CBCPNews/CNA—The newly appointed bishop of Hong Kong gave a press conference Tuesday in which he said he believed that prudence and dialogue were a way forward in the challenges facing his diocese. Bishop-elect Stephen Chow Sau-yan, told journalists May 18 that he did not think it would be wise to comment on especially controversial issues,…
CNA—Pope Francis greeted a Colombian nun on Sunday, shortly after she was freed four years after being kidnapped by Islamists in Mali. The pope blessed Sr. Gloria Cecilia Narváez Argoti before a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica launching a worldwide synodal process. The Malian presidency announced that she was released on Oct. 9 after “four…
France24—French-Afghan doctor Mohammed Zahed Omar talks to FRANCE 24 about his dramatic escape from the Afghan capital and his fears for those unable to escape the Taliban. A doctor and pharmacist based in France, Omar was visiting family in Afghanistan when Taliban forces suddenly swept into Kabul on August 15, abruptly ending the country’s two-decade-long…
Private citizen and entrepreneurial news personality Glen Beck raised more than $20 MILLION IN LESS THAN THREE DAYS—all donated from other private citizens—to rescue Christians in Afghanistan immediately. Beck asked listeners to “give until it hurts,” whether it be $10 or $100 or more, and launched the plea with his personal donation of $100,000. The…
Father Paul Mariani, S.J., professor at Santa Clara University, gave a fascinating talk at the Napa Institute Summer Conference on the subject of China and the Vatican. Father Mariani’s presentation centered on a 2018 “provisional accord” between China and the Vatican that was apparently designed to work toward normalizing relations and resolving issues over the…
Reuters—Aug 16, 2021—China carried out assault drills near Taiwan on Tuesday with warships and fighter jets exercising off the southwest and southeast of the island, in what the country’s armed forces said was as a response to “external interference” and “provocations”. Taiwan, which Beijing claims as Chinese territory, has complained of repeated People’s Liberation Army…
While world attention is on Afghanistan crisis, China focuses on Taiwan… News.com.au (Australia)—Chinese state media has pounced on America’s botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, using the chaos to threaten one of its neighbours. China has pounced on the United States’ botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, using it to threaten the island of Taiwan. The Taliban has swept…
FoxNews—Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley warned lawmakers during a briefing over the weekend that terror groups like al-Qaeda may be able to grow at a much faster pace and pose a threat to the United States in the wake of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, a source confirmed to Fox News.…
AFP—Its bell tower and yellow walls a sharp contrast with Haiti’s blue tropical sky, the historic Immaculee Conception church was the pride of Les Anglais, until it was destroyed by an earthquake Saturday, burying several faithful inside. “It was a beautiful church with very beautiful architecture,” said Fr. Wilson Exantus Andre, the parish priest at…
Aug 16, 2021—Ambasciata d’Italia Kabul—The possibility to host a Catholic Chaplain within the Italian “legation” was provided by “The Agreement between Italy and Afghanistan to exchange permanent diplomatic missions” in 1921. King “Amanullah”, [who was] grateful to Italy for being the first western country to recognize formally the independence of Afghanistan, [and who] showed himself…
My godson is a parish priest. He is also military chaplain. In May of this year, he was called out of reserves to serve as the only Catholic chaplain (and perhaps the only chaplain) in the Middle East. He is assigned to bring the Sacraments—Holy Mass, Confession/Reconciliation, as well as spiritual listening and counseling, whatever…
The Sun—TALIBAN death squads have reportedly marked the doors of prominent Afghan women with paint as several female anchors are axed from TV in a chilling crackdown. Female journalists in Afghanistan are fearing for their lives and many have been “taken off air” as the Taliban’s reign of terror begins after the jihadi army seized…
As the USAF C-17 managed to depart from Afghanistan with at least 640 Afghans on board and two who sadly met their death as they fell off the outside of the plane as it took off, one wonders where that plane will land. To where will Afghans flee? With president Biden stating that “This did…
“I am the President of the United States and the buck stops with me,” Biden said about withdrawing the troops after the departure mission is complete. Defense One—U.S. warns that any attacks on evacuation will meet “a forceful response,” but how long will the Taliban hold off? The U.S. military temporarily froze all flights out…
Defense One—The Air Force evacuation flight from Kabul to Qatar came near the record for most people ever flown in the Boeing airlifter. A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III safely evacuated some 640 Afghans from Kabul late Sunday, according to U.S. defense officials and photos obtained by Defense One. That’s believed to be among the…
ObserverDesk—In the meantime, while the withdrawal is taking place, Taliban has already seized the country’s half of the 34 provincial capitals of the country, including Kandahar and Herat. And they were last reported to be in Logar, which is only a few miles away from Kabul. The former President, Donald Trump is furious over this…
…I am talking to Afghans from all over the country who are sharing terrifying stories of what the Taliban are doing in their cities. In Kandahar, they are executing people who they see as opposition on the streets. In Takhar and Samangan, they have cut off the limbs of those who they accused of being…
With the fall of Kabal to Taliban terrorists yesterday, the stakes couldn’t be higher in Afghanistan, especially for women and children who are particularly vulnerable to Taliban violence and abuse as a tool of aggression, manipulation, fear and terror. Mid-afternoon today, Biden unapologetically defended his decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan, putting blame on the…
CNA—Father Castor Álvarez was beaten and arrested in Camagüey while he was defending young protesters amid protests of Cuba’s communist government on Sunday. Protests took place across the island July 11. According to information confirmed by CNA’s sister agency, ACI Prensa, the priest is being held at the Montecarlo police station in Camagüey, accused of…
CNA—On Sunday, July 11th, the Christian Liberation Movement (MCL) called on Cubans to continue to pressure Cuban communist authorities to open general elections after thousands of people took the streets of major local cities to protest the unprecedented scarcity of essentials and the death rate produced by COVID-19. After months of food and medicine shortages…
