Bible & Mission. If only you knew the gift of God. (Jn 4: 1–42)
The encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman takes place in solitude. Jesus speaking to her arouses wonderment in her, as well as in the disciples (cf. Jn 4: 9, 27). In Jesus’ culture, a teacher would not talk to a woman in the street; even a husband would only address his wife in the […]
Oral Literature: The Lion, the Hare and the Hyena
A lion once lived alone in a cave. In his younger days the solitude had not worried him, but not long before this tale begins, he had hurt his leg so badly that he had been unable to provide food for himself, and he had begun to realise that companionship had its advantages. Things would […]
Herbs & Plants. Dichrocephala Integrifolia. An Antiviral Plant
The plant is widely used in traditional medicine to treat and prevent a wide range of diseases like dementia, Alzheimer, gastrointestinal disorders, as well as epilepsy, headache, asthma, inflammation, and malaria. Dichrocephala integrifolia (Family Asteraceae) is an upright or spreading, aromatic annual plant growing to an average of 40cm in height. It often branches freely […]
Eritrea- Religious Beliefs among the Kunama
A glance at the religious beliefs of the Kunama, an Eritrean ethnic group living in the remote and isolated area between the Gash and Setit rivers near the border with Ethiopia. When the Kunama are asked: ‘Ayshila mekobino?’, they reply: ‘Ánnala’la makobinke’ (we believe in God). The word ‘Anna’ (God) comes from the word ‘Annena,’ […]
The Philippines. Taking Different Paths
The many challenges of Monsignor Pablo Virgilio David, Bishop of the Diocese of Kalookan, on the outskirts of Manila, and also president of the Philippine Bishops’ Conference. His pastoral and charitable commitment led him to take sides against all forms of injustice and violence to the extent that, during the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte, he […]
Bible & Mission. Place of Relationships
“Whatever house you enter, stay there” (Read: Mark 6: 10-13) When you meet a person on a journey, you know that he/she comes from home or is going home; otherwise, you immediately see that he/she is a fugitive who has severed his/her relationships, or a vagrant who has nowhere to stay. Human beings can live […]
Oral Literature. The Desert is not Empty
The sun had already set on the horizon and the temperature, very high in the daytime, was starting to become pleasant, when three young women, returning from grazing with their goats, were talking about their daily lives and recent events in their valleys, nestled in the mountains of the Air massif in Niger. All of […]
A Journey through the Kunama Culture
The Kunama ethnic group resides mainly in the Gash-Barka region of Eritrea, between the Gash and Setit rivers, in the western and north-western regions of Tigray and in small areas of Sudan. There are an estimated 260,000 Kunama, most of whom live in Eritrea. They represent about 2% of the Eritrean population. The history of […]
Brazil. Manaus. Sister Liliana and children of the favelas
On the outskirts of the capital of the state of Amazonas, the Casa Mamãe Margarida school helps vulnerable girls to find hope and the concreteness of the Gospel in education and training. Sr. Liliana Daou Lindoso, the Salesian Sister in charge of the house, tells us about it. St. Joseph the Worker is a dormitory […]
The Way of Santiago de Compostela. Ultreya, Don’t Stop. Keep Going
It is one of the best-known walks in the world. It is visited by thousands of pilgrims every year. Let’s retrace the journey from its birth between faith and history. The geography of the religious world, the Catholic one in particular, is crisscrossed by a web of paths that unite places that are significant from […]