Africa

• 21 March 2005
  AFRICA/TUNISIA - St Joseph’s Catholic church on the tourist attraction Island of Djerba to reopen Tunis (Fides Service)- “As we approach the festivity of Easter we are happy to announce that St Joseph’s Catholic Church on the Island of Djerba will be reopened”. This announcement signed by Archbishop Fouad Twal ...
• 21 March 2005
  AFRICA/CÔTE D' IVOIRE - 4 April decision on presence of international peacekeepers in Côte d'Ivoire. Demonstrations for and against withdrawal of French and UN troops. Increasing threat of possible ethnic war Abidjan (Fides Service) - “This is just another example of how the country is divided” a local Church source told Fides with regard to demonstrations pending a decision with regard to the presence of international pe ...
• 18 March 2005
  AFRICA/TOGO - Boys and girls sold as slaves: hidden scourge in Togo militarised with technical support for North Korea Lome (Agenzia Fides)- “The army must step to one side, it must no longer be the main factor in political life in Togo” a local source told Fides with regard to the present situation in this African country, in a seri ...
• 17 March 2005
  AFRICA/TANZANIA - “Eucharist sign of unity and bond of Charity”: Lenten Message in the Year of the Eucharist. “The Family of God must always be a community which grows in the one spirit united in the one bond of love” Dar Es Salaam (Fides Service) - The Eucharist as a sign of unity and bond of charity was the theme of a Lenten Message issued by the Catholic Bishops of Tanzania in this Year of the Eucharist in which the Bishops call on ...
• 17 March 2005
  AFRICA/CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC - Climate of tension in Central Africa waiting for results of first round of presidential and legislative elections Bangui (Fides Service)- “The Central African Republic is in a climate of tension waiting for the results of the first round of legislative and presidential elections”, a local source in the capital Bangui, told Fide ...
• 17 March 2005
  AFRICA/SENEGAL - 10,000 young people for a national meeting for World Youth Day, in former separatist region Casamance. “a meeting under the banner of peace” says national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies Dakar (Fides Service)- “Ziguinchor, main city of Casamance, was chosen to give a clear signal of support for peace” Fr Giuseppe Giordano, OMI, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Senegal and Maur ...
• 16 March 2005
  AFRICA/KENYA - Clashes between Somali clans in Kenya: at least 28 killed. At the root, a fight over meagre water resources in arid region Nairobi (Fides Service) - These sort of clashes happen all the time in Somalia, only this one was in Kenya” Fr Eugenio Ferrari, IMC, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Kenya told Fides with regard ...
• 16 March 2005
  AFRICA/BURUNDI - Tension in Burundi: UN High Commission for Refugees sounds the alarm Bujumbura (Fides Service)- Tension is rising in Burundi after the explosion of mortar bombs in the capital Bujumbura thrown by rebels of the National Liberation Forces (FNL). A warning with regard to the situation in Bu ...
• 15 March 2005
  AFRICA/LIBERIA - At this stage of political change and preparation for elections the role of the local Catholic Church is fundamental: Pontifical Mission Societies Germany, missio Aachen, looks at commitment of local Church in Liberia Aachen (Fides Service) - The Catholic Church in Liberia has played and continues to play a fundamental role to promote respect for human rights and national stability. This emerged from a recent report “The situation o ...
• 15 March 2005
  AFRICA/TANZANIA - “We are very grateful to the Holy Father for offering his suffering and his prayers for the Church in Tanzania. His words are encouragement for our mission”. Cardinal Polycarp Pengo, Archbishop of Dar-es-Salaam speaks with Fides. Vatican City (Fides Service) - “We are very grateful to the Holy Father for offering his suffering and prayers for the Church in Tanzania. The Holy Mass he celebrated at the Gemelli Hospital, at which two of us partici ...
• 14 March 2005
  AFRICA/ANGOLA - “Light a lamp in Africa!”. The lamp of education, a school for everyone. Daughters of Mary Auxiliatrix open a new school in Luena Luena (Fides Service) - Just back from Angola, where she visited with the General Bursar Sr Candida Aspesi, Sr Rosangela Giorgi in charge of programmes for development and economy with solidarity, sent Fides a report on ...
• 11 March 2005
  AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - “Consecrated brothers and sisters, wake up! Put out into the deep” Bishops say to religious in Congo Kinshasa (Fides Service)- “Consecrated life is a concrete reality in Congo today. According to statistics our country has an estimated 11,000 men and women religious among a population of 50 million, 50% Catholic. Thei ...
• 11 March 2005
  AFRICA/ANGOLA - “Bombers of peace” to carry real peace to the hearts of Angolans after 25 years of civil war. Head of “Pro Peace” speaks after the movement’s second congress Luanda (Fides Service)- “The goal is to build a climate of trust so elections will be transparent without protest or suspicion”, Angolan Catholic Bishop José Francisco Moreira dos Santo head of the Pro Peace Movemen ...
• 9 March 2005
  AFRICA/SOUTH AFRICA - Women direct and indirect victims of 650 million small arms in the world Cape Town (Fides Service)- Women are the main victims of the proliferation of firearms in South Africa according to a report presented in South Africa on the occasion of International Women’s Day, yesterday. The report ...
• 9 March 2005
  AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - For the first time in 9 years 50,000 mothers take to the streets to celebrate international Women’s Day in a city for years at the centre of a conflict whose principal victims were women of all ages Bukavu (Fides Service)- “At last after 9 years, yesterday 8 March, women were free to celebrate international Women’s Day in the streets” said Xaverian missionary Fr. Luigi Lo Stocco, director of Radio Maria Malia ...