News

• 17 May 2006
  ASIA/EAST TIMOR - City dwellers flee climate of fear and uncertainty, 5,000 displaced persons shelter with Salesian missionaries Dili (Fides Service) - “The atmosphere is one of uncertainty and waiting. Apparent calm which is more of a threat. Independence day, 20 May is approaching and people fear new outbreaks of violence. This is a difficult ...
• 16 May 2006
  AMERICA/CHILE - “Cold proposals of euthanasia cannot alleviate the suffering of the sick and their families, they merely indicate of a total lack of understanding and knowledge of the human person” says secretary of the Bishops’ Conference Santiago (Fides Service) - “Can death wilfully caused for example by a lethal injection be a 'happy death'? Is not natural death, with the use of scientific means to alleviate bodily pain and at the same time all the ...
• 16 May 2006
  VATICAN - “We live at a time when Christians are called to foster a style of open dialogue on the question of religion while not renouncing to present the Christian proposal consistent with their identity to interlocutors” Pope Benedict XVI said to plenary session of the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples Vatican City (Fides Service) - “The Catholic Church is ever more aware that inter-religious dialogue is part of her service to humanity in today’s world. This conviction has become, so to say, ‘daily bread’ for p ...
• 16 May 2006
  VATICAN - “Vita consecrata: Duc in altum!” Celebrating 10th anniversary of Post Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Vita Consecrata Vatican City (Fides Service) - On Saturday 20 May 2006, the Pontifical College Regina Apostolorum in Rome will host a conference on "Vita consecrata: Duc in altum!", organised by the College together with the Legionaries ...
• 16 May 2006
  EUROPE/ITALY - Christian initiation, a process for becoming Christians: conclusions of 10th Meeting of Bishops and National Directors for Catechesis in Europe Rome (Fides Service) - The necessity of differentiated paths which faithfully reflect and meet the many situations of individuals, the decisive role of the family, the great utility of ecclesial movements where there exi ...
• 16 May 2006
  EUROPE/SPAIN - “Resolution on homophobia in Europe represents a serious threat to marriage and family life and social order in Europe": Spanish Bishops’ statement Madrid (Fides Service) - The Catholic Bishops of Spain join other European Bishops’ Conferences expressing concern for a resolution passed by the European Parliament P6-TA (2006) 0018, on January on "homophobia in Eur ...
• 16 May 2006
  AMERICA/ARGENTINA - Evangelising university culture, young people points of reference and witnesses to the faith for fellow students: Mar de Plata launches 1st University Mission Mar de Plata (Fides Service) - University pastoral in Mar de Plata has organised its 1st University Mission, we are told by D. Ezequiel E. Kseim, university pastoral advisor and Analía E. Benítez, head of University Pa ...
• 16 May 2006
  AFRICA/BURUNDI - Diocesan Synod priority pastoral commitment this year: Archbishop of Gitega says there is work for everyone in the Church to announce the Gospel of life and peace Gitega (Fides Service) - Archbishop Simon Ntanwana of Gitega has said every Catholic in the diocese has a contribution to make to the major pastoral priority this year, the Diocesan Synod. “The year 2006 will be marke ...
• 16 May 2006
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - Seminar on protection for religious minorities Faisalabad (Fides Service) - More than 200 people, teachers, catechists, humanitarian workers, human rights activists and students took part in a recent seminar organised at Faisalabad by the Justice and Peace Commission ...
• 15 May 2006
  AFRICA/MADAGASCAR - The Pope creates new diocese Moramanga and appoints first Bishop Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI on 13 May 2006 created the diocese of Moramanga (Madagascar) with territory taken from the diocese of Ambatondrazaka, making it suffragan of the Metropoli ...
• 15 May 2006
  ASIA/VIETNAM - The Pope accepts resignation of Bishop of Dà Nang and appoints successor Vatican City (Fides Service) - The Holy Father Benedict XVI, on 13 May 2006, has accepted the renunciation of the pastoral government of the diocese of Dà Nang (Viêt Nam), presented by Bishop Paul Nguyên Bình Tinh, P ...
• 15 May 2006
  VATICAN - “Christian life is a mystery of communion with Jesus” the Pope says at the midday Regina Cæli prayer. He also recalled the assassination attack 25 years ago on John Paul II and his miraculous escape thanks to the intervention of a ‘maternal hand’ Vatican City (Fides Service) - On Sunday 14 May addressing thousands gathered in St Peter’s Square for the midday Marian prayer Pope Benedict XVI reflected on Union with God by means of the sacrament of the Eucharist a ...
• 15 May 2006
  VATICAN - Pope Benedict addresses participants at plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Family: “The family founded on marriage constitutes the "heritage of humanity ", a fundamental social institution, vital nucleus and pillar of society which concerns believers and non” Vatican City (Fides Service) - On 13 May, receiving in audience participants at the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Family, Pope Benedict XVI said: “The family founded on marriage constitutes "herita ...
• 15 May 2006
  AMERICA/COLOMBIA - “The law is not always moral and believers must realise in conscience that abortion is still a crime also in the civil field. The Church punishes it with excommunication" says Cardinal Rubiano Sáenz Bogota (Fides Service) - After Colombia’s Constitutional Court legalised abortion in that country Cardinal Pedro Rubiano Sáenz Archbishop of Bogota issued a statement recalling that the Church punishes abortion with � ...
• 15 May 2006
  AMERICA/PARAGUAY - Bishops at communication school: formation seminar in the field of communications to foster diffusion of the Gospel message in the present-day context Asuncion (Fides Service) - The Church is not foreign to the world of communications, she is aware of the importance of the media and influence they have on the way individuals and communities think and behave transmittin ...