Fides News - English

Growing social alarm across Africa over the damage caused by illegal mining

Sun, 12 Jul 2026 12:56:35 +0200

by Cosimo Graziani

Monrovia – Liberia has announced the establishment of a task force to combat illegal mining. The new body, called the Protect Our Resources Taskforce , has been created to strengthen inspections, improve enforcement of mining regulations and enhance government oversight of the
phenomenon. According to the Liberian newspaper The New Dawn, the initiative was launched in the presence of Minister of Mines and Energy Matenokay Tingban, who described it as "a strategic shift toward intelligence-led enforcement, stronger coordination and more responsible management of mineral resources.”
The task force will monitor mining operations across the country, ensuring compliance with licensing requirements, royalty payments, environmental standards, labor regulations and other legal provisions. One of the government's objectives is to promote a more regulated mining sector by reducing illegal mining and illicit trafficking, particularly of gold, in order to improve working conditions, limit environmental damage and increase government revenues. As Tingban explained at the press conference, Liberia's mineral resources are among its national assets and must therefore contribute to economic transformation, financial stability, environmental sustainability, and national prosperity.
The Liberian government's decision to establish a task force for the mining sector should come as no surprise. The rapid expansion of mining activities, especially illegal operations, has become one of the major socio-economic challenges facing several African countries.
West Africa, from Senegal to Nigeria, as well as the Congo Basin, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo , are the hardest hit. But illegal mines, primarily gold mines, also exist in South Africa and Uganda. In recent days, illegal mines have been shut down in both countries. The closures in South Africa led to the arrest of over two hundred people, mostly undocumented immigrants. Illegal mining harms African societies in many ways, most notably the environment. Gold mining involves the use of pollutants such as mercury, which is discharged into rivers and water basins. The environmental impact is compounded by equally devastating social consequences. In the Ugandan mine closed in recent days, located in the Kanungu district, a full-scale gold rush had developed over recent weeks. The rush prompted most residents to abandon the village of Kanoni and move into makeshift settlements surrounding the mine.
The abandonment of the village resulted in a local food crisis, as farmers abandoned their fields to work in the mines. Entire families left the village, including underage children, who had to drop out of school to support their families. To resolve this situation in Uganda, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Phiona Nyamutoro, had to intervene and shut down the mine upon her arrival on site.
The problem not only causes internal social difficulties but is also closely linked to international dynamics and conflicts. Illegal mining is fueled by the raw material hunger of regional and global geopolitical powers. It is linked to widespread corruption and represents another facet of neocolonialism.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo , mining activities are intertwined with the instability caused by the presence of rebel groups such as the M23. Since the movement seized control of Goma in early 2025, the government in Kinshasa has lost control of the local mines, which are now operated by the rebel group. The group has also extended its control to gold smuggling. Furthermore, the DRC not only mines gold but also precious metals for technological innovation. These are at the heart of a smuggling trade coveted by rebel groups, often linked to close alliances with groups and organizations in neighboring countries. Thus, the trade in gold and precious metals also becomes a battleground for economic conflicts, which in turn are intertwined with regional and global conflicts.

AFRICA/TANZANIA - Appointment of Auxiliary Bishop of Dar-es-Salaam

Sat, 11 Jul 2026 12:40:29 +0200

Vatican City - The Holy Father, Leo XIV, has appointed the Most Reverend Vincent Lawrence Mpwaji, of the clergy of the same archdiocese, currently Diocesan Chancellor, as Auxiliary Bishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Dar-es-Salaam, assigning him the titular see of Tacarata in Numidia.

Vincent Lawrence Mpwaji was born on June 5, 1978, in Morogoro, Tanzania. He studied philosophy at St. Anthony of Padua in Bukoba and theology at St. Charles Lwanga in Dar-es-Salaam. He was ordained a priest on July 7, 2008.

He has held the following positions and completed further studies: Diocesan Secretary, Secretary for Education, and Notary of the Archdiocesan Tribunal ; Doctorate in Dogmatic Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome ; member of the Archdiocesan Projects Committee ; since 2021, Chancellor of the Archdiocese and Deputy Parish Priest of St. Joseph Cathedral in Dar-es-Salaam.

ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Father Sebastiano D'Ambra: "Dialogue comes from God and leads to God. It has been the guiding thread of my entire missionary life"

Sat, 11 Jul 2026 12:35:53 +0200

Zamboanga – “It is not easy to take stock of 60 years of missionary life. I can only say what is in my heart, what the Lord has allowed me to experience. I can say what the commitment and the path of Islamic-Christian dialogue have been and are for me: It means growing together in spirit, walking together the path that leads to God,” said Father Sebastiano D’Ambra, an 84-year-old missionary of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions , a few weeks after the 60th anniversary of his priestly ordination, which he celebrated on June 25, 2026. In an interview with Fides, he reflected on fifty years of missionary work in the southern Philippines, describing his journey, which made him one of the most important witnesses of dialogue between Christians and Muslims on the island of Mindanao, where he still lives in the city of Zamboanga.

Born in Aci Trezza, Sicily, he studied at the seminary in Acireale and chose the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions . He was ordained a priest in 1966 and initially worked in missionary animation. But even then, he recalls, he and his fellow confreres, Father Salvatore Carzedda and Father Antimo Villano, harbored a dream: “It was the early 1970s, and we wanted to embark on what were then, in the climate of the Second Vatican Council, called the ‘new paths of mission.’ We didn’t want to limit ourselves to just talking about mission: we wanted to live it, to bear concrete witness.”
This dream took shape in 1977 when PIME sent them to the Philippines and entrusted them with a special area of mission: interreligious dialogue. Father D'Ambra was transferred to Siocon on the island of Mindanao in the southern archipelago. It was a time marked by the martial law of Ferdinand Marcos' regime, armed conflict, and the presence of Muslim rebel groups: “When we arrived, there was violence. I tried to understand God's signs in this situation,” he told Fides. For this reason, he decided to take a pioneering step and live alone in a Muslim village. This experience would forever change his understanding of mission: “There, the Lord helped me understand what has become the central message of my entire missionary life: Dialogue comes from God and leads to God.”

From this spiritual intuition arose the “Silsilah” movement, an Arabic word for “chain.” A chain that, as the missionary explains, doesn't simply symbolize the connection between people of different religions: “Generally, dialogue with Muslims is understood as collaboration in certain areas. For us, it is something much deeper: a spiritual chain that unites Christians and Muslims with God. From this relationship grows the fraternity among us.”
However, the movement's path was not without difficulties, obstacles, and trials. In 1981, one of his Filipino colloborators lost his life in an attack. His superiors asked him to temporarily leave Mindanao and return to Rome. “It was a time of grace,” he recalls. In the Italian capital, he attended PISAI and deepened his studies of Arabic and Islam. “I was able to consolidate my reflections on the spiritual dimension and the foundations of interreligious dialogue,” he notes.
The most difficult test, however, came in 1992 when Father Salvatore Carzedda, a member of PIME, was murdered in Zamboanga City in an attack perpetrated by Islamist extremists. “Many felt it would be better to give up and abandon this path. But after profound spiritual discernment, we chose a different word: ‘Padayon,’ which means ‘Let’s move forward.’ If this work belonged to God, He Himself would sustain it.”
This decision marked a turning point. The Silsilah movement continued to grow and gave rise to new initiatives, such as Harmony Village, a place of formation, encounter, and coexistence between Christians and Muslims.

Over the years, Father D’Ambra was also appointed National Secretary for Interreligious Dialogue of the Catholic Philippine Bishops’ Conference and helped to disseminate the insights gained during the Silsilah experience throughout the country. From this movement also emerged a specifically Catholic community, the Emmaus Dialogue Movement, which is recognized by the Philippine bishops and brings together consecrated persons, lay people, and families who feel called to live dialogue as an authentic Christian vocation.
The latest milestone in this long journey is the Emmaus College of Theology, inaugurated five years ago. The college offers a four-year theology program with a specialization in interreligious dialogue, and students from different backgrounds earn a state-recognized academic. “The goal is to continue training missionaries of dialogue. It’s not just about learning how to live together, but about putting a spirituality of dialogue into practice,” he explained to Fides.
Today, the Muslim communities participating in the “Silsilah” movement are primarily located in the poorest neighborhoods of Zamboanga, and the mission has also spread to Basilan Island. Many religious and lay people who become acquainted with and regularly visit “Silsilah” carry this spirit to the dioceses of the Philippines and to other parts of the world.

