News

• 16 March 2004
  AMERICA/HAITI - Dialogue, tolerance, truth, justice, forgiveness and reconciliation are values needed for rebuilding the nation and respect for institutions: Catholic Bishops of Haiti issue message to the people. Port au Prince (Fides Service) - Concerned at the situation of spreading poverty and insecurity despite the presence of foreign troops, which provokes violence, revenge, hatred which like in a nightmare strike repeatedly ...
• 16 March 2004
  18 March: International Conference at Regina Apostolorum Pontifical College “Women and human rights ”. Rome (Fides Service) - Which is the most important of human rights? What is the role of women to defend and protect human rights? The building of a culture of peace is one of the most important challenges of the 21st ce ...
• 16 March 2004
  AMERICA/ARGENTINA - “Children are the central focus and the first addressees of our evangelising mission”, says Bishop José Luis Mollaghan, Bishop of San Miguel. San Miguel (Fides Service) - In line with the call launched by John Paul II to put at the centre of Lenten reflection this year the tragic conditions of many children in the world, Bishop José Luis Mollaghan, Bishop of ...
• 16 March 2004
  AFRICA/ CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC - “After a year of changed regime, social and economic situation still uncertain” says Bishop Mathos Auxiliary of Bangui Bangui (Fides Service)- A year after President Ange-Felix Patasse was forced to leave the country and President François Bozize took power, the Central African Republic has yet to find stability. “The whole country is ...
• 16 March 2004
  AFRICA/BURUNDI - National Liberation Forces rebels continue to fight to prove only they can restore peace in Burundi Bujumbura (Fides Service)-“This is an inextricable skein, let’s hope that with time and infinite patience Burundi will find the way out of this spiral of violence” a local Church source in Burundi told Fides, with ...
• 16 March 2004
  ASIA/BANGLADESH - Holy Cross Congregation concludes celebrations for 150 years of evangelising activity in Bangladesh Dhaka (Fides Service) - Thanks to the evangelising work of the Holy Cross Congregation, in 150 years the number of Catholics in Bangladesh grew from 13,000 to more than 270, 000. The Congregation has just marked he 150th ...
• 16 March 2004
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - Muslims and Christians share evening meal to break the Christian Lenten fast: Muslim leaders welcome Christian delegation to Pakistan’s most important Mosque Lahore (Fides Service) - In Pakistan collaboration among Muslims Christians is growing and acts of friendship are multiplying. Following a first visit in January by a Christian delegation to Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, th ...
• 15 March 2004
  VATICAN - The Pope speaks of the tragedy in Madrid: “Above all those who believe in God, Creator and Father of all men and women must feel the need to work to build a world of more brotherhood and solidarity despite the difficulties and obstacles encountered. Vatican City (Fides Service) - Before reciting the Angelus prayer with the people gathered in St Peter’s Square on Sunday 14 March, Pope John Paul II voiced “firm condemnation” for the March 11, terrorist attacks i ...
• 15 March 2004
  VATICAN - “You dear university students have an important role to play in building a united Europe, firmly rooted in the spiritual traditions and values by which it was shaped”: the Pope’s entrust this task to university students whom he met for the 2nd European Day for University Students Vatican City (Fides Service) - “This Marian prayer vigil is of great symbolic importance. It is in fact you dear university students who have an important role to play in building a united Europe, firmly rooted in the ...
• 15 March 2004
  EUROPE/PORTUGAL - The family: first school of solidarity: The more solidarity is lived in the family, the more hope there will be for a future with more solidarity Lisbon (Fides Service) - On the occasion of national Caritas Day in Portugal, 14 March, 3rd Sunday of Lent, the Bishops’ Commission for Social and Charitable Action issued a message on The Family: first school of solid ...
• 15 March 2004
  EUROPE/ITALY - International Congress on “Life-Sustaining Treatments and Vegetative State: Scientific Advances and Ethical Dilemmas “ Rome (Fides Service) - On Tuesday 16 March at 11am, at the Vatican Press Room there will be the presentation of an international Congress “Life-Sustaining Treatments and Vegetative State: Scientific Advances and Ethica ...
• 15 March 2004
  VATICAN - The Pope addresses the Plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for Culture: “It falls to Bishops and the faithful to identify and take into consideration the essential questions and longings of the men and women of our times and to dialogue with individual persons and with peoples to promote, in an original and inculturated manner, the message of the Gospel and the person of Christ the Redeemer.” Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - “You outline a new geography of non belief and religious indifference in the world, and you note a rupture in the transmission of Christian faith and values... it falls to Bishops and the ...
• 15 March 2004
  ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Christians assist family of Muslim bus driver shot dead for trying to prevent kidnapping of little Christian school girl. Missionary in the Philippines tells of many such stories of Christian-Muslim reciprocal solidarity Pikit (Fides Service) - Fighting in Mindanao is not a war between Muslims and Christians, Father Robert Layson, Oblate Missionary of Mary Immaculate (OMI), parish priest in Pikit and head of the OMI interreligious dialog ...
• 15 March 2004
  ASIA/INDIA - Indian Catholic Press Association marks 40th anniversary “The Catholic community was among the first to take an interest in the field of the media, often thanks to work of missionaries”, Father Babu Joseph, spokesman of the Indian Bishops Conference told Fides Bangalore (Fides Service) - “At the age of forty a person is mature. And the Indian Catholic Press Association, ICPA is marking its 40th year of activity looking at the past and to the future”. Father Babu Joseph, s ...
• 15 March 2004
  AFRICA/IVORY COAST - Tension rises in Ivory Coast amidst rumours of a coup and attacks on magistrates Abidjan (Fides Service) - There is rising tension in Ivory Coast where rumours of possible military coups and attacks on public officials make it difficult to imagine how the situation will evolve in the next few days. ...