In the north of Thailand, a small Christian community proclaims its faith among the great majority of Buddhists. This is the testimony of Monsignor Francis Xavier Vira Arpondratana, Bishop of Chiang Mai. The fifty-eight-year-old Bishop said: “Chiang Mai means ‘new city’ in the local language. It is the capital of the province with the same […]
Thailand: The Christians of Chiang Mai Read More »
After their childhood have been marked by unspeakable cruelty, former child soldiers find hospitality at the school run by Sister Rosemary, where they learn a trade and learn to be loved. Restoring dignity and confidence to former child soldiers is a difficult task, but Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe has no doubt that it is a challenge
Girl Soldiers in Uganda: Rebirth is Possible Read More »
U.N. rights investigators have accused Eritrean leaders of crimes against humanity, including torture, rape, and murder, and called on the Security Council to impose sanctions and refer the case to the International Criminal Court. The UN Commission of Inquiry on Eritrea has said atrocities in the country – which include an indefinite military national service programme that
UN Report: Eritrean Leaders Should Be Tried for Crimes against Humanity Read More »
Masks, magical movements, singing: the wisdom of the village is passed down from generation to generation, year after year. It is a warm morning, and all the inhabitants of Lanta Kope, a small village in southern Benin, have gathered to attend the Gelede festival, which takes place when the dry season ends and when the
Benin: The Gelede Masks, A Treasure of Tradition Read More »
Singing praises and dancing, thousands of people have undertaken a pilgrimage to worship the Lord Vitthal, a Hindu God. A spiritual journey. On the eleventh day of Aashaadh (in June/July), a multitude of devotees, having undertaken an arduous two-week journey on foot, descend on the temple town of Pandharpur in Maharashtra, in the western region of India.
India: Wari Walking Pilgrimage Read More »
A small diocese, whose nuns and priests have endeared themselves to the local population with their social commitment and support. In Mauritania, 99.5% of the 3.4 million inhabitants are Muslim. Catholics, mostly foreigners, represent just 0.1% of the country’s population. The number of non-immigrant Christians in the country is unknown. Conversions to any religion but
The Catholic Church in Mauritania Read More »
An estimated 45.8 million men, women, and children around the world are currently trapped in modern slavery – 28% more than previously estimated, according to the Walk Free Foundation’s 2016 Global Slavery Index. The Foundation said that modern-day slaves are enslaved through human trafficking, forced labour, debt bondage, forced or servile marriage, or commercial sexual exploitation. North
Report Finds 46 Million People around the World in Modern Slavery Read More »
The streets of Abidjan, the largest city of Ivory Coast, are home to around 30,000 boys and girls. The De La Salle Christian Brothers are committed to providing them with a home and with dignity. The Akwaba Home in Abidjan, which is run by the De La Salle Brothers, hosts and assists boys and girls
Ivory Coast: A Home for Street Children Read More »
Sweet as honey and only slightly acidic; with a pulp that varies in tones ranging from intense yellow to orange, terracotta, salmon pink and fiery red; with a skin smooth and delicate to the touch: the papaya additionally bears powerful medicinal properties. According to people from the Americas, God created a fruit that is the very light of
The Papaya: A Gift of God Read More »
The Manjak people are an ethnic group living in Guinea-Bissau. They number about 100,000 and are scattered throughout the continental and insular region. They are mainly rice cultivators. Keeping cultural traditions like the ritual of marriage alive is very important for this group. During the kakaw, when rice begins to sprout, the young people of the
Guinea-Bissau: The Sacrifice of the Rooster Read More »
