Fides News - English

ASIA/KAZAKHSTAN - International Day against Nuclear Tests: Central Asia’s shared choice of a nuclear-free space

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 21:49:49 +0200

Astana – Every year on August 29, the international community celebrates the International Day against Nuclear Tests. In Kazakhstan, the date carries a particularly strong symbolic meaning: on August 29, 1991, the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site was closed. Forty-two years earlier, on August 29, 1949, the Soviet Union had conducted its first nuclear explosion at the same site. The date therefore symbolizes, in the country’s history, both the beginning of a tragic era and a conscious choice in favour of peace, disarmament and international cooperation.
The year 2026 marks the 35th anniversary of the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, as well as the 30th anniversary of the opening for signature of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. It also marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Semipalatinsk Treaty, which established a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Central Asia.
“These are three anniversaries that link Kazakhstan’s national memory to the global effort to prevent new nuclear tragedies,” notes a statement sent to Fides by the Embassy of Kazakhstan to the Holy See.

Between 1949 and 1989, 456 nuclear tests were conducted at the Semipalatinsk test site: 30 ground tests, 86 atmospheric tests and 340 underground tests. Their consequences affected vast areas and entire generations, with around 1.5 million people impacted, including descendants of those directly exposed. Research continues to document the long-term medical, psychological and social consequences of radiation exposure. Semipalatinsk therefore remains a warning of the human cost of nuclear testing for individuals, families, societies and the environment.

This history gave rise to a powerful anti-nuclear movement. In 1989, the international “Nevada-Semipalatinsk” movement was established, bringing together millions of supporters around the world calling for an end to nuclear testing. This mobilization also helped bring the tests to an end, and on August 29, 1991, the site was permanently closed, shortly before Kazakhstan formally declared its independence.
Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan found itself in possession of one of the world’s largest nuclear arsenals at the time: approximately 1,400 nuclear warheads, together with the associated strategic infrastructure. Kazakhstan decided to renounce this arsenal, undertaking a voluntary nuclear disarmament process after the end of the Cold War. In 1994, Kazakhstan joined the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as a non-nuclear-weapon state. By 1995, the last nuclear warheads had been removed from its territory. The country signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty on September 30, 1996, and ratified it on May 14, 2002.

The history of Semipalatinsk did not end with the closure of the test site. Kazakhstan had to secure the former military infrastructure, study contaminated areas and create the conditions for their rehabilitation. To this end, the National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan was established in 1992. Between 2008 and 2021, a comprehensive environmental survey of the entire former test site was carried out, involving more than two million field measurements and over 100,000 laboratory analyses. In 2023, the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Safety Zone was established, subject to a special legal regime providing for restricted access to contaminated areas, their remediation and continuous radiation and environmental monitoring. In this way, a territory once created for nuclear testing has gradually been transformed into a space for scientific research and international cooperation, completing the transition from a military infrastructure to a place devoted to the pursuit of peaceful science.

The policy also had a regional impact. On September 8, 2006, the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia was signed in Semipalatinsk by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, and entered into force in 2009. Central Asia – a region where nuclear weapons had previously been not only tested but also deployed – thus became the first nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Northern Hemisphere. In the territory where one of the world’s largest nuclear test sites operated for decades, five states gave legal expression to a shared choice in favour of a nuclear-free space.

At the international level, Kazakhstan has worked to give the memory of Semipalatinsk a universal dimension. At the initiative of the Kazakh state, on December 2, 2009, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 64/35, proclaiming August 29 the International Day against Nuclear Tests and thus making the date of the site’s closure part of the memory of all humanity.

In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the “Universal Declaration for the Achievement of a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World”, promoted by Kazakhstan, which is a member of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, signed in 2018 and ratified on August 29, 2019. The Holy See also signed and ratified the treaty on September 20, 2017, becoming one of its first member state.

“President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has called for the resumption of dialogue among nuclear powers and for multilateral action capable of reducing the risk of nuclear weapons being used. In a message dated March 5, 2026, Pope Leo XIV expressed the hope that “the nuclear threat may never again condition the future of humanity”. Kazakhstan and the Holy See are united not only by a moral aspiration for a world without nuclear weapons, but also by a concrete commitment, under international law, to achieving this goal,” the statement notes.
The statement sent to Fides by the Embassy of Kazakhstan concludes: “This is one of the central meanings of August 29: preserving the memory of what has been experienced and transforming that memory into responsibility for a future shaped not by nuclear threats and fear, but by human dignity, trust and peace.”

ASIA/CHINA - Chinese edition of Pope Leo XIV’s doctoral thesis published

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 21:33:35 +0200

Beijing – “The Office and Authority of the Local Prior in the Order of Saint Augustine”, the doctoral thesis of Pope Leo XIV, has been translated and published in Chinese.
The thesis on canon law, written by Robert Francis Prevost when he was a young Augustinian priest, was defended at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in 1987. It examines the role, authority and responsibilities of the local prior in the Order of Saint Augustine.

The Chinese edition was published by the Centre for Catholic Studies of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

The translation was done by Father Peter Zhao Jianmin, a priest of the Diocese of Beijing with extensive academic experience.
Father Peter Zhao was the first Chinese priest to obtain a doctorate after the “reopening” and founded the Beijing Institute for Catholic Studies and Culture. Inaugurated on August 3, 2002, the institute is dedicated to academic research and aims to provide a platform for mutual learning between civilizations and cultural exchange through scholarly engagement.

The revision of the text was entrusted to Father Peter Ren Panji, the first Chinese priest to earn a doctorate from the Faculty of Canon Law at the Pontifical Gregorian University. He is currently involved in the formation of seminarians at the Beijing Seminary.
According to Father Peter Zhao, in a statement to Fides, “This classic work is not merely an academic study, but also a practical guide for Church governance and pastoral ministry. Although it was written almost forty years ago, it retains considerable depth and offers valuable guidance. This is the first Chinese translation of the work, and we hope that, whether clergy, religious or Church leaders, everyone will be able to draw wisdom from it and reflect anew on how authority can be placed at the service of love.”
The work also examines, from a theological perspective, the nature of ecclesial authority: authority is not a form of coercive power, but a service and a form of guidance recognized by the Church and the community. As Robert Francis Prevost emphasized, authority is relational in nature and must be exercised within a relationship of fraternity and equality.
From this perspective, readers may glimpse an ideal of contemporary Church leadership marked by humility and oriented towards fostering communion – an ideal that Pope Leo XIV embodies today.

ASIA/NEPAL - Father Bogati: “We are grateful to the Pope for his message. Caritas is already active in helping flood victims”

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 21:20:32 +0200

Kathmandu – “We are deeply grateful to the Holy Father for remembering Nepal at this time of crisis, for praying for us and for promising his support in helping the flood victims.” Father Silas Bogati, Apostolic Administrator of the Apostolic Vicariate of Nepal, told Fides, commenting on Pope Leo XIV’s message of closeness and prayer for the people affected by the devastating floods that struck Nepal and the Himalayan areas bordering Tibet in recent days.
“Although the Church in Nepal is small, with around 10,000 Catholics, the Holy Father’s concern for the people of Nepal has deeply touched and moved us,” Father Bogati continued.

In a telegram signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, Leo XIV expressed his sorrow for the victims and the devastation caused by the floods. The Pope entrusted the souls of those who died to God’s mercy, offered his condolences to the bereaved families and assured all those affected of his “spiritual closeness.” He also assured his prayers for the personnel involved in rescue operations and invoked divine protection upon all.

The death toll from the disaster continues to rise: according to the latest available figures, at least 469 people have died in Nepal, while more than 1,500 are reported missing across Nepal and Tibet. Authorities have also warned of the risk of further flooding due to a lake that has formed upstream as a result of accumulated debris.
“Among those missing are local residents, pilgrims and tourists,” Father Bogati told Fides. “We fear that some Catholics who were working in these areas may also have been swept away by the floodwaters. No Catholic church has been affected by the flooding,” he added.
“Caritas Nepal is already active and working to provide assistance to the victims,” he said. “We are already there,” he reiterated. Caritas Nepal’s network, which operates through programs that focus on emergency management, healthcare and support for vulnerable communities, is engaged in relief efforts for the affected population. “We pray and work so that those affected can receive the assistance they need,” he concluded.

Rescue operations continue in the worst-hit areas. The Nepalese authorities have mobilized the army, police, helicopters and specialized teams to search for those missing and deliver aid to communities that have been cut off. The destruction of roads and bridges, however, is making access to some of the affected areas particularly difficult. The Nepalese government has also set up an emergency unit to coordinate search operations and provide assistance to foreign nationals affected by the disaster.

The fate of numerous foreign pilgrims who were in the region travelling to or returning from Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar in Tibet is particularly tragic. Kailash is considered sacred in several Asian religious traditions: for Hindus, it is associated with the abode of Shiva and Parvati, while in Tibetan Buddhism it is identified with Mount Meru, the symbolic centre of the universe. The pilgrimage around the mountain, which covers approximately 52 kilometres, normally takes three days and represents for many devotees a journey of prayer, purification and spiritual renewal.
According to figures released by the authorities, those reported missing include pilgrims and tourists from India, the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, Ukraine and other countries. The disaster has struck one of the main routes linking Kathmandu with Tibet and one of the routes used by pilgrims travelling towards Kailash.

