guidance was needed, which was provided by Dr. Daisy Panna; she took the initiative of providing mentorship, mock test and feedback.”

“Since there are other students as well who are preparing for the same exam as I am, group discussions and guidance from other peers also came into effective use."

A student fresh out of school or college can feel lost when confronting the scale of the competition and the size of the syllabus, Beck said, which is why mentorship and feedback matter in helping aspirants build a road map to follow.

Preparing for the exams, she added, is on a different scale from school or college tests, with different patterns and answer-writing formats.

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story included passages drawn from a June 13, 2026, report by Indian Catholic News without attribution. The story has been revised to credit and link to that original reporting. (Updated July 3, 2026)

“This is totally unnecessary,” Father Mathew Koyickal, deputy secretary general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), told EWTN News June 26.

Koyickal was summing up the Church’s concerns, which were laid out at a June 24 news conference at the CBCI Centre in New Delhi, after the government imposed harsher rules to enforce the existing provisions of the FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act).

The new rules, issued on June 22, require action groups and charities that receive foreign funds to specify their activities by category and geographical area, disclose their social media accounts, websites, and publications, and pay a separate fee for each category and area in which they operate. Political content is barred, and the rules impose high penalties for each infringement.

Describing the rules as “alarming,” Koyickal said: “We feel at this moment, it was unnecessary because already there is a new amendment bill happening, and we have already shared our concern with regard to the proposed amendment.”

Koyickal declined to comment when EWTN News asked whether the government’s move was a “tit-for-tat” response to the pressure the Church has placed on the government through its June 28 nationwide call for prayers and protests.

“The proposed legislation (FCRA amendment) has generated concerns regarding its potential impact on the charitable, educational, healthcare, and social ministries undertaken by Churches and Christian institutions throughout the country,” said Cardinal Anthony Poola, CBCI president and Archbishop of Hyderabad, in his June 17 appeal.

Recalling the Church’s longstanding commitment to serving the poor, marginalized, and vulnerable sections of society, Poola emphasized that these ministries are a concrete expression of the Gospel values of love, justice, and compassion and “invited the faithful to unite in prayer for the nation, for public authorities, and for the continued freedom of the Church to carry out its mission of service.”

“A draconian law has been already proposed. So, we have been trying to appeal to the government. We hope that the government will come up with a law that could help the NGOs to work for the development of our country,” Koyickal told the news conference.

Though the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government had announced the harsher amendment to the FCRA and planned to pass it in Parliament on April 1, vociferous opposition inside Parliament and public opposition, including from Catholic Church leadership, forced the government to delay the bill to the monsoon session in July.

The new rules also drew opposition from outside the Church. KC Venugopal, general secretary of the opposition Congress party, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 25 urging their immediate withdrawal, saying they were “designed not to regulate, but to strangle” the country’s nongovernmental organizations.

The FCRA rules have been changed nine times since the BJP came to power in 2014. The government’s FCRA Online dashboard shows that fewer than 15,000 of about 52,000 FCRA accounts are active.

The 37,000 FCRA licenses that have been canceled or not renewed include those of church charities and Christian social action groups, along with those of secular advocacy networks, including international organizations such as Amnesty International, Bread for the World, Compassion International, and Greenpeace.

‘Total restriction of all sorts’

“These norms amount to emasculating the work of the Church,” said John Dayal, a Catholic journalist who was among the first to publicize the new FCRA rules.

“The fresh curbs,” Dayal said, “amounts to total restriction of all sorts and silences the right to speak out on issues of truth and justice.”

Church charities that receive foreign donations, Dayal said, will be “reduced to silent spectators in India: forced to pray behind closed walls, run schools and hospitals with their mouth shut to intervene or speak out on social concerns.”

The Archdiocese of Palo, which covers Tacloban City, said the June 22 attack at San Jose National High School left three students dead and at least 20 others wounded — a tragedy that the archdiocese said should prompt deeper reflection on the formation of young people and the values imparted to them.

In a statement issued after the attack, Palo Archbishop John Du expressed shock and sorrow over what has been described as one of the deadliest school shootings in recent Philippine history.

“The Archdiocese of Palo is greatly shocked and grieving on the horrific act of violence and the tragic loss of innocent lives during the school shooting incident that happened in San Jose National High School, Tacloban City,” the archbishop said.

“As we pray for the victims and mourn with their families and loved ones, our thoughts and prayers also go to all those who have in one way or another been affected by this tragedy — the school and community, the families of the students and the society which have nurtured our young people.”

Du said the tragedy should lead Filipinos to examine how children and young people are being formed by families, communities, and society.

“This tragedy challenges us all to reflect on how we (our nation, our families and communities) have raised our children and young people and on the values we have imparted to them,” he said.

“Let us unite and work together that this kind of tragedy will never happen again.”

The archbishop assured victims and their families of the Church’s continued prayers and support, invoking God’s healing mercy upon those affected by the violence.

A priest’s ministry of presence

Among the first Church leaders to visit the school after the shooting was Father Ivo Velazquez, parish priest of St. Roch the Healer Parish.

The priest said he first learned of the incident while attending the opening academic ceremonies of the archdiocese’s major seminary.

“I wasn’t there when the shooting happened. I was at the apertura del curso at the theologate. But out of distraction I happened to glance at Facebook during the long inaugural discourse and got to see what was happening,” Velazquez told EWTN News.

After lunch, he proceeded directly to the school.

“The atmosphere was oppressive,” he recalled. “My task was very simple — to check on the people. No grand theological messages. I checked on the security guard, and some of the teachers who were still there.”

The priest said his role was primarily to listen as teachers, school personnel, and survivors recounted their experiences.

“The most difficult for me was how to slowly approach the parents of the victims,” he said.

Yet he discovered that the simplest gesture often opened the door to consolation.

“But the best way — as I got to learn — was the simplest: to ask for the name of their child. And then I just simply listened as the tears rolled down my cheeks.”

“I realized that I have never left school,” he added. “I continue to learn what it means to shepherd.”

In a reflection posted on social media after spending the day with victims and their families, Velazquez described the emotional toll of ministering in the aftermath of the tragedy.

“Today was a heavy day,” he wrote.

“That it was supposed to be like any Monday seems to make it even heavier to bear.”

The priest recounted meeting parents who had lost children in the attack and listening to survivors struggling to process what they had witnessed.

“To be at a loss as to what to say and what to do in the presence of those who had lost a child in the most nightmarish way possible,” he wrote.

Velazquez particularly remembered a grieving mother who asked him to pray for her daughter and for her husband. Another mother shared how her son had reportedly helped shield others from danger.

As he walked through classrooms where violence had erupted only hours earlier, Velazquez prayed for healing.

“Upon the spilled blood still on the floor I implored the application of the spotless blood of the Lamb to cleanse and heal all those lives that had been affected,” he said.

“Lord, in our burdens lift us up. In our sadness console us, our wounds do heal, and use our hands to uplift, to bless, and restore.”

Catholic educators call for deeper reforms

The tragedy also prompted a response from the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP), which expressed “profound alarm and deep sorrow” over the shooting and a recent stabbing incident at another school.

“These tragic events, which claimed lives and inflicted serious injuries, mark a harrowing escalation from bullying and peer conflicts to outright killings,” CEAP said.

“Schools, meant to be sanctuaries of learning, growth, and formation, are now turning into places of fear and violence.”

The association called on government agencies, educational institutions, and families to pursue “urgent, holistic reform that prioritizes integral human development over purely technical goals.”

Investigation continues

Police have taken into custody two students, aged 14 and 15, who allegedly carried out the attack. Authorities said the suspects used a pistol and a .38-caliber revolver, both of which had been traced to their registered owners.

Investigators are examining reports that the suspects had experienced prolonged bullying and are also probing possible influences from violent online content and gaming platforms.

Philippine authorities have since ordered the temporary blocking of an online game being reviewed as part of the investigation.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered a comprehensive investigation and directed government agencies to strengthen security measures in schools nationwide. Meanwhile, the Department of Education has pledged medical, psychological, and psychosocial support for students, teachers, and families affected by the tragedy.

As Tacloban continues to grieve, Church leaders have urged the faithful to pray for healing and reconciliation.

“May we find strength in faith, compassion in our hearts, and hope in God who remains close to the brokenhearted,” the San Jose Parish, Tacloban City, posted in the aftermath of the shooting.

Bishop Jose Elmer Mangalinao of Bayombong welcomed the June 24 ruling, which dismissed a complaint linked to barricades established by residents in Kasibu town against exploration activities by North Luzon Mineral Resources Corporation (NLMRC).

“This outcome is not only a legal victory. It is a victory for truth, justice, and the collective efforts of communities who courageously stand to protect our land, water, and future generations,” Mangalinao said in a statement.

The complaint named Mangalinao, Father Christian Dumangeng, and several community leaders allegedly involved in maintaining the barricades. The case drew national attention after a Catholic bishop and priest were included among the defendants.

The dispute stems from opposition to a 4,456-hectare (11,011 acres) mining exploration project being undertaken by NLMRC in several villages in Kasibu, a municipality in Nueva Vizcaya, a mountainous province on the island of Luzon north of Manila.

