News

• 6 April 2004
  VATICAN - The Pope’s anguished and repeated calls during the genocide in Rwanda: “Do not give in to the temptation of hatred and revenge. At this tragic stage of the life of your country, be builders of peace and love” Vatican City (Fides Service) - As soon as the first reports of killings in Rwanda began to arrive Pope John Paul II did not hesitate to raise his voice to call for reconciliation and peace. On 9 April 1994 in a message t ...
• 6 April 2004
  THE MARTYROLOGY OF THE CHURCH IN RWANDA IN 1994 Vatican City (Fides) - The number of Church personnel killed in that tragedy in Rwanda in 1994, is so high that we can speak of a holocaust. According to information collected by Fides, at least 248 members of local chu ...
• 5 April 2004
  VATICAN - The Pope begins Holy Week with the celebration of Palm Sunday Mass: “Dear young people do not be afraid to proclaim whatever the circumstances the Gospel of the Cross. Do not be afraid to go upstream!” Vatican City (Fides Service) - “In the atmosphere of joy veiled with sadness which marks Palm Sunday we are celebrating the 19th World Youth Day. This year it has as its theme “We want to see Jesus” the request add ...
• 5 April 2004
  AFRICA/CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC - Bishop François-Xavier Yombandje appointed Bishop Bossangoa Vatican City (Fides Service) - The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II has, 3 April 2004, appointed Bishop of Bossangoa (Central African Republic), Bishop François-Xavier Yombandje, until now Bishop of Kaga-Bondoro and Apost ...
• 5 April 2004
  AFRICA/RWANDA - The Office for Social Communications of the Rwandan Bishops’ Conference has announced that on the basis of a recent censure more than one million people perished in massacres in Rwanda in 1994 Kigali (Fides Service) - With regard to the number of people killed in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, Rev. Dominique Karekezi Office for Social Communications of the Rwandan Bishops’ Conference told Fides. “The results ...
• 5 April 2004
  VATICAN - 8th International Youth Forum comes to a close. Archbishop Rylko tells young participants: “ Not only at university but in life Christ relies on each one of us. “The success of this Forum - Archbishop Rylko concluded- depends on you: now, put out into the deep!” Vatican City (Fides Service) - “What has this Forum meant for us who took part? A wonderful spiritual adventure, a wonderful experience of the Church; we were able to feel what its means to be the Catholic Church, univ ...
• 5 April 2004
  ASIA/IRAQ - “A Holy Week of suffering for Iraqi Christians” reports Father Nizar Semaan from Mosul. Palm Sunday processions and Easter Night Vigil Mass cancelled for security reasons Baghdad (Fides Service)- “Holy Week will be a time of suffering in Iraq” Father Nizar Semaan, in Mosul, told Fides. Mosul has been the scene of recent between the coalition forces and Shiite activists. “Yesterday f ...
• 5 April 2004
  AFRICA/IVORY COAST - Future of Ivory Coast in the hands of four ruthless politicians Abidjan (Fides Service )- “In Ivory Coast the four candidates for elections in 2005 are fighting for power” a mission in Ivory Coast who asked not to be named, told Fides. “Instead of thinking of the common good of ...
• 5 April 2004
  ASIA/INDONESIA - Indonesia votes in general elections: “It is fundamental that politics and religion are separate” local Catholic Bishop told Fides Jakarta (Fides Service) - Elections in Indonesia start today. The vote in the populous country 145 eligible voters out of a population of 210 million will last until the Summer, July 5 when there will be the first round ...
• 5 April 2004
  ASIA/SRI LANKA - “The new government must focus on peace, freedom and national prosperity Archbishop Oswald Gomis of Colombo told Fides after general elections Colombo (Fides Service) - “We hope the peace process will continue and this is the responsibility of the new government whatever it is. We and all the people of Sri Lanka, Sinhalese and Tamils, want an era of peace, fr ...
• 5 April 2004
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - In Pakistan Evangelisation over the radio for 38th World Communications Day Lahore (Fides) - To mark the Catholic Church’s 38th World Communications Day this year 2004, in Pakistan 16 May, the Church in Pakistan will use all the means at its disposal radio, audio-visual cassettes, music casset ...
• 3 April 2004
  The World Health Organisation estimates that in the world more than 40 million people suffer from AIDS and that last year more than 2.6 million died of AIDS and there were 5 million new cases among adults and 700,000 among children. Vatican City (Fides Service) - Although AIDS is not longer a front page subject, in Italy there are thousands of new cases of HIV + persons every year. Italian children with HIV/AIDS (about 600) no longer die because the ...
• 3 April 2004
  VATICAN - CHILDREN AND AIDS: “Fathers have eaten green grapes thus their children’s teeth are on edge ” Vatican City (Fides Service) - We known that HIV/AIDS is mainly transmitted through sexual relations. Adults are responsible for their actions of which they must face the consequences. But how does this virus if not by a ...
• 3 April 2004
  TANZANIA - AIDS IN AFRICA: a battle which can be won CUAMM Statement on AIDS by Marzia Franzetti, co-ordinator AIDS group Rome (Fides Service) - CUAMM - Doctors with Africa, which has worked to improve the health of people in Sub-Saharan Africa since the 1950s found itself faced with the HIV/AIDS pandemic from the start and it has sought to ...
• 3 April 2004
  BURKINA FASO - Saint Camillo Medical Centre in Ouagadougou and prevention of HIV/AIDS mother/child infection Ouagadougou (Fides Service) - Burkina Faso is one of the west African countries most affected by HIV/AIDS. According to the World Health Organisation out of a population of a little more than 12 million, every year at le ...