Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and his companions are known as the Chinese Martyrs. They are what is called a representative group of 120 Chinese martyrs who were canonized by Saint John Paul II in 2000. They did not all live at the same time. Their ‘leader’, Saint Augustine Zhao Rong, was martyred in 1815, but the greatest number of the 120 were martyred in 1900 during the Boxer Rebellion. Wikipedia provides a full list of the martyrs here. At the same time we should not forget the other Christians who also suffered in similar persecutions.

The Templeton Prize was established in 1972 and is given annually to prominent persons who make “exceptional contribution to affirming life’s spiritual dimension, whether through insight, discovery or practical works”. The same raison d’etre was used when declaring the 2018 and 46th laureate of the Templeton Prize; His Majesty King Abdullah.

The list includes philosophers, physicists, politicians, evangelists and statesmen. Yet, they all, as the prize judges deemed, were contributors to spiritual values.

Francis’ words at the end of the dialogue with the patriarchs: “No more occupying territories and thus tearing people apart! No more racing to stockpile new arms. War is the daughter of power and poverty”.

Francis’ words at the end of the dialogue with the patriarchs: “ No more occupying territories and thus tearing people apart! No more racing to stockpile new arms. War is the daughter of power and poverty”.

He was 75 years old, he died in the U.S., he was sick with Parkinson’s disease for years. He had been “Vatican’s foreign minister” with Wojtyla, Librarian of the Holy Roman Church, and was the current chamberlain.

The 75-year-old French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue and chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church, died in the United States. The news was broadcast by Vatican News. The cardinal, then “protodeacon”, had announced to the world the election of Pope Francis on 13 March 2013.

Archbishop Andrew Yeom Soo-jung: “I hope I’ll soon be able to celebrate mass in Pyongyang”. “Reconciliation on the peninsula is not just about political leaders. All countries and persons concerned should work together for peace”.

In a world dominated by political events, wars, interstate conflicts, and even interfaith frictions and disharmony, it is refreshing and encouraging that His Majesty King Abdullah was granted the 2018 Templeton Prize Laureate in recognition of his exceptional efforts to promote religious harmony, not only within Islam, but also between Islam and the other monotheistic religions.

For centuries the Catholic Church has held a special place for France, latching on to its rising stars from Charlemagne to Napoleon III. Even as religious heads rolled from the guillotine in Paris, pontiffs never really abandoned the dream that the prodigal daughter of the Church might return.

As French President Emmanuel Macron makes his way to the Vatican to meet with Pope Francis on Tuesday, a first for the newly elected leader, the question hanging in the air is: Has the eldest daughter of the Church returned?

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's reacted in a press conference on June 21 to Pope Francis’ interview with Reuters in which he expressed optimism for improving the ties between the Vatican and China by stressing that China and the Vatican have been in effective contacts.

He added that China is always sincere about improving its ties with the Vatican and that it has been making unremitting efforts to that end.

Following is an interview with Monsignor Francesco Cavina, bishop of Carpi, on immigration, family, and little Alfie’s case:

“The international community is called upon to work together for progress” and to promote security “in all countries”, in particular in those from which people flee. Immigrants must be welcomed, and their right to remain in their own state in dignity” and peace must also be protected. This is affirmed by Monsignor Francesco Cavina, Bishop of Carpi, who in an interview with Vatican Insider also speaks of the family, and the Alfie case.