News

• 14 December 2004
  ASIA/SRI LANKA - Support peace and reconciliation after twenty years of war: Caritas starts new programmes Colombo (Fides Service) - Support efforts of peace and reconciliation in a country devastated by twenty years of civil war; educate youth the have confidence in the future, spirit of initiative, a peaceful attitude towar ...
• 14 December 2004
  ASIA/INDIA - Park Street in central Calcutta named after Mother Teresa: Christian witness makes its mark in the civil community Calcutta (Fides Service) - “We are thrilled and deeply moved for this act of recognition of the extraordinary mark Mother Teresa left on Indian society though her service to the poorest of the poor” Father Babu Josep ...
• 14 December 2004
  EUROPE/SWITZERLAND - HIV/AIDS treatment and assistance must be free for all patients in developing countries: public health experts, economists and NGOs appeal for donors Rome (Fides Service) - An alliance of experts, institutions and NGOs will present the “Free by Five” declaration today to the World Ban, World Health Organisation WHO, and , UNAIDS and other organisations involved in ...
• 14 December 2004
  ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - Jesuits mark fifty years at the service of the people of Korea offering valid education Seoul (Fides Service) - The Society of Jesus in Korea is preparing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its service in Korea in 2005 with academic acts, seminars as well as spiritual initiatives and liturgical celebratio ...
• 14 December 2004
  EUROPE/PORTUGAL - Final preparations in Lisbon to accommodate 50,000 young participants for the 27th European Meeting promoted by the Taizé Community: an important lap on the journey towards International Congress on New Evangelisation in 2005 Lisbon (Fides Service) - While engaged in intense preparations for the International Congress on New Evangelisation scheduled for November 2005 in Lisbon, the Church in Portugal is almost ready to welcome about 50,000 yo ...
• 14 December 2004
  EUROPE/GERMANY - The Church in Germany organises solidarity for victims of armed conflict in Colombia: Catholic Bishops of Germany launch Advent Campaign in aid of Colombia Aachen (Fides Service) - The Conference of German Catholic Bishops has launched an Advent/Christmas Solidarity Campaign for Churches in Latin America. This year’s collection of funds will go to help victims of the arme ...
• 14 December 2004
  EUROPE/ITALY - With the first Turkish edition, the Children’s Bible “God speaks to his Children”, reaches 141 languages and over 40 million copies diffused Rome (Fides Service) - With a first edition of 15,000 copies Turkish in these days becomes one of 141 languages in which, since 1978 “Aid to the Church in Need” has translated “God speaks to his Children”, a co ...
• 14 December 2004
  AFRICA/SUDAN - “I think the peace agreement for southern Sudan will be postponed to January or February next year” Bishop Gassis of El Obeid told Fides Khartoum (Fides Service)- “I think the peace agreement for southern Sudan will be postponed to January or February next year” Bishop Gassis of El Obeid told Fides. “In fact the status of the Blue Nile and Nuba Mou ...
• 14 December 2004
  EUROPE/ITALY - Past, present and future to celebrate birthday with solidarity. Silver wedding for AFMAL (St John of God Brothers Association for Distant Sick) Rome (Fides Service) - For 25 years at the service of the sick and the poor: AFMAL marks this year its silver wedding with solidarity today 14 December at the Pontifical Urban University . Sanitary emergency, humanita ...
• 14 December 2004
  AFRICA/IVORY COAST - Hidden tragedy in Ivory Coast: in the past month more than 5,000 people have been chased from their homes. Catholic village chief among those killed Abidjan (Fides Service)- “Such violence against civilians has never been seen in two years of crisis. Rebels are breaking into homes, smashing doors, injuring helpless people, robbing everything” a local source in B ...
• 13 December 2004
  VATICAN - The Pope’s reflection at the Angelus prayer: “A Nativity Scene is a familiar and expressive representation of Christmas. It is an element of Christian culture and art but above all a sign of faith in God who came ‘to dwell among us’ in Bethlehem” Vatican City (Fides Service) - Yesterday, 3rd Sunday of Advent, at the Angelus prayer Pope John Paul II blessed statues of Baby Jesus which children had brought for the occasion and he spoke of Nativity Scenes at home an ...
• 13 December 2004
  EUROPA/SWITZERLAND - UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) needs 1.100 million dollars for its work in 2005 Rome (Fides Service) - The United Nations High Commission for Refugees cares for 17 million people in various countries and situations: 9.7 million are refugees, 1 million have been repatriated, others are asylum seekers ...
• 13 December 2004
  ASIA/IRAQ - “At Christmas no festivities but much prayer” says Chaldean Archbishop of Kerkuk -massage for peace in Iraq from Christian leaders Kerkuk (Fides Service) - It will be a Christmas of prayer for Christians in the northern Iraqi city of Kerkuk. There will be no public festivities among Chaldean Catholics concerned for increasing fundamental violence a ...
• 13 December 2004
  AMERICA/BRAZIL - “We urge everyone to cultivate a culture of life, not death. Contempt for life always leads to escalation of violence, insecurity, poverty and hunger”. Catholic Bishops respond to Federal Government’s decision to revise the law on abortion Brasilia (Fides Service) - “The revision of the Abortion Law” was the title of a message issued on 9 December by the Catholic Bishops of Brazil, signed by Cardinal Geraldo Majella Agnelo, Archbishop of São Salvador ...
• 13 December 2004
  AMERICA/VENEZUELA - Where is mission in Venezuela directed? National Assembly of Pontifical Mission Societies focuses look at progress made and plans for the future Caracas (Fides Service) - Progress made by diocesan and national offices of the 4 Pontifical Mission Societies and offices for Youth Mission and mission animation plans in 2005 was the theme for discussion at the 30th a ...