In his reflection on 60 years of priesthood and 50 years of missionary work in the Philippines, Father D'Ambra focuses not on the results achieved, but on God's faithfulness: “I thank the Lord, for he has always guided me. I have learned that in everything we do, we are guided by him. Everything we are and do is a sign of hope for the Gospel, a work of proclaiming his love.”
He humbly notes that the work done over these decades “has contributed to establishing a spiritual focus on dialogue in the Philippines, a path that comes from God and leads to God," he says, recalling the four interconnected dimensions of the "spirituality of dialogue" cultivated within Silsilah: dialogue with God, dialogue with oneself, dialogue with one's neighbor, and dialogue with creation, but above all, he wants to clarify one key point: “A bishop once told me: In Mindanao, dialogue is necessary because there are Christians and Muslims; in my diocese, however, it is not necessary because we have no Muslims. I believe that is the wrong approach. Dialogue is not a strategy, not an instrument for shaping relationships with other religions. It means growing together in spirit, walking together on the path that leads to God. From this arise fraternity and peaceful coexistence.”
This, he says, is the legacy he wants to pass on to future generations as others prepare to lead the movement. “I place this entire work in God’s hands, for it is His plan. Years ago, I wrote a book entitled ‘A Call to a Dream,’ the dream of peaceful coexistence; and we published the collection ‘Dreaming Together.’ I hope that, with God’s grace, we can continue to dream together.”

ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Cardinal Quevedo receives the “Harmony in Diversity Award” for a life dedicated to peacebuilding in Mindanao

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 13:33:00 +0200

Cotabato – Recognizing his commitment to dialogue, his mediation work in relations between the government and rebel groups, his contribution to building harmony among different religious denominations, and to peacemaking in Mindanao: with this motivation, Cardinal Orlando B. Quevedo, a member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate and Archbishop Emeritus of Cotabato, a diocese located on the island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines, has been chosen to receive the “Harmony in Diversity Award” on July 15 in Jakarta, Indonesia. This award “promotes aspirations for social harmony and seeks to broaden the impact of promoting social cohesion in Southeast Asia.”
The 87-year-old Archbishop Emeritus of Cotabato was nominated for this award by the Bangsamoro Transitional Authority, a predominantly Muslim region, for his “exceptional efforts to promote social cohesion and harmony among people from different cultures in Southeast Asia.”
The jury recognized the Cardinal’s commitment “to embodying the values that form the basis of the ‘Harmony in Diversity’ Award: promoting understanding amid differences, building bridges between communities, and fostering a spirit of mutual respect and inclusion,” said Halimah Yacob, Chair of the Commission, the first woman to serve as Speaker of the Singapore Parliament, and currently Chancellor of the Singapore University of Social Sciences.
The Harmony in Diversity Award Foundation highlighted that, according to the 2025 “Southeast Asian Social Cohesion Radar,” a study conducted by the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, the region’s average social cohesion index reaches 72.4%, reflecting a growing awareness among the people of Southeast Asian countries of the concept of “harmony in diversity,” precisely the goal of this award.
“In times of uncertainty, we must not be discouraged. We must continue to build bridges across divisions and walk side by side. The Harmony in Diversity Award is a recognition for those who have chosen to overcome fractures, promote social cohesion and harmony in Southeast Asia, and inspire new initiatives,” stated Yacob, thanking the Temasek Foundation and the 5P Global Movement , entities that promote and support the “Harmony in Diversity Award.” Cardinal Orlando Quevedo served as rector of the University of Notre Dame Cotabato, Bishop of Kidapawan from 1980 to 1986, Archbishop of Nueva Segovia from 1986 to 1998, and Archbishop of Cotabato from 1998 until 2018, when Pope Francis elevated him to Cardinal. As president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines for two terms , during a period marked by armed conflict in Mindanao, he was an advocate for mediation and peace dialogue. He was one of the key figures and promoters of the comprehensive agreement on Bangsamoro between the Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front , signed in March 2014, as well as of the Organic Law for the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao , approved in July 2018 and ratified in January 2019 with the establishment of the Bangsamoro Transitional Authority. According to the established schedule, BARMM will hold its first parliamentary elections—long postponed—on September 14, 2026.

VIETNAM - Vietnam’s 'gratitude' for Father Truong Buu Diep's beatification

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 13:22:43 +0200

by Andrew Doan Thanh Phong

Tac Say - "Thank God for bringing such great joy to Vietnamese Catholics when Father Diep was beatified right here in His homeland," said by a pilgrim from Ho Chi Minh City in southern Vietnam Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa, 55 years old, who had visited Tac Say many times and she expressed his emotion that this was the most special pilgrimage to her.

“This was an extremely remarkable point in the history for the Catholic Church of Vietnam as it marked the first time that the Beatification Mass has been held in the homeland of Vietnam,” shared by Mr Nguyen Ho Hai, Secretary of the Ca Mau Provincial Party Committee, at the conclusion of the 2th of july Beatification Mass, presided over by Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle, Pro Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization and Papal Envoy on behalf of Pope Leo XIV. He continued: “This grand Mass is not only a joy for Catholic compatriots in Vietnam but also a shared joy for the people of Ca Mau province, and an opportunity to introduce the image of the land and people of Ca Mau to friends both domestically and internationally.”

Most people who attended the Mass in person or online, as well as for those who followed the information related to the Beatification Mass for Father Francis Truong Buu Diep on July 2nd, were full of praise. As stated at the review meeting by Mr Ho Thanh Thuy, the Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Ca Mau province in southern part of Vietnam: “The Beatification Mass for Father Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep was held successfully, solemnly, and safely, leaving a wonderful impression of the land and people of Ca Mau.”

Other major newspapers of the Vietnamese Communist State also contributed to making this special religious event more accessible and close to the people of Vietnam through their coverage of this momentous occasion by using positive words and vivid imagery: “Long lines of people visited the tomb of Father Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep, praying and capturing memorable moments. Many brought family photos, prayer letters, or small bouquets of flowers to place in front of the tomb as a way of expressing their reverence", or "The pilgrims sang hymns praising God and commemorating the merits of the new Blessed. All shared a common prayer for peace and a focus on the good things in life.”

All the news about the Beatification Mass of Father Francis Truong Buu Diep, along with the crowd of over 70,000 attendees regardless of religious, cultural and class differences, created a unity of many other people, and according to Bishop of Can Tho Diocese, the hosting place of the mass, Peter Nguyen Tan Loi that was a miracle, as he shared after the Mass: “Father Diep is not just for Catholics, but also a meeting point of compassion. The fact is that millions of hearts from all different faiths respectfully bowed in front of the priest is a great miracle of harmony and unity”.

The presence of government officials, representatives of other religions, and countless volunteers — both Catholic and non-Catholic— engaged in a quiet service transformed the occasion into a celebration of faith and compassion. This truly embodies the beauty of unity, especially in a world still rife with division caused by war, hatred, and selfishness, the scene at Tac Say that day stood as a living testament that people can still come together through compassion and mutual respect. Perhaps, this is also the work that Blessed Truong Buu Diep continues to carry out, to unite the people even after his passing into the presence of God.

"We hope that the spirit of compassion and selflessness from Father Diep will always illuminate the path for government leaders, so that they may always be loyal servants of the people, caring for the peace and happiness of our compatriots. For our non-Catholic brothers and sisters, we hope that Tac Say will forever be a peaceful common home, where Father Diep's boundless love will warm up the hearts of all people and will help them realise God," Bishop Peter Phan Tan Loi emphasized after the Mass concluded.

ASIA/BAHRAIN - Pastoral visits in times of war in the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 13:08:07 +0200

by Aldo Berardi, O.SS.T.*

Awali – The year 2026 has brought many surprises. In January, we joyfully celebrated the proclamation of the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Arabia in Ahmadi, Kuwait. Shortly thereafter, however, we entered a period of social and economic instability due to the war.

2026 was also the year scheduled for pastoral visits to the eleven parishes of the Vicariate. Despite the difficulties caused by the attacks and the closure of airports, we were able to carry out the program as planned. The bishop had to visit his flock, especially at a time marked by tension and fear.

A pastoral ministry adapted to circumstances

Despite the temporary closure of churches and the need to rely on online prayer, we succeeded in keeping communion alive. Every effort was made to reopen the churches and to offer comfort to those seeking consolation and peace. In this way, we remained united in the midst of difficulty and experienced our identity as a Church, in solidarity and in the spiritual life.
The bishop's visit proved especially important in encouraging the faithful, supporting them and making his paternal closeness tangible.
We gathered to pray for peace and organized special moments of encounter and fraternity. No priest requested to return to his home country, a source of great consolation for the entire community.