AFRICA/NIGERIA - “Stop the massacres and mass kidnappings,” Bishops say, expressing their condolences to all victims

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 20:56:20 +0200

Abuja – “The latest barbaric abduction of more than 60 worshippers from a mosque in Borgu, Niger State, and the horrific massacre of 47 innocent citizens, with another 17 people seriously injured in Ukum, Benue State, represent a further deterioration of the security situation.” The Nigerian Bishops said this in a statement issued on August 26 and signed by Msgr. Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, Archbishop of Kaduna, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria .

“Whether they are in a mosque, a church, a market or the safety of their own homes, Nigerians continue to be killed, traumatized and displaced with impunity,” said the CBCN President.

The Nigerian Bishops expressed their condolences to all those affected by the violence perpetrated by various armed groups. “We extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved families in Benue State and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” they said, expressing particular solidarity with the Muslim community in Borgu. “We stand firmly in solidarity with our Muslim brothers and sisters in Niger State and throughout Nigeria, praying that all 60 abducted worshippers will soon be released safe and unharmed. An attack on any place of worship is an attack on our entire community.”

The incidents referred to by the Bishops are part of a series of attacks carried out in the Local Government Area of Borgu, in Niger State, north-central Nigeria, on August 21 during Friday prayers, and in the LGA of Ukum, in Benue State, also in north-central Nigeria.

In Borgu, armed gangs, possibly linked to groups such as Lakurawa or to a rival faction known as Mahmuda/Mamuda, carried out coordinated attacks against communities and mosques in the Dekara district. The targets included several mosques in Dekara, including the Central Mosque, as well as mosques in Kpenya and Sabon-Gida/Gidan-Zana and nearby villages such as Masaka.

The attackers stormed the mosques during Friday prayers and abducted worshippers, taking many of them into nearby forests around Lake Kainji. Estimates of the number of people abducted vary: some sources speak of more than 60, while others of more than 100. According to some witnesses, the bandits also abducted women and children, going from house to house to seize them.

In Ukum, between August 16 and 17, in the early hours of the morning, armed gangs riding motorcycles attacked several communities in the Mbazun/Mbaterem district, carrying out simultaneous assaults. Forty-seven people were killed, while another 17 were seriously injured.

In the face of these and other acts of violence against Nigerian communities, the Bishops called on government authorities and those responsible for the country’s security agencies “to do everything possible to stop this carnage in our land.”

The CBCN members concluded with a strong appeal “to the bandits, terrorists, kidnappers and their masterminds” to put an end to the bloodshed: “Human life belongs to God alone, and no cause can justify such cruelty. No future can be built on the tears of innocent people.”

Pope in France/III - Metz, at the roots of European peace in the “city of three borders”

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 15:41:22 +0200

by Marie-Lucile Kubacki

Metz – In the late-summer light, the Jaumont stone on the façades of the city centre reveals, in places, deep scars carved into the rock. On these historic buildings, cavities left by shrapnel from 1944 bear witness to the violence of the Second World War battles witnessed by this city of three borders. It is here that Pope Leo XIV will conclude his apostolic journey to France on Monday, September 28, 2026, after visiting Paris and Lourdes. His programme includes an interreligious meeting and an event dedicated to the “roots of Europe for peace and unity”, before he travels through the city centre in the popemobile and celebrates Mass at Saint-Étienne Cathedral.
“We are losing our passion for Europe because we have forgotten why we created it,” a former ambassador who had been involved in building Europe once said. If one asks why the Bishop of Rome’s journey includes a stop in Moselle, the answer can be found in the fabric of the city and in the history of its people.

On September 28, following his arrival at Metz-Nancy-Lorraine Airport, Leo XIV will travel to the Robert Schuman Congress Centre. There, he will first take part in an interreligious meeting, followed by an event devoted to the roots of Europe. He will deliver two addresses before heading into the city centre. In the afternoon, a journey through the city in the popemobile will take him, in particular, from Avenue Foch to Saint-Étienne Cathedral, passing through Avenue Robert Schuman, Place de la République and the streets of the historic centre.

The memory of borders

The Moselle is not merely close to borders: for centuries, it has lived to the rhythm of their movements. Annexed to the German Empire following the war of 1870, it became part of France again in 1918, before being de facto annexed once more by the Nazi regime during the Second World War, until its liberation at the end of 1944 and definitively reintegrated into France in 1945.
“Like Alsace, the Moselle still carries the memory of the conflicts, annexations and divisions that have marked contemporary Europe,” Fr. Cédric Burgun, Dean of the Faculty of Canon Law at the Institut Catholique de Paris and a native of Metz, tells Fides. “This memory remains particularly vivid within families.” European integration, he stresses, “was not born of a technocratic abstraction, but of the desire to reconcile peoples who had long been enemies.”
Fr. Stéphane Jourdain, parish priest of the Saint-Privat parish community in Metz-Sud, recounts stories of individuals. “Some had a grandfather who was a partisan; others experienced forced labour. Some inhabitants were expelled to southern France before later returning.” In many families, older generations lived through changes imposed on language, nationality and administration. Local memory also bears traces of the successive arrival of Italian, Polish and Algerian families, and, more recently, of other communities.

This history has profoundly shaped the local Church. During the German annexation, under the episcopate of Bishop Willibrord Benzler, a Eucharistic Congress was organized in both French and German, reflecting the territory’s dual cultural identity. After the First World War, the German bishop was expelled by the French authorities. “The life of the local Church was overshadowed by the upheavals of political and national history,” Fr. Jourdain emphasizes.

Robert Schuman, son of the Moselle

The focus of the visit to Metz is, of course, Robert Schuman. Born in 1886 in the then-annexed Moselle department, the son of a Lorraine father who became German after the annexation and a Luxembourgish mother, the man considered one of the fathers of Europe embodied this history of shifting borders and intertwined identities.
“His life is rooted in a territory bordering Luxembourg, Trier, Germany and France,” explains Fr. Cédric Burgun, the initiator of Robert Schuman’s cause of canonization and president of the Institut Saint-Benoît, the diocesan association in Metz tasked with promoting the cause. “This experience instilled in him an awareness of the need to overcome national antagonisms and transform the former enemy first into a partner and then into a brother,” he explains.

In his declaration of May 9, 1950, Schuman proposed pooling French and German coal and steel production. The aim was, in the now-historic formulation, to make a new war “not only unthinkable, but materially impossible.”
The political insight was concrete: to organize interdependence precisely where industrial rivalries had contributed to conflict. It was also an insight of profound moral significance, rooted in the possibility of reconciliation between wounded peoples.

For Fr. Burgun, Schuman’s legacy remains “a genuine school of Christian commitment.” It shows that a commitment inspired by faith leads “neither to confessional retreat nor to an exclusively defensive stance,” but to service of the common good, peace and reconciliation.
“It would be wrong to imagine that Robert Schuman pursued his political commitment in a society that was unanimously Christian and supportive of his project,” Fr. Burgun explains. “When he was Prime Minister and later a minister, France was marked by strong ideological divisions and anti-clericalism. Vincent Auriol, President of the Republic, himself embodied a republican tradition far removed from Catholicism. Schuman’s European project was not immediately greeted with enthusiasm, even within his own political family, the Popular Republican Movement. His example therefore shows that it is possible to maintain a Christian commitment in a pluralistic and at times contradictory society.”
His public life was also inseparably linked to an intense inner life. Robert Schuman found in prayer, silence and the Eucharist the source of his political action.
“In his home in Scy-Chazelles, on the hills above Metz, he regularly went to the chapel of the Servants of the Heart of Jesus, where he would spend long periods in prayer. The villagers used to say that they knew him above all ‘on his knees and from behind’, so discreet yet regular was his presence in prayer,” the priest recounts.
His cause for canonization, supported locally through prayer, recalls that his political activity drew its inspiration from an intense inner life. Declared Venerable by Pope Francis in 2019, Schuman is still awaiting the recognition of a miracle required for his beatification.

A unique Church

The Diocese of Metz has another unique feature: the continued application of the Concordat regime in Alsace-Moselle. “This gives the Church a specific institutional role within a French context marked by a demanding and, at times, complex understanding of secularism,” Fr. Cédric Burgun points out. The regime applies to the various recognized religious denominations and, in everyday life, maintains a form of dialogue between civil authorities and religious leaders.
In parishes, the mayor or the mayor’s representative has a seat by right within the parish council, which is responsible in particular for financial and property matters. “This situation can sometimes give rise to difficulties, depending on the individuals involved or their political sensitivities, but it also requires regular relations between civil and religious authorities,” the canon lawyer explains. In his view, it allows for “a more peaceful and more conscious presence of religious communities in the public sphere.”
This unique feature also has a pastoral dimension. Fr. Stéphane Jourdain speaks of around 150 paid laypeople engaged in ecclesial missions, almost as many as the priests serving in the diocese. This human resource makes it possible to carry forward numerous initiatives, while also encouraging further development of volunteer involvement and the sharing of responsibilities.

