Fides News - English

AFRICA/KENYA - No to an American center for the treatment of Ebola cases from other countries

Thu, 28 May 2026 15:18:43 +0200

Nairobi – The Law Society of Kenya opposes a US treatment center for Ebola patients in Kenya. "We urge the Kenya government to take robust measures to avoid cases of Ebola from entering Kenya. That includes declining the request by the US Government to set up an Ebola Treatment Centre in Kenya where Ebola patients from other countries will be flown in," said the president of the LSK, which has 20,000 members.
The US government has announced it is considering establishing a quarantine and treatment center in Kenya specifically for Americans who have been exposed to the Ebola virus , instead of repatriating them to the United States. The proposal has sparked intense public debate in Kenya, particularly due to concerns about the risks to the local population and the capacity of the Kenyan health system to handle a potential pandemic. Kenyan authorities confirmed that discussions have begun but stressed that the final decision will prioritize national security. The president of the LSK does not dispute that those affected by the virus should receive adequate care, but emphasizes that this care must be provided where the infection is occurring. “Since all Ebola patients deserve access to the highest standard of medical care, and we owe them human solidarity even as we protect the healthy population, public health dictates require that the medical treatment facility and treatment isolation protocols be set up near the common epicentre of the infection,” he affirms.
So far, no cases of Ebola have been reported in Kenya. However, the virus has affected some areas in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, with approximately ten cases. Uganda has closed its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo and canceled the pilgrimage to the national shrine of Namugongo, scheduled for June 3rd, the Day of Ugandan Martyrs . Among the expected pilgrims, several came from Kenya. At least 500 Kenyan faithful who had set out for Namugongo were stopped at the border.

AFRICA/NIGERIA - "May the memory of God's benevolence toward Abraham be a source of inspiration for our coexistence"

Thu, 28 May 2026 15:08:34 +0200

Abuja – "May God's benevolence toward Abraham inspire our communities to live together in these difficult times,” the Nigerian Bishops’ Conference wrote in a message to the country’s Muslim faithful on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, the festival commemorating the Prophet Abraham’s obedience to God.
“The benevolence of God, recalled in this celebration, invites Muslims, Christians, and indeed all Nigerians to reflect on the restoration Abraham received when his son was spared and returned to him,” the Nigerian bishops emphasized. “For this same benevolence, we are all called to give thanks to God, who has kept us despite the dark clouds of uncertainty and the difficult circumstances of this moment in our nation's history,” the message continued.
The CBCN calls on Nigerians to follow this example and thus contribute to the growth of our communities. Addressing the leaders of Islamic communities, the Catholic bishops declared: “Together as leaders, we can make this call for more kind gestures in service of the common good. This is a call to move away from self-serving policies and programmes” in order to “move towards selfless service to our people today burdened by the consequences of years-long ineffectiveness.” The Diocese of Oyo in southwestern Nigeria published a message signed by Bishop Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo and Father Joseph Ogundipe, head of the diocese’s Office for Interreligious Dialogue, in which they expressed their hope that the celebration would provide an opportunity to deepen the dialogue between Christians and Muslims. In light of the wave of kidnappings, the message called on Christians and Muslims to unite in the fight against “all these forms of evil that threaten our identities and collective efforts together as believers in One God.”

ASIA/CAMBODIA - Documents for the cause of the Cambodian martyrs in the Vatican: "A priceless spiritual heritage for the Church and the world"

Thu, 28 May 2026 14:57:23 +0200

Rome - "It was with profound joy that we presented Cardinal Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, with the sealed documents signed in a solemn ceremony in Phnom Penh. These documents pertain to the diocesan investigation into the beatification and canonization of Bishop Joseph Salas and his eleven companions, the Martyrs of Cambodia. These sealed documents contain a precious testimony of faith, courage, and love: nearly 2,500 pages that recount the heroic journey of these men and women in Cambodia between 1970 and 1977," Bishop Olivier Schmitthaeusler, Apostolic Vicar of Phnom Penh, told Fides on the sidelines of the ad limina visit of the Bishops of Laos and Cambodia in Rome.
The Vicar explains: “These documents not only record their lives and their sacrifice, but they are also a priceless spiritual heritage for the Church and the world.”
The local Church officially opened the diocesan inquiry into the Cambodian martyrs on May 15, 2015. Since then, a team led by the postulator, Father Paul Chatserey, has been collecting testimonies and documents from around the world. The team included other priests from the Diocesan Tribunal, the Promoter of Justice, notaries, and a Historical Commission chaired by Father Vincent Chrétienne.
“Bishop Yves Ramousse, who loved and knew these future martyrs so well, played a crucial role in compiling the initial list,” Bishop Schmitthaeusler continued. “The research and compilation led to the current presentation of twelve Servants of God: Bishop Joseph Chhmar Salas and his eleven companions—priests, religious, and lay people—who represent the richness of the People of God.” Upon handing over the documents to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, the Vicar expressed his hope that “the examination and discernment may continue so that these martyrs may soon be presented to the universal Church as a gift and a shining witness.” In an interview with Fides, the postulator, Father Paul Chatserey, who is also the national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Cambodia and Laos, recalls: “The initial impetus to research the stories of the Cambodian martyrs came from Pope John Paul II, who, in the Jubilee Year 2000, called upon the Asian churches in all countries to recognize and commemorate their martyrs.” Pope John Paul II said: “These servants of God […] form a great fresco of Christian humanity […] It is the fresco of the Beatitudes, lived to the point of shedding blood.” “
In this spirit, the Cambodian Church erected a memorial to the martyrs; we built a cross and a small shrine. Since then, an annual commemoration of the martyrs has been held, bringing together believers from all over the country,” he explains.
“Gradually, awareness grew, and we began to collect materials, documents, and testimonies. This was very difficult because, during the dark years of the war and the Khmer Rouge, the churches, along with all their documents, were destroyed,” the postulator explains. “We armed ourselves with patience and began to collect oral testimonies. Then we received great help and invaluable support from the archives of the Society for Foreign Missions in Paris. Thus, the work grew slowly and with difficulty, and finally, after years of work, study, and research, we succeeded in gathering enough material to advance the process for Bishop Salas and eleven companions.” “Now,” he declares, “our Church in Cambodia rejoices. The spirituality and inspiration of the martyrs are of great importance; they are a great encouragement to us. Our communities will now unite in prayer so that, thanks to the work in the Vatican, the cause may progress according to God’s plan.” “At the same time, we will continue to raise awareness, especially among young people, of the story of our martyrs by publishing brochures and organizing cultural, catechetical, and prayer events. We hope and pray that their example will bear fruit and bring grace and holiness to our small Church for the future,” he concludes.

Cardinal Tagle: at the PMS Assembly: mission and unity are born from baptism

Thu, 28 May 2026 14:35:29 +0200

Rome - On the occasion of the opening of the General Assembly of the Pontifical Mission Societies underway in Rome, on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 27, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle proposed a spiritual reinterpretation of Pope Leo XIV's Message for World Mission Day 2026, drawing inspiration from Jesus' prayer for unity and the experience of the first Christian communities.
The papal Message was published last January 25, the day on which the Church's liturgy commemorates the conversion of the Apostle Paul. World Mission Day was established one hundred years ago, in 1926, by Pope Pius XI, and this year it will be celebrated on Sunday, October 18.

