CISA AFRICA

OPINNION: Silence and Word: Path of Evangelisation

2012-01-24T06:21:00.000-08:00

Today's Feast of St. Francis de Sales, patron of journalists, marks the World Day of Social Communications, and the Holy Father's Message for the Day, entitled: "Silence and Word: Path of Evangelisation" was made public this morning. Ample excerpts from the English-language version of the text are given below.

On this "World Communications Day 2012, I would like to share with you some reflections concerning an aspect of the human process of communication which, despite its importance, is often overlooked and which, at the present time, it would seem especially necessary to recall. It concerns the relationship between silence and word: two aspects of communication which need to be kept in balance, to alternate and to be integrated with one another if authentic dialogue and deep closeness between people are to be achieved".

"Silence is an integral element of communication; in its absence, words rich in content cannot exist. In silence, we are better able to listen to and understand ourselves; ideas come to birth and acquire depth. ... By remaining silent we allow the other person to speak, to express him or herself; and we avoid being tied simply to our own words and ideas without them being adequately tested. In this way, space is created for mutual listening, and deeper human relationships become possible. ... When messages and information are plentiful, silence becomes essential if we are to distinguish what is important from what is insignificant or secondary. Deeper reflection helps us ... to make evaluations, to analyse messages; this makes it possible to share thoughtful and relevant opinions, giving rise to an authentic body of shared knowledge. For this to happen, it is necessary to develop an appropriate environment, a kind of 'eco-system' that maintains a just equilibrium between silence, words, images and sounds.

"The process of communication nowadays is largely fuelled by questions in search of answers. Search engines and social networks have become the starting point of communication for many people who are seeking advice, ideas, information and answers. ... Indeed, people today are frequently bombarded with answers to questions they have never asked and to needs of which they were unaware. If we are to recognise and focus upon the truly important questions, then silence is a precious commodity that enables us to exercise proper discernment in the face of the surcharge of stimuli and data that we receive".

"Ultimately, this constant flow of questions demonstrates the restlessness of human beings, ceaselessly searching for truths, of greater or lesser import, that can offer meaning and hope to their lives. Men and women cannot rest content with a superficial and unquestioning exchange of sceptical opinions and experiences of life - all of us are in search of truth".

"Attention should be paid to the various types of websites, applications and social networks which can help people today to find time for reflection and authentic questioning, as well as making space for silence and occasions for prayer, meditation or sharing of the word of God. In concise phrases, often no longer than a verse from the Bible, profound thoughts can be communicated, as long as those taking part in the conversation do not neglect to cultivate their own inner lives. It is hardly surprising that different religious traditions consider solitude and silence as privileged states which help people to rediscover themselves and that Truth which gives meaning to all things. The God of biblical revelation speaks also without words: 'As the Cross of Christ demonstrates, God also speaks by His silence".

"If God speaks to us even in silence, we in turn discover in silence the possibility of speaking with God and about God. ... In speaking of God's grandeur, our language will always prove inadequate and must make space for silent contemplation. Out of such contemplation springs forth, with all its inner power, the urgent sense of mission, the compelling obligation 'to communicate that which we have seen and heard' so that all may be in communion with God".

"In silent contemplation, then, the eternal Word, through Whom the world was created, becomes ever more powerfully present and we become aware of the plan of salvation that God is accomplishing throughout our history by word and deed. ... This plan of salvation culminates in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, the mediator and the fullness of all revelation. He has made known to us the true face of God the Father and by His Cross and Resurrection has brought us from the slavery of sin and death to the freedom of the children of God. The fundamental question of the meaning of human existence finds in the mystery of Christ an answer capable of bringing peace to the restless human heart. The Church's mission springs from this mystery; and it is this mystery which impels Christians to become heralds of hope and salvation, witnesses of that love which promotes human dignity and builds justice and peace.

"Word and silence: learning to communicate is learning to listen and contemplate as well as speak. This is especially important for those engaged in the task of evangelisation: both silence and word are essential elements, integral to the Church's work of communication for the sake of a renewed proclamation of Christ in today's world".

