News

• 13 December 2004
  AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - More violence in North Kivu threatens whole area. Christian Churches in Goma launch appeal: “No to a spirit of division and tribal rivalry, yes to peace and mutual acceptance” Bukavu (Fides Service)- Hundreds perhaps thousands are fleeing the area of Kanyabayonga 160km north of Goma in North Kivu where violent fighting broke out yesterday. “The fighting is between RCD rebels and regular army ...
• 13 December 2004
  AFRICA/SUDAN - Talks for peace in Darfur resumed but the situation in the region is still critical Rome (Fides Service)- Fresh diplomatic efforts are being undertaken to solve the tragic crisis in Sudan’s western region of Darfur. In effect Sudanese government and rebels operating in Darfur resumed talks on Friday 1 ...
• 13 December 2004
  AFRICA/UGANDA - A Christmas with hope for peace in northern Uganda: “but more than one million people are in conditions of extreme poverty” a local missionary told Fides Gulu (Fides Service)-“This Christmas will be different because the peace talks with rebels have given rise to new hope for the future” local sources in Gulu, main town of Gulu region in northern Uganda, devastated by ...
• 13 December 2004
  ASIA/MALAYSIA - International AID agencies and volunteers assist refugees from Myanmar and Indonesia Kuala Lumpur (Fides Service) - Thousands of refugees, mainly members of ethnic minority groups fleeing persecution in Myanmar and people fleeing secessionist war in Aceh the Indonesian province of north Sumatra, are livi ...
• 13 December 2004
  EUROPE/ITALY - 25 years after his death Father Lombardi’s programme is still valid: to bring the Gospel message to all people so that everyone will rise up and rediscover his or her role in the Church and in society Rome (Fides Service) - Twenty five years ago on 14 December, 1979, at Rocca di Papa, (Rome) Jesuit Father Riccardo Lombardi protagonist of one of the most intense pages in the history of the Church in the 20th century pa ...
• 10 December 2004
  VATICAN - “There is a need for dialogue between people of different cultures in a context of pluralism that goes beyond mere tolerance ”: Papal Message for 91st World Migrants Day Vatican City (Fides Service) - “Contact with others leads to discovering their "secret", to being open to them in order to welcome their valid aspects and thus contribute to knowing each one better. This is a lengthy p ...
• 10 December 2004
  "Venite adoremus": Christmas exhibition of Nativity Pictures from Dürer to Tiepolo opens today Rome (Fides Service) - "Venite adoremus" is the title of a Christmas exhibition of Nativity Pictures from Dürer to Tiepolo which opens today and can be visited until 9 January 2005 at the hall of representation of the ...
• 10 December 2004
  EUROPE/PORTUGAL - The Church in Portugal entrusts Immaculate Mary with its City Mission in preparation for an International Congress for New Evangelisation to be held in Lisbon in November 2005 Lisbon (Fides Service) - “Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, the Christian people of this city kneel at your feet and proclaim you Queen of Lisbon and Queen of New Evangelisation. We consecrate ourselves to you, en ...
• 10 December 2004
  AFRICA/LIBERIA - More Ivorians in Liberia have repatriated. Monrovia (Fides Service)- The United Nations High Commission for Refugees UNHCR has started a two day operation in north eastern Liberia to assess the actual number of Ivorian refugees in the area. In a report sent to F ...
• 10 December 2004
  ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - National Caritas Day in Korea December 12: “To God through love of neighbour” Seoul (Fides Service) - In a message for National Caritas Day in Korea, 12 December, Bishop Lazzaro You Heung-sik, coadjutor Bishop of Daejeon, President of the Bishops’ Caritas Commission told Catholics that for every ...
• 10 December 2004
  AMERICA/ECUADOR - Bishops Conference denounce forced interpretations of constitutional norms which threaten to plunge the nation into anarchy or dictatorship Quito (Fides Service) - In a statement “For the Constitution and the Nation” dated 9 December 2004, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Ecuador CEE voiced deep concern for “forced interpretations of constitution ...
• 10 December 2004
  AMERICA/PERU - With a series of crowded events of faith and devotion the Peruvian capital celebrated the 150th anniversary of the definition of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception within the framework of the Great City Mission “Remar Mar Adentro” Lima (Fides Service) - About 12,000 people in Lima paid homage to the Blessed Virgin Mary on the 150th anniversary of the definition of the dogma on her Immaculate Conception. We mention only a few of many initiatives or ...
• 10 December 2004
  AMERICA/BRAZIL - “Foster adult faith, witnessed with attitudes and actions consistent with personal conversion and social transformation as demanded by the Gospel ”: one objective of a National Advent Evangelisation Campaign in Brazil Brasilia (Fides Service) - “Our campaign of evangelisation opens the way to channelling solidarity on the part of all Catholics to support the mission of the Church in Brazil ” Bishop Odile Pedro Scherer, Secretary ...
• 10 December 2004
  AFRICA/RWANDA - Bishop of Kabgayi resigns Vatican City (Fides Service) - On 10 December 2004, the Holy Father Pope John Paul II accepted the renunciation of the pastoral government of the diocese of Kabgayi (Rwanda), presented by Bishop Anastase Mutabazi, in con ...
• 10 December 2004
  ASIA/IRAQ - “Cost of living” in Europe and Iraq: in constant danger Christians in Baghdad and Mosulwill spend Christmas behind barred doors Baghdad (Fides Service) - Despite an ever higher cost of living in Europe Christmas shopping and present hunting is in full swing while in the Iraqi cities of Baghdad and Mosul the cost of living is another matter and Ch ...