The Chanthaburi Diocese in Thailand marked International Day of Sign Languages on September 23 with a retreat led by Fr. Peter Buravaj Searaariya. As the only priest in Thailand fluent in Thai Sign Language, he directs the Pastoral Ministry for the Deaf. The ministry aims to extend support to the Archdiocese of Bangkok and three northeastern dioceses. Fr. Peter highlighted the Thai Sign Language Bible Translation Project and noted challenges such as limited access to sacraments for the estimated 350,000 Deaf people in the country. The initiative seeks to ensure inclusive participation in Catholic life through sign language interpreters and dedicated pastoral care.
The Catholic Church in Taiwan held its first national gathering for migrant workers and immigrants at the Taoyuan Arena on September 21. More than 8,000 attendees, including clergy and thousands of migrants from Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines, participated in the event within the Diocese of Hsinchu. Church leaders affirmed migrants as the living face of Christ and authentic missionaries. Monsignor Erwin Balagapo preached that welcoming strangers is a sacred duty rooted in the Gospel. The gathering concluded with the presentation of official guidelines for local pastoral care plans to support migrant dignity and integration in the coming years.
A bishop reports that civilians in Myanmar’s Rakhine State are suffering from violence between the military and the Arakan Army. He highlights a recent airstrike on schools that killed youths. The bishop notes that the Arakan Army controls most municipalities, leading to cut communications and a crisis in education. Displacement is increasing as refugees flee to other cities due to shortages of food and healthcare. Both sides impose conscription, forcing youth to enlist. The Church remains active in providing support, while the bishop urges national dialogue to end the devastation.
The Don Bosco Technical School in Kep, Cambodia, has launched the Second Namuncurá Short Film Festival 2025. Organized with the Salesian Delegation of Cambodia and ROOTS, the event focuses on Indigenous youth stories. Fr. Albeiro Rodas, the school's rector, states the festival aims to connect the Jubilee Year with Indigenous territorial preservation. The theme is 'Anchored in Hope on Our Indigenous Territories.' Indigenous youth across Asia can submit short films between five and fifteen minutes. Registration ends on September 20, with submissions accepted from October 20 to 24. The festival streams online from November 10 to 12, and winners are announced on December 7. Prizes include technology equipment for the top three entries.
Thailand’s Speaker of the House of Representatives awarded Dr. Anna Padtheera Narkurairattana the Outstanding Democratic Innovation Award on September 18. The honor recognizes her team’s Interfaith Friends Project in the southern border provinces. According to LiCAS News, the initiative uses health and dialogue to rebuild trust between Buddhist and Muslim communities after decades of violence. Dr. Padtheera, also known as Ajarn Rung, stated that the work aims to turn conflict into friendship. The project has integrated its methods into local schools and policy agencies. She credited the success to the communities involved and her Catholic faith.
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A Catholic foundation in Pakistan has started distributing relief packages to families displaced by severe monsoon floods. The foundation's president stated that the disaster has killed nearly 1,000 people and affected over six million since late June. Initial assistance reached approximately 75 families in a district in Punjab province, providing dry food, medicine, and hygiene items. According to Fides News Agency, nearly 2.5 million people remain displaced. Experts warn that the inundation of Punjab, a key agricultural region, threatens food security for millions. The foundation aims to support those who have lost their homes and livelihoods.
Pope Leo XIV met with Indonesian Catholics in Rome on Monday to mark the first anniversary of Pope Francis’s visit to Indonesia and the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the Holy See and Indonesia. The Pope emphasized the importance of interreligious dialogue and harmony, referencing the joint declaration signed at the Istiqlal Mosque. He praised the community for embodying the national motto of unity in diversity and urged them to remain faithful Catholics while promoting peace and solidarity as bridge-builders between cultures and faiths.
Several Catholic congregations and dioceses in the Philippines have joined the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines in condemning systemic corruption, particularly the misuse of flood-control funds. Groups including the Society of the Divine Word, the Redemptorist Missionaries, and the Vincentian Social Ministry describe corruption as a grave injustice against the poor. They urge Filipinos to join the September 21 nationwide rally, dubbed the Trillion Peso March, in Manila. The Diocese of Gumaca, led by Bishop Euginus L. Cañete, also called for parish-level activities and monitoring teams to ensure accountability in government projects. The mobilization aims to hold the government responsible for alleged anomalies in public works.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia urged citizens to strengthen national unity and harmony on Malaysia Day 2025. Archbishop Simon Poh, the conference president, emphasized that true peace requires concrete actions against violence, including bullying, abuse, and extremism. The bishops recalled the nation's formation in 1963 and highlighted the importance of respecting diverse races, religions, and cultures. They also referenced the recent Second Summit of World Religious Leaders in Kuala Lumpur, where global faith figures discussed conflict resolution. The group stated that religious leaders must act as bridgebuilders through respectful dialogue to foster an inclusive national identity for all Malaysians.
The Diocese of Agats in Indonesia has suspended the 38th Asmat Pokman Festival following violent attacks in Youw District on August 16. Two team members, John Ohoiwirin and Father Lukas Lega Sando, were injured after local artists protested rules banning ritual carvings from the competition. Bishop Aloysius Murwito attributed the unrest to miscommunication regarding long-standing regulations protecting sacred objects. The diocese has halted the event indefinitely, demanding legal accountability and reconciliation efforts. This marks the first violence in the festival's decades-long history, highlighting tensions between cultural traditions and church guidelines in the remote Asmat region.
