China and the Vatican
Father Paul Mariani, S.J., professor at Santa Clara University, gave a fascinating talk at the Napa Institute Summer Conference on the subject of China and the Vatican. Father Mariani’s presentation centered on a 2018 “provisional accord” between China and the Vatican that was apparently designed to work toward normalizing relations and resolving issues over the…
URGENT UPDATE: Cardinal Burke needs intensified prayers for COVID recovery
August 18,2021—3pm PST—We have just received word from Lifesite News that Cardinal Burke’s condition is rapidly deteriorating and that he is suffering severe side-effects of a COVID infection. He has developed severe pneumonia and is not responding to treatment. Please intensify prayers for this faithful shepherd! – CBJ Raymond Cardinal Burke, former bishop of La…
While No One is Looking: China holds assault drills near Taiwan after ‘provocations’
Reuters—Aug 16, 2021—China carried out assault drills near Taiwan on Tuesday with warships and fighter jets exercising off the southwest and southeast of the island, in what the country’s armed forces said was as a response to “external interference” and “provocations”. Taiwan, which Beijing claims as Chinese territory, has complained of repeated People’s Liberation Army…
China threatens Taiwan, saying Afghanistan withdrawal proves US ‘won’t help’ if war breaks out
While world attention is on Afghanistan crisis, China focuses on Taiwan… News.com.au (Australia)—Chinese state media has pounced on America’s botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, using the chaos to threaten one of its neighbours. China has pounced on the United States’ botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, using it to threaten the island of Taiwan. The Taliban has swept…
Chairman of Joint Chiefs warns of growth of al Qaeda, threat to US amid Taliban takeover of Afghanistan
FoxNews—Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley warned lawmakers during a briefing over the weekend that terror groups like al-Qaeda may be able to grow at a much faster pace and pose a threat to the United States in the wake of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, a source confirmed to Fox News.…
Parishioners killed in quake-damaged historic Haiti church
AFP—Its bell tower and yellow walls a sharp contrast with Haiti’s blue tropical sky, the historic Immaculee Conception church was the pride of Les Anglais, until it was destroyed by an earthquake Saturday, burying several faithful inside. “It was a beautiful church with very beautiful architecture,” said Fr. Wilson Exantus Andre, the parish priest at…
The Only Catholic parish in Afghanistan
Aug 16, 2021—Ambasciata d’Italia Kabul—The possibility to host a Catholic Chaplain within the Italian “legation” was provided by “The Agreement between Italy and Afghanistan to exchange permanent diplomatic missions” in 1921. King “Amanullah”, [who was] grateful to Italy for being the first western country to recognize formally the independence of Afghanistan, [and who] showed himself…
Catholics in Afghanistan
My godson is a parish priest. He is also military chaplain. In May of this year, he was called out of reserves to serve as the only Catholic chaplain (and perhaps the only chaplain) in the Middle East. He is assigned to bring the Sacraments—Holy Mass, Confession/Reconciliation, as well as spiritual listening and counseling, whatever…
Taliban Death Squads Mark Doors of Prominent Afghan Women in Chilling Crackdown
The Sun—TALIBAN death squads have reportedly marked the doors of prominent Afghan women with paint as several female anchors are axed from TV in a chilling crackdown. Female journalists in Afghanistan are fearing for their lives and many have been “taken off air” as the Taliban’s reign of terror begins after the jihadi army seized…
Archbishop Cordileone: Social Media’s Threat to Religion
WSJ—Carl Trueman is a distinguished scholar, bestselling author and ordained Presbyterian minister. On Aug. 7 he gave a series of talks to the Sacramento Gospel Conference, live-streamed on the YouTube channel of Immanuel Baptist Church. Twice during the event, the live broadcast was booted off the air. Viewers were informed that the first interruption was…
To Where will Afghans flee?
As the USAF C-17 managed to depart from Afghanistan with at least 640 Afghans on board and two who sadly met their death as they fell off the outside of the plane as it took off, one wonders where that plane will land. To where will Afghans flee? With president Biden stating that “This did…
Panic at Kabul Airport Imperils Evacuation Flights; At Least Two Afghans Dead
“I am the President of the United States and the buck stops with me,” Biden said about withdrawing the troops after the departure mission is complete. Defense One—U.S. warns that any attacks on evacuation will meet “a forceful response,” but how long will the Taliban hold off? The U.S. military temporarily froze all flights out…
Inside Reach 871, A US C-17 Packed With 640 Afghans Trying to Escape the Taliban
Defense One—The Air Force evacuation flight from Kabul to Qatar came near the record for most people ever flown in the Boeing airlifter. A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III safely evacuated some 640 Afghans from Kabul late Sunday, according to U.S. defense officials and photos obtained by Defense One. That’s believed to be among the…
Taliban forges ahead with Afghanistan take over, Russia and China watch and plot in the wings
ObserverDesk—In the meantime, while the withdrawal is taking place, Taliban has already seized the country’s half of the 34 provincial capitals of the country, including Kandahar and Herat. And they were last reported to be in Logar, which is only a few miles away from Kabul. The former President, Donald Trump is furious over this…
I’m a woman journalist who has lived in Afghanistan for eight years. Now I’m helping evacuate citizens, and the horror show I’ve witnessed will stay with me for life.
…I am talking to Afghans from all over the country who are sharing terrifying stories of what the Taliban are doing in their cities. In Kandahar, they are executing people who they see as opposition on the streets. In Takhar and Samangan, they have cut off the limbs of those who they accused of being…
Terror in Afghanistan as people desperate to flee Taliban take-over
With the fall of Kabal to Taliban terrorists yesterday, the stakes couldn’t be higher in Afghanistan, especially for women and children who are particularly vulnerable to Taliban violence and abuse as a tool of aggression, manipulation, fear and terror. Mid-afternoon today, Biden unapologetically defended his decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan, putting blame on the…
