Get your Africa facts right: websites seek to stem flow of misinformation

The Guardian || By Monica Mark in Abuja || 27 September 2014

A lack of transparency, accountability and media resources can make sorting truth from fiction especially difficult across the continent. Now, fact-checkers are seeking to change that.

What do these statements about Africa have in common? A white farmer is killed every five days in South Africa. Earlier this year Nigerian Islamists Boko Haram burnt 375 Christians alive. The Democratic Republic of Congo is the rape capital of the world. Johannesburg is the world’s biggest man-made forest. Answer: despite being widely accepted, none of them are true.

In an age when information cascades down Twitter feeds by the millisecond, it is increasingly difficult to sieve for facts, especially when it comes to much of Africa. But a trickle of newcomer websites such as BudgIT and Africa Check, are hoping to usher in the kind of non-partisan data and fact-checking services made popular by the likes of PolitiFact and others in the west.

Their daunting tasks range from tackling the sort of popular myths which once cast Africa as a land of giant birds and cannibals, to taking on officials in countries where data is often sketchy and accountability even more so.

By poking holes in accepted narratives, the websites’ creators hope to “kick-start people’s sceptical reflex,” said Peter Cunliffe-Jones, an Africa Check founder and journalist who formerly worked in Nigeria, a country that has a particularly fearsome reputation when it comes to sorting fact from fiction.

This week, the Nigerian military claimed - for a second time - that dozens of schoolgirls kidnapped by Islamists Boko Haram had been freed amid an “ongoing” rescue operation. None had been, and the statement was later retracted.

“It can be difficult to get hold of reliable information anywhere,” said Cunliffe-Jones. “But [in Nigeria] there hasn’t always been a culture of holding people to account for what they say.”

In February 2000, during riots in the northern city of Kaduna, Cunliffe-Jones stood on a hotel roof and watched as police oversaw the loading of at least eight large trucks with the bodies of those killed in the clashes. By his most conservative estimate, at least 400 corpses were trucked away. The police later insisted only 37 died.

“When we said to them, we know 37 is not even vaguely correct, they told us, look, we are trying to keep the peace,” Cunliffe-Jones said. “But the result is nobody trusts the authorities.”

The fledgling website headquartered in the journalism department of Johannesburg’s Witwatersrand University, hopes to foster a culture where even simple statements can be verified before they are picked up by local newspapers, and sometimes foreign ones.

Misinformation can have severe practical consequences. A 2003 Unicef-led drive to wipe out polio in northern Nigeria – one of only three countries where the illness is still endemic – was derailed when prominent politicians insisted the vaccination was an attempt by western nations to spread HIV and sterilise Muslims. Thanks largely to that falsehood, the global effort to eradicate polio was set back more than a decade and counting.

“People need the best available information to make the best decisions. When people can’t hold others to account, when policies are built on the basis of misinformation, societies can’t function,” Cunliffe-Jones said.

That has recently been illustrated again in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, where many people – initially convinced the Ebola outbreak was a hoax created by their governments to plunder public coffers – ignored public health warnings.

Some international coverage of the outbreak was accused of misinforming western readers. In August, US publication Newsweek magazine ran a front cover with a chimp and the headline beneath warning: “A Back Door For Ebola: Smuggled Bushmeat Could Spark a US epidemic.”

“They didn’t have any evidence for the claims they were making. There’s zero evidence that bushmeat smuggling could bring Ebola to the US,” said academic Laura Seay who co-authored a scathing takedown of the article. “It was just click-baiting and fear-baiting, and like a lot of the coverage on Ebola, overtly racist.”

Newsweek’s editor dismissed Seay’s claims with a tweet saying: “Troll better you should be ashamed”.

Inaccurate media reports are hardly limited to Africa, but there’s a greater chance of international newspapers getting things wrong – and not admitting so – when it comes to the continent, Seay said.

“When most western outlets have just two or three people covering a continent of 11 million square miles, it very easy to make mistakes, even unintentionally. It’s a recipe for disaster in terms of quality of coverage.”

Around half of Africa Check’s investigations are triggered by readers wanting to know anything from the veracity of claims made by pop stars to supposed disease-busting local herbs. Operating out of Lagos and Johannesburg, the not-for-profit organisation funded by grants and individual donations has a team of five full-timers working alongside volunteers and freelancers, and hopes to expand to Kenya and Senegal next.

Anton Harber, a highly-regarded South African former investigative journalist and co-founder of the project, explained its ultimate aim. “I imagine a situation in which every public figure and journalist feels nervous about what they say or write because Africa Check might just catch them out.” Source...

Three Thousand U.S. Troops destined to West Africa on Ebola Epidemic

Aleteia || By Michael Cook || 29 September 2014

Heroic medics care for the sick in the face of danger

Three thousand US troops, including engineers and healthcare workers, are being sent to West Africa to fight the Ebola outbreak there in an operation which could cost hundreds of millions of dollars. The Americans will train local healthcare workers, build clinics and distribute supplies.
 
"Faced with this outbreak, the world is looking to the United States and it is a responsibility we are prepared to embrace. We are prepared to take leadership on this," said President Barack Obama. "This is an epidemic that is not just a threat to regional security, it’s a potential threat to global security if these countries break down, if their economies break down and people panic."
 
The head of the World Health Organization, Dr. Margaret Chan, is describing the epidemic in frightening terms: “None of us experienced in containing outbreaks has ever seen, in our lifetimes, an emergency on this scale, with this degree of suffering and with this magnitude of cascading consequences.”
 
She says that reports that 5,500 people have been infected more than 2,500 killed by it are “vast underestimates."
 
In the face of an emergency like this, some experts have given up hope. Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit, of the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine in Hamburg, told Deutsche Welle that the battle has already been lost in Liberia and Sierra Leone. He believes that the epidemic will burn itself out by infecting more or less everyone and 5 million people – half the population – will die. Most experts dismissed this prediction as contemptible alarmism. However, given the scale of the problem, there is no possibility whatsoever of defeating this epidemic with drugs. There are none. The only way to deal with the epidemic is with dedicated – even heroic – nursing.

It takes courage to stand in the front lines. Cokie van der Velde, a British sanitation specialist with Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders), comes from Yorkshire, in northern England. Before she returned home last week, she spoke with the BBC about her responsibilities in Sierra Leone. The work is not only dangerous; it is exhausting and often repugnant.

In the centre, people groan and cry out – the smell of blood, diarrhea and vomit is awful – unfortunately there is also a very pervading smell of dead bodies.
 
I can only leave it to your imagination to understand what a pile of bodies smells like after a week in very hot, moist surroundings – it makes you feel sick quite a lot of the time.
 
Nobody else has been near them for days. They must feel very lonely and very frightened.
 
I am responsible for infection control which means that my first job is to ensure the safety of the people I work with and of myself. We have to wear our scrubs, then two or three pairs of gloves, a completely waterproof suit and a head covering, a mask, goggles and a big apron over the top.
 
It's incredibly hot and humid – when you undress back to the scrubs afterwards it looks like someone has just poured a bucket of water over you.
 
I try to go round the patients and help where I can and give them some water. I'll change and wash patients and just try and give some physical contact to each person because nobody else will touch them, nobody else has been near them for days. They must feel very lonely and very frightened.
 
I don't know how much comfort I am bringing to people when I'm dressed in a mask and goggles and completely covered from head to foot. If we have children at the treatment centre, which we quite often do, I'll try to bring them some toys and have a little game with them if I can …
 
There is always an element of risk when I work for MSF – I could be caught in crossfire, I could always pick up a nasty disease and there's the small chance of kidnap. And normally I would put that risk at about one in 1,000. So it's not that high. But I must admit, when I sat down and thought about it, I would say the risk for me now is about one in 10 …
 
I go partly because of my belief that there should be social justice in the world – that there should be some sort of equality. The people I'm helping are part of the human race, part of humanity – in that respect, all people for me are the same. I feel I have as much obligation to help a stranger as I do to help someone I know.
 
That last time I was in Liberia I must have moved hundreds of bodies but only three people survived during the month that I was there. I don't think you can see that many bodies without viewing death in a different way.
 
I try to always make sure that the team I'm working with stops for a moment to say goodbye to the person before we put them in the body bag. We still try to keep a reverence for the dead. Even though I'm not religious, I hope I can bring some sort of spirituality to that moment and some respect to the grieving of the relatives.

Infection is far from being the only danger. Many local people believe that healthcare workers are deliberately spreading the disease. One team of eight Ebola educators, including three journalists, in a remote part of southeastern Guinea has been killed and their bodies were dumped in a village latrine.
 
Ebola is an awful calamity, but in such times, heroes step forward. As one Italian doctor working in Sierra Leone with MSF, Grazia Caleo, told The Guardian:

“Seeing people expose themselves [to Ebola] in order to look after family members, knowing the risks, is very humbling. It is quite something to see older children in the high-risk unit instinctively look after the younger ones even though they’re not related. Being in Sierra Leone has taught me about the human spirit.” Source...
 
Michael Cook is editor of MercatorNet. Reprinted courtesy of MercatorNet.

Mwenge Catholic University is Tanzania’s latest University

Vatican Radio || By Sr. Sr. Bridgita S. Mwawasi, ssj || 27 September 2014

The Tanzania Government’s Commission for Universities (TCU) has granted full university status to Mwenge University College of Education which has previously been a constituent college of Tanzania’s Catholic University, the St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT). The new university is called, Mwenge Catholic University. 

The development and change in status means that students being admitted for the academic year 2014/2015 will undertake their studies under the new Mwenge Catholic University.

Mwenge Catholic University has up until now been a secular and private institution of higher learning under the ownership and management of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC). It is situated in Moshi, the Kilimanjaro region of Northeastern Tanzania, in East Africa..  Established in 2005 as a constituent College of St. Augustine University of Tanzania, the institution was founded as St. Joseph’s Teachers College in 2001offering the national teachers’ diploma in education.

During the inauguration of the new university’s academic year 2014/2015 on 22 September, Bishop Isaac Amani Massawe of Moshi Diocese who has been the Chair of the college’s governing board announced that Fr. Dr. Philbert Vumilia would be the Vice Chancellor-elect of the new Mwenge Catholic University. 

Bishop Amani said that the transformation of Mwenge University College of Education into a fully-fledged university was a big step forward for the whole community of Mwenge.  He urged the administration, academic staff, students and all stakeholders to work hard and ensure the integral development of Tanzania.

The Vice chancellor-elect, Fr. Dr. Philbert Vumilia thanked the Tanzania Commission for Universities for upgrading Mwenge college to university status.  He congratulated the staff and students for contributing towards the new milestone. 

“Let us keep up the spirit for the development of Tanzania and for the service of the people of God,” said Dr. Vumilia who has worked to implement the requirements of TCU for Mwenge to become a university. The Vice Chancellor-elect, Dr. Vumilia, was previously the Principal of the university college now turned university. Source...

Catholic Bishops of South Sudan Renew their Call for Peace

CANAA || 29 September 2014

The Catholic Bishops and heads of Catholic dioceses in South Sudan have renewed their call for urgent peace in their country, describing the on-going violent conflict as “evil,” which “must stop immediately and unconditionally.”

In a “message of hope” released last Friday at the end of their 3-day meeting in Juba, the Church leaders expressed appreciation for the pastoral agents “who are facing great danger and hardship in the service of the people during these difficult times,” the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), as well as the international community for the continued support.

The leaders also raised their voices against “the rise in tribalism as a result of the conflict,” corruption and nepotism.

They clarified that they are pastors, not politicians, and urged parties in conflict “to negotiate in good faith.”

Kindly find the full text of the message below.

MESSAGE OF HOPE FROM THE SOUTH SUDAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS

JUBA, 25TH SEPTEMBER 2014

“War is Evil; War cannot bring Peace; this War must Stop”

Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is your brother Abel?’ He said, ‘I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper? ’And the Lord said, ‘What have you done? Listen; your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground! (Genesis 4:9-10)

Preamble
We, the Catholic bishops of South Sudan meeting in Juba from 23rd –25th September 2014, compelled by the Gospel imperative and having deliberated on the situation of the Church and the people in our country, solemnly declare that the current war in South Sudan is evil, as we have said in previous messages.

There is no moral justification for any further killing. We can accept neither excuses nor conditions from any party or individual for the continuation of the war. The fighting and killing must stop immediately and unconditionally. Political and other grievances must indeed be addressed, but only when the fighting has stopped.

These issues are on the table in Ethiopia and will be addressed in the political process. We declare before God that it is evil for any party to use continuing violence to try to further their political agenda.

Appreciation

We appreciate the sacrifice of the clergy, religious, catechists and lay people who are facing great danger and hardship in the service of the people during these difficult times. We thank IGAD for their noble efforts to mediate peace in South Sudan. We also thank the international community and other nations in our own region and encourage them to continue their support.

The Impact of War
The war has had a huge negative impact on our country. It has once again reinforced the culture of violence with which we have lived for so many decades. It has seriously undermined our standing in the world which so recently welcomed us as the world's newest nation and it has damaged our image. Human rights are still under threat, including freedom of speech.

Humanitarian Aid and Development
Above all it has created a humanitarian tragedy. Thousands have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced. Our traumatized population has been re-traumatized by atrocities we have rarely seen before. Displaced people are living in appalling conditions, whether in the countryside, or in UN camps in the cities, or as refugees in neighbouring countries.

A famine is looming in parts of the country. International humanitarian access is limited due to insecurity. Once again we declare this war immoral and we demand an immediate end to all hostilities so that these humanitarian concerns can be addressed.

Development has been brought to a halt. Freezing funds meant for development is an invitation to more insecurity and suffering. It can be said that peace is another word for development. While seven out of ten states are not directly affected by the violence, their people are still suffering and are still in need of development activities.

Prevention is better than cure. We call on the international community to continue to support development. We as bishops see coming to the aid of our people, both in government and opposition areas, as our prime responsibility.

Tribalism

Aware of the negative impact of war, we call attention to the rise in tribalism as a result of the conflict. Traditionally, the peoples of South Sudan do not hate each other. While there have been tribal conflicts over issues such as cattle and land, there have also been traditional mechanisms to resolve those conflicts before they get out of control.

Our peoples have inter-married, assisted each other during famines, moved freely around the country, studied together in national boarding schools, lived together in cities, shared their cultural heritage and worked together in many different spheres. We acknowledge the generosity of many who even during the current conflict have welcomed and protected people from other ethnic groups.

However ethnicity has now become a negative issue throughout our society. Large-scale ethnic killing has created a cycle of fear, hatred and revenge. Our politics is becoming ethnic, with perceptions from various communities that one tribe or other is favoured, or that one tribe or another is under-represented, or even that one tribe or another “deserves” to rule.