"One in Christ and united in mission"

The Cardinal recalled that the theme of Pope Leo XIV's Message, "One in Christ, united in mission," echoes his Augustinian papal motto, "In Illo uno unum" .
The Cardinal Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization presented an exegesis of chapter 17 of the Gospel of Saint John, where the Pope’s reflection finds its roots, particularly in Jesus’ prayer, "I pray not only for them," meaning the disciples, "but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me." "Let me highlight this part of the prayer of Jesus: ‘that all may be one,’ the Cardinal said, "because you have all strands of theology, spirituality, Trinity, ecclesiology, mission all come together there. Brothers and sisters, this is Jesus' prayer before he died. And we believe that seated at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us, he continues to pray, and he continues praying this prayer to the Father: 'that they may all be one.'" The unity for which Jesus prays, the Cardinal continued, is not "just a matter of organization. This is not just a matter of planning and strategy, but of divine communion shared with the disciples and the divine communion into which the disciples are invited or allowed by grace to enter." Unity is a gift: "the unity that Jesus desires, the unity that Jesus prays for, and which is granted to us through faith and in the sacrament of baptism. It is this type of spiritual communion that is being granted to us." "So, when we prepare our catechetical materials for the World Mission Sunday about this call of the Holy Father to be one in Christ and therefore one in mission, I hope we do not forget to go back to this very fundamental aspect of communion, which is often overlooked or downplayed in favor of other forms of so-called unity," he added. For the cardinal, this is the very foundation of mission: "when we talk about baptism as the sacrament of faith and also the sacrament of mission, we should go back to this fundamental element of unity, of communion with the Trinity."

Unity, a condition of missionary credibility

In the second part of the Message of Pope Leo: "Unity in mission," the Cardinal emphasizes: unity is not an exclusive good to be lived in one's own small, elitist groups, but a witness for the world.
"In the prayer of Jesus, it is not the unity of people who say, "I look at you. You look at me. I smile at you. You smile at me. We are united. We are happy together." For Jesus, unity, spiritual, true and authentic spiritual unity in the Christian community, is not inward looking."
The unity of Christians in the prayer of Jesus is like a missionary condition: "a condition for missionary authenticity, credibility. The unity of Christians is a missionary declaration of who our God is. And we say, "Look at us, because in us dwells the God of communion." So the life of Christians should be in itself a living word to the world. And they are in us. Starting from Saint Paul, the Cardinal described what he calls "the mystique of missionary unity": "the diversity of gifts, the diversity of tongues, the diversity of generations. But all part of one another, concerned for each other, and working for the common good. This is missionary unity, and it is missionary communion."
The Cardinal painfully evoked the situations of internal divisions, even violent ones, that undermine the credibility of the Gospel message, particularly in the territories of first evangelization: "What is at stake is not my tribe. What is at stake is not my region. What is at stake is: will people believe that Jesus was sent by the Father?"

The first Christian communities, a paradigm of mission

To illustrate Pope Leo XIV's appeal, the Cardinal explicitly refers to the Acts of the Apostles, where he sees the model for this "mysticism of missionary unity": "In the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 2, verses 42 to 47, we see how the early Christian communities lived this. They lived and focused on the teachings of the apostles, prayer, the Eucharist, and the sharing of resources. The quality of community life, unity, becomes a missionary proclamation. And the people seeing them, maybe out of curiosity, started joining the community." These first communities, of which Luke writes, had "one heart and one soul" and that they shared everything, can constitute a horizon for contemporary ecclesial life: "The way I read it is the Holy Father is asking our parishes, our dioceses, our religious communities, our schools, to live this, to make it the rule of life, and so that that communion will also be a missionary proclamation of who our God is."
In a world "lacerated, wounded, and divided by competition, by inequality, by discrimination, by injustice, by wars," the Cardinal believes Leo XIV's Message reiterates a specific mission for the Church: "to show the world that unity is possible. Unity is real.
In our unity with the Lord and in our unity among ourselves—thanks to our unity with the Lord—we should be able to say to the world, with our words and, we hope, with our community life: 'Unity is possible. Unity is real. Look at the Body of Christ.'"

A mission rooted in love

The third part of Leo XIV's Message, which the Cardinal summarized by speaking of a "Mission of Love," leads to identifying the "substance" of this unity: "For love is the substance of unity and also the substance of mission. Baptism is being reborn, recreated by the God who is love. So we are made again in the image of the Trinitarian God who is love. When we baptize people, we do not do it in our name: That is the sure way for division. But if someone is baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, this is a person of communion."
Recalling a visit to a refugee camp in Lebanon, the Cardinal testified how this "mission of love" makes Christ desirable: on that occasion, when asked by some refugees why Christians from different countries were present to help the local population, he replied: "Because our teacher, our Lord, Jesus Christ, told us to love everyone. And that is why we are here." At that point, the Cardinal recalled, a young girl replied: "I want to encounter that Jesus. He will be a good friend."
It is this dynamic that the Cardinal proposed again to the more than one hundred national directors of the PMS: helping everyone, from childhood—even through the work of the Society dedicated to missionary childhood—to "say no to all the signs of division present in our existence, and opt for unity in Christ," in order to "bear witness to another kind of communion." He concluded: "Taking into account all the beautiful anniversaries we are celebrating this year, Pope Leo's message, and the context of the world today, I believe we are truly called, as Christians, individually and as a community, to live this gift of communion. Through baptism, we belong to one another. And this belonging is fully experienced in mutual care, in caring for one another for the common good, and becomes a missionary witness for today's world."

AFRICA/KENYA - Appointment of bishop of Kitui, Kenya

Wed, 27 May 2026 14:30:34 +0200

Vatican City - The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend John Mbua Mwandi, until now parish priest of Mulutu, as bishop of the diocese of Kitui, Kenya.
Msgr. John Mbua Mwandi was born on 24 September 1970. He studied philosophy at Saint Augustine’s Senior Seminary of the diocese of Bungoma, and theology at Saint Matthias Mulumba Senior Seminary of the diocese of Kapsabet.
He was ordained a priest on 8 December 2001.
After ordination, he first held the offices of parish vicar in Ikutha , parish priest in Miambani , Ikanga and at the Cathedral of Kitui , and dean of the Eastern Deanery . He obtained a diploma in Project Management from the Kenya Institute of Management in Nairobi , and went on to serve as diocesan bursar , pro-vicar general , vicar general, and to date, parish priest in Mulutu.

The 2026 General Assembly of the Pontifical Mission Societies begins

Wed, 27 May 2026 14:25:54 +0200

Rome – “The Pontifical Mission Societies are effectively the “primary means” of awakening missionary responsibility among all the baptized and supporting ecclesial communities in areas where the Church is young,” said Pope Leo XIV on May 22, 2025, regarding the significance of the Pontifical Mission Societies, when he received the national directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies at the Vatican in Rome for their annual General Assembly.

Almost a year later, more than 100 national directors of the worldwide network of Pontifical Mission Societies are meeting again in the Eternal City. They are traveling from all five continents for their annual Assembly, which they see as a valuable opportunity to reaffirm together the vocation and contribution of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the “new missionary age,” which Pope Leo XIV also emphasized.

