News

Catholic priests, nuns, seminarians, and human rights activists in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province are urging authorities to investigate alleged human trafficking and exploitation at a nightclub in Sikka Regency on Flores Island.

Thousands of devotees gathered at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes under the Diocese of Cubao, Mero Manila, Philippines, to celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lady of Lourdes, a Marian feast deeply loved by the Filipino faithful, especially the sick who come seeking healing and hope.

The Apostolic Vicar of Calapan in Oriental Mindoro, Philippines, has formally promulgated a “Code for the Safeguarding of Minors and Vulnerable Persons,” reinforcing the Church’s commitment to protect children and at-risk individuals from sexual abuse and misconduct.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) honored Fr. Joskutty Thomas SDB on February 9, 2026, for his outstanding contribution to the publication and promotion of the Holy Bible through the BibleOn mobile application and website. He belongs to the Dimapur Province of the Salesians of Don Bosco, in northeast India.

A musical discourse titled “Suwanda Jale Pipi Kumuduniye” was held on February 8 at St. Vincent’s Home, Maggona, located in the Western Province of Sri Lanka, to commemorate the 28th death anniversary of Ramon Magsaysay Award-winning priest Fr. Marcelline Jayakody, OMI — a towering figure in Sri Lankan Catholic literature and sacred music.

A newly constructed school was inaugurated at the Catholic resettlement centre for internally displaced persons (IDPs) at V. Munpi in the north east Indian state of Manipur, marking a significant step in rebuilding the lives of families displaced by ethnic violence.

The Bishop of Kandy, Bishop Valence Mendis, and Bishop Emeritus Joseph Vianney Fernando recently visited Goa on a pilgrimage that highlighted the deep spiritual and historical bonds between Sri Lanka and the Church in Goa.

Archbishop Joseph Arshad of Rawalpindi-Islamabad, Pakistan, has strongly condemned the February 6 suicide blast at an Imambargah in Islamabad, describing the targeting of innocent civilians as a heinous crime against humanity, religious values, and social harmony.

For more than three decades, the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth have worked quietly among some of Goa’s most marginalized communities. Through education, livelihood programs, and crisis response, their social service centers have focused on long-term empowerment rather than short-term relief. From the former red-light district of Baina to migrant communities in Zuari Nagar, their mission continues to reshape lives.

“Hiraya: A Collection of Reflections for the Jubilee of Hope,” a four-part spiritual anthology published by Logos Publications (Manila), was officially launched on Feb 9, at the San Lorenzo Ruiz Hall of the Pontificio Collegio Filippino in Rome.

The World Day of Consecrated Life was solemnly celebrated on February 2 at the Bangladesh Conference of the Religious (BCR) Centre in Savar, under the Archdiocese of Dhaka.

For Filipino Catholic social worker Rommel Miles E. Corro, justice is never an abstract idea reserved for classrooms or conferences. It is lived daily—on crowded streets, in vulnerable communities, and even on two wheels. A philosopher by training and a social development worker by vocation, Corro has spent decades weaving together faith, climate justice, and people-centered development in ways that are both practical and prophetic.

The Catholic Vicariate of Phnom Penh in Cambodia held its first-ever pastoral gathering under the theme “The Vicariate of Phnom Penh Is Full of Life”, bringing together clergy, religious, and lay leaders for a celebration of communion, mission, and shared service.

Filipino Church leaders have called on shrine ministers and promoters to ensure that shrines across the country become homes of faith and genuine encounter, rather than venues for competition, commercialization, or spectacle.

The Commission for Canon Law of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) marked the successful completion of its one-year international programme, “Diploma in Canon Law for the Laity for a Synodal Church,” with a convocation ceremony held on February 8, 2026.

The Western Region Bible Commission of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), under the leadership of Bishop Simião Purificação Fernandes, Chairman of the Western Regional Bible Commission, organized a Bible Seminar from February 7–8, 2026, on the theme “Journeying through the Pentateuch: From Creation to the Threshold of the Promised Land.”

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) on February 9 honoured Shri Conrad K. Sangma, Chief Minister of Meghalaya and the only Catholic Chief Minister in India, in recognition of his distinguished public service and leadership. The honour was conferred during the 37th General Body Meeting of the CBCI, held at St. John’s Medical College, Bengaluru.

As the Church in Asia prepares for World Youth Day 2027 in Seoul, Filipino Archbishop Rex Andrew Alarcon underscored the urgent need for youth accompaniment, formation, and responsible digital engagement during his visit to the Radio Veritas Asia (RVA) central office in Quezon City on February 8.

For the first time in years, the holy month of Ramadan and the Christian Lenten season begin on the same day—February 18—offering Muslims and Christians a rare moment of shared sacred time.

Caritas Bangladesh observed the International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking at its central office in Dhaka on February 8, reaffirming its commitment to protecting human dignity and combating all forms of exploitation.