News

• 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 ...
• 1 March 2006
  AFRICA/ANGOLA - Many disadvantaged minors in Angola’s larger cities get caught in crime, the local Catholic Church works to free them Luanda (Fides Service) - Angola’s National Crime Investigation Office recently expressed concern for the growing number of minors in large cities caught up in criminal activity. Local Catholic Church sources in the cap ...
• 1 March 2006
  AFRICA/KENYA - Growing drug consumption in Kenya with “peddlers targeting children” says local Catholic missionary Nairobi (Fides Service)- “In recent years Kenya has become a centre not only for drug transit but also for increasing drug abuse” says Italian Consolata missionary Fr Eugenio Ferrari National Director of the Pontific ...
• 1 March 2006
  AFRICA/SUDAN - Flow of refugees in both directions between Chad and Sudan. Growing concern in the international community Khartoum (Fides Service) - There is increasing concern for the situation of insecurity on the Sudan Chad border after the United Nations High Commission for Refugees UNHCR said it was registering movement of people in bo ...
• 1 March 2006
  ASIA/INDIA - Indian Jesuits launches new Association for Islamic Studies New Delhi (Fides Service) - To promote reciprocal knowledge between Christians and Muslims and Hindus in India, encourage dialogue and build a culture of tolerance, pluralism and inter-religious harmony the Jesuit commu ...
• 1 March 2006
  ASIA/CHINA - Many young people among worshippers in church this morning for Ash Wednesday penitential liturgy Beijing (Fides Service) -There were many young people among worshippers in churches in the capital this morning for the Ash Wednesday penitential liturgy which marks the beginning of Lent, says a lay Catholic in Beijing. ...
• 1 March 2006
  OCEANIA/AUSTRALIA - Catholic youth ministers in Sydney in July for first National Youth Symposium also in view of hosting 2008 World Youth Day, the first in Oceania Sydney (Fides Service) - ‘Builders and Dreamers: Creating Sustainable Ministry with Young People’ is the theme of the first national youth symposium to be held in Sydney in July. The event will give Catholic youth mi ...
• 1 March 2006
  ASIA/CAMBOGIA - Inauguration of new Catholic technical training school and comprehensive Care Centre for people with AIDS named after Pope John Paul II Phnom Penh (Fides Service) - To mark the 450th anniversary of its foundation this year, the Catholic community in Cambodia has a new professional Training School and a Centre for AIDS patients both recently inaugurated b ...