Vatican

• 15 December 2003
  VATICAN - THE POPE’S REFLECTIONS AT SUNDAY ANGELUS: “TO KNOW THAT GOD IS NOT DISTANT, BUT CLOSE, NOT INDIFFERENT, BUT COMPASSIONATE, NOT A STRANGER, BUT A MERCIFUL FATHER WHO FOLLOWS US LOVINGLY WITH RESPECT FOR OUR FREEDOM, IS A MOTIVE OF PROFOUND JOY WHICH THE ALTERNATING EVENTS OF EVERY DAY CANNOT AFFECT” Vatican City (Fides Service) – The Liturgy of the 3rd Sunday of Advent, also called Gaudete Sunday, contains a repeated and explicit call to joy, to rejoice, as St Paul recommends: " Rejoice in the Lord always. … Th ...
• 12 December 2003
  THE POPE TELLS UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: “IT IS INDISPENSABLE FOR TODAY’S EUROPE TO SAFEGUARD ITS HERITAGE OF VALUES AND TO RECOGNISE THAT MAINLY CHRISTIANITY WAS THE FORCE WHICH PROMOTED, COMPOUNDED AND CONSOLIDATED THEM ” Vatican City (Fides Service) - "Fear not, I will help you" (Is 41,13). God’s promise echoed by the Prophet found full actuation in the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem. In Him God became one of us! This is why we need not f ...
• 10 December 2003
  VATICAN - THE POPE’S TEACHING AT GENERAL AUDIENCE: “THE LORD IS NEVER INDIFFERENT TO HUMAN VICISSITUDES INDEED HE INTERVENES TO DEMOLISH ARROGANT AND OPPRESSIVE EMPIRES, HE LOWERS THE PROUD WHO CHALLENGE HIM, HE JUDGES THOSE WHO PERPETRATE EVIL” Vatican City (Fides Service ) – On Wednesday 10 December the Pope addressed thousands of visitors gathered in the Paul VI Hall in the Vatican for his usual general audience. He focussed his teaching on the Canticle fro ...
• 10 December 2003
  VATICAN - PASTORAL CARE OF MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM IS A SPECIAL FORM OF EVANGELISATION: FINAL DOCUMENT AFTER 5TH WORLD CONGRESS ON- PASTORAL CARE FOR MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES Vatican City (Fides Service) – “The Church cannot remain indifferent in the wake of the present plight of migrants and refugees. She wants to share their joys and grief, there where they are, and be with them in thei ...
• 9 December 2003
  VATICAN - THE POPE SAYS AT DECEMBER 8 ANGELUS PRAYER: “FAITH SHOWS US THAT THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF MARY IS A PROMISE OF SALVATION FOR EVERY HUMAN CREATURE PILGRIM ON EARTH. FAITH REMINDS IS THAT MARY IS OUR UNWAVERING SUPPORT IN THE DIFFICULT BATTLE AGAINST SIN AND ITS CONSEQUENCES ” Vatican City (Fides Service) – Addressing from his window the crowds gathered in St Peters Square for the midday Angelus prayer and blessing on December 8th Feast of the Immaculate Conception, a bank holiday in Italy a ...
• 9 December 2003
  VATICAN - CARDINAL MARTINO, PRESIDENT OF PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE, WILL ADDRESS PERUVIAN PARLIAMENT ON RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND GIVE MAIN TALK AT 7TH NATIONAL CATHOLIC SOCIAL PASTORAL WEEK Vatican City (Fides Service) – The need for all sectors of society to work to promote respect for human rights and democracy will be the central theme of an address which Cardinal Renato R. Martino, president of the Po ...
• 9 December 2003
  VATICAN - THE POPE PRAYS AT THE FOOT OF THE STATUE OF IMMACULATE MARY IN PIAZZA DI SPAGNA: “MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE, GIVE US CHRIST, TRUE PEACE OF THE WORLD!” Vatican City (Fides Service) – On December 8 Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, braving the piercing cold in Rome Pope John Paul II went to Piazza to place his traditional floral tribute (the 26th time) at the ...
