News

Qaraqosh, Iraq’s largest Christian city, will soon be home to a new Marian shrine dedicated to Mary, Mother of Persecuted Christians, the first of its kind in the Middle East.

Pope Leo XIV shared his first meal with the poor of his pontificate on August 17, joining homeless persons, migrants, and families assisted by Caritas of Albano at Castel Gandolfo.

A bronze sculpture by Canadian Catholic artist Timothy Schmalz, titled When I Was Hungry and Thirsty, was blessed on August 2 at St. Joseph’s Church in Fanling as part of the Diocese of Hong Kong’s Jubilee Year celebrations, Sunday Examiner reported.

The Archdiocese of Bangalore in the southern Indian state of Karnataka joined the universal Church in commemorating the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea with special “Creed Sunday” celebrations on August 17, Catholic Connect reported.

The India Central Province of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) marked its sesquicentennial jubilee with a vibrant celebration at St. Arnold’s Seva Sadan, Indore, drawing together hundreds of priests, religious, lay partners, and well-wishers in a spirit of thanksgiving and joy.

An Indian bishop has stepped into the relief efforts of a flood-hit region in central India, despite the absence of a Christian community there, further cementing the Church’s reputation for selfless service.

The East Asian Pastoral Institute (EAPI) began its 60th anniversary celebrations with a solemn Mass and a two-day seminar at Ateneo de Manila University, Manila, Philippines.

The 31st ASEACCU (Association of Southeast and East Asian Catholic Colleges and Universities) Conference opened on August 18, 2025, at Providence University in Taichung, Taiwan.

Radio Veritas Asia (RVA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Fr. Felmar Castrodes Fiel, SVD, as its 10th General Manager. A member of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), Fr. Fiel brings with him a wealth of experience in media communication, missionary outreach, and community engagement.

Bishop Sagayaraj of Thanjavur took charge as the chairman of the Regional Laity Commission in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu on August 12.

An Israeli airstrike struck al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City on Sunday, killing at least seven people, according to local health officials.

Singapore will continue to weather tough challenges such as international rivalry, the threat of technology replacing jobs and a rapidly ageing society, so long as Singaporeans remain united, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in his National Day Rally Speech.

St. Mary’s Parish in Tuibuang, in the Archdiocese of Imphal, Manipur, marked its Feast Day with a solemn Eucharistic celebration that drew thousands of parishioners and pilgrims from across the region.

Eleven days after the Archbishop of Ozamiz ordered the closure of St. John the Baptist Parish Church in Jimenez, Misamis Occidental, the historic church was reopened on August 16, 2025.

A Jesuit priest who works as a chaplain at the Philippine General Hospital in Manila says “spirituality becomes a lifeline” while caring for the sick and dying.

In a four-page pastoral letter dated August 15, 2025, the bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan expressed strong opposition to large-scale commercial dredging in Oriental Mindoro, Philippines.

Celebrating the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Pope Leo XIV invited the faithful to rediscover the power of their “yes” to God and to choose life over fear, complacency, and resignation.

One of the four Baroque churches in the Philippines designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites has been elevated to the rank of minor basilica.

The 150th Anniversary Documentary Video of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), dubbed “Witnessing to the Light From Everywhere For Everyone”, was launched via Zoom on August 15.

“A synodal leadership means walking with the people as Jesus did,” said Archbishop Charles Brown, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, in his homily during the episcopal ordination and installation of Ronald Anthony Timoner as the new bishop of the Diocese of Pagadian on August 13.