Mission: The Church Walking Towards the Peripheries
“It is not enough to say that the Church is missionary. It is necessary to understand well what this mission consists of”. Going out means “going towards suffering humanity to live fraternity, heal its wounds, help its needs, participate in its struggles for rights”. The 1st Ecclesial Assembly of Latin America and the Caribbean (November […]
World Mission Sunday: “You shall be my witnesses”
This year World Mission Day will be celebrated on Sunday, on 23 October, focused on the theme: “You shall be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8). In his message, Pope Francis reflected on three foundations of the life and mission of every disciple: “You shall be my witnesses”, “to the ends of the earth” and “you shall […]
The Youth Corner: Discovery and Surprise
The path of vocational discernment is a discovery of ourselves, of the dream of God for our lives and of the brothers and sisters who accompany us. It is done in freedom and leads to true happiness. In our day-to-day life, we are looking for certainties, proof, security and a whole set of things that […]
Oral Literature: African Myth – Earth and Sky
Sogbo had wished to go down to the earth and rule there, but the Goddess Mawu denied him. Mawu said that the earth was further from her, and so the elder Sagbata should be sent down. Sogbo complained at this show of preference, and so was interested when Legba came to him with a suggestion […]
Three countries possess over 50% of Africa’s total wealth
More than half of Africa’s total wealth is controlled by only three nations according to this year’s Africa Wealth Report recently published by UK investment consultancy firm Henley & Partners in partnership with South African wealth intelligence firm New World Wealth. South Africa, Egypt, and Nigeria which respectively command $651 billion, $307 billion, and $228 […]
Mission Diary: to share Life
Every day, hundreds of migrants – young women, boys, and children arrive at the Bethlehem Shelter Centre. The Tapachula Diocesan Centre is not their destination, however. Coming from Honduras, El Salvador, Cuba, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Haiti, they have something in common: They want to pursue the “American dream.” Tapachula, a city in the state of […]
Reflection: Politics and Mission
Catholic politicians should become “a leaven for the renewal of civil and political life and witnesses of political love for those most in need”. When we, as Christians hear the words mission and missionary, we probably tend to think of a previous era, when dedicated and courageous men and women, mostly from Europe, set out […]
Saint of the Month: St. Francis of Assisi
Though we live in a very complex world than that of St Francis, the need to take care of the poor and vulnerable is the same. He can inspire us to practice the charity towards the poor people and vulnerable demanded of Christians by the gospels. To this effect, Pope Francis’ continuous call for solidarity […]
Don’t Sacrifice Congo’s Forests to the Oil Industry
The president of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo and his government seem willing to sacrifice vast forest areas for oil. It would be a disaster for people, biodiversity and the global climate. The DRC will be co-hosting the next UN Climate Change Conference, COP27, with Egypt. The rainforests of the […]
Brazil: Human trafficking – “A Cry for Life”
Comboni Missionary Sister Caterina Ingelido has lived in Brazil for twenty-one years, the last three in Porto Velho. She works in pastoral formation and mission awareness and coordinates “A Cry for Life,” a network committed to preventing human trafficking. For the last three years — out of twenty-one working in Brazil — I have been […]