• 9 December 2003
  VATICAN - 4th COLLOQUIUM MUSLIM-CHRISTIAN: DIALOGUE “OPEN RESPECTFUL AND FRUITFUL” A PRELUDE TO NEW FORMS OF COLLABORATION Vatican City (Fides Service) – The 4th Muslim-Christian Colloquium was held from 29 November to 2 December 2003 (8 -11 Azar 1382) at the offices of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue in the Vatican, on ...
• 6 December 2003
  VATICAN - THE POPE ADDRESSES 32ND CONFERENCE OF THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANISATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS: HUNGER AND MALNUTRITION, AGGRAVATED BY SPREADING POVERTY REPRESENT A THREAT TO PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE Vatican City (Fides Service) – On Friday 5 December in the Sala Clementina in the Vatican Pope John Paul II granted a special audience to participants 32nd Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the Un ...
• 6 December 2003
  VATICAN - PAPAL MESSAGE FOR 41ST WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS: “OUR FIRST DUTY IS TO PRAY TO THE "MASTER OF THE HARVEST" FOR THOSE WHO ALREADY FOLLOW CHRIST MORE CLOSELY IN THE PRIESTLY AND RELIGIOUS LIFE AND FOR THOSE WHOM, IN HIS MERCY, HE CONTINUES TO CALL FOR THESE IMPORTANT CHURCH DUTIES Vatican City (Fides Service) – “On the occasion of the 41st World Day of Prayer for Vocations, traditionally set for the 4th Sunday of Easter, the faithful unite in fervent prayer for vocations to the priesthood, th ...
• 5 December 2003
  VATICAN - THE CHURCH CAN DO MUCH TO MAKE GLOBALISATION MORE HUMAN: SAID PRESIDENT OF PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE CARDINAL RENATO MARTINO, ADDRESSING INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON LEO XIII Vatican City (Fides) – The urgent need to give meaning to globalisation in order to overcome its many ambiguities and to put it more at the service of mankind was underlined by the President of the Pontifical Council f ...
• 5 December 2003
  VATICAN - PAPAL MESSAGE TO MARK 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF "HOLODOMOR", FAMINE PROVOKED TO BEND UKRAINE: “THE COMMEMORATION INTENDS TO REVIVE IN ALL HEARTS THE SENSE OF THE DIGNITY OF EVERY PERSON WHATEVER HIS OR HER NATIONAL ORIGIN.” Vatican City (Fides Service) – On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the "Holodomor", (great famine), provoked by Stalin between 1932 e il 1933 to force the people of Ukraine to accept policies of forced collecti ...
• 5 December 2003
  VATICAN - THE POPE RECEIVES NEW PATRIARCH OF BABYLON OF THE CHALDEANS: “HARMONY IS ALL THE MORE NECESSARY IF WE LOOK AT YOUR LAND TODAY MORE THAN EVER IN NEED OF AUTHENTIC PEACE, TRANQUILLITY AND ORDER. WORK TO "UNITE THE EFFORTS" OF ALL BELIEVERS FOR RESPECTFUL DIALOGUE WHICH FAVOURS AT ALL LEVELS THE BUILDING OF A STABLE AND FREE SOCIETY.” Vatican City (Fides Service) – On December 3 Pope John Paul II received the new Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans His Beatitude Emmanuel III Delly, and members of the Synod of the Chaldean Catholic Church in a priv ...
• 4 December 2003
  VATICAN - ANNUAL CHARITY AUCTION ORGANISED BY CONGREGATION FOR THE EVANGELISATION OF PEOPLES IN AID OF NEEDY MISSIONS IN CENTRAL ASIA Vatican City (Fides Service) – The central Asian church in Baku, Azerbaijan, will be among the beneficiaries of the now traditional Charity Auction organised at Christmas by the Congregation for the Evangelisation of P ...
• 4 December 2003
  VATICAN - THE POPE’S MESSAGE FOR WORLD DAY OF THE SICK 2004: “IF JESUS IS THE SOURCE OF LIFE WHO CONQUERS DEATH, MARY IS THE LOVING MOTHER WHO ATTENDS TO THE NEEDS OF HER CHILDREN OBTAINING FOR THEM HEALTH IN SPIRIT AND BODY ” Vatican City (Fides Service) – The Church’s Annual Celebration of World Day for the Sick on February 11, 2004, Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, will be held in Lourdes where our Lady appeared to Bernadette on 11 Februar ...