OPINION: A Tribute to Sister Graziella Paladin MC (1929- 2011)

2011-12-16T06:56:00.000-08:00

In recent months, Kenya has lost a missionary sister, who made an immense contribution to education. She was Sr Graziella Paladin, of the Consolata Sisters.

She came to Kenya just prior to Independence and was still active until shortly before returning to Italy in 2010 for medical treatment. She sadly died in July 2011. I would like to pay tribute to her memory and her work in education.

Sister was a Founder, a Principal and a teacher at a number of girls boarding schools in Kenyan dioceses, where Consolata Missionaries worked.

I first met her in January 1993 on taking up an appointment with CISRET (Centre for In- Service of Religious Education Teachers ). At that time, it was based at Nyeri Pastoral Centre and Sr Graziella lived at the Consolata Sisters Convent situated, nearby, within the Mathari compound.

She had been a tutor on the course for about a year before I came, and it was my very good fortune to work with someone who was so utterly committed to the training of teachers and who brought to CISRET, a whole lifetime of experience and skill, and many years of religious formation.

All of these she brought to the task, with great energy and dedication. Already advanced in age, when she could have taken things a bit easier, she immersed herself fully into the task. She did this, with a degree of energy and enthusiasm, rarely seen in someone much younger.

Living at Nyeri, one was conscious , of being in hallowed grounds. The Consolata Fathers came to Kenya in 1902. The Consolata Sisters followed shortly after. One lived in an awareness of the amazing pioneering work done by the Consolata. All round there were reminders of this: one of the earliest nurse-training hospital; the oldest printing press and print training school in Kenya; the Pastoral Centre; the Catechist Training Centre; the Parish Church and more.

Sister Graziella was steeped in its history and one could not ask for a better tour guide. At that time many of the older sisters of the Congregation were still living there in retirement. One felt in conversation with them, of being connected to a continuous living history.
During our time there, we were privileged to contribute with our Centre choir to the Solemn liturgy surrounding the re-interment of the remains of the Servant of God: Sr Irene Stefani, a Consolata Sister, to a shrine in the Parish Church at Nyeri.

Similarly we took part in the annual November Memorial Mass for the Italian prisoners of War, held in the Memorial Chapel, with the Italian Ambassador present and celebrated in Italian. At all these, Sr Graziella took a leading part in the organization. On occasions like that her special flair for decoration and ornament came fully to the fore.

Her contribution to the CISRET course was immense on many fronts: her lively faith and deep sense of vocation to teaching; her infectious enthusiasm, reliability and sense of humour. I suppose most of the teachers will remember her especially, for her great artistic ability. She was particularly skilled in the production and use of visual aids. She did a lot to help teachers discover their own talent and helped them to develop it.

Our move to Tabor Hill Nyahururu in 1996, called for a further degree of self-sacrifice on her part, as it meant her moving from her Mathari community. She did this for a further six years at Tabor Hill without complaint.

The superb hospitality given us by the Dimesse Sisters and Paduan Fathers, did much to make our time at Tabor, a very happy one.

A particular highlight at Tabor Hill, was the celebration of Sr Graziella’s 50th Golden Jubilee of Religious Profession in 2002, attended by Bishop Davies and led by Bishop Panti with very many priests, religious sisters and laity present.

In 2006 the Silver Jubilee of the CISRET course was celebrated and Bishop Davies, its founder was present along with most of the Kenya bishops. Sr Graziella received special acknowledgement at this ceremony, having been the longest serving religious sister on the staff of CISRET, since its foundation in 1982.

On retirement after her 50th Jubilee , Sr Graziella went back to Nyeri and once more took up an apostolate with the poor in Mathari and with visitation and instruction classes for the prisoners at Nyeri Prison. She had a wonderful proficiency both in Swahili and in Kikuyu which gave her instant connection with all people.