Global Network at the service of mission

Last year, in his address to the participants of the Assembly of Pontifical Mission Societies, the Successor of Peter expressed his gratitude for the work of the Pontifical Mission Societies “for your dedicated service, which is indispensable to the Church’s mission of evangelization, as I can personally attest from my own pastoral experience in the years of my ministry serving in Peru.” Pope Leo also highlighted the specific tasks undertaken by each of the four Mission Societies, born from the missionary creativity and sensus fidei of the People of God and which, over time, have become an integral part of the Missionary Dicastery: the Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith , which—as the Pope recalled—“provides aid for pastoral and catechetical programmes, the building of new churches, healthcare, and educational needs in mission territories”; The Society of the Holy Childhood , which “too provides support for Christian formation programmes for children, in addition to caring for their basic needs and protection also supports Christian”; the Society of Saint Peter the Apostle , which “helps to cultivate missionary vocations, priestly and religious”; and the Pontifical Missionary Union , which—as the Bishop of Rome recalled—“is committed to forming priests, religious men and women, and all the people of God for the Church’s missionary activity.”

Intensive Program

The working sessions of the Assembly are being held at the “Collegio Internazionale San Lorenzo di Brindisi” of the Capuchin Friars.
The opening day of the Assembly begins today with a Eucharistic celebration presided over by Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization . Following the liturgy, Cardinal Tagle will deliver the opening address.
The Assembly's intensive program continues until Wednesday, June 3. Among the highlights for the participants this year is the audience with Pope Leo XIV on Monday morning, June 1.
On Sunday, May 31, the participants will make a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Saint Philomena and then visit Naples and its cathedral, where they will venerate the relics of Saint Januarius.

During the working sessions, the four General Secretaries will present the work and budgets of the individual Societies. New projects to be supported will also be presented and approved. A separate session will be dedicated to communication and fundraising. On Tuesday afternoon, June 2, Archbishop Samuele Sangalli, Adjunct Secretary for Administration of the Dicastery for Evangelization, will speak.
The Assembly's program concludes on Wednesday, June 3, with the celebration of the Eucharist presided over by Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, Secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization.

One hundred years of World Mission Day

In 2026, the centenary of the establishment of World Mission Day will be commemorated. Pope Pius XI instituted it to encourage and bear witness to the participation of all the faithful in apostolic work through prayer and material support.
World Mission Day is celebrated worldwide on the penultimate Sunday of October, the missionary month par excellence.

Last year, Pope Leo XIV addressed all Catholic parishes worldwide in a video message, reminding them that “every year on World Mission Day, the whole Church prays for missionaries and the success of their apostolic work.”

The Pope recalled his personal experiences as a priest and then as a missionary bishop, he said, “I saw with my own eyes how faith, prayer, and generosity can transform entire communities on this Day.”

This year, World Mission Day falls on October 18. All donations collected worldwide on this Sunday will be entrusted to the Pontifical Mission Societies to support projects and initiatives for proclaiming the Gospel, particularly in countries in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. A network of dedication and missionary passion makes the Pontifical Mission Societies a dynamic organization that is not solely focused on fundraising.

“The Pontifical Mission Societies,” Pope Francis reminded them in his message to the Pontifical Mission Societies on May 21, 2020, “are an instrument of service for the mission of the particular Churches, against the backdrop of the mission of the universal Church. This is the ever-precious contribution that the Societies make to the spread of the Gospel. All of us are called to nurture by means of love and gratitude, as well as by our works, the seeds of divine life that the Spirit of Christ causes to blossom and grow where he wills, even in the deserts. Please, in your prayer ask above all that the Lord make everyone better prepared to recognize the signs of his activity, in order then to reveal them to the whole world.”

AFRICA/SOUTH SUDAN - Ebola: The Diocese of Tombura-Yambio raises surveillance and emergency preparedness

Wed, 27 May 2026 12:17:33 +0200

Juba - The Diocese of Tombura-Yambio in South Sudan is under heightened epidemic surveillance following the spread of the Ebola virus in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.
“Although no confirmed cases have yet been reported in our area, the risk of cross-border transmission remains high due to the frequent population movements within the region. Therefore, we cannot remain inactive or unprepared,” writes Father Charles Mbikoyo, director of diocesan Caritas, in a statement sent to Fides.
Father Mbikoyo has instructed “the Department of Health Services for Wellbeing and Integration, through St. Theresa Mission Hospital, to immediately intensify alert, preparedness, and public awareness measures in order to safeguard our communities and institutions.”
The Health Department is therefore tasked with “strengthening surveillance and early detection mechanisms in all health facilities and communities; intensifying awareness and public health education about Ebola symptoms, preventive measures, hygiene practices, and the importance of timely reporting; preparing emergency teams and, in cooperation with health authorities, ensuring isolation readiness; urging the population to remain calm and vigilant, avoid unnecessary panic, and strictly follow public health guidelines; cooperating with the Office of the Minister of Health and all relevant governmental and humanitarian health partners; and mobilizing community leaders, churches, schools, and local organizations to support prevention campaigns and responsible behavior among the population.”
Father Mbikoyo concludes with an urgent appeal to the population to avoid unnecessary contact with potentially infected individuals or bodies suspected of being infected, to maintain good hygiene, to promptly report any unusual symptoms of illness to the nearest health facility, and to refrain from spreading rumors and misinformation.
So far, South Sudanese authorities have not reported any Ebola cases within their territory, but have implemented surveillance, screening, and precautionary measures.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, there are approximately 105 confirmed cases and over 900 suspected cases . Estimates suggest the total number of suspected and confirmed cases exceeds 1,000, with at least 241 reported deaths. Uganda has about ten confirmed cases and one death.

ASIA/INDIA - An ethical framework for Artificial Intelligence: the Indian Church welcomes "Magnifica Humanitas" as a guide for the faithful

Wed, 27 May 2026 11:42:34 +0200

New Delhi - Establishing an ethical framework for artificial intelligence and disarming it, placing it at the service of human dignity, and the protection of the poor and vulnerable: these are some of the key points of the encyclical "Magnifica Humanitas," which the Indian bishops welcomed, as they announced in a statement following the publication of Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical.
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India described the text as "a valuable contribution to the Social Doctrine of the Church, in continuity with Rerum Novarum" and as "a guide for dealing with the challenges of AI," which are manifold in the Indian context: unemployment, inequality, surveillance, and the concentration of power. The perspective from which to approach these problems, the CBCI emphasized—as is clearly evident in the encyclical—is the reaffirmation of the “centrality of the human person, created in the image of God” and the endeavor to ensure that technological development is “guided by ethical principles grounded in human dignity, justice, and the common good.”
The Indian Church—a community of some 20 million faithful—intends to use the encyclical “Magnifica Humanitas” to educate and raise awareness on this topic in parishes and educational institutions. Given the rapid digitalization and increasing spread of artificial intelligence in India, which are fundamentally transforming education, work, and society, the CBCI recommends the encyclical as a valuable guide for pastors, educators, policymakers, and the faithful. The bishops are committed to deepening and disseminating the encyclical, particularly in formation programs, Catholic educational institutions, and social apostolate.
Cardinal Anthony Poola, President of the CBCI, emphasizes that the document offers “a clear moral compass in a time of rapid technological change” and underscores the need to protect the most vulnerable, especially the poor, young people, and marginalized communities, from the potentially negative effects of uncontrolled artificial intelligence. “The CBCI encourages all Catholics and people of good will to read the encyclical in a spirit of prayer and to foster a culture in which technology is at the service of the integral development of every human being.”
One of the Church’s particular concerns is the impact of AI on Dalits: On the one hand, there is a risk of exacerbating historical discrimination; on the other hand, AI, if used according to ethical and developmental criteria, offers potential for inclusion.
In India, one of the most active countries in AI development, also through government investment, “Magnifica Humanitas” is being published at a time when the ethics and impact of AI on society, the education sector, and social justice, especially for the poorest, are being intensely debated.
In this context, the Pope's text also attracted interest in the Indian media: The Hindu newspaper, for example, highlighted the Pope's call to "disarm" AI, contextualizing the encyclical as a "global ethical manifesto" that also calls on India to implement appropriate regulatory measures.
Among the most interesting aspects in the Indian context, examined in analyses by newspapers such as the "Economic Times" and the "Times of India," is the issue of employment, given the potentially high risks to jobs due to the country's significant IT sector. In general, the Indian media welcomed the call for the necessary regulation of AI processes and the insistence on the primacy of the individual over profit and innovation.

