News

• 28 December 2006
  VATICAN - Pope Benedict XVI Christmas message: “God becomes man in Jesus Christ, He is born of the Virgin Mary, he is born again today in the Church. He brings the love of the heavenly Father to all men and women. He is the Saviour of the world! Do not be afraid, open your hearts, welcome Him, so that His Kingdom of love and peace may be a common heritage for all mankind” Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - At 12 noon on 25 December, Christmas Day, from the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica Pope Benedict XVI delivered his Christmas Message and imparted his special Urbi et Orbi blessin ...
• 28 December 2006
  VATICAN - The Pope’s catechesis at the general audience: “The question continually asked in these two thousand years of Christian history has been… “why did God become Man? Love is the reason for Christ’s incarnation” Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - In the Christmas atmosphere of “deep joy for the birth of the Saviour", Pope Benedict XVI made the mystery of Christmas, “a mystery of light which men and women of every epoch can reliv ...
• 28 December 2006
  VATICAN - On the feast of St Stephen the Pope prays for “all who are persecuted or suffer in various ways to witness and serve the Gospel”, especially “Catholics who remain loyal to the See of Peter refusing to compromise, at times at the price of much suffering ” Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - On December 26, feast of St Stephen the first martyr, from his window overlooking St Peter’s Square Pope Benedict XVI led the recitation of the midday Angelus with thousands of visitors ...
• 28 December 2006
  AFRICA/SOMALIA - “The clan mentality must be put aside if peace is to be restored in Somalia” says Apostolic Administrator of Mogadishu, Bishop Bertin Mogadishu (Agenzia Fides)- “This is a new chapter in Somalia’s chaos which will never end unless the international community makes more effort and the Somalis put aside the clan mentality once and for all” Bishop G ...
• 21 December 2006
  VATICAN - Walking towards Christmas: Christ announced by the Scriptures - Announcement and Fulfilment (10) Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - “I am he who is”. On Horeb, the mountain of God, Moses sees the blazing bush (Exodus Chapter 3) and hears God who sends him to Pharaoh to bring the Israelites out of Egypt?… “Moses ...
• 21 December 2006
  VATICAN - “Humanity today is in search of a path of renewal, salvation, in search of a Saviour and waits, at times unawares, the advent of the Saviour who renews the world and our life, the advent of Christ, the one and only Redeemer of the human person and the whole person”: Pope Benedict XVI gives catechesis at general audience Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - “Does humanity in our day still await a Saviour?” Pope Benedict XVI asked during his general Wednesday Audience on 20 December in which he reflected on the mystery of Christmas. “One ...
• 21 December 2006
  VATICAN - WORDS OF DOCTRINE- "A Year of Continuity", Rev Nicola Bux and Rev Salvatore Vitiello Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - On 22 December 2005, exactly a year ago, on the occasion of the traditional exchange of Christmas greetings Pope Benedict XVI addressed the Roman Curia. That extraordinary discourse will st ...
• 21 December 2006
  ASIA/INDIA - A community gathered in faith and prayer following murder of Catholic lay man Chennai (India) - “The Catholic community is united in prayer and faith and sympathy. The faithful were shocked by the murder of layman Jacob Fernandez but reaction has not been violent, only a call to the authorities ...
• 21 December 2006
  EUROPE/ITALY - It’s Christmas! Only after adoring Emmanuel in the stable at Bethlehem can we return to our normal surroundings to bring hope to the hopeless, sharing with them the joy of Christmas - A reflection by the Abbess of the Poor Clares Community, Otranto, Italy Otranto (Fides Service) - The annual recurrence of Christmas is an invitation to meditate anew on the extraordinary event of the incarnation of the Son of God. Although our attention may be drawn to many other things, as ...
• 21 December 2006
  EUROPE/ITALY - Legionaries of Christ: ordination in Rome of 55 new priests from 10 different countries Roma (Agenzia Fides) - With a solemn rite presided by Cardinal Franc Rodé C.M., prefect of the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, on Saturday 23 December, 55 deacons of ...
• 21 December 2006
  AFRICA/SOMALIA -Heavy fighting close to interim government headquarters, flow of Somali refugees continues Mogadishu (Agenzia Fides)- There is heavy fighting near Dinsoor, 100 km from Baidoa where the Somalia’s interim government has its headquarters. According to local sources the conflict is between troops of the Islamic ...
• 21 December 2006
  ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - Bishops of Korea choose Evangelisation as pastoral priority for 2007 Seoul (Agenzia Fides) - The priority will be common: evangelisation. This was announced by the Catholic Bishops of Korea in respective pastoral letters issued towards the end of this year to inform the faithful of the th ...
• 21 December 2006
  AMERICA/MEXICO - Maryknoll Missionaries assigns Keller Award to Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Mexico for outstanding support for the missions: award given to people outside the United States for first time Mexico City (Fides Service) - The Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America, also known as Maryknoll Missionaries, has selected the Conference of Mexican Bishops as recipient of the Keller Award, marking the centenary ...
• 21 December 2006
  AMERICA/PERU - “Christmas is giving without expecting anything in return, being able to forgive and be forgiven” Bishops’ Conference Christmas Message Lima (Agenzia Fides) - Christmas is a new opportunity to meditate and enjoy God’s love for us revealed in the incarnation of Jesus Christ, Archbishop Héctor Miguel Cabrejos Vidarte of Trujillo, president of the Catho ...
• 21 December 2006
  ASIA/HOLY LAND - Don’t forget the children of Bethlehem say Italian Franciscan Sisters of Saint Elizabeth at Caritas Baby Hospital Bethlehem (Agenzia Fides) - People in Bethlehem prepare to celebrate Christmas despite difficult economic and social conditions, restricted freedom and little hope for the future, according to the local community of Ital ...