Residents, church groups, and some Indigenous leaders have raised concerns about the project’s potential effects on watersheds, local livelihoods, and nearby communities.

Residents established barricades in May to block the movement of fuel, equipment, and mineral samples linked to NLMRC’s exploration activities, according to community groups.

The complaint was filed by Rosario Camma, who identified himself as the overall chieftain of the Bugkalot-Ilongot Indigenous Cultural Communities. Some members of the Bugkalot-Ilongot Indigenous communities have joined opposition to the project, citing concerns about its possible effects on their communities and surrounding resources.

In a nine-page decision obtained by EWTN News, the local court said the plaintiff failed to establish a clear legal right warranting injunctive relief and ruled that it lacked jurisdiction over the action. The court found that the relief sought was more consistent with an injunction case than a forcible entry action.

The decision also cited a certification from the Philippine government’s Indigenous affairs agency stating that the exploration permit area falls outside officially recognized ancestral domain lands. Opponents of the project, however, have argued that the controversy extends beyond ancestral domain claims and includes concerns over environmental impacts and consultation requirements.

The court further held that the complaint sought to stop activities related to the barricades rather than recover possession of property, a key element in forcible entry cases.

Mangalinao has defended his involvement in the issue, saying his presence at the barricades was part of his pastoral responsibility. Earlier this week, he said he visited the communities to celebrate Mass and accompany residents concerned about the future of their land and water sources.

“I went as their bishop to offer the Holy Mass, to pray with them, and to remind them that their concern for the land, the water, and their children’s future is one the Church shares and blesses,” he said.

In his homily on June 21, the prelate said the dispute is an issue of environmental stewardship and concern for communities affected by development projects.

“I could have chosen not to speak up, but if I do not speak up, my sin would be great before God,” he said.

The bishop said the ruling would strengthen continuing efforts to defend the environment and communities affected by extractive projects.

“Let this moment remind us that defending our watersheds, our environment, and our people’s livelihood is not a crime: it is a shared moral responsibility,” he said.

“We believe, as the Church has always taught, that the earth is not ours to exhaust but ours to steward,” he added.

Christian Brothers Oceania Province said on June 22 it was proposing a plan to facilitate the “orderly distribution of our remaining property, funds and other assets” to victims of abuse by congregation members.

The organization said in a press release that “some members” of the congregation had caused “enormous harm through their criminal sexual abuse of children.”

The group said it is facing a “pivotal moment” in which a “very difficult financial position” led it to propose the distribution scheme. Either through that scheme or through “liquidation,” the group said its Oceania province would “inevitably come to an end.”

The congregation has multiple chapters on every continent except Antartica and has faced numerous sexual abuse allegations elsewhere. The Oceania province includes congregations in Australia, New Zealand, and Papa New Guinea.

The organization said that over roughly the past 45 years it has already made payments to abuse victims “in excess of $480 million.” Yet in the past decade the number of claims against the organization has “accelerated,” leading the group to propose the distribution scheme.

If the proposal does not receive court approval, the congregation said, then it will “have no option but to enter liquidation.”

“In both cases,” the group said, the Oceania province will “cease to exist.”

The organization’s press release noted that it is “financially and canonically distinct” from the “broader Catholic Church,” meaning it has “no ability to compel other Catholic institutions” to help with the financial payout.

The province’s assets include approximately 36 properties throughout Australia with a total value of about $216 million, the group said.

The proposed distribution scheme would also account for the future care of the remaining brothers in the province, the congregation said. A total of 176 brothers are still living throughout the province with an average age of 80 years.

The interests of the abuse victims “remain our highest priority,” the congregation said.

The congregation first established a presence in Australia 183 years ago, in 1843, the group said, and while it argued that there is “much to be proud of” in its work, its history of sex abuse is “shameful and painful.”

“It is a truth we do not resile from, and it is this which has brought us to this point today,” the group said.

The Congregation of Christian Brothers was founded in 1802 by Edmund Ignatius Rice in Waterford, Ireland. It was formally recognized by the Holy See in 1820.

Bishop Olivier Schmitthaeusler, apostolic vicar of Phnom Penh, received the title “Akka Mahāupāsakabuddhasāsanūpatthambhakr,” roughly translated as “Elder Great Lay Supporter and Upholder of the Buddha’s Dispensation,” during a ceremony on June 13, 2026, at Wat Botum Vatey in the Cambodian capital.

The title was conferred by Supreme Patriarch Nun Nget of Cambodia’s Mohanikaya Buddhist order and presented at a ceremony presided over by Venerable Khim Sorn, the order’s third deputy supreme patriarch.

The honor builds on a distinction Schmitthaeusler received in 2022, when Cambodia’s Buddhist leadership named him a “Maha Upasaka,” recognizing his support for Buddhist communities and his role in promoting dialogue and cooperation between Cambodia’s Buddhist majority and its small Catholic minority.

At the time, Buddhist leaders cited joint development projects, educational initiatives, and efforts to strengthen social cohesion. The new title represents a higher level of recognition from the country’s Buddhist establishment.

Speaking at the ceremony, Khim Sorn pointed to Cambodia’s constitutional framework, which recognizes Buddhism as the state religion while protecting religious freedom.

He said the Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia clearly stipulates that Buddhism is the state religion, but “it also guarantees complete freedom of religious belief without coercion” and promotes religious harmony, peaceful coexistence, and mutual respect among the different religions.

Buddhist leaders said the recognition reflected Schmitthaeusler’s long involvement in educational, humanitarian, and community-development initiatives carried out in cooperation with Buddhist institutions.

For Schmitthaeusler, the award marked another chapter in a relationship that began more than two decades ago. “This is a profoundly meaningful event for me as a Catholic bishop,” he said.

The French-born missionary of the Paris Foreign Missions Society traced that relationship to his years as a parish priest in Takeo province, where Catholics and Buddhists worked together on local development projects.

Among them was the construction of a road linking a Catholic community and a nearby pagoda, an initiative he said helped lay the groundwork for deeper cooperation.

Over the years, that collaboration expanded into education and social services. Schmitthaeusler noted that he supported the establishment of a primary school at Wat Ang Montrey, where students study Pali, Sanskrit, and other academic subjects.

The prelate also highlighted joint humanitarian efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic and assistance provided to displaced families during recent tensions along the Cambodia-Thailand border.

“Receiving the status of Akka Mahāupāsakabuddhasāsanūpatthambhakr today is a moment of profound recognition of how the Catholic Church and Buddhism walk hand-in-hand for the common good of our people and our country,” he said.

Schmitthaeusler also cited recent dialogue initiatives involving Buddhist and Christian leaders from Cambodia and across Asia focused on peacebuilding and reconciliation.

“We know that when Cambodia is full of peace, it radiates a positive influence to the rest of the world,” he said. “This is a powerful signal: when religions journey together, the world will witness true peace,” he added.

A small Church rebuilt after the Khmer Rouge

Theravada Buddhism is practiced by the vast majority of Cambodia’s roughly 18 million people. The Catholic Church numbers about 20,000 faithful across one apostolic vicariate and two apostolic prefectures.

The Catholic Church was nearly wiped out during the Khmer Rouge era, when religious communities were persecuted and most church buildings were destroyed.

Since public religious life resumed in the early 1990s, the Catholic Church has gradually rebuilt through education, health care, social services, and pastoral ministry, becoming a small but visible presence in Cambodian society.

A sessions court in Lahore, the capital of Punjab province, on June 22 cleared 49-year-old Nadeem Masih, who is blind by birth, of charges under Section 295-C of Pakistan’s blasphemy law, which criminalizes insults against the Prophet Muhammad.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Saad Salman Khan dismissed the case after finding insufficient evidence to support the prosecution’s allegations.

Masih had been in custody since August 2025. His family alleges the accusation stemmed from a dispute with contractors at Nawaz Sharif Park, where he earned a living operating a weighing scale for visitors. The family said the contractors harassed him and demanded money.

Fearing reprisals, relatives have since moved to a shelter and were unavailable for comment.

Defense attorney Javed Sahotra said the prosecution’s own evidence undermined its case.

“The police report stated they received information about the alleged blasphemy at 11 p.m., although the park closes at 9 p.m. Two prosecution witnesses also gave statements that raised serious questions about the allegations,” he told EWTN News.

Sahotra said imprisonment had been especially difficult for Masih because of his disability.

“He spent 10 distressing months in prison. Simple daily tasks such as using the toilet and obtaining food were major challenges,” the lawyer said.

“The case demonstrates how vulnerable people can become entangled in serious criminal accusations. Even a poor blind man was not spared.”

Blasphemy remains one of Pakistan’s most sensitive issues and has frequently triggered mob violence against religious minorities, including attacks on homes and places of worship.

According to the annual report of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, 812 people were imprisoned on blasphemy-related charges in Punjab during 2025, including 796 men, 15 women, and one juvenile.

Christian advocacy groups say eight Christians, including two women, were acquitted or granted bail in blasphemy cases during the first half of 2025, all in Punjab province.

Over the past five years, Christian Solidarity International (CSI) has helped secure the acquittal of 15 people accused of blasphemy — 10 Christians and five Muslims, including three women.

Anjum James Paul, a CSI partner who helped coordinate legal and financial support for Masih’s family, attributed many acquittals to careful legal preparation.