A hope to be passed on

As in many other dioceses, the Church of Metz is currently going through a period of transition. Some rural areas retain a strong Christian tradition and regular participation in practices connected with ecclesial life. At the same time, many adults today are knocking on the Church’s door to ask for baptism or to deepen their faith.
“The Church is becoming younger,” Bishop of Metz likes to say, according to Fr. Jourdain. The paths are diverse: young adults who have retained a distant connection with faith, parents accompanying their children, and people who discover prayer, the Gospel or sacramental life later in adulthood. “Many come in search of meaning, direction or a new sense of purpose,” he observes.
This vitality does not erase existing weaknesses, particularly the absence of priestly ordinations for several years. But it nourishes a local hope that also gives added significance to the Pope’s visit.
“It is starting from this memory that the Pope’s visit can take on its full meaning: recalling the deeper reasons behind the building of Europe, renewing the appeal for peace, and recognizing in stories of migration, suffering and the mixing of peoples a possible source of fraternity,” Fr. Jourdain says.

In Metz, a land where the wounds of war are still visible in the stones of the city and in the memories of families, the Pope will come to draw from the sources of European peace, conceived as a historic, political and spiritual decision.
“The Diocese of Metz, with its history, its Concordat regime, its cross-border experience and the memory of Robert Schuman, can thus bear witness to a Church called to take its place in the life of the city,” Fr. Cédric Burgun concludes, “not to impose a confessional vision, but to remind us that the Christian faith can inspire a culture of encounter, responsibility, peace and hope.”

ASIA/TURKMENISTAN - Fr. Kubiak: “God’s will knows how to surprise. Here, our mission is simply to be present”

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 14:50:17 +0200

Ashgabat – “At the beginning of this incredible journey, I feel above all joy, but also a strong sense of responsibility. Every new assignment, especially one such as being appointed superior of the mission, brings a certain degree of concern and raises the question of whether one will be equal to what has been entrusted to him,” Polish missionary of the Oblate of Mary Immaculate Fr. Paweł Janusz Kubiak, recently appointed by the Holy See as the new Superior of the Missio sui iuris in Turkmenistan, tells Fides. He adds: “I look at this new mission above all through the lens of trust in God. My priestly journey has shown me time and again that God leads people in ways that are different from what they themselves would have planned. At one time I wanted to become a prison chaplain and work in Poland, but God first led me to Ukraine, then to the North Caucasus in Russia and Crimea, and later to Turkmenistan.” “Today,” he continues, “I can say that God’s will knows how to surprise us and lead us to places we had never even imagined. That is why I accept this new assignment with confidence. I am aware of the responsibility it entails, but I also feel joy at being able to continue serving the Church and the People of God.”

The Catholic Church in Turkmenistan is a very small community of around 300 faithful. It is a young community and is still in the process of developing its structures. “There are only a few of us throughout the country, and for this reason every person and every family who becomes part of our community is very important to us,” he notes.
In such circumstances, presence and the witness of one’s life take on particular meaning. “We do not have large facilities or a large number of priests. It is therefore even more important to be with people, to meet them, talk with them, listen to them and show through our lives what it means to have faith.” Fr. Kubiak says he is happy to see “people preparing to receive the sacraments, taking part in the Eucharist and wanting to know and love Christ ever more deeply. This is the Church, and it needs time, patience and, above all, a constant and faithful presence.”

But what is daily life like for Catholics and priests in such a remote setting? “Our daily life is very simple, but at the same time demanding. There is prayer, the Eucharist, confession, catechesis and the preparation of the faithful for the sacraments. We also devote a great deal of time to conversations and meetings with the faithful,” he explains.
“In Turkmenistan,” he points out, “pastoral ministry cannot be limited to what happens inside the chapel. It is very important to be present among people. Sometimes it is enough simply to sit down, talk and listen to someone’s problems. In this way too, we proclaim the Gospel.”
A second, very important aspect is assistance to those in need. “Thanks to the work of Caritas, we can distribute food, medicines and other forms of aid to people facing difficult circumstances. “We have also set up a place where homeless people can take a shower and wash their clothes,” he says. “For me, this connection is very important: proclaiming the Good News goes hand in hand with providing concrete help to people. Christianity cannot be just words. If we can help someone, we want to do so.”

The priest acknowledges “the great responsibility for the entire mission,” but, he observes, “I would not want to look at this ministry exclusively through the lens of major plans or new projects. For me, it is essential to continue what the Oblates of Mary Immaculate have already begun. They have been working here for almost 30 years, patiently accompanying the growth of the young Church in Turkmenistan,” while continuing pastoral ministry and the work of Caritas.
“Above all, I am not alone: I will work together with my confrères, Fr. Diego and Fr. Adrian. This is a mission of the whole Church and a shared responsibility. We simply want to be present, serve the people and do what God sends us to do,” he concludes.

The small Catholic community in the Central Asian country is also looking with confidence at some concrete steps taken in recent years. In 2025, the relocation of the mission’s main headquarters made it possible to establish a larger chapel and provide a separate space for Caritas activities, where food, medicines and other forms of assistance are distributed to people experiencing homelessness.
Today, three Catholic priests are serving throughout Turkmenistan. Entrusted to the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, the mission remains a very small presence in a vast country marked by great distances. The disparity between the size of the community and the breadth of the territory makes the missionaries’ task particularly significant: a daily presence marked by prayer, listening, witness and concrete closeness to the people.

The Catholic presence in Turkmenistan is relatively recent. Following the country’s independence from the Soviet Union, in 1997 Pope John Paul II established the Missio sui iuris of Turkmenistan, entrusting it to the Oblates of Mary Immaculate . For the first thirteen years, the missionaries were permitted to operate only within the diplomatic representation of the Holy See: Catholics gathered in private homes, while Mass was celebrated on the territory of the Apostolic Nunciature in Ashgabat.
In 2010, the Turkmen government officially recognized the presence of the Catholic Church, opening a new chapter in its public life. Today, almost 30 years after its establishment, the Missio sui iuris remains a small but stable reality.

AFRICA/RWANDA - Bishop of Byumba Appeals to Rwanda’s Youth: “Leave those Ibyuma behind”

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 20:58:31 +0200

Kigali – “Young people, in the name of Jesus, let us leave those ibyuma behind. Fight them. Let us fight them together.”
This is the heartfelt appeal addressed to Rwanda’s youth by Bishop Papias Musengamana of Byumba, who is also responsible for youth ministry within the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Rwanda.

In Kinyarwanda, ibyuma means “steel,” but in youth slang the term is now used to refer to illicit homemade alcoholic beverages and, more broadly, to drugs.

In his homily at the closing Mass of the National Youth Forum, held in Byumba from August 19 to 23, Bishop Musengamana warned young people about misleading messages spread through social media and billboards.

“There are advertisements on billboards that say: ‘It’s my right’. Every child adds whatever completion they want, saying ‘It’s my right. Using drugs is my right, committing sexual immorality is my right, behaving as I want is my right.’”

The Bishop then appealed to the authorities to pay greater attention to the messages aimed at young people through the media and advertising. According to Bishop Musengamana, alcohol and drug abuse, as well as sexual immorality, are also the result of family vulnerabilities and failures.

“We should not look at the problem only through those who consume drugs, but also look at those who produce them, parents who have neglected their duties, and as the Church, let us see what we can do to help them,” the Bishop said.

As reported by ACI Africa, Bishop Musengamana had previously visited the youth rehabilitation center in Nyagatare. Describing his visit, the Bishop reflected on the difficulties faced by the young people in the facility.

“When we look at the challenges facing young people, starting with those we visited, we talk about being witnesses of hope; how can you have hope as a 14-year-old child entering your prime years, only to spend 15 years in a rehabilitation center?”

Another tragedy concerns infants born to young mothers in rehabilitation facilities. “A newborn child has value that far exceeds the mistakes made by its mother; rather than spending 15 years in a rehabilitation center alongside a mother who made mistakes. On this matter, I strongly ask for advocacy for these children to see what ought to be done,” said the Bishop of Byumba.

The figures illustrate the scale of the problem. According to Fred Mufurukye, director of the National Rehabilitation Service , in June 2025 Rwanda’s four rehabilitation centers housed 6,215 people addicted to various types of drugs, as well as 2,721 people whose alcohol dependence was so severe that they were unable to engage in other activities.

Mufurukye also reported that 521 students had been expelled from school for drunkenness, while 776 had dropped out because of drug use. Another 861 people had lost their jobs due to alcohol abuse, while 846 were no longer able to work because of drug addiction.

The consequences also affect families: 243 couples had separated because of drug use, while 159 families had broken apart as a result of alcohol abuse.

