Kasmir Nema, RVA News

Religious freedom across Asia came under sharp scrutiny as leaders of the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit warned that repression of faith communities continues to expand worldwide.

Pope Leo XIV has described human fraternity as “an urgent necessity, not a distant ideal,” as the world marked the International Day of Human Fraternity and the seventh anniversary of the Document on Human Fraternity.

Pope Leo XIV called on Christians to make their unity visible through a shared witness to the Gospel as he presided over the Celebration of Second Vespers on 25 January, the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, marking the conclusion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

In a pressing appeal to the global community, Pope Leo XIV has warned that the rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence must not come at the cost of human uniqueness, urging the faithful and civil society to protect "human voices and faces" from digital erosion.

In a rapidly secularizing world, few ecclesial movements have generated as much missionary zeal—and occasionally, internal friction—as the Neocatechumenal Way.

In a landmark moment that bridges the Middle East with the faithful of Asia, the Holy See has elevated the Church of Our Lady of Arabia in Al-Ahmadi, Kuwait, to the rank of Minor Basilica.

In a vivid continuation of ecclesial history, the Vatican Mosaic Studio has completed the official mosaic medallion of Pope Leo XIV.

In this short reflection, Fr. Kasmir Nema, SVD, a former student of Fr. Eilers and currently the Coordinator for Communications at the SVD Generalate in Rome, shares how Fr. Eilers deeply influenced his life.

It wasn't business as usual at the Vatican last week. As the Holy See Press Office filled with journalists on the evening of January 8, 2026, the atmosphere was one of candid reflection rather than formal proclamation.

"If you were to compare us to cellular phones, we are 'low bat' (low battery) already," quipped Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, Bishop of Kalookan (Philippines), describing the atmosphere at the close of a marathon day at the Vatican.