“We maintain a low profile during such trials because of the sensitivity of these cases,” Paul said.

“One of the lawyers representing Masih is a Hafiz-e-Quran [a person who has memorized the entire Quran]. Having Muslim lawyers on defense teams can help reduce pressure because some district bar associations discourage lawyers from taking blasphemy cases.”

Paul also called for authorities to implement court directives requiring the involvement of qualified religious scholars and senior police officers in preliminary blasphemy investigations.

A support group formed by families affected by alleged false blasphemy accusations welcomed the verdict in a social media statement issued hours after the ruling.

The Voice of the Victims of Blasphemy Business Group described the acquittal as a rare example of a lower court dismissing a blasphemy case and expressed hope that courts were becoming less vulnerable to public pressure in such cases.

The group alleged that Masih had been falsely accused following a dispute with park management and said the verdict offered encouragement to other families fighting blasphemy allegations.

“Our biggest challenge now is funding,” said Liton Luis Gomes, project director of Caritas Bangladeshʼs Emergency Response Program.

“We only received 60% of the funds we planned for this fiscal year; we didnʼt get the remaining 40%,” Gomes told EWTN News by phone. “Thatʼs why we had to reduce the quantity while maintaining the quality of our services.”

The cuts have fallen hardest on shelter and hygiene work. “If we used to be able to repair 500 houses, now it has decreased by 50%. If someone asks for a hygiene kit like soap, we canʼt give it urgently,” Gomes said.

A shrinking budget

The decline in donor support has been steep. Caritas Bangladesh reported receiving about 916 million taka ($7.4 million) for its Rohingya response in 2017–18. Support fell to about 468 million taka ($3.8 million) in 2020 and about 417 million taka ($3.4 million) in 2024. It rose to about 531 million taka ($4.3 million) in 2025 before falling again to about 427 million taka ($3.5 million) so far in 2026, the agency said.

Even so, Gomes said, the charity is maintaining the services that do not require money. “We are doing things like training volunteers for the crisis period, raising awareness about disaster relief,” he said.

Caritas Bangladesh has worked in the camps since the 2017 exodus, providing shelter, water and sanitation, child protection, and education. Between 2017 and 2024, its shelter and settlement program reached an average of 38,335 households a year, the charity said, through transitional shelter assistance, repairs, tarpaulin distribution, and monsoon support. It runs 12 learning centers and two youth and adolescent centers in the camps, teaching children under the Myanmar curriculum.

Lives in the camps

The charityʼs work is felt in individual lives. Mohammad Arshad, 23, who lives in Camp 19, has volunteered in the shelter program of Caritas Bangladeshʼs Emergency Response Program since 2018. He had studied up to class nine in Myanmar and helped his father run a grocery shop before the family was forced to flee. With no stable income and eight people to support, including his aging parents, his wife, his young son, and two younger siblings, he had lain awake wondering how he would provide.

“The job was more than just a source of income; it gave me a sense of purpose. I learned how to organize workers, coordinate with engineers, and develop technical skills,” Arshad told EWTN News.

“This opportunity had not only helped me; it supports my family but also [has] given me hope for a better future. As I watched my son sleep peacefully at night, [I] whispered silent thanks, to Caritas Bangladesh, to the people who had trusted me, to the strength that kept me going,” Arshad added.

Momtaz Begum, a vulnerable woman who received income-generating support through Caritas, described a similar turnaround.

“My husbandʼs addiction left us in debt, and after he abandoned us, I struggled to provide for my family by raising poultry and growing vegetables. The COVID-19 pandemic made things worse, leaving us without food or income. When our home was destroyed in the rain, I moved to my fatherʼs house, where I faced mistreatment from relatives,” she told EWTN News.

On Jan. 18, 2022, Begum received 25,000 taka (about $200) from Caritas Bangladesh to start an income-generating activity. She used the money to expand her cloth business.

“Earlier, I had to share profits with a shopkeeper, but now I buy cloth independently and keep all the profit. This has increased my daily earnings to 400-500 taka [about $3 to $4], allowing me to save … money,” Begum told EWTN News.

A stateless people

Rohingya refugees have fled Myanmar for Bangladesh since the 1970s. In the 1990s, more than 250,000 sheltered in Coxʼs Bazar, though all but 20,000 were repatriated after a campaign that began in the early 2000s.

The influx resumed in 2015, and by 2017 an estimated 300,000 Rohingya were in Bangladesh. About 537,000 more fled across the border to Coxʼs Bazar in August 2017 as violence intensified in Myanmarʼs Rakhine state, prompting the United Nations to call the situation “a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.”

By December 2023, 971,904 Rohingya were living in 33 camps in the Coxʼs Bazar district. Pope Francis met a group of Rohingya refugees during his apostolic visit to Bangladesh in 2017.

Looking ahead, Caritas Bangladesh said it aims to build stronger links between the refugees it assists and local businesses, and to deepen cooperation with government and aid agencies, even within a tighter budget.

“We thank God for this [court] verdict. We are happy as our prayers have been heard,” Sister Concettina, MC secretary-general, told EWTN News June 19 from the motherhouse in Kolkata.

“Finally, [the] eight long years’ ordeal has come to an end,” Archbishop Vincent Aind of Ranchi and head of the Catholic Church in Jharkhand told EWTN News, reacting to the June 18 verdict of the Ranchi district court.

On July 4, 2018, 62-year-old MC Sister Concilia and two aides from the MC home for unwed mothers at Jail Road in Ranchi were arrested on the allegation by Rupa Verma, the chairwoman of the Child Welfare Committee for the Ranchi district, that the home had sold a 14-day-old infant boy to a couple.

The sensational news of “child trafficking” against the Missionaries of Charity, the congregation founded by Mother Teresa, made worldwide headlines.

A flurry of criticism followed after the federal Ministry for Women and Child Welfare under the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government tried to malign the MC congregation by even ordering inspection of all MC homes across the country, as detailed in a report from the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News.

On July 11, The Republic, a major news channel known for publicizing BJP perspectives, alleged that the number of babies missing from the Missionaries of Charity home was as many as 280 and branded the congregation as a “multimillion corporation.” However, three days later, the channel abandoned its hyperbolic earlier allegation and reported instead about “three babies sold.”

Even the Supreme Court of India denied bail to the accused nun, who was released after 14 months on bail from the Jharkhand High Court.

“We are happy that the judiciary has thrown out the concocted case,” Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas, who was then secretary-general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, told EWTN News.

“The whole allegation was part of a conspiracy to tarnish the image of the Church and has to be seen in the background of the political atmosphere in Jharkhand [under BJP rule] at the time with concerted attempts to discredit the Church. Church institutions were having visits of investigation teams in late evenings,” Mascarenhas said.

Following this case, he said, 22 children — from infants to those below five years — who were under nutritional care at the nearby MC home at Hinoo were taken away by the government, and two of the children died.

“I met the [federal] home minister to communicate the ridicule, humiliation, and distress the Missionaries of Charity congregation faced and the pain of the Church in India over the wild allegation,” said Mascarenhas, now bishop of Daltonganj in Jharkhand.

“I cannot forget the face of the tearful Sister Concilia when I met her in jail when she told me ‘I am hungry for [the] Eucharist,’” he added.

Meanwhile, Church sources in Ranchi told EWTN News that the news of the court’s rejection of the “child trafficking” charge against the MCs has been virtually blacked out in the Jharkhand media, let alone the entire national media.

On June 14, given the floor in the National Parliament during the budget session, Minj first thanked Almighty God. “Today I am representing the ethnic minority groups of the plain land of Bangladesh in this Parliament,” she said.

Welcoming the proposed budget, she said: “This budget is a people-oriented and inclusive budget.”

“I would like to specifically mention that the budget has increased the special allocation for ethnic minority groups in the prime ministerʼs office,” Minj said. “Similarly, the allocation for ethnic minority groups in the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock has been increased in this budget. In the National Parliament I highly appreciate and I firmly believe that these two projects will play a special role in the development of the ethnic groups of the plain land.”

At the same time, she drew attention to several concerns, noting that development allocations had been increased across various ministries. Those allocations, she said, should reach the marginalized and those who are truly in need among ethnic minority groups so they can genuinely develop.

“We all know that the socioeconomic condition of the people of the ethnic groups of the plain land is very fragile. Ninety percent of them are daily wage laborers; many times they sell their agricultural labor in advance. In that case, we ask everyone to involve them in various developmental activities such as education, technical education, and provide them with work opportunities,” Minj told Parliament.

Praise from deputy speaker

After her speech, Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal thanked Minj and acknowledged that the countryʼs Indigenous people have remained disadvantaged.

“When martyred President Ziaur Rahman formed the BDR [Bangladesh Rifles], many Indigenous people were involved, many were involved in primary education, but their participation has decreased with the passage of time,” he said. “Thank you very much for addressing this issue.”

Mixed reaction in the Church

Holy Cross Father Liton Hubert Gomes, secretary of the Integral Human Development Commission of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Bangladesh, welcomed Minjʼs speech. He told EWTN News that her statement on Indigenous rights was sound and that the increased government allocation was a positive step, but he said other problems still needed to be addressed.

