Filipino Christmas Traditions
Church bells chime with one of the traditional Christmas songs signalling the special birthday of the Infant Jesus. “Silent night, holy night! All is calm, all is bright. Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child, Holy Infant so tender and mild. Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Christ the Savior is born.” The most distinct Filipino Christmas tradition […]
Oral Literature: The Maasai – The origin of cattle
Naiteru-Kop, one of the gods of the Maasai, walked the earth at the dawn of the world and he found it already held some inhabitants. He found a Dorobo (a member of a hunting people, also known as Okiek), a snake and an elephant living together. After Naiteru-Kop had passed by, the Dorobo found a […]
Vocation Story: Br. Alberto Parise, an architect turned brother
As a student of architecture, he came to Africa. The humanity of the people left a deep impression on him. The experience not only broadened his horizon but also opened up a new way in his life. A Comboni missionary, Brother Alberto Parise talks about his vocation and missionary journey. First, I came to Africa […]
Cuba: The old Saint Lazarus – The devotion of a people
Every year thousands of people go to pay homage to Saint Lazarus in El Rincón, a few kilometres from the capital Havana. “Only Cubans know the mysteries that Saint Lazarus hides.” Pilgrims arrive breathless crawling on their knees along the path that leads to the National Sanctuary dedicated to Saint Lazarus in El Rincón. The […]
Christmas traditions around the world
Every December and in every country on the planet, people celebrate Christmas. The ways of celebrating Christmas are endless because the holiday proclaims the universal desire for peace on earth and goodwill to all. Here are some Christmas traditions from around the world. Mexico. At midnight on Christmas Eve in Mexico, festivities are interrupted by […]
Reflection: Freedom of religion – a touchstone of human rights
All rights are equal but some rights are more equal than others. FIFA and the Qatar authorities are justly under fire for restrictions on LGBT rights and their treatment of migrant labourers. But nothing is said about the abuse of rights to religious freedom, a worldwide problem as well as one local to Qatar and […]
Oral Literature: The qualities of a Tuareg sheikh
At the foot of the Atlas Mountains, a mountainous massif in the Western Sahara, there was a powerful kingdom ruled by a sheikh as wise as he was good. He had married the princess Hamida, which means gazelle. The young queen deserved that name because of her grace and fragility. A year after the wedding […]
South Africa: Creativity that transforms the world
Soweto Theatre is a community space where new generations of artists are forged from historical memory. A captivating shade of red dominates the modern building, which expands into geometric and irregular shapes, next to the mythical Jabulani amphitheatre – it was there that Zindzi Mandela read the speech “My father says …”, it was 1985, […]
South Africa: “A Missionary Parish, to reach out to many who are still far away”
The parish of St Daniel Comboni is located in the eastern part of Mamelodi, a name that means, mother of melodies, because of the concentration of musical talent offered by its inhabitants. We visited the place. Mamelodi, north-east of Pretoria, is a township created in 1953 to relocate the African population during the Apartheid era. […]
Cop 27: Emissions, loss and damage, finance: the decisions – a lack of ambition
Cop 27 is over. A first step in climate justice, but zero progress on the central issue of CO2 emissions. The principle of a new fund to respond to loss and damage suffered by the poorest and most vulnerable countries on earth in the face of climate change was introduced. But there was zero progress […]
