Vocation Story: Father Stefano, from ski instructor to Comboni missionary in South Sudan
Why should a young person who has succeeded in fulfilling the dream of his life and became a ski instructor on the mountains of Northern Italy choose to go to South Sudan? The answer, indeed the answers, each different and unique, in fact, lie above all in the story of those who made the choice […]
Reflection: Global Warming Can be Stopped
One of the most famous and committed protectors of the natural world and defender of the planet is David Attenborough. Recently, he gave a speech online to the UN members of the Security Council on climate change and security. Climate change is disrupting our world and the temperature has risen one degree centigrade and it […]
Brother Michele Sergi: The Great Miracle
Forty years of missionary life in Khartoum (Sudan). His work for the youth. His Club. Living close to the people. Brother Michele Sergi was born on 20 April 1910, in Galliano del Capo, southern Italy. From childhood, he felt a desire to give himself to others. This was not just a desire he could not […]
Peace in African proverbs
Proverbs, expressions of experiences that left signs on the life and soul of humanity, mark a field of action, indicate a path, point to a danger, and underline a contradiction. So, when the wisdom of a people affirms: It is impossible to make peace with a sword (Kongo – DR Congo) and sustains: War is […]
Chefchaouen: The Blue Pearl of Morocco
One of the most beautiful cities in North Africa is the blue Moroccan city known as Chefchaouen. It is above all else a place of peaceful coexistence and mutual respect between peoples and religions. It is known as the “Blue Pearl” due to its historical centre painted in blue which distinguishes it from the other […]
Uganda: Empako a sign of respect among the Batooro
Besides their family names, the Batooro have pet names called empako. It is a sign of social identity. When greeting each other, the Batooro use the empako. It must be mentioned as part of the greeting. Tta Akiiki! Tta Abwooli! That was how we saw people in Tooro share pleasantries as soon as they came […]
EU Bishops urge access to COVID-19 vaccines for all
The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) and Caritas Europa are urging the EU institutions to ensure vaccine access for all, promoting a “widescale vaccination not only for Europe’s own safety and protection, but also for global public health as a public good.” With COVID-19 vaccines finally being administered to populations […]
Comboni Brother Vittorio Fanti: a missionary painter
His house, in Pressano, near Trento in Italy, is like a mansion: a carved stone portal leads the visitor into a large internal courtyard. From there a solid dark marble staircase leads you into a large hall. Balconies and terraces add a touch of aristocratic distinction to the whole building. Vittorio, a grown-up boy, would […]
Oral Literature: how Giraffe acquired his Long Neck
Long, long ago, Giraffe did not have the long, elegant neck that he has now. In those days his neck was short and squat, resembling Rhinoceros’s powerful neck. It was a time of drought and famine. The waterholes had dried up, the land had been scorched by the sun and the grazing was threadbare. The […]
Uganda: the art of dance
For the Karimojong, a pastoral and semi-nomadic tribe living in the north-eastern regions of Uganda, dancing is part of life. An artistic expression to be found in the various situations and events of the community. Loud hand-clapping in time with the singing sustains the dance. A young man and woman enter the circle as they […]