AsiaAsia
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The devastation of Cyclone Nargis in
Myanmar is felt by eyewitnesses who saw the destruction, the
dead, and who now care for the victims survivors. AsiaNews - May 8, 2008 |
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Food crisis is “structural” as many urge greater investments in agriculture. For years industry and services were privileged at the expense of
farming. AsiaNews - May 5, 2008 |
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Cardinal Dias, prefect of the Congregation for the
Evangelization of Peoples talks about dialogue with non-Christian religions. In them the Holy Spirit planted the seeds of truth that must grow.
AsiaNews - Dec. 14, 2007 |
sia
seems to offer a real challenge to the Church. Christianity has not yet
today found a home in this immense area of the world where only 2% of
the population is Christian. Asia has ever captured the attention of
great missionaries, beginning with Thomas the Apostle, up until Francis
Xavier.
Perhaps for this reason our Founder chose Asia as our first
mission area, China,
in 1899. China was the first – and for 50 years the only – Xaverian
mission. From 1899 to 1954, 116 Xaverians were sent to China, among them
Fr. Rastelli
and Fr. Botton, who died as
martyrs. Years later the Lord open the doors for the Xaverians to go to Japan (1949),
Indonesia (1951),
Bangladesh (1952),
Taiwan (1990), and the
Philippines
(1992).
In Japan, about 40 Xaverians work in 25 centers, giving witness, proclaiming the Good News, providing dialogue and charity.
In Indonesia, the Xaverians arrived in Sumatra, one of the larger islands, and then expanded to the Mentaway islands. We operate 30 schools, three dispensaries, and two small hospitals. Today, on these islands there are flourishing and numerous Christian communities.
In Bangladesh, over 100 Xaverians have served here since 1952. They have witnessed the very slow progress and growth of the mission, with the formation of the local clergy, Christian villages, and numerous catechists. Bangladesh has also seen the martyrdom of two Xaverians, Fr. Veronesi and Fr. Cobbe, who have worked on behalf of the outcasts of this nation.
Taiwan welcomes a small community of Xaverians, as a foothold and presence in a future opening of China to Catholic Missions.
In our latest mission effort in Asia, the Christian community of the Philippines constitutes about 80% of the population. It is there that we provide training for Xaverians in Theology studies, and work in a new poor parish on the outskirts of Manila.
Divine Providence has until now preserved alive within the heart of the Xaverian community the desire to return to China from which land it was expelled by the communist revolution. We have reasons to be hopeful. These hopes are based on the religious spirit of the great sectors of the population of Asia, the esteem that the Church presently enjoys, and the current growth of Catholic faith communities.
Cyclone Nargis: more than 100,000 dead
