Mission Unplugged

November 10th marks the 38th anniversary of the assassination of Father Michael Rodrigo, a Sri Lankan Catholic priest and member of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI), widely remembered for his radical commitment to social justice, ecological awareness, and inter-religious dialogue in rural Sri Lanka.

Kerala’s victory over extreme poverty belongs to neither church nor state alone. It belongs to their convergence, five centuries of institution-building meeting four years of policy precision.

In a historic moment for women religious, two congregations founded on the vision of the Englishwoman Mary Ward, the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (IBVM), popularly known as the ‘Loreto Sisters,’ and the Congregation of Jesus (CJ), formally united on November 4, 2025, bringing to completion a journey that began more than four centuries ago.

In a remarkable gesture of solidarity, Auxiliary Bishop Simião Purificação Fernandes of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, South India, joined the parishioners of Our Lady–Mother of the Poor Church, Tilamola, Goa, in harvesting paddy with a sickle in hand on October 14, turning an ordinary day into a profound spiritual experience.

“It’s not I who has been faithful, but the people; they have been so faithful and supportive,” Fr. Leo van Beurden OSC.

By restoring hope and offering a loving community, they wipe away the stain of injustice to reveal the radiant image of God within each person. Their mission is a symphony, blending the Church’s call to be missionary with its passion for human dignity.

“For a year, I lived like a zombie,” she said. “I let the gloomy tide of life take me wherever it led. I was angry, helpless, and questioned God.”

“My Franciscan Superior asked me, ‘Are you willing to go to Jakarta?’ I immediately replied, ‘With great pleasure,’” recalls the priest, now one of Indonesia’s most respected biblical scholars.

From September 29 to October 1, 2025, generations of cardinals, archbishops, priests, bishops, religious, and seminarians from across Asia returned to the place where their journeys began, College General, Penang.

Over the past decade, many affluent Indonesians have begun consuming organic grains and vegetables for health reasons.