News

• 1 October 2003
  VATICAN - FEAST OF ST THERESE OF LISIEUX PATRONESS OF MISSIONS, MARKS OPENING OF MISSIONARY MONTH OF OCTOBER Vatican City (Fides Service) – The Feast of St Therese of Lisieux 1873-1897 proclaimed patroness of missions with St Francis Xavier in 1927, marks opening of missionary month of October which will culminate on World Mi ...
• 1 October 2003
  ASIA/HOLY LAND - BETHLEHEM CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY A LIGHT OF HOPE AND DIALOGUE IN A WILDERNESS OF VIOLENCE: 30 YEARS AT THE SERVICE OF EDUCATION AND CULTURAL GROWTH IN THE HOLY LAND Bethlehem (Fides Service) – Amidst the wilderness of war and violence in the Holy Land, in the little town of Bethlehem, where Jesus the Prince of Peace was born, a light of hope is burning. The light comes from the Be ...
• 1 October 2003
  AFRICA/IVORY COAST - COUNTRY IS NO MAN’S LAND RULED BY BANDITS Abidjan (Fides Service) – Fresh outbreak of fighting in central Bouake. “It is impossible to say what is happening - local Fides sources say – it is too dangerous even to go out of the house. What is certain is tha ...
• 30 September 2003
  VATICAN - THE MEDIA IN THE FAMILY: A RISK AND A RICHNESS. POPE JOHN PAUL II CHOOSES THE THEME FOR THE CHURCH’S WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DAY 2004 Vatican City (Fides Service) – Pope John Paul II has chosen the theme for World Communications Day 2004."The Media in the Family: A Risk and a Richness". This was announced at the Vatican press Room by Archbishop John ...
• 30 September 2003
  ASIA/NEPAL - DESPITE DANGER AND THREATS PRIESTS, RELIGIOUS AND LAITY DETERMINED TO CONTINUE SERVICE OF EDUCATION Kathmandu(Fides Service) – Much fear but no one hurt. Recently the Catholic mission at Okhrey, Dharan, 500 km south of Kathmandu, capital of Nepal, run by the Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was torched by Maoist r ...
• 30 September 2003
  VATICAN - POPE SENDS MESSAGE TO INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON ST THOMAS AQUINAS: “PRIORITY FOR NEW EVANGELISATION IS TO HELP MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR DAY HAVE A PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH CHRIST, TO LIVE WITH HIM AND FOR HIM” Vatican City (Fides Service) – The Pope has sent a message on the occasion of an international congress on St Thomas Aquinas organised by Pontifical Academy of St Thomas and the St Thomas Aquinas International Society. ...
• 30 September 2003
  VATICAN - THE POPE ENCOURAGES NORBERTINES, CANONS REGULAR OF PRÉMONTRÉ: CONTRIBUTE WITH ENTHUSIASM TO THE CHALLENGES POSED BY PREACHING THE GOSPEL AT THE DAWN OF THE THIRD MILLENNIUM Vatican City (Fides Service) – “The Canons Regular of Prémontré, in their long and illustrious history, have contributed significantly to the growth and life of the Church, especially in Europe, and I join with you ...
• 30 September 2003
  AFRICA/LIBERIA - AWAITED WITH HOPE AND CONFIDENCE 15,000 UN PEACE KEEPERS, LARGEST UN FORCE. DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD AND MEDICINE NOW REGULAR Monrovia (Fides Service) – UN peace keeping troops are about to deploy in Liberia. The first UN soldiers will arrive tomorrow October 1 and at the same time 3,500 ECOMIL African peace keepers will be integrated into th ...
• 30 September 2003
  AFRICA/BURUNDI - HUTU FIGHTING HUTU. THOUSANDS OF CIVILIANS IN FLIGHT. UNLESS PEACE COMES SOON PEACEKEEPERS WILL BE WITHDRAWN Bujumbura (Fides Service) – For two weeks there has been fierce fighting around Bujumbura the capital of Burundi. Local sources tell Fides Service that the conflict is between FDD Forces for the Defence of Democracy an ...
• 30 September 2003
  ASIA/CHINA – DESPITE FEAR AND DIFFICULTIES CATHOLICS IN SHANDONG CELEBRATE CANONISATION OF FATHER JOSEPH FREINADEMETZ MISSIONARY TO CHINA Shandong (Fides Service) - The deep faith of Chinese Catholics sustains them even amidst difficulties and persecution. Over a century ago when the Catholic community in Shandong province in eastern China was struck by an ...
• 30 September 2003
  VATICAN - IN UKRAINE FIRST CONGRESS FOR LAY CATHOLICS IN EASTERN EUROPE: IN THE SITUATION OF NEWLY FOUND FREEDOM CATHOLIC LAITY ARE CALLED TO HELP REBUILD THE CHURCH AND SOCIETY Vatican City (Fides Service) – The first Congress for Catholic Laity in Eastern Europe, organised by the Pontifical Council for the Laity, will be held from 8-12 October in Kiev, Ukraine. Some 300 people are expected t ...
• 30 September 2003
  “CONTEMPORARY IMMIGRATION IN ITALY –CURRENT TRENDS AND FUTURE PROSPECTS” CARITAS ROME PRESENTS TO OTHER COUNTRIES BOOK ON ITALY’S MIGRATION SITUATION Roma (Fides Service) – Caritas Roma, sponsored by CNEL and International Organisation for Migrants IOM, will present “Contemporary Immigration in Italy - Current trends and future prospects”, on Wednesday 1 Octobe ...
• 30 September 2003
  ASIA/INDIA - WOMAN CURED OF CANCER BY MOTHER TERESA’S INTERCESSION WILL ATTEND BEATIFICATION IN ROME Bangalore (Fides Service) – The poor will play a major role in celebrations for the Beatification of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Among the special guests for the Mass presided by Pope John Paul II in Rome on 19 October ...
• 29 September 2003
  VATICAN - THE POPE ENTRUSTS TO MARY NEXT CONSISTORY 21 OCTOBER WHEN HE WILL CREATE 31 NEW CARDINALS, ONE ‘IN PECTORE’ Vatican City (Fides Service) - Before praying the Angelus at midday on Sunday 28 September from his window overlooking St Peter’s Square, Pope John Paul II announced that he will hold a Consistory – the 9th of his po ...
• 29 September 2003
  VATICAN - The CONSISTORY Vatican City (Fides Service) – The Consistory, (meaning, “where they come together") is a solemn meeting of Cardinals presided by the Pope to discuss important issues regarding the government of the Church. In the la ...