Asia

• 12 February 2004
  ASIA/IRAQ - “It is amazing to see that at the slightest signal of a return to normality, murderous hands are ready to strike causing death, destruction and terror” Father Nizar Semaan in Iraq tells Fides Baghdad (Fides Service)-“These crimes are the work of foreigners or Iraqis who are not patriots and do not want peace in their country” Father Nizar Semaan in Ninive, diocese told Fides expressing the grief and ange ...
• 12 February 2004
  ASIA/INDIA - Following attacks by fundamentalist Hindus in Madhya Pradesh, police mount guard in front of churches and schools Bhopal (Fides Service) - Concern is growing among Christians in Jhabua, western Madhya Pradesh on the border with Gujarat state. Following attacks by fundamentalist Hindus in recent weeks in Jhabua police positioned guar ...
• 12 February 2004
  ASIA - New case of bird flu confirmed in Vietnam and new suspected outbreak in China Rome (Fides Service) - The World Health Organisation excludes that two sisters who died of bird flu in Vietnam were infected person to person. WHO says tests on the girls revealed that the genetic material is of aviary o ...
• 10 February 2004
  ASIA/HOLY LAND – World Wide Web offers “Today’s Gospel” in Arabic, thanks to a team of volunteers in the Middle East Jerusalem (Fides Service) – With the help of a team of volunteers in the Holy Land, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon the Gospel day by day with comments by the Fathers of the Church is now available to web users in Arabic. Today ...
• 10 February 2004
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - Missionary Childhood Day in Pakistan: all over the country Catholic children “Heralds of hope, peace and reconciliation” pray and celebrate Multan (Fides Service) - On 1 February with prayers, songs and dancing Catholic children in Multan diocese in northern Pakistan celebrated local Missionary Childhood Day. Children in Catholic schools and parishes lived t ...
• 9 February 2004
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - “Make me a channel of your peace!” pray Muslims and Christians together, condemning terrorism and issuing a message of tolerance and harmony Multan (Fides Service) – Together leading Christians and Muslims in Pakistan have condemned terrorism and called for tolerance and harmony, following the most recent episode of anti-Christian violence on 15 January wh ...
• 9 February 2004
  ASIA/SRI LANKA - President announces early elections, Tamil Tigers disapprove: peace process threatened: fervid debate in the country Colombo (Fides Service) – Peace in Sri Lanka is threatened after a sudden decision on 7 February by president Chandrika Kumaratunga to dissolve parliament and announce early elections on 2 April. The decision has given ...
• 9 February 2004
  ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - The local Church comes to the aid of women immigrants, victims of abuse and prostitution: Taejon diocese opens Home for Women in Need Seoul (Fides Service) – Many women immigrants in South Korea and other Asian countries are victims of abuse in the family or are caught in the activity of prostitution gangs. To come to the aid of these women in Taejon ...
• 6 February 2004
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - Interreligious dialogue women’s style: Pakistani Christian and Muslim women work together to promote reconciliation and rebuild social harmony Multan (Fides Service) – Interreligious dialogue women’s style is making progress in Pakistan. Following on a Seminar at the end of 2003, towards the end of the Muslim month of fasting and prayer Ramadan, attended by ...
• 6 February 2004
  ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - Suwon diocese starts country’s first Catholic weekly: for information, formation and evangelisation Suwon (Fides Service) – Suwon diocese, lying south of Seoul, has its own Catholic weekly publication. After a period of trial, reflection and training of staff the first issue of Gyeonggi Catholic Times, was distribute ...
• 6 February 2004
  ASIA/VIETNAM - Special two year theology course for former seminarians never ordained and clandestine priests now free to minister Nha Trang (Fides Service) – “We are very happy. This means we will soon have new co-operators in the Church’s pastoral work”, Bishop Nguyen Van Hoa, Bishop Nha Trang told Fides. The Bishop, also President of the ...
• 5 February 2004
  ASIA/MYANMAR - Thousands of Karen, Karenni and Shan refugees hope cease fire holds and steps are taken to stop conflict between army and ethnic separatist groups Rangoon (Fides Service) – There is still hope for peace in Myanmar, even though talks between the military junta and Karen troops in mid January were fruitless. The Karen people and with them the Karenni and Shan ethni ...
• 5 February 2004
  ASIA/INDIA - “We must not be afraid to announce Christ’s message!”: Cardinal Telesphore Toppo, president of the Indian Bishops’ Conference encourages fearful Catholics after Hindu fundamentalist attacks and ant-Church campaigns Guwahati (Fides Service) – Catholics must not let attacks by Hindu fundamentalists weaken the Church’s missionary spirit, indeed this is a trial to be faced with the courage of the faith: this appeal to the Church in ...
• 4 February 2004
  ASIA/PHILIPPINES - FIRST COMMUNITY OF DON ORIONE SISTERS NOT FAR FROM EVIL-SMELLING DUMP IN QUEZON CITY Manila (Fides Service) - "For years we dreamed of having a community of Little Missionary Sisters of Charity in the Philippines and now the dream has come true" said Sr. Maria Ortensia Turati, Superior General of this re ...
• 3 February 2004
  ASIA/PHILIPPINES – ISLAMIC GUERRILLA AND PHILIPPINES GOVERNMENT RESUME EXPLORATIVE TALKS FOR PEACE PROCESS Manila (Fides Service) – The Philippines government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Muslim separatist active in southern Philippines have resumed talks to explore the possibility of re-opening of the peac ...