Help for the training of 25 Norbertine novices The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré—also known as the Norbertines—was founded in France in the 12th century and has around 1,600 members on six continents today. In 1960, Dutch Norbertine Fathers founded what is now the Abbey of Jamtara in India and just two years later, …
Category archives: South Asia
Bangladesh: Radicalization driving discrimination and attacks against Christians
With Islamist groups gaining more political influence in Bangladesh, Church sources are increasingly concerned about the treatment of Christians and ongoing attacks on Catholic schools. Christians often struggle to find work, church construction projects are delayed, and the future of Catholic schools is under threat, according to a Church source who wished to remain anonymous …
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Project of the week – Brazil
A pastoral centre for the parish of Boqueirão The parish of Boqueirão belongs to the Diocese of Campina Grande in the impoverished northeast part of Brazil. It is around 60 years old and is dedicated to Nossa Senhora do Desterro (Our Lady of the Flight)—a reference to the flight into Egypt by Our Lady and …
Pakistan: Christian woman sentenced to death
Shagufta Kiran, mother of four, to appeal conviction A Christian mother of four in Pakistan has been sentenced to death for allegedly sharing blasphemous messages on WhatsApp. But legal advocates, supported by a leading Catholic charity, have vowed to appeal the conviction. Former nurse Shagufta Kiran, 40, was sentenced to death on Wednesday, September 18 …
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Project of the Week – India
Help for the training of 22 seminarians The Catholic Church in Northeast India is still relatively young and only began to take root around the end of the 19th century. In many parts of the region, the Catholic presence dates back no more than a few decades. One of the younger dioceses in this part …
Interview — “God was with me in this struggle.”
Unjustly imprisoned for eight years in Pakistan Shagufta Kausar was falsely accused of blasphemy. For almost eight years she was separated from her family, her husband was beaten and tortured, and they were pressured to convert to Islam. Now free, she tells in an interview with Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) how she …
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Jaranwala one year later – no justice, no safety
One year on from violence described as the worst outbreak of anti-Christian persecution in Pakistan, Church leaders say people are both terrified of more attacks and furious that felons have not been brought to justice. Leading clergy in the Diocese of Faisalabad reported that security services warned Christians in Jaranwala against holding outdoor events today …
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