During this time, she was instrumental in helping the prison, to have its own chapel for Mass and instruction. It was funded by her Italian family and friends.
Archbishop Peter Kairo of Nyeri during the 100th celebration of the Founding of the Consolata Sisters, gave special honour to Sr. Graziella as “a living example, of one, who at the age of 81 was still engaged in ministry”.
She was a friend to the famous recently deceased Wangari Mathai, the Nobel Peace Prize winner who was from nearby Tetu, and who was present at the 100th Celebration.
Sometime in 2009 Sr Graziella was diagnosed with a form of leukemia. She responded well for many months but in 2010, her condition deteriorated. She retained interest and enthusiasm right through her illness.
I look back on almost 20 years of close association with Sr Graziella. I know that she is very fondly remembered by many, especially the thousands of students taught by her. I join them in giving thanks for the privilege of knowing Sr Graziella Paladin.

May God rest her noble soul.

Fr. Nicholas Motherway (St. Patrick’s Fathers)

nickmotherway@gmail.com

OPINION: Counter Human Trafficking Report

2011-12-13T06:30:00.000-08:00

The second Nairobi Counter Human Trafficking Symposium for the Faith Based and grassroots Organizations took place in Shalom House, Nairobi from the 22nd to the 24th November 2011. The Symposium brought together 57 organizations from the East African countries. Key during the Symposium were the strategies used by FBOs and the grassroots organizations in combating the human trafficking problem in East Africa. The participants benefitted from a moral reflection given by the Jesuit Hakimani Center (JHC) and KARDS and various field strategies in combating this problem from the representatives of the organizations that attended the symposium.

The Symposium was sponsored by the Mensen met een Missie and organized by Consolation East Africa, KARDS, Jesuit Hakimani Centre, Trace-Kenya, Inter Religious Council of Kenya(IRCK), International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS), Catholic Information Service for Africa (CISA) and Awareness Against Human Trafficking (HAART) among other Faith Based and grassroots organizations to raise awareness on the dangers of human trafficking, brainstorm on practices and strategies to counter human trafficking and explore the laws and policies to mitigate against human trafficking.

According to the US government, media reports and other literature human trafficking in East Africa takes place for purposes of sexual exploitation, labor, and witch craft. Human trafficking is considered as an endemic social problem, pervasive and heinous crime and one of the most pressing human rights problems. The Symposium acknowledged the salient fact that there is a growing awareness in the international community about the gravity of the problem of trafficking in persons as well as the pressing need for sustained and concerted actions at the national, regional and international levels in order to prevent, monitor and combat human trafficking. The objectives explored during the Symposium included:

Creating peer to peer linkages aiming to promote effective collaboration and networking amongst the FBOs, CSOs working to combat TIP.

Enabling the new participants understand the problem of human trafficking.
Sharing knowledge, skills and experiences from different FBOs and grassroots that work to combat human trafficking.

Understanding tools and resources( both legal, economic and psychosocial) available for victim assistance

After the symposium the following conclusions were arrived at:

1. Poverty, ignorance, illiteracy, unemployment, porous borders, widespread corruption, gender discrimination and deteriorating economic conditions are the major factors fuelling human trafficking.

2. The East African governments need to improve the economy, empower girls and women with educational, economic, employment and necessary professional opportunities in order to assist them to resist the temptation of human trafficking. Increased opportunities for women render them less vulnerable to human trafficking and ensure their well being and security. Providing women empowerment schemes, providing necessary protection, micro credit assistance and vocational training for better income generation possibilities, improvement of the economy etc.

3. Adequate prosecution of traffickers without compromising the rights of the victims to privacy, dignity and safety must be done by providing necessary assistance to trafficked persons during the pendency of criminal, civil or other legal actions against traffickers. Protection of human rights of victims/survivors should be the basic and paramount consideration and not only crime prevention. Victims of human trafficking should not be criminalized but the traffickers and their accomplices engaged in the illicit trade and exploitation must be severely punished to serve as a deterrent.