A time of difficulty and fear

With constant alerts, drones and missile attacks, fear spread throughout the cities. There were growing concerns about casualties and injuries. The sound of explosions at military bases and airports made everyday life particularly difficult. Children and adults experienced moments of great suffering, and the level of stress, especially among the youngest, increased significantly.
The mission of the clergy—the bishop and the priests— was above all to listen to the concerns of the faithful and remain close to them.
The pastoral visit has allowed them to reach out to the communities, address their concerns, and offer hope, encouragement and blessing.

An economy that causes suffering

The war has brought suffering and economic instability. Many people have lost their jobs or gone for months without receiving their salaries. Others have been asked to return to their countries of origin. Departures and painful farewells have become increasingly frequent.
The pastoral visits also helped strengthen solidarity and charitable outreach. Our churches became places of hope and mutual support. In carrying out her mission, the Church continues to be a home and a family—a place where everyone is welcomed.

Keeping Christ at the centre

The strength of faith has sustained us, and fraternal love has enabled us to face this time of suffering together.
These pastoral visits revealed an even deeper longing for prayer, Christian formation, unity and solidarity. They allowed me to experience firsthand the reality of our communities and to seek ways of responding to their needs.
In this context, our presence has taken on its fullest meaning: to be the presence of Christ, the Good Shepherd.

*Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia, which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia

"Christianity is only just beginning": How Leo XIV's missionary vision is rooted in the Acts of the Apostles

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 12:34:58 +0200

by Marie-Lucile Kubacki

Rome – “Your regular book for prayer and meditation should be the Acts of the Apostles. Go there to find your inspiration. And the protagonist of that book is the Holy Spirit.” Pope Francis addressed these words to the directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies during an audience in the Apostolic Palace in 2018.
The early days of Christianity have consistently served as a point of reference whenever the Church has entered periods of profound reflection. This was especially true during the Second Vatican Council, the Council of ‘ressourcement’, the ‘return to the sources’, when bishops and theologians turned to the ancient sources – Scripture, the ancient liturgy and the Fathers of the Church in order to discern the most faithful path for the Church in the contemporary world.
As an heir to that history, Leo XIV, who has launched a new cycle of catecheses on the II Vatican, also turns his gaze to the mission as described in the Acts of the Apostles, as if it were a book of the origins: that of a Church enlivened by the Holy Spirit, shaped by the ministry of Peter, marked by the martyrdom of Stephen, and forever "coming into being."
From this vision flows his missionary approach, shaped by Pentecost, proximity to the wounded, the unarmed witness of the martyrs, and the conviction that, even today, "Christianity is only just beginning," in the words of the Russian Orthodox priest Alexander Men, who was murdered in 1990.

Pentecost: The spirit who opens doors

A month after his election, on 8 June 2025, in his homily for the Solemnity of Pentecost, Leo XIV interpreted the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles as the foundational scene in which the Holy Spirit "opens" the doors of the Upper Room while the Apostles remain locked inside out of fear. This dynamic of "opening doors" has become a defining feature of his missionary vision.
The Spirit, he explained, "opens borders, first of all, in our hearts," freeing us from our hardness of heart, our narrowness of mind, our selfishness, the fears that enchain us and the narcissism that makes us think only of ourselves. The Spirit "also opens borders in our relationship with others," enabling us to overcome fear of the other, exposing "the hidden dangers that disturb our relationships, like suspicion, prejudice or the desire to manipulate others", and bringing to maturity "the fruits that enable us to cultivate good and healthy relationships: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" .
Beyond the individual, the Spirit "also opens borders between peoples," replacing the confusion of Babel with the possibility of mutual understanding. This episode teaches that a Church is truly apostolic when it allows the Holy Spirit to break through its closures and overcome its inward-looking tendencies in order to encounter the other.
In 2026, again on the occasion of Pentecost, Pope Prevost further developed this perspective by presenting the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of peace, mission and truth. The forgiveness entrusted to the Church, he affirmed, is a divine gift offered "because it excludes no one" and that proclamation is based "not on our own merits or privileges, but on the word of the Lord, who sanctifies sinners, heals lepers, makes an apostle those who denied him."
Drawing on St Augustine , he interpreted the gift of tongues as the sign of unity within "the one faith," while explicitly denouncing "partisanship," "hypocrisy" and "fashions" that obscure the Gospel. At the same time, he stressed that God's truth is a liberating word capable of "transforming every culture from within." This vision also underpins his critique of the theory of the "just war" in the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas . In today's world of interconnected networks and algorithms capable of profoundly distorting mutual understanding, the traditional category of the "just war," he argues, has become both inadequate and dangerous.

Peter and the ministry of proximity

The missionary impulse born at Pentecost takes concrete form above all in the figure of Peter. In an address delivered in the Clementine Hall in June 2025, Leo XIV offered a personal reading of Acts 3:1-10, applying it to both the Petrine ministry and papal diplomacy.
The episode recounts the encounter between a crippled man sitting at the ‘Beautiful Gate’, reduced to begging, before being helped to his feet by Peter, who grants him healing in the name of Christ rather than offering him money.
By applying this account to the role of the Successor of Peter, in the service of a ‘resigned humanity’, represented by the sick man in the biblical text, he places at the heart of the Pope’s ministry and that of the papal representatives the ability to build bridges, to listen to the cry of today’s wounded and to heal them through the saving word of Christ.
Peter's response to the beggar—"Look at us!"— highlights the need to live out the Gospel message through relationships. The refusal to rely on "silver and gold" and the exclusive trust placed in "the name of Jesus" likewise reflects one of the defining characteristics of the primitive Christian communities described in the Acts of the Apostles, communities marked by the sharing of goods, prayer and charisms at the service of mission.
By inviting papal representatives to become "the eyes of Peter" on the world's peripheries, Leo XIV transforms papal diplomacy into a missionary program at the service of human relationships, dignity and healing, far removed from the logic of power.

Stephen, Christian martyrdom and the unarmed way

Through the figure of Stephen, Leo XIV deepens the relationship between the Acts of the Apostles and his missionary perspective by offering a reflection on the Christian meaning of martyrdom.
In his Angelus address of 26 December 2025, he recalled how the first Christians spoke of Saint Stephen’s “birthday,” convinced that human beings are "not born just once." He dwelt on the amazement of those who witnessed Stephen's martyrdom before "the light of his face and of his words." His face, "like that of an angel," becomes the face of the authentic witness: of one who does not leave history indifferently, but responds to it with love." "Yet the beauty of Jesus, and of those who imitate his life, is also rejected, for from the beginning, his magnetic force has provoked the reaction of those who struggle for power, those who are exposed by their acts of injustice because of a goodness that reveals the intentions of their hearts," the Pope observed, repeating—as Benedict XVI and Pope Francis had already done—that mission proceeds "by attraction."
Stephen dies whilst forgiving, thereby choosing to respond to violence without violence and to place his trust in the paradoxical power of love. "Today, those who believe in peace and have chosen the unarmed path of Jesus and the martyrs are often ridiculed, excluded from public discourse, and not infrequently accused of favoring adversaries and enemies. Christians, however, have no enemies, but brothers and sisters, who remain so even when they do not understand each other."
From this vision emerges the "unarmed way," that "disarming and unarmed peace" evoked by the Algerian martyrs Pierre Claverie and Christian de Chergé. As with the protomartyr Stephen, the strength of their witness lies not in spectacular demonstrations, but in the simplicity and joy of a life hidden in God and offered to the very end.
In his homily for the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul on 29 June 2026, Leo XIV presented Paul as the "tireless herald of the Good News," symbolized by the book and the sword. These two symbols express "what God accomplished in the heart of the young Saul, winning him over
, bringing him first to conversion to the Gospel and giving him a new name, and then sending him to proclaim it throughout the world. Finally, like Peter, he was to bear witness to the Gospel even to the point of giving his life in this very city."
"The Apostle to the Gentiles allowed himself to be transformed by the power of God’s word, which rescued him from the way of violence and led him onto the path of love," he concluded. Here lies the deepest meaning of martyrdom: a testimony of love, offered in simplicity, revealing the true power of the Gospel, summed up in the Apostle's words: "When I am weak, then I am strong."

A "continually reborn" Church

For Leo XIV, the "continually reborn" Church depicted in the Acts of the Apostles remains the primary reference for living the Church's mission in the contemporary world.
He articulated this vision most fully during his apostolic journey to Africa, in the Basilica of Saint Augustine in Annaba on 14 April 2026.
Reflecting on Augustine's conversion, the Pope insisted that "Christians are truly born from above, regenerated by God as brothers and sisters of Jesus." The Acts of the Apostles bears witness to this by describing "the lifestyle that characterizes humanity when it has been renewed by the Holy Spirit," characterized by faith, charity, justice, fraternity and communion.
"Inspired by this law, inscribed in our hearts by God, the Church is continually reborn, for where there is despair she kindles hope, where there is misery she brings dignity, and where there is conflict she brings reconciliation."
Before leaving Annaba, Leo XIV encouraged Algeria's small Christian community to become "like a grain of incense": a humble presence spreading its fragrance because it burns with faith in Christ, persevering in hospitality and openness amid the trials of history.
To be "continually reborn" therefore means accepting the destabilizing dynamism experienced by the Church of the Acts of the Apostles—both within its historical context and in the debate over the reception of the pagans that culminated in the Council of Jerusalem—without allowing oneself to be paralyzed by the fact of being a small number.

