News

• 20 February 2009
  AFRICA/KENYA - Two religious sisters kidnapped by Somali gunmen are freed, transferred to Nairobi in stable condition Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) - “They treated us well. All they wanted was money.” This was what Sister Caterina Giraudo said immediately after being set free. She and religious Sister Maria Teresa Olivero were being held ...
• 20 February 2009
  VATICAN - Economic crisis, global poverty, and vaccinations for children in poor countries were the focus of the dialogue between Benedict XVI and English Prime Minister Gordon Brown Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was received in a personal audience yesterday (February 19) by the Holy Father Benedict XVI and later met with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarc ...
• 20 February 2009
  ASIA/CHINA - In tents, amidst the freezing cold of winter, Catholics in the earthquake disaster area study Sacred Scripture and pray with devotion, inspired by their great hope in the Lord Peng Zhou (Agenzia Fides) – Among the tents in the earthquake disaster area, in the midst of the damp freezing cold of winter, one can hear the sounds of people praying the Hail Mary's on their Rosary beads, singing sa ...
• 20 February 2009
  VATICAN - “The results of the policies and projects for tourism will only be successful if they are accompanied by a social and environmental, as well as economic, vision.” Letter from the Pontifical Council for Migrants to the International Tourism Exchange (BIT) Exhibition Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - “Climate change has become a priority concern on a global level. It is a problem that affects all of us who live on this Earth we call home. In fact, we are all responsible in various mod ...
• 20 February 2009
  EUROPE/ITALY - Sisters of Mary Immaculate: prayer, evangelization, and charitable works Rome (Agenzia Fides) – On August 14, 1983, the Franciscan Order accepted three young women as third degree members of the Militia of the Immaculata. Just months beforehand, Mother Elizabeth Patrizi had been called to f ...
• 19 February 2009
  VATICAN - Benedict XVI speaks on the contribution of Saint Bede “to the making of a Christian Europe” and asks for prayers “that all of us are willing to rediscover our common roots, to be builders of a profoundly human and genuinely Christian Europe” Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The Venerable Bede was “one of the most illustrious figures of erudition of the High Middle Ages” was the argument of the catechesis of the Holy Father Benedict XVI in the General Aud ...
• 19 February 2009
  AFRICA/ZIMBABWE - Rector of “St. Augustine” Interdiocesan Seminary in the Archdiocese of Bulawayo, appointed Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – Cardinal Ivan Dias, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, on October 10, 2008, appointed Fr. Joshua Nailon Nyoni of the clergy of the Diocese of Hwange (Zimbabwe) ...
• 19 February 2009
  AFRICA/SOUTH AFRICA - “Awake! Awake! Protect Our Democracy”: Pastoral Letter in preparation for South Africa's elections on April 22 Johannesburg (Agenzia Fides) - “As we approach the elections, we your Bishops would like to share our concern about our young democracy, and what it should look like. While there is a lot of very positive and healthy d ...
• 19 February 2009
  ASIA/TAIWAN - Bishop emeritus Andrew Tsien Chih-ch'un, Bishop emeritus of the Diocese of Hwalien, great upholder of the Church in China Hwalien (Agenzia Fides) – Bishop Andrea Tsien Chih-chun, Bishop emeritus of the Diocese of Hwalien, great defender of the Church in China, died at the age of 83 on the evening of February 17, in the Hwalien Hospital, a ...
• 19 February 2009
  EUROPE/ITALY - First World Day for Social Justice: a prayer network on February 20 Rome (Agenzia Fides) – On February 20, many countries of the world will celebrate the first World Day for Social Justice, instituted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007. The “Justice, Peace, and Integrity ...
• 19 February 2009
  VATICAN - WORDS OF DOCTRINE: Rev. Nicola Bux and Rev. Salvatore Vitiello - Relationship to suffering, true measure of humanity Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The sad and well known case of Eluana Englaro has yet to be “closed”, even now that the earthly life of the woman has ended. The question is still open because still open are the wounds ...
• 19 February 2009
  AMERICA - 1st Iber-American Day “40 Days of Prayer for Life” in preparation for the Day of the Unborn Child on March 25 Rome (Agenzia Fides) – February 13 to March 24 will be “40 Days of Prayer for Life,” an initiative now being practiced in several countries of America and Spain, in order to promote prayer in defense of life. The ...
• 19 February 2009
  AMERICA/PERU - X Anniversary of the Catechetical Center in the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose del Amazonas San Jose (Agenzia Fides) – The Catechetical Center in the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose del Amazonas in Iquito (Peru) is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. They have been 10 years of many fruits, in working ...
• 19 February 2009
  AMERICA/BOLIVIA - Church denounces acts of violence that infringe on fundamental rights and freedoms of the people Pando (Agenzia Fides) – Apostolic Vicar Luis Casey of Pando has issued a declaration condemning the acts of violence committed in regards to the arrests made in the towns of El Porvenir and Cobija. According to the Bis ...
• 19 February 2009
  AFRICA/CONGO DR - “National Forum of Congolese Christians” in May, to prepare for 2011 elections Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) – May 4-10, 2009, Kinshasa will host the “National Forum of Congolese Christians,” to be attended by 500 people. There are expected to be five delegates from each of the dioceses of the Dem ...