4. Legislation and law enforcement alone cannot provide sufficient prevention. The root causes that drive women, children and the socially excluded people into human trafficking such as poverty, ignorance, illiteracy, unemployment, porous borders and economic conditions must be addressed through measures such as raising public awareness regarding human rights and the risks of trafficking. Others factors inherent within the patriarchal culture that promote oppression of one gender also should be addressed.

5. In addition to legislation, the Symposium noted that concerted efforts against human trafficking by governments, Faith based organizations and grassroots organizations at the local, regional and international levels are critical in order to effectively address the complex problem of trafficking in persons and to provide adequate redress for the victims. Governments and FBOs should systematically partner with each other to ensure the implementation of anti trafficking policies, laws and action plans. Education systems on the other hand should include human trafficking in their curricular.

6. Collaborative efforts at both the local and national levels should include Religious and community leaders, parents, teachers, other stakeholders e.g. Police, immigration, customs, National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and other Related Matters, Law enforcement agencies, Judiciary, Media and Civil society organizations etc. Governments should collaborate with FBOs, CSOs and all interested stakeholders in the development and implementation of national plans of action in accordance with the national Counter Human Trafficking Laws. Understanding of the legal processes will also be of additional fundamental value.

7. Functioning families do help quite a lot in preventing TIP. FBOs have a great role in helping to strengthen families as the fundamental social fabric. Coupled with the role of the family, there is a need to help the patriarchal society in the transformation of the construct that end up treating women and the vulnerable people as objects for economic purposes or self gratification.

8. Advocacy and Awareness programmes on human trafficking should be intensified to expose the dangers of human trafficking and improve knowledge of the anti- human trafficking laws. The public information campaigns against human trafficking should be extended to the rural areas where women and girls have less access to information and are usually poorer and easier to influence using small promises.

9. Effective data collection and information systems should be developed to inform policies and laws on human trafficking and programming at all levels. It is a fact that data collection in this area is quite challenging hence creative ways should be sought such as case studies, and the development of ethnographic studies.

10. Trafficking in persons could be effectively addressed through a multi-faceted, coordinated and integrated national and international plan of action. Hence individuals have an important role to blow the whistle when they witness exploitation. Organizations on the other hand are called to continuously build their capacity in order to be able to deal with the complexity of the human trafficking problem effectively. Coupled with this there is a need for strong partnerships amongst the FBOs and other stakeholders to address the root causes of trafficking in persons. Donors and international community was requested to support data collection exercises and other programs against trafficking in persons. Key in the intervention process is also to heal the wounds of the trafficked victims hence organizations should adequately arm themselves with skills in psycho, social and emotional counseling.

11. Finally, the symposium emphasized that the human being is made in the image of God. Any immoral acts affecting the human dignity have deep repercussions and do affect the society too in a negative way. The faith communities, the society, governments and media should therefore continue promoting a greater awareness of the human dignity to their followers.

Contact consolationeastafrica@gmail.com or 0736 935 387, and 0720 812 638 or 0720 444 545

OPINION: Numbers Do Not Make a Church

2011-11-29T03:25:00.000-08:00

Interview with Archbishop of Algiers

More than 99% of Algerians are Muslim. Yet this was not always the case. The North African country was once at the center of Christian culture and faith with more than 500 dioceses and 1,500 bishops.

So, has the Church in Algeria somehow died? Archbishop Ghaleb Moussa Abdalla Bader of Algiers says no.

The Jordanian-born 60-year-old prelate has been the archbishop of the Algerian capital since 2008. Mark Riedemann for Where God Weeps in cooperation with Aid to the Church in Need spoke with the archbishop about his Church.

Q: Your Excellency, you were born in Jordan, you served in Jerusalem and in 2008 you were appointed the archbishop of Algeria. What was your reaction?

