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Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

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Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – Peace, Justice, Truth. These are the three words Pope Leo XIV chose in his address to members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See. Peace which is “the first gift of Christ”, an “active and demanding gift. It engages and challenges each of us”. Justice, which is also denied by “global inequalities – between opulence and destitution – that are carving deep divides between continents, countries and even within individual societies”. Truth, which “can never be separated from charity, always has at its root a concern for the life and well-being of every man and woman”.The “sui generis” Nature of Papal DiplomacyPope Leo began by thanking the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, for his cordial greeting, and recalling the tireless work that he has carried out with his characteristic energy, commitment and kindness”, stressing that papal diplomacy is “an expression of the very catholicity of the Church. In its diplomatic activity, the Holy See is inspired by a pastoral outreach that leads it not to seek privileges but to strengthen its evangelical mission at the service of humanity.” For this reason it appeals to consciences, as witnessed by the constant efforts of my venerable predecessor, ever attentive to the cry of the poor, the needy and the marginalized, as well as to contemporary challenges, ranging from the protection of creation to artificial intelligence”. The Pope born in Chicago then referred to his “own life experience, which has spanned North America, South America and Europe, has been marked by this aspiration to transcend borders in order to encounter different peoples and cultures. Through the constant and patient work of the Secretariat of State”, Pope Leo continued, “I intend to strengthen understanding and dialogue with you and with your countries, many of which I have already had the grace to visit, especially during my time as Prior General of the Augustinians. I trust that God’s providence will allow me further occasions to get to know the countries from which you come and enable me to have occasions to confirm in the faith our many brothers and sisters throughout the world and to build new bridges with all people of good will”.Human Nature and the Gift of PeaceThen, recognizing, with the Christian realism with which Saint Augustine and the Fathers of the Church also contemplated the condition of the human race, marked by Original Sin, the Pope said: “it is part of human nature and always accompanies us, pushing us too to live in a constant “state of conflict” at home, at work and in society”. And “no matter how hard we try, tensions will always be present, a little like embers burning beneath the ashes, ready to ignite at any moment”.In this state of affairs – the Bishop of Rome added – “peace is first and foremost a gift. It is the first gift of Christ”. Yet it is “an active and demanding gift. It engages and challenges each of us, regardless of our cultural background or religious affiliation, demanding first of all that we work on ourselves. Peace – he added -is built in the heart and from the heart, by eliminating pride and vindictiveness and carefully choosing our words. For words too, not only weapons, can wound and even kill”. Looking at global scenarios, Pope Leo recognized “the fundamental contribution to fostering a climate of peace. This naturally requires full respect for religious freedom in every country, since religious experience is an essential dimension of the human person. Without it, it is difficult, if not impossible, to bring about the purification of the heart necessary for building peaceful relationships”. The Pontiff also reiterated that “there is a need to give new life to multilateral diplomacy and to those international institutions conceived and designed primarily to remedy eventual disputes within the international community”. Furthermore – he added – “there must also be a resolve to halt the production of instruments of destruction and death, since, as Pope Francis noted in his last Urbi et Orbi Message: No peace is “possible without true disarmament [and] the requirement that every people provide for its own defence must not turn into a race to rearmament.”Justice and the faces of the new “Social Question”“I chose my name,” Pope Leo XIV repeated, introducing the reflections on justice – “thinking first of all of Leo XIII, the Pope of the first great social Encyclical, Rerum Novarum. In this time of epochal change, the Holy See cannot fail to make its voice heard in the face of the many imbalances and injustices that lead, not least, to unworthy working conditions and increasingly fragmented and conflict-ridden societies.”To build “harmonious and peaceful civil societies”- the Pontiff underlined in this passage of his speech – it is necessary to invest “in the family, founded upon the stable union between a man and a woman”, and to ensure that “respect for the dignity of every person, especially the most frail and vulnerable, from the unborn to the elderly, from the sick to the unemployed, citizens and immigrants alike. My own story”, he added, making another reference to his personal story in his speech, “is that of a citizen, the descendant of immigrants, who in turn chose to emigrate. All of us, in the course of our lives, can find ourselves healthy or sick, employed or unemployed, living in our native land or in a foreign country, yet our dignity always remains unchanged: it is the dignity of a creature willed and loved by God”.Truth is an encounter“Truly peaceful relationships cannot be built, also within the international community,” the Pontiff remarked, dwelling on the third key word of his speech – apart from truth. Because “where words take on ambiguous and ambivalent connotations, and the virtual world, with its altered perception of reality, takes over unchecked, it is difficult to build authentic relationships, since the objective and real premises of communication are lacking.” The Church, for her part –Pope Prevost added – “can never be exempted from speaking the truth about humanity and the world, resorting whenever necessary to blunt language that may initially create misunderstanding. Yet truth can never be separated from charity, which always has at its root a concern for the life and well-being of every man and woman”. And from the Christian perspective – the Pontiff clarified – “truth is not the affirmation of abstract and disembodied principles, but an encounter with the person of Christ himself, alive in the midst of the community of believers. Truth, then, does not create division, but rather enables us to confront all the more resolutely the challenges of our time, such as migration, the ethical use of artificial intelligence and the protection of our beloved planet Earth”. (GV) (Agenzia Fides, 16/5/2025)
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Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Friday, 16 May 2025 wars  