Even within our churches, elements of tribalism are creeping in and creating suspicion, hindering our efforts to work for peace and reconciliation. This is not the way forward. We condemn tribalism and repeat our earlier call for “One People from every Tribe, Tongue and Nationality”. We are South Sudanese, and we call for the creation of a national identity which builds on but transcends our tribal roots and heritage.

Corruption
Tribalism is allied with corruption and nepotism. Political office is perceived by many as synonymous with access to power and wealth, and communities often feel that they need their own tribesmen and women in power in order for that community to have access to resources. We condemn corruption and tribalism.

We challenge all our political leaders, whether in government or opposition, and remind them that political leadership is about service to all the citizens of South Sudan, not about personal power and wealth nor favouring one community or other. We urge our people not to fall into the trap of supporting their own tribe rather than seeking the best qualified person for the position.

Our Call for Peace
We are pastors, not politicians, but our faithful are dying. We do not try to advise on the details of the political resolution of the problems of our country. Nevertheless, we urge the parties to negotiate in good faith; we demand that the killing stop. No doubt both sides will be required to compromise.

Just as we put our trust in the people during the People to People Peace Process, just as we trusted the people when we advocated for them to have the Right of Self-Determination to choose for themselves the political future of their country in a referendum in 2011, we now believe that the people of our country are capable of determining the political future following the current conflict.

In the longer-term process, the citizens of South Sudan must play a prominent role, represented by their traditional leaders, their faith communities, civil society and other actors.

In our Prophetic role as bishops, we state without hesitation or fear that the current conflict is evil and must be stopped immediately and unconditionally, regardless of any other considerations.

We call on every political leader, every military officer, every individual soldier, every armed civilian, whether government or opposition, to avoid any further killing. It is immoral and evil. The question to ask ourselves is: do I have the sincere will to renounce violence, to compromise and to bring peace?

The Church is the Mother of all people from every ethnic group in the whole of South Sudan. We call upon all the people to embark on the path of reconciliation, healing and peace. We encourage our priests, religious and pastoral agents, our international partners, and the other churches and faith communities, to intensify their activities around these, to become more active peace-makers. Prayer is the only sure way to peace. Our dioceses and parishes must organise prayers for peace.

Repent and do not sin anymore! They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (Isaiah 2:4)

Catholic Bishops of Nigeria declare All-night Prayer vigil

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has declared a national all-night prayer vigil service on the night of the 13 th November in the Capital city of Abuja. The purpose of the all-night prayer vigil will be to pray for a nation, especially its people, suffering at the hands of Boko Haram Islamist militants. The Bishops have asked the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of consolation to intercede for the country.

In a press statement made available to Vatican Radio, on 24 September, by the Catholic News Service of Nigeria, the Bishops say they are alarmed by the scale of destruction of human lives and property unleashed by Boko Haram. The Bishops are also extremely saddened by the disruption of village and community  life in Northeastern Nigeria.

The Bishops have further directed their local Caritas office to immediately provide funds and support to the internally displaced people of Northeast Nigeria. The Bishops urge the Federal Government and individual Nigerians to  reach-out  in  charity  and solidarity to help other Nigerians that have been internally displaced as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency.

Nevertheless, the Bishops warn that the  increased  levels  of  hatred in Nigeria have the potential to create more  conflict  in  the  nation. More poignantly, the Bishops say, “While  Muslims  are  sometimes  targets  of  these  destructive  attacks,  Christians and Christian Churches as well as non-Muslims in general are the principle targets for extermination,  expropriation and expulsion by the Boko Haram insurgents, the perpetrators of all these destructions, ” the Bishops say in their press statement.

The Bishops speak of how their Second Annual Plenary meeting  in Warri Diocese, Delta State from 11 September to 19 September, was constantly interrupted and disturbed by “first-hand  and  horrifying  reports  reaching  us  from  Borno,  Yobe, Adamawa,  Taraba,  Kano  and  Kaduna  States  about  the  mass  slaughter  of  fellow Nigerians;  the burning and ransacking of whole villages and churches  and rectories.

We heard of entire families and  individuals being forced to seek  places of refuge outside their homes and lands. In fact,  one of our brother-Bishops had to leave our meeting  abruptly  because  of  thousands  of  refugees  that  had  flocked  to  his Cathedral and its premises expecting protection and food from the Bishop and his diocese, ” the Bishops said.

The statement of the Bishops strikes a more positive tone towards the Federal Government and the Nigerian military in an effort to encourage the authorities to do more in protecting civilians. This is in contrast to the barrage of criticism that the Nigerian Government and military have faced from various sections of Nigerian society in the face of the Boko Haram insurgency. 

While encouraging the Federal Government and the military to do more than it is currently doing, the Nigerian Bishops call on all Nigerians to support every positive effort by the current government to protect citizens and defend the integrity and unity of Nigeria.

Please find below the press statement and the final communique from the plenary assembly of the Nigerian Bishops.

Both documents are jointly signed by the President of the conference, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Jos and the Secretary of the Conference Most Rev. Willam Avenya, Bishop of Gboko.

(Fr. Paul Samasumo) e-mail: [email protected]

WHILE NIGERIA BLEEDS AND BURNS

A Press Statement by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) on the current state of Nigeria, given on September 18th 2014.

Our Second Annual Plenary meeting  in Warri Diocese, Delta State, has  been  daily strained  by  first-hand  and  horrifying  reports  reaching  us  from  Borno,  Yobe, Adamawa,  Taraba,  Kano  and  Kaduna  states  about  the  mass  slaughter  of  fellow Nigerians;  the burning and sacking of whole villages and churches  and rectories. Families and  individuals are  forced to seek  places of refuge outside their invaded homes and lands.

In fact,  one of our bishops from  those zones of current tragedy had to leave our meeting  abruptly  because  of  thousands  of  refugees  that  had  flocked  to  his Cathedral and its premises expecting protection and feeding from the bishop and his diocese. Unfortunately, the situation right now, in the North East,  Nigeria only confirms further killings, burnings and fleeing of defenseless Nigerians creating a heightened sense of unrest and siege for the whole nation.

As Nigeria tragically bleeds and burns,  we  Bishops are really alarmed at the scale of human,  material destruction, and the disruption of village and community  life with  increased  levels  of  hatred  and  potentials  for  more  conflicts  in  the  nation. While  Muslims  are  sometimes  targets  of  these  destructive  attacks,  Christians, Churches and non- Muslims in general are the principal targets for extermination, expropriation and expulsion by the Boko Haram insurgents, the perpetrators of all these destructions.

We  believe  that  we  still  have  governments-  at  Federal  and  State-  levels  whose primary duty it is to preserve and protect the life of every Nigerian irrespective of tribe, religion, social class or tradition.

In  the  face  of  this  Boko  Haram  group  and  other  criminal  militias  arming themselves  beyond  our  legitimate  government  and  brazenly  killing  innocent, defenseless citizens, our government must do more than it is currently doing to safeguard  our  lives  and  defend  our  nation.  It  must  do  more  than  it  is  currently doing to fight off and disarm these actual destroyers of Nigerians and  Nigeria. It must do more than it is  currently doing to prevent segments of  our nation from drifting into anarchy and mutual self-destruction and bring criminals to justice.

We  warn  every  Nigerian  community  at  local  and  state  levels  to  be  alert  to  the grave danger facing all of us and our nation from within and from without. The issue is not about who becomes president  or governor or senator  after the 2015 General  Elections. The issue is about the life and security of every one of us who loves his or her life and really cares about our living together in peace as noble Nigerians.

We urge  therefore  that we all  support and encourage every positive effort by the current  government to protect every Nigerian and defend the integrity and unity of Nigeria. Let us equally take  lawful  measures locally to prevent the destruction of fellow Nigerians and to ward off Nigeria’s destroyers.

We  have  mandated  our  CARITAS  (charity/emergency)  office  to  immediately provide funds and succor to all affected peoples as is within our capacity.

We  urge  government  and  every  endowed  Nigerian  to  reach  out  in  charity  and solidarity to rehabilitate and support our displaced brothers and sisters wherever they are and so sustain our God-given human dignity.

In  keeping  with  our  calling  as  religious  leaders,  we  Bishops  of  Nigeria  have resolved  to  organize  a  national  all  night  prayer  scheduled  for  13th and  14th November, 2014 at Abuja.

These are critical times for our country and everyone in position of authority must do everything possible to save our dear country, Nigeria.

THE LORD COMFORTS HIS PEOPLE! (ISAIAH 40:1)

Communique at the End of the Second Plenary Meeting of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) at the Diocesan Conference Centre, Bishop’s Court, Effurun, Delta State, September 11-19, 2014.

1. Preamble

We, the members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, held our Second

Plenary Meeting for the Year 2014 at the Diocesan Conference Centre, Bishop’s Court, Effurun, Delta State. Having prayerfully reflected on issues affecting the Church and our country, we now present our communiqué.

2. Some Events in the Church

We rejoice with Bishop Martin Olorunmolu of Lokoja Diocese and Bishop John Afareha of Warri Diocese and their Catholic Faithful for respectively celebrating the Golden Jubilee of the Erection of their Ecclesiastical circumscriptions. We welcome and congratulate Msgr. Simon Faddoul, the first Apostolic Exarch, appointed by the Holy Father, Pope Francis, to direct the new Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction created for Catholics of the Maronite Rites in West and Central Africa.

We pray that his mission may encourage the Lebanese communities in Nigeria in their Christian witness. In June, two new Bishops were ordained, namely, Most Rev. Michael Gokum for the new Diocese of Pankshin and Most Rev. Peter Kayode Odetoyinbo for Abeokuta Diocese. In August, Msgr. Jonas Benson Okoye was ordained the Auxiliary Bishop of Awka. We look forward to the installation of Bishop John Ayah as the Bishop of Uyo on 20th of September, 2014, who also continues to serve as the Apostolic Administrator of his former jurisdiction, the Diocese of Ogoja. Msgr. Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe will be consecrated the Coadjutor Bishop of Makurdi on 4th of October, 2014.

We welcome the new Counsellor to the Apostolic Nunciature in Abuja, Msgr. Javier Domingo Fernandez González. We congratulate all those mentioned here and pray for the success of their respective assignments.

With deep appreciation of a life dedicated to God and His people, we announce the glorious exit of the Bishop Emeritus of Awka, Most Rev. Simon Akwali Okafor, who died on 29th of August, 2014, and will be buried on 7th of October, 2014.

3. Extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the Family

Pope Francis has announced the event of the Extraordinary General Assembly on the family taking place in Rome from 5th to 19th of October, 2014. The Synod will, among other things, discuss the challenges families face in the modern world. Let us continue to pray for our families to be more the sanctuaries of life and love, the irreplaceable and basic school of humanity. We urge you to pray for the success of the Synod. We call on Dioceses to intensify their pastoral care for the families through adequate marriage preparations; support for the young and elderly couples; those in mixed marriages; irregular marriages (de facto unions); families in crises; the separated and the divorced and remarried persons; as well as singles.

4. Education Summit

We happily announce the Second National Catholic Education Summit scheduled for 28th to 31st of October, 2014, at the Women Development Centre, Abuja. We once again reiterate our willingness to continue to partner with the Government at all levels in the provision of Quality Education for our children. At our First Plenary Assembly for this 2014 in Abuja, we made this declaration and looked at the success stories and challenges in areas where partnership is established. In that same conference, we acknowledged the return of schools from some State Governments. We are still expecting other States to emulate this gesture.

5. Veritas University, Abuja (VUNA)

It is heartwarming to communicate that the long awaited movement of Veritas University of Nigeria Abuja (VUNA) to the permanent campus is being actualized by the commencement of full academic activities at all relevant levels in September 2014.

We continue to call on the members of the Laity and people of good will to support the initiative of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria. We use this opportunity to invite you to the Second Convocation ceremony to hold at the permanent campus in Bwari, Abuja, on the 28th of October, 2014.

6. Insecurity in our Country

There is, today, a widespread feeling of fear, due to insecurity in the land. Nigerians do not feel safe in their homes, at work, on the highways, at the airports, seaports, in the schools and even within the hallowed precincts of places of worship. There is an

unprecedented rise in violent crimes and the alarming new dimension of organized terrorist activities, particularly in the North Eastern part of the country. The brutality and callousness with which people are killed, abducted and maimed, has assumed a frightening dimension. Many people across the country, but especially in the North Eastern part of the country have been forced out of their ancestral homes, and are rendered to the status of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), who now live in inhuman conditions, like in the caves, on the mountains and in the forest. Many others have become slaves and prisoners to the terrorist group called Boko Haram and Fulani Armed Herdsmen.

We condemn violence on whatever excuse, and from whatever direction. We condemn it, above all, when the perpetrators blasphemously and fraudulently claim religious justifications for their actions. We deeply regret and condemn in strong terms, the wanton loss of life and property caused by the armed group called Boko Haram. We offer our deepest condolences to all the bereaved and our sympathies to all those who have suffered grave injuries and losses. We further call on the Government of this country to ensure prompt restoration of peace and order in all the troubled parts of the country.

Government and good-spirited individuals should also take immediate steps in providing relief materials to the victims. However, we encourage that this gesture should be done with the best of intentions and not to be turned into avenue for political gains and self gratification. No nation can meaningfully develop or prosper in an atmosphere of insecurity. Many Nigerians are traumatized, given the menace of Boko Haram and other social upheavals, such that the basis for cooperation, exchange and hope for a great nation is obliterated. Nigeria needs healing and restoration.

7. Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)

The Ebola disease is a source of worry to all people, all over the world. We highly commend the Federal Government for the action taken to stop the deadly Virus from further spreading to other parts of the country. We also note the efforts of some western countries for stepping up action in search of adequate medical treatment. We appreciate the Medical experts and the Press for their efforts of disseminating adequate information on this matter. We call on all Nigerians to carry out periodic medical checkups. We recommend a healthy pattern of living to contain its spread and transmission. In the absence of a known cure, we have joined other Nigerians in the fight against this deadly virus and have imposed on ourselves certain discipline in our worship as precautionary measures. We pray for healing of all those infected by the virus. We commend those who have died as a result of the disease to the bosom of God, our Heavenly Father.

8. Religious Freedom

We profoundly affirm the right to religious freedom and free expression as entrenched in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This right does not stop with freedom to choose, practice and express one’s faith which is fatally denied in some parts of our nation, but includes the opportunity to contribute to the building up of the society as free partners in progress. This presupposes public recognition and respect for authentic religious values that meet the human deepest concerns, capable of furnishing ethical motivation for personal and social responsibilities. We will continue to express our willingness for dialogue and collaboration with other Christians and other religious bodies for harmony and progress of our country and the good of humanity. We request that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) to work closely to ensure coexistence that guarantees access to, and safety in places of worship.

