Vatican

• 25 February 2004
  VATICAN - The Pope starts Lent by presiding Ash Wednesday Liturgy in St Peter’s: “To be authentic disciples of Christ it is necessary to renounce self, to take up our cross every day and follow Him. This is the difficult path to holiness which every baptised Christian is called to walk.” Vatican City (Fides Service) - At 10.30 this morning, 25 February, Pope John Paul II presided the Ash Wednesday Liturgy in St Peter’s Basilica filled to capacity with pilgrims and visitors from all over the world. In h ...
• 23 February 2004
  VATICAN - The Pope addresses the plenary of the Pontifical Academy for Life: “Ever more emergent the inseparable bond between the procreation of a new person by means of conjugal union... This plan of the Creator is inscribed in the very physical and spiritual nature of man and woman and as such it is universally valid” Vatican City (Fides Service) - On Saturday 21 February Pope John Paul II granted a special audience to participants at a plenary assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life. In his address the Holy Father began by menti ...
• 23 February 2004
  VATICAN - On the feast of the Chair of Peter, at the midday Angelus prayer Sunday 22 February, the Pope reflected on “the singular ministry entrusted by the Lord to the head of the Apostles, to confirm and guide the Church in unity of faith” the special service which “the Bishop of Rome is called to render to the entire Christian people”. Vatican City (Fides Service) - The Feast of the Chair of Peter, 22 February, inspired the Pope to reflect on the ministry of Peter before the recitation of the Angelus prayer with thousands gathered in St Peter’s Squar ...
• 23 February 2004
  AFRICA/UGANDA - Rev. Augustine Lukenge confirmed as Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Uganda Vatican City (Fides Service) - Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples has 28 August 2003, confirmed as National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Uganda, for ...
• 21 February 2004
  VATICAN - “Biblical Notes on Human Procreation”: Cardinal Lozano Barragan, President of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Workers and the Sick addresses the general assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life Vatican City (Fides Service) - “Biblical Notes on Human Procreation” was the title of a paper given on 19 February by Cardinal Lozano Barragan, President of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Wor ...
• 20 February 2004
  VATICAN - Pope John Paul II sends Iranian authorities a message of sympathy after the tragic train accident on 18 February Vatican City (Fides Service) - Pope John Paul II sent a message of condolence to the Iranian authorities after the train accident on 18 February in which hundreds of people lost their lives. In a telegramme, signed on be ...
• 20 February 2004
  VATICAN - “As the years pass the importance of the Pontifical Academy for Life is ever more evident. While progress in bio-medical science offer glimpses of promising prospects for the good of humanity and for the treatment for serious and distressful illnesses, not rarely serious problems arise with regard to respect for human life and the dignity of the human person” the Pope says in a Message to the Pontifical Academy for Life Vatican City (Fides Service) - “With joy I address this Message to you on the commemoration day for the 10th anniversary of the Pontifical Academy for Life. To each of you I renew the expression of my gratitude for the ...
• 19 February 2004
  VATICAN - The Pope announces that Blessed Luigi Orione and five other new Saints will be canonised on May 16 Vatican City (Fides Service) - The Orione family all over the world is rejoicing: during a public Concistory in the Vatican Pope John Paul II announced that Blessed Luigi Orione founder of the Piccola Opera della Divina ...
• 18 February 2004
  VATICAN - Annual General Assembly of the Pontifical Council for Life opens with celebrations to make the 10th anniversary of its institution Vatican City (Fides Service) - Tomorrow, 19 February 2004, the Pontifical Council for Life, established by Pope John Paul II on 11th February 1994, will start its 10th General Assembly with celebrations to mark the 10th ...
• 18 February 2004
  VATICAN - “God passionately desires and ardently longs for our salvation” the Pope said in his Wednesday teaching focused on the ancient hymn of blessing for “the wonders God has worked for us in Christ”: Vatican City (Fides Service) - At his Wednesday Audience on 18 February Pope John Paul II focussed his teaching on a hymn dedicated to ‘God the Saviour’ (cfr Eph 1,3-10): “The splendid hymn of «blessing», which i ...
• 16 February 2004
  VATICAN - The Pope recalls the important cultural and evangelising work of Saints Cyril and Methodius in eastern Europe: “Also in our day may the universal Message of Christ entrusted to the Church be the light of truth and source of justice and peace for peoples of the continent and of the whole world Vatican City (Fides Service) - Addressing the crowds in St Peter’s Square from his window on Sunday 15 February Pope John Paul II reflected on the mission of Saints Cyril and Methodius “apostles of the Slav peoples a ...
• 13 February 2004
  VATICAN - Half a century of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Iran celebrated at the Gregorian University in Rome Vatican City (Fides Service) - The 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and the Islamic Republic of Iran was celebrated on 12 February in Rome with a Seminar “Iran and the ...
• 13 February 2004
  VATICAN - Cardinal Lozano Barragan, President of the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Care of Health Workers and the Sick, speaks about costs of drug therapy Vatican City (Fides Service) - On his return from Lourdes where as the Pope’s special envoy he presided the main celebrations for the 12th World Day of the Sick, Cardinal Lozano Barragan President of the Pontifical Cou ...
• 12 February 2004
  VATICAN - In St Peter’s the Pope meets and blesses the sick: “As we look at Mary our heart opens to hope…Immaculate Mary is the wonderful sign of the victory of life over death, love over sin, salvation over all sickness of body or soul ”. Vatican City (Fides Service) - “Once again St Peter’s Basilica throws open its doors to the sick: to you who are present and ideally to sick persons all over the world. With deep affection dearest sick people I greet ...
• 12 February 2004
  VATICAN - The Pope’s Wednesday Audience teaching: “To a simply human vision, pain and sickness may appear to be absurd realities: but if we let ourselves be illuminated by the light of the Gospel we are able to grasp their profound salvific significance”. Vatican City (Fides Service) - Pope John Paul II dedicated his teaching during the Wednesday Audience on 11 February to the mystery of the sick and the suffering. In fact it was the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and for ...