Comboni Missionaries In Central African Republic: Serving People For Fifty Years
This year the Comboni Missionaries celebrate 50 years of presence in Central African Republic (CAR). Since the very beginning, their priorities have been evangelisation, the promotion of justice and peace, inter-religious dialogue and the formation of pastoral agents. The arrival of the Comboni Missionaries in CAR relates back to the events that occurred in Sudan in […]
China: Where ‘Men Till and Women Weave’
Basha Miao Village lies on the southern border of Southwest China’s Guizhou Province. The Miao villagers have maintained the characteristic lifestyle of the Miao ethnic group, still retaining the living customs and dressing code of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. We visited the location. Basha means ‘lush‘ in the Miao language. Located on […]
Trinidad and Tobago: Shango, Sticking To Roots
Unknown to most people, and often considered a mere folkloric tradition, the Shango ritual plays an important role in the lives of many inhabitants of the islands of Trinidad and Togabo. The Shango is a religious ritual, which is still practiced today in the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. Many of the two Caribbean islands’ […]
Senegal: A Shelter For The Talibés
Issa Kouyaté is the Founder and Director of Maison de la Gare, a shelter in Senegal for hundreds of street children, often called talibés, to give them hope for a better future. He is a familiar presence on the streets of Saint Louis, in northern Senegal and can be easily seen walking or cycling, particularly […]
India: The Healing Path Of Yoga
Sister Infant Tresa, Catholic sister and yoga teacher fosters health and hope through the ancient tradition of yoga. “I had severe back pain and wheezing while studying nursing in Kerala in 1976. I took medicine for a long time. But the pain was always strong. In 1985, I met a yoga guru who came to […]
Charles de Foucauld: The Spirit of the Desert
This year, the church commemorates the centenary of the death of Charles de Foucauld. His life and his message of brotherhood and friendship among the Tuareg, is a legacy for our times. On the evening of the 1st December 1916, Brother Charles was taken hostage by a group of rebels who were active the area […]
South Africa: Dance Changes Their Life
From the dusty streets of the townships to dance theatres. The dream of many girls and boys. It is Saturday and the sun is setting on the shacks of Khayelitsha, a suburb on the outskirts of Cape Town. Sikhumbuzo Haleni is exhausted; he has just got off the bus and is walking home, his legs […]
South Sudan: Dinka Peace and Reconciliation Process
The Dinka people are the largest ethnic group in South Sudan. They live mostly in the Bahr el Ghazal region of the Nile basin, Jonglei and parts of southern Kordufan and Upper Nile regions. They are mainly agri-pastoral people. The conflict-reconciliation resolution is an important event in Dinka society. The conflict-reconciliation cycle has four components: […]
Ecuador: The Puruhaes’ Concept of Sumak Kawsay
The Puruhaes are an indigenous people who live in the provinces of Chimborazo, Bolivar, Tungurahua and part of Cotopaxi, in the central area of the Andean Region of Ecuador. Today, they are around 200,000 people. Two indigenous leaders of these communities explain the meaning of Sumak Kawsay. Sumak and Kawsay are two ancient words from the […]
Radio ‘Voice of Peace’: The Radio Station of the Nuba People
Radio ‘Voice of Peace’ has managed to capture the attention of the Nuba population and has become an instrument of peace and development enhanced by the Catholic Church in the area. As the plane descends, one can see numerous white spots dotting the monotonous marshy landscape of South Sudan. The Yida refugee camp, which is […]