Amidst the wave of violence and discrimination faced by the Christian community, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s goodwill gesture during Easter at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Delhi has been seen as a positive step towards promoting unity and harmony in a country plagued by communal tensions. Whether Modi’s Easter visit will bring a turnabout in events, remains to be seen.
The representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in the People’s Republic of China, Vanno Noupech, visited Macau in late March to restore dialogue with the local authorities. Mr Noupech’s visit was the first by an official of the United Nations Refugee Agency in more than three years.
Kyrgyzstan is set to have its first Catholic cathedral in the center of its capital, Bishkek, which will be completed in three years. The project marks a significant milestone for the Catholic community in the predominantly Muslim country, who until now have had limited spaces for prayer and community activities.
On March 25, the first-ever Deignan Award for Responsible Entrepreneurship was presented in Hong Kong, recognizing three companies from Macau and three from Hong Kong. Among the Macau-based awardees was C&C, a law firm that received the Deignan Silver Award for its commitment to environmental, social, and responsible management practices. The Deignan Award was established by the Macau Ricci Institute and the WooFoo Foundation to acknowledge small and medium-sized enterprises that have gone above and beyond in adopting responsible business practices guided by values such as sustainability and social justice.
Local Catholic communities in China are following the Lenten path, redoubling their efforts in works of charity and empathy for others, always ready to respond to new needs and specific demands. Alongside traditional methods of offering alms, innovative initiatives have been also implemented to support those in need during the Lenten season.
The Pilgrim Relics of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus have arrived in the Philippines for their fifth visit, bringing with them a renewed sense of faith and inspiration. O Clarim’s photo feature captures the solemnity and reverence of this spiritual pilgrimage, as thousands of devotees offer prayers and seek the intercession of the beloved saint known as the ‘Little Flower.’
Vatican astronomers have announced exoplanet discoveries and plans to launch a space mission. Surprised? The Church’s history with astronomy ranges from its contributions to scientific discoveries to its infamous trial of Galileo. Today, the Church is actively investing in astronomical observatories and space research as part of its ongoing efforts to reconcile with its past and support scientific exploration.
The University of Saint Joseph joined forces with the Catholic University of Portugal to create a second laboratory of applied neurosciences. The lab, which will be headquartered in Porto, aims to take advantage of the scientific assets and the critical capacity that exists in Portugal’s second-largest city.
Earlier this month, a lecture on the most scientifically-proven miracle in the history of the Catholic Church was attended by sixty people. Even after five centuries, the Marian apparitions witnessed by Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin and his uncle, Juan Bernardino, in December 1531, continue to baffle modern science in numerous ways.
On October 9, the Yale Center in Beijing will host a forum dedicated to Father Ferdinand Verbiest’s life and legacy. Co-organized by the Macau Ricci Institute, the initiative takes place on the exact day when the 400th anniversary of the birth of the influential Flemish Jesuit will be celebrated. Ferdinand Verbiest, Father Stephan Rothlin says, is still a perfect example of a rational and scientific approach to dialogue with China.
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