News

• 16 February 2004
  AFRICA/THE GREAT LAKES REGION - Democratic Congo, Rwanda and Burundi. Rev. Ferdinando Colombo, vice president of VIS reports on progress of development programme launched three years ago by this Salesian volunteer aid agency Rome (Fides Service)- The Italian development agency VIS (Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo), sponsored by the Salesian Fathers has various programmes in the countries of the Great Lakes region of Africa, Democ ...
• 16 February 2004
  AFRICA/ETHIOPIA - Reports of more fighting in south west Ethiopia where ethnic tension, oil, gold and foreign interests make an explosive mixture Gambella (Fides Service)- The situation is still confused in Gambella, south west Ethiopia, where international media say that since January 200 people have been killed and at least 10,000 have fled their homes because o ...
• 16 February 2004
  ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Postponed explorative talks between government and Muslim separatists: missionary tells Fides what’s in the way of peace Manila (Fides Service) - Explorative talks between the Philippines government and Muslim separatist rebels in the south scheduled for 16 February in Malaysia, have been postponed “for administrative reasons”, accordi ...
• 16 February 2004
  AFRICA/BURKINA FASO - Camillian Fathers caring for the sick in Africa: Fides speaks to one of the many missionaries who have chosen to live among some of the poorest people on earth Rome (Fides Service) - Forty years have passed since the first Camillian Fathers arrived in 40 Ouagadougou, capital of Burkina Faso, where today a parish dedicated to Saint Camillus stands in an area of 200 square km of ...
• 16 February 2004
  WHO and FAO concerned for bird flu: the epidemic continues. Out of 10 cases in Vietnam studied 8 persons died, only one recovered and the other is in critical conditions Rome (Fides) - Bird flue is lethal and human victims usually die in a few days after showing the first symptoms, coughing, difficult breathing. This has emerged from a study on cases of contagion among humans of the vir ...
• 14 February 2004
  ASIA/SRI LANKA - Politics, society religion in the present stage of the Island’s history Colombo (Fides Service ) - Today 14 February, Fides presents a special report on Sri Lanka, an all round view of the situation on the eve of elections, analysis of political, social and religious questions. News items, s ...
• 14 February 2004
  AMERICA/COSTA RICA - 4th Central American Meeting for vicars of pastoral and diocesan delegates for missions will outline pastoral plans suited to implement the conclusions of the Second American Mission Congress (CAM 2) San Jose (Fides Service) - “Offer a theological-pastoral interpretation of CAM2 to highlight the more significant elements and the pastoral dynamics which should animate mission ad gentes in Central America in the comi ...
• 13 February 2004
  VATICAN - Cardinal Lozano Barragan, President of the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Care of Health Workers and the Sick, speaks about costs of drug therapy Vatican City (Fides Service) - On his return from Lourdes where as the Pope’s special envoy he presided the main celebrations for the 12th World Day of the Sick, Cardinal Lozano Barragan President of the Pontifical Cou ...
• 13 February 2004
  VATICAN - Half a century of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Iran celebrated at the Gregorian University in Rome Vatican City (Fides Service) - The 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and the Islamic Republic of Iran was celebrated on 12 February in Rome with a Seminar “Iran and the ...
• 13 February 2004
  ASIA/SRI LANKA - “Island in situation of political uncertainty. Dangerous mix of politics and religion”: a local missionary reports to Fides Colombo (Fides Service) - “The elections are unnecessary. The electorate is almost equally divided between the two main groups, supporters of President Kumaratunga and supporters of Prime Minister Wicremesinghe. If the ...
• 13 February 2004
  ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - Seoul archdiocese opens an Institute of Theological Studies for lay people Seoul (Fides Service) - It is a known fact that the laity are the engine of the Church in Korea: their valid cooperation in all fields of pastoral work puts the Church in South Korea among those which have better underst ...
• 13 February 2004
  OCEANIA/FIJI - Making music to announce the Gospel to Youth “We shall not give up”: CD ROM by young Salesian in the South Pacific Suva (Fides Service) - Music is an excellent channel of evangelisation, particularly among young people: this is the conviction of Isaia Bourne a theology student who has just produced a CD called “We shall not give up ...
• 13 February 2004
  EUROPE/ITALY - Solidarity fundamental resource in health care: St John of God Brothers reflect on“ solidarietà tra professionalità e umanizzazione ” Rome (Fides Service) - “Healing with solidarity” was the theme chosen by the Italian Bishops’ Conference for the 12 World Day for the Sick. The theme imposes special reflection on psychic suffering and discomfort, ...
• 13 February 2004
  ASIA/SRI LANKA - Tomorrow Fides presents: Special report on Sri Lanka - politics, society and religion in the present phase of the country’s history Colombo (Fides Service ) - Tomorrow 14 February, Fides will present a special report on Sri Lanka, an all round view of the situation on the eve of elections, analysis of political, social and religious questions. News i ...
• 13 February 2004
  AFRICA/ZAMBIA - Rising crime rate, bad management of resources, AIDS. Association of Catholic Women Religious in Zambia voice concern Lusaka (Fides Service) - “As most of the sisters in Zambia work with the disadvantaged sector of the population, we would like once again to voice our concern on the behalf of these people”. In a press statement issu ...