“She has created a mixed reaction among the Indigenous people because she didnʼt address them as Indigenous but as a small ethnic group. Again, she is not only an MP [member of Parliament] for the Indigenous people, she is also an MP for the Christian community,” Gomes said.

The voices of both Indigenous people and Christians should be heard in Parliament, the priest said, because Catholics and other Christians contribute heavily to the country, especially in education, health, and social development, yet that contribution is not recognized by the state.

Gomes said he was hopeful, adding: “Anna Minj will work for our society and work to achieve the rights of Indigenous people and will highlight the contribution of Christians to the nation so that others can use our good teachings for the development of the nation.”

A historic first

Minj is a leader from the Oraon Indigenous community and has served for over three decades in leadership roles at BRAC International, an entrepreneurial and solutions-focused nonprofit development organization.

Of the 350 seats in Bangladeshʼs National Parliament, 300 are filled by direct election, which was held on Feb. 12, and 50 are reserved for women. Minj was elected to one of those reserved womenʼs seats as a nominee of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which formed the government.

In Muslim-majority Bangladesh, only 1% of the 180 million people belong to various ethnic minorities, while 99% are ethnic Bengalis.

The Punjab Board of Revenue seized Ewing Hall, a British-era building constructed in 1916 and long associated with Forman Christian College University (FCCU), prompting widespread condemnation from alumni, church leaders, and minority rights advocates.

Jonathan Addleton, rector of FCCU, described the action as a “forcible takeover” in a video statement posted on the universityʼs Facebook page on June 12.

Standing with staff members outside the locked gates of the hostel in Lahoreʼs historic Anarkali Bazaar, Addleton said Ewing Hall had been part of the Forman campus for more than a century.

“The initial lease was signed in 1915 and subsequently renewed multiple times, most recently to extend it well into the 2040s,” he said, adding that university officials were given only 24 hours by telephone to remove movable property, including generators, furniture, and historical artifacts, a task he called impossible.

Addleton urged the government to return the property and called for consultations with stakeholders, including Pakistanʼs minority communities, “for whom Forman means so much.”

The video attracted more than 233,000 views within days.

The government, however, offered a sharply different account.

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari, speaking to Dawn on June 14, said the lease for Ewing Hall had expired and had not been renewed for several years.

She said the property was reclaimed as part of the Lahore Heritage Area Revival Project, which aims to restore historic buildings in the provincial capital, and alleged that the lessee had failed to clear outstanding lease payments dating back to 1975.

Documents shared by the government show alleged outstanding lease liabilities totaling 107.79 million rupees (about $387,000): 29.19 million rupees (about $105,000) accrued between 1975 and 2018, and a further 78.59 million rupees (about $282,000) calculated for the period from 2018 to 2026.

The records also contend that the land was leased exclusively for educational purposes but had not been used as such since 2015.

Reuben Qamar, a pastor at the Presbyterian Church on the FCCU campus, said the college had refused to pay the lease during three decades of nationalization when the building was under government possession.

“We were in the midst of negotiations with the officials to reduce the lease amount when the takeover took place,” he told EWTN News.

Qamar remained doubtful about the propertyʼs return.

“Basically, it is a property dispute. The building was still being used for educational purposes. We are not sure whether it will be handed back to us,” he said.

He noted the 6,070-square-meter site had been vacated in 2018 after cracks appeared in the structure and the COVID-19 pandemic that followed. A professional firm had only recently completed a safety assessment.

Founded in 1864 by American Presbyterian missionaries, FCCU is Pakistanʼs only church-run chartered university. It was nationalized in 1972 under former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto before being returned to Presbyterian Church management in 2003.

Qamar warned the seizure sent a troubling message to minority institutions across the country.

“The governmentʼs priority appears to be monetary interests rather than education, despite Formanʼs role in producing generations of national leaders,” he said, adding that the move reeked of bad intention.

Nasir William, convener of Minority Forum Pakistan, called the seizure a violation of minority rights and demanded a transparent and impartial investigation.

“Such actions not only violate constitutional and legal principles but are deeply concerning for the protection, dignity, and equal citizenship of minorities in Pakistan,” he said.

The case has renewed attention on the broader issue of nationalized church properties.

According to the Lahore-based Centre for Social Justice, 118 church-owned educational institutions remained under provincial government control as of June 2020.

William noted that despite past discussions about returning some of those properties, including Rang Mahal School, described as the first English-medium institution in northern India, “nothing materialized.”

The independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan also weighed in on June 13, describing Ewing Hall as a building of “historical, educational, and cultural significance.”

It warned that the reported eviction deadline raised “serious questions about transparency, due process, and the stewardship of shared heritage,” and urged authorities to protect the buildingʼs physical integrity.

Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan, spiritual director of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Philippine Pilgrimage, led the reception and blessing of the pilgrim image at Malacañang Palace in Manila in the presence of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.; first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos; papal nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown; Manila Mayor Francisco Domagoso; and other government officials, clergy, and lay faithful.

Marcos and the first lady hosted the reception and blessing, formally launching the Philippine Pilgrimage 2026.

The occasion highlighted the Philippines’ deep Marian devotion and its participation in the Novena Intercontinental Guadalupana, a worldwide spiritual preparation for the 500th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe to St. Juan Diego. She appeared on four occasions on Dec. 9–12, 1531: three at the hill of Tepeyac and a fourth before Juan de Zumárraga, then the first bishop of Mexico and a Spanish Basque Franciscan prelate.

The replica of the Mexican Marian icon and an image of St. Juan Diego, a Nahua peasant and Marian visionary, are considered a source of inspiration for many around the world.

The pilgrimage forms part of a global initiative promoting prayer, evangelization, and unity among Catholics across different nations.

The image, a replica of the original enshrined at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, embarks on a pilgrimage across the Philippines, visiting more than 50 churches.

In a social media video, Bagaforo invited the faithful to join the nationwide pilgrimage, calling it a “moment of grace” and an opportunity to pray for hope, peace, and blessings amid today’s challenges.

Cardinal Jose Advincula, archbishop of Manila, will hold a special Mass at the Manila Cathedral on June 13, formally opening the pilgrimage, before the image visits more than 50 cathedrals, shrines, and parish churches across the country.

The image will also be present during the 132nd Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Plenary in Ozamiz City on July 3–10 before its permanent installation at the Manila Cathedral in December.

Bishops call for a spiritual journey

In a June 3 pastoral letter, the CBCP urged Catholics to take part in the spiritual journey and renew their relationship with Jesus through Mary.

According to Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa, the CBCP president, churches hosting the pilgrimage will recite the Act of Consecration and Entrustment to Our Lady of Guadalupe during all Masses while the image is present.

“During this pilgrimage, the Act of Consecration and Entrustment to Our Lady of Guadalupe shall be recited in all Masses in the churches to be visited,” he said.

The pilgrimage hopes to inspire Filipinos to come closer to Jesus and to deepen their devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

“This visit aims to bring us, Filipinos, closer to Our Lord Jesus Christ and our Blessed Mother,” Garcera said.

Advincula named the pilgrim image “Madre Peregrina de Guadalupe,” or “Pilgrim Mother of Guadalupe,” underscoring Mary’s role as a mother who journeys with the faithful.

According to event organizers, the pilgrimage would deepen devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe and prepare Filipino Catholics for the 500th anniversary celebrations in 2031.

The Philippines is home to more than 93 million Catholics and has the third-largest Catholic population globally, after Brazil and Mexico. In the Asian context, it is the largest Catholic nation, followed by East Timor.

Pope Pius XI declared Our Lady of Guadalupe the “Celestial Patroness of the Philippines” in 1935. In 2001, the CBCP declared Dec. 12 an obligatory memorial, and in 2002 it recognized her as the “Pro-Life Patroness of the Philippines” in response to the global movement to entrust the plight of unborn children to her intercession.

“I am glad to know that the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is on a pilgrimage in the Philippines. It will strengthen people’s prayer, Marian devotion, and spiritual renewal,” Janice Castro, an elementary school teacher from the Diocese of Cubao, told EWTN News.

The conference, held under the theme “Synodality: Sensitivity, Synergy, and Spirituality. All for Caritas — Solidarity,” ran from June 9–11.

“We cannot close our eyes to the reality of the poor. Today, our world is wounded. Humanity cries out. Sometimes people become indifferent to the suffering of others. Caritas is the Gospel made visible through compassion, closeness, and services,” Kikuchi said in his inaugural address.

The Regional Conference and Partners‘ Forum serves as the premier governance and collaborative gathering for the Catholic Churchʼs humanitarian network in the region. It brought together presidents, directors, and senior staff from more than 25 Caritas member organizations across Asia, along with global partners including Catholic Relief Services, Caritas Spain, Caritas Italiana, Caritas Germany, Caritas Canada, and CAFOD, as well as representatives from the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences.

Caritas Asia serves as the regional secretariat for one of the seven regions of the Caritas Internationalis network, said Benedict Alo DʼRozario, president of Caritas Asia, in a message to EWTN News. He said Caritas Asia represents the region within the global networkʼs support structures and takes part in joint work on staff capacity building, advocacy for social justice, care for creation, humanitarian response, integral human development, anti-human trafficking, safe migration, child protection, education, and moral formation.

