News

• 8 February 2005
  AFRICA/SOUTH AFRICA - Emeritus Bishop of De Aar in South Africa dies at the age of 92 Rome (Fides Service)- Bishop Joseph Antony De Palma SCI, emeritus of De Aar (South Africa), died on 3 February at St. Peterburg in Florida (USA). Nel 1959 he was elected 5th Superior General of the Congregation of the P ...
• 8 February 2005
  AMERICA/BRAZIL - Help eliminate violence by promoting solidarity and building a culture of peace: Church in Brazil launches 41st Fraternity Campaign 2005 on Ash Wednesday, Brasilia (Fides Service) - To coincide with the liturgical Celebration of Ash Wednesday, the Brazilian Bishops’ Conference CNBB and the Brazil National Council of Christian Churches CONIC will open officially the 41st ...
• 8 February 2005
  ASIA/INDIA - New direction in Gujarat: Good Friday restored as a public holiday Ahmedabad (Fides Service) - Catholics in the west Indian state of Gujarat are happy that Good Friday has been declared once again a public holiday this year. Last year it was removed from the list of public state holida ...
• 7 February 2005
  Pope John Paul II’s missionary prayer intention for February 2005: For missionaries: may they have a passionate love for Christ, indispensable for proclaiming the Gospel with conviction. Comment by Cardinal Ricardo J. Vidal Archbishop of Cebu (Philippines) Vatican City (Fides Service) - Only through a passionate love for Christ is it possible to transmit the Gospel in an effective and convincing manner. This has been the realisation of men and women involved in missionary ...
• 7 February 2005
  EUROPE/GERMANY - Missio Institute of Missiology positive annual activity: more offerings for study grants and students of philosophy and theology 2004 Aachen (Fides Service) - The year 2004 was a positive one for the Missio Institute of Missiology (Missionswissenschaftliches Institut, MWI) of Aachen, Germany. According to a report sent to Fides, donations were 3% highe ...
• 7 February 2005
  AMERICA/CANADA - “The bill under discussion is offensive to the moral and religious sensibility of a great number of citizens, both Catholic and non-Catholic”: open letter by Cardinal Marc Quellet in answer to a proposed Bill to include same sex partnerships within the same legal framework as the conjugal relation between a man and a woman. Ottawa (Fides Service) - “As a Canadian citizen and as the Primate of Canada, I feel it is my duty to express my concern and disagreement and that of a great number of Canadians who have asked me to step forward to giv ...
• 7 February 2005
  ASIA/JAPAN - ‘World Youth Day spreads very good atmosphere throughout the whole Church’ says Japanese Bishop: young Japanese Catholics prepare to take part in this universal Church even in Germany in August Tokyo (Fides Service) - Preparations for Japanese participation in World Youth Day 2005 WYD, in Cologne Germany August 9-25 have begun. According to Archbishop Okada Takeo of Tokyo, appointed WYD co-ordinator by the Cath ...
• 7 February 2005
  ASIA/MONGOLIA - Celebration, proclamation and testimony of young Catholics for the feast day of St John Bosco Bosco Ulan Bator (Fides Service) - The little Catholic community in Mongolia celebrated the feast of St John Bosco in a worthy manner involving also non Christian children, with a special Mass and festivities which turned out ...
• 7 February 2005
  AMERICA/COLOMBIA - “We want a country which respects freedom, promotes truth and installs justice”, Catholic Bishops of Colombia say at the 98th plenary assembly Bogota (Fides Service) - In a message at the end of their 78th plenary assembly, dated 4 February, the Catholic Bishops of Colombia denounce violence which has waged against the people of Colombia for years and a “plot ...
• 7 February 2005
  EUROPE/SPAIN - Preparations for 5th World Meeting of Families in 2006 in Valencia Valencia (Fides Service) - Preparations are underway for the 5th World Meeting For Families to be held in Valencia, Spain, in 2006, the archbishop’s office in Valencia told Fides. The event to be held in July next year ...
• 7 February 2005
  ASIA - UN High Commission for Refugees continues to assist tsunami victims in isolated areas Jakarta (Fides Service) - The United Nations High Commission for Refugees UNHCR continues to assist victims of the December 26 tsunami in south east Asian countries. At present UNHCR is providing emergency lodging and ba ...
• 4 February 2005
  OCEANIA/SOLOMON ISLANDS - Youth of Solomon Islands (Tetere, Tanagai and Tenaru) attend leadership encounter in preparation for World Youth Day 2005 in Germany. “We have come to adore Him”: testimony of encounter and also against abuse of drugs and alcohol Honiara (Fides Service) - 161 persons registered for the Youth Leadership Encounter, held at Don Bosco Hall, Henderson, Solomon Islands, from 28 to 30 January, 2005 in preparation for World Youth Day in August this year ...
• 4 February 2005
  AFRICA/UGANDA - We hope that peace in Sudan will bring peace in Uganda” says missionary involved in teaching children in tormented northern region of Uganda Gulu (Fides Service)- We are losing spirit, instead of a will for peace there seems to be only a desire to continue along the military path” a missionary in Gulu northern Uganda where amidst many difficulties talks con ...
• 4 February 2005
  AMERICA/MEXICO - Towards National Mission Congress: 3rd national meeting for missionary animation and formation on the theme “Eucharist and Mission” La Paz (Fides Service) - “Eucharist, source and summit of Mission” is the slogan of the 3rd National Meeting for Missionary Animation and Formation which will take place from 7 to 11 February in La Paz, Mexico, organ ...
• 4 February 2005
  ASIA/INDIA - “The Church’s mission is to promote peace and reconciliation”: intervention by Archbishop Felipe Neri Ferrao of Goa on “National Day for Peace” commemoration of Mahatma Gandhi Goa (Fides Service) - The challenge of peace is a fundamental point of the Church’s mission and should be taken up with enthusiasm by the Catholic community in India. Archbishop Felipe Neri Ferrao of Goa said this in ...