News

• 12 January 2010
  AMERICA/EL SALVADOR - Anniversary of peace: State apologizes for civil war crimes San Salvador (Agenzia Fides) - On the anniversary of the signing of peace accords that put an end to civil war in the country, Archbishop José Luis Escobar Alas of San Salvador said all that has been done during this ti ...
• 12 January 2010
  ASIA/INDIA - From a health center to a catechetical center, the Missionaries of the Immaculate are serving the people of Kalidindi Kalidindi (Agenzia Fides) - Sister Roberta Azhakathel of the Missionaries of the Immaculate (MI) works at St. Joseph's Evangelization and Catechetical Training Center in the Diocese of Kalidindi in India. The MI Communit ...
• 11 January 2010
  AMERICA/UNITED STATES - National Vocation Awareness Week begins, using prayer and education Washington (Agenzia Fides) – The Catholic Church in the United States began their celebration of National Vocation Awareness Week (January 10-16) yesterday, Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. As the statement issued by ...
• 11 January 2010
  VATICAN - Benedict XVI at the Angelus recalls that the immigrant is “a person to be respected with rights and duties” and that “there cannot be violence in the name of God” Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – On the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, January 10, the Holy Fahter Benedict XVI administered the Sacrament of Baptism to a group of infants in the Sistine Chapel. Then, at Noon, he reci ...
• 11 January 2010
  ASIA/CHINA - Bishop Yao was truly a good shepherd who gave his life for his sheep Rome (Agenzia Fides) – On December 30, 2009, Bishop Leo Yao Liang, Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Siwantze (Chongli-Xiwanzi), Hebei Province (Mainland China), died at the age of 86. The prelate was born on April 1 ...
• 11 January 2010
  ASIA/HONG KONG - Priestly ordinations of an Indian of the Society of the Divine Word and a Chinese Salesian: the missionary vocation is a “great gift” Hong Kong (Agenzia Fides) – Dedicated to the work of Christ with renewed commitment, following in the footsteps of the Master and the Good Shepherd, fully exercising the priestly ministry, especially the sacramental mi ...
• 11 January 2010
  AMERICA/MEXICO - Mexican Bishops suffer insults and aggressive criticism as they unite in defense of marriage and the family Mexico City (Agenzia Fides) - Mexico City has become the first city in Latin America to legalize same-sex marriages. The legislation passed on the eve of Christmas and goes far beyond that of 2006, allowing civil unions ...
• 11 January 2010
  AMERICA/BRAZIL - Various points of National Program for Human Rights are not in accord with the Church's Doctrine Sao Paolo (Agenzia Fides) - A group of Brazilian Bishops has rejected several points of the National Program on Human Rights decreed by President Luiz Lula da Silva. The program on human rights, implemented by the Minist ...
• 11 January 2010
  ASIA/MALAYSIA - Bishops' Conference calls for the need to “defuse the conflict that fundamentalist groups are trying to ignite in the nation” Johor (Agenzia Fides) – The Malaysian Church is "concerned and did not expect that the question of the use of the word 'Allah,' would be followed by a reaction of this kind, with attacks against churches and Christian ...
• 11 January 2010
  ASIA/AFGHANISTAN - Nearly 1,050 children die from armed conflict in 2009 Kabul (Agenzia Fides) - Armed conflict killed hundreds of children and adversely affected many others in 2009 - the deadliest year for Afghan children since 2001. This is what the Afghanistan Rights Monitor (ARM), a Kabu ...
• 11 January 2010
  AFRICA/MADAGASCAR - Cardinal Razafindratandra, “a prince of the Church who love the poor and lived like them” Antananarivo (Agenzia Fides) – "The Cardinal was the moral authority of the Malagasy nation, recognized by all, even by non-Catholics," Fides learns from Fr. Cosimo Alvati, a Salesian with a long experience in Madagasc ...
• 11 January 2010
  AFRICA/NIGERIA - Increased concern for President's uncertain health conditions Abuja (Agenzia Fides) - Nigeria is experiencing increased concern about the lack of information concerning the health of President Umaru Yar'Adua, who has spent about 50 days in a hospital in Saudi Arabia. According to ...
• 9 January 2010
  ASIA/MALAYSIA - “Christians are praying and not responding to the provocations,” Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur tells Fides, following attacks on churches Kuala Lumpur (Agenzia Fides) - The Church hopes to be in Malaysia "a presence of dialogue and peace" and the legal case over the use of the word "Allah" is part of the “normal right that all citizens have to clarify a ...
• 9 January 2010
  VATICAN - “Whenever our Christians suffer unjustly it is a wound to the Body of Christ in which all believers share.” Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – Cardinal Walter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, has sent the following message to His Holiness Shenouda III, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of ...
• 9 January 2010
  ASIA/CHINA - Seminarians and catechists respond to non-Christians' questions about the faith during Christmas season Tai Yuan (Agenzia Fides) - The 5 seminarians of the Seminary of St. John of Montecorvino in Tai Yuan, along with catechists and volunteers from the Catholic Cathedral of the Diocese of Tai Yuan, accompanied university s ...