Archbishop Bader: What was my reaction? It was a total surprise for me; I never thought in my life that I would be the archbishop of Algiers. When the nuncio told me that the Holy Father nominated me as archbishop, I did not know what to say and I asked for a week to reflect, but the nuncio was in a hurry and wanted an immediate answer. I told him please do not insist otherwise you will get a "no" for an answer because I was not ready and I needed more time to assimilate the information.

Q: And what happened?

Archbishop Bader: I was in complete confusion and I thought to myself, you can take a year to reflect and you will still not be able to extricate yourself from the situation. I went back to the nuncio and started to write my answer, telling my reasons why I wished to stay in Jerusalem: I love this Church, I belong, have worked, and studied in this Church and I wanted to finish my life with this Church. Jerusalem is not like any other Church. It is the Mother Church. There are the holy places and to belong to the Church of Jerusalem was very important to me. But in the end, I understood, it is the Universal Church. It is the Catholic Church. There is a need everywhere and therefore I am ready to go.

Q: So you took it as a cross?

Archbishop Bader: Not as a cross but the will of the Church and of God and I was ready to accept the will of the Church and of God. If I can do this service to the Church and for the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, I was ready to do it. I did it with joy and not with regret, fear maybe, but not regret.

Q: You are the first Arab archbishop entering into Algeria after a generation of French hierarchy. Did the people sense that you, being an Arab, would understand the culture better?

Archbishop Bader: That was the intention of the Church, a gesture, a sign of respect toward this Arab country. The nomination of an Arab after a period of French leadership was an answer to the changes already happening in this Church. Yes, the Church was for a while under the French, but the French are now a minority of which 40% are African; students or immigrants and the rest are Christians from Europe, Latin America and North America. The changes were already happening in the Church and the nomination of a non-French in Algeria was an answer to these changes already ongoing.

Q: What was the reaction of the local government?

Archbishop Bader: The reaction of the Algerian authorities was very enthusiastic and I felt it. On the day of my nomination, the Algerian ambassador to Jordan gave me a call and invited me to meet him and I have since met him twice. I was welcomed when I arrived in Algeria and the president himself sent a representative, which is the first time ever that the president or his representative wanted to be present to welcome the new archbishop. I especially felt a great love and welcome for an Arab from the people. I was labelled "Our Archbishop" and even the Muslims called me their archbishop.

Q: The former archbishop of Algiers, Henri Tessier, in a New York Times article was quoted as saying he had been witness "to the slow death of a Church." Is that the situation of the Church in Algeria today?

Archbishop Bader: We have to understand where Archbishop Tessier is coming from. He spent 70 to 75 years in Algeria. He was a seminarian and was ordained in Algeria. He was a citizen and a carried an Algerian passport. He knew the history of the Church in Algeria. When he was a seminarian, there were 2 million Christians in Algeria and this has gone down to a few thousand Christians now. This is the context of his statement and I can understand him when he spoke about the death of this Church. However, the Church will always be the Church. It does not depend on numbers. It is the same Church, the same mission, and we are doing the same work. I do not agree with him of course, but I can understand him because he was comparing what the Church was then to what it is now. When I came this was the reality of the Church. I accept it. I do my work and I do not talk about a death. The Church is alive, it is present and doing its best for the well-being of its faithful and the country.

Q: There are about 20 churches still active in Algeria. Many have been converted to mosques or cultural centres. What are your ideas to maintain support in an environment that seems to be very difficult?

Archbishop Bader: This was a consequence of the Christians moving back to France after the war. There were churches without Christians anymore. The Church was not going to keep these churches simply because they were churches. It was a gesture of the Church to give these churches and buildings for the use of the population. About two or three churches were converted to mosques. The reaction of the authorities was of respect; they would not allow the conversion of these churches to mosques and that is why many of the churches that were given by the Church to the authorities were transformed into cultural centres and libraries and whatever buildings were needed. I have read somewhere that about 700 churches and other buildings were returned to the Algerian authorities and put at their services for the benefit of the population.

