News

• 19 December 2007
  OCEANIA/SOLOMON ISLANDS - Young Catholics in Solomons get a taste of World Youth Day Honiara (Agenzia Fides) - A moment of prayer, communion, sharing and celebration. For three days young Catholics in Solomons had a taste of World Youth Day. Some 200 young people from all over the islands took part in W ...
• 19 December 2007
  AMERICA/VENEZUELA - On the occasion of Christmas the Bishops ask to people to make “concrete gestures of reconciliation and dialogue” and to “intensify personal and community prayer ” Caracas (Agenzia Fides) - In a Christmas message "Christmas of encounter, peace and hope” the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Venezuela thanks the people for “exemplary electoral day on 2 December…peaceful and happ ...
• 19 December 2007
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - State of emergency lifted civil society reorganises in view of elections Islamabad (Agenzia Fides) - The situation in Pakistan has improved slightly. Tension has lessened since President Musharraf lifted the state of emergency on 16 December. Civil society is now reorganising in view of legis ...
• 19 December 2007
  AFRICA/SOUTH AFRICA - Zuma's election as leader of the party in power marks a political turning point in South Africa, but there is uncertainty with regard to which way the country will go Pretoria (Agenzia Fides)- The ruling African National Congress has changed leadership and South Africa faces an uncertain political turning point. Jacob Zuma defeated head of state Thabo Mbeki, in elections for the party ...
• 18 December 2007
  VATICAN - Benedict XVI to the Postulators of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints: “The saints, if properly presented in their spiritual dynamism and their historic reality, help render the word of the Gospel and the mission of the Church more credible and inviting ” Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - “In recent decades we have seen growing religious and cultural interest for champions of Christian holiness who show the true face of te Church, the bride of Christ 'without spot or wrink ...
• 18 December 2007
  VATICAN - Concrete modalities of mission: evangelisation, inculturation, implantatio of the Church (part two) - by Fr. Adriano Garuti and Lara De Angelis Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - How to speak of God in this world which has led to the loss of values which are fundamental for the Christian? First of all we must take the path of the faith, only in this way can we show ...
• 18 December 2007
  AFRICA/IVORY COAST - Demobilisation of Ivory Coast combatants to start on 22 December Abidjan (Agenzia Fides)- The long awaited process of disarmament, demobilisation and social reintegration of combatants in Ivory Coast will begin on 22 December. This was announced by General Philippe Mangou, Ivory Coast ...
• 18 December 2007
  AFRICA/SOMALIA - “Without an immediate intervention on the part of the international community Somalia risks a humanitarian catastrophe” says UN special envoy Mogadishu (Agenzia Fides)- More than 720,000 people have been forced to leave Mogadishu over the past few months because of Ethiopian soldiers and Transition government troops fighting militia groups linked with the Isla ...
• 18 December 2007
  ASIA/JAPAN - Asian martyrs at the centre of a meeting between Japanese and Korean bishops Sapporo (Agenzia Fides) - The experience of the martyr is an element which unites the Church in Korea and the Church in Japan. This emerged at the 13th meeting for cultural and spiritual discussion between Japanese and K ...
• 18 December 2007
  ASIA/TAIWAN - Christmas lights of hope brighten Luo Dong hospital Tai Pei (Agenzia Fides) - “The birth of Jesus brings us hope and light which dispel darkness and evil, we are all illuminated by the light of Christ”. In preparation for the Nativity of Jesus the great light of Chri ...
• 18 December 2007
  ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Catholic Bishops say 'no' to trafficking of organs, immoral practice which exploits the human person Manila (Agenzia Fides) - The Catholic bishops of the Philippines have decried the widespread “immoral and grossly exploitative” practice of soliciting donations of vital human organs which offends the dignity of the ...
• 18 December 2007
  AMERICA/CHILE - First international refresher course in theology to enable priests respond to present day issues and the challenges of moral theology: “ongoing formation aims at increasing the priest's awareness of his share in the Church's saving mission” San Bernardo (Agenzia Fides) - San Pedro Apóstol major seminary in the diocese of San Bernardo (Chile), in collaboration with the faculty of theology of the University of Navarra and annexed Superior Institute of Religi ...
• 18 December 2007
  OCEANIA/ AUSTRALIA - First ever lay National Director for Pontifical Mission Societies: a sign of increasing participation of lay people in the Church Sydney (Fides Service) - Australian Catholics welcomed the recent appointment of the first ever lay National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies, 'Catholic Mission' in Australia. Mr Martin Teulan was appointed f ...
• 18 December 2007
  AFRICA/IVORY COAST - Bishop of Man resigns, successor appointed Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI on 18 December 2007, accepted the renunciation of the pastoral government of the Diocese of Man (Ivory Coast) presented by Bishop Joseph Niangoran Teki, in ...
• 17 December 2007
  VATICAN - The Pope at the Angelus: “joy enters the hearts of those who put themselves at the service of the humble and the poor. In those who love in this way, God makes his home and the soul is filled with joy. If instead happiness becomes an idol, this is the wrong road and it is very difficult to find the joy of which Jesus speaks” Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The 3rd Sunday of Advent is called "gaudete" since it is marked by the call of Saint Paul "Gaudete in Domino semper - Always rejoice in the Lord " (Phil 4,4). “The Apostle urges Christian ...