News

• 22 November 2010
  VATICAN - The third Consistory of his Pontificate: "In the Church no one is the owner, but all are called, all are invited, all are met and guided by divine grace"  Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – On Saturday morning, 20 November in the Vatican Basilica, the Holy Father Benedict XVI held an Ordinary Public Consistory, in the form of Liturgy of the Word, for the creation of 24 new C ...
• 22 November 2010
  VATICAN - The Pope prayed at the Angelus "that in every part of the world religious freedom may be assured for all" Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - "Today in Italy, at the invitation of Bishops, ecclesial communities pray for Christians who suffer persecution and discrimination, especially in Iraq. I join this choral invocation to the ...
• 22 November 2010
  AFRICA/MADAGASCAR - Military rebellion ends in bloodshed; eyewitness testimony Antananarivo (Agenzia Fides) – The military rebellion carried out by a group of officials that had locked themselves in barracks located on the outskirts of Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar (see Fides 18/11/2010 ...
• 22 November 2010
  ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - Biblical Week reflects on eternal life Seoul (Agenzia Fides) – Biblical Week, an important gathering involving all the Catholic parishes of South Korea, has begun today. This year, the reflection will be on eternal life. As Fides learns from the local Churc ...
• 22 November 2010
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - Asia Bibi raped by accusers; death threats from Islamic fundamentalists Lahore (Agenzia Fides) – Before being handed over to police and put on trial for blasphemy, Asia Bibi was suffered rape at the hands of her accusers. This is what she told the Governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer, who vis ...
• 22 November 2010
  AMERICA/HAITI - “They've closed the border, but only to the poor”: Claretian Missionaries' testimony Jimani (Agenzia Fides) - “In Jimani, the small town on the border between the Dominican Republic and Haiti, security measures have been taken to make sure cholera does not enter the Dominican Republic. The most serious ...
• 22 November 2010
  AFRICA/SUDAN - Cardinal Wako's would-be assailant released from prison on grounds of mental instability Khartoum (Agenzia Fides) – Hamdan Mohamed Abdurrahman, the man who tried to kill Cardinal Gabriel Zubeir Wako, Archbishop of Khartoum (Sudan), has been released, being deemed incapable of understanding or free will. Th ...
• 20 November 2010
  AMERICA - "Countries should not only devote effort to the control of migration flow, but also to the protection of migrants and the fight against organized crime," Archbishop Vegliò concludes Continental Meeting of the Pastoral Care of Migrants Bogota (Agenzia Fides) – The Continental Meeting for Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees in Latin America was held in the capital of Colombia, November 17 to 20, on the theme "Towards a better pastoral economic and ...
• 20 November 2010
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - Anti-blasphemy motion scheduled for upcoming Parliament session Islamabad (Agenzia Fides) – Sherry Rehman, a Muslim member of Parliament, of the Pakistan Peoples Party and Chairman of the Jinnah Institute, the prestigious Institute of Political Studies in Islamabad, has told Fides ...
• 19 November 2010
  VATICAN - Benedict XVI tells Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity: “The aim of the ecumenical path remains unchanged, as does the firm commitment in pursuing it.” Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - “In the course of 50 years, it has covered much territory...They are 50 years in which a truer knowledge and greater esteem have been acquired with the Churches and the ecclesial communit ...
• 19 November 2010
  AFRICA/MADAGASCAR - Are authorities using force against coup leaders? - Eyewitness Testimony Antananarivo (Agenzia Fides) – Malagasy authorities have called on civilians who are near the barracks on the outskirts of Antananarivo, where the military coup is barricaded (see Fides 18/11/2010), to leave the area. ...
• 19 November 2010
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - Asia Bibi's legal defense overseen by Pakistani Christians in the diaspora Islamabad (Agenzia Fides) – The Pakistani Christian community in the United Kingdom has taken up the case of Asia Bibi and is providing legal assistance for the woman. The Pakistani community in the United Kingdom has ...
• 19 November 2010
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - NGOs and US government put the spotlight on Asia Bibi, discrimination and religious freedom Islamabad (Agenzia Fides) – Social discrimination, the controversial blasphemy law, and the status of religious freedom in Pakistan are now coming into the spotlight. International NGOs like Amnesty International and C ...
• 19 November 2010
  ASIA/IRAQ - Petition from Arab Christians in the Holy Land: “Canonize Iraq's martyrs” Jerusalem (Agenzia Fides) – “We ask that the martyrs of Iraq be canonized, because the example of their lives and their sacrifice is an inspiration to us all as Christians, Arabs and non alike, living in the Middle E ...
• 19 November 2010
  EUROPE/SPAIN - Catholic Church saves the State 4 billion Euros on public education Madrid (Agenzia Fides) – “In education, the Church allows the state to save more than 4 billion euros," noted Diego Zalbidea, Professor of Canon Law at the University of Navarra, during the 26th Refresher Course in C ...