Reflection. Be an “Easter” Person
Easter must be shared and we must become “agents” of the resurrection. As long as we give life, radiate hope, joy, and love, we make the resurrection a reality in our lives, and in other peoples’ lives. Some years ago, while walking around our seminary compound, I saw something that made me stop. I saw […]
Oral Literature. The two boys and the Lion
Once upon a time, two boys left their home village to go to a faraway country. One of them believed in travelling light. The other one was always curious about things. As they walked along a footpath through the bush, they saw the quill of a porcupine lying on the ground. The first boy ignored […]
Vocation Story. “What I mean to be a priest”
Father Abebayehu Tefera Atara, a Comboni missionary from Ethiopia, tells us how his missionary vocation began. I grew up in Haro Wato, in Uraga district, Guji Zone, which is in the Oromiya region of Ethiopia. I was the firstborn of nine children. While my father was a quiet man, my mother was a teacher and […]
The missionary Perspective. “I Am on the Side of Peace”
To those who ask me which side I am on with so many armed and bloody conflicts being pursued in various regions of the world, I reply without hesitation that I am on the side of the victims of war. I stand with the people of Israel and Palestine, with the Russian people and the […]
EU Bishops in view of the 2024 elections: “For a responsible vote promoting Christian values and the European project”
Given the elections for the European Parliament to be held on 6-9 June 2024, the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) has issued a statement inviting all citizens, especially Catholics, to prepare for the elections and vote responsibly “promoting Christian values and the European project”. Below is the statement. We, bishops […]
Reflection. Gaza, solidarity, struggle, and the fight for justice
Praying and fighting for justice means embracing the cross, the impotent power of God that frees humanity from systems that kill life. It also happened in South Africa. Many attribute responsibility for the war unleashed by Israel in Gaza to the assault carried out by Hamas militants on 7 October 2023. A conflict that had […]
Oral Literature. Jabari and the three tests
Once upon a time, there was a king who had seven strong sons. When the day came for the eldest of them to leave home, he explained to his father that he longed to travel to a distant land and asked for a sailboat, along with some food and money. The king gave him these […]
Benin. Fa, the voice of the ancestors
“Fa is the truth that arose at the origins of history. It was given to us by our ancestors. It must always be consulted before any action. It is the past, the present and the future” Fagla Bagbonon speaks with poise and seriousness. Not a grimace crosses his face as he produces three sets of […]
Antigua Guatemala. Holy Week
The ancient capital of Guatemala, a baroque jewel among the mountains, is the scene of spectacular processions on carpets of flowers in the days before Easter. Holy Week is not just devotion, it combines faith, religiosity, art, gastronomy, life stories and mutual help. Evocative processions pass through the streets of the historic centre covered with […]
Israel/Palestine. The Doors of the Desert
“It is very important to be present and walk with them, especially in this painful and difficult moment”, Sister Expedita Perez tells us.” Our community of Al Azarieh is very close to Jerusalem, in the place that in Jesus’ time was called Bethany. From here, we usually go on Saturdays to visit some Bedouin communities […]