The Far East - Jun, 2009

That Rufus was murdered is hard, and the hardest part is not knowing why he died, or who really wanted him dead. You could call his death "martyrdom" but there is nothing epic or glorious in it now. read more

At the end of the Korean war (1950-1953), during which nearly three million people were killed, there were just two small parishes on Jeju. In 1954 I was sent to open a third parish. read more

Police arrived on the scene and imposed a ceasefire in the neighborhood; the communities are asking the local government for protection and justice. The aim of the Taliban is to have Christians leave the area or pay a tribute read more

It is part of human nature that we are prepared to make all kinds of sacrifices as long as people respect and value them. read more

These three women give witness to the Gospel doing as Jesus told his first disciples: "In this all will know that you are my disciples, in that you love one another." read more

Solidarity is a concept much beloved by the late Pope John Paul II. Solidarity acknowledges that we are increasingly bound together as members of the Earth community. We are responsible for the well-being of the poor and all creation. Our destinies are linked. read more

Unlike the many other drivers Josefino, was doing this exhausting job with a severe disability; one of his legs was terribly shrunken by polio as a child read more

Certainly I had no intention of raising chickens. I am no chicken farmer. But what could I do? read more

It took me a while after I arrived in Australia to realise that "See you later" has a number of meanings in the Aussie vernacular. read more

We awoke next morning to a thunderstorm as we docked at Fengdu. Our first shore trip was to a hill containing many Buddhist temples known as ‘Ghost City' because of the sculptures of demons and devils. read more

I would not have been able to sustain myself in my work as a Columban missionary priest if I looked for immediate results during my 28 years in Pakistan read more

It was a predictable response. While the major chocolate manufacturers said they were determined to do all they could to eliminate slave labour on the cocoa farms, they repeatedly failed to back up their promises with action. read more

Our world is one that is marked by gravity. We confront serious issues on almost every side. People are working longer hours. It seems to be a world in which there is little time or place for play read more