Unless a grain falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it produces much fruit (John 12:24)

Last November, I had the pleasure of attending an amazing performance, Rice, by the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, choreographed by Lin Huai-min. 

SYDNEY (UCAN): Portrayals of the president of China, Xi Jinping, as the strongman abound. Xi is the strongest leader in every sense since Deng Xiaoping.

He consolidated power faster than expected after he took over as head of the Communist Party of China and the Central Military Commission two years ago.

Even the president of the United States of America, Barack Obama, has publicly commented on Xi’s hold on power.

 HONG KONG (SE): Last year got off to a happy start as the bishop of Hong Kong, John Cardinal Tong Hon, laid hands on three deacons, ordaining them priests at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on January 5.

The two Indonesians and one Filipino are members of the Divine Word Mission Society and are currently serving at parishes in the diocese.

HONG KONG (SE): “The students have no faith in the system. They are like Jesus viewing the system protected by the Pharisees and they want change. Not only do they want change, they want it fast,” Louis Tong, a former board member of  the Young Men’s Christian Association, told the Sunday Examiner.

MANILA (UCAN): The newly appointed rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights Advocates for the United Nations (UN), Michel Forst, told a gathering of human rights defenders held in Manila at the beginning of December that the most persecuted are in Asia.

The gathering marked International Human Rights Day on December 10 by calling for the creation of a consolidated protection platform for human rights workers.

In 1959, the United Nations Year of the Refugee, 100 mostly female refugee children in Hong Kong were matched with parents in Britain under a plan to find families to accept orphans.

When I was studying theology, I read an article by Father Michael Amaladoss, the famous Indian Jesuit theologian, titled, Is there an Asian way of doing theology?

Since then, I have always remembered the name of Father Amaladoss.

I had the chance to meet him when he visited our Jesuit community in Taipei and gave an inspiring talk to the scholastics.

 The year 2010 seemed to be a banner year for China-Vatican communications. 

Although official diplomatic relations, which were severed in 1951 when the last apostolic delegate, Antonio Cardinal Riberi, was expelled from China, had not yet been re-established, 10 Chinese bishops, approved by both the Chinese government and the Holy See, were ordained.

The establishment of official relations seemed to be just around the corner.

BANGKOK (UCAN): The Chinese government passed legislation on November 1 that it claims will make it easier for people to take the authorities and state enterprises to court over issues including land disputes—a growing problem across the country.

We need to eat! It is my livelihood! We want genuine elections!

During the electoral reform disputes that unfolded into the Occupy Central Movement in Hong Kong, these cries have ripped society apart.

The cry for bread and the cry for freedom—are they competing rights? Indeed both cries are as old as the Old Testament.