News

• 22 February 2011
  OCEANIA/NEW ZEALAND - Appeal for prayer and solidarity after the earthquake: fears that more than 200 lie under the rubble, hundreds of wounded Christchurch (Agenzia Fides) – New Zealand Catholic Mission National Director, Fr Paul Shannahan sm, says in a statement sent to Fides by Catholic Mission, Australia: “A violent earthquake suddenly shook the South Is ...
• 22 February 2011
  AFRICA/ZIMBABWE - The Bishops of Southern Africa concerned about the situation in Zimbabwe Harare (Agenzia Fides) – “We address a very particular plea to the political leaders of the SADC region (South African Development Community) at a critical time in the life of the Zimbabwean Nation,” write the Bish ...
• 22 February 2011
  AFRICA/TUNISIA - Fr Rybinski killed for a thousand Euro; police arrest the alleged murderer Tunis (Agenzia Fides) – Police authorities in Tunis arrested the alleged murderer of Fr Marek Rybinski, the Polish Salesian missionary killed on 18 February in Manouba  (see Fides 19/2/2011). They arrested Chokri Ben ...
• 22 February 2011
  AFRICA/TANZANIA - Infant mortality reduced to 10% thanks to the work of San Gaspare Hospital in Itigi Rome (Agenzia Fides) – “San Gaspare” Hospital in Itigi, situated in one of the poorest zones in the region, offers assistance to people who live there but also to people from further away, without distinction for r ...
• 22 February 2011
  ASIA/CAMBODIA - AIDS peaks, because of birth control policies Phnom Penh (Agenzia Fides) – The main cause for the surge in the spread of AIDS in Cambodia is the birth control policy and the promotion of artificial contraception, explains Human Life International (HLI) to Fides. H ...
• 22 February 2011
  ASIA/CHINA - Mainland China's most famous Catholic composer, Antonio Geng Hui, who composed all the Chinese sacred music over last 30 years, passes away Tai Yuan (Agenzia Fides) – The faithful of the Diocese of Tai Yuan, Shan Xi province, remember with great emotion, musician and Catholic composer, Antonio Geng Hui. According to the diocese's website, Prof. Geng, who w ...
• 22 February 2011
  AMERICA/ARGENTINA - “We export food products to 100 million people, but every day in our own country six children die of malnutrition ” states Bishop Lozano Gualeguaychú (Agenzia Fides) – The Bishop of Gualeguaychú, Bishop Jorge Lozano, reflects every week after Mass, on a point in the document “Towards a bicentenary in Justice and Solidarity (2010-2016)”, a document ...
• 22 February 2011
  EUROPE/SPAIN - Fight against poverty and social exclusion: commitment by Caritas and Bishops Madrid (Agenzia Fides) – “The Government has a duty to increase resources for social services for the most vulnerable,” stated the Secretary General of Caritas in Spain, Sebastian Mora, at the end of the 67th Annua ...
• 22 February 2011
  AFRICA/BENIN - Marian Sanctuary of Allada entrusted to Franciscans of the Immaculate Conception Cotonou (Agenzia Fides) – With a solemn Mass on Sunday, 13 February, Bishop Antoine Ganye, new Archbishop of Cotonou, entrusted the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Divine Mercy in Allada to the pastoral care of the Franciscan ...
• 21 February 2011
  AFRICA/LIBYA - “The Catholic community was not involved in the clashes,” Apostolic Vicar of Tripoli tells Fides Tripoli (Agenzia Fides) - “From where I am, I can't see anything. The city is quiet and still. There is nothing that makes you think about the fighting, although I have heard that riots and looting are occurring during ...
• 21 February 2011
  ASIA/BANGLADESH - A village burned down, tribal Christians forced out by Muslim settlers Chittagong (Agenzia Fides) – A village was burned down and dozens of indigenous have been injured and driven from Ragipara in the mountain district of Rangamati, Diocese of Chittagong. The indigenous people who have su ...
• 21 February 2011
  ASIA/BANGLADESH - Human rights denied for ethnic and religious minorities Dacca (Agenzia Fides) – Living conditions for ethnic and religious minorities in Bangladesh are very difficult and their human rights are continually denied and trampled on, states the Hotline Human Rights Bangladesh� ...
• 21 February 2011
  VATICAN - Three Founders to be canonised on Day of Missions: Guido Maria Conforti, Luigi Guanella and Bonifacia Rodríguez de Castro Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – In the Consistory Hall of the Vatican Apostolic Palace at midday today (21 Feb.), the Holy Father Benedict XVI presided at an ordinary public consistory for the Canonisation of the follow ...
• 21 February 2011
  EUROPE - Religious freedom is a right and value that every democratic society should be ready to defend and promote: concluding message of the CEC-CCEE meeting Belgrado (Agenzia Fides) – At the conclusion of their meeting, in Belgrade from 17 to 20 February on the theme: “National identity and European integration: the contribution of Christians”, the members of the Joint ...
• 21 February 2011
  AFRICA/COTE D'IVOIRE - African religious leaders visit Côte d'Ivoire to promote a peaceful solution to the crisis Abidjan (Agenzia Fides) – The Ivorian crisis is a challenge for Africa. So some of the more prominent religious organisations in Africa sent a delegation to Côte d'Ivoire from 17 to 19 February. The delegation was mad ...