Rwanda plays a marginal role in global drug markets, but it is emerging as an overland transit point for heroin from Kenya and Tanzania and, above all, for cannabis. Smuggled from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda or Tanzania, cannabis is the psychoactive substance most widely used by young Rwandans.

It is also in light of these figures that Bishop Musengamana’s appeal resonates: “Fight them. Let us fight them together.” In the Bishop’s words, the challenge concerns not only those who use drugs, but also calls upon families, institutions and the Church to work together to restore a sense of hope and a future to young people.

ASIA/NEPAL - Devastating Floods, Father Bogati: “The worst disaster in the Country’s history”

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 20:41:31 +0200

Kathmandu – “It is the worst disaster in the country’s history. It was terrible. A flood coming down from the mountains and rushing violently downstream swept everything away: people, homes, bridges and infrastructure. Villages, markets and roads have been wiped out. It is a deep wound for the nation,” this is what Father Silas Bogati, Apostolic Administrator of the Vicariate of Nepal, told Fides, following the floods that struck the Nepal-Tibet border area yesterday, August 26.
The devastating floods were triggered by a “glacial collapse,” with the collapse of ice and rocks in the Himalayas. The debris temporarily blocked the Bhote Koshi River, forming a natural dam that subsequently burst, unleashing a violent surge of mud, water and debris downstream. The torrent swept through Nepal’s Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts and reached areas farther downstream, including Chitwan. On the Chinese side, the flood struck Gyirong County in Tibet, including the Gyirong Port border area. Experts clarified that the seismic signal initially detected was not caused by an earthquake, but by the glacial collapse and the resulting debris flow.
“We are shocked. We are praying for all those who are missing and for those who have died. My heart is with those who are suffering because of this catastrophe. There are around 25 Catholic families in the disaster area. They appear to be safe, but we are very concerned about them. We entrust them to God, pray for their safety and will do everything we can to help them,” said the head of the small local Catholic community.
He also reported that “a priest of the Vicariate, Father James Britto, had gone to celebrate Mass on the other side of the river and was stranded: the bridge was swept away.”
According to official figures, the initial death toll stands at 165 confirmed fatalities in Nepal and three in Tibet, but Nepalese authorities expect the number to rise as search operations continue. Nearly 1,500 people are missing across Nepal and Tibet, including almost 800 foreign foreigners.
“There are Nepalese people, but also foreigners and tourists who were in these areas for an excursion,” Father Bogati noted. “It is a pilgrimage route toward Mansarovar, a sacred Hindu site that is also a destination for hikers and trekkers.”
“The government has mobilized its emergency response system, declared a state of emergency, is providing free medical care and has begun evacuating people who remain stranded to safe areas,” the priest said. “This is the second time that a disaster of this kind has occurred in the area, but this time it is of enormous proportions.”
Father Bogati also said that “Caritas, our small organization, will step in and appeal to partners around the world. We will do our part,” he assured.
Catholic Relief Services , a U.S.-based Catholic humanitarian organization, has already begun providing assistance, including essential supplies and sanitation services. Other aid organizations linked to Protestant churches have launched initial humanitarian operations, distributing food packages, first-aid kits and tents in the affected areas.
The Catholic community in Nepal numbers nearly 9,400 faithful. With 13 parishes—four in the capital, Kathmandu, and nine elsewhere in the country—it is engaged in educational, social and pastoral ministry throughout Nepal.

ASIA/MONGOLIA - COP17: The gift of faith in Jesus and care for creation in the witness of a young Mongolian woman

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 20:32:16 +0200

by Enkhjin Chuluunzag*

Ulaanbaatar – At 26 years old, Enkhjin Chuluunzagd holds two Master's degrees in environmentalstudies and a Bachelor's degree in administration, obtained in Rome, the United States,and Mongolia, respectively. The young woman, who was part of the Holy See delegation to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification COP17, held in Ulaanbaatar from August 17 to 28, speaks to Fides about her journey offaith and the development of her environmental awareness.

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As a young Mongolian Catholic with a growing passion for sustainability and environmental issues, I had the great honour of attending UNCCD COP17 in Mongolia as a member of the Holy See delegation. Being there allowed me to see how three parts of my life come together in a very meaningful way: my faith, my identity as a Mongolian, and my concern for the environment.

I grew up in Mongolia with little knowledge of Christianity. Mongolia is a country where Buddhism has an important and deeply rooted history. Growing up in this environment, I had almost no personal understanding of Christ, the Catholic Church, or what it meant to have faith. The Catholic community in Mongolia is also very small, so the Church was not something I encountered often in my childhood. Yet, over time, I began to notice missionaries working among disadvantaged people in Mongolia. They cared for people with such humility and love, without seeking recognition or anything in return. I used to wonder: “Why do these foreigners care so deeply about people who are not their own family, their own community, or even their own country?” This sparked my first interest in the Church.

Later, the visit of Pope Francis to Mongolia deepened that curiosity. Seeing the Pope come to Mongolia made me realize that the Church pays attention even to the smallest communities that can easily be overlooked by the wider world. His willingness to come close, to listen, to accompany, and to love the smallest and most vulnerable communities deepened my respect for the Church. Slowly, that curiosity became a desire to know more: to understand the Church, to follow Christ, and to walk in faith. That journey eventually brought me to where I am today.

Mongolia is a country with extraordinary landscapes and a people who have developed a deep relationship with nature. We grow up knowing the importance of pasture, water, livestock, and the changing seasons. For generations, Mongolian people have learned to read the rhythms of nature, to adapt to extreme weather and to live in harmony with it. But today, those rhythms are becoming increasingly difficult to read.

Land degradation, drought and desertification are affecting the ecosystems and livelihoods on which many people depend. These challenges are increasingly visible in the lives of communities and in the condition of the land itself. In many regions,overgrazing, soil erosion and changing climate patterns are placing great pressure on pastoral livelihoods, making it harder for herder families to sustain their traditional wayof life. These environmental problems remind us that the care of Creation cannot be separated from the care of human beings.

This is one reason why COP17 is so meaningful for Mongolia. International cooperation and action give us not only an opportunity to address these challenges together, but also a sense of hope. Throughout the Convention, one message was repeated: the objectives we pursue are all ultimately connected to the well-being of humanity and to the protection of our common home. These two things cannot be discussed separately. When we speak about land, we are also speaking about the people who live there. When we speak about drought and desertification, we are speaking about communities struggling for water. When we speak about land degradation, we are speaking about access to food and poverty.

For this reason, environmental action must always keep the human person at its centre, while recognizing that human well-being itself depends upon a healthy relationship with Creation.

The Catholic Church, too, has long been concerned about desertification and its serious consequences for the people and communities affected by it. Through its humanitarian and development work, the Church has supported efforts to address these challenges, including sustainable agriculture and improving access to water. This commitment has also been expressed through initiatives such as the John Paul II Foundation for the Sahel, established in 1984 to support communities facing environmental and development challenges in the Sahel region.

The concern for desertification is also reflected in Laudato si’. Pope Francis emphasizes that human beings are deeply connected to the world around us, to the extent that the degradation of the land can be experienced almost as a physical illness. He also points to the limited progress made in protecting biodiversity and addressing desertification, reminding us that these challenges require greater and more sustained efforts.

Therefore, the Church’s contribution enriches environmental protection by bringing together care for the Creation and a deep concern for the world’s most vulnerable communities. Its reflection on the care of the natural world reminds us that the Creationis a gift from God, and that receiving a gift also means accepting responsibility for it. This understanding highlights responsibility, solidarity, and human dignity, while inviting us to reflect on the kind of relationship we choose to have with both the natural world and with one another. For me, this is where faith and environmental responsibility meet.

We may come from different traditions, cultures, and ways of understanding the world, but we share the same land, ultimately the same home, and therefore face many of the same challenges. The theme, “Restoring Land, Restoring Hope,” captures what I wish for Mongolia: that our efforts today will give future generations healthier land and a stronger reason to hope. I also hope that the Church will continue to contribute to this journey by caring for Creation, standing with the vulnerable, and building bridges across cultures and religions. Ultimately, I hope that the commitments made here will translate into meaningful action and that, together, we can restore not only our land, but also our hope for the future.

*Member of the Holy See delegation to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification COP17, Ulaanbaatar, August 17–28, 2026.

AFRICA/ZAMBIA — Post-election crisis worsens

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 15:08:52 +0200

Lusaka – Zambia’s post-election crisis is worsening following the expiry of the deadline for filing an appeal against President Hakainde Hichilema’s victory in the 13 August elections , with the opposition unable to physically lodge its petition with the Supreme Court. The various High Court premises were closed on the basis of a government directive . The buildings were cordoned off and surrounded by police, while an administrative circular issued by the judiciary instructed staff not to report for work.
The closure of the courts coincided with the final day of the seven-day constitutional deadline for filing a petition challenging the outcome of the presidential election following the general elections held on 13 August.