ASIA/MYANMAR - Radio Veritas speaks two new languages: the "Good News" for ethnic minorities, amid displacement and uncertainty

Tue, 26 May 2026 14:37:18 +0200

Yangon - “Radio Veritas Asia” , the radio station of the Catholic communities on the Asian continent, is expanding its language coverage in Myanmar and launching broadcasts in Akha and Kayan. The station aims to spread the Gospel in Shan and Karenni States and thus reach ethnic minorities. This was announced on Pentecost Sunday, May 24, at at St. Mary's Cathedral in Yangon. Cardinal Charles Bo, President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Myanmar, called it a “blessed day for the Church in Myanmar.”
The new programs are intended to reach two ethnic communities in Myanmar: The Akha program is aimed at approximately 700,000 members of the Akha ethnic group, particularly in Shan State, as well as many faithful in the Diocese of Kengtung. The Kayan Service serves approximately 250,000 people in Kayah State , with communities concentrated primarily in the dioceses of Pekhon, Loikaw, Taungngu, and Taunggyi. The initiative sparked great joy and gratitude, expressed by the head of the Akha RVA Service, John Saw Yaw Han, Bishop of Kengtung, and the head of the Kayan RVA Service, Most Rev. Felice Ba Htoo, Coadjutor Bishop of Pekhon.
Radio Veritas Asia broadcasts include religious content, daily refelctions, Sunday homilies, Church news, lives of saints, programs for youth and families, and messages from the Pope. "RVA's ministry is also an opportunity to remain in constant contact and communion with the Pope and the universal Church," the bishops stated, "and provides vital spiritual guidance through the Word of God for the needy, the weary, and the displaced."
Bishop Celso Ba Shwe of Loikaw remarked, “RVA brings the message of the Gospel to the margins of society; the Good News reaches families, young people, the elderly, and society as a whole, touching people’s hearts.” The national coordinator of Radio Veritas in Myanmar, Father Patrick Soe Htun, described “Radio Veritas” as “a bridge connecting people across borders and difficulties, especially during the challenging times Myanmar is going through.”
Monsignor Andrea Ferrante, Chargé d’Affaires of the Holy See to Myanmar, welcomed the expansion of the service, urging the new communicators to become “voices of hope” amidst suffering and uncertainty. The two new services broadcast their programs particularly in areas affected by the civil war: the social situation in Shan State remains extremely unstable and marked by clashes between the army and local groups. The tightening of economic blockades is leading to critical food insecurity for the most vulnerable populations and acute malnutrition among internally displaced persons. The situation in Kayah State, Myanmar's smallest state, is among the most dramatic of the entire Burmese civil war. Heavy fighting is taking place there. An estimated more than half of the State's population has been forced to flee, and tens of thousands of internally displaced persons have sought refuge in the jungle or along the Thai border. The war has plunged the state into a permanent humanitarian crisis, with the civilian population caught between fighting and severe difficulties in securing their daily livelihoods. RVA's current language service offerings in Myanmar now include the following languages: Burmese, Sgaw Karen, Pwo Karen, Kachin Jinghpaw, Kachin Lisu, Kachin Rawang, Hakha Chin, Falam Chin, Tedim Chin, K'Cho, Akha, and Kayan. With these two new language services, RVA now covers 12 local languages in Myanmar, bringing the total number of languages offered by RVA to 23.

ASIA/INDIA - Instability, roadblocks, and protests in Manipur: high tensions and hostage crisis continues

Tue, 26 May 2026 13:38:36 +0200

Imphal - There is no peace in Manipur. According to local Fides sources, the state is experiencing a new escalation of instability and protests demanding the release of 14 Kuki and 6 Naga hostages, abducted by armed groups, amidst chaos and social tensions. Roadblocks and protests are underway in several areas, and traffic on highways in the hilly districts has been disrupted. The hostage crisis between the Naga and Kuki-Zo communities is now in its second week and has not yet been resolved, despite negotiations, mediation efforts by religious leaders, and operations by security forces.
The crisis began after an ambush on a convoy of Baptist pastors and the murder of three pastors: Vumthang Sitlhou, Reverend Kaigoulun Lhouvum, and Pastor Paogoulen Sitlhou . The subsequent kidnappings, carried out in retaliation, demonstrate how quickly the situation deteriorated into widespread instability. Despite the attacks they have suffered, Christian religious leaders have been directly involved in the crisis, which involves civilian hostages from both communities, alongside tribal organizations, civil society groups, local authorities, and security forces, to mediate the release of the abductees. Meanwhile, investigations continue to find those responsible for the ambush and the murder of the three pastors. Currently, the attackers have not yet been identified, and the reasons for this massacre, which targeted people deeply committed to peace and reconciliation, remain unclear.
Five people wounded in the ambush are still hospitalized in Imphal. This attack raises serious concerns about the safety of religious leaders operating in an area of open conflict, "as Christian communities committed to peace face increasing vulnerability," a local priest told Fides. "Right now," he noted, "it is essential to protect religious leaders engaged in reconciliation within the inter-ethnic conflict between the Kuki, Meitei, and Naga ethnic groups." Manipur has been gripped by a conflict since 2023 that initially pitted the Kuki and Meitei groups against each other, and has since expanded to include the Naga.