Khartoum (Agenzia Fides) – The “drone war” is intensifying in Sudan. The use of armed drones and “suicide drones” (similar to cruise missiles, but cheaper) is primarily the prerogative of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militias, which do not have an air force.Even the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), although they have combat aircraft, are making extensive use of drones to bomb areas under RSF control.The latter have expanded the area of action of their devices, targeting Sudan’s administrative capital, controlled by the SAF, as well as the country’s most important seaport, Port Sudan (see Fides, 6/5/2025).Previously, attacks carried out by RSF drones were limited to the White Nile, Nile River, and Northern State regions, as well as Omdurman and El Fasher. Among the targets hit were power plants and fuel depots. The expansion of the areas hit by RSF drones raises the question of whether they are launched from within Sudan or from neighboring countries. This is a legitimate suspicion, especially regarding Port Sudan, which is located several hundred kilometers from known RSF positions. Some radar interference on merchant ships operating in the Red Sea suggests that the drones are launched from bases outside Sudan, perhaps from Puntland, where the United Arab Emirates – accused by the Khartoum government of supporting the RSF (see Fides, 11/4/2025) – has a major base in Bosaso (see Fides, 6/5/2025). According to this hypothesis, those who launch them disrupt the radars of ships navigating in the area to hide their launch site. Remnants of the artillery used by the RSF suggest that it is Chinese-made material supplied to Sudanese paramilitaries by the United Arab Emirates.The Khartoum government has called on Beijing to urgently intervene to prevent the RSF from acquiring Chinese-made drones and strategic aircraft. Minister of Culture and Information and government spokesperson Khaled Al-Aiser stated in a Facebook post on May 15, 2025, that China is a friendly country with historical ties and strategic interests with Sudan. He therefore called on Beijing to intervene with the Abu Dhabi regime to end violations of arms purchase contracts and end-use certificates, under which the RSF has been able to obtain advanced drones.The SAF, in turn, is suspected of using Turkish-made drones to support its offensives against the paramilitaries. There are even unconfirmed reports that, in the RSF drone attacks on Port Sudan, some Turkish experts were injured and later repatriated by air ambulance. Thus, the internal Sudanese conflict risks escalating into a “proxy war” between external powers – particularly Turkey and the Emirates – which would further aggravate the conflict. As Pope Francis, and now his successor, Pope Leo XIV, have repeatedly stated, “to end wars, we must end the arms trade.” (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 16/5/2025)
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Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Wabag (Agenzia Fides) – “Tribal conflicts are deeply rooted in the remote province of Enga, Papua New Guinea. In the past, fighting was the final word in resolving conflicts, mainly territorial ones,” Father Giorgio Licini, a missionary of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) and Caritas collaborator of the Episcopal Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, told Fides.The missionary recounts a situation that the Catholic community is trying to contain: “The roots of tribal conflicts are still emotional. What is done to one member of the tribe is done to all. It is the result of an ‘excess of solidarity’ and the individual’s identification with the group,” explains the missionary. “This is even more dangerous today, as injustice is often caused by widespread alcohol and drug abuse. A trivial fight can result in multiple deaths and the loss of property, regardless of the reasons for the dispute. The clan supports its members regardless of the propriety of their actions. Traditional conflicts over land have now given way to disputes over property in general and, related to it, over elections and political power. The world is changing, but traditional attitudes remain. Defending the tribe’s honor is considered fundamental,” Father Licini notes.The impact on politics is clear: “When a candidate wins a seat in the provincial or national parliament or a ministerial post, it brings immense benefits to the tribe or clan of origin.In Enga province, politics and the concurrent elections are accompanied by fraud, violence, and bloodshed, not least because of the proliferation of heavy firearms, likely smuggled from the neighboring Indonesian province of West Papua.”The missionary recounts one example: “The suburb of Paiam in Porgera is practically a ghost town after tribal fighting erupted in 2020. This year, only forty believers were able to attend Easter celebrations at the local Catholic parish of Blessed Peter To Rot, once a thriving community center. In the past, it was the wealth of land and livestock that determined a tribe’s pride. Today, it is business and political prestige. When I first traveled to the Enga region in 2019, there were few areas where tribal conflicts began. Now it is a dangerous war zone. Homes, businesses, schools, hospitals, and churches have been lost.” In this context, as Justin Ain, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Wabag in Enga Province, notes, the local Church is actively committed to preventing and combating all forms of violence, with the goal of “disarming hearts and hands.” Not only by “simply helping the victims,” but above all “with education and awareness.” The bishop explains that “especially with the resources and teams of the diocesan Caritas, they organize meetings with the village population, especially with young people, who are often completely uneducated or illiterate, and make them aware of the consequences of their violent acts for themselves and their families, as well as the damage caused by alcohol and drug addiction, thus discouraging them from expressing their frustration through violence.” The local church is also working long-term, also in view of the national parliamentary elections in May 2027. Enga has six representatives elected in five districts. Elections in Papua New Guinea, and particularly in the Highlands region, are notorious for being marred by intimidation, vote-buying, and fraud during the voting process. “Recently,” the bishop reports, “we invited leaders from all walks of life to a three-day political training course on leadership, representation, and accountability to voters. Because it is from them, whom we consider leaders, that disarmament and non-violence must emanate.” Enga Province in Papua New Guinea has seen repeated outbreaks of political violence in recent years. Although the tensions are often linked to disputes over access to and use of natural resources, they also reflect ethnic and cultural conflicts, often related to competition for resources, land ownership, and access to government services. In 2024, approximately 30 people were killed in tribal clashes in Porgera, Enga Province, involving 17 tribes.The recurring conflicts, characterized by brutal violence and cyclical reprisals, reflect deeper, systemic problems. One conflict was resolved by a ceasefire, the so-called “Hilton Peace Accord,” signed last year in Port Moresby. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 16/5/2025)
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Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Friday, 16 May 2025

