News

• 16 July 2008
  AMERICA/PERU - Bishops’ Statement on the introduction of the Rapid Divorce Law: “no civil law can influence the sacramental nature of religious marriage.” Lima (Agenzia Fides) – “Not only do we wish to reiterate our regret at the adoption of this law as it weakens the marital union, but we also cautiously observe that several press agencies, in presenting the news of i ...
• 16 July 2008
  AMERICA/VENEZUELA - Bishops’ Message on the 40th Anniversary of the Medellin General Conference, from which came “a commitment to profound renewal and the need for increased presence and dialogue with the world.” Caracas (Agenzia Fides) – In a message entitled: “The 40 Years Since the Medellin General Conference,” which was issued at the close of the Venezuelan Catholic Bishops’ Plenary Assembly, the Bishops make an appea ...
• 16 July 2008
  AMERICA - The Americas’ presence at World Youth Day with national pilgrimages Sydney (Agenzia Fides) – World Youth Day was officially inaugurated yesterday, July 15, by Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney, in a Mass that took place on the Barangaroo Dock, on the shores of the Pacific Ocea ...
• 16 July 2008
  OCEANIA/PAPUA NEW GUINEA - “We need to keep the youth from contracting AIDS, not lead them into promiscuity:” the Bishop of Vanimo shares his concerns with Agenzia Fides Vanimo (Agenzia Fides) – Bishop Cesare Bonivento, PIME missionary and Bishop of Vanimo (Papua New Guinea) is deeply concerned. While many of the youth of Papua New Guinea are living the extraordinary experience of Worl ...
• 16 July 2008
  OCEANIA/AUSTRALIA - WYD begins with Cardinal George Pell’s appeal to the youth: “Be open to the power of the Spirit.” Sydney (Agenzia Fides) – The great crowd of young pilgrims participating in the 23rd World Youth Day (nearly 150,000 people) were present at the celebration of the Opening Mass for the event, that for an entire week wi ...
• 16 July 2008
  ASIA/INDIA - In the Year of Saint Paul, the Missionary Congress in Bangalore is held to spread missionary awareness in every parish and community Bangalore (Agenzia Fides) – After participating in the Missionary Congress held in Karnataka (in southwestern India) held in November 2007, the Archdiocese of Bangalore is preparing to celebrate their own Missionary Co ...
• 16 July 2008
  AFRICA/TOGO - The Catholic University of Togo opens, forming a part of the Catholic University of Western Africa Lomé (Agenzia Fides) – On July 5, the new Catholic University of Togo was officially opened. The Université Catholique de l’Afrique de l’Ouest-Unité du Togo (UCAO-UUT) has two locations, one in Sanguera, on the ...
• 16 July 2008
  AFRICA/DR CONGO - Parliament members support Congolese Bishops in observing that the country is not being governed Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) – The difficulties that the Democratic Republic of Congo is facing have been addressed by the Bishops in a public statement issued at the close of their Plenary Assembly (see Fides 14/7/2008) a ...
• 15 July 2008
  EUROPE/POLAND - Special Edition of “Generation John Paul II”: a guide to World Youth Day, including for those who cannot travel to Sydney Czestochowa (Agenzia Fides) – On the occasion of World Youth Day in Sydney, the Polish Catholic weekly “Niedzela,” the most widely-read magazine in Poland, headquartered in Czestochowa, has recently published a spe ...
• 15 July 2008
  AMERICA/ECUADOR - Apostolic Prefecture of Galapagos elevated to Apostolic Vicariate, first Apostolic Vicar appointed Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father Benedict XVI, on July 15, 2008, elevated the apostolic prefecture of Galapagos (Ecuador) to the rank of apostolic vicariate, with the same name and territorial configuration ...
• 15 July 2008
  AMERICA - Youth delegations from Latin America arrive in Sydney to offer their enthusiastic participation in World Youth Day Sydney (Agenzia Fides) - Countless numbers of youth groups from Latin America are already in Sydney for World Youth Day. The official pilgrimage of youth from Uruguay left the country on July 9, with a total of 60 youn ...
• 15 July 2008
  AMERICA/CHILE - Bishops present their new Pastoral Guidelines for the coming five-year term, in the spirit of the First Ecclesial Assembly and the Aparecida Conference Santiago de Chile (Agenzia Fides) – On July 14, the President of the Chilean Bishops’ Conference (CECH), Bishop Alejandro Goic, made a presentation before the press of the Pastoral Guidelines that will light the way ...
• 15 July 2008
  ASIA/CHINA - “I will take courage, because the Lord accompanies me”: words of the Diocese of Liao Ning’s new Bishop Pei Jun Min Liao Ning (Agenzia Fides) – “Since I was named Auxiliary Bishop, I always kept in mind that “all has been given me by my Father,” and “my yolk is easy and my burden light” (cf. Mt. 11:27-30). I will take cour ...
• 15 July 2008
  ASIA/EAST TIMOR - Indonesia acknowledges human rights violations in 1999: a step towards reconciliation between the two countries Bali (Agenzia Fides) – Verify and accept the truth as a fundamental, initial step towards reconciliation: with this spirit the political leaders of Indonesia and East Timor met on the island of Bali, where they accepte ...
• 15 July 2008
  OCEANIA/AUSTRALIA - Cardinal George Pell on the eve of WYD: focusing on the family, to give the youth hope Sydney (Agenzia Fides) – For youth with wholesome values and ideals, with a sense of responsibility, what is needed is that society foster the proper conditions for the harmonious growth and development of the family, ...