News

• 10 December 2004
  ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Grateful memory of heroic Father Carlito Colendres who gave his life to save typhoon victims - appeal for aid from Bishop of disaster zone Infanta Manila (Fides Service) - “The words of Christ: ‘There is no greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends’ were exemplified by the heroic act of Father Carlito Colendres who lost his life whi ...
• 9 December 2004
  ASIA/IRAQ - “Iraq’s ancient Christian civilisation is in danger! Centuries of history, culture and peaceful coexistence were destroyed in a few second by ignorant fanatics”: Chaldean monk in Iraq launches appeal to Fides Mosul (Fides Service) - “It only takes a few seconds, a bomb and a criminal act on the part of ignorant fanatics to destroy centuries of history, culture and peaceful coexistence in Iraq. The situation is unbearable. I ...
• 9 December 2004
  ASIA/IRAQ - “They destroyed years of sacrifices made by countless Iraqis” Father Nizar told Fides with regard to the destruction of the Chaldean Archbishop’s residence in Mosul. “We are waiting for the Arab media to condemn the crime …” Mosul (Fides Service) “Despite warnings which we launched through Fides with regard to the situation of Christians in Iraq, extremists continue to attack Christian individuals and institutions ”, Father Nizar Semaan ...
• 9 December 2004
  VATICAN - In his homily on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception the Pope said: “To you, Immaculate Virgin Mary, predestined by God above every other creature to be advocate of grace and model of holiness for His people, today I renew in a special way the entrustment of the entire Church” Vatican City (Fides Service) - “To you, Immaculate Virgin Mary, predestined by God above every other creature to be advocate of grace and model of holiness for His people, today I renew in a special way the entrustment ...
• 9 December 2004
  VATICAN - “The Immaculate Conception, beacon of light for humanity of every epoch, illuminates especially the path of the Church committed to new evangelisation” the Pope said at the Angelus prayer. He also launched an appeal that the “beloved people of Iraq may at last experience times of reconciliation and peace ” Vatican City (Fides Service) - The Pope spoke again in his reflection before the Angelus prayer from his study window at midday about the proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception 150 years ago by Blessed Po ...
• 9 December 2004
  VATICAN - The Pope prays at the feet of the statue of Immaculate Mary in piazza di Spagna: “Immaculate Mary help us to build a world where human life is loved and protected, all form of violence is banned, peace is tenaciously sought after by all” Vatican City(Agenzia Fides) - In the afternoon of 8 December, feast of the Immaculate Conception, Pope John Paul II made his now traditional visit to Piazza di Spagna (for the 27th time) to pay homage to the statue of Im ...
• 9 December 2004
  AFRICA/IVORY COAST - “We are back to where we started” say Fides sources a month after violence in Ivory Coast Abidjan (Fides Service)- “We are back where we started at least apparently. After violence a month ago public order is stable and calm has returned. At the political level we see again the sort of dialogue between the ...
• 9 December 2004
  AMERICA/PERU - United in the struggle against HIV/AIDS, working to build a better world without discrimination is the goal of “Alumbrando una vida” programme at Hogar San Camilo in Lima Lima (Fides Service) - Hogar San Camilo in Lima is a home for HIV+ adults and children opened in 1995 by Father Zeffirino Montin and still directed by him. The essential character of Hogar is to help HIV+ persons to lead ...
• 9 December 2004
  AMERICA/GUATEMALA - National Director of Pontifical Mission Societies confirmed Nazionale Vatican City (Fides Service) - Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples on 30 October 2004, confirmed as National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Guatemala f ...
• 9 December 2004
  AFRICA/CONGO RD - A conflict which costs more than 31,000 lives every month:: Democratic Republic of Congo is living its darkest and bloodiest war Bukavu (Fides Service)-“Tension rises by the hour, even though there is no fighting at the moment in the city and Congolese troops present in strength seem determined to protect Bukavu from any sort of aggression ” ...
• 9 December 2004
  ASIA/INDIA - Attack on a Catholic church in southern India: extremists smash statues and threaten Christians Chennai (Fides Service) - On December 3 extremists broke into St Francis of Assisi church in Mathal, in Kottar diocese, in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. Only today the Indian Bishops Conference informed Fides of the ...
• 9 December 2004
  ASIA/TURKEY - Catechesis charity, ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue: looking back on fervent pastoral year of Catholics in Antioch Antioch (Fides Service) - “The pastoral year 2004 of the Catholic Church in Antioch was marked by four pillars: catechesis, charity, hospitality, dialogue ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue ”, said Franciscan Fr ...
• 9 December 2004
  ASIA/CHINA - “The Immaculate Conception increases our devotion to our heavenly Mother”, Chinese priest told Fides Beijing (Fides Service) - “The Immaculate Conception increases our devotion to our heavenly Mother” a Chinese priest very devoted to Mary told Fides. Wherever he is sent for pastoral work he always builds a little gr ...
• 9 December 2004
  EUROPE/ITALY - Roman doctors on mission in Africa. AFMAL celebrates 25th anniversary with positive results of Mission in Mali: 150 operations in 7 days to restore sight to chronically blind Rome (Fides Service) - 150 eye operations, more than 800 examinations, 2 emergency operations were performed as part of a “Restore Light” humanitarian mission undertaken by Roman doctors members of AFMAL (St John of ...
• 7 December 2004
  ASIA/INDIA - 150th anniversary of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception - “Mary, Model for Christians in India”: from the Shrine of Our Lady of Health at Vailankanni, India Vailankanni (Agenzia Fides) - The Shrine of Our Lady of Health at Vailankanni in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu is one of the most famous Marian shrines in Asia. Here in the 16th century Our Lady appeared to a H ...