DʼRozario said Caritas Asia has adopted four priorities going forward: care for people and planet, adaptability and preparedness, organizational capacity and effectiveness, and leadership and engagement.

He said Caritas Asia is not simply an organization but the heart of the Church, practicing synodality by going into communities, listening carefully, and responding to their needs. Caritas serves others, DʼRozario said, because it recognizes Christ in the poor, the suffering, and the vulnerable, and its mission is rooted in an encounter with Jesus Christ.

Participants described Kikuchiʼs remarks as highly relevant and inspiring for those across Caritas Asia.

Caritas Bangladesh acts as the social arm of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Bangladesh, as do other national Caritas organizations across Asia. Daud Jibon Das, executive director of Caritas Bangladesh, said the key message he took from the conference was that, although global funding is gradually decreasing, the Church must continue to care for the poor and those in need.

Caritas Bangladesh has long worked for the poor and neglected people of the country, and the conference will further accelerate its educational work, Das said.

“We work for justice for all, regardless of race, religion, caste, we want all neglected people, poor people to be well,” he told EWTN News. “Even if the funds decrease, we will continue to do our work within our means.”

Daily Mass schedules at St. Patrickʼs Cathedral in the port city of Karachi have been adjusted after Archbishop Benny Mario Travas urged Catholics to take precautions during daytime hours, Father Mario Rodrigues, principal of St. Patrickʼs High School and former rector of the cathedral, told EWTN News.

“Prayer timings have been shifted to early mornings and late evenings. Churches have been instructed to install reverse-osmosis water filtration plants and water coolers. We are trying our best to respond to the soaring mercury,” he said.

Rodrigues spoke on June 9, when high humidity pushed the “feels-like” temperature to around 48 degrees Celsius (118 degrees Fahrenheit) in Pakistanʼs largest city, home to about 200,000 Catholics.

Media reports said at least 14 people died in Karachi last month during a heat spell that saw temperatures reach 44.1 degrees Celsius (111 degrees Fahrenheit), the highest recorded in the city since 2018.

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The Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned that heat wave conditions are likely to intensify across the country, with temperatures expected to remain 4-6 degrees Celsius (about 7-11 degrees Fahrenheit) above normal in northern regions and 5-7 degrees Celsius (about 9-13 degrees Fahrenheit) above normal in southern areas on June 10–11.

Father Anthony Arbaz, parish priest of St. James Church in Karachi, the capital of the southern province of Sindh, said 11 churches in his parish are relying on natural ventilation and community awareness to protect worshippers.

“We are widening windows and opening all ceiling ventilators in our churches. Karachiʼs nights were once famous for being cool even during the hottest months. Not anymore,” he said.

“It is a difficult situation for the entire country. Even ventilation seems helpless under the scorching sun because the fans only circulate hot air.”

Arbaz said cold drinking water is being provided to worshippers, while volunteers add oral rehydration solution and flavored electrolyte drinks to water coolers.

“Doctors and nurses are invited after Mass to educate the faithful on preventing heatstroke through simple measures such as carrying water bottles and covering their heads with wet towels,” he added.

Samson Chris, a medical assistant who has conducted heat-awareness sessions at St. James Church for the past three years, said church youth groups have been encouraged to shift sports activities to the evening.

“The attendance of elderly people at the 10 p.m. Mass has declined because prolonged power outages of 12-16 hours a day are disrupting sleep and affecting their health,” he said.

In Lahore, air conditioning brings new costs

In Lahore, where temperatures have also exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) this week, some churches are turning to air conditioning despite rising electricity costs.

Attendance at Holy Cross Catholic Church increased in the summer after two air-conditioning units were installed in 2024. However, church leaders now face mounting utility bills.

“Authorities at Sacred Heart Cathedral stopped contributing toward the electricity costs after the air-conditioning system was installed. The parish priest initially resisted the move, but parishioners insisted because the church, located above a school building, receives direct sunlight throughout the day,” said Anthony Gill, a member of the church committee.

The churchʼs electricity bill reached 14,000 Pakistani rupees (about $50) in May. Parishioners now take up a special collection on the first two Sundays of each month to help cover the expense.

“We also appeal to relatives, especially those living in Western countries, to support the church financially so that worshippers can find some relief from the heat during prayer services,” Gill said.

The June 8 earthquake caused buildings to collapse, triggering landslides and setting off tsunami warnings across a swath of the southern island.

According to the Office of Civil Defense, the national disaster agency, the earthquake had left 46 people dead, 630 injured, and 17 missing as of June 10.

More than 800,000 households across Mindanao lacked access to electricity, with the Department of Energy yet to fully assess damage to energy infrastructure and accelerate power restoration efforts.

Expressing profound sorrow and solidarity with people in Sarangani province and other parts of Mindanao, Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), issued a statement on June 9.

“We grieve with the families who have lost loved ones, pray for the speedy recovery of those who have been injured, and stand in spiritual communion with all those who have been displaced from their homes and livelihoods,” he said.

“We also remember in our prayers the rescue workers, medical personnel, government agencies, and volunteers who continue to labor tirelessly in responding to this tragedy,” he added.

He urged all dioceses to hold a second collection at Sunday Masses on June 14. The proceeds will be sent through the diocesan social action centers and Caritas Philippines to support relief and rehabilitation efforts.

In a separate message, Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos, head of Caritas Philippines, the humanitarian, development, and advocacy arm of the CBCP, said many families are in urgent need of assistance.

“In times of uncertainty and loss, we stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters from Mindanao,” he added. “May compassion, hope, and our shared humanity continue to connect us as communities rebuild and rise together.”

Peopleʼs donations can help provide relief and restore hope, and no amount is too small when given with love, the prelate said.

Caritas Philippines, together with diocesan social action centers, is responding to affected communities, with their efforts matched by dioceses, religious congregations, and aid groups across the country.

Dioceses express solidarity

The Diocese of Antipolo has sent 100,000 pesos ($1,630) to the Diocese of Marbel for earthquake relief and 50,000 pesos ($810) to Stella Maris in General Santos City to assist seafarers' families affected by the disaster.

“In solidarity with our brothers and sisters affected by the recent earthquake in Mindanao, the Diocese of Antipolo has extended financial assistance to support ongoing relief and recovery efforts,” Antipolo Bishop Ruperto Santos said.

“As one Church, we continue to respond to the call of Christian charity and compassion. We also invite the faithful and all people of goodwill to support our ongoing relief efforts through cash donations,” he added.

Santos said peopleʼs generosity will help bring hope, relief, and recovery to families and communities affected by the calamity.

The Philippines has 87 ecclesiastical jurisdictions, comprising 60 dioceses, 16 archdioceses, six apostolic vicariates, four territorial prelatures, and a military ordinariate, which have started expressing solidarity with those affected by the disaster.

Marcos visits quake-hit region

On June 10, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited General Santos City, including the National High School, one of the sites damaged by the earthquake.

After speaking with teachers and students, he said the government would provide mental health support, in coordination with the Department of Health, for students traumatized by the earthquake.

“When I talked to the teachers, I told them they should remember that this was a traumatizing experience for the students, for the children,” he said. “So, they should also keep an eye on them.”

He added that teachers would be trained to talk with students and provide support to those who may be experiencing trauma and stress.

The earthquake struck on the first day of the school year, following the two-month summer break, disrupting classes across several areas of Mindanao and affecting the safety and learning of teachers and students.

The Department of Education said the earthquake had affected more than 3.2 million students.

Marcos also announced 100 million pesos ($1,627,000) in financial assistance for the General Santos City government to repair its city hall, which was damaged by the earthquake, and 50,000 pesos ($810) for the families of those who died.

Appeal for more cooperation

The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines called for solidarity with the victims.

“We pray for the safety of our communities, the strength of rescue and response teams, and the swift recovery of all affected areas. As one faith community, let us continue to accompany our brothers and sisters through our prayers and acts of compassion,” the association said in a social media post.

The Conference of Major Superiors in the Philippines (CMSP) also appealed to the public to aid families affected by the calamity, urging people to help disaster victims facing hardship, uncertainty, and a lack of necessities.

“In this time of tragedy and uncertainty, let us come together as one community of faith and compassion. The recent earthquake in Mindanao has left many families grieving, displaced, and in urgent need of assistance,” a CMSP statement read.

The organization stressed that, through donations, the Church can help provide food, clean water, temporary shelter, medicine, and other essential needs for affected families.

“As consecrated persons and people of goodwill, we are called to be instruments of Godʼs love and mercy. Through your generous donations, we can help provide food, water, shelter, medicines, and other essential needs for our brothers and sisters affected by this disaster,” CMSP said.

“With the support of the government and church organizations and others, we can pick up the pieces and rebuild our lives again,” Nova Lapara, 37, a mother of two teenage girls from General Santos City, told EWTN News.

The offshore earthquake severely impacting General Santos City on Mindanao, the Philippines' main southern island. The tremor caused casualties and structural damage and triggered tsunami warnings.

As of this writing, at least 32 people have been killed, 12 are missing, and 200 others have been injured due to building damage and a 1-meter (3-foot) tsunami hitting nearby coasts.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos suspended school classes in affected areas of Mindanao and urged people in coastal areas to evacuate immediately. He also assured citizens that the government will provide necessary aid to people in need.

