A silent massacre of Hong Kong s freedoms
As church leaders stand on the wrong side of history, we must hope that Catholics keep their soul and values intact
A stall sells decorations in Hong Kong ahead of Lunar New Year celebrations for the Year of the Ox. The territory s democratic freedoms are being choked under the national security law imposed by Beijing. (Photo: AFP)
Hong Kong is facing today its almost silent, legislative Tiananmen. No shots have been fired, no tanks are on the streets, no soldiers are pulverizing protesters. Instead, bit by bit, with every knock on the door, every arrest, every threat, Beijing is carrying out a massacre of Hong Kong’s freedoms and occupying every corner of Hong Kong’s public square.
German missionary pioneered Asian Church communications
Father Franz-Josef Eilers, who has died at 89, is remembered as a learned man and a great communicator
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Divine Word Father Franz-Josef Eilers, who died on Jan. 13, addresses a conference in 2019. (Photo: YouTube)
Divine Word Father Franz-Josef Eilers, a pioneering German missionary who worked to develop media and communication systems in the Asian Church, died in the Philippines on Jan. 13. He was 89.
“We have lost a great friend, motivator, teacher and leader who spent most of his years as a priest in developing a strong church media,” said Divine Word Bishop Chacko Thottumarical of Indore in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.
MYANMAR: As “human resilience” triumphs over the “nightmares of 2020”, Myanmar’s leading churchman evokes a new era of economic and environmental justice for his homeland, with peace, health and wealth for all, especially the poor and marginalized.
“May this new year come as a blessing to all of you. The birth of the New Year is also the birth of hope. Let us celebrate hope as one nation,” writes Cardinal Charles Bo of Yangon in a message to his fellow citizens for the New Year.
Hope, resilience, compassion
The Archbishop of Yangon looks back at the year 2020, saying the pain and wounds of the pandemic have threatened human survival and livelihoods. Nearly 122 million people in the world are facing starvation. Despite all this, 2020 is the story of human resilience,” the cardinal says, noting that scientists have come up with the vaccine with “astonishing speed”, kindling hope that the Covid-19 pandemic will end.