They arrived in Burma in 1865, maintaining a constant presence in the service of vulnerable people. Active in nine communities, they provide education, healthcare and support to women who are victims of violence, trafficking and poverty, in a country marked by political instability and war. Cardinal Charles Maung Bo: “A testimony of love that knows no bounds”.
The Patriarch of Jerusalem’s address at a webinar organised by the Oasis Foundation. “We have seen in these decades of conflict what violence has produced: only further fear, resentment and hatred. We know that Leo XIV’s appeals will fall on deaf ears, but we must continue to speak the truth. Information is a weapon in this conflict. Gaza has been forgotten, yet the situation remains dire. In the West Bank, there are almost daily attacks by settlers on Palestinians'.
Whilst the Russian pavilion at the Venice Biennale is causing controversy, there are also works in Russia striving to move beyond propaganda in their reflection on current affairs. This is illustrated by the story behind the exhibition *Dies Illa*, opened by Griša Bruskin at the *Zilart* Museum of Contemporary Art in Moscow.
At the Angelus, Leo XIV called for "lasting solutions to the serious crisis" in Lebanon. He expressed his closeness to the loved ones of the "Thousands of innocent people" killed. Many nations are awaiting for peace. In his commentary on the Gospel, the pope said that “faith is an invitation to ‘open our eyes’.” Yesterday, he moved into the papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace, unused by Pope Francis.
The Statement of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea on the Partial Amendment to the Maternal and Child Health Act, currently under discussion in the country, aims to fill a legal vacuum created by the 2019 Supreme Court ruling decriminalising abortion. The South Korean Church calls for mandatory counselling and a period of reflection before terminating a pregnancy and for the strengthening of men's shared responsibility in childcare.
The Jaffa-born priest describes a situation of apprehension and crisis, but experienced “with great human dignity”. The crisis triggered by war is not something "distant” as people have to live with “caution, fear, and prayer." The conflict touches "deep sensitivities" in the region. In his appeal to AsiaNews readers, he says that every war "is a wound to humanity”.