News

• 21 December 2007
  ASIA/IRAQ - For Iraqi Christians Christmas of hope and precariousness with growing numbers of displaced persons in the north Baghdad (Agenzia Fides) - The Iraqi government has declared the Christian feast of Christmas December 25 a national holiday. This year, Christmas comes only a days after the Muslim feast of the Sacrifice. Although Iraqi ...
• 21 December 2007
  AMERICA/MEXICO - Bishops' Christmas Message and wishes to families “intensify the spirit as the cradle of life and love…and reaffirm commitment for peace and justice ” Mexico City (Agenzia Fides) - The Bishops of Mexico have urged to people to “reaffirm at Christmas commitment for peace and justice”, in response to Pope Benedict XVI's Message for World Peace Day on 1 January 2008. ...
• 21 December 2007
  AMERICA/CHILE - Bishops' Christmas Message: “Only honest and respectful dialogue which is learned in the family, will thwart the temptation to resort to violence and open the way for just solutions ” Santiago (Agenzia Fides) - “May the Child Jesus bless us with his grace, give peace to our hearts and lead us on the path of dialogue so that life in families and in society there may be more respect the dignity of eve ...
• 20 December 2007
  VATICAN Benedict XVI addresses young members of Catholic Action Italy: “ God became man to show us the way, indeed becoming a child, he became himself the 'way' also for you children” Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - “Jesus is the way which leads to true life, life without end. It is a path which is often narrow and uphill but, if we let ourselves be drawn by Him, it is always wonderful like a mountai ...
• 20 December 2007
  VATICAN - The Pope's teaching: “We Christians must be the first to reaffirm with profound and genuine conviction the truth of the Nativity of Christ, to witness to all our awareness of an unheard of gift... the source of the duty to evangelise which is proper to the communication of this ‘good news" Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI dedicated his teaching at the general audience on Wednesday 19 December to the mystery of Christmas. “If on the one hand Christmas brings us to commemor ...
• 20 December 2007
  EUROPE/GERMANY - “Sternsinger” Jubilee: for the 50th year running for half a million 50 Missionary Childhood boys and girls Christmas is a time for solidarity with their brothers and sisters around the world Aachen (Fides Service) - For the 50th time around the 6th of January the feast of the Epiphany, German boys and girls, members of the German branch of the Pontifical Missionary Childhood Society Sternsinger, will take pa ...
• 20 December 2007
  EUROPE/ITALY - During its 35th General Congregation starting 7 January the Society of Jesus will elect a new Superior General and discuss future apostolic challenges Rome (Agenzia Fides) - The General Curia of the Society of Jesus has announced that it will start its General Congregation on Monday 7 January. This will be the 35th General Congregation of the order founded in 1540. Mo ...
• 20 December 2007
  AFRICA/SOUTH AFRICA - “I hope a strong populist line imitating Zimbabwe will not prevail ” says a missionary in South Africa Pretoria (Agenzia Fides)- “Corruption is widespread in South Africa and the new accusations against Zuma come as no surprise, except for the timing perhaps …” said a missionary in South Africa, where Mokotedi Mpshe ...
• 20 December 2007
  ASIA/MONGOLIA - “Christmas of prayer and mission for Mongolia's 415 Catholics”, Bishop Wenceslao Padilla Prefect Apostolic, tells Fides Ulanbaatar (Agenzia Fides) - Although December 25 is a working day in Mongolia, the small local Catholic community will celebrate Christmas with intense prayer and joy and missionary initiatives. Bishop Wenceslao Padill ...
• 20 December 2007
  OCEANIA/AUSTRALIA - New on-line journal for Australian Catholic students in view of World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney Sydney (Agenzia Fides) - The Australian Catholic Students Association has launched a new on-line edition of its two monthly journal New Springtime. The publication aims to be “a journal of faith, culture and society” ...
• 20 December 2007
  AMERICA/PERU - Christmas message from Bishops' Conference president: “I call the country's governors to work together to guarantee citizens a worthy life and an environment of peace and serenity ” Lima (Agenzia Fides) - “In this season of Christ I wish to send greetings of peace and brotherhood to all who share our faith and to all men and women of goodwill" Archbishop Miguel Cabrejos Vidarte of Trujillo Presi ...
• 20 December 2007
  AFRICA/ DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO - Rector appointed for Saint Jean-Baptiste Philosophy seminary in Bamanya Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Cardinal Ivan Dias prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, on 26 October 2007, appointed as Rector of Saint Jean-Baptiste major provincial theology Seminary in Bamany ...
• 20 December 2007
  AFRICA/ DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO - New rector for Saint Augustin Seminary in Kisangani Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Cardinal Ivan Dias, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, on 7 September 2007, appointed as Rector of Saint Augustin major inter-diocesan seminary for theology in t ...
• 19 December 2007
  VATICAN - AVE MARIA: At Christmas you too can be born again! by Mgr Luciano Alimandi Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Christmas is almost here and the Gospel urges us to prepare the way for the Lord who comes! What does this mean? Great Saint Augustine tells us that “preparing the way” is about being ...
• 19 December 2007
  AFRICA/SOUTH AFRICA - New Bishop of Aliwal appointed Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI on 19 December 2007, appointed as Bishop of Aliwal (South Africa) Rev. Michael Wüstenberg of the clergy of Hildesheim (Germany), fidei donum missionary, ...