Bishops call for immediate assistance

Expressing his solidarity with victims and all those impacted, Cardinal Jose Advincula of Manila said: “With deep sorrow, I join our brothers and sisters in General Santos City and the surrounding communities who have been affected by the recent earthquake.”

He appealed for help for survivors. "In these difficult moments, may we draw strength from our faith and from the solidarity of one another,” he said. “I also encourage all people of goodwill to extend whatever assistance they can to those in need.”

In addition, Bishop Leo Dalmao of the Prelature of Isabela de Basilan issued a pastoral letter calling for a second collection during Masses on Sunday, June 14. The collection will be sent to Caritas Philippines for relief assistance.

“The prelature joins the nation in prayer for the victims, the injured citizens, displaced families, and those people on the front line,” the prelate said.

Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the international humanitarian agency of the Catholic Church in the United States, is coordinating with its partners to assess humanitarian aid in Mindanao.

Churches damaged

At least three parishes in the Diocese of Marbel, which comprises the civil provinces of South Cotabato, Sarangani, and parts of Sultan Kudarat, reported damage following the earthquake.

An outdoor statue of Jesus at the Divine Mercy Shrine in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, was also partially damaged. The pilgrimage site was temporarily closed due to the earthquake and subsequent aftershocks, shrine authorities said.

At Holy Cross Parish in Calumpang, General Santos City, parts of the church ceiling fell during the tremor, said Brother Jerson Nunez, a member of the Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ.

Damage was also reported in some parts of the exterior structure and ceiling of Santa Teresita del Niño Jesus Parish in Tupi, South Cotabato, in Davao Occidental.

Civil authorities are still assessing the impact of the earthquake that was felt in several provinces in Mindanao.

Meanwhile, officials of the Church and local authorities have yet to give a full assessment of the damage in the areas affected.

Calls for prayer

In a separate social media post, Archbishop Alberto S. Uy of Cebu said: “An earthquake reminds us how small, fragile, and vulnerable we truly are.”

“Our lives can be taken away in an instant. That is why there is no reason for us to be proud, arrogant, or abusive towards others,” he added.

The Archdiocese of Cebu also issued a prayer petition for all to recite in families and churches since June 8. Prayers were also included for authorities, rescuers, and volunteers that they may be guided and given strength, safety, and understanding to help those in need.

“In the aftermath of an earthquake, we all are called to remain strong in faith and express solidarity, support, and compassion to every family affected in Mindanao,” Michael Vildal, a Catholic from the Diocese of Marbel, told EWTN News.

“We all unite in prayer for those who have lost loved ones, homes, and livelihoods in compassion, offering comfort and hope to those who are suffering,” he added. “It is time to unite in generosity, sharing our blessings with those who have lost so much.”

Meanwhile, in a social media post, the Dominican Province of Philippines, the Order of the Preachers, said: “We stand helpless against earthquakes, and we call upon the mighty name of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit to save us. Please protect our families, our homes, the cities and towns we live in, as well as all the infrastructure within them.”

The Conference of Major Superiors in the Philippines also made an appeal.

“In this difficult time, let us come together in prayer for the safety, protection, and healing of all those affected,” a statement released on June 8 said. “May the Lord strengthen rescue workers, comfort displaced families, and grant wisdom to leaders and responders as they provide aid and assistance. Let us stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Mindanao — not only through our prayers but also through acts of compassion and support,” the press note added.

The decree was issued by the Dicastery for Evangelization on May 25, coinciding with the 139th anniversary of the birth of St. Pio of Pietrelcina (also known as Padre Pio), the Capuchin saint whose spirituality continues to attract millions of devotees worldwide.

The recognition places the shrine among a select group of Catholic pilgrimage sites acknowledged by the universal Church for their exceptional spiritual significance and their capacity to welcome pilgrims from around the world.

Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), announced the news in a video message posted on the shrineʼs official social media page.

The archbishop said he personally received the official communication from Archbishop Charles John Brown, apostolic nuncio to the Philippines.

“This recognition marks a historic milestone not only for the shrine and the Archdiocese of Lipa but also for the Church in the Philippines, as it becomes a place of pilgrimage and devotion with international significance,” Garcera said in a separate statement.

The elevation follows the unanimous approval by the CBCP during its plenary assembly in July 2024, when the bishops endorsed the shrineʼs application and recommended it to the Holy See for international recognition.

For Father Oscar L. Andal, rector and parish priest of the shrine, the designation represents both an honor and a mission.

“This distinguished recognition is both a blessing and a responsibility,” Andal told EWTN News. “As an international shrine, we are called to welcome pilgrims from every corner of the world and continue sharing Padre Pioʼs message of prayer, trust in God, and love for humanity. We receive this honor with gratitude and humility, recognizing that it strengthens our commitment to serve the faithful and bring them closer to Christ,” he said.

The priest also noted that the recognition deepens the spiritual bond between the Batangas shrine and the Sanctuary of St. Pio of Pietrelcina in San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy, where the saint spent much of his priestly ministry.

A historic moment for the Philippine Church

Father Reynante Tolentino, president of the Association of Catholic Shrines and Pilgrimages of the Philippines, described the declaration as a historic milestone not only for the Church in the Philippines but also for the entire nation.

“The declaration of the National Shrine of St. Padre Pio in Batangas as an international shrine is a historic and tremendous blessing,” Tolentino said.

He noted that the shrine becomes the second international shrine in the Philippines and Southeast Asia after the International Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in Antipolo. Tolentino was the rector of the Cathedral and National Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in Antipolo, Rizal province, when it became the first national shrine in the Philippines and Southeast Asia to be elevated to international shrine status.

For Tolentino, the Holy Seeʼs decision affirms the enduring devotion of Filipinos to the saint known for bearing the stigmata and for his ministry of spiritual and physical healing.

“This is a clear affirmation and validation of the strong devotion of Batangueños and Filipinos in general to Padre Pio,” he said.

“People continue to come because everyone seeks healing — not only physical healing but spiritual healing as well.”

He emphasized that while the shrineʼs administrators and devotees supported the initiative from the beginning, the formal recommendation to Rome came through the collective discernment and approval of the CBCP.

Tolentino also expressed hope that all shrines in the country — whether diocesan, national, or international — would continue to serve as centers of evangelization and places of refuge for those in need.

From local devotion to international pilgrimage destination

The history of the shrine is closely linked to the rapid growth of devotion to Padre Pio following his canonization by St. John Paul II in 2002.

What began as a small chapel in Santo Tomas in 2003 gradually developed into a major pilgrimage center. It was declared an archdiocesan shrine in 2008 and elevated to national shrine status in 2015.

Today, the shrine welcomes hundreds of thousands of pilgrims annually who seek healing, spiritual renewal, and a deeper encounter with Christ through the intercession of Padre Pio.

The shrine houses first-class relics of the saint and has become known for its vibrant sacramental life, particularly the celebration of the Eucharist, the sacrament of reconciliation, healing Masses, and devotional activities.

Every 23rd day of the month, commemorating the saintʼs death on Sept. 23, thousands gather for healing Masses and pastoral activities.

The shrineʼs ministry has also extended beyond Philippine shores through pilgrimages and devotional missions in Thailand, Hong Kong, and Malaysia.

According to Andal, the growth of the shrine has been made possible through the dedication of clergy, religious communities, benefactors, volunteers, and countless devotees whose support has enabled the expansion of its ministries while remaining faithful to its spiritual mission.

Occupying more than 17 hectares (about 42 acres), the shrine continues to implement a long-term development plan aimed at creating a more prayerful and pilgrim-centered environment.

A recognition of universal significance

The title of international shrine is reserved for a church or other sacred place that possesses particular importance for the life of the universal Church.

The designation recognizes the Batangas shrine not only as a center of local devotion but also as a destination capable of serving pilgrims from across Asia and the wider world.

Church leaders say the recognition highlights the universal appeal of Padre Pioʼs spirituality — a spirituality rooted in prayer, repentance, trust in divine providence, and devotion to Godʼs mercy.

As an international shrine, the sanctuary is expected to strengthen its pilgrim programs, expand opportunities for spiritual formation, and foster greater collaboration with Catholic communities in promoting the life and teachings of the Capuchin saint.

“As we celebrate this momentous recognition,” Andal said, “we entrust ourselves to the intercession of St. Padre Pio and renew our commitment to being a beacon of faith, hope, and charity.”

“May all who visit this sacred space encounter Godʼs mercy, experience spiritual renewal, and find inspiration in the example of Padre Pioʼs holy life.”

The formal declaration and presentation of the Holy Seeʼs decree will take place on Sept. 23, the liturgical memorial of St. Padre Pio, marking a new chapter in the history of one of the Philippines' most beloved pilgrimage destinations.

Cardinal Pablo Virgilio S. David, former president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines and bishop of Kalookan, serves as adviser to the Philippine Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which was launched on May 27.

The commission is chaired by Raul Pangalangan, a former International Criminal Court (ICC) judge. Other members are Dr. Raquel Fortun, a forensic pathologist; Al Fuertes, an expert in trauma and psychosocial support; Father Daniel Franklin E. Pilario, a Vincentian priest and theologian; and Carlos Conde, an independent human rights researcher.