ASIA/LAOS AND CAMBODIA - Confirmation of the Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies

Tue, 26 May 2026 13:29:49 +0200

Vatican City - On October 4, 2025, Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization , confirmed Father Paul Chatsirey Roeung as National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Laos and Cambodia for the five-year term 2025-2030. EG

AFRICA/TUNISIA - Confirmation of the Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies

Tue, 26 May 2026 13:26:09 +0200

Vatican City - On August 1, 2025, Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization , confirmed Msgr. Nicolas Pierre Jean Lhernould, Archbishop of the Diocese of Tunis, as National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Tunisia for the five-year period 2025-2030 . EG

AFRICA/NIGERIA - Nine dead and 25 kidnapped in three months in attacks against parish communities in Kaduna State

Tue, 26 May 2026 13:23:23 +0200

Abuja – At least nine people have been killed and another 25 kidnapped in the last three months in various attacks against parish communities in Kurmin Dangana, Kaduna State, in north-central Nigeria. This was reported by Father Christian Okewu Emmanuel, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Kaduna, in a letter sent to the Catholic General Secretariat in Abuja.
“I write to notify you of the incessant terrorist attacks on some communities and outstations under the pastoral care of Saints Peter and Paul parish in Kurmin Dangana District of Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State,” the letter reads.
“The latest attack took place on Thursday, May 21, at Kurmin Bongo station.”The Terrorist struck between 10:00pm and 1:00am, during a heavy rainfall. In spite of the efforts of the vigilante group, five persons were killed, while ten others were abducted, out of which two were rescued through the efforts of the vigilante group."
The Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Kaduna also recalled that there had already been two other attacks in the outstations of Kasaru-B on the 2nd of March, and Sabon Gari on the 1st of May. During the attack on Kasaru-B, one person was shot dead, another sustained several gun-shot injuries, while eight others including the Mai Wa'azi, were abducted. Although they later regained their freedom, two of them were killed in the terrorists' den."
"The attack in Sabo Gari outstation took place barely two weeks after victims from Kasaru-B were released, two persons sustained gun-shot injuries, while ten others were abducted. One of them was also killed while still in the camp of the terrorists." The repeated attacks have also led to the displacement of numerous residents from the affected communities. The Archdiocese has asked the government to intensify efforts to protect lives and property in the besieged areas. The serious insecurity affects several states in the Federation and impacts communities of different religious affiliations, not only Christian ones. Even an association of Fulani herders, sometimes considered among the attackers of settled communities, has denounced the insecurity in Kogi State. The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria , an informal pressure group that promotes the interests of Fulani herders, denounced the murder of eight of its members in the Ankpa Local Government Area, in Kogi State. In response to increased security threats, an aide to President Bola Tinubu has asked residents of Kwara and Kogi states to temporarily suspend religious celebrations in mountainous and forested areas. Finally, the 37 worshippers captured on Easter Sunday, April 5, in the community of Ariko, in the Kachia Local Government Area, remain in captivity . The kidnappers are demanding 1 billion naira and 35 motorcycles for their release, threatening to kill the hostages if their demands are not met.

ASIA/MYANMAR - Appointment of coadjutor bishop of Taungngu

Tue, 26 May 2026 13:13:36 +0200

Vatican City - The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Bernardino Ne Ne, of the clergy of the diocese of Loikaw, until now parish priest of Mother of God in Sondu, as coadjutor bishop of the diocese of Taungngu, Myanmar.
Msgr. Bernardino Ne Ne was born on 20 May 1970 in Loikaw, in the diocese of Loikaw. After attending Saint Theresa Minor Seminary in Taunggyi, he studied philosophy at Saint Joseph’s Major Seminary in Pyin Oo Lwin, and theology at Saint Joseph’s Major Seminary in Yangon.
He was ordained a priest on 13 April for the diocese of Loikaw.
After ordination, he first held the positions of parish vicar of Saint Joseph’s in Dimoso , parish priest of Mary Immaculate Conception in Khabe , and parish vicar of Our Lady Queen of Peace in Doungankha . He was awarded a licentiate in moral theology from the Pontifical Alphonsian Academy in Rome , and went on to hold the offices of parish priest of Mary Immaculate Conception in Khabe , rector of Saint Peter’s Intermediate Seminary of the diocese of Loikaw , national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies of Myanmar , and director of the Residence of the diocese of Loikaw in Yangon . He attended a refresher course at the East Asian Pastoral Institute in Manila, Philippines , and has until now served as parish priest of Mother of God in Sondu .

ASIA/KOREA - Appointment of coadjutor archbishop of Daegu

Tue, 26 May 2026 13:09:40 +0200

Vatican City - The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Simon Jong-Gang Kim, until now bishop of Cheongju, as coadjutor archbishop of the metropolitan archdiocese of Daegu, Korea.
Archbishop-elect Simon Jong-Gang Kim was born on 2 January 1965 in the diocese of Cheongju. After attending the major seminary of Daegu, he was awarded a master’s degree in theology from the Catholic University of Daegu. He subsequently obtained a licentiate in Church history from the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome.
He was ordained a priest on 28 June 1996 for the diocese of Cheongju.
He has held the following offices: parish vicar of Seoundong, diocese of Cheongju and of Heungdeok, diocese of Cheongju ; parish priest in Haksan, diocese of Cheongju ; vice rector of the Pontifical International Missionary College of Saint Paul the Apostle in Rome ; director of youth pastoral ministry ; parish priest of Gyemyeong ; lecturer and spiritual director of the major seminary of Daejeon ; and bursar of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea .
He was appointed bishop of Cheongju on 19 March 2022, receiving episcopal consecration on the following 2 May.
Within the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea he has served as member of the Episcopal Commission for Doctrine of the CBCK ; since 2022, member and subsequently chair of the Special Episcopal Commission for the Promotion of Beatifications and Canonizations of the CBCK; since 2023, president of the Episcopal Commission for Youth Pastoral Ministry of the CBCK and member of the Episcopal Commission for the Mission and Pastoral Ministry of the CBCK.

"Why are you here?": the legacy of a Korean missionary in Mongolia

Tue, 26 May 2026 12:41:09 +0200

by Marie-Lucile Kubacki

Ulaanbaatar - Three years after his death on May 26, 2023, the figure of Father Stephen Kim SeongHueon remains very much alive in the memory of the Church in Mongolia.
A Korean missionary and vicar general of the Apostolic Prefecture of Ulaanbaatar, his life was an answer to a question that had accompanied him since childhood: “Why did they come here?”

We met him a month before his death. In a chapel located beneath the cathedral, dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima, to whom he was especially devoted, he spoke to us about his spiritual and vocational journey, particularly about the memory of the tomb of a French missionary buried in the village where he had grown up. His home parish was founded by missionaries in the Diocese of Daejeon, South Korea. “I grew up asking myself, ‘Why did they come here?’” I wondered about it even more because back then their countries of origin seemed much more interesting to me than the country where I lived….” It was a silent question, unknown to anyone, but one that gradually led him to the seminary and the priesthood. During his studies, an encounter with a Korean missionary marked a turning point: “I don’t remember the exact content of his speech, but I do remember his last words: ‘One of you will go abroad as a missionary.’” That sentence pierced him deeply. “When I heard him say that, I thought: ‘What if it were me?’”

From then on, he began to see his vocation differently. In his fourth year, the bishop sent him to Rome to study: “So I ended up studying missiology while preparing to be a priest in my diocese…” From that tension arose an even deeper question: “What was my true priestly identity? How could I reconcile my identity as a diocesan priest with that of a missionary, which at the time seemed like too much of a role for me?” The answer began to take shape thanks to the Gospel: “I asked myself: Were the twelve disciples diocesan priests or missionaries? And Jesus?” Contemplating their lives, he discovered a common trait: “They were the predecessors of those diocesan priests who never close the door, not even when they are tired, and say: ‘Let people come to me!’” In that image, he found a synthesis: “Because that is precisely the spirituality of the diocesan priest: to keep the door open.” And within him, “a great ‘yes’ resounded,” because he understood that a diocesan priest “could also be a missionary.” Even before leaving, he decided to live his vocation in this way: “Since Korean was the language I knew best, I decided to be a Korean missionary in Korea, as if I were at the ends of the earth.” That change of perspective, he said, made him “profoundly happy.”

