Africa

• 31 March 2005
  AFRICA/BURUNDI - “We the people of Burundi have suffered deeply but we also believe deeply in the redemptive value of suffering”: Catholic Bishops send John Paul II message of sympathy from Burundi where more than 300,000 died in civil conflict Bujumbura (Fides Service) -“We the people of Burundi have suffered deeply but we also believe deeply in the redemptive value of suffering. We sympathise with our Holy Father Pope John Paul II in his present state of su ...
• 31 March 2005
  AFRICA/ZAMBIA - “Stay with us Lord…” Catholic Bishops of Zambia issue Pastoral Letter on the Year of the Eucharist Lusaka (Fides Service)- “The Holy Father invited us to celebrate the Year of the Eucharist, from October 2004 to October 2005, a favourable time to deepen our understanding of the sacrament of the Eucharist” the Cath ...
• 30 March 2005
  AFRICA/ZIMBABWE - In pastoral letter on elections Catholic Bishops of Zimbabwe urge all citizens to play their part to ensure a vote which is fair and peaceful Harare (Fides Service) - In pastoral letter for elections tomorrow 31 March the Catholic Bishops of Zimbabwe “invite all Christians to pray for our leaders and would-be-leaders in all sections of our society so that th ...
• 30 March 2005
  AFRICA/ZIMBABWE - Elections 2005 in Zimbabwe: less violence but a vote nevertheless marked by irregularities in the electoral campaign Harare (Fides Service)- Almost 6 million voters will be eligible to take part tomorrow 31 March in legislative elections in Zimbabwe, a country which has suffered years of serious political crisis due mainly to the deci ...
• 21 March 2005
  AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO - 500 diocesan and 50,000 parish volunteers: local Church committed to prepare people to take part in elections which will end the interim period Kinshasa (Fides Service)- The Democratic Republic Congo is preparing for important elections and the local Catholic Church is training diocesan and parish volunteers to help the people understand the electoral process an ...
• 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 ...