9. The 2015 General Elections

In 2015, Nigerians will once again have the opportunity to exercise their fundamental right to vote. Leaders will be elected to govern the affairs of our Nation. Efforts made over the years to avoid irregularities in the polling have not been perfect. As prophets of God, it is our duty to remind all political aspirants/candidates that they are public servants sworn to provide the electorate with legitimate needs. We call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to improve on its electoral responsibilities in the forthcoming elections in order to fully guarantee the rights of citizens to elect leaders of their choice. Nigerians will then have opportunity to showcase their growth in electoral process that truly ensures free, fair, durable and  credible elections. In the same manner, we call on Nigerians to have a change of mentality, inspired by the sense of common good, equity, justice and peace. We call on the government at all levels to provide the enabling environment for everyone to exercise this fundamental right without fear, favour and intimidation. Let us eschew the unwholesome activities that usually characterize our electioneering process, such as thuggery, maiming, murder, bullying, and violence of any kind, which are an affront to the dignity of the human person. More so, rigging of votes steals away the peoples’ mandate, causing disharmony and conflict.

10. Patriotism, Unity, and Peace of our Nation

The journey to nationhood may be long and tortuous, but it is possible with courage and determination. The country’s unity is on trial due to corruption, waves of criminality, and terrorism. Corruption is ferociously destroying the fabric of our society. Generally, there is cynical abuse of power in governance with impunity, to the extent that the rights of citizens are constantly violated. When good governance is absent, patriotism is hardly possible or sustainable. Ethnicity is generally blamed as the bane of our journey to nationhood. It is known, however, that good governance contributes to turn ethnicity into a rich asset for mutual exchange, healthy rivalry, cooperation and solidarity. Nigeria needs leaders with courage, vision and an authentic sense of patriotism, with political will to change the pattern of life of our society. Leaders should set examples of  stewardship, accountability and transparency, in order to be trustworthy custodians of our  land.

11. 2014 National Conference

We thank God that we gathered to discuss some of the challenges facing us a nation. At the beginning of the National Conference, we sent our solidarity greetings and prayers to Nigerians and participants at the Conference. We commended the objective aimed at strengthening national unity, democratic governance and laying a stronger foundation for development. The Conference which began in March and concluded in August 2014, provided Nigerians in their diversity of ethnicity, religious persuasions and political affiliations, the opportunity to openly discuss the problems stunting our development as a Nation. Once again, Nigerians were able to sit together and through concerted effort, they discussed openly and agreed on a charter for national reconciliation, integration and  transformation.

We pray for the moral courage and political will needed by our leaders to examine and seriously consider the resolutions in the Report of the Conference, for the good and  development of our nation.

12. Conclusion: The Lord Comforts His People! (Isaiah 40:1)

Our faith in God may be painfully undergoing some tests. Certain situations in our lives might surely be described as extreme. The threat of the pandemics of HIV-AIDS compounds with Ebola Virus Disease, just as the issues of armed robbery and kidnapping with Boko Haram savagery. In all of these, we should not, however, give up, but believe in  God for whom nothing is impossible. Jesus Christ is our great Physician and Redeemer, who in his victory over the powers of darkness and evil, did not eliminate suffering nor did he explain every evil, but rather exposed the devil and cautioned against its  deceits, revealing the power of God, whom alone is to be feared. By willingly enduring his passion and death, Jesus gave human suffering its redemptive meaning, removed the fear of death, ushering in the hope of the resurrection (cf. 2 Cor 4:16-5:5).

He promised his presence, healing and blessings to the weary and the overburdened (Matt 11:28). He consoles us so that we might with the same comfort meet and offer to others in their times of tribulation (2 Cor 1:4). Paradoxically, we are helped by moments of weakness and suffering to draw closer to God - the solid and lasting foundation of our existence - and to discover His mercy, love and power (cf. 2 Cor 4:7-12). We must let Christ’s word of consolation penetrate, illumine, purify and convert our interior, so that a new humanity may be born in us for the endurance of Christian hope. We call on all to be fervent in prayers to the God of consolation and hope for the restoration of our land. For this reason, we invite everyone to a National Rosary Prayer Pilgrimage in the National Christian Centre, Abuja on 13th to 14th of November, 2014.

May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of consolation, be our model and intercessor, especially in this trying period of our country.

Pope Francis Prays for an End to Ebola Crisis, Addresses Bishops of Ghana

Vatican Radio || September 23, 2014

Pope Francis on Tuesday met with a group of bishops from Ghana, who are in Rome on their ad limina visit.  Ghana is a west African country with 27 million people, with Catholics making up around 15% of the population.

In his speech, which was handed to the bishops, he spoke about the ongoing Ebola epidemic affecting the region.

“I think in a particular way about the importance of the Church’s health care apostolate, not only in Ghana, but throughout western Africa, which is suffering at this time from the outbreak of Ebola,” he said. 

“I pray for the repose of the souls of all who have died in this epidemic, among whom are priests, men and women religious and healthcare workers who contracted this terrible disease while caring for those suffering,” Pope Francis continued.  “May God strengthen all healthcare workers there and bring an end to this tragedy!”

Below find the full speech given to the Bishops of Ghana 

Dear Brother Bishops,

                I offer you a fraternal welcome on the occasion of your visit ad Limina Apostolorum.  May your pilgrimage to the tombs of Saints Peter and Paul confirm you in the faith and in your commitment to your ministry, and build up the bonds of communion between the Church in Ghana and the See of Peter.  I thank Bishop Osei-Bonsu for expressing the love and devotion of your priests, religious and laity, and indeed of the entire Ghanaian people.  I would ask you kindly to assure them of a continual remembrance in my prayers.

Ghana is blessed with a population that naturally and easily expresses its belief in God and which seeks to honour him in the variety of religious traditions present in your country. As pastors of the Church established by the Lord to be the light to the nations, you offer to your country Jesus Christ, “the Way, the Truth and the Life” (cf. Jn 14:6). 

You do so by bearing witness to the transforming power of his grace by preaching the Good News, by celebrating the sacraments, and by shepherding God’s people with humility and dedication.  In this way, the Catholic community in Ghana, faithful to the Lord’s command and under your guidance, enriches society by proclaiming the dignity of each human person and by promoting their full human development.  For it is only in Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, that the fullness of our dignity and destiny can be seen and thus appropriated. 

The 2009 Synod on Africa noted as a principal concern the need for the Church’s pastors to “inspire in Christ’s disciples in Africa the will to become effectively committed to living out the Gospel in their daily lives… (and to obey Christ who) calls constantly for metanoia, conversion” (Africae Munus, 32).  This requires in the first place, brothers, our own daily conversion, so that all of our thoughts, words and actions may be inspired and directed by the word of God. 

We must be men who are thoroughly transformed by the grace of being ever more truly sons of the Father, brothers of the Son, and fathers of the community guided by the Holy Spirit.  Only then can we offer credible witness to “the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe” (cf. Eph 1:19), living in holiness, unity and peace.  From the grace of Christ experienced in our own converted hearts comes the spiritual strength which helps us promote virtue and holiness in our priests, men and women religious, and laity.

The work of conversion and evangelization is not easy, but it bears precious fruit for the Church and the world.  Out of the spiritual vitality of all the faithful come the Church’s numerous charitable, medical and educational endeavours, and her works of justice and equality. The varied services, carried out in God’s name, especially for the poor and weak, are the responsibility of the entire local Church, under the prayerful oversight of the bishop. 

I think in a particular way about the importance of the Church’s health care apostolate, not only in Ghana, but throughout western Africa, which is suffering at this time from the outbreak of Ebola.  I pray for the repose of the souls of all who have died in this epidemic, among whom are priests, men and women religious and healthcare workers who contracted this terrible disease while caring for those suffering.  May God strengthen all healthcare workers there and bring an end to this tragedy! 

I would ask you in a special way to be close to your priests, supporting them as fathers, easing their burdens and leading them with tenderness.  Please convey my heartfelt gratitude to them and to all religious men and women in Ghana, upon whom so much of the necessary work of evangelization depends, for their daily sacrifices.  I ask the Lord to bless them continually with dedication, zeal and fidelity. 

Dear brothers, the Church in Ghana is justly respected for the contribution she makes to the integral development of individuals and the entire nation.  At the same time, she often finds herself lacking in the material resources necessary to fulfil her mission in the world.  In this regard, I would offer you two thoughts.  First, it is imperative that whatever temporal means the Church has at her disposal continue to be administered with honesty and responsibility, in order to provide good witness, especially where corruption has hindered the just advancement of society. 

The Lord will surely not fail to bless and multiply the works of those who are faithful to him.  Second, material poverty can be an occasion to draw greater attention to the spiritual needs of the human person (cf. Mt 5:3), thus leading to a deeper reliance on the Lord, from whom all good things come.  While your communities rightly make many efforts to alleviate extremes of poverty, so too the Church is called, in imitation of Christ, to work with humility and honesty, using the goods at her disposal to open minds and hearts to the riches of mercy and grace flowing from the heart of Christ.

I pray as well for your lay catechists, without whom the works of evangelization would be much diminished in Ghana.  I encourage you to improve and expand the education and preparation provided for them, so that their labours may lead to concrete and long-lasting results.  Almost three years have passed since Pope Benedict XVI urged the bishops and priests of the entire African continent “to be concerned for the human, intellectual, doctrinal, moral, spiritual and pastoral formation of catechists” (cf. Africae Munus, 126). 

It is timely, then, to ask whether and to what degree we have responded to this summons to encourage and form the next generation of men and women who will pass on the faith and build upon the legacy of our forebears.  Concern for catechists also requires, as a matter of natural justice, attention to the material assistance and recompense required in order for them to carry out their tasks.

Finally, dear brothers, like Saint Paul, I wish you to go to the cities and the countryside, to the markets and the streets, witnessing to Christ and showing his love and mercy to all.  Be close to other Christian leaders and the heads of other religious communities. 

Ecumenical and interreligious cooperation, when carried out with respect and an open heart, contributes to the social harmony of your country, and enables growth in an understanding of the dignity of each person and a greater experience of our common humanity.  Thankfully, Ghana has been spared much of the tribal, ethnic and religious divisions that have afflicted too many other parts of Africa, a continent whose promise, in part due to these divisions, has yet to be fulfilled. 

I pray that you will be ever greater promoters of unity and leaders in the service of dialogue!  May you be firm in upholding the Church’s teaching and discipline, and unyielding in your charity.  And may your generosity in offering Christ be matched only by your humble and patient openness to others. 

With these thoughts, dear brother Bishops, I commend all of you to the intercession of Mary, Mother of the Word of God and Our Lady of Africa, and with great affection I impart my Apostolic Blessing, which I willingly extend to all the beloved priests, religious and lay faithful of your country. Source...

From the Vatican, 23 September 2014

Radio Chikuni Concert rocks Monze in Zambia

Irish Jesuit Missions || September 23, 2014

The Tonga Music Festival in Monze, Zambia, has been described as “spectacular, partly due to the performances of local Zambian hit singers Mpande and Real Jay who recently released their new albums.”

The September festival is organised each year by Chikuni Community Radio Station whose “vision is to enable the community of Chikuni to be fully developed in all aspects of human life.”

Chikuni Community Radio was founded by the Jesuits in 2000 and amongst many other projects, organises the Tonga Music Festival with two days of concerts each year. It was initiated for the purpose of reviving, promoting and preserving Tonga traditional music and dance and promoting the Chitonga language.

The Jesuits in Zambia are extremely interested in preserving local language and culture. In recent years, the Chitonga-English dictionary was produced by Fr. Frank Wafer SJ, which was a trojan task.

Since its beginning in 2002, the music festival has grown, attracting many traditional bands as well as corporate institutions and businesses that contribute to the successful hosting of this big cultural event. The Irish Jesuit Mission Office was amongst the contributors and donated €6,000 towards the concert.

For many years, 12 competition categories of traditional music have been performed. But over the years more traditional and almost extinct music styles are being revived and performed thanks to the value the people have placed on the festival. Participants register beforehand and their songs must be original, never having been published or recorded before.

Musicians come to perform to the crowds and are also trained on the cultural and musical values of the Tonga as well as their general lifestyle. This has led to improved performances and deliveries from the participating groups. The Sakala Brothers and Mukanzubo Kalinda Research Institute have helped in the training and have raised the standards of the festival as a result.

Groups like Mashombe Blue Jeans, Green Mamba and Gonde Cultural Ensemble no longer compete but provide entertainment to the concert goers during the two day event while local businesses benefit from keeping everyone fed and watered!

This year, 82 bands competed in various categories at the Tonga concerts. As the area’s biggest musical festival, it hosts various traditional bands that display the unique way of life for the BaTonga people while an additional 25 non competing traditional bands showcase the Tonga culture through music and dance. Source...

CANAA did some editing on the original article.

AMECEA Chair Prays for Deeper Faith in Jesus

CANAA || September 25, 2014

The Chairman of the Executive Board of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA), Archbishop Berhaneyesus D. Souraphiel, has prayed for deeper faith in the person of Jesus Christ who leads “people to the Father, the source of all goodness."

Archbishop Berhaneyesus made the prayer on Thursday while presiding over the Eucharistic celebration on the first day of the AMECEA Executive Board meeting in Nairobi.

“Faith helps us reach Jesus, the way, the truth, and the life,” Archbishop Berhaneyesus reflected, adding, “It is through Jesus that we come to the Father.”

He prayed that AMECEA countries grow in the knowledge that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and that those involved in the ministry of evangelization in the region remain true witnesses to this reality.

“May God be with all those who look for him, and through us, find the way to the Father,” the Archbishop Berhaneyesus prayed.

Reflecting on the day’s gospel passage that pictured Herod the tetrarch puzzled about the works of Jesus, recalling that he had beheaded John the Baptist, Archbishop Berhaneyesus said, “Killing others and destroying others is not a solution.”

The members of the Executive Board also prayed for lasting peace in countries within the AMECEA region that are experiencing conflicts.

Other AMECEA Board members in attendance include John Cardinal Njue (Kenya), Archbishop Thomas Luke Msusa (Malawi), Bishop Tesfaselassie Medhin (Ethiopia), Bishop Philip Anyolo (Kenya), Bishop Charles Kasonde (Zambia), Bishop Rogatus Kimario (Tanzania), and Bishop Michael Didi (Sudan/South Sudan).

Thursday, the first day of the board meeting, was devoted to input in organizational governance, which included topics like principles of governance, roles and responsibilities of a board of directors,  effective management, among other themes. The day’s sessions were facilitated by Victoria Munini Mutiso of CORAT Africa.

AMECEA Board members absent with apologies include Bishop Joseph Zziwa (Uganda), Bishop Kidane Yebio (Eritrea) and Bishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba who is the Chair of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) Council.

The meeting will conclude on Friday evening.