Then came Mongolia. “One day I learned that the bishop was looking for someone willing to go to Mongolia.” At that moment, one of the French missionaries from his childhood, the first parish priest, whom he only knew from a monument, came back to him: “I knew that priest through a monument on which his name was engraved.” Then he understood: “Why am I here? It becomes clearer to me every day: because of that name engraved on the monument. One day I too will be dead, and perhaps some children, seeing my name, will ask themselves: ‘Why was Father Kim here?’”

In Mongolia, where he founded the parish of St. Mary Assunta in the Khan-Uul district, Father Stephen lived in a poor and young Church. “In Mongolia, we are still in the early stages.” And yet, he observed: “Throughout the world, ultraliberalism and consumerism are becoming a challenge for all Christians.” The poverty of the Mongolian Church did not seem to him a limitation, but rather an evangelical richness: “We are poor, and that is precisely our wealth.” Looking at St. Francis of Assisi, he reversed the perspective: “St. Francis of Assisi was rich and had to give up all his possessions to follow Jesus. The ‘St. Francis’ of Ulaanbaatar was born poor and has nothing to strip himself of to follow Jesus.” If one recognizes “the richness of poverty,” discovering that God has given them “the gift of not having to renounce anything to follow him,” then “the ‘St. Francis’ of Ulaanbaatar can be happy.”
But he was also aware of the ambiguity of any discourse on poverty: “We must also be aware of how indecent it is to extol the benefits of poverty in front of the poor if we do not share their condition.” That is why he insisted that it was “a real challenge for missionaries”: “We must be what we preach.” “What we can offer people is also a way of living with suffering.” Not by avoiding it, because it exists, even if we don't like it or seek it, but by finding a way to navigate it, by following in the footsteps of Jesus.”

When he spoke about his life, he often returned, smiling, to that period when “he decided to take a step back from the mission and withdraw for a time and spent four years in a ger in the countryside.” There, in the typical Mongolian tent used as a dwelling, he discovered “the joy of a simple life.” He collected horse manure for the stove, fetched water, and shared the daily life of the shepherds. Comparing “the two lifestyles—that of the frenetic city, where there are a thousand things to buy, and that of the simplicity of the countryside—one seemed clearly better to me than the other.”
From that experience also came one of his most powerful images: “In the gers, in the countryside, and even in Ulaanbaatar, there is no running water, and you have to go and fetch it… People know what it means to find fresh water. That is why we must be present, so that they can find wells of fresh water in our churches.” We are there, he said, “to speak of the Kingdom of God and of salvation,” to offer “the Good News that will set them free. Free from what? From the slavery of sin and the feeling of guilt.” This liberation is “very concrete, almost physical: it’s like pouring buckets of heavy water onto the ground.” “We don’t follow Jesus to offer a life full of success, but a full life, truly full, that fills us from within with that living water.”

This is the true happiness he hoped Mongolian Christians would one day recognize: “The day will come when Mongolian Christians have enough experience to compare the lifestyles before them, and perhaps then they will utter that missionary ‘ah’ I mentioned earlier: ‘Ah… I prefer this kind of happiness.’” “The turning point will come. When? I don’t know. But one day they will recognize where true happiness lies and say: ‘This is what I’ve been searching for all my life.’ And we will be there to welcome them, with the door wide open. In fact, we are already there.”

The mark that Stephen Kim left in Mongolia remains alive, especially among the young people, now adults, who remember his dedication to youth ministry, his closeness, and his enormous passion for life. In 2024, the Diocese of Daejeon, together with the Korea Catholic Times, produced an educational film entitled “Wind of the Prairie – The Last Lecture of a Mongolian Missionary,” which helped to raise awareness of his life and work. In 2025, the Korea Catholic Times also released a new documentary entitled “Who Is a Priest?”, co-produced with the Korean Prado Priests Association, which recounts his life and mission in Mongolia. As the Apostolic Prefecture of Ulaanbaatar prepares, as it does every year, to celebrate Mass at his tomb on May 26, the question that permeated Father Stephen’s entire life continues to resonate, addressed to each of us: “Why are you here?” “Missionaries proclaim the Gospel in many ways, but the most powerful is the witness of their own lives: ‘Why are you here?’ It is a very powerful question.”

ASIA/BRUNEI - The life of Catholics in the Islamic monarchy: "With faith and benevolence, praying for local vocations, we are happy"

Mon, 25 May 2026 10:52:33 +0200

Bandar Seri Begawan – In the small Sultanate of Brunei, located in the northwest of the island of Borneo, there are three Catholic churches and three priests in total, all born there, because only native inhabitants can hold pastoral positions and lead a parish. They are the ones who keep the flame of faith alive and guide the community of believers in Brunei Darussalam, a state where Islam, as stipulated in the Constitution, is the official religion, where the Sultan is the head of state, where Islam plays a central role in social life, and where Islamic law governs daily life . “We have neither nuns nor religious, and there can be no missionaries, because this is not permitted by the government, which only allows local priests.” “Two months ago, we celebrated a diaconal ordination: this is a great grace from God for us because, if all goes well, we will have the priestly ordination in September and thus the gift of a new priest for pastoral work,” Father Robert Leong Soon Choi said in an interview with Fides News Agency. Father Choi is a local priest and parish priest of the Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Bandar Seri Begawan, and currently the Apostolic Administrator of the Apostolic Vicariate of Brunei. The Catholic presence in this part of Borneo has its roots in the work of the Missionary Society of Saint Joseph , while the Christian faith arrived in Brunei with the arrival of Spanish missionaries from the Philippines in the 16th century. More recently, in 1998, the Holy See established an Apostolic Prefecture, which was elevated to the rank of Apostolic Vicariate in 2004. Father Leong reports: “There is also another seminarian from our community studying in Singapore, and a nun in formation with the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception . They continue to pray for local vocations; we ask God to send laborers into his harvest.” It is in these small steps of hope that the future of our community lies, a community of approximately 14,000 members, of whom, it must be said, 60 to 70% are immigrant members, primarily Filipinos, who came here to work. This community comprises a population of approximately 450,000 inhabitants, of whom more than 70% are Malays, about 10% are Chinese, and the remainder are indigenous peoples such as the Dusun, the Iban, the Kedayan, and others. In terms of religion, 82% of the population identifies as Muslim, 6.7% as Christian , 6.3% as Buddhist—a religion particularly prevalent within the Chinese community—and other traditional faiths among the indigenous population. The Catholic Church operates within a context "where we respect the restrictions and rules: for example, we can freely practice our faith and organize catechism classes and other activities inside churches, but not outside. The faithful are diligent, and Sunday Mass, religious holidays, and pastoral activities always attract large crowds. Our community is small, and it lives its faith with simplicity and serenity, to the extent permitted by the constitutional order, and with a vibrant faith," he explains. "Despite the diversity of our cultural backgrounds, we form a community of faith united around the Word of God and the Sacraments," he observes. "We cannot expand or evangelize. We cannot build new churches or expand existing ones," he reminds us. However, “there is no discouragement: our motto, which was that of Cardinal Cornelius Sim and which later became that of the Vicariate, is: Duc in Altum, that is, Jesus’ invitation to set out into the deep, to live the faith in the Muslim context, bearing witness to it in service to every person, especially young people and migrants.”
The Apostolic Administrator explains that “the Church’s relations with the government are stable. We are sometimes invited to interreligious meetings. The government, however, wishes to show, in a certain way, that it is open and welcoming and that it allows the Catholic community to live within the state.” The Apostolic Vicariate manages three schools, including primary and secondary sections: St. George’s School in the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, founded in 1937; St. Angela’s School and St. John’s School, with a total of approximately 2,000 students, mostly Muslim, carry out educational work focused on values that contribute to the development of society. Father Leong notes: “Brunei is a happy and peaceful country. The population does not pay for education or for medical care. We have no taxes, no income tax.” Brunei Darussalam means precisely "State of Brunei, abode of peace." And the baptized—in this small Sultanate that Cardinal Cornelius Sim , Bishop and first Apostolic Vicar, elevated by Pope Francis to the rank of first Cardinal of Brunei Darussalam, described as "the periphery within the periphery"—live their daily lives with "discretion, in a spirit of peace, harmony, and goodwill toward all." "That is why," concludes Father Leong, "we are well received by ordinary people, we have no problems living together, we experience neither hostility nor violence. We find our own way of moving the community forward and, with God's grace, we succeed. I want to say: we are happy."