Opposition lawyers made a last-minute attempt to submit the petition documents by email to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The Chief Justice confirmed that he had received the email and the accompanying documents. While describing the method of submission as highly irregular, he exercised his administrative powers to refer the documents to the Constitutional Court so that it could determine whether the petition could be deemed to have been duly filed.

The office of President Hichilema, however, issued a statement saying that the judicial authorities had received no petition and that, consequently, the presidential inauguration ceremony would be held as scheduled on 1 September.

Against this backdrop, Fr Gabriel Mapulanga, Executive Director of Caritas Zambia, has called for constitutional reforms aimed at strengthening the separation of powers among the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. Fr Mapulanga described the closure of the High Court premises as deplorable, stressing that such a measure should not be adopted in a democracy without clear public communication.

If the closures were indeed prompted by security concerns, as the police have claimed, the authorities should have promptly informed the public and relevant parties, indicating alternative arrangements or dates for the filing of documents. The Executive Director of Caritas Zambia also urged civil society organizations to engage decisively in promoting reforms capable of better safeguarding the independence of the three branches of government.

ASIA/CHINA — During spiritual retreats, Chinese priests and religious sisters offer prayer and fasting for the sick and study the Encyclical “Magnifica humanitas”

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 15:03:17 +0200

Beijing – “Retreat to the desert to encounter the Lord” was the theme of the annual spiritual retreat for the clergy and religious of the Diocese of Xi’an, held from 16 to 21 August at the Yuantou Formation Centre in Lintong.

The spiritual retreat was led by Fr John Baptist Zhang, founder of Xinde, a Chinese Catholic charitable and communications organization. It offered priests and Church personnel an opportunity to set aside their daily pastoral activities temporarily and devote themselves more fully to their spiritual lives.

In silence and prayer, participants were guided to reflect on their personal relationship with God, to experience His presence, listen to His voice and deepen their communion with Him. They also reflected on their journey of renewed “conversion” and on the call to renew the promises they made at their priestly ordination before the Bishop and the ecclesial community. Bishop Antonio Dang Mingyan took part in the retreat.
Particularly moving was the day of fasting and prayer on Friday, 21 August. With the exception of several confrères who were ill, virtually all the priests and religious taking part in the retreat unanimously joined Bishop Antonio Dang’s initiative for a special intention. Through renunciation, fasting and fervent intercessory prayer, especially for Bishop Paul, they expressed their fraternity and communion in the Lord, offering a witness of faith as members of the same Body in Christ. Priests, who are often deeply immersed in their own ministries and pastoral activities, also rediscovered that they are not alone: fraternity in Christ is always with them.
In Zhejiang Province, meanwhile, the Diocese of Taizhou organized its annual spiritual retreat for priests, aimed at deepening their spirituality and strengthening their awareness of their vocation. From 26 to 31 July, over six days, Fr Fang Buke of the Sheshan Seminary in Shanghai shared reflections on the theme “Knowing the true Jesus Christ more deeply”. On the final day, he presented the encyclical Magnifica humanitas, recently promulgated by Pope Leo XIV.
Priests were not the only ones to spend time away from their ordinary activities. During August, many religious sisters also took part in periods of spiritual renewal. The Congregation of the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Mary in the Diocese of Baotou organized a three-day formation program on human and spiritual maturity from 21 to 23 August, returning to the sources that nourish their faith.
After a three-day retreat on the theme of vocation, held from 19 to 22 August, the Congregation of the Presentation of Mary in Anhui Province took part in the renewal of their sisters’ religious vows. They were able to gather their thoughts, purify their hearts, and rediscover God's call.

AFRICA/GHANA — The President of the Bishops’ Conference reiterates the Catholic Church’s teaching on the veneration of relics: “It is not worship, but veneration”

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 14:55:11 +0200

Accra – “Crowning the relic of Saint Agatha means proclaiming that a woman who remained faithful to Christ until her death now shares in his victory. It is an act of veneration, not of worship”.
This is stated by Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, Bishop of Sunyani and President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, in a pastoral letter explaining the meaning of the recent coronation ceremony of the skull relic of Saint Agatha in Catania, Sicily.

On 17 August 2026, Catania marked the culmination of the Year of St Agatha, with extraordinary celebrations for the ninth centenary of the translation of the saint’s relics — exactly 900 years since 17 August 1126.
Papal Legate Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, together with the local clergy, including Archbishop Luigi Renna, publicly displayed, crowned and kissed the saint’s skull: a first-class relic traditionally preserved in a recently restored 14th-century gilded silver bust-shaped reliquary.

A video of the ceremony was widely shared on social media and other platforms in Ghana and among the Ghanaian diaspora. Many non-Catholic Ghanaians, particularly Pentecostal and Protestants, accused the ceremony of idolatry, witchcraft, or paganism. These reactions must be seen within the local cultural context, where human skulls and bones occasionally appear in "juju" rituals. This led to comments such as, "If this had been done with a Black priest or as part of a traditional Ghanaian religion, it would have been called witchcraft.”

Bishop Gyamfi acknowledges these concerns, noting that “this video disturbed many believers. Most felt uneasy at the sight of a human skull on display; it reminded them of occultism, the attempt to communicate with the dead, or to gain hidden supernatural power through rituals outside of worship.” This spiritual practice, the bishop stresses, is condemned by the Catholic Church on the basis of Holy Scripture.

For this reason, the president of the Ghanaian Bishops' Conference recalls the Church's teaching on the true meaning of relic veneration. “A relic is not a curiosity, but a tangible testimony to a holy life,” he explains. “Saint Agatha, a virgin and martyr of the 3rd century venerated in the Roman Catholic Church, is venerated through her skull, a first-class relic, because the Church considers the human body, created by God and destined for resurrection, to be sacred.”

“The Council of Trent taught that the bodies of martyrs, once temples of the Holy Spirit, should be venerated by the faithful. This veneration is not limited to the bones themselves, but extends to the saint and ultimately to God, the source of his holiness,” Bishop Gyamfi emphasizes.

“When the faithful kneel before a relic, kiss it, or participate in a procession with it, they are not worshipping the object itself, but honoring the saint whose remains it contains, just as one kisses a photograph of a deceased relative, not because the paper depicts the person, but because it expresses affection for the one represented,” the bishop continues.

Bishop Gyamfi also emphasizes: “This act is in no way intended to summon a spirit or to gain hidden knowledge, as necromancy or occultism do. We ask the saint to intercede with God, and it is nothing more than asking another Christian to pray for us.”

“We invoke upon you the intercession of St Agatha and impart our episcopal blessing,” concludes the President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference.

ASIA/MYANMAR — Hope flourishes in a time of trial: new priests, deacons, religious sisters and a bishop for the Church in Myanmar

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 14:25:31 +0200

Yangon – Tribulation and uncertainty have not extinguished hope within Myanmar’s Catholic community. As the country endures a period marked by conflict, displacement, poverty and uncertainty, new vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life continue to emerge in the Catholic Church. In dioceses and religious communities, in the month of August, celebrations filled with promise were held: three new priests, four new deacons, two young women consecrated to religious life and a new coadjutor bishop. “These are tangible signs of a Church that, even amid hardship and suffering, looks to the future with trust in the Lord and continues to proclaim and bear witness to hope,” Bernardino Ne Ne, the new coadjutor bishop of Taungoo and former national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Myanmar, told Fides.

On 14 August, at the Salesian Novitiate of Nazareth in Pyin Oo Lwin, in the Archdiocese of Mandalay, two deacons were ordained priests. Fr John Phyo Thura Aung SDB and Fr Freymoe Win SDB received priestly ordination from Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, Archbishop of Yangon, in a celebration marked by joy, gratitude and hope for the future of the Church in Myanmar. In his homily, Cardinal Bo reminded the two new priests that the priesthood is a calling received from God, quoting Christ’s words in the Gospel: “You did not choose me, but I chose you.” The Cardinal entrusted the young priests with a mission that takes on particular significance in a country scarred by divisions and wounds: to be “bridges, not walls”, especially in their ministry among young people.

The following day, 15 August, the Church of Yangon, the metropolitan archdiocese, welcomed another priest: Fr Stephen Aung Zay Zey Ya Moe, OSM, who was ordained at St Francis Xavier Church in Thanlyin by Auxiliary Bishop Raymond Wai Lin Htun. His journey has taken him through Myanmar, India and Rome: he entered the Servants of Mary in 2012, received his formation in India, pursued theological and Mariological studies in Rome, made his perpetual profession and finally became a priest. “The priest does not belong to himself, but to the universal Church. He is called to be a sign of unity and hope,” the Bishop stressed, recalling the mission to “reach out to people, console those who suffer, encourage the discouraged, and promote peace and unity”.

