Africa

• 19 January 2009
  AFRICA/CONGO DR - The century-old tradition of catechetical training in the Archdiocese of Kananga Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) – In order to extend their pastoral services to all the inhabitants of the often large territories in their care, African priests and missionaries must rely on assistance from lay catechists, w ...
• 16 January 2009
  AFRICA/KENYA - “Fr. Giuseppe dedicated his entire life to education; for forty years he carried out his mission in Kenya”: the religious brother of a missionary killed today in Nairobi present his testimony to Fides Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) - “Father Giuseppe was a good, generous person who dedicated his entire life to education,” Agenzia Fides was told by Fr. Giuseppe Ettorri of the General House of the Consolata Missionaries, i ...
• 16 January 2009
  AFRICA/CAMEROON - Bishops of Cameroon invite the faithful to pray and make acts of charity in preparation for Pope Benedict XVI's visit in March Yaounde (Agenzia Fides) - “We give thanks to the Lord for allowing the Pontiff, the Universal Pastor, to chose to visit Cameroon, a missionary land consecrated for over a century to Mary, Queen of Apostles, by the Pall ...
• 15 January 2009
  AFRICA/DR CONGO - Attack on the Salesian community in Goma, eastern Congo, in the heart of the civil war, result of “the atmosphere of instability and insecurity that persists in the city of Goma,” Fr. Lacedonio of ANS tells Fides Goma (Agenzia Fides) - During the night between 14 and 15 January, the Salesian community at the Industrial Technical Institute in Goma (capital of North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo) suffered a violent attac ...
• 15 January 2009
  AFRICA/SUDAN - Former ideologist of the regime, who encouraged President to hand himself in to the International Crime Court for crimes in Darfur, is arrested Khartoum (Agenzia Fides) – The disputed former ideologist of the Sudanese regime, Hassan al-Turabi, was arrested in Khartoum by security forces, two days after having said in an interview that the President of Sudan, O ...
• 14 January 2009
  AFRICA - Franciscan “Africa Project” celebrates 25 years Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) – In 1983, then General Minister of the Friars Minor, Fr. John Vaughn, launched the “Africa Project” in Madagascar and the Maurice Islands. The initiative implied the participation of Franci ...
• 14 January 2009
  AFRICA - Ugandan guerrillas terrorizing the populations of East Congo and South Sudan Kampala (Agenzia Fides) – The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), the Ugandan guerrilla group that has spread terror and death through northern Uganda since 1986, continues attacking civilian populations in the northeastern ...
• 14 January 2009
  AFRICA/SOMALIA - Concerns for the fate of Somalia following the retreat of Ethiopian troops Mogadishu (Agenzia Fides) – The Ethiopian troops are in their final stages of retreat from Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, and have handed over security responsibilities to the weak troops of the Transitional Nation ...
• 13 January 2009
  AFRICA/NIGERIA - World economic crisis taking its toll on Jesuit activity: “We will have to tighten our belts, living in simplicity and in solidarity with the works and houses that are having the most difficulties in making ends meet.” Abuja (Agenzia Fides) – The world economic crisis is also taking its toll on the Society of Jesus. With this in mind, Fr. George W. Quickley, Provincial Superior of the North-West African Province, has written a letter ...
• 13 January 2009
  AFRICA/KENYA - The price of food remains too high, in spite of government aid; 10 million Kenyans at risk for hunger Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) – The food emergency continues in Kenya, where one third of the population, 10 million people, is at risk for going hungry. Among these, 1.5 million are children and 2.5 million are people suffe ...
• 13 January 2009
  AFRICA/NIGERIA - Inflation, loss of employment, government spending-cuts: the financial crisis is taking its toll on Nigeria Lagos (Agenzia Fides) – The global financial crisis and the drop in the cost of fuel are seriously threatening the economy in Nigeria. According to economic experts, interviewed by the loval press, the depreciation of ...
• 12 January 2009
  AFRICA/ZIMBABWE - Human rights activist Jestina Mukoko denounces abuses and violence suffered in captivity. Cardinal Maradiaga, President of Caritas Internationalis, launched an appeal for her release Harare (Agenzia Fides) – Human rights activist Jestina Mukoko denounces the abuse and violence she suffered at the hands of Zimbabwean secret service agents. Jestina Mukoko was held in solitary confinement for 19 days ...
• 12 January 2009
  AFRICA/BURUNDI - New religious family in Gitega dedicated to the sanctification of the People of God and to bearing witness to the irreplaceable role of the priesthood in ecclesial life Gitega (Agenzia Fides) – The Archdiocese of Gitega has recently approved the new religious family of the Congregation of Mary, Queen of the Holy Priesthood. The Congregation was founded by diocesan priest Father Avit V ...
• 12 January 2009
  AFRICA/SOUTH AFRICA - “Zuma should be prosecuted,” says Supreme Court of Appeals; African National Congress leader is also a presidential candidate in this year's election Johannesburg (Agenzia Fides) – The Supreme Court of Appeals in South Africa has overturned a lower court's decision to throw out the case of corruption against Jacob Zuma, leader of the African National Congress, thus ...
• 9 January 2009
  AFRICA/DR CONGO - The Catholic Church is helping the population of northern Congo, victim to massacres led by Ugandan rebels on Christmas Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) – Caritas Internationalis has sent aid to 10,000 families in the north of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where on Christmas Day, Ugandan rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) carried ou ...