News

• 5 April 2005
  EUROPE/ITALY - Bishop Javier Echevarría (Opus Dei): the Most Holy Trinity has certainly flung the gates of paradise open wide for John Paul II Rome (Fides Service) - “We can be certain that the Most Holy Trinity has flung open the gates of paradise for him, in reward for his constant zeal for souls, his perseverance in urging men and women to open the doors ...
• 5 April 2005
  EUROPE/ITALY - Italian Franciscan Youth: we thank God for John Paul’s testimony and his example which remain to illuminate our path Rome (Fides Service) - John Paul II, a Pope for young people, a man of suffering, a true witness of Jesus Christ, has left this earthly life to be with God in heaven and now it is our turn to live his witness, to share w ...
• 5 April 2005
  EUROPE/ITALY - Salvatore Martinez, Italian national coordinator of Renewal in the Spirit : John Paul II our ‘special friend’ Rome (Fides Service) - With his extraordinary charismatic dynamism John Paul was a “special friend” of Renewal in the Spirit, which he recognised as “special initiative of the Holy Spirit for our day”. He won a p ...
• 5 April 2005
  AFRICA/UGANDA - “The news of the Pope’s death arrived just a few hours after an attack by the Lord’s Resistance Army” a missionary in North Uganda told Fides Kitgum (Fides Service)- “I have just said Mass for the Pope with local school children, about 3,000 of them. They took part with great attention and interest ” Augustinian missionary Father Tarcisio Agostoni, in Kitg ...
• 5 April 2005
  AFRICA/SENEGAL - “Young Catholics in Senegal promise to shoulder their responsibilities as baptised Christians following the example of John Paul II” said a missionary in Senegal Abidjan (Fides Service)- “I am in the car travelling back from a visit to eastern Senegal 400 km from Abidjan where I met many young people deeply upset by the news of the death of the Pope” said Italian missionary F ...
• 5 April 2005
  AFRICA/LIBERIA - On Friday 8 April in Monrovia a requiem Mass for the Pope will coincide with the funeral Mass in St Peter’s in Rome Monrovia (Fides Service)- “Yesterday in Monrovia we celebrated a solemn Mass for the Holy Father. It was an official service attended by representatives of the United Nations and other leading personalities, as well a ...
• 5 April 2005
  ASIA/CHINA - “Why are you crying? Our great father has gone to heaven” Beijing (Fides Service) - Catholic boys and girls in China are using the Internet to exchange messages and share their love for Pope John Paul II via a web site http://www.shangzhi.org/mdata/index.asp. In a message signe ...
• 5 April 2005
  ASIA/CHINA - Mourning Chinese Catholics attended early Masses for the Pope in every chapel and church in Beijing: “Mission continues” Beijing (Fides Service) - “Although he never made the longed desired journey to China, John Paul II is already working miracles in this country. Like the seed which dies and bears fruit the Holy Father’s mission in C ...
• 5 April 2005
  ASIA/CHINA - More than 60 priests concelebrate Mass for the Pope attended by about 100 seminarians and thousands of people. The parish priest recalls the Pope’s love and concern for China and Chinese Catholics’ sense of communion with the Pope Beijing (Fides Service) - According to the official Catholic bulletin published in Beijing which bore a large coloured photograph of Pope John Paul II, at least 2000 people including about 50 foreigners, mainly Poles, to ...
• 5 April 2005
  ASIA/CHINA - Security Council chairman, Chinese Ambassador to the UN, leads minute of silence in honour of the Pope describing the late Pontiff as a “tireless promoter of peace and a pioneer of inter-religious dialogue” Beijing (Fides Service) - “Pope John Paul II was a tireless promoter of peace and a pioneer of inter-religious dialogue” the Chinese ambassador to the United Nations Wang Guang Ya, presently chairman of the UN Secur ...
• 5 April 2005
  ASIA/INDIA - Bangalore diocese will dedicate Eucharistic Congress to the Pope, a man of the Eucharist Bangalore (Fides Service) -Bangalore diocese in the south eastern state of Karnataka has decided to dedicate its diocesan Eucharistic Congress 29 April 1 May to the memory of Pope John Paul II. About 5,000 people mainly ...
• 5 April 2005
  AMERICA/GUATEMALA - “In love the salvific meaning of suffering is completely accomplished and reaches its definitive dimension”, National Commission for health pastoral in Guatemala remembers the Pope Guatemala (Fides Service) - Ninety five percent of Guatemala’s population of 13 million are Catholics and they are mourning Pope John Paul II, who “illuminated our commitment of health pastoral and will continue to d ...
• 5 April 2005
  EUROPE/ITALY - “Continual catechesis for our life”. St John of God Brothers particularly close to the figure of the Holy Father Rome (Fides Service) - Father Pascal Piles, Superior general of the Hospitaller Brothers of St John of God is about to go to Mozambique and Senegal. He sent us a comment on the figure of Pope John Paul in the world of t ...
• 5 April 2005
  ASIA/IRAQ - Syrian Catholic Bishop of Baghdad: “In our heart we are with Rome”. Iraqi Premier: “A man who sided with the poor” Baghdad (Fides Service) - Syrian Catholic Bishop Matti Shaba Matoka of Baghdad gave the following statement to Fides: “Geographically we are at some distance from Rome but in our heart and in our prayers we are close. ...
• 5 April 2005
  ASIA/HONG KONG - Catholic Bishops’ publish obituary tributes for John Paul II, a Shepherd with a deep love for China Hong Kong (Fides Service) - The Kong Ko Bao bulletin of the Catholic diocese of Hong Kong published obituary tributes for John Paul II written by the Bishop Joseph Zen and Auxiliary Bishop John Tong Hon. Bishop Zen wrote ...