Vatican

• 8 March 2004
  VATICAN - The Pope says at the Angelus: ‘Total trust and confidence in God gives the interior light which transfigures the human person making him a witness of the Resurrection’. The Pope appealed for Africa, the Middle East, the Holy Land and Iraq: “I would once again urge all to take the path of forgiveness and reconciliation”. Vatican City (Fides Service) - “Lent calls us to follow Christ in the mystery of his prayer, source of light and strength in the hour of trial. To pray, in fact, means to lose oneself in the spirit of God in an attitud ...
• 6 March 2004
  VATICAN - The challenge to harmonise profit and solidarity underlined by the Pope in his message to Christian executives attending a Conference organised by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace Vatican City (Fides Service) - “Christians charged with responsibility in the business world are challenged to combine the legitimate pursuit of profit with a deeper concern for the spread of solidarity and the elimina ...
• 5 March 2004
  VATICAN - Pressing appeal from the Congregation for the Oriental Churches to help the Church in the Holy Land in urgent need of prayer and concrete solidarity “to sustain the presence of the Christian community in the Holy Land ” Vatican City (Fides Service) - As customary at the beginning of Lent, Cardinal Ignace Moussa I Daoud, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches made an appeal to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on behalf o ...
• 3 March 2004
  VATICAN - Study Seminar on the social responsibility of businessmen and globalisation, promoted by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace on the eve of the publication of a compendium of the fundamental principles of Catholic Social Teaching. Vatican City (Fides Service) - Corruption in business and politics, destination of company profits i, the cultural impact of advertising and marketing policies are some of the subjects for discussion during a Study Semin ...
• 1 March 2004
  VATICAN - Papal Message for 19th World Youth Day: “If we want to see Jesus we must let ourselves be seen by him! Dear young people, let Jesus look into your eyes so that you have will have an ever greater longing to see the Light to savour the splendour of Truth.” Vatican City (Fides Service) - “The year 2004 is the final lap before the important appointment of the 20th World Youth Day in Cologne in 2005. I therefore ask you to intensify your spiritual preparation by studying th ...
• 1 March 2004
  VATICAN - At the Angelus prayer the Pope says “Lent calls us to make a special effort on our spiritual journey” urging those present to make Lent “a generous competition in showing solidarity” with children especially those in most danger and difficulty Vatican City (Fides Service) - On the first Sunday of Lent, 29 February, from his study window overlooking St Peter’s Square, Pope John Paul II prayed the customary Angelus prayer with visitors gathered for the occasi ...
• 27 February 2004
  VATICAN - Papal Message for Fraternity Campaign 2004 in Brazil: “A gift of God, water is a vital element, indispensable for life and therefore a right for every person” Vatican City (Fides Service) - Pope John Paul II sent a Message for the annual Lenten Fraternity Campaign organised by the Church in Brazil. The message was addressed to Cardinal Geraldo Majella Agnelo, Archbishop of Sa ...
• 26 February 2004
  VATICAN - The Pope’s annual meeting with his priests of Rome diocese: “Marriage and the family cannot be considered simply a product of circumstances or a superstructure imposed on human love from outside … We must see our apostolate with families as a source of grace, a gift given to us by God” Vatican City (Fides Service) - “To give the family a central place or, better still, to recognise the family’s centrality in God’s plan for mankind and hence in the life of the Church and society, is a task which c ...
• 25 February 2004
  VATICAN - Catechesis and Communication: integrating the Christian message in the new culture of the third millennium: a reflection by Prof. Pighin Vatican City (Fides Service) - Father Claudio Pighin, member of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions PIME and Director of the Communications Centre of the Pontifical Urban University reflects on a very topical s ...
• 25 February 2004
  VATICAN - “Catholic moral teaching cannot accept artificial procreation whatever methods are used ”, said Archbishop Elio Sgreccia at the end of the 10th general assembly of the Pontifical Academy of Life Vatican City (Fides Service) - Archbishop Elio Sgreccia had this to say at the end of the 10th general assembly of the Pontifical Academy of Life: “The assembly this year was unique because it marked the 10th annivers ...
• 25 February 2004
  VATICAN - The Pope starts Lent by presiding Ash Wednesday Liturgy in St Peter’s: “To be authentic disciples of Christ it is necessary to renounce self, to take up our cross every day and follow Him. This is the difficult path to holiness which every baptised Christian is called to walk.” Vatican City (Fides Service) - At 10.30 this morning, 25 February, Pope John Paul II presided the Ash Wednesday Liturgy in St Peter’s Basilica filled to capacity with pilgrims and visitors from all over the world. In h ...
• 23 February 2004
  VATICAN - The Pope addresses the plenary of the Pontifical Academy for Life: “Ever more emergent the inseparable bond between the procreation of a new person by means of conjugal union... This plan of the Creator is inscribed in the very physical and spiritual nature of man and woman and as such it is universally valid” Vatican City (Fides Service) - On Saturday 21 February Pope John Paul II granted a special audience to participants at a plenary assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life. In his address the Holy Father began by menti ...
• 23 February 2004
  VATICAN - On the feast of the Chair of Peter, at the midday Angelus prayer Sunday 22 February, the Pope reflected on “the singular ministry entrusted by the Lord to the head of the Apostles, to confirm and guide the Church in unity of faith” the special service which “the Bishop of Rome is called to render to the entire Christian people”. Vatican City (Fides Service) - The Feast of the Chair of Peter, 22 February, inspired the Pope to reflect on the ministry of Peter before the recitation of the Angelus prayer with thousands gathered in St Peter’s Squar ...
• 23 February 2004
  AFRICA/UGANDA - Rev. Augustine Lukenge confirmed as Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Uganda Vatican City (Fides Service) - Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples has 28 August 2003, confirmed as National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Uganda, for ...
• 21 February 2004
  VATICAN - “Biblical Notes on Human Procreation”: Cardinal Lozano Barragan, President of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Workers and the Sick addresses the general assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life Vatican City (Fides Service) - “Biblical Notes on Human Procreation” was the title of a paper given on 19 February by Cardinal Lozano Barragan, President of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Wor ...