News

• 9 December 2005
  VATICAN - Pope Benedict XVI on the solemnity of Immaculate Mary Mother of God conceived without stain of original sin: “if we abandon ourselves totally into the hands of God we do not become boring and consenting people, puppets of God,; we do not lose our freedom. Indeed only if we trust ourselves entirely to God can we find true freedom, the vast and creative freedom of goodness.” Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - On the feast of the Immaculate Conception December 8 1965 in Saint Peter’s basilica as he solemnly closed the Second Vatican Council Pope Paul VI declared the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother ...
• 9 December 2005
  VATICAN - Pope Benedict XVI in Piazza di Spagna: “In these forty years Our Lady has sustained the Bishops and first of all the Successors of Peter in their demanding ministry at the service of the Gospel; she has led the Church to a faithful understanding and application of the Council documents” Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - In the afternoon of December 8, Feast of the Immaculate Conception in keeping with his predecessors, Pope Benedict XVI went to pay homage to the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Piazza ...
• 9 December 2005
  ASIA/TAIWAN - Over 160 pastoral workers and volunteers take part in 38th Seminar on Pastoral Care for Prison Inmates Taipei (Fides Service) - Over 160 pastoral workers and volunteers members of the Catholic Association for Pastoral Care for Prisoners from all 7 of Taiwan’s Catholic dioceses took part in a recent 38 Seminar on Prison ...
• 9 December 2005
  OCEANIA/AUSTRALIA - Sacred Heart Missionaries celebrate 100 years of pastoral service in Oceania Sydney (Fides Service) - The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart MSC, one of the most widespread and active religious congregations in Australia, are marking the 100th anniversary of their presence in that country. Main cen ...
• 9 December 2005
  ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - “Pro-Life Day” archdiocese of Seoul: community praises Pro Life Movement Seoul (Fides Service) - On 4 December the archdiocese of Seoul held its own Pro Life Day. In South Korea the Pro Life Movement is a significant reality of Catholic presence organising events and demonstrations to promot ...
• 9 December 2005
  AFRICA/DR CONGO - Catholics spread awareness of importance of December 18 constitutional referendum Kinshasa (Fides Service) - The Catholic Church in the Democratic Republic of Congo does not intend to give instructions with regard to voting in the referendum on the Constitution on 18 December. However Church structur ...
• 9 December 2005
  AFRICA/MALI - Restore Light mission in Africa concluded: 210 cataracts removed and 1,400 ophthalmological examinations carried out Rome (Fides Service) - With a total 210 cataracts removed and 1,400 opthalmological examinations carried out, AFMAL concluded its last humanitarian mission ‘restore light’ in Gao, Mali. AFMAL (Associazione con i Fate ...
• 7 December 2005
  AFRICA/DR CONGO - Kinshasa joins archbishop Cardinal Frédérick Etsou for 75th birthday celebrations Kinshasa (Fides Service)- The archdiocese of Kinshasa celebrated on Sunday 4 December the 75th birthday of its Archbishop Cardinal Frédéric Etsou. The date also marked 50 years of priesthood for the cardinal. At Not ...
• 7 December 2005
  AFRICA - Bats, a delicacy in central Africa, may carry Ebola. Rome (Agenzia Fides) - Three kinds of bats eaten by humans in central Africa could be carriers of the Ebola virus which has caused the death of hundreds humans and large monkeys. This is the opinion of researchers at the ...
• 7 December 2005
  ASIA/INDIA - The Pope establishes new diocese of Miao and appoints first Bishop Vatican City (Fides Service) - The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI on 7 December 2005 created the diocese of Miao (India) with territory taken from the diocese of Dibrugarh making it suffragan of the Metropolitan see of G ...
• 7 December 2005
  ASIA/INDIA - The Pope establishes new diocese of Itanagar and appoints first bishop Vatican City (Fides Service) - The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI on 7 December 2005, established the diocese of Itanagar (India), with territory taken from the diocese of Tezpur, making it suffragan of the metropolitan ...
• 7 December 2005
  AFRICA/MADAGASCAR - Archbishop of Antananarivo resigns, successor appointed Vatican City (Fides Service) - The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI on 7 December accepted the renunciation of the pastoral government of the archdiocese of Antananarivo (Madagascar), presented by Cardinal Armand Gaétan R ...
• 7 December 2005
  VATICAN - “We must be certain that however burdensome and stormy are the trials that await us, we will never be left alone, we will never fall from the Lord's hands, the hands that created us and now follow us on life's itinerary”: Pope Benedict XVI explains Psalm 137 Vatican City (Fides Service) - In his reflection addressed to some 20,000 visitors at the Wednesday audience this morning in St Peter’s Square Pope Benedict XVI focused on Psalm 137 (“thanksgiving”) - vespers Tuesd ...
• 7 December 2005
  EUROPE/POLAND - “Living the faith and communicating it to others” : 4th PMU National Meeting marks 85th anniversary of PMU Poland Czestochowa (Fides Service) - “We hope this meeting will leave the Church in Poland stronger in missionary spirit ready for greater effort for mission ad gentes” said National director of the Pontifical Mission Socie ...
• 7 December 2005
  ASIA/FILIPPINES - President and standing council of Catholic Bishops’ Conference take office Manila (Fides Service) - The new Standing Council of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines began a two year mandate on 1 December with Archbishop Angel Lagdameo of Jaro as president and Bishop Antonio Led ...