News

• 11 May 2004
  VATICAN - Sylvester II Pope, Scientist and Homo Europeus: Day of Study to close 1000th anniversary of the death of a man who saw with a prophetic spirit the importance of Europe extended eastwards and soundly established on its Christian roots Vatican City (Fides) - To commemorate the outstanding figure of Gerbert d’Aurillac: scientist, musicologist, great teacher and first French Pope elected to the papacy in 999 taking the name of Sylvester II, the Pontifi ...
• 11 May 2004
  ASIA/INDIA - With education and development programmes Catholic missionaries help Tribals in under-developed communities become recognised citizens with full social and civil rights Raipur (Fides Service) - Before the arrival of Catholic missionaries tribal children in the area of Raipur, in the central Indian state of Chattisgarh, had never been to school, their families were hunters and ancient c ...
• 11 May 2004
  ASIA/TAIWAN - Spring Assembly of the Chinese Regional Bishops’ Conference re-elects members of commissions and outlines commitment for evangelisation ChaiYi (Fides Service) - During their Spring assembly held 12 to 16 April in ChaiYi the members of the Chinese Regional Bishops’ Conference discussed new initiatives for evangelisation and the work of their different C ...
• 11 May 2004
  OCEANIA/NEW ZEALAND - “Honest and constructive debate to settle differences between Maori and Pakeha (people of European origin) ”: Bishop Peter Cullinane, president of Catholic Bishops’ Conference Wellington (Fides Service) - “Maori have a deep need to know that the guarantee given them in Article 2 of the Treaty still holds. And Pakeha (people of European origin Fides) need to know that at the end of the day th ...
• 11 May 2004
  AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - Democratic Republic of Congo still the focus of regional interests. An analysis Kinshasa (Fides Service) -“We can say with reasonable prudence that Rwanda has not stopped its policy of interfering with Democratic Congo RDC” Italian Xaverian mission Loris Cattani, with years of experience in Cong ...
• 10 May 2004
  VATICAN - During his reflection at the midday Regina Cæli prayer the Pope encouraged those present to pray to Mary support of Christians and the whole world: “Since Christ loves with inexhaustible love” so too the immaculate heart of his Mother Mary has “the inexhaustibility of a mother ”. Vatican City (Fides Service) - The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God was the centre of Pope John Paul II’s midday reflection before the “Regina Cæli” prayer Sunday May 9. “During the month of May the People of ...
• 10 May 2004
  VATICAN/CANONISATION 16 MAY - Don Luigi Orione (1872-1940): “father of the poor and benefactor of the abandoned " Vatican City (Fides Service) - Luigi Orione was born at Pontecurone (AL), 23 June 1872, of humble parents. While still only a seminarian at the age of 20 he showed concern for poor children and opened a college for them ...
• 10 May 2004
  VATICAN - Mission is a challenge which draws young people today: General Assembly of the Pontifical Mission Societies examines proposal to create a universal Missionary Youth Movement. Rome (Fides Service) - At the meeting of the General Assembly of the Pontifical Mission Societies, on Saturday 9 May, Father Hermann Shaluck, National Director of the PMS in Germany, and Rev. Giuseppe Pellegrini, Vice di ...
• 10 May 2004
  EUROPE/GERMANY - Europe has the necessary resources to build brotherhood united under the banner of love Stuttgart (Fides Service) - Two words summarise the event which took place in Stuttgart, Germany on May 8: brotherhood and unity. At a decisive moment in history for the present and the future of Europe, Catholic, Protes ...
• 10 May 2004
  EUROPE/ITALY -246 million of the world’s children work, 60% in Asia, 29% in Africa, 8% in Latin America and 3% elsewhere: first Children’s World Congress on Child Labour Rome (Fides Service) - Children are exploited in labour not only in developing countries but also countries in Europe including Italy and it is one of the most serious problems in the world of work. To address the probl ...
• 10 May 2004
  AFRICA/MALAWI - “We urge all registered voters to turn up in large numbers and to vote wisely”. Christian leaders issue message in view of May 18 elections Lilongwe (Fides Service)- “As Malawians, we have an obligation to behave in a mature fashion to show the world that we are serious about consolidating our democracy. Let us conduct ourselves in a peaceful manner and re ...
• 10 May 2004
  AFRICA/ANGOLA - United Nations programme reopens Juvenile Courts in Angola Rome (Fides Service)- An initiative to set-up the Juvenile Court in Luanda, the Juvenile Justice Department within the Ministry of Justice and establish a network of prevention/rehabilitation Centres to become referral c ...
• 10 May 2004
  ASIA/TAIWAN - To mark the 20th anniversary of TaoYuan Apostolate Formation Centre Hsinchu diocese plans to establish a Diocesan Bible Society Hsinchu (Fides Service) - The TaoYuan Apostolate Formation Centre in Hsinchu diocese, Taiwan, will mark its 20th anniversary in 2005. In view of this during a recent Bible Study meeting at the Centre on May 4 it was deci ...
• 10 May 2004
  ASIA/HONG KONG - Debate on euthanasia gives rise to extra solidarity and care for seriously ill patients Hong Kong (Fides Service) - Recently the Hong Kong Parliament received an e-mail request from A Bin a 30 year old paralysed man to legalise euthanasia. The news sparked heated debate in Hong Kong Society and many citizen ...
• 10 May 2004
  ASIA/HONG KONG - “Word of Love, Word from the Heart”: prayer meeting for Vocations organised by diocesan Commission Hong Kong (Fides Service) - The Diocesan Commission for Vocations of the Catholic diocese of Hong Kong held a prayer meeting for vocations on May 1 with the theme “Word of Love, Word from the Heart”. More than 250 pe ...