News

• 17 February 2009
  AMERICA/UNITED STATES - Trafficking in human persons: the most exploited are women destined for prostitution (79%); in Africa, the primary victims are children (uncertain the number) recruited for forced labor Rome (Agenzia Fides) – Sexual exploitation and forced labor constitute the most widely spread forms of trafficking in human persons, according to the first Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, recently presented by ...
• 17 February 2009
  AFRICA/SUDAN - Darfur Peace Accord signed between government in Khartoum and major guerrilla group in the region Khartoum (Agenzia Fides) – Darfur is finally witnessing a change of events. The government in Khartoum and major guerrilla group in the region of western Sudan, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), signed an accord ...
• 17 February 2009
  AMERICA/ARGENTINA - The Church shows its solidarity with landslide victims; Ash Wednesday collection will go to families affected Salta (Agenzia Fides) – Caritas Argentina is supporting the refugee families from the city of Tartagal, which one week ago were hit by a landslide that officials say has killed at least two people and left severe damag ...
• 16 February 2009
  VATICAN - Pope at the Angelus mentions that “we might see in leprosy a symbol of sin, which is the true impurity of heart, distancing us from God” and to rediscover the “value and importance” of the Sacrament of Confession Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - “We might see in leprosy a symbol of sin, which is the true impurity of heart, distancing us from God. It is not, in effect, physical malady that distances us from him, as the ancient nor ...
• 16 February 2009
  VATICAN - Pope tells Nigerian Bishops: “Expansion in the Church calls for special care in diocesan planning and the training of personnel through ongoing activities of formation in order to facilitate the necessary deepening of the faith of your people.” Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The extensive spread of the Church in Nigeria in recent years, the many new baptized Christians, the abundance of priestly and religious vocations are all reasons to give thanks to God an ...
• 16 February 2009
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - Auxiliary Bishop of Lahore appointed Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The Holy Father Benedict XVI, on February 14, 2009, appointed Fr. Francis Shah, O.F.M., formerly Provincial Minister of the Order of Friars Minor in Pakistan, as Auxiliary Bishop of the A ...
• 16 February 2009
  EUROPE/ITALY - The role of the family within the complex phenomenon of migration Milan (Agenzia Fides) – The migration phenomenon in Italy is particularly impressive: of the nearly 28 million immigrants that – according to a Caritas Migrantes Report 2007 - reside in Europe, 3,700,000 are in Italy ...
• 16 February 2009
  VATICAN - Holy Father's appointment for the Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The Holy See Press Office reported on February 14 that the Holy Father has appointed the presidents delegate, relator general and special secretaries for the Second Special Assembly for A ...
• 16 February 2009
  VATICAN - Benedict XVI: from the heart of the Vatican State, “where the Pope lives near the tomb of St. Peter, an incessant message rises of genuine social progress, of hope, of reconciliation and of peace.” Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - “The Vatican State, contains treasures of faith, of history and of art, is custodian to a precious heritage for all humanity. From within it, where the Pope lives near the tomb of St. Pet ...
• 16 February 2009
  AFRICA/CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC - The road to peace continues, even in the most isolated areas of Central Africa: missionary testimony Bangui (Agenzia Fides) - “A small seed of peace, and so much hope.” This is how Fr. Aurelio Gazzera, Carmelite missionary and pastor of the parish of Bozoum (Central African Republic), defined the encounter with a de ...
• 16 February 2009
  AMERICA/CUBA - The Church considers February 14 assassination of Spanish priest “a strange and unusual incident” Havana (Agenzia Fides) – The Archdiocese of Havana has released a statement expressing its condolences to the family members and friends and brother priests of Spanish religious Fr. Eduardo de la Fuente Serrano, who wa ...
• 16 February 2009
  AMERICA/COLOMBIA - At the close of their Plenary Assembly, Bishops reaffirm their commitment to fight for peace, against poverty, injustice, and violence Bogotá (Agenzia Fides) - “As Bishops, following this Assembly, we feel prepared to begin work plans, programs and activities that truly allow us to be light to the world and credible testimonies in the work of forming ...
• 16 February 2009
  AMERICA/PERU - At the close of the Latin American Meeting on Pastoral Ministry for Indigenous Peoples: call to defend life and rights of peoples, frequently threatened Lima (Agenzia Fides) - “We express our solidarity with the Bishops' statement and that of the pastoral ministers to the indigenous peoples in Peru, on 'The Value and Development of the Amazon Peoples,' and we denounce ...
• 16 February 2009
  AFRICA/CONGO DR - “The people are tired of the war and restless for the presence of the foreign troops; they are not looking forward to a prolongation of their stay,” Congolese Bishops say Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) – The Bishops of the Democratic Republic of Congo have expressed their concern for the foreign military operations in the eastern part of the nation in a message sent to Agenzia Fides, publishe ...
• 16 February 2009
  ASIA/HONG KONG - An initiative for the Year of Saint Paul: his conversion and missionary travels illustrated in paintings by 30 students (including non-Catholics) Hong Kong (Agenzia Fides) – An art exhibit entitled: “The missionary travels of Saint Paul depicted by a child paintbrush,” located in the parish hall of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in the Diocese of Hong Kong ...