Faithfulness to our origins, not out of nostalgia, but because
the origins remain for every generation a source of living water. Every generation is, in its own way, a generation of early Christians, called to experience anew the burning reality of conversion—that is, the gift of a new life.

VATICAN - World Mission Day: Third on line study session for the French-speaking world reflects on Pope Leo XIV's message

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 16:53:14 +0200

Vatican City – The third session of the online missionary formation sessions for the French-speaking world, dedicated to Pope Leo XIV's Message for World Mission Day 2026, will take place on Friday, July 10, at 12:30 p.m. .
Organized through the collaboration between the International Secretariat of the Pontifical Missionary Union and the National Directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies in French-speaking Africa, the study session began on May 6 with an introductory presentation by the PUM's Secretary General, Fr. Dinh Anh Nhue Nguyen, OFM Conv., who placed Pope Leo XIV's message within the general context of mission today.
"This message is a clear appeal to the Church to rediscover her missionary nature—not simply as one activity among many, but as her deepest identity," Fr. Nguyen said. "It invites every baptized person to recognize themselves as one who is sent, every community to become missionary, and the whole Church to move forward with confidence into this 'new missionary era.'"
The second session, held on June 12, focused on the theme "One in Christ: A Spiritual and Missionary Reflection." Fr. Lawrence Iwuamadi, a priest of the Diocese of Owerri, Nigeria, and Dean and Professor of Ecumenical Biblical Hermeneutics at the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey, Switzerland, joined Fr. Nguyen in leading the discussion.
"Being one in Christ is not a slogan, but a vocation. It is the Church's identity, her credibility and her mission," Fr. Iwuamadi said in his concluding remarks. "The world will not believe our message of reconciliation unless it sees reconciliation among us."
The third online meeting, as usual scheduled from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. , will focus on the question: "United in mission: How can we live and promote the Holy Father's concrete indications?"
Joining Fr. Dinh Anh Nhue Nguyen in the discussion will be Archbishop Nicolas Lhernould of Tunis, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Tunisia.
The series will conclude on September 11 with a conference entitled "The Mission of Love: Following Christ and the Saints." The programme is already active in English and is expected to be offered in other languages.

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Defending land means defending life: Latin American Churches Stand alongside communities in mining conflicts

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 16:41:44 +0200

by Laura Gómez Ruiz

Chitré – "Our only concern is to safeguard the life of every human being." With these words, Bishop Rafael Valdivieso of Chitré recently summed up the concern of the Catholic Church in Panama amid the ongoing debate over the possible reopening of mining projects in the country. According to the Bishop, any activity that may endanger the health and lives of local communities must be evaluated with the utmost responsibility.
Across Latin America and the Caribbean, local Churches accompany communities affected by the social and environmental consequences of mining, defending human dignity, the rights of peoples and the care of Creation. This is not a rejection of all mining activity, but rather an invitation to discernment in the light of the Social Doctrine of the Church: economic development cannot be separated from respect for life, the common good and the protection of our Common Home.

In July 2025, the Conferences of the Latin American Episcopal Council , together with the Churches and Mining Network and with the support of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, presented the “Pastoral guidelines in response to the impacts of mining activity in Latin America and the Caribbean.” The document, the fruit of a process of discernment involving around twenty bishops engaged in accompanying communities affected by mining, offers pastoral criteria for addressing socio-environmental conflicts through the defense of life, human rights and care for creation.
One year after the presentation of the Guidelines, this journey continues through formation initiatives promoted by CEBITEPAL, the Churches and Mining Network, and CLAR. The online course, Pastoral guidelines for the Churches in the face of the mining reality, from June 19 to September 4, seeks to provide pastoral workers with tools for discernment and pastoral action in accompanying communities affected by these conflicts.
"Today, mining is reaching every corner of our territories in Latin America, especially rural communities and Indigenous peoples. In many cases, it causes the displacement of communities, fuels social conflict and is accompanied by activities that are profoundly destructive to nature and the environment," says Pedro Sánchez, a member of the Churches and Mining Network and one of the organizers.
The course addresses topics related to the Social Doctrine of the Church, ecological spirituality, the defense of socio-environmental rights, accompaniment of vulnerable communities, and the development of pastoral alternatives that promote justice, participation and care for Creation.

Development that respects life

In Panama, the debate over the possible reactivation of mining projects has once again prompted the Church to voice concern about the consequences extractive activities may have for both communities and the environment.
Bishop Rafael Valdivieso of Chitré recalled that the country's bishops have listened both to experts and representatives of mining companies, while remaining concerned about the effects such projects could have on the people living in the affected areas. "Anything that endangers human health and life represents a serious risk," the Bishop said, referring to the dangers associated with mining. He also stressed that the bishops' position is motivated neither by political nor economic interests, but by the defense of the human person and the pursuit of the common good.

The position expressed by the Bishop follows the Pastoral Letter "Querida Panamá," published by the Panamanian Bishops' Conference in 2024, in which the bishops called for listening to "the cry of the earth and of the peoples," promoting an integral ecology in which the common good becomes the guiding criterion for decisions concerning the country's development.

Defending those who defend the land

Honduras illustrates one of the most painful dimensions of conflicts related to the defense of the land: the violence suffered by those who defend the common good and accompany vulnerable communities.
The death of Juan Antonio López, a delegate of the Word of God, pastoral worker and defender of the Common Home, deeply affected the Honduran Church and was reported by Fides . López became a point of reference for a pastoral ministry that regards care for Creation as a concrete expression of the gaze on reality illuminated by the Christian faith. For many ecclesial communities throughout Latin America, integral ecology is not an agenda external to the Church's mission but an integral part of the proclamation of the Gospel and the preferential option for the most vulnerable.
Violence against environmental defenders continues to raise serious concern. Following the killing of several farmers in May 2026 in Rigores, in the department of Colón, the Honduran Bishops' Conference expressed its "deep sorrow and indignation," reminding the faithful that "every victim is a person created in the image and likeness of God." The bishops condemned the violence and called for renewed efforts to build "justice, truth and peace."
The Churches and Mining Network likewise recalled that the Bajo Aguán region, "the land of the Minister of the Word Juan Antonio López," has become an area where those defending their territories face grave threats. According to the organization, the killings reveal "a structural problem that generates poverty, inequality, violence, impunity and the absence of the State." For the Church, defending our Common Home necessarily includes protecting those who dedicate themselves to its care, especially those who accompany their communities in the light of faith and commitment to human dignity.

Water as a common good

In Ecuador, the ecclesial community has joined efforts to defend water resources, community lands and the rights of populations living in areas affected by extractive projects.
One of the most significant cases concerns Intag, in Imbabura Province, where farming communities have long opposed mining projects because of their potential impact on an area renowned for its ecological richness. After months of community mobilization, mining company Semperterra withdrew its machinery from the area in June 2026.
In this context, Bishop Geovanni Paz of Latacunga expressed his solidarity with the local communities, saying: "I am very happy to see how the people of Intag have organized themselves to defend their territory. We must continue defending both human rights and the rights of nature."
The defense of these territories forms part of the Christian commitment to care for Creation and protect the most vulnerable communities. Economic development cannot be separated from safeguarding ecosystems, ensuring access to water, and guaranteeing that local populations participate in decisions affecting their territories.
The Churches and Mining Network has also stressed that mining-related conflicts in Ecuador reveal broader problems linked to environmental pollution, water contamination and the social tensions generated by extractive projects. For the Church, these conflicts ultimately raise a deeper question: what model of development can truly guarantee a dignified life for present and future generations?

When the territory challenges the Church's pastoral care

In the Dominican Republic, too, the defense of water has become one of the principal concerns in response to expanding mining projects.
Through its Commission for Ecology and the Environment and the Dominican Bishops' Conference, the local Church has expressed its support for communities seeking to protect both the Central and Northern Cordilleras, emphasizing that access to water is a fundamental human right and an essential criterion in evaluating the sustainability of any mining project.
This concern became particularly evident in May 2026, when several priests joined thousands of demonstrators marching to Santiago de los Caballeros to defend the Northern Cordillera, an impoprtant water reserve for many rural communities. Among them were Fathers Ramón Ramos and Rogelio Cruz, who firmly declared that "life is not negotiable" and called for local communities to be fully involved in decisions concerning their territories.
The presence of priests alongside the faithful reflects a pastoral approach repeated throughout the continent: listening, accompanying and discerning together with local communities how best to respond to the social and environmental consequences of economic decisions that directly affect their daily lives.

