Asia

• 16 February 2005
  ASIA/KAZAKSTAN - On mission to “bear witness to the faith and sow the Gospel in the steppe lands of Kazakstan”: Archbishop Jan Pawel Lenga of Karaganda diocese speaks with Fides Vatican City (Fides Service) - “We are a young Church, which is growing. We are on the way, we have the enthusiasm of our young people and we strive to bear witness to the faith and sow seeds of the Word of God in the ...
• 16 February 2005
  ASIA/MYANMAR - Thousands gather at Nyaunglebin Marian shrine for recitation of the rosary and special Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes Yangon (Fides Service) - Thousands of Burmese Catholics made their way to the Marian Shrine in Nyaunglebin, diocese of Yangon for the recitation of the Rosary and a special Mass on February 11, the Feast of Our Lady of L ...
• 16 February 2005
  ASIA/CHINA - Chinese New Year offers opportunity for inter-religious dining and dialogue Beijing (Fides Service) - Celebrations for the Lunar New Year in Beijing provided an opportunity to promote inter-religious dialogue. In fact the communities of the main religions in China, Taoist, Buddhist, Christian an ...
• 15 February 2005
  ASIA/INDIA - “Saint Thomas Mount” shrine in Malayatoor, Kerala, celebrates 'international pilgrimage centre' status Cochin (Fides Service) - Saint Thomas Mount in the Malayattor mountains, Kerala where Saint Thomas the Apostle is said to have prayed and meditated, celebrated its new status of International Shrine on 13 February with a ...
• 15 February 2005
  ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Islamic separatists organise bomb blasts in various parts of the country: “Dialogue must be resumed: violence can only bring death”, a missionary tells Fides Manila (Fides Service) - “We condemn all forms of violence and terrorism. It is urgent to resume dialogue. Violence can only bring death. The separatist rebels must lay down their weapons and the army must not seek rev ...
• 14 February 2005
  ASIA/JAPAN - Saitama diocese holds 3rd ‘Latino to Obispo’ Meeting Saitama (Fides Service) - Recently Saitama diocese held its third Latino to Obispo diocesan cultural exchange meeting between the bishop and the people of Latin American origin at the Sano church in Tochi prefecture. Abo ...
• 14 February 2005
  ASIA/PHILIPPINES - A bridge of reconciliation in Mindanao’s Christian/Muslim society: priority mission of Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate in the Philippines and new provincial superior Cotabato (Fides Service) - At this time of increasing tension in southern Philippines with fighting between the regular army and the separatist rebels of the Moro National Liberation Front the Oblate Missionaries of Mary ...
• 14 February 2005
  ASIA/IRAQ - 6 Christians elected as members of national parliament and 5 in the Kurdish bloc. Father Nizar Semaan comments for Fides. Baghdad ( Fides Service)- During the recent elections on 30 January in Iraq 6 Christians were elected members of the national parliament and 5 in the Kurdish bloc. These Christian MPs, elected in northern Iraq, belong to ...
• 10 February 2005
  ASIA/INDIA - “Renounce your Christian faith, reconvert to Hinduism or you will die”: Hindu fanatics threaten Catholic villagers in west India New Delhi (Fides Service) - Catholics in the tribal village of Rajura, Amravati district in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, are terrified after an attack by Hindu extremists on 7 February followed by threats of ...
• 10 February 2005
  ASIA/TAIWAN - Cardinal Paul Shan issues Message for Lunar New Year Taipei (Fides Service) - In a message of good wishes for Lunar New Year dated 9 February Cardinal Paul Shan, President of the Chinese Regional Bishops’ Conference, said among other things: “At the beginning of a new ...
• 10 February 2005
  ASIA/HONG KONG - Bishop Joseph Zen of Hong Kong issues pastoral Letter for Lent: “Love life and treasure divine grace” Hong Kong (Fides Service) - ““Love life and treasure divine grace”, was the title of a Lenten Message published by Bishop Joseph Zen of Hong Kong. In the message the Bishop remarks on the present day situation in H ...
• 10 February 2005
  ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Fighting in Jolo, peace threatened in southern Philippines- some fear that different guerrilla groups will join forces Manila (Fides Service) - “Peace in southern Philippines is threatened”, a mission in Mindanao told Fides. There have been reports of violent clashes on the island of Jolo, part of the small archipelago of Sulu, in t ...
• 9 February 2005
  ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - Archdiocese of Seoul launches mission to America: priests, religious and lay people on mission for new evangelisation Seoul (Fides Service) - The Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul has set up a new office Catholic Seoul Mission to promote evangelisation in America. In addition to the Korean Foreign Mission Society, established by the Korean ...
• 9 February 2005
  ASIA/TAIWAN - Young people begin to sign up for pilgrimages to Germany for Word Youth Day 2005 Taipei (Fides Service) - Young people in Taiwan anxious to take part in the World Youth day celebrations in August in Cologne, Germany, may enrol from 30 January to 28 February for a place on one of 8 pilgrimages. The 8 ...
• 9 February 2005
  ASIA/INDONESIA - Christians and Muslims will work together to care for “tsunami orphans”: running new Children’s Home in Aceh Aceh (Fides Service) - In Indonesia a mission sent by the Youth Off the Streets Association based in Sydney, which provides assistance and education for abandoned children, has reached an agreement with one of the main I ...