News

• 21 July 2005
  OCEANIA/AUSTRALIA - Muslim-Christian dialogue in Australia: prejudice and sterotypes must be put aside says Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne Melbourne (Agenzia Fides) - Following the terrorist attacks in London, Bishop Christopher Prowse Auxiliary of Melbourne stressed the need to build good relations and bonds of friendship between Christian and Muslim commu ...
• 21 July 2005
  AMERICA/CANADA - Canada is the fourth country to legaliste same sex “mmarriage” but the country’s Catholic Bishops say the question is not closed: “the fundamental and universal reality of marriage remains the exclusive union of a man and a woman for life” Ottawa (Fides Service) - On 20 July the Canadian Senate approved Bill C-38 to redefine marriage, recognising same-sex unions as marriages with 47 votes in favour, 21 against and 3 abstensions. Canada is the fourth countr ...
• 21 July 2005
  AFRICA/MALAWI - Save the Children promotes programmes for health and education involving two million people Rome (Fides Service) - Save the Children organisation has launched programmes in Malawi to improve healthcare and education mainly by involvement of local communities. Save the Children has operated in Malawi since 1983 ...
• 20 July 2005
  ASIA/INDIA - New Rector appointed for Khristo Jyoti Mohavidyaloyo inter-diocesan seminary at Sambalpur Vatican City (Fides Service) - Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples on 17 June 2005 appointed Rector of Khristo Jyoti Mohavidyaloyo inter-diocesan seminary in Sambalpur ...
• 20 July 2005
  ASIA/SRI LANKA - Catholic church in diocese of Anuradhapura sacked and torched - Buddhist fundamentalist extremists cause rising tension and concern Colombo (Fides Service) - A Catholic church in the diocese of Anuradhapura centre north Sri Lanka has been sacked and set on fire by a group of masked extremists. Fides only just received the news of the incident which h ...
• 20 July 2005
  EUROPA/SPAIN - Spain will send about 50,000 young people and 47 Bishops to World Youth Day celebrations in Germany: from 15 August see WYD pilgrim’s diary on Spanish Bishops’ Conference official web site Madrid (Fides Service) - The Commission for Lay Apostolate of the Spanish Bishops Conference estimates that about 50,000 young people will travel from Spain to Cologne in Germany to take part in the 20th World Youth day ...
• 20 July 2005
  AFRICA/ANGOLA - An outbreak of Marburg virus in which over over 300 people died appears to be slowing down Rome (Fides Service) - From Africa, continually afflicted by lethal pandemics, comes good news at last. The recent outbreak of Marburg virus in which over 300 people have died may be slowing down. The United Nations W ...
• 20 July 2005
  AFRICA/MOZAMBIQUE - Presentation in Mozambique of two new programmes to fight AIDS Rome (Fides Service) - On Sunday 17 July in Mozambique, on the first lap of a visit to six African countries by former US president Bill Clinton to promote the fight against the most devastating epidemic on the continent ...
• 20 July 2005
  VATICAN - Released today official programme of Pope Benedict XVI’s apostolic journey to Germany for the 20th World Youth Day Vatican City (Fides Service) - The programme of Pope Benedict XVI’s four day apostolic journey 18 to 21 August, to Cologne in Germany for the 20th World Youth Day was released today at the Holy See press office. The Po ...
• 20 July 2005
  AFRICA/KENYA - Thousands attend funeral of assassinated Italian missionary Bishop. “There is no need to preach because the life of Bishop Locati speaks for itself ” says apostolic administrator at the funeral homily Nairobi (Fides Service)- “There is no need to preach because the life of Bishop Locati speaks for itself” said Mgr John Ngue, Amministratore Apostolic administrator of Isiolo (north-east Kenya) in his homily during t ...
• 20 July 2005
  AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - “Centre of missionary documentation and training for all Africa one important fruit of last year’s Missiology Congress” Bishop of Mbujimaiyi tells Fides Kinshasa (Fides Service)- “One of the most important indications which emerged from last year’s Missiology Congress was decision to build in Kinshasa an all Africa Centre for Missionary Documentation and Training Kin ...
• 20 July 2005
  AFRICA/NIGER - “Hope is slowly returning in the hearts of the people and we thank the Holy Father for sending money to help feed the hungry here in Niger” the Archbishop of Niamey tells Fides Niamey (Fides)- "I wish to thank the Holy Father for sending through Cor Unum a considerable sum money to help our people suffering the consequences of severe drought here in Niger” said Archbishop Michel Christian Car ...
• 20 July 2005
  ASIA/SRI LANKA - This is the first attack on a church in Anuradhapura diocese. “We refuse to be trapped in the spiral of violence. Christians are for peace and harmony” the Bishop told Fides Anuradhapura (Fides Service) - It was Holy Cross church in Pulasthigama, diocese Anuradhapura which was sacked and burned to the gound on Saturday 16 July the local Bishop Norbert Andradi told Fides, adding that this unp ...
• 20 July 2005
  AMERICA/CANADA - Bill C-38 to redefine marriage, recognising same-sex unions as marriages will divide the country, change the nature of marriage, have harmful effect on children and endanger freedom of conscience and religion: Catholic Bishops present Brief to Canadian Senate Ottawa (Fides Service) - With regard to Bill C-38 to redefine marriage, recognising same-sex unions as marriages on July 13 two witnesses representing the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) Cardinal Marc Ouel ...
• 20 July 2005
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - Growing extremism in the Muslim majority in Pakistan: growing fear in Christian minority Lahore (Fides Service) - The July 7 terrorist attacks in London brought religious fundamentalism in Pakistan once again to the attention of international media. The government of Paksitan promised to exert stricter contr ...