Hope is also taking shape in the Diocese of Hakha, in the far north-west of the country. On 4 August, the feast of St John Mary Vianney, patron saint of diocesan priests, four candidates were ordained deacons at St Joseph’s Cathedral: two diocesans and two members of the Missionaries of the Little Way of St Thérèse, a religious family inspired by St Thérèse of Lisieux. During the celebration, attended by more than 500 faithful, Bishop Lucius Hre Kung stressed that holiness is not measured by academic excellence, but by love for God, humility and zeal for the salvation of souls. “We may not excel in our studies,” he said, “but what we need is to possess the virtues of St John Vianney: love for the faithful and zeal for their salvation.” For the new deacons, this means entering into the lives of communities whose members are seeking spiritual comfort, assistance and concrete closeness. For the Missionaries of the Little Way of St Thérèse, the ordinations also represent a further step in the growth of their missionary presence in the diocese: this is the second time that members of the community have been ordained deacons in Hakha.

The vitality of the Church in Myanmar can also be seen in the country’s female consecrated life. The pastoral and charitable contribution of women religious congregations is now crucial in diocesan communities across the country. On 11 August, at Saints Peter and Paul Church in Nanthagone, Insein, in the Archdiocese of Yangon, two young women made their first profession as Sisters of St Vincent de Paul: Sr Maria Lydwine Hkawn Bu, from the Diocese of Myitkyina, and Sr Maria Ephrem Eugenie, from the Diocese of Loikaw. Before the community, they professed the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience, choosing to follow Christ through consecrated life and service. Bishop Raymond Wai Lin Htun reminded them that religious life is “a visible witness to the Kingdom of God” and that, at a time when family and social relationships can also be marked by division and hardship, “community life is called to become a place of love, forgiveness and sharing”. Their mission is rooted in the charism of St Vincent de Paul and is therefore directed towards serving the poor, the sick, the vulnerable and the elderly. In a Myanmar currently facing severe economic and social difficulties, the consecration of these two young women is a concrete expression of their willingness to stand alongside the most vulnerable.

There was also another highly significant celebration for the local Church: On 6 August, the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Fr Bernardino Ne Ne was ordained coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Taungoo at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Taungoo, a city in central Myanmar. The celebration was presided over by Cardinal Charles Bo, with Archbishop Basilio Athai and Bishop Celso Ba Shwe serving as co-consecrators.
The Gospel account of the Transfiguration provided the key for interpreting this moment in the life of the Church in Myanmar. Cardinal Bo recalled that the light of the Transfiguration was given to the disciples before the Passion, in order to prepare them to face suffering. Today, he observed, “the people of Myanmar are passing through a true valley of tears”, amid poverty, displacement, conflict and uncertainty. Yet “the light of Christ continues to shine in the darkness”, he added. The new Bishop was called to make that light visible through his closeness to the people: by consoling the wounded, reconciling divided communities, encouraging those living in fear, and standing alongside the poor and migrants. “The Bishop bears witness to and carries the light of Christ, not his own,” Cardinal Bo recalled. Andrea Ferrante, the papal representative in Myanmar, also urged the new Pastor “to make God’s love visible and to bring his peace with courage, joy and humility”.
Bishop Bernardino’s episcopal motto, “Magnificat anima mea,” reflects the same perspective. “I have come to this diocese to walk with the people of God in the footsteps of Christ,” he said, asking for prayers, encouragement, patience and understanding, and inviting the faithful to “walk together in faith, hope and charity”.

AMERICA/HAITI - Massacre in Kenscoff: at Least 47 victims

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 20:57:45 +0200

Port-au-Prince – At least 47 people were killed in a massacre carried out during the night of August 23–24 in Kenscoff, a hilltop town overlooking Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital. At least 22 people were wounded in the attack, which was carried out by one of the criminal gangs that have been terrorizing the country. The gunmen also set fire to dozens of homes.

Among the buildings destroyed by the flames was a place of worship belonging to the Church of the Ark of the New Covenant, located in the center of the town near the municipal cemetery. Several homes near the town hall and police station were also set ablaze. Animals, including horses, were also killed in the attack.

According to eyewitness accounts, the gunmen reportedly took several hostages before withdrawing. Several families have fled Kenscoff to escape the violence.

The Church of the Ark of the New Covenant, also known as the Ark of the Covenant, is an evangelical Christian church founded in 1974 and led by Bishop Renelus Maxime. It has approximately 535 members and serves as the main community within a network of about 14 congregations in rural areas of Haiti. The organization also works with humanitarian groups, including Chances for Children, on food assistance programs, mobile medical clinics, pastoral training and infrastructure renovation.

Since the beginning of 2025, Kenscoff has been the scene of repeated attacks by criminal gangs, particularly the Viv Ansanm coalition. The Church of the Ark of the New Covenant had offered shelter to displaced people in the area before being destroyed in the August 24 attack, the latest in a series of violent incidents affecting several municipalities in the Port-au-Prince area.

The worsening insecurity in Haiti, where around 1.5 million people are internally displaced, is also threatening the holding of the first round of presidential and legislative elections, as well as the constitutional referendum, scheduled for December 13.

John Paul I: The relevance of his missionary magisterium in the six “we want” commitments of his pontificate

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 20:50:08 +0200

by Marie-Lucile Kubacki

Vatican City – On August 26, 1978, Albino Luciani was elected Pope, taking the name John Paul I. His pontificate lasted only 34 days, but already in his “Urbi et Orbi” Radio Message of August 27, delivered the day after his election, the new Pontiff clearly outlined the guiding principles of his pontificate.
One of his priorities was evangelization as a central dimension of the Church’s mission. “We wish to remind the whole Church that her first duty remains that of evangelization,” the Pope said, explicitly referring to Paul VI’s Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii nuntiandi. The Church, he added, “animated by faith, nourished by the Word of God, and sustained by the heavenly nourishment of the Eucharist,” must “study every path, seek every means, 'opportune importune,' to sow the Word, to proclaim the message, to announce salvation.”

In his Radio Message, John Paul I expressed his determination to continue the legacy of the Second Vatican Council and that of his predecessors, structuring his program around six “we want”: implementing the Council; safeguarding the Church’s “great discipline”; placing evangelization first; pursuing the ecumenical commitment; fostering serene and constructive dialogue; and promoting whatever could “protect and advance peace in our troubled world.” In the Radio Message, the Pope, alongside the other “we want,” pointed to a Church called to “unceasingly pursue the legacy of the Second Vatican Council.”

This was a reflection deeply rooted in the Church’s Tradition and, precisely for that reason, highly relevant today. “He had already assimilated during his priestly formation that vision, dear to the Fathers of the first millennium of the Church, expressed in the mysterium lunae: a Church that does not shine with its own light, but with reflected light; a Church that is not the property of Churchmen, but Christi lumine. ‘Fulget Ecclesia non suo sed Christi lumine’ ,” writes Stefania Falasca, a scholar of John Paul I, postulator of the cause and vice president of the John Paul Vatican Foundation, in an article published in L’Osservatore Romano on August 25. Stefania Falasca notes that, like Paul VI, Luciani had taken this image from St. Ambrose. It was “an image of the nature of the Church and of the action appropriate to it” that had permeated the documents of the Second Vatican Council and become decisive and fruitful in Albino Luciani’s pastoral ministry, long before he was elected to the See of Peter.

The central importance he gave to the Church’s missionary vocation had already marked his ministry as Bishop of Vittorio Veneto and Patriarch of Venice, as highlighted in a 2009 essay by Professor Roberto Morozzo della Rocca entitled L’orizzonte missionario di Albino Luciani .

For the Pope, proclamation was not entrusted solely to specialists or ecclesial structures. John Paul I spoke of “all the sons and daughters of the Church,” called to be “tireless missionaries of the Gospel,” so that “a new flowering of holiness and renewal” might emerge in a world “thirsty for love and truth.” The Pope urged the faithful not to conform “to the customs of the world,” nor to “the allurements of easy applause,” but to be ready to give an account of the hope that is within them.
The Church, he continued, is called to offer the world that “surplus of soul” of which it stands in need, at a time when technological progress risks reducing “the earth to a desert, the human person to an automaton, and fraternal coexistence to a planned collectivization.” Addressing missionaries, he greeted “the whole missionary Church” and the men and women working “on the frontiers of evangelization.”

A month later, on September 28, 1978, in an address to a group of Filipino bishops making their ad limina visit, he further clarifies his thoughts. “Among the rights of the faithful, one of the most important is the right to receive the Word of God in all its integrity and purity, with all its demands and its power,” he said. The baptized, he insisted, must be offered the Word of God “in all its integrity and purity.” The Pope stressed that “one of the great challenges of our day is the full evangelization of all those who have been baptized.”
Evangelization, he continued, entails explicit teaching about “the name of Jesus, his identity, his teaching, his Kingdom and his promises.” Among these, “his principal promise is eternal life.” He also recognized “the great vocation of the Philippines” to be “the light of Christ in the Far East,” called to proclaim “his truth, his love, his justice and salvation in word and example” to the peoples of Asia.

As early as his 1966 journey to Burundi, Luciani had demonstrated a concrete understanding of the encounter between the Gospel and cultures. He recognized the decisive role of local clergy, called to guide Churches rooted in the language, history and mentality of their peoples, and he urged missionaries to serve them with humility. At the same time, he rejected ideological oppositions between “foreign” missionaries and indigenous Churches: “There is work for everyone,” he wrote, invoking the Pauline principle: Dummodo Christus annuntietur — “as long as Christ is proclaimed.”

