South Sudan: Death – A place of rest
The Bari, a South Sudan ethnic group who live on the Savannah along the White Nile, believe that death is not a curse but a ‘going to rest’. Among the Bari, death is seen as something natural, the common fate of all. It is desired by God but is not seen as a curse. God sends […]
Philippines: The Butbut People – Death, a celebration and continuity of life
The Butbut people of the larger Kalinga ethnic group live in the Cordillera region in the north of the country. For them, death is a celebration and a continuity of life; it strengthens their social relations with their ancestors, perpetuates tradition, and unites the community together. Butbut elders describe death (natey) as a ‘body that […]
Mexico: The Day of the Dead – A great feast
There is no place in Mexico where the cult of the dead is not celebrated with feasting and ritual. Among the indigenous peoples, the encounter with the dead is feast, ceremony, identity and reflection. A journey through some celebrations of the country. In the heart of the land of the Tsotsil people stands San Pedro […]
Bolivia: A journey towards an unknown place
For the Quechua, death does not mark an end but a transition from this life to another different experience. Dying means to be reborn to continue living a new life, a new beginning. Death therefore is considered as part of life, its continuation in the Janaj pacha (the world beyond). Quechua peoples see death as […]
African Witness: South Sudan, Father Barnaba Deng
The soldiers grabbed him. Fr. Barnaba did not resist. He asked to be allowed to take his cassock and pray. He put it on, made the sign of the cross, and recollected himself in prayer while the soldiers released the safety catch on their rifles. “I am ready,” On 3rd September 1965, Hassar Dafalla, Commissary […]
Oral Literature: How fire came to stay with man
In the distant, dim past, when the world first began, there lived a powerful family of witches. There were many lesser witches, but the mother of them all was the ruler as well. All the other witches feared and obeyed the mother witch because she had a secret weapon more powerful than any other- fire. […]
Herbs & Plants: Beans, a rich plant
Cauliflower Phaseolus vulgaris (Family Fabaceae), also known as the common bean, French bean or green bean, among other names, is a herbaceous annual plant, grown worldwide for its edible seeds or immature fruits. In Uganda, it is the most important plant based protein source for the people, providing between 20-25 % of proteins of the […]
Statistics of the Catholic Church 2019
The latest edition of the “Church’s Book of Statistics” have been just published (updated to 31 December 2017) regarding members of the Church, church structures, healthcare, welfare and education. Increase or decrease, emerging from last year’s figures, are marked with “+” or “–” in brackets. On 31 December 2017 the world population was 7,408,374,000 with […]
New Catacombs Pact
More than a half century after a group of bishops at the Second Vatican Council made a solemn pledge “to live a simple lifestyle close to their people”, a group of participants from the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon signed a new pact in the Catacombs of Domitilla. On 16 November 1965, just a […]
African Witness: Mahmoud Taha
In the troubled waters of Sudanese politics during the 20th century, Mahmoud Taha stands out as one of the most prominent representatives of a mystic movement fighting against religious fundamentalism and repressive political tendencies. We look at his life and his political legacy. Ustazh (Master) Mahmoud Muhammad Taha was born at Rufa’a, a small village […]
