Syrian minister of culture sparks controversy with Islamic chant in Orthodox church

CNA Staff, Aug 21, 2025 / 17:56 pm (CNA).

Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:

Syrian minister of culture sparks controversy with Islamic chant in Orthodox church

Syrian Culture Minister Mohammed Saleh was criticized this week after a video surfaced showing him at a historic Orthodox church with Islamic chanter Al-Mu’tasim Billah Al-Assali, who performed an Islamic hymn with lyrics that directly contradict Christian beliefs.

According to ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, the video was filmed inside the Church of St. Ananias in Damascus, a Greek Orthodox landmark built in 1815. It shows Saleh with Billah Al-Assali, who performed a chant that calls Christ “a creation” and says that he came “bearing good news of Mohammad.”

The footage sparked a backlash on social media, drawing criticism from Christians as well as Muslims who voiced disapproval and described it as a “provocation.”

Desecrated church in Philippines reopens 

More than a thousand people participated in a Mass held at the newly reopened St. John the Baptist Church in the town of Jimenez in Misamis Occidental province in the Philippines on Aug. 16, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ (CBCP) news service reported.

The 19th-century church in the Philippines was temporarily closed after Christine Medalla, a 28-year-old vlogger, allegedly spat into the font, an action Ozamiz’s Archbishop Martin Jumoad described as a “grave act of sacrilege.” According to Crux, Medalla denied the allegation.

Jumoad presided at the Mass and the rite of reopening and reconciliation. “With hearts full of faith, the parishioners … gathered in thanksgiving as our beloved parish church was reopened and reconsecrated,” the church said in its statement.

Korean bishop remembered for humility, love for the poor dies at 63

An auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Seoul, Korea, known for his humility, frugality, and love for the poor, died on Aug. 15 at 63 of bile duct cancer, UCA News reported.

As head of the archdiocesan social service ministry, Yu led the Church’s outreach to those in need and spent time on the front lines feeding the poor and ministering to their needs. He frequently visited the Church’s social welfare facilities, listening to stories of suffering, and visited Catholics who were homeless, bringing them the sacraments and praying the rosary with them on the streets. 

Before his death, Yu said: “There were many things I wanted to do for the poor, but I am heartbroken that I cannot be there.”

Yu, who wrote three books, was born in Seoul in 1962 and graduated from the Catholic University of Korea. After studying at the University of Wurzburg, Germany, and completing his military service, he was ordained a priest in 1992 in Seoul and earned a doctorate in theology from the Sankt Georgen Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology in Frankfurt, Germany. Pope Francis appointed him auxiliary bishop of the Seoul Archdiocese in 2013. Known for his modest lifestyle, Yu kept a low profile and reportedly drove the same small, old car for decades.

African press group calls for development of ethical guidelines for use of AI

A meeting of the Union of the African Catholic Press (UCAP) ended with a call for media institutions in Africa to develop ethical guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence (AI).

According to ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, over 100 Catholic journalists, speakers, and content creators gathered at the UCAP congress in Accra, Ghana, Aug. 10–17 from more than 19 African nations to reflect on the theme “Balancing Technological Progress and the Preservation of Human Values in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI).”

A series of resolutions and recommendations were shared with ACI Africa on Aug. 20 in which UCAP members “emphasized that technological progress must never take precedence over the human person and that the Church and media professionals alike have a responsibility to ensure that AI serves the common good.”

Police called to Catholic college in Bangladesh due to fear of protesting teachers

Administrators of a Catholic college in the Mymensigh Diocese in Bangladesh sought police protection last week when teachers and students threatened a public demonstration on campus.

Father Thadius Hembram, head of Notre Dame College, run by the priests of Holy Cross Congregation, told UCA News on Aug. 18 that he wrote to the district police chief saying: “We fear harm to life and property of the college. Therefore, we are requesting you to help us maintain law and order until the situation normalizes.”

In July, a group of 11 teachers issued a statement announcing a boycott of classes until demands were met. The college reportedly promised to fulfill the demands but the issues have not been resolved. One college official has blamed “pro-Islamist” teachers who are targeting the institution. Bangladesh is a majority-Muslim country. 

Although protestors postponed their planned Aug. 17 event, Hembram said the ongoing situation has been “chaotic and tense” and was “disrupting the academic environment of the institute.” He also said a committee has been formed to investigate the situation and next steps will be decided based on the committee’s recommendations. 

Bishop: Attacks on Ireland’s Indian community are shameful, betray ‘true irish welcome’

Bishop Brendan Leahy of Limerick in Ireland has called recent attacks on the Indian community in Ireland “shameful” and a “dreadful misrepresentation of the true Irish welcome.” 

Leahy made the comments at a recent retreat for the Syro-Malabar community in which hundreds of people traveled to Limerick from across the country, according to the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference. 

The bishop also expressed his admiration for the Syro-Malabar Church in Ireland. “I always admire your wonderful commitment to gathering together for a time of prayer and reflection, supporting and encouraging one another in the company of your beautiful families and friends. And there are always so many of you,” he said.

Source: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/266081/syrian-minister-of-culture-sparks-controversy-with-islamic-change-in-orthodox-church