The Legacy of South Sudanese Leaders lays in Safeguarding Human Life

CANAA || September 25, 2014

A Sudanese Bishop has said that the legacy of the political leaders in South Sudan will be determined by their resolve to safeguard human life, which they can achieve by agreeing to resolve their differences and embark on resettling citizens.

In an exclusive interview with CANAA in Nairobi on Thursday, Bishop Michael Didi of El-Obeid diocese, Sudan, also decried the tendency to undermine human life by placing it on equal level with natural resources.

“The leadership in the South will be remembered if they are to (resolve) their differences and try to make people to (re)settle in the South. They have to recognize that not the power but the people really are the precious “thing” that they should (safeguard) above all else,” Bishop Didi said.

Listen to Bishop Michael Didi: {play}/images/mp3/bishop michael didi a.mp3{/play}

He explained the unfortunate situation some of those who had returned to the South from the North have found themselves in saying, “For the (South Sudan) referendum, people voted really with enthusiasm. And even when they were going back to the South, they were also enthusiastic to start building their country, and again” they have been made to run back to Sudan where they had already moved from.

Bishop Didi criticized the tendency to prioritize natural resources over human life, insisting that the human person needs to be given the first place in any nation.

“Sometimes, people equalize humanity and the human being with politics. To me, this is really a tragedy. We always hear of Abyei. When we ask, what is wrong with Abyei, they say there is petrol. They don’t say there are people. I think the people need to be valued more than any resources,” Bishop Didi said.

Bishop Didi also shared about how the South Sudan conflict has affected the work of evangelization in his diocese.

“After the independence, we had many people who went back to the South and some of our centres were closed and some parishes (remained) vacant.... we reorganized ourselves. Now again, before even finishing the resettling of our people, we are again to rethink how to welcome these people who are coming back (from South Sudan); it is difficult to plan.”

“A lot of children of school (going) age went (to the South) and started learning in English. When they come to the North, they are supposed to learn in Arabic,” Bishop Didi further lamented, adding that some of the Catechists and other local church leaders who returned to the South have remained there.

Bishop Didi described the situation in his diocese as “spiritually and pastorally challenging” and in need of pastoral agents who can cater for the needs of the new returnees.

Listen to Bishop Michael Didi: {play}/images/mp3/bishop michael didi b.mp3{/play}

Bishop Didi is taking part in the AMECEA Executive Board meeting, which started on Thursday morning and will conclude on Friday evening.

Pope’s Advisers start First Draft toward Document Overhauling Vatican

Catholic News Service || By Carol Glatz || September 17, 2014

Pope Francis' international Council of Cardinals has begun creating the first draft of a new apostolic constitution that would implement a major reform of the Vatican bureaucracy.

The so-called C9, a papally appointed group of nine cardinal members, held its sixth meeting Sept 15-17 with Pope Francis at the Vatican to help advise him on the reform of the Vatican's organization and church governance.

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, told reporters Sept. 17 that the series of discussions have now begun a more "concrete" phase with "putting ink on paper" in the form of a draft for the introduction to a new constitution.

"It may be assumed that, with the next two meetings of the council -- Dec. 9-11, 2014, and Feb. 9-11, 2015 -- the draft constitution will reach an advanced stage of preparation, making it possible for the pope to proceed with further consultations," the priest said in a written statement.

In a first step toward reorganizing the Roman Curia, Pope Francis created the Secretariat for the Economy in February as a way to begin universal oversight and standards for all of the Vatican's financial assets and activities.

Father Lombardi told reporters that the cardinals' discussions concerning financial issues have concluded, and that they now resumed looking at the different pontifical councils of the curia, as part of a bigger strategy of finding the most effective and efficient way to reorganize the large bureaucracy.

In their three days of talks and study, the nine cardinals "focused on two principle hotspots," the Vatican spokesman said in his written statement.

The first topic included the laity, the family, "the role of women in society and the church, youth, childhood, or matters related to lay associations and movements and so on," he wrote.

The second topic combined the issues of "justice and peace, charity, migrants and refugees, health, and the protection of life and ecology, especially human ecology," the written statement said.

The way the different issues were divided into two major areas seemed to lend credence to some news reports predicting the Pontifical Council for the Laity and the Pontifical Council for the Family would be merged into one new congregation, and that the pontifical councils for Justice and Peace, Cor Unum and Migrants and Travelers could be combined, since their areas of focus are closely related and often overlap.

Pope Francis would make the final decisions, Father Lombardi said, based on input from the Council of Cardinals and regular talks with the heads of the curia, other cardinals and bishops.

The Vatican spokesman said the pope's Commission for the Protection of Minors will meet Oct. 4-5, and any announcements or clarifications concerning new members and the group's statutes would be made around that time.

Since its inception in July, the Commission on Vatican media was set to hold its first meeting Sept. 22-24 in the Domus Sanctae Marthae, where the pope lives.

The 11-member body has been asked to review and recommend ways Vatican communications structures could be streamlined and modernized.

The commission president is British Lord (Chris) Patten, former governor of Hong Kong, former chairman of the BBC Trust and former chancellor of the University of Oxford. The commission secretary is Irish Msgr. Paul Tighe, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

Greg Erlandson, president and publisher of Our Sunday Visitor Publishing and a former correspondent in the Rome bureau of Catholic News Service, is a commission member.

Pope Francis Appoints Panel to Streamline Annulments

Los Angeles Times || By Tom Kington || September 21, 2014

Pope Francis has appointed a group of theologians and canon lawyers to study ways to make the annulment of Catholic marriages – often a complicated and lengthy task – simpler, the Vatican announced.

The 11-member commission will attempt to “simplify the (annulment) procedure, making it more streamlined, while safeguarding the principle of the indissolubility of marriage,” the Vatican said in a statement.

Because divorce is not allowed under Roman Catholic doctrine, annulment is the only way sanctioned by the church for Catholics to end marriages.

Under church law, Catholics can annul their marriages even after many years if it can be shown the marriage was never valid and did not therefore effectively take effect.

Reasons accepted include one of the spouses declining to have children, or not understanding the meaning of the wedding vows at the time he or she made them.

Annulment is far more prevalent among Catholics in the United States than in most other countries, and controversy over annulments has sometimes spilled into the political arena.

Conflict over the procedure helped end the political career of former U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy, the son of Robert Kennedy. Joe Kennedy had sought an annulment of his marriage to Sheila Rauch, but she appealed to the Vatican and ultimately won when the annulment was overturned.

Kennedy's uncle, the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, divorced his first wife, Joan, but was reported to have later requested and received an annulment from the church.

Catholics often prefer civil divorce, a simpler option but one that is not recognized by the church. Divorced Catholics who remarry can be refused communion because the church considers them still married to their first partners and therefore living in sin.

The rule has provoked widespread protest among Catholics and in February, German Cardinal Walter Kasper suggested in a speech to a cardinals’ consistory that the rule be relaxed.

Kasper, who is close to Pope Francis, said a period of penance could be instituted before allowing remarried divorcees to take communion.

Debate on the subject is expected at a synod on the family called by Francis, which will take place at the Vatican from Oct. 5-19. Last week, a group of five high-ranking and conservative church figures declared their opposition to changing the rules.

Led by German Cardinal Gerhard Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the five have written a book arguing that relaxing the divorce rule negates Christ’s teaching.

Francis has yet to declare his hand, but he did warn on Friday against “codifying faith in rules and instructions as did the scribes, the Pharisees, and the doctors of law in the time of Jesus.”

Cardinal Kasper told an Italian newspaper, Il Mattino, last week that the five conservative authors were trying to stoke “ideological warfare” at the synod and suggested that while they were attacking him, their real target was Francis.

The news that Francis wants to help Catholics get easier annulments, encouraging them to avoid civil divorces, may help head off the brewing battle at the synod.

Although the decision to form the commission on streamlining annulments was made on Aug. 2, it was made public on Saturday.

No details were given on what the commission might decide, but one option would be to scrap the current two-tier church decision-making system on annulments, leaving just one tier in place, unless the annulment is contested by one of the spouses. Sources...

Kington is a special correspondent

Pope Francis: The Church Needs Pastors Able to Kneel Before Others

Vatican Information Service || September 22, 2014

This morning in the Vatican's Clementine Hall, the Holy Father received the bishops participating in the seminar organised by the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples. Pope Francis praised the courage of the bishops, who have not allowed themselves “to be intimidated by the difficulties and challenges of the current world, that make the mission of bishops even more arduous nowadays”, but have instead placed their trust in the Lord, “in imitation of the first disciples”.

He reminded them of the urgent need for missionary conversion “that involves every baptised person and every parish”, emphasising that pastors are required to be the first to live and witness this conversion as the leaders of the particular Churches. Therefore, he added, “I encourage you to direct your life and your episcopal ministry towards this missionary transformation that currently challenges the People of God”.

“Service to humanity is at the centre of this missionary conversion of the Church. … A shining example of this pastoral service is offered by the Korean martyr saints … whose liturgical memory we celebrate today. Anchored in Christ, the Good Shepherd, they did not hesitate to shed their own blood for the Gospel, of which they were faithful dispensers and heroic witnesses.

The Church needs pastors, that is, servants, bishops, who are able to kneel before others to wash their feet. Pastors who are close to the people, meek fathers and brothers, patient and merciful; who embrace poverty both as freedom for the Lord and as simplicity and austerity in life”.

“Make efforts to give a new missionary impetus to your diocesan communities, so that they continue to grow with new members, thanks to your witness of life and your episcopal ministry, exercised as a service to the People of God. Be close to your priests, pay attention to religious life, and love the poor”.

He concluded by urging them to promote pastoral care for the family, “so that families, accompanied and educated, may be increasingly better able to offer their contribution to the life of the Church and society”, and so that they may provide the foundation for the work of evangelisation, “through their educational mission and with their active participation in the life of parish communities”. Source...

Experts Advise Against Ebola Travel Ban

Al Jazeera || September 22, 2014

Advisers to the UN World Health Organisation says there should be no general ban in travel or trade.

There should be no general ban on travel or trade with countries reeling from the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, independent health advisers to the World Health Organisation (WHO) have assessed. 

Some airlines have stopped flights to affected areas and WHO and other agencies have said on Monday that this has hampered aid efforts and the ability of experts to reach victims of the world's worst ever outbreak of the hemorrhagic fever.

In a statement issued by the UN agency,after the Emergency Committee held its second meeting last week, the WHO said Ebola had now killed at least 2,793 people in five countries and remains a "public health emergency of international concern".

"Flight cancellations and other travel restrictions continue to isolate affected countries, resulting in detrimental economic consequences, and hinder relief and response efforts risking further international spread," the statement said.

"The Committee strongly reiterated that there should be no general ban on international travel or trade..."

The experts urged authorities in the affected countries - Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone - to work with the aviation and maritime sectors to resolve differences and "develop a coordinated response" to transport issues.

Quarantines still necessary

Quarantines may be deemed necessary in areas of intense and widespread transmission of the deadly Ebola virus, the committee statement went on.

"States should ensure that they are proportionate and evidence-based and that accurate information, essential services
and commodities, including food and water, are provided to the affected populations."

WHO advisers earlier recommended the screening of travellers departing Ebola-affected countries from airports and ports.

The committee, composed of some 20 experts who advise WHO Director-General Margaret Chan, declared on August 8 that the epidemic constituted a public health emergency of international concern.

The medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres has warned since late March that the outbreak, which began in the remote Gueckedou area of southeastern Guinea, is "unprecedented".

Meanwhile, Sierra Leoneans on Sunday celebrated the end of a three-day lockdown meant to stem Ebola's reach, with authorities saying the move had identified dozens of new infections and located scores of bodies.

Separately on Monday, the WHO said two of the five affected countries - Nigeria and Senegal - were managing to halt the spread of the disease. Source...

Ghana Bishops in Rome for Ad Limina Visit

Vatican Radio || By Festus Tarawalie || September 21, 2014

The bishops of Ghana are currently in Rome for their five-yearly Ad Limina Visit. During the 22-25 September visit, the bishops will be able to share about their local church with POpe Francis and Holy See officials  

The Catholic Bishops of Ghana began their four-day Ad Limina visit on Monday 22nd September. During the visit, undertaken by every bishops’ conference once every five years, they will meet with Pope Francis and officials of the Roman Curia offices. The current president of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) is Bishop Joseph Osei-Bonsu of the Diocese of Konongo-Mampong.

The Catholic Church in Ghana has four Metropolitan Archdioceses, fifteen Dioceses and the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom run by the Divine Word Missionaries (SVD). The dioceses in Ghana fall under four ecclesiastical provinces, namely: Accra, Cape Coast, Kumasi and Tamale.

The first mass in what is modern-day Ghana was celebrated at Elmina in 1482 following the arrival of Portuguese traders. However, the first Catholic baptism in the then Gold Coast was administered by missionaries of the Society of African Missions or SMA Fathers in 1880. Two years later, the first attempts to establish a mission in Kumasi were made but it was not until 1896 that an Apostolic Vicariate was established in Cape Coast.

In 1950, the Ecclesiastical Province of Gold Coast was established comprising the Archdiocese of Cape Coast and the dioceses of Ketam, Kumasi, Accra and Tamale.

Pope St. John Paul II visited Ghana in 1980. In 2003, he created the country’s first cardinal, His Eminence Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson. The former Archbishop of Cape Coast is currently serving as President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.

The government of Ghana established diplomatic relations with the Holy See on the 14th of June 1976 and the Apostolic nunciature of Ghana was inaugurated that same year.

Ghana capital, Accra is hosting the headquarters of the continental grouping of bishops’ conferences SECAM, which stands for the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar. Source...

Pope Encourages Ivory Coast Bishops to Promote Clerical Fraternity and the Inculturation of Christian Faith

Vatican Information Service || September 18, 2014

The bishops of Cote d'Ivoire were received by the Holy Father this morning, at the end of their five-yearly “ad Limina” visit, and the written discourse he handed to them emphasised the need for dialogue and brotherhood among prelates and their priests, along with the successful inculturation of faith.

“The fraternal communion that unites the bishops of a nation around Christ is essential for the growth of the Church as well as for the progress of society as as whole”, he writes. “This is especially true in a country that has suffered serious divisions and is in need of your witness and your firm commitment to rebuilding fraternity. Let us not be robbed of the ideal of brotherly love! By really being brothers, open to dialogue and mutual trust, listening to all – even when there are differences and contradictions – and making space for everyone, especially the youngest among you, you will provide a new missionary impulse and will truly transform society, so that it is more consistent with the Gospel ideal”.

“Therefore”, he continued, “I can only encourage you to take on the role that is yours in the task of national reconciliation, setting aside any personal involvement in political disputes at the expense of the common good. However, it is important to maintain constructive relations with the authorities within the country, as well as with the various components of society, so as to spread the true evangelical spirit of dialogue and collaboration. The role of the Church – which is valued and listened to – can be crucial. … I urge you to continue in your dialogue with Muslims, so as to discourage any drift towards violence or any incorrect religious interpretation of the conflict you have experienced”.

