Asia

• 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 ...
• 3 February 2004
  ASIA/INDIA - AFTER RECOVERING FROM ATTACKS BY HINDU FUNDAMENTALISTS SALESIAN SCHOOL REOPENS WITH 75% OF PUPILS BUT ONLY 50% OF STAFF New Delhi (Fides Service) – Threats continue, tension is latent and violence has left its mark especially on Salesian Father Stanny Ferreira, seriously wounded by Hindu fundamentalists who attacked the school two week ...
• 3 February 2004
  AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO – ELIMINATE CORRUPTION TO RESTORE PEACE. RADIO MARIA MALKIA WA AMANI DI BUKAVU EXPLAINS SITUATION TO FIDES Bukavu (Fides Service)- A government delegation to Bukavu, in east Democratic Congo in late January was the bearer of a message of peace and reconciliation for the entire country. For several years Bukavu was in the hand ...
• 2 February 2004
  AFRICA/LIBERIA “CHILDREN KILLING CHILDREN” TRAGEDY OF LIBERIA’S CIVIL WAR Monrovia (Fides Service) - “Children killing other children”. This is the war in Liberia according to a Human to Rights Watch report issued today Monday 2 February. According to the United Nations in the last 3 years ...
• 2 February 2004
  ASIA/PAKISTAN – PAKISTAN’S LARGEST MOSQUE WELCOMES FIRST CHRISTIAN DELEGATION BEARING MESSAGE OF PEACE FOR 3,000 WORSHIPPERS INCLUDING 100 ULEMAS Lahore (Fides Service) – For the first time ever, Badshahi mosque in Lahore, the largest in Pakistan, welcomed a delegations of Christians to its Friday worshipping service. Archbishop Lawrence Saldanha, Archbishop of ...