ENCYCLICAL - “Magnifica humanitas” and the risk of the digital age becoming “colonial in another form”

Mon, 25 May 2026 22:51:44 +0200

Vatican City — By dating his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, on May 15, Pope Leo XIV deliberately places himself within a well-defined tradition: that of the great social encyclicals, and in particular Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum, published on May 15, 1891.
The “industrial revolution” to which his concern refers is that of artificial intelligence . However, Magnifica Humanitas is not intended to be an encyclical “about” artificial intelligence , but rather an encyclical about our “magnificent humanity,” shaken by the ongoing revolution.

From the very first words of the text — presented today in the Vatican, in the Synod Hall in the presence of the Pontiff himself — the framework of the reflection is set out clearly: “Humanity, created by God in all its grandeur, is today facing a pivotal choice: either to construct a new Tower of Babel or to build the city in which God and humanity dwell together.” [n. 1]
The reflection that follows seeks to challenge humanity and decision-makers to a genuine examination of conscience. It is not necessarily a frontal condemnation. “Technology,” the Pope writes, “should not be considered, in itself, as a force antagonistic to humanity. On the contrary, it has formed part of our history since the beginning as ‘a profoundly human reality, linked to the autonomy and freedom of man.’” [n. 4]
Rather, the goal is to establish an ethical and moral framework prior to the use of AI, using the pursuit of the “common good” as its epistemological criterion.
In the current context, Leo XIV shows how the principles of Social Doctrine are of great help for discernment. “In a world where data, computational resources and regulatory influence remain in the hands of a few, to speak of the common good means exposing this new form of epistemic, economic and political asymmetry and naming the new monopolies of AI.” [n. 109]
What is at stake, he says, is the need to “disarm AI” “means freeing it from the mentality of “armed” competition, which today is not limited simply to the military context, but is also an economic and cognitive phenomenon. This entails a race for ever more powerful algorithms and larger datasets, driven by the desire to secure geopolitical or commercial dominance.” [n. 110]
“To disarm,” he adds, “means discrediting the assumption that technical power automatically confers the right to govern. To disarm does not mean rejecting technology, but preventing it from dominating humanity.” [n. 110]

AI is not “neutral”

One of the most relevant points of discernment is that AI is not “neutral,” because “it takes on the characteristics of those who devise, finance, regulate and use it.” [n. 9]
The heart of the reflection appears in paragraph 104: “We cannot consider AI to be morally neutral,” the Holy Father insists. “In reality, every technical tool embodies choices and priorities through what it measures, ignores and optimizes, and how it classifies people and situations. If a system is designed or used in a way that treats some lives as less worthy, or excludes them without the possibility of appeal, then it is not merely a tool “to be used well,” since it has already introduced criteria that contradict the inalienable dignity of the human person. For this reason, ethical discernment cannot be limited to asking whether we are using a system for good or bad purposes; it must also examine how that system is designed and what vision of the human person and society is embedded in the data and models that guide it.” Therefore, Leo XIV explains, “the primary choice is not between a “yes” or “no” to technology, but rather between constructing Babel or rebuilding Jerusalem; between a power that claims to dominate the heavens and a people who work together in the presence of God to rebuild the walls of fraternal coexistence.” [n. 9]

Digital Neocolonialism

The text denounces a contemporary “colonialism” that “assumes new forms,” and “no longer dominates only bodies, but appropriates data, transforming personal lives into exploitable information.” “Entire regions, especially those marked by structural fragility and limited geopolitical relevance, are currently subjected to a new mindset of extraction: that of health data, epidemiological profiles, genetic maps and demographic information. These have become the new “rare earths” of power: vital data which, once aggregated and analyzed, can be used to train predictive models, guide investment strategies, anticipate crises and, above all, determine who and what is deemed to matter.” [n.178]
The evident risk is that of new forms of domination and worsening inequalities, because “those who control the health data of entire peoples — often collected under the pretext of aid, research or innovation — possess a structural leverage over the future, for they can shape needs and markets.” Likewise “they can also decide, before others, to whom medicines, investments and protections will be allocated.” For the Pope, here lies “one of the most urgent moral challenges of our time: to ensure that shared knowledge becomes a true common good rather than an instrument of dominance. This requires restoring to individuals not only the data that describes them, but also the ability to decide how it is used, by whom and for whose benefit. Otherwise, the digital age will not be post-colonial, but colonial in another form.” [n. 178]

Immense power in the hands of a few

The Pope stresses that “in many cases within the digital context, control over platforms, infrastructure, data and computing power does not rest with States, but with major economic and technological actors. These entities effectively set the conditions for access, determine the rules of visibility and shape the very possibilities for participation.”
This problem is immense because “when such power is concentrated in the hands of a few, it tends to become opaque and evade public oversight, increasing the risk of distorted forms of development that give rise to new dependencies, exclusions, manipulations and inequalities.” [nn. 95–96]

The New Gnosis of transhumanism

If Magnifica Humanitas appears more as a warning than as a condemnation of AI, its tone becomes much harsher regarding transhumanism and posthumanism currents “that interpret progress as surpassing the human condition.”
Leo XIV compares them to “an archipelago of different conceptual islands, distinct yet connected by a common “sea” of assumptions, namely the central role of technology and the aspiration to transcend the limits of the human condition.” [n. 116]
He explains that transhumanism “envisions the enhancement of human beings through technologies — such as biomedicine, body engineering, devices and algorithms — with the aim of increasing performance and capabilities. Posthumanism, especially in its more radical forms, goes further: it challenges anthropocentrism and envisions a hybridization of human beings, machines and the environment, even anticipating a threshold where humanity surpasses itself in a new evolutionary stage.”
Although the Pope acknowledges that “such ideas remain largely speculative,” he nonetheless sounds the alarm because “they gain relevance by altering the collective imagination and thereby influence social, economic and political choices.” [n. 116]
Faced with these ideological tendencies, all the more dangerous because, like wolves in sheep’s clothing, they can disguise themselves as good intentions and already constitute for some an almost mystical horizon, a new gnosis that despises the human body in its limited form and dreams of rejecting its limits, Christianity possesses a precious experience. “Our relationship with life seems to be in crisis today. Everything that appears as a “limit” — incapacity, illness, old age, suffering, vulnerability — tends to be seen primarily as a defect to be corrected, rather than as a reality through which our humanity matures and opens itself to relationship. And yet we must remember that humanity flourishes not despite limitations, but often through them.” [n. 118]
“In the promises of transhumanism and some posthumanist currents of thought, which seek an enhanced and almost disembodied humanity, we recognize a yearning that is of concern to us, namely the need for a fuller life, less exposed to limitations and suffering. Yet the Incarnation opens a different pathway. On the one hand, old and new ideologies alike urge humanity to overcome limitations through technology, and to rise above others by asserting dominance. Contrary to this, the mystery of the Son of God entering into our human condition promises something quite different. The living God descends into our history in order to free us from all forms of slavery. He takes upon himself our weakness and transforms it into a setting for salvation. There is no moment or human situation that is not worthy of Go.” [232]

