News

• 17 January 2008
  VATICAN - “You heard it said, but I tell you…” - intervention by Prof Michele Loconsole on the annual Day for Dialogue between Catholics and Jews on the theme “Thou shall not take the name of the Lord God in vain” (Es 20,7) Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - For more than a decade every year the 17 January has been celebrated as the Day of reflection to promote the development of Catholic-Jewish dialogue: inaugurated in 1990 by the Italian Bish ...
• 17 January 2008
  AFRICA/EGYPT - “As missionaries for years we have sensed in secular circles hatred towards the Catholic Church" Cairo (Agenzia Fides)-“I sympathise with the Holy Father because as missionaries we are familiar with discrimination on the part of secular circles” said Italian Comboni missionary Fr. Luciano Verdoscia, who has serv ...
• 17 January 2008
  AFRICA/IVORY COAST - New National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies appointed Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Cardinal Ivan Dias, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, on 18 December 2007 appointed Rev. Fr. Alphonse N’Guessan N’Guessan of the diocesan clergy of Yamousso ...
• 17 January 2008
  ASIA/BANGLADESH - Xaverian missionaries in Bangladesh close to the Holy Father Dacca (Agenzia Fides) - “We are sad for what has happened and we express to the Holy Father our affection and closeness even if we are thousands of miles away. The episode of the cancelled visit to La Sapienza Universi ...
• 17 January 2008
  ASIA/THAILAND - “To listen to the Pope speaking is a gift and a privilege of which many in Thailand dream”, says Salesian missionary Bangkok (Agenzia Fides) - “On behalf of the clergy and the Thai people we express to the Holy Father our love and esteem and our spiritual support and solidarity, united with the people of God who will be present for t ...
• 17 January 2008
  ASIA/TAIWAN -Towards WYD 2008 in Australia reliving the experience in Germany 2005 Tai Pei (Agenzia Fides) - “To learn more about the Lord day by day, on the way to Baptism. This is simple. This is the faith. On this path I have met many other young people, and I know the greatness of the Lord”. A ...
• 17 January 2008
  AMERICA/CHILE - Local Catholic Church appeals for solution to Mapuche conflict Santiago (Agenzia Fides) - In a statement “Peace in Araucanía, Fruit of Justice”, the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Chile, Bishop Alejnadro Goic Karmelic, has given voice to the local Church desire ...
• 17 January 2008
  AMERICA/MEXICO - The Bishops defend Mexico's peasants and indigenous peoples: “When market laws are applied to the rights of individuals and peoples, profit becomes a supreme value” Mexico City (Agenzia Fides) - The Church in Mexico is concerned for the social-economic situation of the country's peasants especially following the coming into force in January 1 of the final stage of lifting customs du ...
• 16 January 2008
  VATICAN - Holy See Press Office statement with regard to Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the La Sapienza University Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - In the afternoon of 15 January the Holy See Press Office issued the following statement in Italian: “Following incidents known to all with regard to the Holy Father's visit to La Sapienza ...
• 16 January 2008
  VATICAN - AVE MARIA: True greatness is to make oneself small Mgr Luciano Alimandi Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The presence of John the Baptist accompanied us through the season of Advent and we met him again on our liturgical and spiritual journey on the feast of the Baptism of Jesus. The figure of ...
• 16 January 2008
  EUROPE/ITALY - Presidency of the Italian Bishops' Conference: “Benedict XVI subject to a grave refusal which reveals anti-democratic intolerance and cultural narrow-mindedness”. Cardinal Ruini invites Catholics of Rome to gather for the Sunday Angelus to show “affection and serenity, expression of joy which comes from having Benedict XVI as our Bishop and Pope” Rome (Agenzia Fides) - With regard to the cancellation of the visit Pope Benedict XVI was due to make to Rome's La Sapienza University on 17 January, the presidency of the Italian Bishops' Conference issued the followin ...
• 16 January 2008
  EUROPE/SPAIN - “Recite the Rosary for the Christian family and for Spain”: Campaign in reply to offensive against the family, government imposed compulsory “education to citizenship” and prevailing secularism and relativism Madrid (Agenzia Fides) - Recent controversy between Spain's pro-family organisations and the socialist government, following a crowded Pro-Family rally on 30 December, have given new impulse to a national campaign to pro ...
• 16 January 2008
  ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Catholic missionary in southern Philippines shot dead: sadness and prayers in local mission community Cotabato (Agenzia Fides) - “We are deeply grieved to announce the death of missionary Fr. Jesus Reynaldo Roda, OMI and we ask for prayers for the repose of his soul and for God's consolation for his family and the peop ...
• 16 January 2008
  ASIA/SRI LANKA - Broken treaty, fresh violence, growing numbers of displaced persons Colombo (Agenzia Fides) - Sad to say 2008 threatens to be another year of suffering for Sri Lanka after a government announcement yesterday that the cease fire had been broken, followed by fresh outbreaks violence and gr ...
• 16 January 2008
  ASIA/CHINA - Priests in the province of Guang Xi attend ongoing formation on the Celebration of the Eucharist Guang Xi (Agenzia Fides) - “Rules to observe and what is to be avoided in the celebration of the Eucharist” was the theme of a first meeting in 2008 of ongoing formation for priests. The meeting was attended by 18 pr ...