Synodality is Pope Francis’ vision to reform the Catholic Church to ensure human equality and a rightful place for everyone in the Church, a spirit that embodies the essence of the Second Vatican Council held about 60 years ago. Vatican II affirmed that every Christian shared Christ’s role as priest, king, and prophet by virtue Read more
After the secularist prime minister of Bangladesh fled the country, non-Muslims claim they have suffered attacks in the Islamic-majority country. Around 90 percent of the South Asian nation is Muslim, with 7.95 percent being Hindu, 0.6 percent Buddhist, and just 0.3 percent being Christian – just about 500,000 people in a nation of 170 million. Read more
Khokon Rozario never misses the evening rosary with his wife and daughter, no matter how tired he might be after a long day working. “We thank God at the end of the day for all the blessings we receive,” the 52-year-old Catholic says with a smile. Rozario, a father of two, makes a living by Read more
The Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic will make the poor in Bangladesh even poorer, say economists. About 50 million people who live slightly above the poverty line (i.e. those earning more than US$2 a day) may fall below the line because of the pandemic. In the past, natural disasters and climate change effects were the main drivers Read more
A Bangladeshi nun has dedicated her life to serving God and healing the hearts of Bangladeshi people suffering various forms of psychological distress. Read more
Pope Francis wants the international community to take “decisive measures” to resolve the problems causing hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims to flee Myanmar. He also says it is “imperative” for world governments to immediately provide assistance to help the Bangladeshi government cope with Asia’s worst refugee crisis in decades. Bangladesh has opened its borders Read more
Interfaith dialogue has been a special feature of Pope Francis’s recent trip to Myanmar and Bangladesh. He is striving to have “the wealth of our differences” to be part of the conversations between religions. Read more
Myanmar’s Rohingya crisis has hit the headlines in recent weeks due to an extraordinary number of Rohingya refugees fleeing Myanmar into Bangladesh. It is estimated that in less than three weeks, up to 400,000 Rohingya refugees have fled Myanmar. They are fleeing mass human rights violations and atrocities, including: the burning of villages and crops, using petrol and rocket Read more
Caritas Bangladesh is launching a series of initiatives to help victims of the devastating floods in Bangladesh. The Catholic charity’s volunteers distributed 4,000 Bangladeshi taka (about 46 euros) and cleaning kit for each person, for at least 1,650 families affected by the emergency. Efforts are concentrated in two districts in the north of the country. Read more
In Bangladesh, Catholics—who account for just 0.2 percent of the population—have suffered from incidences of violence and persecution. However, the Catholic population continues to grow in the Southern Asian country, where Pope Francis has just established a new diocese. Catholicism came to the region in the 16th century with the arrival of Portuguese sailors. The Read more