On Oct. 28 Catholic bishops in India’s Karnataka State called for the dismissal of “false cases” against Christians who had been arrested after protesting attacks on three dozen churches in 2008.

The event marked the 25th anniversary of the first interreligious gathering in the hometown of St. Francis, called in 1986 by Pope John Paul II.

Recent statistics show Europe having the most international migrants.

The new Maronite Patriarch cautiously welcomed the political movement’s potential for transforming the region. But warned: “We must remain vigilant.”

As flooding persisted in Bangkok, Thailand, Catholic university students and staff used a Jesuit residence as a base for relief efforts for flood victims.

Through Oct. 9 of this year, 469,967 cases of the disease have been reported, leading to 6,595 deaths.