“Of course, you are not alone in facing the enormous task of evangelisation and the conversion of hearts: you have the support of the clergy, generous and motivated, and whose numbers continue to grow”, he remarks. “However, to avoid difficulties and shortcomings that some priests encounter, the best approach is without doubt to ensure the quality of formation, both initial and permanent, the encouragement of a priestly fraternity that overcomes ethnic divisions and, in particular, the closeness and attention that, like loving and caring fathers, you must give to each one of them.

Use, wherever possible, gentleness, persuasion and encouragement to awaken pastoral zeal, rather than immediate sanctions or severity. I urge you to visit your priests often in order to listen to them and get to know them better. The formation of a fraternal, united 'presbyterium' around the bishop is necessary for a priest to remain attached to his own diocese and to prioritise its needs, rather than giving in to the temptation to leave it, to the detriment of the people of God who need his ministry”.

The Pope offers warm thanks to the consecrated persons for “the considerable task they take on, along with laypersons working alongside them, in the sectors of education, health and development. Their work is appreciated by all and is absolutely indispensable in view of the intimate connection between evangelisation and human development”: He also invites the bishops to ensure their pastoral closeness to all the lay faithful, but especially families, “who are more fragile nowadays, both on account of the secularisation of Ivorian society and the movement of the population and divisions caused by the conflict, as well as by less morally demanding temptations that arise all around them”.

The Pontiff also draws attention to the elderly as, “despite the traditional African mentality that reserves a special veneration for them, many now find themselves alone and abandoned, due to the 'throwaway' culture that has appeared in your societies. However, their participation is essential for the equilibrium of the people and the education of the young”.

 Francis concludes by expressing his joy and gratitude for the great work of evangelisation that is being carried out in Cote d'Ivoire. “However”, he warns, “faith remains fragile and the wind does not blow in its favour. Often, as the recent conflicts have unfortunately shown, ethnic particularism overrides evangelical fraternity, and many baptised persons, tired or disillusioned, drift away from the light of truth in search of easier solutions, whereas others simply do not put the demands of faith into practice in their lives.

Undoubtedly the key for the future is found partly in ensuring the Word of God is more deeply rooted in people's hearts. It is certainly also necessary to enter into deeper dialogue with cultural, religious and traditional reality in order to achieve a true inculturation of our faith, unambiguously rejected what is contrary to it while welcoming and nurturing what is good. I therefore encourage you to continue ceaselessly in your work of evangelisation. In this way, the Church in Cote d'Ivoire can face the challenges of the future with serenity”. Source...

Church in AMECEA Region Begins Consulting on Resource Extractions

CANAA || September 18, 2014

The Church within the region of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) has started consultations on resource extractions, with the goal to achieve “environmental justice for the good of the people.”

AMECEA Justice and Peace department this week held a two-day consultative workshop, bringing together 24 participants from dioceses within mining areas in Kenya and Uganda, as well as representatives from the national offices of Justice and Peace.

Addressing the workshop participants, the Chairman of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Zacchaeus Okoth called on Church leaders within the AMECEA region and Africa to engage stakeholders in resource extraction to prioritize the common good in all their activities.

“Through the Bishops’ Conference in AMECEA and across the African Continent there must be (concerted) efforts towards advocacy addressing issues related to extractive industries,” Archbishop Okoth said in his opening remarks.

According to the Archbishop, Church leaders have to encourage their respective state governments, international financial institutions, and extractive companies “to become more transparent, to reduce the negative impacts of resource extraction on people and the environment, and to increase benefits for the poor most especially.”

“Our mission should be to ensure that natural wealth is used to improve people’s lives,” the Archbishop emphasized.

AMECEA Secretary General, Father Ferdinand Lugonzo explained the link between political and economic challenges in Africa, decrying the tendency by the political class to exploit ordinary citizens.

“It is difficult to separate political problems with economic problems. Struggle for political power is based on the need to address economy and poverty,” Father Lugonzo said, adding, “African politics have tended to be anchored in economic empowerment of the politicians themselves and using the same endowment to manipulate their respective communities” leading to negative “ethnicity, tribalism, regionalism and many other social divides that influence political landscape."

“It is in this faith that the church has a role to play in addressing poverty by asking these critical questions like why we have many natural resources yet (our) people remain poor,” Father Lugonzo posed.

According to a report by the AMECEA Justice and Peace Coordinator, Fr. Jude Waweru, the consultative workshop had five objectives:

• To have the Church actively engaged in issues of environmental justice.
• To create relevant and useful networks in restoring the dignity of the environment as a source of livelihood for the people
• To engage the government, policy makers and other stakeholders in a discussion on better environment as a challenge that is posed by the mining activities.
• To make environmental challenges a regional concern and weaving together efforts within bishops’ conferences in addressing them.
• To address issues of land acquisition and displacement

Archbishop Okoth recognized the initiative by AMECEA Justice and Peace department in convening the meeting to discuss the far-reaching impacts of extractive activities saying, “I hope this consultative meeting (bears) fruits and generates the way forward for the regional Church to engage in this front. As the Church we need projects and strategies implemented in diverse political, social and cultural contexts.”

The workshop which kicked off on Tuesday morning and concluded on Wednesday evening took place at Emmaus Centre, Nairobi.

Catholic Radio in South Sudan Yet to Reopen, A Week after Government allowed Resumption of Broadcasts

CANAA || September 18, 2014

The Catholic Radio of the Archdiocese of Juba in South Sudan, Bakhita Radio, is yet to resume broadcasting, a week after government security agents returned keys to its management through a Presidential directive.

Sources in Juba told CANAA that the Archdiocese of Juba is studying the matter, particularly considering the government directive barring the Radio from airing political-related programs.

The keys of Bakhita radio “are given to the Archbishop (of Juba),” one source said. It may take a month or two studying the issue “because the government told them not to air political programs,” the source added.

“Unfortunately we are not yet on air (despite) the fact that the keys were handed to us on the 11^th of September,” another source revealed, adding, “The whole matter lies on the Church administration.”

Bakhita Radio has been off air since Saturday, August 16, 2014, when South Sudan National Security Service stormed the Juba-based Radio station, “closing it down, arresting and detaining journalists,” CRN News had reported.

While other journalists of the pioneer Catholic radio in South Sudan were released the same day, News Editor, Ocen David Nicholas was detained for three days.

The news editor, released after the intervention of officials from the Union of Journalists of South Sudan (UJOSS) and the Association of Media Development in South Sudan (AMDISS), was accused of misinforming the public by quoting rebel forces who were blaming the government for instigating renewed fighting in Bentiu, Unity State.

Bakhita Radio was the first of the nine Catholic Radios constituting the Catholic Radio Network (CRN), a media initiative spearheaded by the Comboni Missionaries in South Sudan at the canonization of their founder, St. Daniel Comboni.

One of the nine radio stations is based in Nuba Mountains and belongs to the Catholic Diocese of El-Obeid. The other eight are all in South Sudan.

Pope Francis Praying for Peace in Central African Republic

Vatican Radio || By Fr. Paul Samasumo || September 16, 2014

 Pope Francis at the Angelus on Sunday 14 September made yet another passionate plea for peace in Africa. This time, he focused his attention on the Central African Republic (CAR) expressing his desire for the violence to give way to dialogue. Pope Francis also spoke of his wish that CAR’s opposing factions put aside their vested interests and endeavour instead to ensure that every citizen, regardless of ethnicity or religion, contributes and collaborates towards the re-building of CAR.

Pope Francis assured the people of CAR of his prayers particularly because he is aware that it is the civilian population which is “seriously suffering the consequences of the ongoing conflict.”

The Pope’s appeal came about on the eve of the 15 September deployment of a new United Nations peacekeeping mission to CAR. The United Nations’ (UN) Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) has taken over peacekeeping responsibilities from the African-led International Support Mission in the Central African Republic (MISCA). This is in accordance with Security Council resolution No. 2149. This provision, earlier this year, established the new peacekeeping mission for the Central African Republic, for an initial period of one year.

Roughly 6,500 African Union (MISCA) troops, 2,000 French and 700 other European soldiers are currently deployed in CAR. Many countries have been reluctant to send forces. The current MISCA deployment has struggled to help the transitional government in CAR bring about security to the country.

On 1 June 2014, during the Regina Coeli prayer, Pope Francis again appealed for peace in CAR. The violence and happenings in CAR are said to be among the world’s most under-reported stories. This probably explains Pope Francis’ continuing concern for CAR.

The Catholic Church in CAR has also been in the fore-front of promoting peace especially through the Archbishop of Bangui. Known for his courage and prophetic stance, Archbishop Dieudonné Nzapalainga has become an advocate of peace. His determination to engage in a path leading to the final resolution of the crisis in his country makes him one of the key players in the quest for peace. He has on several occasions warned that if left unchecked, the situation in CAR could degenerate into genocide.

When Archbishop Nzapalainga spoke in an interview with “La Semaine Africaine,” a magazine of the episcopal conference in Congo–Brazzaville, ahead of the national meeting which led to the signing of a ceasefire in Brazzaville on 23 July, the Archbishop said, “I hope this forum will be the opportune time for Central Africans to speak the truth, and that the abscess of this crisis can burst out once and for all because it is useless to take up arms and to seize power. The most important thing is the political and social dialogue not arms.”

Unfortunately, the ceasefire signing notwithstanding, the two warring factions, Séléka and anti-Balaka have continued fighting and killing civilians, especially outside Bangui. Neither has agreed to a complete cessation of hostilities nor to full disarmament.

The efforts of one of CAR’s leading Imams, Oumar Kobine Layama have also been lauded. The Imam has collaborated closely with Archbishop Nzapalainga in calling for peace.

On several occasions, the Vatican’s daily newspaper, “L’Ossevatore Romano” has drawn attention to the plight of this forgotten conflict. The daily newspaper has regularly written articles on the situation in CAR which the main stream media are not covering. For example, L’Ossevatore Romano recently dedicated space to speak about the serious problem of CAR’s children forcibly recruited into the conflict as combatants.

The UN Secretary-General’s report of 1 August says that there are also serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in CAR. These violations include forced displacement of the civilian population, rape and other forms of sexual violence, assassinations, summary executions, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. In addition, half of the population is still in need of humanitarian assistance and more than one million people have been displaced, with about 500,000 of these seeking refuge in neighbouring countries.

As part of the Brazzaville agreement, interim President Catherine Samba Panza on 5 August dismissed her government to make way for a national unity government. On 10 August, Samba Panza named Mahamat Kamoun as the country’s first Moslem prime minister, responsible for forming the new government.

CAR was a former French colony known as Ubangi-Shari. According to the World Factbook, CAR has had a challenging history since its independence in 1960. First there was Jean Bedel Bokassa, the self-proclaimed Emperor with his excesses and cruelty. Then came successive military governments who presided over three tumultuous decades of misrule.

James Schneider, editor of Think Africa Press, told “Al Jezeera” TV recently that France needs to take some of the blame for collaborating with some of CAR’s military governments and thus inadvertently propping them up. In 1993, civilian rule was established but lasted only for one decade. In March, 2003 President Ange-Felix Patasse was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois Bozize who later established an inept and nepotistic government.

The current crisis started in March 2013 when Séléka rebels seized the capital, Bangui. President Bozize fled the country. After Séléka came to power they took to looting state structures and oppressing the people. Some commentators say the Séléka-led government of Michel Djotodia was worse than that of Bozize.

In part, oppression of the largely Christian majority by Séléka led to the formation of the anti-Balaka. Although the appalling violence in CAR is often depicted as Christians versus Moslems, the reality is that for many years Christians and Moslems have lived together in relative peace. This is a conflict involving neighbours and communities who have lived together but have now been manipulated by Séléka and anti-Balaka militias.

It is hoped that as the official deployment of MINUSCA gets underway, this will mark the first stepping stone towards creating stability in CAR. According to the Security Council, if the country can be stabilised, then other important tasks can begin. These tasks include that of re-launching state institutions by the new government from the ground upwards; ensuring the success of the transitional political process; possible reconciliation and upholding accountability for human rights and international humanitarian law violations.

Amnesty International, in particular, is concerned about issues of impunity for crimes under international law and other serious violations and abuses of human rights in CAR. The rights group, believes that there can be no long lasting peace in CAR if impunity is allowed to continue. Source...

A pastoral Appeal to South Sudanese to Reconcile

Sudan Tribune || By Rev. Bernard Oliya Suwa, PhD || September 17, 2014

The 15th of December 2013 is a date that we South Sudanese are not going to forget any time soon – and so we shouldn’t! After the violence that erupted that day, a fundamental question followed almost immediately: How can we heal our wounds and reconcile our people? It is a tough question, and it’s one that does not lend itself to easy answers.

And naturally, when we as human beings get stuck, we turn to God for answers – so let’s try.

From a biblical perspective, what makes any reconciliation possible is the fact that God is reconciling the world to Himself – and Jesus Christ is the mediator. Therefore, if we are to take reconciliation as a goal, then every transgression that needs to be reconciled must be taken back to the fundamental violation between human beings and God.

What we are saying, therefore, is that God’s action of sending us his only begotten son to die for us so that our sins may be healed is precisely where we must return. The suffering and death of Jesus Christ goes to the very heart of each transgression, and His resurrection transforms the wound and confirms God’s reconciling work. It is here that reconciliation derives its potential to achieve healing.

In biblical theology, there is vertical and horizontal reconciliation. Vertical reconciliation emphasizes God’s power to forgive us when we sin against Him. On the other hand, horizontal reconciliation draws its strength from vertical reconciliation. Why do we say that? It is because we are all God’s children – and when we harm each other, when we betray each other, when we wish ill against each other, we are actually harming, betraying, and wishing ill against our Almighty Father – the Lord our God.

Horizontal reconciliation is therefore about healing in human relations. It can either be between individuals, or groups of individuals – and that is exactly what the National Platform for Peace and Reconciliation (NPPR) is facilitating the different tribes in South Sudan to do under the theme “Different Tribes, One Nation”.

But we must all recognize that reconciliation is a gradual process – it’s not a goal in itself. Our vertical reconciliation with God was a process that was mediated by the death of Jesus Christ. It is His death that caused us to have a relationship with God once more. What this tells us is that reconciliation requires us all to make sacrifices – painful sacrifices that must be informed by our collective desire to live together in peace as God’s children.

All the transgressions and violations we experience among ourselves and in our societies have their source in the fundamental violation of our relation to God. However, by the very fact of Christ’s death and resurrection, God’s reconciliation reaches beyond our selfish human acts of aggression towards each other. It is this reconciliation that the Church celebrates ritually in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.