Care for creation and the preferential option for the poor

From Central America to the Andes and the Caribbean, these experiences reveal a shared pastoral concern. Mining-related conflicts are not merely disputes over natural resources; they concern real people, communities, cultures and territories. Throughout this journey, the Churches of Latin America continue to affirm that care for Creation is an integral part of proclaiming the Gospel. The preferential option for the most vulnerable and the protection of our Common Home are inseparable dimensions.

Presenting the pastoral guidelines on mining in July 2025, Cardinal Michael Czerny, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, declared: "The time has come to move from words to action," stressing the need to translate ecclesial reflection into concrete initiatives.
Pope Leo XIV has repeatedly emphasized that environmental concerns cannot be separated from social justice and the defense of the most vulnerable. In his Message for the 2025 World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, he recalled that "the destruction of nature does not affect everyone equally" and that its consequences fall above all upon "the poor, the marginalized and the excluded."
In his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas , the Pope returned to the theme, affirming that "the quality of development is measured by its ability to unite justice for people and care for our Common Home."
In a continent rich in natural resources yet marked by profound inequalities, the central question guiding the Church's pastoral commitment remains how to promote a model of development that does not leave the most vulnerable behind and protects life as a gift from God.

AFRICA/NIGERIA - Parish Priest of St. Joseph in Kutaho: "Catechist Victor Paul, kidnapped and killed, had just arrived among us to proclaim the Gospel"

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 15:37:59 +0200

by Antonella Prenna

Kaduna – "Catechist Victor Paul was sent to St. Joseph Parish on January 31, 2026, to begin his first pastoral ministry in the Archdiocese. He arrived together with his pregnant wife and their son. The entire community, both Catholic and Baptist, welcomed them with great joy and warmth. Upon their arrival, the women of the community organized a fraternal gathering and greeted them with a welcome song. We then prepared food, shared a meal together accompanied by our traditional drinks, and prayed that his stay and ministry among us would be peaceful, fruitful and full of blessings," says Fr. Linus Bobai, parish priest of St. Joseph's Parish in Kutaho, in the Archdiocese of Kaduna, located in the Kagarko Local Government Area, and sent to Fides News Agency by the Chancellor of the Archdiocese, Fr Christian Okewu Emmanuel.

Fr. Linus recounted the story of catechist Victor Paul, who was killed together with other victims after they had been abducted on February 9, 2026 .
"Victor Paul was regarded as the assistant to the priests by both the Catholic and Baptist communities. Everyone respected him. Then, on February 9, a group of armed bandits raided our community," Fr. Linus continues. "Tragically, he, his pregnant wife and their son were among those kidnapped. That same night, some of the captives pleaded with the bandits to spare the catechist and his family, explaining that they had only just arrived and that he was their catechist. But the bandits refused. They insisted on taking them with them, saying that precisely because they were newcomers, they would take them away with them."

"On April 5, 2026, as requested by the kidnappers, payment was made for the release of all the hostages. In reality, however, only the catechist's wife, their son, and several other women with their children were released that day. Immediately after their release, we took them all to hospital for medical examinations. Shortly after being admitted, the catechist's wife gave birth to a baby boy. The newborn is doing well, as is the couple's older son, who kept asking where his father was. We then returned to our village, but we were all deeply shaken. Going through all of this has not been easy."

"Most members of our community and parish are still profoundly affected. Victor Paul came among us to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the news of his death, together with that of the other victims who were killed in the forest, has devastated everyone. All that remained for us was to organize their burial."

"The entire community is discouraged, but we remain united in prayer, asking God to grant us consolation and strength. As Christians, we believe that God alone knows why all this has happened. We do not wish to blame anyone; rather, we entrust everything into His hands. We pray that God will touch the hearts of those who have caused so much suffering and pain to our community."

AMERICA/PERU - Appointment of the Apostolic Vicar of Jaén

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 13:03:41 +0200

Vatican City - The Holy Father has appointed the Rev. Fr. Juan Carlos Morante Buchhammer, S.J., until now Superior of the San Ignacio de Loyola House in Piura, as Apostolic Vicar of the Apostolic Vicariate of Jaén .
The Bishop-elect Juan Carlos Morante Buchhammer, S.J. was born on January 25, 1958, in Piura, Peru. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering from the National University of Engineering in Lima, a Licentiate in Philosophy from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú , and a Licentiate in Theology from the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, California.
He was ordained a priest on July 31, 1992, and made his solemn profession in the Society of Jesus on May 30, 2000, in Lima.
He has held the following positions and pursued further studies: He earned a Doctorate in Philosophy from the Universidad Pontificia de Comillas de Madrid . Professor of Philosophy at the Escuela Superior de Pedagogía, Filosofía y Letras Antonio Ruiz de Montoya and Executive Director of the Instituto de Filosofía, Sociología y Política . Member of the Equipo Jesuita Latinoamericano de Reflexión Filosófica . Councillor of the Peruvian Jesuit Province and Consultor . Superior of the Virgen de Nazaret House, El Agustino, Lima . Professor , Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy, and later Rector of the Universidad Antonio Ruiz de Montoya. Superior of the San Francisco de Borja House, Lima . Provincial Superior of the Society of Jesus in Peru . Professor and Head of the Unidad Académica de la Escuela Superior de Pedagogía Víctor Andrés Belaunde . Superior of the San Ignacio de Loyola House in Piura and Coordinator of the Piura and Chiclayo Plataformas Territoriales .

ASIA/PAKISTAN - In Lahore, a vibrant Church, led by Capuchin Archbishop Rehmat, builds dialogue, hope, and fraternity, in the spirit of St. Francis

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 12:48:57 +0200

by Paolo Affatato

Lahore – In Pakistan, interreligious dialogue "is not an option, but a necessity." This conviction lies at the heart of the pastoral ministry of Archbishop Khalil Rehmat, OFM Cap, a Capuchin friar called to lead one of the country's oldest and most significant Catholic communities. Appointed Metropolitan Archbishop of Lahore by the Pope on March 10, 2026, Archbishop Rehmat received the pallium from the Pontiff on June 29 during the celebration in St. Peter's Basilica, where the liturgical insignia was conferred upon the 35 new archbishops appointed over the past year.
As the Church marks the eighth centenary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi , proclaimed by Pope Leo XIV as the "Franciscan Jubilee Year" — and celebrated in Pakistan with great devotion and also with interreligious gatherings — Archbishop Rehmat reflects, in an interview with Fides, on the charism of the Saint of Assisi as a compass guiding the mission of the Church in Pakistan amid everyday challenges, care for creation, evangelical witness and peacebuilding.

The Archdiocese of Lahore, known as the "mother diocese" of Punjab, is home to more than half a million Catholics in a metropolis of around 33 million inhabitants, the majority of whom are Muslim. Christianity in the region traces its roots to the Jesuit missions of the sixteenth century and, from the late nineteenth century onward, was profoundly shaped by the ministry of the Capuchin Friars Minor, to whom the diocese was entrusted in 1888. Today, the Archdiocese is led by a Pakistani Capuchin, a sign of the maturity achieved by the local Church.
According to Archbishop Rehmat, Franciscan spirituality remains remarkably relevant and constitutes a shared heritage for all the baptized. "The spirituality of St. Francis continues to inspire everyone, not only members of the Franciscan family, priests and religious sisters, but all the faithful," he says. Eight centuries ago, he notes, the Saint of Assisi had already understood the profound bond of fraternity that binds humanity to one another and to the whole of creation.
"He called on humanity to regard the universe as our 'common home' and to value every person and every creature as a brother or sister. As a simple man with a heart in harmony with God, St. Francis showed humanity the way to avoid both the crisis of human relationships—today deeply marked by war and violence—and the ecological crisis."

