News

• 19 January 2005
  ASIA/IRAQ - "Thank you Holy Father, my captors were moved your words" abducted Catholic archbishop Casmoussa said in an interview with Fides a few hours after his release Mosul (Fides Service) - Gratitude to Pope John Paul for his prompt intervention was the first thought voiced by abducted Iraqi Catholic Archbishop of Mosul an interview a few hours after his release. "Thank you Holy Fath ...
• 19 January 2005
  EUROPE/AUSTRIA - Missio Austria supports rescue and aid work by Dalit self-help organisation: the poorest of the poor involved in assisting seaquake victims in India Vienna (Fides Service) - When the December 26 tsunami disaster hit coastal villages in the Tamil Nadu state of India, among the first to offer assistance to the victims were the Dalits, the poorest of the poor, the “un ...
• 19 January 2005
  ASIA - International attention for seaquake disaster victims must not be allowed to slacken: Fides promises regular updates twice a week on situation and rebuilding Vatican City (Fides Service) - After the vast media coverage and unprecedented international solidarity efforts to help victims of the 26 December tsunami in south East Asia, there is a danger that once the spotlight is ...
• 19 January 2005
  ASIA/INDIA - Catholic men and women religious provide counselling for tsunami victims New Delhi (Fides Service) - The Conference of Catholic Religious Institutes in India intends to form permanent psychological counselling teams. Although the training costs have yet to be estimated, many religious themsel ...
• 19 January 2005
  AFRICA/KENYA - Dominican Community and locals mourn US born missionary Thomas Heath who died of injuries sustained when thugs attacked a religious house in north west Kenya Nairobi (Fides Service) - Yesterday 18 January the Dominican community in Nairobi gathered for the funeral of American born Dominican Father Thomas Richard Heath who died at the age 85 on January 13, in Aga Khan Hospital ...
• 19 January 2005
  VATICAN - “The pain of separation is ever more intensely felt in the face of the challenges of a world waiting for clear and unanimous witness of the Gospel from all believers in Christ” the Pope said at the general audience during this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Vatican City (Fides Service) - During his general weekly audience this morning in the Paul VI Hall in the Vatican, Pope John Paul II reflected on the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity which has just started. “These da ...
• 19 January 2005
  VATICAN - Special ecumenical vespers during this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity at the ancient Basilica built over the tomb of St Paul the apostle of the nations Vatican City (Fides Service) - The annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is held from January 18 to 25 January the feast of the Conversion of St Paul the apostle of the nations. In recent decades in Rome it became a ...
• 19 January 2005
  ASIA/SRI LANKA - International Organisation for Migration treats “invisibile wounds” of tsunami victims in Sri Lanka Colombo(Fides Service) - The International Organisation for Migration has sent a team of experts to Sri Lanka to assess the mental state of the tsunami victims and plan long term assistance in this field. This mission is ...
• 19 January 2005
  AMERICA/PERU - Bishops' Plenary Assembly works on Family Document and Caritas Peru receives award from national parliament for outstanding service to the needy Lima (Fides Service) - The Catholic Bishops of Peru are holding their 85th plenary assembly 18-21 January in Lima. Work on the agenda includes the examination of a draft document on the Family; a review of pastoral acti ...
• 19 January 2005
  ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - Korea’s Catholic University marks 150th anniversary with renewed commitment to educate to respect for life, human rights and the human person Seoul (Fides Service) - On the occasion of its 150th anniversary the Catholic University of Korea renewed its commitment to work on the cultural level to promote respect for human rights, freedom of religion first of all ...
• 19 January 2005
  AFRICA/SUDAN - 10,000 UN peacekeepers to monitor peace in southern Sudan. Khartoum signs agreement with Opposition but peace for Darfur still a long way off Khartoum (Fides Service)- After signing the peace agreement for southern Sudan the government of Khartoum reached a pact with the National Democratic Alliance composed of various Opposition groups mostly of northern Sud ...
• 19 January 2005
  AFRICA/ZIMBABWE - Right of expression and the role of the radio: seminar in Zimbabwe Harare (Fides Service)- The Zimbabwe Association of Community Radio Stations will hold a Seminar to discuss ways to start a Community Radio in Zimbabwe where freedom of expression is seriously threatened, according to th ...
• 19 January 2005
  ASIA/THAILAND - “I was evangelised by the poor”: missionaries work to help fishermen victims of the seaquake Bangkok (Fides Service) - Camillian Father Renato Attrezzi reports on the work of staff from the Camillian Hospital in Bangkok and the San Camillo Hospital di Ratchaburi, helping the tsunami victims who have lost everyt ...
• 19 January 2005
  ASIA - Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Somalia: United Nations High Commission for Refugees steps up commitment in tsunami affected areas Jakarta (Fides Service) - The United Nations High Commission for Refugees is intensifying its intervention in aid of tsunami victims in south east Asia. In Indonesia aid operations continue in Aceh. On January 16 tents ...
• 19 January 2005
  ASIA/HONG KONG - In co-operation with diocesan Caritas offices in various neighbouring countries Caritas Hong Kong collects 1.2 million dollars in aid of tsunami victims Hong Kong (Fides) - In co-operation with diocesan Caritas offices in various neighbouring countries Caritas Hong Kong is supporting several programmes in aid of tsunami victims in particular to help 50,000 homeless famil ...