A troubled nation may face more testing times, writes Paul Keenan The dying days of March proved to be a dreadful period for the Church in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). On March 20, a much-respected Assumptionist priest, Fr Vincent Machozi, was gunned down in his parish in North Kivu Province in the east…
Peace is coming too slowly to South Sudan, writes Paul Keenan It is said that history repeats itself, and nowhere is this more true than in the conflict-riven state of South Sudan. A bold claim, perhaps, for a country barely five years old – July 9 will see Independence Day from greater Sudan celebrated across…
ISIS is not the only worry for Christians in Iraq, writes Paul Keenan An uncomfortable truth – for some – is rising from the desert in Iraq. Far to the south of the capital Baghdad, along the line of the Euphrates river to the edges of the city of Najaf, an archaeological dig is uncovering…
The slain nuns of Aden lived out their faith to the last, writes Paul Keenan “We will continue our service to the poor and needy.” Of the many statements issued in response to the callous slaughter of four nuns in Yemen on March 4, the quietly defiant promise from the victims’ own Missionaries of Charity…
Pakistan remains ill-served by its blasphemy law, writes Paul Keenan Two very different ‘heroes’ were celebrated in Pakistan last week, their differing yet converging stories being instantly illustrative of the religious gulf that continues to pervade in that country. On February 29, news filtered from Adiala prison in Rawalpindi that Mumtaz Qadri had been hanged…
Paul Keenan examines a report on a long-suffering Christian community African commentators are clearly divided on Nigeria’s fortunes over the last 11 months. ‘We have never had it so bad.’ No. ‘The rule of law is coming back!’ No. ‘Nigeria is in a critical situation both economically and politically.’ An appraisal of the current state of affairs in Nigeria nearly one year into the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is very much an exercise in consulting divided opinions.…
One small community has weathered Syria’s war, writes Paul Keenan Among the many hundreds of thousands who have died in the brutal struggle for control of Syria, the loss of Maronite Deacon Benjamin Camille, killed in 2013 as he worked in a Damascus suburb, is no less tragic and, at first glance, no more notable…
Vietnam presents two faces to the world, writes Paul Keenan Two recent events in Vietnam neatly illustrate current realities at play in the modern communist state. On January 21, the country’s Catholic Bishops announced that classes at the long-planned theological institute in Ho Chi Minh City will commence this coming September. Based on details offered…
The Latin American Pope faces a testing visit, writes Paul Keenan There could hardly have been a more diabolical challenge to the upcoming visit of Pope Francis to Mexico than the January 29 murder of baby Marcos Miguel Pano Colón. In a single violent incident among the many thousands perpetrated by the country’s drugs cartels…
Religious leaders are working hard for peace across the Middle East, writes Paul Keenan “A truly great document. One that will influence our time and history.” If you cannot assign this quote – uttered just last week – to a leading prelate of the Catholic Church, you can hardly be blamed. Similarly, it might be…