The wounds through which grace can enter

Leo XIV here develops a magnificent reflection on the human condition, in which limitation becomes the breach through which the light of grace can enter. “It is precisely within our limitations that the following find a place: compassion, as well as a sincere concern for the needs of others; a generosity that can emerge even in the midst of darkness and failure; spiritual experience and the worship of God. We see this at many moments when our limits become tangible: when we face rejection, when we suffer the illness or loss of a loved one, when we encounter our own weakness or failure. Mysteriously, it is precisely in such moments that we can discover a new wisdom, tangibly experience the closeness of others and encounter the presence of the Lord.” [n. 119]
“Even when limitations are experienced as inner suffering, human wisdom teaches us not to deny or suppress it, but to integrate it. To eliminate suffering entirely would mean, in the end, extinguishing love and desire as well. Those who love and desire cannot avoid passing through trial and suffering; and over the years, we carry within us lessons that leave their mark like scars, the memories of a journey shaped by freedom and failure, dreams and disappointments.” [120]. He continues, “the moral corruption of our limitations as created beings — namely the evil that clearly agitates the human heart — ruins society and life, at times reaching extreme forms of inhumanity. Yet even these painful expressions of our limitations leave openings for the good. Even when persons dehumanize themselves and bring about tragedy, a small light continues to shine within humanity, one that can be rekindled, with God’s grace, along paths of conversion and reconciliation.” [n. 121]

For all these reasons, Magnifica Humanitas ultimately becomes a hymn to critical thinking, freedom, and the beauty of the human being, to humanity’s infinite capacity to rise again, with its wrinkles and scars, carrying the inestimable treasure of a flesh promised not to an “enhanced” body, but to a glorified one.

VATICAN - Archbishop Nugent appointed Apostolic Nuncio to the Czech Republic

Mon, 25 May 2026 13:27:25 +0200

Vatican City - “I receive my appointment as Apostolic Nuncio to the Czech Republic on the day we celebrate the feast of Mary, Mother of the Church, to whom I entrust this new mission, this new stage in my life,” says Bishop Eugene Nugent, reached by telephone by Fides News Agency, “and I thank Pope Leo XIV for the trust placed in me. The Czech Republic is a country with a great history, a history of saints and martyrs as well as of difficult times.”

“I am leaving the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia, where I arrived in February 2021, with a heartfelt gratitude to my great fraternal friend Aldo Berardi, O.SS.T., Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia, which includes Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, who has stood by me in all my initiatives. “I thank all the local, civil and governmental authorities of Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar for everything they have done over the years to facilitate my mission,” the prelate continues. “It has been very constructive and rewarding to work in a spirit of full collaboration, including at the ecumenical level, with the leaders of the Christian churches, with whom I have built bridges of friendship. I have sought to engage in dialogue with our dear Muslim brothers and sisters, particularly in Qatar with the Doha Institute for Religious Dialogue and in Bahrain with the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence.”

Archbishop Nugent also remembered and thanked His Highness Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain, and Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, for their guidance and full support throughout this period.

Upon his arrival in Kuwait in February 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Archbishop Nugent worked to strengthen relations with the three Gulf countries entrusted to his care, while also promoting ecumenical and interreligious dialogue. Much of his pastoral outreach during those difficult years focused on supporting the Catholic communities of Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar, composed predominantly of migrant workers from South-East Asia and the Middle East, many of whom were deeply affected by the social and economic consequences of the pandemic. Following the death of the then Apostolic Vicar, the Comboni Missionary Bishop Camillo Ballin, when the Apostolic Vicariate remained without a bishop for a period, Archbishop Nugent worked closely with Bishop Paul Hinder, OFMCap, Apostolic Administrator based in the United Arab Emirates, together with the local clergy and religious, to ensure continuity in pastoral care and ecclesial life throughout the Vicariate. “Being on my own gave me the opportunity to get to know the parishes, the clergy, the faithful and the different rites, and to gain some insight into this wonderful reality of the Church in the Gulf,” he tells Fides. “Together with the priests, religious sisters and the faithful of all rites, who helped me to understand and appreciate the life of this Church, its vitality and the way in which they live their faith in a context that is not always easy, I have received a great lesson in joy, simplicity, humility and faith in the Lord.”

“Among the most intense moments I have experienced in recent years, Pope Francis’ visit in 2022 perhaps represents the culmination of my work here, a great moment for the Church in Bahrain, but also throughout the Gulf for the promotion of brotherhood, peace and harmony among peoples. Time has truly flown by,” concludes Nugent. “Among this year's events, I would like to recall the visit of the Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, on the occasion of the elevation to a Minor Basilica of the Church of Our Lady of Arabia in Ahmadi, one of the oldest churches in the Gulf, known as the 'Mother Church'" .

During the present conflict in the Middle East, Archbishop Nugent has worked closely with Bishop Berardi, O.SS.T., together with members of the Diplomatic Corps and State authorities, in offering pastoral support and assistance to Catholic communities and families experiencing hardship and distress.

Archbishop Nugent, aged 67 and originally from Scariff, County Clare, in the Diocese of Killaloe, Ireland, has spent the past five years serving the Gulf region and will shortly take up his new assignment in Prague.

ASIA/KYRGYZSTAN - Elevation to the Episcopal Dignity of the Apostolic Administrator of Kyrgyzstan

Mon, 25 May 2026 12:53:51 +0200

Vatican City - The Holy Father has elevated to episcopal dignity, assigning him the titular see of Aeto, the Reverend Father Anthony James Corcoran, S.J., apostolic administrator of Kyrgyzstan.
H.E. Msgr. Anthony James Corcoran, S.J., was born on April 19, 1963, in Tucson, Arizona, United States of America. He obtained a degree in Political Science from Marquette University in Milwaukee, a Master’s degree in International Political Economics of Development from Fordham University in New York, and a Bachelor’s degree in Theology from Weston School of Theology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
He was ordained a priest on 8 June 1996, for the Society of Jesus.
He pursued further studies and held the following positions: licentiate in Spiritual Theology at Weston School of Theology ; director of the Interdiocesan Pre-Seminary in Novosibirsk ; spiritual director of the same Pre-Seminary ; parish priest of Saint Joseph Parish in Berdsk, diocese of the Transfiguration in Novosibirsk ; vicar general of the diocese of the Transfiguration in Novosibirsk ; doctorate in Moral Theology at Weston School of Theology ; superior of the Independent Russian Region of the Society of Jesus .
He was appointed apostolic administrator of Kyrgyzstan on 29 August 2017.