The African Way and the Environment
Many aspects of the world views and beliefs held in different African countries, which promote the sacredness of the universe and of all created beings, should be considered if contemporary Africa wants to preserve the environment. The religious heritage in many African countries, which links Africa with nature and God, should be the starting point […]
Brazilian Catadores: A Path of Dignity
A Comboni Community living on the outskirts of Santa Rita, a city in the state of Paraiba in northeast Brazil, shares a story of its waste pickers – a tale of redemption that shows the way to hope. Marcos Moura is one of the poorest and most violent areas of the city of Santa Rita, […]
Bethany: “Our hearts are open to all who knock at our door”
One of the Comboni Sisters Communities is based in Bethany, about two miles east of Jerusalem on the slopes of the Mount of Olives. It is also known as al-Eizariya (Arabic for ‘Place of Lazarus’,) and it is marked by the infamous “Security Wall” built by Israel. The Comboni Sisters have been serving in Bethany […]
U.S. Bishops Support Obama’s Gun Control Proposal
In a speech on “Common-Sense Gun Safety Reform” on Tuesday 5 January 2016, U.S. President Barack Obama said gun violence is an infringement of religious liberty. He announced that “all gun sellers will now be required to register as dealers and carry out background checks on all buyers”. In response, His Excellency Monsignor Kevin Joseph […]
Brazil: The Time of Choices
The Comboni Missionaries support indigenous peoples and local communities in defending their territories – a crucial mission in this time of change. One can barely see the sky and the heat is unbearable. In Northeast Brazil, drought returns to threaten the work and the survival of many rural communities. The elderly still remember the times […]
Ethiopian Bishop Says Acts of Mercy Begin within the Family
Continuing the observation of the Jubilee Year of Mercy, a Bishop in northern Ethiopia reaches out to families to promote forgiveness and reconciliation. Bishop Tesfassilassie, the Eparch of Adigrat in Ethiopia, has called on the Catholic faithful in Ethiopia to commit to acts of mercy within their families. He said that the Church in Ethiopia […]
South Sudan: Between Tenderness and Testimony
A Comboni Missionary living in South Sudan, a conflict-torn country, talks to us about the importance of the signs of mercy during this Jubilee Year – a year of promoting forgiveness and mercy, inaugurated by Pope Francis in December. Under the shade of a tree in the woods, fifty catechists are listening carefully to Father […]
The Lesson and the Spirit of Christmas
“We have to recreate in our hearts and homes this spiritual experience by thinking of the great challenges that befell Jesus from His birth.” – Father Shay Cullen Christmas has become a secular, unspiritual holiday. These days, the word Christmas is not used on festive banners. Greetings have changed to “Happy Holidays” or “Season’s Greetings”, […]
Christmas in Sri Lanka: A Harvest Festival
In Sri Lanka, December has always been a popular month – because it’s harvest time. After the first conversions to Catholicism in the 16th century, the month was renamed “Nattal rnase”, which literally means “Christmas month”. Today, celebrations remain a mixture of harvest festival and Christian traditions. Sri Lanka today is a predominantly Sinhala-Buddhist state. […]
Christmas in Guatemala: A Colourful Celebration
Because of their global presence, the Comboni Missionaries have an insight into how Christmas is celebrated in different ways around the world, with a variety of symbols deeply embedded in every different cultural tradition. We look at how people from Guatemala celebrate Christmas. Christmas in the Central American country of Guatemala begins on 8 December, […]
