MESSAGES - Pope Francis has thanked the Church in Libya and the ecclesial communities in North Africa for their courage and for being a peaceful presence in an area where freedom of conscience is under threat.The Pope was addressing members of the Episcopal Conference of North African Bishops, CERNA, who are in the Vatican...

TESTIMONY - The continuing presence of courageous men and women religious is Iraq is an important sign of hope amid the suffering of the Christian population there. That was the key theme of a report released by two Dominican leaders who recently visited Baghdad and the northern Iraqi city of Erbil, capital of the Kurdistan region...

FORMATION - Dear friends and colleagues, We would like to draw your attention to the grants program of the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See. We know you and your organizations are doing important work to raise awareness on critical global issues and assist those in need throughout the world. Our grants program seeks to support...

FORMATION - The missionary activity of the Church in the world is developing and so should do the missionaries and those in formation aiming at being missionaries. With this in mind, the Consolata Missionaries in Kenya realized the Inter-Seminary Meeting from 22^nd to 24^th February 2015, at Consolata Seminary - Nairobi. The Inter-Seminary...

ROME - Dear Friends, Recently Sr. Gabriella Bottani (UISG Office – Talitha Kum) and myself had the pleasure of meeting with Sig.ra Simona Prete (Head of Communications) from the UK Embassy to the Holy See. Last June 2014 the UK hosted an International Conference on the topic: Sexual Violence in Conflict. The outcome of that conference...

EVENTS - Dear Friends, Our new VPI Winter Series began last week and continues for the next five Thursdays 26 February, 5, 12, 19, 26 March. We would encourage you to join us to explore  the theme “Joy in The Christian Life”... Looking ahead to Thursday 5 March, we are delighted that Rev. Joseph Farrell, OSA, vicar general of the Order of Saint Augustine...

YEAR OF CONSECRATED LIFE - 1. The Workshop for youth and young consecrated persons will take place from the 16th to the 18th of September 2015. The date change was necessary to allow for participation in the audience of the Holy Father on September 17, 2015. 2. The Path of Memory of the Saints and Martyrs...

ROME - The second Voices of Faith storytelling event brings together extraordinary Catholic women from all over the world. The event will be streamed on www.voicesoffaith.org starting at 15:00 Central European Time (14:00 UTC) on 8 March. On International Women’s Day they will share their stories on how they accompany the poor...

SAIGON - Redemptorist Fathers in Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam undertake a series of initiatives for the period of Lent as a part of their social ministry, focusing especially on the poor and the marginalised.  In conjunction with the start of Lunar New Year celebrations, their action began a few days ago with a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady...