News

• 30 April 2005
  AFRICA/SIERRA LEONE - Fines for parents who stop children from going to school Rome (Fides Service) - In a Sierra Leone where more than half the population lives on less than a dollar a day the government has said that parents who refuse to let their children attend school may be fined 80 dollars. ...
• 30 April 2005
  AFRICA/NIGER - Food emergency: number of people admitted to hospital three times as many than in previous years Rome (Fides Service) - Following the worsening of a serious situation of malnutrition in Niger, Doctors without Frontiers has intensified its assistance people in the most effected areas. The number of underfed children ...
• 30 April 2005
  AFRICA/ANGOLA - Medical operators in Uige collect cadavers to stop spreading Marburg epidemic which has already killed 257 people Rome (Fides Service) - In Angola the Marburg epidemic has killed 257 patients of the 277 cases registered, about 48% of the dead were children and 526 are under observation in the province of Uige. To stop further spr ...
• 30 April 2005
  ASIA/SRI LANKA Bishops urge members of parliament not to approve anti-conversion law Colombo (Fides Service) - That there is great concern and perplexity with regard to anti-conversion law is seen by the fact that the Catholic Bishops of Sri Lanka felt the need to address a letter to the Members of Parli ...
• 30 April 2005
  ASIA/SRI LANKA - Document of Bishops on anti-conversion Bill: the Church reaffirms freedom of conscience and proposes institution of Interreligious Council Colombo (Fides Service) - A public statement to Catholics and all citizens, a letter to members of parliament: this was how the Catholic Bishops of Sri Lanka intervened as parliament prepared to discuss and vote an “a ...
• 30 April 2005
  ASIA/INDONESIA - First new homes handed over to tsunami victims by the International Organisation for Migration in the province of Aceh Banda Aceh (Fides Service) - Homeless victims of the 26 December tsunami in Aceh are beginning to see a glimpse of hope that life is returning to normality. The first step is to have a home again and resume work. The In ...
• 30 April 2005
  AFRICA/TOGO - Thousands of refugees in Benin: warning from UN High Commission for Refugees Rome (Fides Service)- According to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNHCR there are 5,754 refugees in Benin, over 600 in Ghana coming from Togo. Next week UNHCR will end an emergency team of 3 to Benin ...
• 30 April 2005
  ASIA/NEPAL - State of emergency revoked in Nepal: hopes for a return of respect for human rights and basic freedoms Kathmandu (Fides Service) - King Gyanendra of Nepal has revoked the state of emergency two days before its expiry. He had announced the measure on February 1 “to save democracy from terrorism”. The King announced his ...
• 29 April 2005
  AMERICA/CHILE - Two hundred experts in medicine and bio-ethics gather for 4th Latin American Congress of Catholic Doctors Rome (Fides Service) - Some two hundred experts in medicine and bio-ethics have gathered in Santiago de Chile for the 4th Latin American Congress of Catholic Doctors 29 and 30 April to reflect on the theme “Coming into ...
• 29 April 2005
  AMERICA/BRAZIL - 1st Inter Institutional Mission Congress renewed awareness that every missionary institution or congregation is called to make its own specific contribution to missionary activity in Brazil and ad gentes Brasilia (Fides Service) - “Each charisma is a gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church and must flourish in a genuine manner bearing its proper fruits in evangelisation” said Fr Daniel Lagni national director of the P ...
• 29 April 2005
  AMERICA/COLOMBIA - Prepare, update, present challenge of new evangelisation: 16th Course for Missionaries ad gentes Bogota (Fides Service) - Fr Antonio Villarino Director of the Colombian Bishops’ Commission for pastoral care of Ethnic groups told Fides about the annual Course for Missionaries Ad Gentes organised by the Bishops’ N ...
• 29 April 2005
  AMERICA/GUATEMALA - In Benedict XVI we recognise a Shepherd filled with the power of the Holy Spirit who will lead the Church along the challenging paths of the new millennium and encourage us to be courageous and generous missionaries Guatemala City (Fides Service) - “The teaching of Pope John Paul II, your predecessor, led us to rediscover the missionary riches and responsibility of these young Churches and to celebrate in November 2003, the Secon ...
• 29 April 2005
  OCEANIA/AUSTRALIA - Work is fundamental for the family: Australian Catholic Social Justice Council issues Pastoral Letter for May 1 Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker Sydney (Fides Service) - To underline the needs and rights of workers as well as those without work, and that work is a right for all and fundamental for families and society, Bishop Christopher Saunders of Broome, Chair ...
• 29 April 2005
  ASIA/TAIWAN - Games on the Sacraments help children live the Year of the Eucharist Taipei (Fides Service) - “Which is the most valuable of the seven Sacraments?”; “Who instituted the Sacraments?”; “What must we do before receiving a Sacrament?” These are some of the questions in a ‘holy� ...
• 29 April 2005
  ASIA/CAMBODIA - Salesians open ‘Community Reaching out Salesian Shelter’ to guarantee study and play for 800 lucky street children Phnom Penh (Fides Service) - In Phnom Penh the Salesian missionaries have just opened a new home for street children called CROSS ‘Community Reaching out Salesian Shelter’ which will guarantee study and play for 800 ...