News

• 3 March 2006
  AMERICA - Once again this year Vaccination Week in 39 countries in the American hemisphere, a Pan-American Health Organisation success Rome (Agenzia Fides) - Thanks to efforts of the Pan-American Health Organisation and a collective effort on the part of member countries in America vaccination campaigns are now a regular, growing initiative: in 2003 cam ...
• 2 March 2006
  EUROPE/GERMANY - Lent 2006: “Sharing the Fullness of Life” motto of German Bishops’ Lenten Solidarity Campaign focused on establishing equal rights for women particularly in developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America Hamburg (Fides Service) - The archdiocese of Hamburg representing all the Catholic dioceses of Germany, will officially open the Lenten fundraising Campaign 2006 promoted by Misereor the aid agency of the German Bishops� ...
• 2 March 2006
  VATICAN - Pope Benedict XVI at the ancient Basilica of Santa Sabina: “The Christian response to the violence which threatens the world is to tread the path chosen by the One who, in the face of the evil of his time and all times, resolutely embraced the Cross taking the longer but more effective way of love” Vatican City (Fides Service) - In the afternoon of Ash Wednesday, the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI presided the first traditional Lenten “station” mass on the Aventine Hill. After a moment of prayer at the Church of ...
• 2 March 2006
  VATICAN - “The Life and the Ministry of the Bishop”: a book containing the acts of two Study Seminars for newly appointed Bishops in mission territories organised by the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples Vatican City (Fides Service) - “The Life and Ministry of the Bishop” is the title of a volume containing the acts of two Study Seminars held respectively in 2003 and 2004 for recently appointed Bishops in mission ter ...
• 2 March 2006
  ASIA/TAIWAN - Taiwan Catholics deeply devoted to St Joseph rejoice for two new churches dedicated to the Saint, a new one in Kaohsiung and a restructured one in Taichung Taipei (Fides Service) - Also Taiwan’s Chinese Catholics are deeply devoted to St Joseph the spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ to whom they dedicate the month of March. This year there is specia ...
• 2 March 2006
  AMERICA - President of CELAM appeals to enclosed contemplative men and women religious: "Help us with the power of your prayer to prepare for the 5th CELAM Conference... so we may be faithful to our vocation as disciples and missionaries so in Him our countries may have life Bogota (Fides Service) - Cardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz Ossa Archbishop of Santiago and President of CELAM the Council of Latin American Bishops’ Conferences and CELAM general secretary Bishop Andres Stanovnik of ...
• 2 March 2006
  ASIA/JAPAN - “Where will Japan’s Church be in a quarter of a century?”: future and challenges facing the Catholic community in the land of the Rising Sun: lay people called to play a leading role Tokyo (Fides Service) - “Where will Japan’s Church be in a quarter of a century? What are the challenges she faces, the priorities for evangelisation?”. With statistics and forecasts concerning population trends in ...
• 2 March 2006
  AFRICA/CENTRAL AFRICA - Thousands of refugees flee to Chad to escape violence in the north west of the Central African Republic Bangui (Fides Service)- Increasing numbers Central Africans are seeking refuge in Chad to escape a situation of serious insecurity in the north west of the Central African Republic. According to the Red Cross in Chad r ...
• 2 March 2006
  AFRICA/CÔTE D' IVOIRE - Enthusiasm in Côte d'Ivoire for first summit meeting of leaders in crisis which has lasted since 2002 Abidjan (Fides Service)- “At last an important step towards settling the Ivorian crisis” say local Church sources with regard to the summit held 28 February in Yamoussoukro the political capital of Côte d'Ivoire. � ...
• 2 March 2006
  ASIA/PHILIPPINES - All is calm again on the streets of Manila: coup foiled. “The people listened to the Church’s call ”, says a missionary Manila (Fides Service) - “The situation on the streets of Manila is calm. Soldiers patrol some parts of the city but people have gone back to work, public transport is working and all is back to normal. The danger of a ...
• 1 March 2006
  AFRICA/TOGO - The Bishop of Atakpame resigns Vatican City (Fides Service) - The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI on March 1 2006 accepted the renunciation of the pastoral government of the diocese of Atakpame (Togo), presented by Bishop Julien Mawule Kouto, in confo ...
• 1 March 2006
  EUROPE/GREECE - Annual Meeting of the Bishops’ Conferences of South East Europe will focus on the Social Doctrine of the Church Corfu (Fides Service) - From 3-5 March 2006 the sixth meeting of the Presidents of the Bishops’ Conferences of South East Europe, accompanied by expert advisors, is scheduled to take place in Corfu (Greece). Six Bishop ...
• 1 March 2006
  VATICAN - International Meeting to mark the 40th anniversary of the Vatican II decree Ad gentes on the missionary activity of the Church, promoted by the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples and the Pontifical Urban University Vatican City (Fides Service) - On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Vatican II decree Ad Gentes on the Church’s missionary activity, the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples and the Pontifical Urban ...
• 1 March 2006
  VATICAN - Pope Benedict XVI during the general audience explains the significance of Lent: “It is urgent to listen again to the Gospel, the word of truth, so Christians may grow in awareness of the truth received, live it and bear witness to it.” Vatican City (Fides Service) - Today Ash Wednesday in his address during his weekly general audience to thousands of visitors gathered in St Peter’s Square Pope Benedict XVI dwelt on the significance of the Season of L ...
• 1 March 2006
  EUROPE/SPAIN - Fifth centenary of the birth of St Francis Xavier: “Go out into the whole world” slogan of Xavier pilgrimages ‘Javieradas’ 5 and 11 March. The Saint’s relics in Spain on March 3 Pamplona (Fides Service) - This year the annual Xavier pilgrimages in Javier, Pamplona, will be marked by special joy for the 5th centenary of the birth of Saint Francis Xavier patron saint of missions and patron of the ...