Asian News

A Catholic nun in Bangladesh has provided mental health services to people from various walks of life since 2010 in Muslim-majority Bangladesh.

The Rajshahi Catholic community is mourning the loss of Monsignor Marcellus Philip Topno, a beloved and humble priest of the Rajshahi Diocese and a proud son of the Mundari indigenous community at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital on May 21.

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ groundbreaking encyclical on care for our common home, Radio Veritas Asia (RVA) is set to host a special webinar titled “Celebrating 10 Years of Laudato Si’: The Asian Voices for our Common Home” on May 23, in Manila, Philippines.

The Vatican has elevated the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of St. Paul of the Cross in Marikina City to the rank of a minor basilica, marking the first such designation under the newly elected Pope Leo XIV and a significant milestone for the Catholic Church in the Philippines.

Bishop Socrates Mesiona of Puerto Princesa in Palawan, Philippines, has expressed deep concern over the arrest of eleven indigenous residents of Barangay Mariahangin in Balabac, Palawan, on May 15.

Notre Dame University Bangladesh (NDUB), a Catholic-run institution in the heart of Dhaka, organized an innovative groundbreaking workshop on AI and video editing at Motijheel on May 13 and 17.

An Indian Catholic social worker and environmentalist was among the recipients of the 8th TCJ Excellence Awards 2025 in Mumbai, western India.

As Divine Mercy devotees in the Archdiocese of Cebu prepare for the 28th Divine Mercy Convention scheduled for May 24–25, 2025, organizers recall how the devotion was ignited by a miracle experienced by an ordinary government employee and family man.

The Research and Advocacy for Climate Policy and Action (RACPA) consortium, led by Jesuits, held a planning workshop on climate justice and community resilience in Surakarta, Indonesia, May 13–17.

A solemn interfaith prayer and memorial service was held at the Ramna Archdiocesan Centre to honor the legacy of the late Pope Francis, bringing together Christian leaders and believers from a broad spectrum of denominations in Bangladesh on May 15.

On May 18, 2025, Fr. Morris Jalal, a priest in the Archdiocese of Lahore, Pakistan, inaugurated the Good Samaritan Computer Center.

The Catholic Church in the People’s Republic of China opened two new churches on the same day.

On May 14 and 17, Bishop Anthony Adoun Hongsaphong, Apostolic Vicar of Vientiane in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos PDR), along with his delegation, attended the funeral ceremonies to pay their respects and offer a message of condolence on the occasion of the cremation of the Venerable Maha Bounma Simmaphom Maha Thera, former President of the Central Buddhist Fellowship of Lao PDR.

On May 8, 2025, Thailand’s Supreme Buddhist Patriarch, Somdet Phra Ariyavongsagatanana, welcomed a delegation from the Catholic Church at Wat Ratchabophit in Bangkok.

An Indian nun who works for the emancipation of poor people received the “My Patna, My Pride” Award from Dainik Jagran (iNext) on May 17.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)—Episcopal Commission on Evangelization and Catechesis will hold the Youth Conference in Manila this July.

The Salesians of Don Bosco held a special Mass for Penh Sokkheng on May 17, 2025 as she left for her missionary volunteer service in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

The rhythmic chants and vibrant energy of Māori culture filled Jubilee Catholic Secondary School in Hohola on May 18, 2025, as students welcomed Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue, a renowned cultural performance group from Rotorua, New Zealand.

A half-day retreat was organized by the Rajshahi Catholic Teachers' Team for Catholic teachers working in various schools in the city at Muktidata Primary School on May 16.

The Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose (AVSJ) - Caritas Occidental Mindoro expressed “deep concern” over the Supreme Court Decision Nullifying Occidental Mindoro’s 25-Year Moratorium on Large-Scale Mining and Upholding Mining in the Philippines, in a statement issued on Sunday.