The Franciscan legacy is intertwined with the papal teaching on the protection of creation: "Pope Leo, and before him Pope Francis in the encyclical Laudato si', clearly emphasize that Mother Earth is our common home and that we must care for it. We are not the owners of this earth and its resources; we are its stewards. In a spirit of responsibility and sharing, we are called to safeguard life for future generations," the Archbishop states.
Above all, however, it is in relations among religious communities that the Franciscan witness takes on particular significance in Pakistan: "Interreligious dialogue is not an option for us. It is a necessity, it is our need," he explains, recalling the example of St. Francis, who visited and spoke with the Sultan. In a country where Christians are a small minority, "building daily relationships of trust with the Muslim majority means contributing to the coexistence of society as a whole."
"Pakistan is a beautiful country. We love its landscapes, its culture, its food and its people, and we receive many blessings from our beloved homeland. But crises and problems do exist," the friar acknowledges. For this reason, he adds, "the entire Bishops' Conference and the Franciscan communities are doing remarkable work in building social harmony, peace and fraternity."
This commitment continues thanks to the legacy of figures such as Capuchin Father Francis Nadeem, OFM Cap, a pioneer of interreligious dialogue who passed away in 2020. Today, his work is carried forward by Father Nakash Azam, the diocesan director for interreligious dialogue.

Pakistan's social context continues to present serious challenges. Christians still face social and economic discrimination, remain vulnerable to abuses of the country's blasphemy legislation, and continue to suffer forced conversions and marriages, particularly involving girls from religious minority communities. These difficulties are compounded by poverty, illiteracy, and the need to maintain high levels of security around churches and Christian neighborhoods.
Faced with these challenges, Archbishop Rehmat points to cooperation with institutions and with all people of good will as the way forward: "We acknowledge that problems exist, such as the abduction of Christian girls who are forcibly married to Muslim men, or episodes of violence against Christians. But the country's institutions, politicians, civil society organizations, Muslim religious leaders and many ordinary citizens recognize these challenges, support us and believe in justice. That is why we work closely with Muslim leaders, who are our brothers, and with government institutions. This is our homeland, this is our country. We believe that by addressing these issues together, things can gradually improve through a spirit of cooperation that serves the common good."

Despite these difficulties, what most strikes the Archbishop since his arrival in Lahore—following the first years of his episcopal ministry in the Apostolic Vicariate of Quetta—is the vitality of the Catholic community.
"The faith here is vibrant and deeply rooted. We are a vibrant community, blessed by the Lord and enriched with many gifts," he says.
Young people under the age of 30 make up around 60 percent of Pakistan's population and, according to the bishops of Pakistan, also constitute approximately 60% of the Christian community. Throughout Pakistan's dioceses, Archbishop Rehmat notes, young people are deeply involved "in the liturgy and the animation of celebrations, in Bible and prayer groups, in Caritas and volunteer activities, in interreligious dialogue initiatives, and through diocesan and national youth movements."
"The presence of children, adolescents and young families is one of the most evident signs of the vitality of the Church in Pakistan and the source of our hope for the future," he observes.
In a country where Christians are a small minority, he continues, the witness of the Church in Lahore is expressed through service, dialogue and fraternity. In the spirit of St. Francis, the Archbishop reiterates, "peace is born from the conviction that every person is our brother or sister and that our land belongs to everyone."
Inspired by this commitment to preach and live peace, the Church continues to serve society through schools, universities, healthcare facilities, vocational training programs and the humanitarian initiatives of Caritas, all of which benefit citizens regardless of their religious affiliation. "Education," the Archbishop emphasizes, "remains the principal means of breaking the cycle of poverty and marginalization."

Reflecting on his episcopal ministry, which began in the Diocese of Quetta and now continues in Lahore, Archbishop Rehmat entrusts his mission to God in the spirit of the Magnificat: "I want to thank God, as Mary does in the Magnificat, for all the good He has done for me and for the entire community. The Lord has done great things for us, and holy is His name."
He concludes: "I will devote all my efforts to serving the Archdiocese of Lahore with all my heart, in collegial communion with my brother bishops and in obedience to the Pope. I am here to care for the faith of God's people. My priority is the pastoral care of the faithful: to celebrate the sacraments with and for them, to nourish hope, to encourage charity, and to inspire my priests to work together in unity."

AFRICA/ALGERIA - Record of abstention in Algeria's legislative elections

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 08:46:31 +0200

Algiers – As in 2021, Algeria's legislative elections saw a record-low turnout, held on July 2. Five years ago, around 23 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots; this year, turnout fell even further, with just 21 percent of the country's more than 24.7 million potential voters showed up at the polling stations.

These elections were the second parliamentary vote to be held since Algeria's political landscape came under the influence of the Hirak protest movement, which in 2019 brought hundreds of thousands of people to the streets and ultimately led to the end of Abdelaziz Bouteflika's two-decade presidency. He was succeeded by Abdelmadjid Tebboune, and was confirmed as president in 2024.

In recent years, opposition groups have repeatedly denounced restrictions on the activities of political parties and civil society organizations.
The election campaign was marked by the exclusion of more than 3,700 candidates, while around 10,000 were approved to run, according to Al Jazeera news media.

The government justified the exclusion of more than a quarter of the candidates on the grounds of a conflict of interest or ‘suspicious activities’, applying a constitutional amendment passed in April 2026 to prevent illicit funding from influencing politics. The exclusions were widespread: they did not only affect parties that might be considered part of the opposition, such as the Front of Socialist Forces – which took part again after its absence in 2021 – or the Islamic Movement for Society of Peace , but also parties considered close to the establishment, such as the National Liberation Front and the National Democratic Party .

Perhaps the most significant feature of the campaign was the widespread skepticism—and the resulting political apathy—among voters toward the country's political class. The phenomenon was especially widespread among Algerians under the age of 40, who account for more than 50% of the country's population. In an effort to reach this large segment of the electorate, many candidates used "alternative" methods in favor of more informal campaigning, holding meetings in markets and cafés rather than addressing large crowds. These alternative campaign methods did not help overcome this problem, as reflected in the low turnout.

The National Liberation Front won the elections with 90 seats, eight fewer than in 2021. The National Democratic Rally came second with 73 seats, gaining 15 compared to the previous election. It was followed by the El Moustakbal Front, which won 59 seats, an increase of eleven compared to the previous election. Among the opposition parties, the Msp lost 22 seats, obtaining 43, while the Ffs gained 12 seats.

The results are expected to produce a parliamentary majority made up of parties supportive of Tebboune’s presidency. Such an outcome could strengthen consensus regarding the economic and political reform agenda of the "New Algeria," launched by the president during his first term in office. The program aims to reform the country's institutions and economy, yet progress has remained limited over the past seven years, a lack of tangible reforms that helps explain, at least in part, the widespread electoral apathy.

Papua New Guinea’s hidden treasure: The wisdom of elder missionaries

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 14:11:10 +0200

by Marie-Lucile Kubacki

Port Moresby - Father Christian Sieland, director of PMS Papua New Guinea, is the son of a German lay missionary who lived his apostolic vocation for more than two decades alongside priests and religious. Gratefully recognizing the great value of his experience as a young volunteer in Papua New Guinea and his close contact with missionaries from different nations, Father Christian today participates in the adventure of a local Church in transition from ‘missionary dependency’ to full local responsibility, encouraging a renewed inculturation of the Gospel. In this context, his recent journey to visit elderly missionaries, who served in his homeland and now live in retirement homes in several European countries, becomes both an act of gratitude and a living lesson: by honoring those who first bore witness to the faith, he invites a new generation to remember its roots, to cherish its cultural heritage, and to let the Gospel take ever deeper root in the soil of their people’s lives.

You have recently spent time visiting elderly missionaries who served for many years in Papua New Guinea. What struck you most in the way they look back on their mission today?

Yes, following the PMS General Assembly, I traveled to the Netherlands and Germany to visit some of our retired Dutch and German missionaries in their retirement homes. I visited Teteringen in the Netherlands for the Dutch missionaries, and Steyl, also in the Netherlands, for the German missionaries. These missionaries belong to the Society of the Divine Word and the Missionary Sisters Servant of the Holy Spirit . Both congregations were founded by St. Arnold Janssen and sent out into the world. Their pioneers reached New Guinea in 1896, beginning their missionary work along the coastal areas before venturing inland into the central Highlands. Most of the missionaries I visited are now in their late 80s or early 90s. My Bishop Emeritus, the Most Rev. Henk Te Maarssen, SVD, was in Teteringen when I visited; he will turn 93 this September. He spent almost 60 years in Papua New Guinea—more than 50 years as a priest and 8 years as a bishop.
Generally, these missionaries would have loved to stay in their mission countries and be buried in the soil of the land they served. However, due to failing health and the availability of specialized medical services in their home countries, they had to return. Yet, although they are physically present in Europe, their hearts and thoughts remain entirely in Papua New Guinea. Listening to their stories, it was clear that they have absolutely no regrets about choosing a missionary life; given the chance, they would make the exact same choice over and over again. What they often don't fully realize is that by evangelizing our people, they also laid the foundations for the modern nation of Papua New Guinea, which is now 90% Christian. What struck me most about them was their profound humility. In many cases, they did pioneering missionary work—preaching, baptizing, and building a vast network of infrastructure, including parishes, schools, and hospitals to serve our people. Yet, they never boast about their achievements; they did everything simply for the glory of God.

