Catholic Filipino priest Teresito “Chito” Suganob is finally free, having been held hostage by Islamic State-linked militants for almost four months in the war-torn city of Marawi. According to The New York Times, the priest was rescued late on Saturday by the Philippines military, as it moved closer to rooting out the remaining gunmen from Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Christian persecution’
Christians’ responses to religious persecution
Monday, September 4th, 2017
In a first-ever systematic global investigation, researchers have been looking at Christians around the globe facing religious persecution and how they respond to it. This has seen the Religious Freedom Institute working with two US universities to find out: the University of Notre Dame and Georgetown University’s Religious Freedom Project. The research findings are presented Read more
Vigils held for imprisoned Indonesian Christian leader
Monday, May 15th, 2017
Nightly candlelight vigils have been held in cities across Indonesia since Tuesday when the governor of the capital Jakarta, Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, was found guilty and sentenced to two years prison. Indonesians abroad also held vigils in cities including Amsterdam, Toronto and Melbourne, Australia. Months of huge protests against Ahok by Islamic hardliners and Read more
Christian Governor in Indonesia found guilty of blasphemy
Thursday, May 11th, 2017
An Indonesian court has found Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, the Christian governor of Jakarta, guilty of blasphemy against Islam. After sentencing Purnama, known as Ahok, was taken to Cipinang Penitentiary in Jakarta, which houses criminals including drug dealers and rapists. The sentence was harsher than what prosecutors had asked for. They had recommended two years’ probation Read more
Indonesian bishops support government move to stop hate sermons
Thursday, May 4th, 2017
The Indonesian bishops’ conference has backed a government minister’s appeal against hate sermons that promote religious or ethnic intolerance. Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, issued the appeal on April 28. It contained nine points targeted at religious preachers and the broader public. Bishop Yohanes Harun Yuwono of Tanjungkarang, chairman of the Commission for Ecumenical Read more
Indian Christians fear violence
Monday, April 3rd, 2017Indian Christians fear violence. They know an eruption of violence can happen anytime, says Veronique Vogel. Vogel is head of projects in Asia for international Catholic charity Aid to the Church In Need. She has recently returned from a fact-finding visit to the Church in Odisha State. That is where, in 2008, in Kandhamal, Hindu Read more
Nigerian Christians starved in refugee camps
Thursday, March 30th, 2017Nigerian Christians are being starved in refugee camps. They are often forced to the back of food and essential supply queues by other refugees because they are Christian and in the minority. They have had to flee from Boko Haram and are in camps in northern Nigeria. Read more
Christian Governor of Jakarta in court to face blasphemy allegation
Friday, November 18th, 2016
Jakarta’s Christian governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, was formally named a suspect in a blasphemy investigation on Wednesday Nov 16. It is alleged the he insulted Islam. Naming someone a suspect is a formal step in the Indonesian legal system that means authorities believe they have enough preliminary evidence to consider filing charges. Purnama, who could Read more
30 Neocatechumenal Way communities thriving in Northern Borneo
Friday, October 7th, 2016
The Neocatechumenal Way is helping people who have experienced difficult times living as Catholics in the the Malaysian state of Sabah. “When Islamisation increased during the 1970s, people began to ask ‘What next?’ Many were in difficult financial positions. They were desperate.” “They once had everything and enjoyed everything and suddenly there was nothing,” said Read more
Authorities in Aceh demolish Christian churches
Friday, October 23rd, 2015
Indonesian security forces tore down three small Christian churches in Aceh on Monday. Hardline Muslims demanded their closure, citing a lack of building permits, and following religious violence. Local government security officers used sledgehammers to raze two small Protestant churches and a Catholic church – modest buildings of wood, concrete and tin – in the Read more