News

• 2 February 2005
  ASIA - Solidarity must be concrete not only verbal: governments and aid organisations must produce promised funds in aid of tsunami victims New York (Fides Service) - Solidarity must be concrete and promises kept, missionaries, volunteers and lay associations involved in assistance in countries affected by the December 26 tsunami told Fides. From Sri Lanka t ...
• 2 February 2005
  EUROPE/ITALY - Day for Consecrated Life - entering a convent at the age of twenty for love of God: testimonial from Michaela. Rome (Fides Service) - How did you hear God’s call ? We asked this of Sister Michela, postulant at Carmel San Giuseppe in via Nocetta a Rome. Michaela is twenty and she has just joined an enclosed order of nuns at the ...
• 1 February 2005
  AFRICA/KENYA - “30 dead in clashes in Kenya arising from water dispute between sedentary farmers and nomad herdsmen rather than political manipulation” Father Ferrari, Consolata Mission and National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Kenya told Fides Kenya (Fides Service)- Some 30 people have been killed in tribal clashes in various parts of Kenya over recent weeks Consolata Father Eugenio Ferrari, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Kenya told ...
• 1 February 2005
  AFRICA/BURUNDI - Parishes in Burundi collect aid to face food shortage. The future of the country and outcome of constitutional referendum: local priest talks to Fides Bujumbura (Fides Service)- In northern Burundi thousands are facing food shortage emergency due to prolonged drought (see Fides 12 and 20 January 2005). “At least 90 people in Muyinga diocese are reported dead” a loc ...
• 1 February 2005
  AFRICA - special African Union summit on crises in Côte d'Ivoire, Darfur and Congo adopts Common Defence pact and fight against AIDS Abuja (Fides Service) - Africa wants to have more say on the international scene and take its future in its own hands. This was the first impression which emerged at the end of the African Union summit which closed yest ...
• 1 February 2005
  AMERICA/BRAZIL - National directors of Pontifical Mission Societies of America and Caribbean to discuss Mission, Globalisation and Migration Brasilia (Fides Service) - From 1 to 5 March national directors of Pontifical Mission Societies in America and the Caribbean will meet in Brasilia to reflect on three important topics: Mission, Globalisation and Migratio ...
• 1 February 2005
  ASIA/IRAQ - “Iraqi Christians expect democracy to mean respect for equal rights and full religious freedom to believe and practice” lay Christian in Baghdad told Fides Baghdad (Fides Service) - “We are overjoyed that so many people went to vote demonstrating an earnest desire for democracy. But this was only the first step: now terrorism must be stopped and our people’s security mu ...
• 1 February 2005
  ASIA/INDIA - “Growing role of lay Catholics ever more aware of their mission ”: Fides listens to testimonial from Catholic Bishop in Tamil Nadu Vatican City (Fides Service) - The laity of the diocese are called all over India and also in Sri Lanka to hold formation courses on evangelisation. Mons. Jude Paulraj, Bishop of Palayamkottai, diocese Tamil Nadu (south ...
• 1 February 2005
  ASIA/TAIWAN - Catholic community united in prayer for unity among Christians in keeping with indication issued by Chinese Regional Bishops’ Conference Taipei (Fides Service) - As indicated by the Regional Bishops’ Conference the Catholic community in Taiwan celebrated with intensity the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. To help participation of the faithful ...
• 31 January 2005
  VATICAN - Presented to the Pope new edition of the “Guida delle Missioni Cattoliche 2005” Vatican City (Fides Service) - This morning Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, presented the new edition of “Guida delle Missioni Cattoliche 2005” to Pope John P ...
• 31 January 2005
  VATICAN - “Parishes, oratories, associations, church movements and groups must become privileged places for pedagogy of peace and love”: the Pope’s Angelus reflection. Appeal to the international community to eradicate the social scourge of leprosy Vatican City (Fides Service) - “Even little children can be builders of peace!” the Pope said yesterday during his Angelus reflection as he addressed thousands of children belonging to Catholic Action in Italy gather ...
• 31 January 2005
  EUROPE/ITALY - Opened in Rome celebrations for the Scalabriniano Centenary. Attention for migrants: unchanging importance of the charisma of Blessed Giovanni Battista Scalabrini Rome (Fides Service) - On the recurrence of the Centenary of the death of Blessed Giovanni Battista Scalabrini, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Secretary of State, presided on Sunday 30 January a solemn concelebration for the o ...
• 31 January 2005
  ASIA/IRAQ - “New hope is born. As Iraqi women we rejoice to see new horizons opening before us” a Chaldean nun in Mosul told Fides. Mosul (Fides Service) - “We were very concerned, we prayed constantly and now we rejoice after a peaceful vote and a good turn-out despite some attacks. This first democratic vote will go down in history. Our country i ...
• 31 January 2005
  AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - Kisangani International African Institute to train lay Catholics for activity in politics Kisangani (Fides Service) - The Archdiocese of Kisangani intends to open an International African Institute of Kisangani for the formation of lay Catholics for activity in the social, political and economic fields. In ...
• 31 January 2005
  ASIA/IRAQ - Elections: “This was a victory for the people and a defeat for terrorism”, Father Nizar Semaan told Fides Baghdad (Fides Service). “The loser was terrorism. The vote showed the world that Iraqis are not all terrorists, they are a people like other peoples and they want peace. This was a victory for the Iraqi people who use ...