“The truth must be protected for the families who have carried these stories for years, not just as a record,” said David, a fierce critic of the Duterte drug war. “The Truth Commission exists so these stories can be heard, verified, preserved, and acted upon.”

The commission does not intend to replace courts or determine criminal liability against persons linked to anti-drug operations and related abuses.

“The court looks for criminal liability; the Truth Commission seeks a deeper truth,” David said.

“The commission recognizes that the violence did not start in 2016, but the scale, persistence, and targeted killings in the last few years have left thousands of families still seeking truth, justice, and healing,” the commission said in a statement.

The commissionʼs framework safeguards its integrity, independence, and mission — especially regarding truth-seeking, due process, survivor protection, confidentiality, public trust, and institutional independence.

The team is to ensure that the testimonies of victims, survivors, and families are heard, validated, and kept.

“This commission is not about supplanting courts or apportioning guilt. It is about creating a credible truth record that can inform accountability, healing, reform, and the prevention of future violence,” said Pangalangan, a respected Philippine lawyer.

More than accountability

Conde, a human rights activist, said the commission is not just about accountability but also the healing of drug war victims, as the civilian and civil society-led Philippine Truth Commission is tasked to establish a credible public record of the brutal drug war in the Philippines.

When asked how the commissionʼs findings would affect Duterteʼs case in the ICC, he told EWTN News that the commissionʼs work is different from the ICCʼs and should not affect Duterteʼs trial.

“However, if the ICC determines that our findings are helpful for their purposes, we wonʼt object to them using them,” he said. “On another level, we hope that the commissionʼs work will bolster the ICC investigationʼs credibility, particularly among Filipinos who still continue to argue that the ICC does not have the authority to investigate the drug war.”

Meanwhile, Amnesty International Philippines said it commends the launch of the Truth Commission, saying the initiative would uncover the truth behind the thousands of killings.

“We also recognize and trust the integrity, credibility, and expertise of the individuals leading and guiding this initiative. Their lifelong work on human rights, accountability, forensic investigation, psychosocial support, democratic governance, and public service gives hope that this process will genuinely center victims and survivors,” Amnesty International Philippines said.

The case at The Hague

Human rights groups estimate that the drug war under Duterte, 81, killed some 30,000 drug suspects and suspected addicts and traffickers, largely poor people.

Duterte was arrested and sent to The Hague in March 2025 and is being held in the ICCʼs detention center.

The ICC has charged him with three counts of crimes against humanity, particularly the killing of at least 76 people and the attempted murder of two others during his 22 years as mayor of Davao City and then as president (2016–2022).

His trial is set to begin Nov. 30.

The Truth Commission offers a much-needed ray of hope for truth-telling, accountability, and justice-seeking, Charlito Manlupig, chairperson of Kusog Mindanaw, a civil society organization, told EWTN News.

“We donʼt expect any more justice, because we, the minority, will not get justice in this country,” Father David Gharami, parish priest of the church, told EWTN News. “We Catholics are a minority among the minorities. Thatʼs why no government pays attention to us.”

On June 3, 2001, at least 10 people were killed and more than 50 injured when a bomb exploded during Sunday Mass at Most Holy Redeemer Church in Baniarchar, in Gopalganj district. A quarter of a century later, police have yet to file a full charge sheet in the case.

Gharami said the parish has grown weary of seeking justice from the government. “For the past four to five years, no investigating officer has been looking into our case,” he said. He believes the attack was carried out by a religious extremist group or for political or social motives.

“On this day, we offer a Mass for the souls of those who died and pay floral tributes at their graves,” he said.

Nine of the 10 people killed in the bombing were between the ages of 20 and 25, and one was in his 40s, according to Premananda Halder, a local schoolteacher.

At the time of the attack, Sheikh Hasinaʼs Awami League was in power; Gopalganj is Hasinaʼs home district, and she visited the site after the bombing. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party won the parliamentary election held on Feb. 12 this year. Successive governments have come and gone, but no one has been brought to justice for the bombing.

Lalita Biswas, 46, a Catholic and mother of one, has sought justice for 25 years. Her husband, Satish Biswas, was among the 10 killed.

“I am tired of seeking justice, I donʼt want to seek justice anymore. If I get justice for my husbandʼs murder, I will be happy,” Biswas told EWTN News. “I will not get my husband back, or the son his father, but if we get justice, I will be able to see the punishment of those who killed him.”

Twenty-five years later, Bangladeshi police have yet to complete their investigation. Some 38 suspected militants have been arrested over the years, but none has confessed, and the investigating officer has been changed at least 22 times in 25 years.

The current investigating officer could not be reached. A former investigating officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, told EWTN News that police were still working on the case.

“The investigating officer has been changed repeatedly, and a lack of sufficient evidence is prolonging the inquiry. But I hope police will be able to submit a full report soon,” he said.

“A recurring concern throughout the proceedings was the alleged role of state institutions. Participants described instances in which police officers failed to protect victims, registered cases against those who had been attacked, delayed investigations, or pressured communities into so-called compromise agreements,” the tribunal said in a statement released June 2.

More than 200 leaders and delegates of Christian networks and action groups, lawyers, researchers, and members of Hindu and Muslim groups took part in the June 1 tribunal in New Delhi.

The event also heard testimony from 20 survivors of anti-Christian violence, “documenting a disturbing escalation of violence and discrimination targeting Christians.”

“The tribunal [proceedings] examined attacks on places of worship, pastors and priests, social and economic boycotts, denial of burial rights, expulsions from villages, the role of Hindutva [Hindu nationalist] organizations, and the conduct of political leaders, police, and judicial institutions,” the statement said.

“The constitutional guarantees of freedom of conscience, religion, and equal citizenship are increasingly under threat,” said John Dayal, a senior journalist and outspoken Catholic activist who organized and coordinated the tribunal.

“We want the state governments to obey Supreme Court directions in this regard to end the rampant impunity. Then only, the atrocities will go down,” Dayal told EWTN News on June 3.

A sharp rise since 2014

Sporadic anti-Christian violence turned endemic after the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power under Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, with incidents of anti-Christian violence shooting up from 127 in 2014 to 834 by 2024.

In the run-up to the national tribunal, Dayal said, the investigative team visited troubled spots in Chhattisgarh state in central India in April and neighboring Odisha state in May, as these BJP-ruled states had reported a higher number of violent and oppressive incidents of late.

“There is systematic denial of burial rights — one of the gravest forms of humiliation inflicted upon Christian communities,” said Father Ajay Singh, former director of the Odisha Forum for Social Action of the Catholic Church.

Briefing the tribunal on the situation in Odisha, Singh recounted cases in which “funeral processions were obstructed, burial in village graveyards was denied, and even the bodies of deceased Christians were allegedly removed and buried against the wishes of families.”

“I was part of three fact-finding teams that visited troubled spots in Odisha this year. The situation has become so shocking that even [Christian] dead bodies are dug out” and subject to reconversion ceremonies, Singh told EWTN News.

‘A systematic campaign of exclusion’

A.C. Michael, a Catholic and coordinator of the United Christian Forum, which monitors atrocities against the community, told the tribunal about the “growing normalization of hostility towards Christian prayer meetings and places of worship.”

“Peaceful acts of worship are increasingly portrayed as threats to public order and national interest while there is no Christian representation in statutory minority institutions,” Michael pointed out.

Despite rising violence against Christians, the quota for a Christian member on the autonomous National Commission for Minorities has not been filled for six years under the BJP government.

“Accusations of conversion have become a recurring pretext for violence,” pointed out Vijayesh Lal, general secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship of India, who said that “recent violence has been justified through allegations of religious conversion.”

Siju Thomas, director of Alliance Defending Freedom India, lamented the “social and economic boycotts, expulsions, and ostracization of Christians, especially of newly converted families and members of independent congregations.”

“Denial of access to community resources, social isolation, displacement, and restrictions on burial rights have become instruments of coercion … [with] misuse of laws intended to protect Adivasi communities, to target Christian Adivasis and restrict their rights,” he said.

Harsh Mander, one of the eminent social activists, concluded the tribunal, deploring that widespread anti-Christian violence “could not be understood as isolated acts of prejudice or spontaneous expressions of hostility.”

“Rather, they revealed a systematic campaign of exclusion that threatened the constitutional promise of equal citizenship,” said Mander, who quit the elite Indian Administrative Service to protest the 2002 carnage of Muslims in Gujarat state under Modi, who was then the stateʼs chief minister.

The findings of the Peopleʼs Tribunal, Dayal said, will be published in book form in two months. “What we have recorded are shocking and graphic, and these will run into around 300 pages,” he said.

Alyan Johnson, 22, was critically injured in a shooting involving personnel of the Dolphin Force in Rawalpindi, the garrison city adjoining Islamabad, on the night of May 26.

According to his family, Johnson had just dropped off a passenger when police arrived in pursuit of a suspected armed man. The suspect allegedly fired into the air and attempted to flee, after which officers opened fire.

Johnson, who joined a ride-hailing company six months ago to help support his family, remains hospitalized.

His family has filed a complaint at Sadiqabad police station, demanding an impartial investigation, strict action against those responsible, and compensation for the injuries and losses suffered.

