The organizing committee for World Youth Day 2013 (to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) has presented the event’s official logo. Depicted in green, blue and yellow–the colors of the Brazilian flag–the logo is in the shape of heart that encloses a silhouette of the statue of Christ the Redeemer that stands on Sugarloaf… Read more »
Toward Healing and Renewal: this was the theme of the International Symposium Against Child Abuse held by the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, Italy from 6-9 February 2012. The purpose of the Symposium was to help Episcopal and Religious Conferences draw up guidelines to protect children from sexual abuse by priests. The meeting fostered an exchange… Read more »
A whole galaxy of female artists and singers of West Africa are currently gathered in the capital of Mali for the Fifth Annual Voices of Bamako Festival (18-22 January)–a forum for celebrating African women and traditional African arts, as well as for discussing various topics related to women’s issues. The Festival, which was initiated by… Read more »
What is the future of publishing in the Internet age? Many people are asking themselves this question, in particular the publishers, book sellers and authors who will be participating in an international e-book conference, IfBookThen, to be held in Milan from 2-3 February. The encounter, which will be entirely in English, was organized by Bookrepublic,… Read more »
Never before has the world experienced so many contemporaneous acts of violence, leading to death and destruction everywhere. The widespread horrors being enacted in numerous parts of today’s world have roused the international community to denounce the dire situation, which shows no sign of diminishing. All appearances to the contrary, the commandment “You shall not… Read more »
This year Doctors without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is celebrating its 40th birthday. One of the world’s largest non-governmental organizations devoted to humanitarian aid, MSF was founded in 1971 by a group of French doctors, who were shocked by the situation of famine in Biafra and concluded that a new aid organization was needed that… Read more »
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has published a Note with pastoral recommendations for the Year of Faith proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI in his apostolic letter Porta Fidei (11 October 2011). The Year of Faith will begin on 11 October 2012, the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Ecumenical Vatican… Read more »
In spite of problems, look to the future with hope, Pope Benedict XVI urges young people throughout the world in his message for the 45th World Day of Peace, which, in keeping with tradition, will be celebrated on 1 January. Focusing on the theme, Educating Young People in Justice and Peace, the Holy Father reaffirms… Read more »
On 12 December, Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Pope Benedict XVI will preside over a special Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica commemorating the bi-centenary of Latin American Independence. Organized by the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, the Liturgy will be enriched with the presence of cardinals and bishops from that part of the world,… Read more »
During their meeting at the headquarters of the Colombian Bishops’ Conference on 18 November, representatives of different institutions working in the field of Catholic communications decided to launch a coordination activity designed to establish a Colombian office of SIGNIS, the World Catholic Association for Communication. Areas to which the prospective office foresees making a contribution… Read more »