When these senior missionaries speak about the people and communities they accompanied, what words or images do they use most often, and what does that tell you about their understanding of mission?

The first thing you notice when listening to them is that they identify 100% with the people and communities of Papua New Guinea, whom they served for over half a century in some cases. In their reflections and shared memories, there is very little negativity. Instead, their words reflect deep respect and, I would even say, reverence for the people, their traditions, and their culture. Their missionary experiences completely grounded them in reality, simplicity, and humility. Many of them arrived in the 1950s and 1960s. Back then, they had to learn the local vernacular languages from scratch, which gave them a profound understanding of our country's diverse cultures and traditions. I feel that this early missionary spirit is sometimes missing among many of the newer missionaries arriving today, largely because most of the groundwork has already been laid. Modern missionaries continue to build upon the foundations established by these early pioneers, but the raw zeal and energy of those first trailblazers was something entirely unique.

From their experience on the ground—often in very remote and difficult areas—what lessons about patience, perseverance and humility have particularly struck you?

When I talk about expatriate missionaries coming to PNG and spending anywhere from a few years to five decades here, I often say that they have been infected with the "New Guinea virus." This deep exposure to the country permanently changes a person. As pioneers, they entered the most remote areas where there were no roads, schools, or health centers. They lived directly with the people, slept in their villages, and ate whatever food was offered to them. Through this, they learned that the Western dictionary definition of "poverty" has no real meaning in a country like Papua New Guinea. Even though the people had no money—and needed no money for their daily survival—they actually had everything. God blessed them with a land that provided for all their needs. Even today, 90% of the land belongs traditionally to the people and their tribes; land is the greatest asset any Papua New Guinean possesses. While working alongside the people, the missionaries naturally adapted to a simple, humble lifestyle. This way of life was intrinsically connected to the traditional social systems of PNG, which already contained many of the Gospel values the missionaries came to preach. God had prepared our people over many centuries for this encounter with the Word. This is why they embraced the Gospel so readily and rapidly—they recognized their own values reflected in the Christian message, but could now understand and appreciate them through the light of faith.

In which way?

Patience, perseverance, and humility are truly the three virtues shaped over decades of evangelization. To leave a so-called "civilized world" and enter a tribal society with a complex social structure requires these three elements; without them, you can never truly reach the hearts of the people. With patience and humility comes a deep openness, allowing a missionary to truly appreciate what is right in front of them. It is not a "primitive, stone-age culture," as many early Westerners dismissively described it, but a highly sophisticated society made up of a thousand distinct tribes and cultures. The missionaries understood this. In my own journey with our people, the most important lesson they have taught me is that true happiness is found in simplicity. From that simplicity, you naturally learn humility and patience—the ultimate keys to unlocking human hearts.

These missionaries arrived in a cultural context very different from their own. How did they learn to respect and value local traditions, and what aspects of their approach to inculturation would you like to pass on to younger missionaries and priests?

The very first prerequisite is open-mindedness. You cannot be an effective missionary if you do not appreciate the hidden beauty and complexity of other cultures. No single culture is superior to another; rather, every culture has a purpose in enriching others. You cannot arrive in a foreign land and condemn local traditions, customs, and cultures, whether before or during the proclamation of the Gospel. Our early missionaries must be highly commended for taking an open-minded approach. They took the time to study local cultures and languages, even compiling dictionaries and grammar guides for languages that, up until then, had been entirely oral. They highlighted the beautiful values already present in the culture, while also finding the courage to gently tell the people when certain tribal practices were incompatible with the Gospel. This process of inculturation unfolded over many decades. I believe it bore its finest fruit when locally trained catechists emerged. These catechists were well-educated, highly trained in theology, and intimately understood the depth of their own traditions. Consequently, they were able to preach the Gospel effectively to their own people in their own languages. They were often sent ahead by foreign missionaries into untouched territories to do the foundational groundwork, and they served as the best translators and cultural interpreters for the church.

EUROPE/GREECE - Appointment of the new Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 13:43:26 +0200

Vatican City - On May 25, 2026, Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization , appointed Father Ioannis Varthalitis, a priest of the Archdiocese of Athens, as National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Greece for a five-year term .
Father Varthalitis was born in 1985. He studied at the Pontifical Regional Seminary of Puglia in Molfetta from 2003 to 2009. He completed his studies at the Apulian Theological Faculty, earning a Bachelor's degree in Theology from the "Regina Apuliae" Theological Institute. From September 2009 to October 2010, he completed a year of pastoral formation in the parishes of Santa Maria Veterana in Triggiano and Santa Teresa in Kypseli, Athens.
He was ordained a priest in 2012 in the Cathedral of Saint Dionysius in Athens, he served as parish priest of the parish of the Annunciation of the Lord in Kalithea and then as parochial vicar of the Cathedral of Saint Dionysius from 2012 to 2015 and from 2023 to the present.
Among the offices entrusted to him are those of Chancellor of the Archdiocese, Director of the Diocesan Archives, Master of Liturgical Celebrations, and President of the Catechetical Commission.
The Greek Bishops' Conference also appointed him a member of the Commission for Catechism and a member of the Commission for Divine Worship. Father Varthalitis is President of the ‘SKEKE’ Association, which brings together the diocesan clergy of Greece.

ASIA/PAKISTAN - Catholic community at the forefront in the fight against child abuse, "to promote the dignity and protection of children," says Archbishop Arshad

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 13:04:06 +0200

Islamabad – A "Year of Children," marked by meetings, celebrations, public events and prayer initiatives dedicated to protecting children, promoting their well-being and placing them at the centre of social and pastoral attention in a context where children are exploited, abused and violated. This is how Archbishop Joseph Arshad, Bishop of the Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi, explained to Fides the aims and motivations behind the special year being observed by the Catholic community in northern Pakistan.
"Child protection is crucial," he said, expressing "deep concern over the growing number of child abuse cases in society."
"The issue of child sexual abuse in Pakistan remains widespread and requires urgent attention. In 2025," he noted, citing figures from ‘Cruel Numbers,’ the report published by the Pakistani NGO ‘Sahil,’ which monitors child abuse nationwide on a daily basis, "there was an alarming 8 percent increase in reported cases, with 3,630 confirmed cases of violence, an average of more than nine children abused every day."
According to the report, the most common crimes were abduction and rape. Girls accounted for 53 percent of the victims, while children between the ages of 11 and 15 are the most vulnerable.
Strongly condemning the abuse of children reported across different parts of Pakistan, "as a Catholic community, we express our profound sorrow, dismay and concern, and we acknowledge the growing fear among parents, children and communities," Arshad said.
Recalling the recent tragic case of seven-year-old Muntaha Zahra, a Muslim girl from Sargodha who was abducted last June and murdered after suffering horrific abuse and torture—a case that deeply shocked society—Archbishop Arshad said that such "brutality against an innocent child is a crime that wounds the conscience of the entire nation." He also referred to similar cases reported in Karachi, Swat and other parts of the country.
"Crimes against children are among the most shameful and intolerable violations of human dignity. No society can call itself just, peaceful or civilized as long as its children live under threat, fear and insecurity. Children are a sacred gift from God and must be protected with the highest level of moral, social, legal and institutional responsibility," he said.
The Archbishop urges the Government of Pakistan, law enforcement agencies, child protection departments and all relevant institutions "to take immediate, firm, transparent and exemplary measures against those responsible for such crimes." He called for "perpetrators of child abuse to be brought to justice without delay and for silence, negligence and the failure to enforce the law to be rejected."
It is in this context that the Catholic community of Islamabad-Rawalpindi has dedicated 2026 to children by celebrating the "Year of Children." The initiative reflects "the Church's solemn commitment to promoting the dignity, protection, education, formation and holistic well-being of children." Through its parishes, schools and associations, the diocesan community "will continue to raise awareness and encourage families, schools, parishes and communities to work together for the safety and development of every child."
Archbishop Arshad also appealed to parents, teachers, religious leaders, the media, civil society and all citizens to "acknowledge their responsibility in protecting children." He urged parents "to remain vigilant, build relationships of trust with their children, listen carefully and educate them about personal safety."
"Society must reject silence, fear, stigma and indifference, and must report every suspected case of abuse to the competent authorities," he added.
"People of goodwill, regardless of their religion," he concluded, "are called to become ambassadors of peace, protection and hope for Pakistan. Child safety is not just a family matter, but a national moral responsibility."
"Our beloved children deserve a society where they can live without fear, grow with dignity and look to the future with hope. We must all work together and contribute to the well-being of our children."
Child abuse in Pakistan remains a chronic and growing social emergency, compounded by cultural taboos, poverty and weaknesses in the justice system.
United Nations experts and local NGOs agree that the phenomenon is significantly underestimated, as most cases of abuse within families and communities go unreported because of fear of social stigma or intimidation.

