News

• 22 June 2005
  AFRICA/BENIN - Religious and military doctors on mission in Benin “restore light” to the blind, Rome (Fides Service) - The mission of Doctors belonging to the St John of God Hospitaller Brothers Association for Distant Patients AFMAL and the Italian airforce continue their efforts to help the blind in Africa. Afte ...
• 21 June 2005
  OCEANIA/WALLIS AND FUTUNA - Bishop of Wallis and Futuna (Pacific Islands) resigns, successor appointed Vatican City (Fides Service) - The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI on 20 June 2005 accepted the renunciation of the pastoral government of the diocese of Wallis et Futuna (Pacific Islands) presented by Bishop Lolesio Fua ...
• 21 June 2005
  VATICAN - Holy See press office announces that Pope Benedict XVI will travel to Köln (Germany) for the 20th World Youth Day Vatican City (Fides Service) - It has been officially announced today that the Holy Father, Benedict XVI will travel to Cologne, Germany from August 18 to 21 on the occasion of the 20th World Youth Day. The Pope will dep ...
• 21 June 2005
  EUROPE/ITALY - Opus Dei all over the world will mark 30th anniversary of the death of Saint Josemaría Escriva on Sunday 26 June Rome (Fides Service) - Sunday 26 June is the 30th anniversary of the death of the founder of Opus Dei, Josemaria Escrivà, born in Barbastro (Spain) 9 January 1902 and died in Rome on 26 June 1975, canonised 6 October 20 ...
• 21 June 2005
  ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Cardinal Jaime Sin Archbishop emeritus of Manila dies after a long illness: a figure of reference for the Catholic Church in the Philippines and the history of the entire nation Manila (Fides Service) - The death of Cardinal Jaime Sin former Archbishop of Manila closes an important page in the history of the Philippines as well as the Church in that nation. The Cardinal died in Manila during the ...
• 21 June 2005
  ASIA/INDIA - Tura diocese in north east India, an oasis of dialogue and harmony where the local Church helps Tribal subsistence farmers improve their life Tura (Fides Service) - The small Catholic community in the diocese of Tura led by Bishop George Mamalessery in north east India is an oasis of social harmony and solidarity and inter-religious dialogue in an area trouble ...
• 21 June 2005
  ASIA/HONG KONG - In preparation for World Youth Day in Germany 120 young Hong Kongers camp to “discover our treasure” Hong Kong (Fides Service) - In view of the World Youth Day organised by the universal Church to be held this time in Germany, the diocese of Hong Kong has organised various initiatives to help its young people participat ...
• 21 June 2005
  OCEANIA/AUSTRALIA - Government promises better treatment for asylum seekers and refugees: local Church welcomes the move Sydney (Fides Service) - The Catholic Church in Australia has welcomed Prime Minister John Howard’s announcement made on World Day for Refugees (June 20th ) that asylum seekers and refugees arriving in Australia will b ...
• 21 June 2005
  AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - Dramatic report from Luhwinja and Burinyi in south east Democratic Congo where war never stopped: although our country is rich we have to beg for clothes Bukavu (Fides Service) - This is one of the many forgotten wars. Here in the south eastern Kivu region of Democratic Congo guerrilla groups continue to terrorise the people despite the official peace agreement. Fides rec ...
• 21 June 2005
  AFRICA/ZIMBABWE - “Countless numbers of men, women with babies, children of school age, the old and the sick, continue to sleep in the open air at winter temperatures near to freezing” Catholic Bishops of Zimbabwe protest against government’s shanty town operation ‘clean up’ Harare (Fides Service)- The secretary general of the United Nations Organisation Kofi Annan has appointed Tanzanian Anna Kajumolo Tibaijuka UN special envoy to investigate alleged abuse by security forces during the Mura ...
• 20 June 2005
  VATICAN - At the Angelus prayer the Pope recalls the painful situation of refugees: “may people who live away from their own country feel that the Church is a homeland where no one is a stranger” Vatican City (Fides Service) - On the occasion of World Day for Refugees 20 June promoted by the United Nations Organisation with the theme "the courage to be a refugee ", Pope Benedict XVI devoted his short address bef ...
• 20 June 2005
  AFRICA/BURKINA FASO - Burkina Faso has first centre for babies born with HIV/AIDS Ouagadougou (Fides Service) - Saturday 18 June was a great day of joy and hope for the S. Camillo Medical Centre in Ouagadougou where a brand new sector for infants affected by HIV/AIDS was officially inaugurated. The wa ...
• 20 June 2005
  AFRICA/MADAGASCAR - “Our country’s poverty is a result of widespread corruption” Archbishop Fulgence Rabeony of Toliara President of the Bishops’ Conference of Madagascar told Fides Rome (Fides Service). “Poverty is the principle problem of our country and from it all the others are derived”. Archbishop Fulgence Rabeony of Toliara President of the Bishops’ Conference of Madagascar told Fides. ...
• 20 June 2005
  EUROPE/PORTUGAL - Cardinal Sepe greets Boa Nova Mission Society gathered in Fatima for 75° anniversary: “You are a precious gift for the Church in Portugal and the whole Church because with fidelity you incarnate that which is its primary duty which cannot be renounced: Evangelisation” Fatima (Agenzia Fides) - “We have come to Fatima to thank God for you the Boa Nova Missionaries, a community of apostles which welcomed the Good News with love and like Mary has dedicated its existence to it. In these ...
• 20 June 2005
  VATICAN - Benedict XVI receives Bishops of Madagascar on ad limina visit: “Help the faithful acquire an illuminated faith, rooted in an intimate encounter with Christ. Inculturation of the faith in Malagasy culture remains an important goal” Vatican City (Fides Service) - “May the Malagasy people live in God’s peace and continue with courage to build a society ever more respectful of the human person and human dignity” Pope Benedict XVI said on 18 June ...