News

Reaching the age of two hundred is a rare achievement for any institution, and even more so for a school. Antonio De Souza (ANZA) High School, located in Byculla, South Mumbai, has reached this remarkable milestone, completing two centuries of continuous service in education.

A soul-stirring Konkani song titled “Padr Agnel” was released on January 21, 2026, marking the 157th birth anniversary of Venerable Fr Agnelo de Souza, a saintly member of the Society of Pilar, from Goa in southwest India. Conceived as a heartfelt tribute to one of Goa’s most beloved spiritual figures, the song beautifully captures the prayerful life, pastoral zeal, humility, and compassionate love of Venerable Agnelo.

The Catholic community of Diglakuna Parish in the Diocese of Mymensingh, northeastern Bangladesh, celebrated a historic milestone on January 16 with the ordination of its first priest, Fr. Tharson Francis Mrong, CSC, whose remarkable faith journey began in the Baptist Church.

Catholic bishops were reminded that leadership in the Church is not a reward for readiness or status, but a response to a divine call that often disturbs comfort and expectations, as Bishop Ronald Anthony Timoner of Pagadian, southern Philippines, said during a Mass marking the opening of a four-day bishops’ seminar on January 20.

Caritas Philippines has warned that development which excludes marginalized communities, harms the environment, and burdens future generations loses its human and moral meaning.

The Diocesan Social Service Society (DSSS) of the Archdiocese of Imphal, in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur, conducted a one-day training seminar on Food Processing and Value Addition for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) on January 19, 2026. The programme was held at the newly established Catholic Resettlement Centre in V. Munpi Village, Churachandpur District.

The Don Bosco Formation Center is gearing up for two significant milestones: 50 years of Salesian presence in the Philippine South and the 150th anniversary of ASC.

The Chattogram Catholic Archdiocese in southeastern Bangladesh held its Annual Pastoral Assembly from January 15 to 17, under the theme “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord” (Luke 1:46). The three-day gathering drew 161 representatives from 13 parishes and took place in the auditorium of Brother Flavian Kindergarten School in Chattogram.

In response to the growing plight of migrant communities vulnerable to exploitation, a two-day Awareness Workshop on Safe Migration and the Prevention of Bonded Labour and Human Trafficking was successfully conducted in Jharkhand, eastern India, on January 18 and 19.

The Catholic Association of Nagaland (CAN) held its fifth convention from January 9 to 12, 2026, at St. Xavier Parish, Jalukie. Hosted by the Zeliangrong Catholic Association of Nagaland (ZCAN), the four-day gathering carried the theme “Pilgrims of Faith, Hope, and Love.”

Christians from Kandhamal, long known as a land of martyrs, have found renewed joy and hope in the ordination of Bishop Rabindra Kumar Ranasingh as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cuttack–Bhubaneswar, in the eastern Indian state of Odisha. His elevation holds deep symbolic meaning for a community that has endured some of the worst anti-Christian violence in India’s recent history.

The Tamil Nadu Catholic Youth Movement (TCYM) gathered on January 18 for its annual general body meeting, passing resolutions on the upcoming Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections and planning strategies for youth engagement in the democratic process.

The Patriarchal Seminary of Rachol, under the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, southwest India, held Diploma Day on January 18, 2026, concluding its Theological and Pastoral Formation Course for the lay faithful, with a total of 142 participants receiving their diplomas.

The National Feast of Saint Joseph Vaz was solemnly celebrated on 15 January 2025 at the National Shrine of Saint Joseph Vaz, Mahagalagamuwa, in the North Western Province of Sri Lanka.

Following the one-and-a-half-month mark since the devastating cyclone hit Sri Lanka, the Bishop Jude Nishanta Silva of Badulla in the south east, has issued an open appeal via video, drawing the attention of the government and all relevant parties to several critical issues.

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.

A Catholic filmmaker and philanthropist from Goa, Mr Severine Fernandes, has promised to donate a school bus to the Catholic Resettlement Centre at V. Munpi village, Churachandpur district, Manipur. He made the commitment on January 16, 2026, during his visit to the centre, which is home to Catholic internally displaced persons (IDPs) from St Joseph’s Parish, Sugnu (Singtom village), who were uprooted following ethnic violence in the state.

The Conference of Religious of India (CRI), Goa Unit, organised the XIX Major Superiors’ Annual Meeting with Diocesan Heads on January 17, 2026, at the Pilar Pilgrim Centre, Pilar. The gathering brought together Major Superiors of religious congregations serving in the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, southwest India.

Archbishop Elias Gonsalves of Nagpur in central India has announced a Day of Penance and Reparation following the theft of a tabernacle containing the Blessed Sacrament from a Catholic institution in the archdiocese.

The newly ordained bishop of San Jose, Nueva Ecija, Philippines has pledged to lead the local Church through deeper dialogue, synodality, and close engagement with the people, describing these as central to his pastoral mission.