Our primary concern here, however, is the horizontal reconciliation, that is: repairing the damage that has been done between and among brothers and sisters from the different tribes and communities in South Sudan. What has been happening to us since 15 December 2013 has left us with almost unimaginable damage, and we are left perplexed – and asking: how does one even think about reconciliation after what was close to a genocide? Are there transgressions that run so deep that they cannot be dealt with?

St. Paul is our starting point – and the Scriptural passage from which to begin is 2 Corinthians 5:17-20: “So if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All of this is from God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making His appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

So what is God’s message for us as South Sudanese who have sinned against each other? The most significant point to note from 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 is that God entrusted us with the ministry of reconciliation. We act as ambassadors of Christ – carrying forward this reconciliation ministry on behalf of our Lord Jesus Christ. If we accept that, then we as God fearing South Sudanese must also accept that reconciliation is not only a possibility, but a mandate for us.

And by extension, if we accept that reconciliation is a mandate given to us by God, then reconciliation is no longer an option for us – it is a necessity. Source...

Dr. Bernard Oliya Suwa is a key leader in the NPPR structure, and he is also the Secretary General of the Committee for National Healing, Peace, and Reconciliation. Email: [email protected]

Church in South Africa mourns the death of South Africans in Nigeria

Vatican Radio || September 17, 2014

The Catholic Church in South Africa has expressed shock and sadness over the death of 67 South Africans who lost their lives when a Church hostel collapsed at Nigeria’s Synagogue Church of All Nations in Lagos. The hostel belongs to Popular Tele-evangelist, TB Joshua’s  church.

South African’s President is quoted by the BBC as saying the tragedy was the “the deadliest incident involving South Africans abroad."

In a message of condolence released by Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference’s communications Director, Fr. S’milo Mngadi, the Bishops’ conference says that “It is quite sad when people die in such a tragedy while they are on a quest to find God.”  The statement continues to say, “May the souls of the deceased find peace in God, may their families be consoled and may those who sustained injuries be restored to good health”.

It is feared that the death toll may still rise. More than 130 other people are said to be injured. The hostel was hosting South Africans. TB Joshua is an enormously popular tele-evangelist in Africa. Source...

More from BBC about South Africans dead in the collapsed church in Nigeria.

BBC || September 17, 2014

At least 67 South Africans were killed when a church hostel belonging to Nigerian TV evangelist TB Joshua collapsed in Lagos last week, South Africa's President Jacob Zuma has said.

Nigerian rescue workers now say at least 70 bodies have been pulled from the rubble.

It is the deadliest incident involving South Africans abroad "in our recent history", Mr Zuma said.

Mr Joshua, one of Nigeria's best-known evangelists, is popular across Africa.

Nigerian authorities are often reluctant to release death tolls.

The multi-story building served as a guesthouse on the campus of the televangelist's Synagogue, Church of All Nations.

It was housing visitors from elsewhere in Nigeria and other countries.

Mr Joshua had said a small plane had been circling over the building before it collapsed on Friday afternoon, and suggested it was an attempt on his life.

On Tuesday, however, a rescue official said the likeliest cause of the building's collapse was the construction of additional storeys without reinforcing the foundations.

'Hostile to rescuers'

At least 130 people, including many foreigners, were pulled out of the rubble.

Officials says members of the church at first prevented emergency workers from participating in the rescue.

"For the first three days of the incident, the church people were very hostile and prevented rescue officials' access to the site," a spokesman for Nigeria's National Emergency Management Authority (Nema), Ibrahim Farinloyeh, told the AFP news agency.

It is believed that at least five South African church tour groups were visiting the church at the time of the collapse.

"This is a particularly difficult time for South Africa. Not in the recent history of our country have we had this large number of our people die in one incident outside the country," Mr Zuma said in a statement.

"Our thoughts are with the families, friends and colleagues that have lost their loved ones in this heart-breaking tragedy. The whole nation shares the pain of the mothers, fathers, daughters and sons who have lost their loved ones. We are all in grief."

Following the collapse, Mr Joshua has continued to post scriptures on social networking sites to his hundreds of thousands of followers.

Known as the "Prophet", he regularly preaches to large crowds at a mega-church in Lagos's Ikotun district.

His followers in Nigeria and abroad believe he has the gifts of healing and prophecy.

BBC's Pumza Fihlani in Johannesburg:

OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg is crowded with people awaiting the return of their loved ones from Nigeria. So far one plane has returned.

It is understood that about 300 people, not all South African, travelled from South Africa last week to Lagos for one of Mr Joshua's healing gatherings.

The lack of information from Nigeria has not helped anxious relatives. The South African government has now set up a phone number for people to call for assistance, because some had been contacting the Pretoria embassy and phoning into local radio stations with the names of family members who had travelled to Nigeria.

Charismatic churches are hugely popular in South Africa, with Nigerian Pentecostals striking a particular chord. Thousands of TB Joshua's followers wait in queues, sometimes overnight, to catch a glimpse of the "Prophet" when he visits. He packs out stadiums on his tours. Source...

15,000 South Sudanese Students Eligible for Higher Education

Sudan Tribune || September 14, 2014

At least 15,000 South Sudanese students are eligible to join various higher learning institutions this year, the education ministry said in a report.

John Gai Yoh, the education, science and technology minister said scholarships were awarded to students studying medicine, pharmacy, engineering and petroleum.

Yoh, while appearing before lawmakers, said the students’ selection criteria was fair and transparent.

The national assembly had earlier on raised a red flag, citing regional imbalances in the allocation of scholarships to the beneficiaries.

A total of 1,050 students will be admitted to universities with Egypt and Sudan, each admitting 300. Ethiopia has places for 250 students while Zimbabwe has 200.

“All the applicants must be South Sudanese nationals bearing all the necessary national requirements with a South Sudan Secondary Certificate. They will pay an application fee of SSP 25,” Yoh told MPs.

The process of allocating the scholarship will be handled by an adhoc-committee chaired by Changuor Adong Manyang.

The minister further added that 150 postgraduate scholarships will strictly be offered to academic staffs of various public universities.

“This year, our public universities are expected to admit not more than 6,500 students as we are prepare to direct some of them to teacher training institutes and technical schools,” he said.

Questions over Selection Criteria

Meanwhile, the leader of minority in parliament, Onyoti Adigo raised concern over the vulnerability of the process to abuse by calling for examination to authenticate foreign certificates during selection.

But the education minister said students from abroad can only be offered scholarship opportunities after the authentication of certificates from the foreign missions in the mentioned countries.

“And this will be aided by the South Sudan directorate of authentication in the ministry of education and foreign affairs,” he said.

Yoh also disclosed that the president and cabinet want special consideration give to females, children of martyrs and the disabled.

Thomas Wani Kundu, chairperson of information committee in the assembly said the scholarships will increase the number of qualified people who in turn will develop both the public and private sector.

‘’These qualified people will help in the process of implementing the 80% occupation of position in the NGOs by South Sudanese nationals. It is a gradual implementation at the moment,” he said. Source...

World Trends in Freedom of Expression and Media Development, A Guidebook

Farm Radio Weekly, Issue #304 || 15 Sept. 2014

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has produced a guidebook entitled World Trends in Freedom of Expression and Media Development.

The book offers a new look at recent evolutions in media freedom, independence, pluralism and journalist safety. It explores these subjects at the international level and with respect to gender and global media.

The overarching trend documented in the book is that the disruption brought on by technology and, to a lesser extent, the global economic crisis, has had mixed results for freedom of expression and media development.

This publication comes at a critical moment for press freedom, amid unprecedented opportunities for expression of new voices as well as new forms of restriction, surveillance and control.

World Trends in Freedom of Expression and Media Development is a key resource for governments, the media, academia, the private sector and civil society, and an interesting read for anyone interested in the contemporary media environment. Source...

Full Text available at http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0022/002270/227025e.pdf

Southern African Bishops Announce 3-Year Focus on Marriage and Family Life

CANAA || September 15, 2014

The bishops of the Southern Africa Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) region have made marriage and family life a priority for the next three years, beginning 2014 through 2016.

According to SACBC Family Life Coordinator, Toni Rowland, “SACBC Family Life Desk was tasked with some aspects of implementation while all dioceses and groups are expected to adopt the priority in their own way too.”

“The current big event will be the FAMILY CONFERENCE and FAMILY FAITH AND FUN DAY hosted by a number of church groups and with Bishop Jan de Groef of Bethlehem and the Department for the Laity,” the announcement sent to CANAA by Toni Rowland reads in part.

“The Conference is intended for formation and enrichment. Delegates from about 8 dioceses in addition to Johannesburg and Pretoria will participate, some also as speakers” Rowland’s message continues, adding, “Mini-workshops on a number of relevant marriage and family issues will run in parallel sessions” and that “Family movements have also been invited to showcase their programmes.”

“The FAMILY FAITH AND FUN DAY is intended to celebrate family life as a larger community of families. Beginning with Mass it will include picnicking, games, swimming and hopefully a number of fun soccer games,” the message goes on.

Rowland’s message concludes, “For the three year focus, a family prayer has been developed and circulated in the local languages. A leaflet of suggestions for Family Days has been distributed too. Some suggestions are made to link with the themes of the Family Desk 2014 Family Year Planner which includes both liturgical as well as popular national and community themes.”

Toni Rowland can be reached at [email protected]

Late South Sudanese Bishop to be laid to Rest on Tuesday

CANAA || September 15, 2014

The South Sudanese Catholic Bishop Emeritus of the diocese of Tombura-Yambio, Joseph Gasi Abangite, will be laid to rest this Tuesday in Yambio, Western Equatoria State, South Sudan.

A statement from the diocese revealed that the Bishop emeritus, 94, “suffered severe and complicated malaria, afebrile enteritis and diabetes 2” and died at 1 a.m. Saturday morning at Yambio Civil Hospital, declaring a seven-day mourning period.

A website has been set up for the late bishop, available at

http://bishopjosephgasi.simplesite.com/?b=1DAD75BF802590B12CA6CAB55D22F8ABF91E7

Bishop Edwardo Hiiboro Kusala of Tombura-Yambio diocese explained that Yambio was chosen for the late “Bishop’s burial because it is the centre of the diocese accessible to world leaders because he was an international man” as reported by the diocesan Catholic radio, Anisa.

According to CRN News, the Catholic Bishop of Yei, Bishop Erkulano Lodu Tombe, will lead the Catholic Church delegation to Yambio on Tuesday. Presidential Advisor on Religious Affairs Fr Mark Lote’de Lochapi will lead the South Sudan government delegation.

Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SCBC) Secretary General, Father Jacob Odwa recalled Bishop Gasi’s efforts toward founding SCBC, Solidarity with South Sudan (SSS), and national peace, among many other great achievements for the good of the people of God in South Sudan. We pray “that God forgives whatever wrong he committed and rests his soul in eternal peace,” CRN News quoted Father Odwa as saying.

The Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) also joined other organizations in mourning the passing on of Bishop Gasi.

“While accepting God's will with humility, we thank Almighty God for the gift of Bishop Joseph Gasi to the Church and for the selfless service which he rendered to the people of God,” the letter by AMECEA Secretary General, Father Ferdinand Lugonzo, addressed to the President of Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SCBC), read in part.

“On behalf of the Chairman of AMECEA, the member Episcopal Conferences and the staff at AMECEA Secretariat, we send our condolences to the members of Sudan Catholic Bishops' Conference and the Familyof God in the Diocese of Tombura - Yambio where he served with dedication and sacrifice,” Father Lugonzo added.

Late Bishop Gasi has been described as a wise, heroic, exemplary, historic statesman and a visionary leader who retired smoothly. His role in the South Sudan peace process, both in Sudan and abroad has also been acknowledged with appreciation.

According to CRN News, Bishop Gasi was among the first five indigenous Catholic Bishops of Sudan who initiated SCBC in 1975.

Trade and Development must Aim at the Fullest Human Flourishing for Peace, Cardinal Turkson Says

Vatican Radio || September 10, 2014

Cardinal Peter Turkson said Wednesday that trade and development must aim at the fullest human flourishing if we are ever to have real peace. 

Speaking at the launch of 2014 Trade and Development Report drawn up by UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) in Geneva, the President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace pointed out that our societies need to find ways of exercising greater corporate, financial and governmental responsibility for the economy and the environment.

Please find below the full text of Cardinal Turkson’s address:
   
The launch of the 2014 Trade and Development Report, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of UNCTAD, is a meaningful and hopeful occasion. I am happy to be invited, as President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, because of the significant resonance between the Council and UNCTAD.

Ours is the younger of the two bodies, founded in 1967 at the request of the II Vatican Council. The Council was deeply concerned with “the immensity of the hardships which still afflict the greater part of mankind today.” Therefore Vatican II wanted a Church body “to stimulate the Catholic community to promote progress in needy regions and international social justice.”  And everyone would surely agree, that such development should help to overcome the immense hardships of humankind; and that such development should promote progress. 

Three years earlier, in 1964, the United Nations established UNCTAD to deal with development issues, particularly international trade. The Holy See was present at the founding meeting, and Pope Paul VI identified the ultimate horizon towards which UNCTAD at its best would always be working, when he declared: “Development [is] the new name of peace.”  

Over the subsequent 50 years, new technologies have broken down traditional borders between nations and opened up new areas of economic opportunity. Moreover, a less polarized political landscape has provided new possibilities for worldwide trade. In addition, economic power has become more dispersed, mostly due to industrialization and rapid growth in East Asia, with corresponding changes in the workings of the international trading system. 

But the basic question remains: what kind of trade and development are going to meet the pervasive challenges of hardships and poverty, of inequality and lack of progress?

Pope Paul VI defined true development with perfect clarity: true development must foster the development of each man and of the whole man (la promozione di ogni uomo e di tutto l’uomo) … in other words, each individual person (man, woman and child), each human group, and humanity as a whole.  But in our own era, Pope Francis felt obliged to comment, “The dignity of each human person and the pursuit of the common good are concerns which ought to shape all economic policies. At times, however, they seem to be a mere addendum imported from without in order to fill out a political discourse lacking in perspectives or plans for true and integral development.” 

Human leadership or governance still seems to have a lot to learn about how to order economic affairs for the welfare of everyone and for the safeguarding of the environment. In the words of Pope Francis: “With due respect for the autonomy and culture of every nation, we must never forget that the planet belongs to all mankind and is meant for all mankind; the mere fact that some people are born in places with fewer resources or less development does not justify the fact that they are living with less dignity.” 

And world governance, including institutions of the U.N. family, need to appreciate the poor, as St John Paul II put it, “not as a problem, but as people who can become the principal builders of a new and more human future for everyone.”  

