Asia - Pacific News
Mongolia’s former president lauds country’s promotion of religious freedom
Mongolia is a nation where religious freedom and respect for human life are “fundamental” values, the country’s former president says. Read more
Pope Francis to visit one of the world’s most polluted capitals this week
Pope Francis is likely to make “care for our common home” a key theme of his Mongolian trip this week... Read more
On Indian Independence Day, bishops reiterate Christians’ patriotism
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India also called for “resolving internal challenges with empathy, understanding, and unity.” Read more
Pakistan’s legislature passes bill to increase blasphemy penalties to life in prison
The legislation would set a maximum penalty of life in prison for blasphemy with a minimum sentence of 10 years... Read more
The challenges facing South Korea in organizing the next World Youth Day
One priest says that being designated the site of the next WYD is an opportunity “to spread faith in Christ”... Read more
Atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki killed two-thirds of the city’s Catholics 78 years ago
Since the 16th century, Nagasaki has been an important center of Catholicism in Japan, initially evangelized by Jesuit and Franciscan... Read more
Hindu nationalists demand arrest of Catholic priest in India for saying king was not a god
Hindu groups had staged demonstrations in front of the police station calling for criminal charges to be brought against Father... Read more
‘Religious cleansing’ threatens Armenian Christians’ existence, human rights leaders warn
“Azerbaijan, with Turkey’s backing, is really slowly strangling” the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, said Sam Brownback, religious freedom ambassador. Read more
Pope Francis prays for victims of train crash in India that killed 275 people
“May our heavenly Father welcome the souls of the deceased into his kingdom,” the pope prayed. Read more
Make nuclear disarmament a priority, Catholic bishops urge G7 Summit
Four Catholic bishops from the U.S. and Japan called for G7 leaders who are meeting in Nagasaki to take action... Read more
Japanese governmental panel backs abortion pill amid small pro-life protests
Japan is now one step closer to legalizing an abortion pill despite some pushback from a small but dedicated pro-life... Read more
Historic trip of bishop of Hong Kong to Beijing is the first in three decades
Bishop Stephen Chow of Hong Kong arrived yesterday in Beijing, the capital of China, amid some tensions between the Asian... Read more
China’s new ‘Smart Religion’ app requires faithful to register to attend worship services
A human rights group said the app is part of the communist government’s efforts to “strictly manage religion in a... Read more
Thousands mourn Cardinal Pell at Sydney funeral: ‘Be not afraid’ was his motto
Civic leaders, friends, and members of Cardinal George Pell’s family remembered the Australian cardinal’s dedication to the Church. Read more
Cardinal Zen hospitalized in Hong Kong after returning from Benedict XVI’s funeral
The 91-year-old cardinal wrote on his blog on Jan. 31 that he is receiving treatment in the hospital after experiencing... Read more
Japanese prime minister vows to take action on declining birthrate
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida recently warned that Japan’s birthrate — one of the lowest in the world — is... Read more
Church in Australia reacts with ‘shock,’ sadness at news of Cardinal Pell’s death
Cardinal George Pell, prefect emeritus of the Vatican Secretariat for the Economy, died Tuesday in Rome at the age of... Read more
‘Black Nazarene’ procession in the Philippines draws over 100,000 two years after pandemic
The origin of the image dates back to 1607, when the wooden image representing Christ bent under the weight of... Read more
Warning of ‘humanitarian catastrophe’ in Nagorno-Karabakh
A leading politician serving the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) has strongly echoed Pope Francis’ concerns about the humanitarian situation in... Read more
Cardinal Zen appeals conviction in Hong Kong court
Cardinal Joseph Zen has filed an appeal with Hong Kong’s High Court following his conviction last month for failing to... Read more
