After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two others, and sent them on ahead of Him, two by two, into every town and place where He Himself was about to come. (Luke 10: 1). The first verse of Luke’s last discourse about mission tells us the meaning of mission: it brings salvation to all people. Salvation is …
Lion and Civet were great friends. One day Civet said to Lion: “Look. It is true that we have a very good life. But there’s one thing that we lack. And that’s cattle! You know very well how important it is to own cattle. So, let’s go out and get some.” The two of them …
The Yoruba people are one of the largest in West Africa: they live in southern Nigeria and Benin. They have developed a refined culture, at the centre of which is a religious world rich in symbols, mythologies and ceremonies. One of the most characteristic aspects of the Yoruba religion is the masks. One of these …
Although the Asheninka, an indigenous ethnic group, who live in the central forest of the Ucayali department in the Atalaya province of eastern Peru, follow the Western calendar, they give an Amazonian meaning to each month. The year begins in January, when the waters of the rivers overflow due to the heavy rains, the tangerine …
Thousands of children are deprived of a future in the cobalt mines of the Congo. The commitment of a group of Sisters is giving them hope. Denise feels her way down the stony slope. Close to a huge mine runs a stream. The ten-year-old girl looks around shyly. Women immerse themselves in muddy brown water …
Pope Francis has sent a video message to young people registered for World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal, on 1-6 August, and urges them to prepare themselves to encounter others and grow in hope. In his video message, the Pope praised the excitement the young Catholics must feel as they prepare to travel. “I can …
Pope to WYD participants: Lisbon 2023 a chance to grow in hope Read More »
Before the universe was created, there existed only a vast expanse of sky above and an endless stretch of water and uninhabited marshland below. Olorun, the wisest of the gods, was supreme ruler of the sky, while Olokun, the most powerful goddess, ruled the seas and marshes. Both kingdoms were quite separate at that time …
From the beginning of recorded history, India has honoured her rivers, both for their beauty and their blessings. Seven of these rivers were singled out for recognition as goddesses, not for their hydrological profile but for the sacred and cultural associations surrounding them. First on the list is the goddess Ganga (the Ganges River). Her …
Tens of thousands of South Sudanese refugees are returning home to escape the violence in Sudan, but many find themselves stranded in remote border areas. Alekiir Kaman Dau Ayuel, 25, sits under a tree outside a transit centre in Renk County, in South Sudan’s Upper Nile State, with her mother, aunts, and brothers. They have …
Sudan violence forces South Sudanese refugees to return to the country they fled Read More »
Christian discipleship calls all of us to be prophetic, to be advocates for justice, to help give voice to the poor, and to defend truth. But not all of us, by temperament or by particular vocation, are called to civil disobedience, public demonstrations, and the picket lines, as were Dorothy Day, Martin Luther King, Daniel …