The 50th anniversary of UNCTAD and the launching of the 2014 Trade and Development Report take place under the long shadow of the current financial and monetary crisis. It results from a combination of ethical and technical breakdowns. Have the right lessons been learned yet? It is not evident that the organizations, institutions and decision-makers responsible for ethical and technical breakdowns have acknowledged their role, much less made the necessary repairs. We must do better. Our societies need to find ways of exercising greater corporate, financial and governmental responsibility for the economy and the environment.  The world economy has been marooned in growth doldrums for the past six years, and this state of affairs is in growing danger of becoming accepted as the “new normal”. 

For example, the 2014 Report analyses practices of tax avoidance and the unfair distribution of revenues from natural resource. Unfortunately, offshore financial centres and the secrecy jurisdictions that host them are fully integrated into the global financial system, and large shares of trade and capital movements (including foreign direct investment) are channelled through them. Many Governments – of both developed and developing countries – are trying to improve tax collection. But the Report recognizes with regret that the international tax architecture has failed to adapt – has not been equipped – to deal effectively with many systemic forms of corruption.

Dialogue and cooperation are not easy. But the ‘old normal’ of isolated sectors and competing institutions will not meet the challenges. 
“A fair globalization will not come about only through disjointed decisions on trade, or finance, or labour, or education or health policies, conceived and applied independently. It is an integrated phenomenon: it takes integrated solutions and, obviously, integrated policies.”  
Integrated policies will require persistence and generosity, with quite different voices being heard: banking, finance, commerce, business, politics … as well as workers, the unemployed and migrants, youth and the old, and indeed the natural environment. 

Nearly 50 years ago, Pope Paul VI enshrined the link between development and peace. Peace is not the mere absence of violence. It bespeaks human fulfilment, integral in all its aspects – material, social, spiritual. Trade and development must aim at the fullest human flourishing if we are ever to have real peace. 

Our world is abundant with riches, thanks first of all to the generous Creator. Human survival and prosperity are also thanks to the coordinated human efforts to produce and to trade down through history and around the globe. Trade is certainly a key important driver of development, and fair trade will do much to promote authentic human development. 

Let us join in congratulating UNCTAD on its 50th anniversary, in encouraging UNCTAD to fulfil its mission, in taking the 2014 Trade and Development Report on board, and in joining UNCTAD and other components of international governance in facing the great challenges of the coming 50 years. Source...

Pope Encourages the Bishops of the Democratic Republic of Congo to Foster the Dignity of Persons

Vatican Information Service || September 12, 2014

The education of young people in order to overcome violence and inequality, the participation of the Church in building society and the consolidation of peace and her mission in aid of “those whom life has wounded” were the main issues in the discourse Pope Francis handed to the bishops of the Democratic Republic of Congo this morning, at the end of their “ad Limina” visit.

“The Church in the Democratic Republic of Congo is a young Church”, writes the Holy Father. “However, it is also a Church of youth. Children and adolescents, in particular, need God's strength to help them resist the many temptations of a precarious life in which they are unable to study or find work. I am sympathetic to their plight, and I know you share their sorrows, their joys and hopes. I think with horror especially of those children and young people conscripted into militias and forced to kill their own countrymen. I encourage you, therefore, to pursue the pastoral care of youth. By providing the greatest assistance possible, especially through the creation of spaces for human, spiritual and professional formation, you can help them discover their deepest vocation that predisposes them to encounter the Lord”.

“The most effective way to overcome violence, inequality and ethnic divisions is to equip the young with a critical mind and to offer them the opportunity to mature an understanding of Gospel values. It is also necessary to strengthen pastoral care in universities and in Catholic and public schools, combining education with the clear proclamation of the Gospel. ... Similarly, to face the problem of family breakdown, caused in particular by war and poverty, it is essential to promote and encourage all initiatives to strengthen the family, the source of brotherhood and the foundation and first road to peace”.

“Fidelity to the Gospel also implies that the Church participates in the construction of the city. One of the most valuable contributions that the local church can offer your country is to help people rediscover the relevance of faith in daily life and the need to promote the common good. Similarly, leading figures in the nation, enlightened by pastors and in relation to their skills, can also be supported in incorporating Christian teachings in their personal lives and in the exercise of their duties in the service of the state and society. In this sense, the Magisterium of the Church, especially the encyclical Caritas in Veritate, the post-Synodal apostolic exhortation “Africae munus” and the recent apostolic exhortation “Evangelii gaudium”, are invaluable tools”.

The Pope urges the Congolese bishops to “work tirelessly for the establishment of a just and lasting peace through a pastoral of dialogue and reconciliation among the various sectors of society, supporting the process of disarmament, and promoting effective collaboration with other religious denominations”. He emphasises that at this time, when the country is currently experiencing political events that are important for the future, “it is necessary for the Church to make her contribution, avoiding the risk of becoming substitute for political institutions and temporal realities that must retain their autonomy”. In particular, pastors must be careful not to take on roles that rightfully belong to the lay faithful, whose mission is justly that of bearing witness to Christ and the Gospel in politics and in all other areas of their activities”.

After highlighting the need for collaboration between all pastoral workers in the various fields of the apostolate, especially in education, health and charitable aid, Francis reminds the prelates that there are high expectations of them “in defence of spiritual and social values”, and he urges them to “provide guidance and solutions for the promotion of a society based on respect for the dignity of the human person”. In this regard, “attention to the poor and needy, as well as the elderly, the sick and disabled, should be the subject of adequate pastoral care under constant review”. Indeed, “the Church is called to be concerned with the wellbeing of these people and to bring the attention of society and public authorities to their situation”.

The Holy Father concludes by encouraging the bishops to be “men of hope for the people” and gave thanks for the work of all missionaries, priests, religious and other pastoral workers dedicated to the service of “those who have been wounded by life, the victims of violence, especially in the most isolated and remote areas of the country”, and reserved special mention for “the internally displaced and the many people who come from neighbouring countries”.

The Catholic Church Does not identify itself with Any Political Party, Bishop in Botswana Says in a Pastoral Letter Ahead of Elections

Vatican Radio || September 10, 2014

Botswana will hold its 11th general elections on 24 October this year. Botswana is the member of the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference (SACBC). Rt. Rev. Bishop Valentine Tsamma Seane, the Bishop of Gaborone has issued the following Pastoral letter.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, the faithful and all people of good will,

His Excellency Lt. Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama has announced the date for our country’s general Election to be held on the 24th October 2014. This calls all the loving citizens who have registered for the elections to check that their registration card and valid Omang card are kept in a safe place ready for this important day. It will be a public holiday.

It is our duty as responsible citizens to exercise our right to choose the leaders and government that will respect human dignity and create better life for all.
Botswana is where it is now because it was blessed with good leadership from its birth as an independent state till present time we are still enjoying the good fruits of our good leaders. In order to continue to prosper as a nation we need to preserve this legacy by exercising our right to vote for good leaders of our choice. Every five years we are given an opportunity to evaluate, assess and make our choice.

LEADERSHIP
Definition: leadership has been described as a ‘process of social influence in which one person is able to influence and enlist the aid support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.’ Leaders carry out this process by applying their leadership attributes, such as their beliefs, values, ethics, character, knowledge and skills. Ultimately leadership is about creating a way for people to contribute to making something extraordinary HAPPEN.

CHRISTIAN WORLD
Christian world views leadership as stewardship of divinely provided resources; human and material, centered on the mystery of the Trinity, Creation, the fall and redemption. As Christians when we pray the “Lord’s prayers’ we say ‘Your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.’ We use our right to vote in order to choose a government that will facilitate the coming on the kingdom of God on earth here and now. A kingdom that will provide our daily bread, peace, prosperity and respect for human dignity, emphasizing the common good and co-division. We are to vote for a government that promotes BOTHO.
As voters we should know what the political parties stand for; their manifestos so that we make informed decisions. We vote with knowledge.

THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH

The church has a spiritual role, to link present and future (religion and development) through motivating effective engagement of believers in economic activity, ensuring that the common good is promoted, providing right information so that right policy choice is made and promote Christian values in order to form a loving nation with good morals. The Catholic Church does not identify itself with any political party or ideology, but will encourage the faithful to choose the party that fulfills the social teaching of the church on good governance.

GOOD GOVERNANCE AND THE CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING

Many of the secular definition of Good Governance are found in the social teaching of the church. These include:
• Respect for dignity of the human person
• Good stewardship
• The rights and responsibilities of individuals and communities
• Subsidiary
• Common good
• Respect for private property
• Preferential Option for the poor

Make your voice to be heard and counted for the good of our proud Nation.
Vote on the 24th October 2014, it is your right. Source...

His Lordship Rt. Rev. Bishop Valentine Tsamma Seane. Bishop of Gaborone.

25th August 2014

Religious Orders of Nuns Working with Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in Kenya Reflect on the Spirit of Sacrifice

CANAA || September 12, 2014

Superiors of Religious Orders of nuns ministering under the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in Kenya met on Wednesday to reflect on the spirit of sacrifice made by these religious orders in making available their members for the service in the Church.

Addressing the religious superiors who gathered at St. Mary Magdalene Retreat House, Resurrection Garden, in Nairobi, the Chairman of the Commission for Missions of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), Bishop Peter Kihara Kariuki acknowledged with appreciation the contribution the sisters are making in the work of evangelization.

“Truly your presence as agents of evangelization, consolers of the broken hearted, preachers of the word of God and light of the community is a great blessing for the people of Kenya,” Bishop Kihara said, adding, “This is why we have every reason to rejoice and give thanks to God for the gift of your presence as religious congregations of diverse Charisms.”

Bishop Kihara also thanked the missionaries and founders of religious orders for facilitating the gift of Christian faith among the people in Kenya. “We thank God for the gift of early missionaries who brought us the gift of Faith,” Bishop Kihara said in a statement sent to CANAA by Waumini Communications.

“We thank your founders, superiors who accepted the invitation to come and work in Kenya and you the superiors for keeping the fire of mission alive,” Bishop Kihara added.

The National Director of PMS, Father Celestino Bundi explained the purpose of the gathering as a sharing “the missionary concerns of our Church and our duty as Religious Superiors in safeguarding, nurturing and promoting the precious gift of faith given to us by God.”

“We are gathered here to reflect on how to support our seconded sisters to the National and Diocesan level to become better animators of evangelization in order to make every corner of our country burn with missionary zeal especially in children apostolate. As missionaries, we are called to be animators of faith, light to the world and salt to the earth,” Father Bundi clarified.

Nuns Murdered in Burundi Laid to Rest in DR Congo

CANAA || September 12, 2014

The three Italian Xaverian missionary sisters brutally murdered last Sunday in Burundi were laid to rest on Thursday at the Xaverian cemetery in Bukavu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The bodies of the nuns were taken to DRC for burial after celebrating their lives at a night vigil and Eucharistic celebration in Bujumbura, presided over by Archbishop Evariste Ngonagoye, with thousands of mourners in attendance.

According to AFP, “The emotional and sombre mass in a large Roman Catholic church in Burundi's capital was attended by as many as three thousand mourners, including the vice-president and top politicians.”

Investigations are ongoing to identify the killers and their motivations.

Sr. Lucia Pulici 75, Sr. Bernadetta Boggian 79, and Sr. Olga Raschietti 82 were brutally killed on September 7 in their convent at Kamenge, a district of the Burundian capital, Bujumbura.

In Burundi, the nuns were involved in healthcare, spiritual and social support to the poor and local communities.

On Monday, Pope Francis mourned the death of the sisters and expressed his closeness to their religious community, to the families of the victims, and the entire diocesan community where they had served.

Evangelization is Closely Linked to Human Development, Pope Tells Bishops of Cameroon

Vatican Information Service || September 6, 2014

Today Pope Francis received the prelates of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon at the end of their five-yearly “ad limina” visit. At the end of the audience the Pope expressed his encouragement and confidence in the bishops, whose visit to Rome underlined the spirit of communion with the Apostolic See, and handed them his written discourse, in which he writes that “for the Gospel to profoundly touch and convert hearts, we must remember that only our unity and love make it possible to bear witness authentically and effectively”.

“You must keep unity and diversity closely linked in order to accommodate the human and spiritual wealth of your dioceses, that is expressed in many ways”.

Pope Francis mentioned the good collaboration between the Church, the State and society in Cameroon, as shown recently by the signing of a framework agreement between the Holy See and the Republic of Cameroon, and invited the prelates to put this agreement in practice, “so that legal recognition of many ecclesial institutions will enable them to exercise greater influence, to the benefit not only of the Church but also of the whole of society in Cameroon”.

In this context, he also referred to the considerable commitment on the part of the local churches in social work, especially in the fields of education, health and charity, that is recognised and appreciated by the civil authorities and must be the fulcrum of “a fruitful collaboration between the State and the Church, with full respect for her freedom. Commitment to social work is an integral part of evangelisation, as there is an intimate link between evangelisation and human development, which must be expressed and developed in all evangelising work”.

The action of evangelisation will be more effective when the Gospel “is truly lived by those who have received and profess it. This is how we find the way of drawing to Christ those who do not yet know Him, demonstrating the power of His love that is able to transform and illuminate human life”.

Given the significant presence of Muslims in some dioceses, the Pope encouraged the bishops to “develop a dialogue of life with them, in the spirit of mutual trust”, which is now “essential to maintain a climate of peaceful co-existence and to discourage the development of the violence that Christians are victims of in certain regions of the African continent”.

He continues, “Families, equally, must continue to be the focus of your particular care, especially today as they experience grave hardships – poverty, the displacement of peoples, lack of security, the temptation to return to ancestral practices incompatible with the Christian faith, or even new lifestyles promised by a secularised world”.

It is also essential that the clergy “offer witness to a life inhabited by the Lord, coherent with the demands and the principles of the Gospel”, he writes, inviting the prelates to be fathers attentive to their priests, so that they are helped to avoid the temptations of power, honours and money.

“In relation to this latter point, the negative example that may be given by poor management of goods, personal enrichment or wastefulness will be particularly scandalous in a region where many people lack basic necessities”.

Similarly, “the unity of the clergy is an indispensable element in the witness to the risen Christ … and which depends upon unity among bishops, who are often faced with the same challenges and called upon to offer common and joint solutions, as well as the unity of the 'presbyterium' that the Lord calls on us to build every day, setting aside all forms of prejudice, especially on the basis of ethnicity”.

The Pontiff finally offers encouragement to consecrated persons, whose life is “always a prophetic witness and model in matters of reconciliation, justice and peace” and concludes by urging the prelates of Cameroon not to fear difficulties and to continue to proclaim the Good News with a renewed missionary spirit “to all those who still await it or are most in need”. Source...

Pope Prays for Peace in Lesotho and Ukraine

Aleteia || September 7, 2014

Addressing hundreds of crowds gathered in St. Peter’ square for the Angelus Sunday September 7, Pope Francis has made two passionate pleas for peace in Lesotho and Ukraine.

