News

• 14 March 2006
  AFRICA - Measles major killer of children in developing countries: 48% drop in lethal cases in last six years Rome (Fides Service) - Thanks to a vast vaccination campaign between 1999 and 2004 the number of deaths caused by measles has been halved. The number of deaths caused by measles dropped 48% from 871,000 in 1999 to 454, ...
• 14 March 2006
  OCEANIA/NEW ZEALAND - Wellington archdiocese assigns important role to lay Catholics in pastoral care Wellington (Fides Service) - The Archdiocese of Wellington in New Zealand is harnessing the potential of lay Catholics to help provide adequate and ever better pastoral care. More and more lay people are playing leading ...
• 14 March 2006
  ASIA/INDONESIA - Catholic sister stabbed to death in Moluccas Islands convent Ambon (Agenzia Fides) - A young Catholic nun resident in a convent at Jalan Pattimura near Ambon the main city of the Indonesian province of Moluccas was killed on March 10. The 33 year old Sister, a member of a communit ...
• 14 March 2006
  ASIA/HONG KONG - “Be living tabernacles and witnesses of the Lord’s salvation Mgr Dominic Chan tells Catholic Hospital Pastoral workers Hong Kong (Fides Service) -“Be living tabernacles, witnesses in daily life of the Lord’s Salvation. The mission of Hospital pastoral operators is to witness to the presence of Christ and build a relationship of suppo ...
• 14 March 2006
  AMERICA/PERU - In Arequipa a hundred local children take part in Lent Missionary Retreat Day Arequipa (Fides Service) - To help local Catholics make Lent a time of conversion, the archdiocese of Arequipa has organised a series of Day Retreats for various categories of people, children young people, married coup ...
• 14 March 2006
  ASIA/TAIWAN - “Let us pray this community may be ever more mature in its faith and offer a service of evangelisation thanks to active participation of the laity”, says Bishop Wang at celebrations for 50th anniversary of Our Lady of Lourdes parish Taipei (Fides Service) - “We pray this community may be ever more mature in the faith and offer a service of evangelisation thanks to active participation of the laity who are already of great help to the parish pries ...
• 14 March 2006
  AFRICA/SUDAN - “Humanitarian cease fire” urgently needed in Darfur where people continue to die of war, hunger and hardship Khartoum (Fides Service) - African Union negotiators at peace talks for Darfur taking place in Abuja, Nigeria, have said there is urgent need of a “Humanitarian cease fire” in Darfur where people continue to die of w ...
• 13 March 2006
  VATICAN - Pope Benedict XVI’s Angelus reflection: “No one can ‘stay’ on mount Tabor while on this earth. Human life is a journey of faith and as such is more shadow than light, and there are also moments of profound and intense darkness” Vatican City (Fides Service) - On the second Sunday of Lent, March 12 in his address to people gathered in St Peter’s Square to pray the Angelus prayer and receive his blessing at midday Pope Benedict XVI reflected on ...
• 13 March 2006
  ASIA/TAIWAN - Hundred years of mission in China, an occasion to renew the Salesian spirit and carry on the work of God says Rev. Pascual Chavez, Salesian rector major Taipei (Fides Service) - The Salesian family in Taiwan gave a warm welcome to Salesian rector major Rev Pascual Chavez, accompanied by Rev Savio Hon superior of the Chinese province after his visit to Macao and Hong Kon ...
• 13 March 2006
  VATICAN “This Marian vigil creates bridges of fraternity between the young university students of Europe, and this evening it extends those bridges to within the great continent of Africa, so that communion may grow among the new generations and the civilization of love may spread”: the Pope meets university students Vatican City (Fides Service) - In the evening of Saturday 11 March in the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father presided at a prayer vigil held to mark the fourth European Day for Universities which is considering the theme: "Ch ...
• 13 March 2006
  EUROPE/ITALY - Comboni Missionaries numbers of students and newly professed members Rome (Fides Service)- The Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus also known as the Comboni Missionaries have issued information on the number of students and new members. Aspirants and pre-postulants: 196, including 116 se ...
• 13 March 2006
  AFRICA/LIBERIA - UN Mission investigates situation in local Children’s Homes Monrovia (Fides Service)- “The question of orphanages must be considered with the general situation of the country still struggling with the consequences of civil war” says Fr. Mauro Armanino of the Society for Afric ...
• 13 March 2006
  OCEANIA/AUSTRALIA - Australia’s Catholics prepare with enthusiasm to host 23rd World Youth Day in Sydney 2008 Sydney (Fides Service) - Australia’s Catholics are preparing with growing enthusiasm to host and live the 23rd World Youth Day in 2008 which Sydney will have the honour of organising. Sydney’s Auxiliary Bishop Anthon ...
• 13 March 2006
  AMERICA/COLOMBIA - Work groups at 1st meeting for Church Movements and New Communities in Latin America as part of preparations for 5th CELAM Conference in May 2007: “Do not be afraid to announce Christ openly to change present day culture” Bogota (Fides Service) - The 1st meeting for Church Movements and New Communities in Latin America held 9 to 12 in Bogota reflected on preparations for 5th CELAM Conference in May 2007 The 180 participants represented ...
• 13 March 2006
  AMERICA/VENEZUELA - Bishops’ statement on religious education in schools: The state has a duty to facilitate knowledge and free practice of religion Caracas (Fides Service) - With regard to a debate on religious instruction in state schools and a proposed new law on education, the Bishops of Venezuela issued a statement on religious instruction in schools dated March ...