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, […]
Peru: No turning back
To advance evangelisation is every missionary’s mission and purpose. Father Randy Recalde, from the Philippines, talks about his missionary experience in Peru. I arrived in Peru in 2011. After a period of preparation, I joined the Comboni community of Pangoa, and after a year, I was assigned as parish priest of San Martin. Peru is […]
South Sudan: Food Crisis Deepens
As previously reported, South Sudan has been afflicted with a new wave of civil war for two years now, since December 2013. The sustained work the Comboni Missionaries carry out in the country is sadly just a drop in the ocean for the deepening crisis. In two years of conflict, tens of thousands of people […]
An Audience with Pope Francis for the Comboni Missionaries
An Audience with Pope Francis for the Comboni Missionaries from Comboni Missionaries on Vimeo.
Pope Francis: Mercy, not Judgment
On 8 December, Pope Francis gave a homily in St. Peter’s Square for the Mass which opened the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy and marked the Marian Solemnity. As part of the inauguration of a year that will see the Catholic Church promoting mercy and forgiveness, he opened the holy door at St. Peter’s Basilica in […]
Kenya: “We produce what we don’t eat, and we eat what we don’t produce”
A special and unique pan-African conference on land grabbing and just governance was held recently in Nairobi, Kenya. Land grabbing – the buying or leasing of large pieces of land in developing countries by domestic and transnational companies, governments, and individuals – is a serious food security problem across Africa, requiring more urgent attention from […]
Mother Teresa set to be canonised in September 2016
Next September will likely see Mother Teresa proclaimed a saint. A possible date for the celebration of her canonisation is Monday 5 September, which will mark the 106th anniversary of Mother Teresa’s birth and has been celebrated as the feast day of the Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta. The actual canonisation will likely take place […]
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Catholic Bishops urge citizens to prevent Kabila’s third term bid
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is still facing several challenges to implementing stable and democratic governance. The Comboni Missionaries’ presence in the country and the wider region seeks to contribute to long-term stability and cohesion. In light of recent political volatility, the Church has felt compelled to comment. The Catholic Bishops of the Democratic […]
“World Mission” Comboni Magazine Wins Awards in the Philippines
This November, the 37th Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) were held in Manila, Philippines, at the Star City Theatre. The theme of the 2015 Awards Ceremony was “Communicating the Family: A Privileged Place of Encounter with the Gift of Love” – based on Pope Francis’ message for World Communications Day on January 24, 2014. In line with […]