Before the Filipino bishops, he also described Radio Veritas as a “privileged instrument” for proclaiming, together with the whole Church, “that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of the world.”
Pope John Paul I was deeply attentive to the development of the means of communication. In his address to representatives of the international press on September 1, 1978, he pledged “frank, honest and effective” cooperation with the instruments of social communication, while acknowledging the risks of “massification and leveling” for the inner life of the human person and his or her capacity for judgment.
He first asked journalists to present the Church “with a love of truth and respect for human dignity,” and then to “comment, at times, on our humble ministry,” again “with a love of truth and respect for human dignity, because such is the purpose of all social communication.” The Church, however, remained his first concern.

On September 4, 1978, addressing the Special Missions present for the beginning of his pontificate, he explained: “We shall endeavor to carry out this service using language that is simple, clear and confident.” The Church, he reminded the Filipino bishops, was irrevocably committed to alleviating poverty and material needs; but her pastoral charity would remain incomplete if she failed also to point to humanity’s “higher needs.”

The biography Io sono la polvere. Biografia ex documentis further shows how, as Patriarch of Venice, John Paul I had already addressed the relationship between evangelization and human promotion, defending the primacy of Christian proclamation without separating it from responsibility for people’s concrete needs.
In L’Osservatore Romano, Stefania Falasca recalls that John Paul I emphasized that the Pope and the Holy See did not possess “miraculous solutions to the great problems of the world,” but could “nevertheless give something very precious: a spirit that helps to resolve these problems and places them within their essential dimension, that of openness to the values of universal charity.” For Luciani, support for building a possible peace, inseparable from the Church’s proper mission, was the guiding principle of his entire, brief pontificate.

“Examining Pope Luciani’s pontificate as a decisive passage in the exercise of the Petrine ministry, with enormous repercussions for the life of the Church, helps not only to reconstruct John Paul I’s profile in its entirety, but also to understand the challenges with which the Church was and is called to engage,” Falasca emphasizes, indicating the perspective from which to re-read the legacy of the Venetian Pope.
The re-reading of the six “we want” and their relevance today will be at the heart of the international academic conference “John Paul I: Iustitia et Pax. Protecting and advancing peace in this troubled world,” scheduled for October 13, 2026, at the Pontifical Gregorian University.
The Foundation, established to preserve and promote Luciani’s documentary heritage, now serves as an international reference point for research and scholarship based on the sources relating to his magisterium and ecclesial journey. The archival sources acquired and made available today — the result of the omnino plena research supported for more than a decade by the Cause for the Canonization of Albino Luciani–John Paul I and collected since 2020 by the John Paul I Vatican Foundation — “have opened a new chapter in historiography,” Stefania Falasca writes in L’Osservatore Romano.
These sources, she adds, make it possible to shed light on “the genesis of a project for the governance of the pontificate” and to present the teachings and memory of John Paul I with greater precision.
“Through the Study Days promoted by the Foundation in collaboration with the Pontifical Gregorian University and dedicated to the sources of John Paul I’s Magisterium, the Foundation has continued its scientific research, focusing precisely on the six volumus of Pope Luciani’s program for his pontificate. Each of them will be the subject, over the years, of a dedicated academic conference,” explains the Foundation’s vice president.

The conference is promoted by the John Paul I Vatican Foundation in collaboration with the Pontifical Gregorian University and the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences, and will be attended by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, President of the Foundation.
“Examining Pope Luciani’s pontificate as a decisive passage in the exercise of the Petrine ministry,” Falasca says, “with enormous repercussions for the life of the Church, helps not only to reconstruct John Paul I’s profile in its entirety, but also to understand the challenges with which the Church was and is called to engage.”

AFRICA/SUDAN - War in Sudan spreads to neighboring countries: tensions with Chad and Ethiopia

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 15:27:56 +0200

Khartoum – The war in Sudan is increasingly involving neighboring countries into the conflict. The Sudan Armed Forces , led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, have stepped up operations aimed at cutting the supply lines of the Rapid Support Forces , led by Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, known as “Hemedti,” which run through several neighboring countries.

The most serious incident occurred on August 21, when the SAF, using aircraft and drones, pursued and bombed an RSF convoy that had entered approximately 100 kilometers into Chadian territory.

Sudanese air strikes targeted an RSF convoy south of the border triangle between Sudan, Libya and Chad. According to the Sudanese army, the convoy consisted of around 200 combat vehicles coming from the Kufra camps in Libya. Khartoum claims that a supply chain originates in the United Arab Emirates, passes through Benghazi and Tobruk, and crosses the Libyan-Chadian border before reaching Darfur in western Sudan.

In response, the government in N’Djamena placed its troops on maximum alert and warned the Sudanese warring parties against extending the conflict across the border.

N’Djamena also reiterated that it reserves the right to defend its territorial integrity. In addition to the route from Libya through Chad into western Sudan, Sudanese authorities say there is another supply route running directly through Chadian territory. According to Khartoum, aircraft from the United Arab Emirates are stopping at at least two Chadian airports, Amdjaras and N'Djamena, to deliver supplies destined for the RSF, which are then transported overland to militia-controlled areas.

The Sudanese conflict now also involves Ethiopia, another country accused by Khartoum of supporting the RSF or, at the very least, of allowing its territory to be used for the supply of weapons. On August 23, a drone believed to have been launched from Ethiopia was shot down by the SAF in Blue Nile State, near Dindiro.

Images of the wreckage appear to show that the drone was armed with a Turkish-made laser-guided miniature munition and that the aircraft itself was also manufactured in Turkey. As early as May 23, the SAF had reported shooting down a Turkish-made drone near Ed Damazin, claiming that it had come from Ethiopia, which it accused of hosting a base from which such aircraft are launched .

Turkish drones are, in any case, widely used by the SAF themselves. The drone shot down in Blue Nile State was reportedly hit by Sudanese forces using a similar aircraft, also Turkish-made.

In an effort to contain the spread of the conflict, the United States has called on the UN Security Council to extend to the whole of Sudan the arms embargo currently in force for the Darfur region. “This Council should take measures to limit the fueling of the conflict, especially because external support also risks drawing regional actors and neighboring countries even deeper into the conflict in Sudan,” U.S. envoy Massad Boulos said during a meeting of the UN panel tasked with monitoring the Sudan war.

Boulos also called for the arms embargo to include drones and for the number of experts on the panel responsible for monitoring the implementation of sanctions to be increased.

“Research on the History of Catholicism in China”: A new “road map” tracing six centuries of Catholicism in China

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 15:19:03 +0200

Beijing – As the ordinations of Chinese Catholic bishops appointed under the framework of the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China continue, a major new scholarly work is turning the spotlight on the history and development of Catholic dioceses in China, tracing six centuries of Catholicism in the country, from the Yuan dynasty to the mid-20th century.

The new publication is entitled Research on the History of Catholicism in China. It is a systematic work resulting from years of research into the history of Catholicism in China conducted by Professor Liu Zhiqing and Associate Professor Shang Haili of Anyang Normal University. Published by China Religious Culture Publisher, the volume brings together history of institutions, regional history and biographies of key figures in the development of Catholicism in China, drawing on an extensive analysis of Chinese and foreign documents, local annals, archives and original ecclesiastical sources.

In the preface, Professor Liu Zhiqing recalls with particular emotion his 1990 encounter and friendship with Luca Tommaso Zhang Huaixin, Bishop of Weihui , whom he describes as a man of deep faith and wisdom. He also recalls the encouragement and support Bishop Zhang provided throughout more than two decades of research into the history of Catholicism in China.

The new publication brings together 28 essays divided into three sections: Part One, Part Two and an Appendix.
The volume systematically reconstructs the historical development of Catholicism in China over the past 600 years, focusing in particular on key themes such as the evolution of dioceses, the development of dioceses entrusted to Chinese clergy, and the process of inculturation, combining academic depth with attention to contemporary issues.

Part One provides an overall survey of the development of Catholicism in China, examining the formation of the Church hierarchy, the development of dioceses and apostolic vicariates, controversies over the “patronage” exercised by foreign powers, and the restoration of the Catholic hierarchy in 1946. Particular attention is devoted to the establishment of dioceses entrusted to Chinese clergy, the appointment of Chinese bishops and the gradual process of inculturation of Catholicism.

Part Two comprises 21 studies devoted to the principal ecclesiastical jurisdictions in China, from Macau to the country’s various provinces.

The Appendix contains a comprehensive table of Catholic dioceses in China, a list of foreign religious congregations engaged in missionary work, and a chronology tracing the development of the dioceses.
In addition, the authors have led three projects funded by the National Social Science Fund of China. The work therefore represents an important reference source for the study of religious sciences, history, and the history of cultural exchanges between China and the West.

