News

• 12 January 2004
  ASIA/IRAN – EARTHQUAKE EMERGENCY: FIRST CARITAS CONVOY LEAVES TEHERAN TODAY, MAIN CHALLENGE NOW IS REBUILDING. Rome (Fides Service) – The violent earthquake which struck the Iranian city of Bam on 26 December killed 35.000 people, many died because of inadequate material used for building. Mud used in construction pulverised ca ...
• 12 January 2004
  EUROPE/GERMANY - PROMOTING PENAL ACTION AGAINST CHILD ABUSE IN SEX TOURISM: SYMPOSIUM PROMOTED BY MISSIO ON OBSTACLES AND POSSIBILITIES Aachen (Fides Service) “Bringing Paedophiles to Court ” is the theme of a Symposium promoted by the National Office of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Germany missio Aachen scheduled for 14 and 15 January in Berl ...
• 12 January 2004
  EUROPE/GERMANY - WORLD YOUTH DAY IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNISE THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES AND OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO GROW IN THE FAITH AND BECOME A MISSIONARY CHURCH: GERMAN BISHOPS SAY IN PASTORAL LETTER IN VIEW OF WORLD YOUTH DAY WJT 2005 Berlin (Agenzia Fides) – On Sunday 11 January a Letter from the German Bishops in view of World Youth Day 2005, was read out in every parish in the country. “We have come to adore him” (Mt 2,2) is the theme of the ...
• 12 January 2004
  AFRICA/SENEGAL - ARCHBISHOP OF DAKAR THREATENED. ALL SENEGAL EXPRESSES SOLIDARITY. PRESIDENT WADE DEFENDS RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ON TELEVISION Dakar (Fides Service)- In Dakar, in the news for the international car rally, signs of religious intolerance were immediately quashed by the majority of people. “Newspapers and political and religious leaders, Muslims ...
• 12 January 2004
  AFRICA/CONGO - DIOCESE REJOICES FOR RETURN OF SICK ARCHBISHOP OF BUKAVU ABSENT FOR THREE YEARS Bukavu (Agenzia Fides)- Four bishop concelebrated a special Mass for peace in Democratic Congo and for the health of Archbishop Charles Kambale Mbogha of Bukavu diocese who recently returned after two years of absence fo ...
• 12 January 2004
  VATICAN - THE POPE’S TEACHING AT GENERAL AUDIENCE: “JESUS IS THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB WITHOUT STAIN WHOSE PRECIOUS BLOOD WAS SHED FOR OUR RANSOM. HE IS THE JUST ONE WHO OFFERS HIMSELF FOR THE UNJUST IN ORDER TO LEAD THEM BACK TO GOD.” Vatican City (Fides Service) – After the festivities of Christmas, for his teaching at the general audience on January 14, Pope John Paul II resumed his reflection on the Liturgy of Vespers commenting the Canticle kno ...
• 12 January 2004
  AFRICA/ANGOLA - IN THE CABINDA ENCLAVE (700,000 DRUMS OF OIL A DAY), THE DRAMA OF WAR AND HUNGER. AID TO THE CHURCH IN NEED DENOUNCES INJUSTICE Roma (Fides Service)- Fides has received a new complaint with regard violation of human rights in the Angolan enclave of Cabina separated from Angola by a strip of land belonging to Democratic Congo. According to Portugu ...
• 9 January 2004
  AMERICA/BRAZIL – 3 CONSOLATA MISSIONARIES KIDNAPPED ON 6 JANUARY ARE RELEASED: THE THREE RELIGIOUS ARE WELL AND UNHURT Roraima (Fides Service) – At 5pm local time on Thursday 8 January three Consolata missionaries taken hostage from their mission in Sumuru, in the Brazilian state of Roraima on 6 January were released. The three men are ...
• 9 January 2004
  VATICAN - PAPAL MESSAGE TO SYMPOSIUM ON THE DIGNITY AND RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH MENTAL DISABILITY: “A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY, EVEN WHEN WOUNDED IN MIND OR SENSORIAL OR INTELLECTUAL CAPACITY, IS A FULLY HUMAN SUBJECT WITH SACRED AND INALIENABLE RIGHTS PROPER TO EVERY HUMAN PERSON Vatican City (Fides Service) – “The point of departure for any reflection on disability is rooted in the fundamental persuasions of Christian anthropology: a person with a disability, even when wounded in mind or sen ...
• 9 January 2004
  VATICAN - CARDINAL SECRETARY OF STATE PRESIDES REQUIEM MASS FOR ARCHBISHOP COURTNEY IN ST PETER’S: “HE CARRIED THE TESTIMONY OF HIS ADAMANTINE FAITH ALONG THE ROADS OF THE WORLD, LIKE THE GOOD SHEPHERD HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR THE PEOPLE OF BURUNDI TO WHOM THE POPE SENT HIM AS AN APOSTLE OF PEACE ” Vatican City (Fides Service) – A solemn requiem Mass in memory of Archbishop Michael Aidan Courtney, Apostolic Nuncio in Burundi brutally assassinated on 29 December, was presided by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Secretary o ...
• 9 January 2004
  AFRICA/IVORY COAST - 6 NEW FORCES MINISTERS TAKE TIME TO THINK THROUGH DIFFICULT CITIZENSHIP DILEMMA Abidjan (Fides Service)- “This is an interval not a crisis” local Church sources in Abidjan assure Fides with regard to the abrupt curtailing of a national unity government cabinet meeting. The meeting was scheduled ...
• 9 January 2004
  AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - SACRED HEART OF JESUS MISSIONARIES CELEBRATE 150TH ANNIVERSARY AND 80 YEARS IN CONGO DESPITE ENORMOUS DIFFICULTIES AND SACKING DURING FIVE YEARS OF CIVIL WAR Kinshasa (Fides Service)- The Sacred Heart Missionaries who this year celebrate ther150th anniversary of their foundation are working hard to resume their activity in the Democratic Republic of Congo where they first arr ...
• 9 January 2004
  ASIA/INDIA – CHRISTIAN INSTITUTIONS AND INDIVIDUALS HARASSED BY ANTI-CHURCH PROPAGANDA AND VIOLENCE: SO CALLED “INCIDENTS” ARE VERY OFTEN ORGANISED EXTREMIST ATTACKS New Delhi (Fides) – While the Catholic Bishops of India meeting in Trichur Kerala to discuss the subject of “Church and Communication” warn of anti-Church propaganda and false information aimed at influencing publi ...
• 9 January 2004
  ASIA/PAKISTAN – ADDRESSING A GATHERING OF MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND MUSLIMS AND CHRISTIANS PUNJAB CHIEF MINISTER PRAISES CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS AND SOCIAL INSTITUTES Lahore (Fides Service ) – “I was educated at the Foreman Christian College and no one ever forced me to become a Christian. Today I am a good Muslim”, Pervaiz Chaudhry, chief minister of the north east province of ...
• 8 January 2004
  VATICAN - DURING FIRST GENERAL OF THE YEAR 2004 THE POPE INVITES PEOPLE TO CONTEMPLATE THE SILENT PRESENCE OF THE VIRGIN MOTHER MARY BESIDE THE INFANT JESUS: “LET US ASK HER TO GUIDE OUR STEPS IN THE NEW YEAR WHICH DIVINE PROVIDENCE GRANTS US TO LIVE ”. Vatican City (Fides Service) – In his teaching during the first general audience of the year on Wednesday 7 January, Pope John Paul II reflected on the mystery of Mary’s divine motherhood. “Mary, Mother of God! Thi ...