AFRICA/SOUTH SUDAN - New inter-communal violence in Warrap State: 19 killed and 14 injured

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 12:34:17 +0200

Juba – At least 19 people have been killed, 14 others injured in clashes that broke out Tonj South County, about 200 kilometers from the capital Juba.
According to local press, the violence is part of growing inter-communal tensions, exacerbated by the political climate ahead of the general elections scheduled for December 2026 and the country's ongoing humanitarian crisis.
Warrap State authorities reported that the violence erupted in the early hours of Monday, July 6. "We received a report around 5 a.m. from the authorities in Tonj South County, according to which a group of criminals had attacked the community of Manyangok, targeting the villages of Ajiwel and Manyin. The clashes resulted in casualties on both sides," Warrap State Information Minister told local press.
The minister added that an unspecified number of homes were completely destroyed by fire during the attacks, leaving many families homeless.
The authorities have linked the latest violence to the cycle of attacks and reprisals that has affected the area since the end of 2025. "The conflict between communities has been ongoing since the end of 2025 and may be linked to the persistent spiral of attacks and vendettas. However, the latest incident requires an independent investigation," the minister said.
In an effort to contain the escalation, the Warrap State government has deployed the South Sudan People's Defence Forces , alongside police and other security forces, to restore order in the affected areas.

FABC Plenary Assembly to gather more than 120 Church leaders in Jakarta

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 10:17:52 +0200

by Father John Mi Shen*

Jakarta -More than 120 Church leaders from across Asia will gather in Jakarta, Indonesia, from July 20–26, 2026, for the 12th Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences .

Hosted by the Archdiocese of Jakarta at Hotel Mulia Senayan, the Assembly will reflect on the theme: “Synodal Conversion and the Mission to Be Bridges and Bridge-Builders in Asia,” inspired by the Gospel verse, “You Will See Greater Things” .

The participants include bishops from across Asia, representatives of the Holy See, FABC office secretaries, theologians, and pastoral experts. Throughout the week, they will gather in prayer, dialogue, and discernment to reflect on the future mission of the Church in Asia.

The opening Eucharist on July 21 will be presided over by Cardinal Oswald Gracias, the Holy Father’s Special Envoy. Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, President of the FABC, will deliver the keynote address, while Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization , will lead a day of prayer and recollection on synodal spirituality.

The Assembly will also feature keynote presentations by Msgr. Tomáš Halík and Dr. Choong Pui Yee, together with regional discussions and “Conversation in the Spirit” sessions addressing the challenges and opportunities facing the Church in Asia.

On July 25, participants will receive a message from Pope Leo XIV before reviewing the Assembly’s draft final message and implementation framework. The Plenary Assembly will conclude on July 26 with the approval of its final message, followed by the closing Eucharist at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption in Jakarta and a visit to the nearby Istiqlal Mosque through the Friendship Tunnel, a symbol of Indonesia’s commitment to interreligious harmony.

As Executive Secretary of the FABC Office of Social Communication, I see this Plenary Assembly as more than an important ecclesial gathering. It is a moment for the Churches of Asia to listen to one another, discern together, and renew their shared missionary commitment. Through the ministry of communication, we hope to accompany this journey of faith and make its reflections and fruits accessible to Catholics across the continent and beyond, fostering greater communion, participation, and mission.

*Executive Secretary of the FABC Office of Social Communication

AFRICA/NIGERIA - The Archdiocese of Kaduna confirms catechist Victor Paul, who was abducted in February, died in captivity after enduring prolonged torture, abuse, and severe deprivation

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 17:18:56 +0200

Kaduna – Attacks, kidnappings and killings continue unabated across Nigeria, with Christian communities remaining among those most severely affected.
The latest victim is Victor Paul, a Catholic catechist who was abducted from his home in Kagarko District, Kaduna State, and died in captivity.
The Archdiocese of Kaduna confirmed his death in a statement issued on July 2, as well as that of 5 other kidnap victims.

Victor Paul was kidnapped along with his pregnant wife, their son—who was later killed—and about 30 other people during a terrorist attack on the communities of Kutaho and Kugur on February 9, 2026 .

In the statement, Fr. Christian Okewu Emmanuel, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Kaduna, said the catechist had been subjected to severe torture and left to die of starvation, while the other victims were brutally murdered by their captors. So far neither the Kaduna State Government nor the police command has issued an official statement regarding the deaths.

Of the approximately 30 people abducted in February, 11 women and children—including the catechist's wife—were released on April 5 after the local community paid a ransom of 30 million naira and provided four motorcycles.
Following their release, the kidnappers demanded an additional 15 million naira for the remaining hostages. Nine more men were subsequently freed on Friday, May 1, 2026.

"We are deeply grateful to God that the remaining four men also regained their freedom on June 30, 2026. While we rejoice at their safe return, our hearts remain filled with sorrow over the tragic loss of those who did not come back alive," Father Emmanuel said.

AMERICA/ARGENTINA - Bishop Braida commemorates the four martyrs of La Rioja: “Walking together in the spirit of mission means making the world a better place”

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 14:05:27 +0200

La Rioja – “This year we commemorate the murder of Bishop Enrique Angelelli, the priests Murias and Longueville, and husband and father Wenceslao Pedernera. This commemoration allows us to recognize the selfless dedication of their lives. Today, we are privileged to draw from the source of life and teachings they left us. They were witnesses of mercy, especially close and compassionate to those who needed them most,” affirms Bishop Dante Braida of La Rioja in a statement sent to Fides, on the significance of commemorating the martyrs of the Argentine diocese 50 years after their murder .

“Just as martyrs were needed then, our time needs our generous commitment,” emphasizes Bishop Braida, who is also President of the Argentine Social Pastoral Ministry , “to resist the temptation of individualism and to be encouraged by shared dreams; to foster more open and inclusive communities for all those who have lost hope and need God’s mercy through simple and compassionate relationships; to live together in a spirit of greater understanding and patience, accepting one another in our differences and valuing our abilities; and to promote a life of prayer at every age and in every situation, finding the true meaning of our existence in encountering the Lord.”

Providing a brief profile of the four martyrs of La Rioja, Braida highlights their key characteristics. “Bishop Enrique Angelelli invites us to live our faith in the history that is unfolding in our lives today and continues to illuminate the Christian commitment of our time,” says Bishop Braida. “The legacy of the martyrs calls us to ‘cultivate the social dimension of faith’ and to respond responsibly to the challenges of the present. Fathers Carlos and Gabriele lived the word they had heard in their daily lives, in simple, everyday service to others. But they also did so with a prophetic voice when necessary, denouncing injustices and threats that violated human dignity.” Bishop Braida concludes: “I would like to highlight the powerful message of the life of Blessed Venceslao Pedernera. He worked tirelessly for a more just world, promoting marriage and the Christian family, taking responsibility for his social obligations, and especially striving for justice in productive sectors that valued the work of laborers.” At the end of his life, his pursuit of justice transformed into an immeasurable expression of mercy toward those who had not experienced it. “Forgive, forgive, and do not hate,” was his final message, “filled with pure mercy, a mercy that is an expression of the faith he had cultivated throughout his life.” They all “embody different vocations, and each teaches us, in their own way, to give ourselves entirely to others; thus, the commemoration we celebrate today will be sincere.”

“They gave their lives, not only on the day of their death, but also in their daily witness to the Gospel,” the bishop emphasized. “They met the diverse situations of life with its light and strove for change through concrete action in the world. Their lives were a testimony of to how to live the Gospel amidst hardship and to love God and neighbor with all one’s strength. They sought liberation from every form of slavery and led others to a fulfilled life as members of a community and within it.” “Here in La Rioja, the martyrs for peace acted as a fruit of justice. Here they were persecuted because they lived out their individual missions, because they practiced justice. To live together in the spirit of mission therefore means to improve the world, to bring the Good News to all people and families, to all parts of society. It means to be channels of liberation from everything that binds us and limits our growth,” he affirms.

“What are the greatest challenges we face in this time? What human and social realities most urgently require a process of liberation? How do we grow as a prayer community, and how do we live our communion?” the Bishop of La Rioja addresses the community of his diocese, inviting them to “seek answers together, listen to one another, engage in dialogue, discern as a community, and walk together in the spirit of mission. Always.”