Five students from Maryvit Sattahip School in Thailand won seed funding at the MISSION POSSIBLE Youth Social Hackathon in July 2024. Inspired by Pope Francis, the initiative supports young people addressing social issues. The team received 125,000 THB to develop Bond Up, an app designed to improve family communication. Despite lacking coding experience, the students learned programming tools and collaborated with university faculty. The app, now available on iOS and Android, includes features like shared calendars and private chats to help families reconnect. The students returned in 2025 as mentors to inspire new participants in the program.
Thousands of Filipinos gathered in Manila on September 21 to protest billions lost in ghost flood-control projects. Bishops Gerardo Alminaza and Colin Bagaforo, leaders of Caritas Philippines, addressed the crowds at Luneta and EDSA, condemning corruption as a moral sin. The Church Leaders Council for National Transformation demanded accountability from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., including the publication of asset statements and dismantling political dynasties. While the rallies were largely peaceful, clashes in Mendiola led to over 200 arrests and injuries to police and activists. The Department of Finance estimates losses at 118.5 billion pesos, fueling widespread public outrage.
Delegates at the 5th Talitha Kum Asia Conference in Jakarta, Indonesia, pledged to strengthen regional efforts against human trafficking. The event, held during mass demonstrations, brought together coordinators, religious leaders, and youth ambassadors. Sr. Paula Kwandao Phonprasertruksa and Sr. Abby Avelino outlined goals to empower survivors and engage younger generations. Participants identified new challenges like digital misuse and climate displacement. The assembly established priorities to address systemic inequality and foster interfaith collaboration. The gathering concluded with a thanksgiving Mass led by Jakarta Archbishop Ignatius Cardinal Suharyo, resulting in a three-year action plan to combat this crime against humanity.
Archbishop Peter B. Wells, the Vatican’s envoy to Thailand, spent Saturday preparing and serving meals with staff at the Home for Hope in northern Bangkok. The Apostolic Nunciature described the event as a heartfelt gesture to demonstrate God’s love through service. Archbishop Wells stated that direct aid to the vulnerable embodies the Gospel’s call to care for others. The facility, run by the St. Martin Foundation in Nonthaburi, supports children facing abuse or neglect. The visit highlighted the importance of tangible compassion in the Church’s mission, with observers noting the act as a profound witness to everyday faith.
A senior archbishop in India criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the region, stating it failed to address the underlying causes of the ethnic conflict. The archbishop noted that the visit focused on economic aid and national unity but ignored the deep division between local communities. Over 50,000 people remain displaced in refugee camps after two years of violence. The leader emphasized that lasting peace requires a process of healing and reconciliation, not just military presence. The Catholic Church continues to provide humanitarian aid and promote dialogue, despite suffering damage to its own facilities during the unrest.
South Korean Catholics are embracing St. Carlo Acutis as a role model following his recent canonization. Auxiliary Bishop Paul Kyung Sang Lee of Seoul stated that the millennial saint inspires young believers through his digital evangelization efforts. Over 1,000 Korean youth visited his shrine in Assisi during the Jubilee World Youth Day. A relic is now housed in Seoul, and a statue stands at Catholic Peace Broadcasting headquarters. Bishop Kim Jong-gang noted that Acutis encourages youth to use technology for faith. Parishes are preparing study sessions to help the community reflect on his witness of holiness in the digital age.
The second season of the MISSION POSSIBLE Youth Social Hackathon ended on July 13, 2025, in Thailand. Hosted at Baan Phu Waan near Bangkok, the event was co-organized by the Catholic Education Council of Thailand and LiCAS News. Students aged 13 to 19 from 24 Catholic schools participated in the three-day program. According to the outlet, teams addressed critical societal issues including migrant labor, climate change, and ethical technology. Participants developed concrete solutions and prepared pitches for seed funding totaling nearly US$10,000. The gathering aimed to foster hope and encourage young people to build a better world through collaborative action.
A Catholic pilgrim was killed near Pakistan’s National Marian Shrine in Punjab. The victim, a rickshaw driver and father of four, was shot in the neck while his group waited for vehicle repairs. Police have identified a suspect who remains at large. The attack occurred during a major annual Christian festival that drew tens of thousands of attendees. Local Christians expressed concern that authorities are not treating the incident as a potential terrorist act. The shrine is the country’s largest Marian site and hosts significant annual gatherings, highlighting the vulnerability of believers in the region.
The Central Region Catholic Schools Network in Thailand held its second Morality Market event on September 10, showcasing its values-based education model. Archbishop Francis Xavier Vira Arpondratana of Bangkok praised the initiative for shaping students and teachers through behaviors like honesty and volunteerism. Nineteen Catholic schools were recognized as exemplary models, with nine receiving plaques as Model Virtuous Schools. The program, inspired by Catholic principles of love and service, aims to instill ethical leadership in Thai society. Over 100 participants, including officials from the Office of the Private Education Commission, attended the ceremony to highlight cooperation among schools and faith groups.
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