He’s been called “the conscience of China.” At age 85, Cardinal Joseph Zen, bishop emeritus of Hong Kong, is hardly living out his retirement in quiet.
International News
@Pontifex Twitter Hits 40 Million
Pope Francis’ @Pontifex Twitter accounts reached more than 40 million followers just a few months before the fifth anniversary of when Pope Benedict XVI launched the initiative.
Coverage from Puerto Rico
Jorge Dominiguez, the editor of Nuestra Voz, the diocesan Spanish monthly, is currently in Puerto Rico where he is getting a firsthand look at the destruction wrought by Hurricane Maria. His reports will be broadcast on NET-TV and will be printed in The Tablet next week.
Death Penalty Contrary to The Gospel
The death penalty, no matter how it is carried out, “is, in itself, contrary to the Gospel,” Pope Francis said.
Vatican Issues Itinerary for Papal Trip to Myanmar, Bangladesh
Pope Francis’ trip to Myanmar and Bangladesh will offer moments to recognize each nation’s struggle for independence, underline interreligious respect and encourage the local minority Catholic communities.
Nine Men and Women Declared Blessed
Pope Francis advanced the sainthood causes of nine men and women, including a Franciscan priest who championed the land rights of farmers in Guatemala.
Terrorist Crisis Continues To Grow in Philippines
Caritas in the Philippines is appealing for help for 400,000 people displaced in Marawi as fears grow of malnutrition and displacement problems resulting from ongoing terrorist attacks.
Syriac Bishops Feel Threatened in Middle East
Syriac Catholic bishops meeting in Lebanon for their annual synod lamented the suffering of the Syriac church and other sister churches and the “grave threat” to the future of their presence in the Middle East.
40 Catholic Groups Divest Funds from Fossil Fuels
Forty Catholic institutions, including the Belgian bishops’ conference and a leading church social welfare agency in South Africa, have decided to divest from fossil fuel companies.
Church Fears New Regulations Will Put More Restrictions on Religion
Church officials fear that newly revised religious affairs regulations released by the Chinese government, supposedly aimed at protecting national security, will be used to further suppress religious activities.