Holiness in Asia Archives

Philippines

Ending Recruitment of Child Soldiers

The publicity surrounding an 11-year-old communist rebel reported to have surrendered to the Philippine military this month has served as a harsh reminder of the work still to be done to rid the South East Asian country of the scourge of child soldiers. The boy, referred to in news reports by his nickname Dodong, was recruited at the age of six into the New People’s Army (NPA), which has been waging a Maoist insurgency in the southern Philippines for decades.

Irin News

Africa/Asia

Human Trafficking in Southeast Asia

Human trafficking continues to be a very serious problem in Southeast Asian countries. Criminal networks extend from the west of Burma, crossing the coastal areas of Bangladesh, to the southern coast of Thailand. According to the method used by traffickers, money from emigrants is required on arrival in the country of destination, often in Malaysia, where most of the Rohingya, a Muslim minority persecuted in Burma, and the Bengalis fleeing misery, hope to find refuge.

www.fides.org

Burundi

On the Brink of Civil War

With the looming threat of a tragic return to the past, Burundi risks sinking into another civil war. The news that is coming from missionaries based in the capital Bujumbura is certainly not reassuring. The situation is very tense. Schools, markets and shops are closed. People are scared, especially those who have taken part in demonstrations against current President Pierre Nkurunziza who is running for a third term. He has been in power since 2005 and having led the CNDD (National Council for the Defence of Democracy) rebel group, he now wants to run as its candidate for the presidency in the elections on 26 June this year at all costs.

Luciano Zanardini

Frontiers

The Courageous Witness

After decades of debate on whether his assassination was prompted by politics or the defense of the faith, Pope Francis has declared the slain Archbishop of San Salvador a martyr, paving the way for his beatification on May 23.

Tony Magliano-Syndicated Social Justice and Peace Columnist

Filipino Focus

World Youth Parliament : Taking their Mission to Heart

The youth have always been regarded as a catalyst for social change because of their bold ideas and an inexhaustible energy for action. One can never simply disregard the opinion of young people since, in any given society, it is the youth (and women) who bear any crisis or breakdown in values. While local and international conferences have addressed various social issues, they only catered to mature audiences, often alienating young people. The World Youth Parliament, therefore, was established to bridge this gap by empowering the youth so they can truly express themselves and put to test their actions and beliefs.

Prof. Angela Martinez Hadad | Philippine Delegate to WYP

WM Special

The Horizon of Christian Life

With tens of thousands of victims and original aspects, especially in Japan, Korea, Vietnam and China, martyrdom is the overwhelming feature of Asian holiness. This is another proof that confirms what was experienced in other continents, undeniably, since the beginning of Christianity. It is not a casual happening but the consequence of the fact that, because of Jesus, martyrdom is, according to the great theologian Hans Urs Von Balthasar, the horizon of Christian life.

Fr. Lorenzo Carraro | Comboni Missionary

WM Special

Lilies of the Battlefield

The tragedy of the atomic bomb is the background of Dr. Paul Takashi Nagai’s holiness in the spiritual anguish of finding a reason for it. Agneta Chang, on the other hand, represents the absolute faithfulness to her people when the communist storm was swallowing them. Meanwhile, Shigeto Oshida is like a zen flower, blossoming from a war witness of heroism. Three inspiring, noble, truly Asian saintly figures.

Fr. Lorenzo Carraro | Comboni Missionary

In Focus

Are Women Religious Still Religious Women?

After the overhaul of the religious life by Vatican II, many religious women are still struggling , if not confused, about their “new calling.” Up until today, their actions are being misunderstood, even by the Church itself, because of this re-orientation. However, many women religious are convinced that the direction they have taken is appropriate and is a reflection of the true and the same apostolic service they have committed to before the Council.

Dianne Bergant, CSA | The Carroll Stuhlmueller, CP distinguished professor of Old Testament Studies

The Searcher's Path

Love is the Origin of Everything

Our common vocation to holiness is the universal vocation to love. All vocations have, in fact, the same invitation. Saints and mystics found in the Song of Songs, the ultimate love poem – the love between the soul and its lover, the Church and Christ, the faithful and Mary. But there is no doubt that it was written as an expression of human love. Without this deep bond of affection, even consecrated men and women are left with empty allegories and shallow spiritualities.

Fr. Manuel João P. Correia | Comboni Missionary

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Series: Holiness in Asia