518 - January 2012
December 7th, 2011 - January 9th, 2012

ASIA-OCEANIA

The Congregation for the Causes of Saints has judged to be valid the diocesan process for the beatification of 15 martyrs, among them, religious and lay catechists, killed in Laos “in hatred of the Christian faith” between 1954 and 1970. The Process therefore enters its second phase and its progression within the Vatican Congregation officially begins.

The news, say Fides sources, was welcomed with great joy by the Bishops and the Catholic community in Laos, but also by the Congregation of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) and by the Society for Foreign Missions of Paris (MEP), which have their religious missionaries in the list of the 15 martyrs, composed of 5 French religious OMI, 5 religious MEP and 5 secular Laotians. The Bishops of Laos, promoters of the Cause, have entrusted the realization of the process to the diocese of Nantes, where one of the missionaries came from, Fr. Jean-Baptiste Malo, MEP. The diocesan process was officially closed in the spring of 2010 in the diocese of Nantes. The Oblate who is Postulator of the Cause, Fr. Roland JACQUES, will now have to write the “Positio”, which will then be examined by the Relater of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

There is another Oblate Cause of beatification of a missionary killed in Laos already registered in the Congregation: Fr. Mario BORZAGA and the Laotian catechist Paul Thoj Xyooj. For this Process, the “Positio” has already been formulated for about a year and we are waiting for the Relater to examine it. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 16/12/2011)

On November 23, 2011, police barged into Prem Nivesa, a home for unwed young mothers and their children as well as other “street children”, and arrested the superior of the Missionaries of Charity, Sister Mary Eliza. An anonymous phone call accused the religious of trafficking in infants.

Former Assistant General of the Oblates, Fr. Oswald FIRTH, quickly came to the defense of the persons and ministry of the Missionaries of Charity, founded by Blessed Mother Teresa. He called the accusations “pure garbage.” He went on to say: “I have known the Sisters for a long time and they are doing marvelous work. Out of respect for the Word of God, they pull off the streets abandoned children; they offer a home to young mothers who don’t know where else to go, without distinction of religion, language or race.”

The first judicial hearing of the case was postponed from December 1 until December 15 so that the police would have more time to conduct further investigations. The news media, especially the tabloid press, has used the arrest as an opportunity make useless speculations. In fact, the judge urged the media to do their work responsibly. (Taken from AsiaNews.it)