Africa

• 3 March 2004
  AFRICA/CAMEROON - Caritas in Africa decide to build solidarity fund for emergency aid Yaounde (Fides Service) - Christians in Africa are stepping up efforts to provide solidarity in emergencies. In fact, during a recent meeting of Catholic aid agencies in Yaounde, Cameroon 16-20 February, national Carita ...
• 3 March 2004
  AFRICA/LIBERIA - Sierra Leone refugees return from Liberia where they fled for safety. Liberian refugees head homewards from neighbouring countries Monrovia (Fides Service)- Now that the road from the Liberian capital Monrovia to the border with Sierra Leone has been re-opened the UN High Commission for Refugees UNHCR has resumed operations to repatriate Sierra Leon ...
• 2 March 2004
  AFRICA/IVORY COAST - Government and former rebel leaders welcome UN decision to send 6.000 peace keepers Abidjan (Fides Service)- The decision taken by the United Nations’ Security Council to send 6,000 UN peace keepers to Ivory Coast has been welcomed by the country, local church sources in Abidjan told Fides. “Both th ...
• 2 March 2004
  AFRICA/GUINEA BISSAU - “Moral integrity, honesty and competence”: Bishops outline the profile of the ideal candidate for legislative elections Bissau (Fides Service) - “The legislative elections at the door. Guidelines from the Bishops of Guinea Bissau in the light of the Word of God and the Social Teaching of the Church” is a letter issued by the Church in ...
• 1 March 2004
  AFRICA/GUINEA BISSAU - Bishops of Guinea Bissau, Senegal, Cape Verde and Mauritania devote Lenten reflection to children in need Bissau (Fides Service) -“Childhood on our Path of Conversion”, is the title of a Message for Lent issued by the Catholic Bishops of Guinea Bissau, Senegal, Cape Verde and Mauritania. The Bishops trace the profile of ...
• 1 March 2004
  AFRICA/REPUBLIC OF CONGO - Bishop of Kinkala in south east Congo makes pastoral visit to villagers still suffering effects of war 1998-2003: “Forgiveness is the only path to the Resurrection ” Brazzaville (Fides Service)- Everywhere he went on his 12 day pastoral visit 6-17 February to the district of Mondouli some 75 km south-east of Kinkala in the south west of the region of Pool, Bishop Louis Portella-Mbuyu ...
• 27 February 2004
  AFRICA/NIGERIA - Clashes in Plateau state. At least 48 protestant Church of Christ worshippers killed in church Jos (Fides Service)- At 48 worshippers, including women and children, were slaughtered yesterday 26 February at Yelwa, when a church belonging to the Church of Christ of Nigeria was attacked by a gang of armed men who op ...
• 27 February 2004
  AFRICA/CONGO RD - Political tension and massacre of civilians. Is peace still a long way off? Kinshasa (Fides Service)- Tension is still high in Democratic Congo after the arrest and release of Major Kassongo, a member of the Rassemblement Congo Democratic RCD/Goma one of the main rebel groups which is part of th ...
• 27 February 2004
  AFRICA/BURKINA FASO - 2nd meeting of Mater Christi Consortium focuses on Formation for religious men and women Ouagadougou (Fides Service)- The situation of consecrated life in west Africa was the theme for reflection during the 2nd Meeting of the Mater Christi consortium formed by religious congregations in the region for the fo ...
• 26 February 2004
  AFRICA/IVORY COAST - Some school doors open, some pupils arrive but no teachers. A missionary from northern Ivory Coast tells the story Abidjan (Fides Service)- “Some pupils went to school but they found no teachers” said a missionary in Bouake, main city in northern Ivory Coast held by “New Forces” rebel group. “Schools were officially opened ...
• 25 February 2004
  AFRICA/SOUTH AFRICA - Catholic Church says draft of new Firearms Control Act must give greater attention to protecting women from domestic violence Pretoria (Fides Service) - The Parliamentary Liaison Office of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference SACBC, that has several times expressed concern about the delay in the finalisation of the regulations, i ...
• 25 February 2004
  AFRICA/MOROCCO - Earth tremor in Morocco: official toll of death and destruction; the Pope sends message of sympathy Rome (Fides Service) - According to official statements at least 600 hundred people were killed, many while still asleep, thousands injured, and hundreds of homes destroyed by a violent earthquake early on Tuesday 24 Fe ...
• 25 February 2004
  AFRICA/SIERRA LEONE “Have we taken the commitment to evangelise seriously?” asks Catholic Bishop of Makeni in a recent Pastoral Letter Makeni (Fides Service)- “The growth of the church in Sierra Leone makes the challenge of evangelisation an even more poignant duty for all of us” writes Bishop Giorgio Biguzzi, Bishop of Makeni, in Sierra Leone in a ...
• 24 February 2004
  AFRICA/CONGO RD - In a letter UN Secretary General the Catholic Bishops of Congo call on the United Nations to make a greater effort “to help Congo stop the civil war” Kinshasa (Fides Service) - “The Bishops’ Conference of Congo speaks on behalf of millions of Congolese people who have benefited from the assistance offered by the United Nations’ system of specialised agencies and ...
• 24 February 2004
  AFRICA/CONGO RD - Everyday life of a missionary in Congo shared by missionary Father Sergio Vandini Rome (Fides Service)- Rev. Father Sergio Vandini, from Terni diocese in Italy, sent as a Fidei Donum priest to Ntambue, 10 km from Kananga, West Kasai, Democratic Republic of Congo, sent Fides a brief report on his life ...