HK

Tombura Yambio (Agenzia Fides) – “This university is a beacon of excellence in East Africa, it is fully equipped with the necessary resources, experienced faculty, and a strong academic foundation to prepare our youth for a bright future and we encourage all young people to enroll and take advantage of this life-changing institution”, the bishop of the Catholic diocese of Tombura-Yambio, Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala said, referring to the Catholic University of South Sudan, St. John Campus of Yambio.In the note sent to Fides, Bishop Hiboro explains that the University is expanding its academic programs for next year and that the initiative spearheaded by the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio, aims to empower South Sudanese youth with globally competitive education rooted in local values.The bishop commended the University for maintaining high academic standards and playing a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of leaders.Founded in 2019, the Catholic University’s St. John Yambio Campus has quickly grown into a respected institution, producing top-performing graduates.In 2023, its first cohort walked the graduation stage four of them earning first-class honors, while in a second batch has already graduated, and a third is on course to complete their studies by November this year.In response to increasing demand, the Acting Administrator of the institution announced that the university is set to relocate to a new, larger campus in August, marking a major milestone in its expansion strategy in Yambio.As South Sudan continues to navigate economic recovery and nation-building, institutions like the Catholic University, St. John Campus in Yambio are stepping up to nurture the skills, knowledge, and leadership necessary for long-term development. With its expanding facilities, dedicated faculty, and a clear vision, the university is fast becoming a cornerstone of academic excellence in the region.For many young South Sudanese, the path to a brighter future now begins in Yambio the Western Equatoria State Capital. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 16/5/2025)
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Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

sito diocesano

Shanghai (Agenzia Fides) – Prayer, for the intercession of the Virgin Mary and the gift of peace in the world, is the focus of the pilgrimage of the Diocese of Shanghai to the Marian Shrine of Our Lady of Sheshan.Yesterday, Thursday, May 15, numerous priests, religious, and lay people, led by Bishop Joseph Shen Bin, participated in the traditional pilgrimage during the Marian month, which culminated in the solemn Eucharistic Liturgy in the Basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians, at the top of Sheshan Hill.In his homily, Bishop Joseph Shen Bin urged everyone to “imitate the firm trust of the Our Lady and her constant gaze turned to God. Looking up means humbly seeking the guidance of the Lord, where His light and peace are,” and asked that “our faith also grow brighter to illuminate others in the darkness that surrounds us.” Participants in the pilgrimage also prayed for the unity and growth of the Church, for peace and serenity for priests and lay people in the diocese, and asked that they “be guided by the teachings of Christ and, following the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary, practice charity and build peace on the path of faith.” Pilgrimages and Marian Month celebrations are taking place in Chinese Catholic communities throughout China. On the Feast of Our Lady in China, hundreds of believers in the city of Tangshan, Hebei Province, visited the Marian grottoes found in almost every parish to pray the Rosary and offer their own spiritual vows to Mary. In the community of Heze, Shandong Province, 400 believers listened to the testimonies of five lay people who shared their Marian devotion and the graces they had received through Mary’s intercession. On this occasion, two catechumens also received the sacrament of baptism. Meanwhile, more than 200 young people from the parish of Huangzhou, in the district of Longgang (Wenzhou Diocese), participated in the Taze prayer on Sunday, May 11, to celebrate their Jubilee of Hope. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides, 16/5/2025)
sito diocesano

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