Referring to Lesotho, Pope Francis said, “I join my voice to that of the Bishops of Lesotho, who have appealed for peace in that country. I condemn all acts of violence and ask that the Lord will restore to the Kingdom of Lesotho peace that is (rooted) in justice and fraternity.”

On Thursday, the Lesotho Times reported that the Lesotho Catholic Bishops’ Conference (LCBC) had called for peaceful dialogue between the country’s feuding parties and also urged the international community to ensure that stability returns to the troubled kingdom.

Addressing a media conference in the capital, Maseru, Lesotho’s Bishop Augustinus Tumaole Bane, the Bishop of Leribe, spoke on behalf of his brother bishops and urged political parties in government as well as the security agencies to resolve their differences without resorting to violence, emphasizing the need to exercise “restraint” in their actions. 

Lesotho is a small Southern African mountain kingdom of just 2 million people. It is completely surrounded by South Africa. It gained independence from Britain in 1966.

The recent troubles in Lesotho started on August 30, when the country's prime minister, Thomas Thabane, escaped across the border into South Africa saying he feared for his life. In the early hours of that Saturday, the Lesotho military seized control of the kingdom's central police station and jammed radio stations and phones. Some shots were fired, and one person was killed in the clashes. AFP reported then that the military denied trying to stage a coup. They insisted that they raided police offices to get weapons they believed would have been given to “political fanatics.”

Thabane returned to Maseru on Tuesday after South African President Jacob Zuma and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) intervened. Zuma, who chairs SADC’s 15-member countries’ Organ on Politics and Defense convened an urgent meeting in Pretoria. After the meeting ended, SADC ordered Thabane to return to Lesotho while the regional group pledged immediate peaceful intervention and support.

Before all the dramatic events of the last two weeks, Lesotho was already in a tense atmosphere which culminated in Thabane asking the army chief, Lieutenant General Tlali Kamoli, to step down and relinquish command.  According to Agence-France Presse, within hours of that order, the military attacked police stations, and Lieutenant General Maaparankoe Mahao, Kamoli’s successor appointed by the prime minister, was the target of an attempted assassination.  He too fled Lesotho.

Pope Francis’ appeal coincides with new information coming out of Lesotho that the renegade Tlali Kamoli, who has refused to step down as the commander of Lesotho's military, has taken control of Lesotho’s state armories and may be preparing for a stand-off, a violent confrontation or even civil war.

Lesotho’s military is said to be loyal to Deputy Prime Minister Mothetjoa Metsing, who leads the Lesotho Congress for Democracy Party, a partner in Lesotho’s coalition government. The police are instead widely regarded as close to the embattled prime minister, Thabane.

When things came to a head, national police commissioner Khothatso T'soana is said to have been investigating corruption charges involving the deputy prime minister, Metsing. The latter believes the investigation is a political witch-hunt by the country’s police. As a result, Metsing is said to have declared that he could not be arrested because he was protected by the military.

In June this year, Thabane managed to convince Lesotho’s King Letsie III to shut down parliament when he learned that the opposition led by his deputy, Metsing planned to bring up a vote of no confidence against him.

Political observers are weary of the military’s involvement in Lesotho’s political affairs. They think this is a great source of destabilization and a recipe for civil strife. Similarly, they urge Lesotho’s politicians to learn to respect state institutions and not manipulate them for narrow personal and political interests.

At the recent media conference, the bishops of Lesotho lamented the current state of anarchy and lawlessness resulting from the shutting down of police services, the judiciary and other public services. The bishops have called for calm.  “We call upon all the parties to respect their commitment to work together to restore security and political stability in the kingdom.”

It is hoped that Pope Francis’s appeal and that of the bishops of Lesotho will find a listening ear among Lesotho's politicians and security agencies. In the words of the bishops, “lasting peace is still possible, only if justice is done to the legitimate concerns and expectations of all the parties involved.

In his reflection during the Angelus address, Francis spoke of fraternal correction, as it is presented by St. Matthew in the day's Gospel reading.

“Jesus teaches us that if my Christian brother wrongs me or offends me, I must be charitable towards him and, first of all, speak to him personally, explaining that what he has said or done is not good," the Pope said, according to Vatican Information Service. "And what if my brother does not listen to me? Jesus suggests a way of intervening gradually: first, to speak to him again with another two or three people, so that he is more aware of the mistake he has made. If, in spite of this, he does not accept this exhortation, it is necessary to tell the community, and if he does not even listen to the community, then we have to let him know of the fracture and detachment that he himself has caused, by failing in communion with his brothers and sisters in the faith.”

“The steps in this itinerary show the strength that the Lord asks of the community to support those who err, so that they are not lost," the Pontiff continued. "Above all it is necessary to avoid the clamor of news and gossip in the community. The attitude must be that of gentleness, prudence, humility and care in relation to those who have erred, avoiding words that may harm or kill our brother. Because even words can kill. When I gossip or when I unjustly criticize, when I curse a brother with my tongue, this means destroying the reputation of the other person. … At the same time, this discretion in speaking to him alone has the aim of not pointlessly mortifying the sinner. … In view of this need, we can understand the following series of interventions, which include the involvement of other witnesses and finally even the community. The aim is to help the person to understand what they have done, and to be aware that they have thereby offended not just one person, but everyone. But it also helps us to rid ourselves of anger and resentment … that bitterness of the heart that leads to anger and resentment leads us to insult and offend. It is very unpleasant to see insults and aggression from a Christian. … To insult is not Christian”.

“In reality”, he continued, “before the Lord we are all sinners and all in need of forgiveness. All of us. Indeed, Jesus told us not to judge. Fraternal correction is an aspect of the love and the communion that should reign in the Christian community; it is a mutual service that we can and must render to each other … and it is possible and effective only if each person recognizes himself as a sinner and in need of the Lord's forgiveness. The same awareness that enables me to recognize the errors of the other, first of all reminds me that I myself have made, and make mistakes, many times”.

“Therefore, at the beginning of Mass, we are invited each time to acknowledge ourselves as sinners before the Lord, expressing with words and gestures the sincere repentance of the heart,” he concluded. “And Jesus Himself invites all of us, saints and sinners, to his table, bringing us together at the various crossroads in in the different situations of our lives. And among the conditions that unite all the participants in the Eucharistic celebration, two are fundamental: we are all sinners, and God offers His mercy to us all.” Source...

Zambian Bishop Deliberates on Outstations

Vatican Radio || September 6, 2014

Zambia’s Mongu Diocese whose shepherd is Bishop Evans Chinyemba, OMI, covers a vast area of roughly 88,000 sq. km. The diocese corresponds, though not entirely, to the geographical territory of the country's Western Province. According to a 2010 census, it has a population of about 881, 524 inhabitants. Of these, approximately 80, 000 are Catholics scattered over a vast area.

Mongu Diocese comprises the Barotse floodplains of the Zambezi river, said to be the second largest wetland in Zambia. The Barotse floodplains provide some of the most spectacular views when the waters are high. The rest of the diocese is covered by Kalahari sand. There are numerous lagoons and seasonal swamps as well as dry grassland plains.

Even by Zambian own standards, the Western Province is said to be the poorest in the country largely due to remoteness and many years of political neglect.

Ministering to the needs of Catholics scattered in such a vast terrain is a huge challenge. The Diocese of Mongu has less than 20 fully-fledged parishes with very few diocesan and missionary priests.

In order to provide for the pastoral needs of Catholics, the villagers in many remote parts of the diocese have built for themselves small village churches known as outstations. These are usually very simple structures made of local poles and some brick work. Many of them don't have windows as we know them.

Outstations that are officially recognised by the diocese are attached to a parish for pastoral care and administration. Some parishes have as many as 30 outstations. When all is well, the parish priest visits the outstation every two months to celebrate Mass and minister to the people. The reality, however, is that many outstations only get the chance for Mass twice or three times in a year. The reasons for this infrequent contact are many and range from inadequate priests, distance, lack of resources to reach the outstations and the fact that some areas are literally cut-off during the months when the plains are flooded.

The Church in these outstations is in the hands of the lay faithful. There are a handful of trained Catechists but mostly the outstations depend on volunteer laity who live in the particular villages. Sometimes, these lay volunteers are Government teachers, retired civil servants or ordinary villagers who feel called to provide leadership such as conducting the Sunday service in the village. These are the unsung heroes of the Catholic faith in Mongu Diocese.

The Diocese of Mongu is concerned about the pastoral life of its outstations. Recently, the clergy, religious and laity of the diocese met at Limulunga Multipurpose Pastoral Cente for the annual diocesan pastoral council meeting. The focus of the meeting was to look at the life of parishes through the eyes of the diocese’s pastoral agents. The Bishop of Mongu, Right Rev. Evans Chinyemba used the occasion of the pastoral council meeting to introduce to the diocese, the diocesan theme for 2015, “Evangelizing the Diocese through Outstations”.

Below are the views of Mongu Diocese’s Bishop Evans Chinyemba:

“In a diocese of more than 340 outstations, it calls for some deliberate effort in order for evangelization to bear the required fruit. The honest sharing at the Diocesan Pastoral Council meeting allowed us to explore more on what we can do together as pastoral agents in order to make evangelization a life-giving event in our lives.

"From the deliberations, one thing was clear:  Notwithstanding all the pastoral challenges that we face in evangelizing outstations, every human being has a right to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ.

"One of the observations made in our deliberations was the issue of the many laity who offer their time so that others are introduced to the faith. Some of our outstations have  such leaders who sustain these communities. In the absence of priests our dedicated lay leaders continue to hold firmly to their faith and sustain the continued existence of the outstations.

"I have in mind, outstations that are difficult to reach during the rainy season while others are not reached at all due of lack of reliable transport by our pastoral agents. In many such situations, our lay leaders, in these far-flung places have continued to hold the communities together. 

As we think and plan about evangelizing these outstations, in the diocese, this coming year, I am reminded of Blessed Victoria Rasoamanarivo of Madagascar. She was born in Antananarivo, in 1848 to a royal family. When she was 15 years old she was baptised and was married-off at 17 years.

"It is said that during the reign of Queen Ranavalonarivo, it was decreed that anything European was not to be allowed in Madagascar. Since Christianity was seen as European its practice was prohibited. Believing in Jesus Christ merited persecution and eventual death. With these decrees all Catholic missionaries were expelled from Madagascar.

"As a young devout Catholic, Blessed Victoria Rasoamanarivo resisted the pressure to abandon her faith. She also refused to join the Protestant movement. Blessed Victoria stood her ground and continued to protect the Catholic faith in the absence of the clergy and religious. Through her efforts, Catholic schools and Catholic Churches remained open and she encouraged many Catholics who lived in the countryside to forge ahead with their faith.

"She also appealed to the Queen and eventually in 1886 Catholic Missionaries were allowed back into Madagascar. During the absence of the Catholic Missionaries, the faith through her works continued to be alive. Through her efforts, Blessed Victoria kept the faith of her community and spent many hours in prayer throughout her life. She died on 21 August, 1864. In 1989 Pope John Paul II (now Saint Pope John Paul II) beatified this holy and courageous lay woman.

"This brief history of Blessed Victoria is an inspiration for many of our lay faithful especially those in our outstations who keep the faith going even in the absence of priests. In many of the outstations, we have outstanding lay people who have taken pride in providing the needed leadership.

"Through their leadership skills they continue to inspire and call others to a deeper faith in Christ.  I therefore, encourage our lay faithful to take their rightful place in the ministry of evangelization especially this coming year as we seek to find ways to animate our outstations”. Source...

Signed: Right Rev. Evans Chinyemba, Bishop of Mongu Diocese.

South African Cardinal on the Upcoming Synod on the Family

Vatican Radio || September 8, 2014

The Christian family will be at the centre of a special meeting of bishops in the Vatican next month. The extraordinary general assembly of the Synod of Bishops is scheduled to take place from 5 to 19 October on the theme “Pastoral challenges of the family in the context of Evangelization.”

In a letter to families in February in preparation for the synod, Pope Francis called on Catholics to pray for the meeting.

The pope said the synod on the family is an “important meeting that will involve all the People of God – bishops, priests, consecrated men and women, and lay faithful of the particular Churches of the entire world – all of whom are actively participating in preparations for the meeting through practical suggestions and the crucial support of prayer.”

In the letter, Pope Francis also said that the extraordinary synod in October 2014 will be followed a year later by the Ordinary Assembly, which will also have the family as its theme.

The Archbishop of Durban in South Africa, Cardinal Wilfrid Napier took time off from his busy schedule of meetings in Rome and came to our studios to share with Fr. Paul Samasumo his insights on the upcoming synod on the family. Source...

The Murder of Three Nuns in Burundi Sad, Pope Francis Mourns

Vatican Information Service || September 8, 2014

Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin has sent a telegram of condolences on behalf of the Holy Father to Archbishop Evariste Ngoyagoye of Bujumbura, Burundi, for the killing of three Italian Xaverian Missionary sisters yesterday, Sunday 7 September, in their convent in Kamenge, north of the capital Bujumbura.

Cardinal Parolin writes, “His Holiness Pope Francis has learned with great sadness of the murder of three nuns, Sister Bernadetta Bogiann, Sister Lucia Pulici and Sister Olga Raschietti, who were in the pastoral service of the parish of Saint Guido Maria Conforti in Bujumbura. The Holy Father begs the Lord to welcome into his kingdom of peace and light these three faithful and devout nuns. In these tragic circumstances, he expresses his closeness to their religious community, to the families of the victims, and the entire diocesan community. He imparts the comfort of a heartfelt and affectionate apostolic blessing to all those affected by their sudden loss. I join the Holy Father in offering my condolences and wish to assure those close to the departed Sisters of my fervent prayers”.

The Secretary of State also sent another telegram to Sister Ines Frizza, superior general of the Xaverian Missionary Sisters of Mary, in which he expresses his sadness for the tragic death of the missionaries and “assures his heartfelt participation in the profound suffering of the Congregation for the loss of such dedicated sisters”. The Holy Father, “in the hope that the blood they have shed may become the seed of hope to build true fraternity between peoples, raises fervent prayers for the eternal repose of their souls and for their generous witness of the Gospel. To their families, the entire Institute and those who mourn their loss, he imparts the comfort of his apostolic blessing”, the Cardinal concludes.

More details

Reuters quoted Father Mario Pulicini who is responsible for the parish in a northern suburb of Bujumbura as saying that Sr. Lucia Pulici was 75 and due to celebrate her birthday on Monday, Sr. Bernadetta Boggian 79, and Sr. Olga Raschietti 82.

The same report revealed that the three Xaverian Missionary sisters had been serving in Burundi for the last seven years, after having worked several years in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Catholic diocese of Parma in Italy indicated that the deaths of the three nuns appeared to be "the tragic outcome of an armed robbery by a mentally unbalanced person" on its website. Source...

More details compiled by CANAA