ASIA/INDONESIA - In Flores, Bishop of Ruteng: “Resilience is not made of concrete, but of social capital and presence”

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 15:09:32 +0200

Ruteng – “An earthquake can bring so many things to collapse in a matter of seconds. Homes, places of worship, schools—even our sense of security can suddenly become fragile. Yet, amid the devastation caused by the earthquake that struck Flores on August 15, I witnessed the emergence of a remarkable spirit of solidarity: people began helping one another with generosity and without holding back. Many started sending food, distributing medicines and offering their time as volunteers. Government agencies, healthcare workers, humanitarian organizations and local Catholic communities mobilized through their respective networks. Amid the damaged physical infrastructure, another kind of infrastructure was already at work: a network of kindness”: this is the reflection shared with Fides by Siprianus Hormat, Bishop of Ruteng, on the Indonesian island of Flores. The Diocese of Ruteng is among those hardest hit by the earthquake and has suffered extensive damage. Caritas operational centers are active throughout the island, coordinating humanitarian assistance across the island's four dioceses: the Archdiocese of Ende and the Dioceses of Maumere, Ruteng and Labuan Bajo.

The official death toll across Flores has reached 100, including 48 women and children. More than 1,600 people have been injured, many suffering serious trauma caused by collapsing structures. The number of displaced people—those forced to leave their homes—has exceeded 180,000. They are living in makeshift camps, stadiums and town squares. The tremors damaged around 74,000 homes, 23,000 of which have either completely collapsed or been rendered uninhabitable. Infrastructure has also been severely affected: more than 319 schools and 124 health centers are out of service.
The earthquake swarm, which has recorded more than 2,000 aftershocks, continues to fuel fear among the population, while humanitarian agencies are reporting shortages of essential supplies, including drinking water, adequate sanitation facilities, blankets and waterproof tarpaulins for shelter. Particularly concerning is the situation of isolated mountain communities, as landslides and road closures have severely slowed the work of rescue and civil protection teams. Several indigenous communities in the mountainous areas of Manggarai, East Manggarai and Sikka districts have yet to receive sustained assistance and remain without electricity, basic services and humanitarian aid.

The Bishop continues: “We usually think of resilience in terms of earthquake-resistant buildings, roads, electricity and hospitals. Yet communities also possess an infrastructure that is not made of concrete: trust, habits of mutual assistance and the ability to connect needs with resources. This strength is known as ‘social capital.’ Its meaning is simple: men and women make sure their neighbors have food; people lend their vehicles, and volunteers reach places that are difficult to access. Previous studies have shown that the difference in the speed of recovery among communities affected by disasters lies not so much in the extent of the damage or the amount of aid received, but in the strength of the social networks that existed before the disaster. Resilience, in other words, is built beforehand. Charity is not just a beautiful noun; it is a verb: to lift up, support, heal, listen, connect and accompany.”

The Bishop stresses that “good intentions alone are not enough: kindness also requires organization. Aid must reach those who need it, needs must be clearly identified, and resources must be directed to those in distress.”
In this context, Siprianus Hormat has been personally involved, tirelessly traveling throughout the diocese to visit makeshift camps, remote communities and hospitals. “This experience,” he says, “has reshaped my understanding of episcopal ministry. A Bishop, as the person responsible for a community, must make decisions and connect needs with resources. He is not a solitary hero, and there is something he cannot delegate: presence. I went to meet people affected by the earthquake. There are moments when presence cannot be replaced by a phone call; moments when people who are suffering do not need a speech, but simply a Pastor who is willing to be there.”

“After several visits, I received messages from people expressing their gratitude for my presence. I had done nothing extraordinary. I had simply been there, to offer a word of comfort and consolation, to say and show that God does not abandon us. We live in an age when presence can easily be replaced by a message of empathy. Yet human suffering cannot be fully understood through a screen. Presence is not primarily about being seen by those who suffer, but about being willing to see those who suffer.”
Ultimately, everything must be understood in the light of faith. “We place our trust in the Lord. The mystery of suffering,” he notes, “is simply too profound to be reduced to easy explanations. I have no answer as to why one person survives while another does not emerge from the rubble. The question I carry with me is: ‘What is this life I have been given for?’ To be present is a responsibility. And this responsibility concerns everyone: each of us has something to offer—our skills, our time, our authority, or simply two hands ready to work and join in prayer. All of this acquires social meaning when it becomes a means of sustaining the life of others.”

“As the social doctrine of the Church reminds us, solidarity is not a vague feeling of compassion, but a firm and persevering commitment to the common good, because we are all responsible for one another,” he recalls. He adds: “When I was ordained Bishop, I chose the motto Omnia in Caritate: to do everything in charity. I encountered this spirit even beyond the boundaries of the Church: among volunteers, healthcare workers, government officials and members of the armed forces.”

Looking ahead, the Bishop concludes: “After the emergency, the recovery period will last far longer than the time during which a disaster remains at the center of media attention. Homes must be rebuilt, trauma must be addressed and healed, and livelihoods restored. This is where social capital faces its next test: the network of solidarity cannot rely solely on spontaneity; it must be supported by good governance. Flores needs stronger homes, safer schools and better disaster management. And it needs people who cannot bear to see others suffer alone.”

AFRICA/KENYA - Fake priest discovered

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 20:17:21 +0200

Nairobi – The Diocese of Lodwar, in Kenya’s Rift Valley, west of Lake Turkana, has warned the faithful about a fake priest who for an extended period allegedly pretended to celebrate Mass and administer the sacraments.
The man presented himself as Fr Jones Bogonko Onchonga, M.C., but is in fact a layman who lives in Kisii, is married and has two children. The diocese's statement was accompanied by two photographs of the alleged fake priest, one of which shows him wearing clerical attire.
A statement dated 16 August and signed by John Mbinda and Fr Joseph Ebenyo, respectively Bishop and Chancellor of the Diocese of Lodwar, states that Onchonga “pretended to administer the sacraments , conducted unauthorized celebrations , usurped ecclesiastical office , and falsified ecclesiastical documents .”
After being questioned by police, Onchonga reportedly confessed to having impersonated a priest for almost two years. He arrived in Lodwar in 2025 carrying documents identifying him as a priest of the Missionaries of Charity .
According to police, Onchonga never attended a Catholic seminary and received no formal formation in philosophy or theology. Instead, he taught himself the liturgy and procedures for celebrating religious services by studying books.
Police reportedly found 17 texts on Church doctrine in his possession, which he used to study various subjects, including Church history and the procedures for celebrating worship and administering the sacraments.
He is now facing charges of identity theft under Article 382 of the Penal Code and, if convicted, could face up to three years in prison.

AFRICA/ZAMBIA - Post-election tensions: High Courts closed as opposition prepares its appeal

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 20:09:46 +0200

Lusaka – Post-election tensions are continuing in Zambia, where today, 24 August, the High Courts, including those in Lusaka, Ndola and other cities, were closed, preventing opposition leader Brian Mundubile from filing a petition challenging President Hakainde Hichilema’s victory in the elections held on 13 August .
According to the official results published by the Independent Electoral Commission, Hichilema won with 2,965,326 votes, representing 60.49% of the 4,902,050 valid votes cast. His main rival, Brian Mundubile, received approximately 1,856,217 votes, or 37.87% of the total .

Opposition-linked social media accounts claim that the various High Court premises were closed following a government directive ordering the closure of “all High Courts until further notice,” allegedly with the specific aim of preventing Mundubile from lodging his appeal. So far, however, these claims have not been fully corroborated by official statements from the judiciary.

Some local media outlets report that the entrance to the Lusaka High Court was cordoned off with yellow tape, as if it were a crime scene, and that the same occurred at the High Court in Ndola.

Under Article 103 of the Zambian Constitution, a petition challenging presidential election results must generally be filed within seven days of the declaration of the results, a deadline that falls around 24–25 August. The Constitutional Court then has a limited period, generally 14 days, to issue a ruling.

Mundubile has publicly rejected the results, alleging irregularities in the counting, transmission and announcement of the results, and has announced that he would lodge an appeal. His team has instructed lawyers and prepared the necessary documentation. Mundubile and his vice-presidential candidate, Makebi Zulu,
Makebi Zulu, have taken refuge at the premises of a United Nations agency in Lusaka, fearing arrest over allegations that they were involved in an alleged insurgency plot .

Meanwhile, the Council of Churches in Zambia and the Independent Churches of Zambia have called for an independent investigation into the death of former Transport Minister and Lunte Party parliamentarian Mutotwe Kafwaya .

Kafwaya, a former minister in the Patriotic Front government who later became associated with opposition figures, was fatally wounded on 14 August during a joint security forces raid on a residence in Kabulonga, Lusaka, linked to Mundubile.

For several days, Kafwaya’s fate remained uncertain until police announced his death on the evening of 19 August. Conflicting accounts of the incident have since emerged.
Police say the politician was killed during a shootout between security forces and an armed group that had barricaded itself inside the residence. Mundubile and his supporters have rejected claims that an armed militia ready to launch an insurrection was present, saying instead that Kafwaya was shot inside a bedroom in the presence of witnesses and calling for an independent investigation.