Four Dolphin Force personnel allegedly involved in the shooting have been suspended and charged on the orders of the Rawalpindi city police officer.

Joseph Michael, Johnsonʼs uncle, said the family was dissatisfied with what he described as a limited official response.

“We demand justice and imprisonment for the shooters who misused their authority,” Michael told EWTN News. “Johnson raised his hands and identified himself as a rider in a loud voice, but the shooting continued. He had no weapon and no criminal record. He only wanted to help his father, who works as a sanitary worker.”

Michael said Johnson suffered multiple gunshot wounds and two fractures in his right leg.

“Anything could have happened. We are grateful he survived,” he added.

Raja Abdul Hanif, chairman of the Punjab chief ministerʼs inspection team, visited Johnson in the hospital on May 29 and assured the family of justice. He directed authorities to ensure all medicines and treatment costs were provided by the hospital.

“The law is equal for everyone and action will be taken against those involved in the incident following a transparent investigation,” Hanif said.

Police have yet to issue a detailed public explanation of the shooting.

The incident has triggered strong reactions among Christian activists and rights advocates.

A delegation led by Tariq Mehmood Ghouri, coordinator of the Catholic bishops' National Commission for Justice and Peace in the Islamabad-Rawalpindi Diocese, visited the hospital and pledged legal and moral support to the family.

“The situation was mishandled. Doctors are still uncertain whether the young laborer will ever walk normally again,” Ghouri said.

“For many poor families, motorcycle ride-hailing is one of the few ways to earn a living amid soaring inflation and fuel prices. The state must recognize these realities and act with compassion.”

Ghouri said the shooting raised serious questions about police training and operational procedures.

“The incident is an eye-opener for those who claim that religious minorities enjoy equal rights and protection in Pakistan,” he said.

A pattern of police ‘encounters’ in Punjab

The shooting comes amid growing scrutiny of police encounter practices in Punjab.

A fact-finding report released in February by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) concluded that Punjabʼs Crime Control Department has pursued a policy of staged police encounters, often resulting in extrajudicial killings and undermining constitutional safeguards and the rule of law.

Based on media reports, the commission documented at least 670 Crime Control Department-led encounters during the first eight months of 2025, resulting in the deaths of 924 suspects, while only two police officers were reported killed.

“In genuine armed confrontations, such a ratio appears to be statistically implausible,” the report states. “This imbalance suggests deliberate executions and reckless disregard for the sanctity of life.”

The report also documented allegations of intimidation against victims' families, including pressure to bury relatives quickly, obstacles to independent medical examinations, and threats against those seeking justice.

Concerns over Dolphin Force operations are not new. In 2022, members of the unit shot dead a dismissed police constable and injured two others in Lahore, the capital of Punjab, after allegedly mistaking them for robbers.

Manda, 23, a member of Bhalukapara Parish in the Diocese of Mymensingh, was appointed to lead her nationʼs squad for the 2026 South Asian Football Federation Womenʼs Championship by English head coach Peter James Butler.

The tournament is being held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa, India, from May 25 to June 7.

In Muslim-majority Bangladesh, where Christians make up a tiny minority, Mariaʼs appointment has been a source of widespread pride among the countryʼs Christian community, particularly its young people.

A member of the Garo Indigenous community, she is known for her ability to carry the ball from defensive lines to the opponentʼs box, earning a reputation as one of the teamʼs most decisive players.

‘A fighting leader’

Butler expressed strong confidence in the new captain.

“Maria is a player with a very fighting mentality, and she is highly respected in the entire squad,” he said.

“She will lead the team with her performance. I know she will earn that respect from others too. A fighting leader like her can earn everyoneʼs respect in the dressing room.”

Speaking at the tournamentʼs official press conference in Goa, Maria declared: “We have been champions in the last two editions. We want to play our natural game and keep moving forward.”

Under her captaincy, Bangladesh opened the tournament with a 4-2 victory over the Maldives on May 28. After the match, Manda told Bangladeshi broadcaster T Sports: “We always aim to play well and give a good game to our countrymen. We won the first match with everyoneʼs prayers and blessings. It feels great. I want more such support in the future.”

Bangladesh fell 3-0 to host nation India on May 31 but advances to the semifinal round, where the team faces Nepal on June 3.

From U-15 glory to senior captain

Manda first became involved in organized football through the Bangamata School Football Tournament in 2011. She went on to captain Bangladeshʼs U-15 team, which won the inaugural SAFF U-15 Womenʼs Championship in 2017 — a campaign in which Bangladesh went unbeaten and did not concede a single goal. She became a fixture in the senior squad that won back-to-back SAFF Womenʼs Championship titles in 2022 and 2024.

This is her first time captaining the senior national team.

Father Bikash James Rebeiro, CSC, secretary of the Episcopal Commission for Youth and national youth coordinator for the Catholic Church in Bangladesh, told EWTN News: “Today, Christian youth and the youth of the country are very happy and proud to see the national team armband in your hand. Maria, the fighter on the field, is leading the entire country — this is a huge achievement for us.”

“You have proven that with concentration and dreams, it is possible to overcome any obstacle,” he added.

“Your leadership, hard work, and dedication are a great inspiration for millions.”

Christian women rising in South Asian soccer

Manda is not alone in representing Christian communities on the South Asian soccer stage.

In Pakistan, Catholic defender Joyann Geraldine Thomas became the first Christian woman to represent her country when she debuted at the 2014 SAFF Womenʼs Championship in Islamabad, having developed her skills through a parish-based soccer club in Karachi.

India forward Grace Dangmei — a Christian from Manipurʼs Rongmei Naga tribe who faced Mandaʼs Bangladesh in Goa on May 31 — has helped India win multiple SAFF titles and is among the few Indian women to have played professionally overseas.

For now, Manda remains focused on the semifinal ahead. “We will be careful not to make the same mistakes we made in the first match,” she said.

Nearly 2,000 people attacked Gillʼs family in Sargodha, in northern Punjab province, on May 25, 2024, after allegations emerged that his father, Nazir (Lazar) Masih, had desecrated pages of the Quran. EWTN News covered the attack at the time.

The mob ransacked the familyʼs home and shoe factory in Mujahid Colony and later set the business on fire after a mosque announcement reportedly amplified the accusations.

Police managed to evacuate nine members of the family, but Masih was caught by the crowd and beaten with stones, bricks, and sticks. The 74-year-old succumbed to his injuries on the night of June 2–3, 2024.

The killing sparked protests by Christian groups across the country, while politicians and Catholic bishops visited the family and held meetings with police officials.

Yet nearly two years later, the family says it is still waiting for justice and compensation for the destruction of their property, which remains abandoned after they fled Sargodha.

“Our wounds became fresh during Eid. The cruelty cannot be described in words,” Gill told EWTN News.

“The confidence is gone. We cannot move around or talk freely. Two of my children had to discontinue their education and start working to support the family in a new city and help pay house rent,” he said.

“The police assured us of 1.2 million rupees [about $4,300] as compensation for damage to the factory, which was actually worth millions. But despite repeated visits to the district administration and Punjabʼs minority affairs minister, we received nothing.”

Arrests but no accountability

Sargodha police registered cases against about 450 unidentified suspects under anti-terrorism laws, and 25 people were arrested over the attack on Masih.

However, all of the accused were released within weeks, according to Sunil Kaleem, director of the Organization for Legal Aid, which has provided legal support to the family.

“We challenged the bails granted to the accused, but without success. The biased judges of lower courts often rely on consistency and benefit-of-doubt principles in such cases,” Kaleem said.

“There are no independent eyewitnesses apart from police officials, and there is little interest in pursuing accountability. The chances of punishment in mob attacks linked to blasphemy allegations remain very low.”

Church leaders and rights groups have long argued that Pakistanʼs blasphemy laws disproportionately affect religious minorities and often fail to uphold principles of justice, including due process and the presumption of innocence.

At least 26 Christians were killed extrajudicially in Pakistan between 1994 and 2024 following blasphemy allegations, according to the Center for Social Justice, a Lahore-based advocacy group.

Church response

Father David John, parish priest of St. Francis Xavier Church in Sargodha, said Masihʼs family received financial assistance and shelter from the National Commission for Justice and Peace, the Catholic bishops' rights body, for 20 months.

“Psychological support was crucial for frightened Christians in the area, and it was important to stand with them,” he said.

“We did what we could. There was a long struggle to restore normalcy in the city with the support of district peace committees and Muslim friends.”

“Religious minorities in Pakistan deserve to live in peace and harmony. People of goodwill stand with us. There is tremendous scope for interfaith dialogue, and efforts toward acceptance must continue.”

Catholic activist Ashiknaz Khokhar criticized delays in the justice process and warned of wider consequences.

“It weakens public trust and leaves vulnerable communities exposed to further harm. When cases remain unresolved, fear and instability increase,” he said, adding that Masihʼs family now plans to sell its two homes after losing its business in Sargodha.

He called for stronger preventive measures, including proactive law enforcement to manage crowds before violence escalates.

“The state should use digital monitoring systems to address online hate speech, provide administrative and security safeguards to ensure judicial independence, discourage misuse of laws through consistent accountability, and introduce educational reforms promoting religious tolerance and civic responsibility,” he said.