News

• 16 December 2004
  VATICAN - Papal Message for World Peace Day 2005: “peace is the outcome of a long and demanding battle which is only won when evil is defeated by good”. The Pope refers to some of the many delicate problems which are obstacles to Africa’s development Vatican City (Fides Service) - “If we consider the tragic scenario of violent fratricidal conflicts in different parts of the world, and the untold sufferings and injustices to which they have given rise, the only trul ...
• 16 December 2004
  AFRICA/SUDAN - Another cease fire agreement reached for Darfur: but will it be respected? Khartoum (Fides Service)- There is new hope for peace in the martyred western Sudan region of Darfur after Khartoum agreed yesterday 15 December to cease military operations in the region, paving the way for a resuming o ...
• 16 December 2004
  OCEANIA/AUSTRALIA - Christmas of solidarity: Catholic schools help refugee children from Sudan Sydney (Fides Service) - Australia’s Catholic schools are organising scholarships and teachers training courses for refugee children and adults from Sudan where thousands are dying of hardship, hunger and disease cause ...
• 16 December 2004
  ASIA/HONG KONG - Filipino immigrants celebrate Year of the Eucharist with a pilgrimage to the site of Hong Kong's first Catholic village Hong Kong (Fides Service) - Among many different initiatives organised for the Year of the Eucharist, the Philippines community of immigrants in Hong Kong recently took part in a pilgrimage arranged by Caritas Hong Kong ...
• 15 December 2004
  VATICAN - The Pope presides annual Mass for university students in preparation for Christmas: “It is possible to discover the whole truth about mankind, the truth about ourselves only through the loving eyes of Christ ” Vatican City (Fides Service) - “You, dear university students are continually searching for the truth. But the truth about mankind cannot be reached only with the means offered by science in its diverse disciplines. Yo ...
• 15 December 2004
  ASIA/INDIA - Christmas of prayer and devotion in Goa, where crowds of pilgrims continue to flock to venerate the relics of St Francis Xavier Goa ( Fides Service) - “Christmas 2004 in Goa will be one of devotion and prayer. Celebrating the mystery of the Incarnation, thousands of pilgrims will demonstrate the place of honour which St Francis Xavier has in th ...
• 15 December 2004
  ASIA/CHINA - “People are free to make an offering as they wish during the Christmas Mass”: parish priest at Nang Tang Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Beijing clarifies misunderstanding Beijing (Fides Service) - People will not have to pay to enter Nan Tang Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Beijing for Christmas Mass. The parish priest said there had been a misunderstanding and that recent media allega ...
• 15 December 2004
  VATICAN - The Pope teaches on Psalm 71 during his weekly audience: “the decisive element to recognise the figure of the Messiah King is above all justice and love for the poor” Vatican City (Fides Service) - This morning, 15 December the Pope held his Wednesday audience in two stages, first in St Peter’s where he received students and other young people from different regions of Italy and the ...
• 15 December 2004
  AFRICA/CHAD - “All is not lost. We are a people of hope and we see signs of a new dawn appearing” the Catholic Bishops of Chad write in a Message for Christmas N’Djamena ( Fides Service)- “God loves this land of Chad and shows his love through the rich natural resources given to the country: rivers and abundant fish, land and a great variety of fruits, pastures and animals, ...
• 15 December 2004
  AFRICA - Congo, Burundi, Uganda: three Great Lakes region countries in crisis Rome - (Fides Service)- Three countries in Africa’s Great Lakes region are in the grip of crisis: Democratic Congo, Burundi and Uganda. East Congo has once again been plunged into fear and violence with the arrival of ...
• 15 December 2004
  ASIA/MYANMAR - Human rights violated, ethnic minorities persecuted: no change in Burma, says ‘Christian Solidarity Worldwide’ Yangon (Fides Service) - “Burmese ethnic minority refugees camped on the border with Thailand are living a serious humanitarian crisis” says London based Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) organisation which keeps ...
• 14 December 2004
  AFRICA/TUNISIA - St. Augustine African and Universal: Tunis hosts important exhibition on the Bishop of Hippo Tunis (Fides Service ) - On the occasion of the 1650th anniversary of the birth of St Augustine of Hippo, St Louis Catholic Basilica in Tunis will host an Exhibition on the famous 4th century Bishop of Hippo from 15 Dece ...
• 14 December 2004
  Lintner, Fink, Comina - DUE MONDI UNA VITA (Two Worlds One Life) - Luis Lintner. fidei donum priest and martyr - Ed. EMI Rome (Fides Service) - On 16 May 2002 Father Luis Lintner was shot dead at the corner of the road where he lived in Salvador Bahia. He had been in Brazil as a Fidei donum priest sent by his local Church of Bolzen Brixen ...
• 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 ...