News

• 7 January 2004
  AFRICA/BURUNDI - IN BURUNDI PENDULUM OF WAR SWINGS DANGEROUSLY HIGH. NUNCIO’S KILLERS WERE PROFESSIONALS. TELLTALE SIGNS ON AMBUSHED CAR Bujumbura (Fides Service) - The situation in Burundi is still one of insecurity despite the announcement on 5 January that the FNL National Liberation Front rebels were ready to meet President Domitien Ndayizeye to start ...
• 7 January 2004
  AFRICA/IVORY COAST - REBEL MINISTERS AGREE TO SIT WITH GOVERNMENT DESPITE FEAR THAT REFERENDUM WILL ENABLE PRESIDENT TO QUASH NEW LAWS WITHOUT PARLIAMENT’S CONSENT. GROWING CONCERN AMONG DESCENDANTS OF NON NATIONALS Abidjan (Fides Service)- “The rebels decision to take their seats with other ministers of the national unity government is certainly a good sign and let’s hope it gives a push to the peace process which stalled some ...
• 7 January 2004
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - BISHOPS’ CONFERENCE PRESIDENT APPLAUDS INDIA AND PAKISTAN FOR NEW RELATIONS IN NEW MILLENNIUM URGING GOVERNMENTS TO UNITE TO FIGHT POVERTY AND REDUCE MILITARY SPENDING: FULL SUPPORT FOR PRESIDENT MUSHARRAF Lahore (Fides Service) – “We are very pleased and welcome with joy the news of the governments’ decision to resume talks. We hope with all our heart that these talks will mark the start of a new era in relations be ...
• 5 January 2004
  VATICAN - 6 JANUARY 2004 MISSIONARY CHILDHOOD DAY FIDES DOSSIER:INFANCY BETRAYED, ABUSED, HUMILIATED ALL OVER THE WORLD Vatican City (Fides Service) – January 6th is World Day of Missionary Childhood for the Catholic Church. In local Churches on every continent children will take part in special initiatives organised by the local Pontif ...
• 5 January 2004
  VATICAN - HEALTH IS A RIGHT DENIED TO MANY AND A CHALLENGE FOR EVANGELISATION. EVERY MISSION HAS ITS BASIC HEALTH CARE CENTRE: FIDES DOSSIER ON CATHOLIC HEALTH CARE Vatican City (Fides Service) – The dossier prepared by Fides wishes to offer readers a picture of the health situation in mission countries where conditions are difficult or tragic. It is precisely in mission territo ...
• 5 January 2004
  VATICAN - ON FIDES WEB SITE POPE JOHN PAUL II’s MESSAGE FOR WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR PEACE NOW AVAILABLE IN CHINESE Vatican City (Fides Service) – To enable Catholics in mainland China, Taiwan and many overseas communities to read in their own language, Pope John Paul II’s 2004 message for World day of Prayer for Peace celebrated ...
• 2 January 2004
  AFRICA/BURUNDI - APOSTOLIC NUNCIO MURDERED BECAUSE HE WAS WORKING FOR PEACE IN BURUNDI Bujumbura (Fides Service )- New details have emerged with regard to the murder of Archbishop Michael Aidan Courtney, Apostolic Nuncio in Burundi, on 29 December in an ambush at 50 km from the capital, Bujumbura. “The A ...
• 30 December 2003
  VATICAN - CONGREGATION FOR THE EVANGELISATION OF PEOPLES EXPRESSES PROFOUND GRIEF FOR THE MURDER OF ARCHBISHOP COURTNEY, NUNCIO IN BURUNDI Vatican City (Fides Service) – The Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples CEP learned with profound grief of the death of Archbishop Michael Aidan Courtney, Apostolic Nuncio in Burundi, aged 58, mortally wounde ...
• 30 December 2003
  VATICAN - CARDINAL TONINI SHARES WITH FIDES PART OF LAST LETTER RECEIVED FROM MURDERED ARCHBISHOP COURTNEY, NUNCIO IN BURUNDI, WHO WAS HOPEFUL FOR A SOLUTION TO THE TRAGEDY OF THAT PEOPLE Vatican City (Fides Service ) – Cardinal Ersilio Tonini, Archbishop emeritus of Ravenna-Cervia, was in close contact with Archbishop Michael Aidan Courtney Apostolic Nuncio in Burundi, murdered in Burundi on 29 Decembe ...
• 30 December 2003
  MARTYROLOGY 2003 Vatican City (Fides Service) - According to information collected by Fides, during 2003 no less than 29 members of the Church including an Archbishop, priests, religious and lay people, lost their lives while proclaiming ...
• 30 December 2003
  VATICAN - BUILDING PEACE IN THE NAME OF CHRIST THE CHURCH’S MISSIONARIES AND DIPLOMATS LABOUR AT EVERY LEVEL Vatican (Fides Service) – The name of Archbishop Michael Aidan Courtney, Nuncio in Burundi, is the last on the list for 2003 men and women martyrs for the Cause of the Gospel in many different parts of the world faithf ...
• 29 December 2003
  POPE JOHN PAUL II FOR JANUARY 2004: “THAT EVERY MISSION CHURCH MAY ENGAGE ITSELF IN THE TRAINING OF APOSTOLIC PERSONNEL”.Comment by Archbishop Robert Sarah, Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples . Vatican City (Fides Service) – “In all areas of Church life formation is of primary importance. People who have never had the chance to learn cannot really know the truths of faith, nor can they perform actions which ...
• 29 December 2003
  ASIA/BANGLADESH – MYMENSINGH DIOCESE, REV. PAUL PONEN KUBI APPOINTED AUXILIARY Vatican City (Fides Service) – The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, has, 12 December 2003, appointed Auxiliary of the diocese of Mymensingh (Bangladesh) Reverend Father Paul Ponen Kubi, C.S.C., Vice-Provincial of the Co ...
• 29 December 2003
  VATICAN - AT THE ANGELUS PRAYER ON HOLY FAMILY SUNDAY, THE POPE RECALLS THE “IMPORTANCE OF THE FAMILY BASED ON MATRIMONY” AND HE CALLS ON THE WORLD TO HELP EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS IN IRAN Vatican City (Fides Service ) – At midday on Sunday 28 December – Feast of the Holy Family of Nazareth - Pope John Paul II appeared at his study window to pray with the crowds and impart his blessing on several thous ...
• 29 December 2003
  AFRICA/CAMEROON - GERMAN CLARETIAN MISSIONARY FOUND MURDERED ON CHRISTMAS EVE Yaounde (Fides Service) – On Christmas Eve German Claretian missionary, Father Anton Probst, was found dead at the Claretian Novitiate at Akono about 60 kilometres south of the capital Yaounde. The body of the priest, ...