Q: Algerian society has shifted from a French -- or European -- one to an Arab society focused on the Middle East. Is this shift away from Europe positive or negative?

Archbishop Bader: It is in relation to the historical relationship between Algeria and France. Any decisions taken by Algeria after independence were a reaction from the past. They wanted to be free from the past and turned toward an Arabic culture and language. However, this is not accepted by 100% of the population and that is why 90% of Algerians speak French. I am Arab but 99% of the time, I speak in French to the people so the shift you mentioned is not really the case -- at least for most Algerians. It is true that the authorities want Algeria to be an Arab and Islamic country and as such have imposed the Arabic language on education.

Q: Many of the conflicts that are perceived in the Arabic world are seen through the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Is this also the case in Algeria?

Archbishop Bader: It is true the Israeli-Palestinian conflict does infect the Arab-Western and Christian-Muslim relationships. As long as there is no solution to this conflict, mistrust will always exist. A peaceful solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would help very much to settle this mistrust between the Arab and Western countries and between the Christens and Muslims. Therefore, I appeal for a just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It will be for the benefit of humanity as a whole and not just the region. It will bring about a global peace and peaceful coexistence among the religions.

Q: Ghulamallah, the minister of Religious Affairs in Algeria, invited you to a conference to discuss religious freedom. During your speech, you talked about repealing the laws that put restrictions on Christians. How would you present the Christian situation today?

Archbishop Bader: The minister of Religious Affairs, Ghulamallah, not just invited me but we organized the conference together. We decided whom to invite and we both organized the program.

Q: … so your relationship with the Minister of Religious Affairs is amicable.
Archbishop Bader: Our relationship is very good. We meet at least once every month. We exchange good wishes during religious feasts for Christians and Muslims. We always have had very good relations ever since I arrived. The problem now is the law of 2006 that restricts religious practices, activities or worship only within the churches. For us Catholics this is not such a problem because we have enough churches. The problem is moreover for the Evangelicals and Protestants who do not have places of worship and for us Catholics when we wish to gather outside for religious activities.

Q: How does this affect evangelization and the work of the priests in their ministry?

Archbishop Bader: It is the second part of this law of 2006 that declares that all our activities -- worship and prayers -- are to take place only inside the Church. Evangelization and conversion is prohibited. Anyone caught violating this law is penalized by either incarceration or a fine of about €2,000 ($2,650). During the conference, I said that law could not regulate worship. This was not the case before 2006.

Q: In the Algerian Constitution, Article 36 guarantees religious freedom?
Archbishop Bader: That is true, the constitution guarantees religious freedom and we have agreed on that.

Q: How do you minister in this environment?

Archbishop Bader: Our first mission is to be there, to live our faith, and to be faithful to our religion and to respect the other faiths despite our differences. The Church believes -- and I believe -- that religious freedom is a human right.

Q: What would you say would be the biggest help the universal Church could offer the Church in Algeria?

Archbishop Bader: The biggest help is to accept our message. Our mission and our message is to learn to live peacefully with each other. This message is for Christians, Muslims or Buddhists and if this message is heeded, this would give a boost and encouragement for our Church. I thank you for giving me the opportunity to talk about our Church, which is not known by everyone and I hope that this program will help somebody to know, firstly that the Church exists in this country and secondly to invite you, if you wish, to share in our mission and to come to Algeria. I would be very happy -- I am in need of personnel for our Church.

* * *
This interview was conducted by Mark Riedemann for "Where God Weeps," a weekly television and radio show produced by Catholic Radio and Television Network in conjunction with the international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need.

OPINION: Al Shabaab: The Best Weapon Against Them

2011-11-18T03:55:00.000-08:00

Al Shabaab has become a real thorn in the flesh of the East African countries! And right now there seems to be no easy way of getting rid of this thorn! And the recent history of Somalia clearly reveals that Al Shabaab is a very hard nut to crack! It can camouflage according to the surroundings or metamorphose into anything depending on the circumstances! And it can hibernate for a long time giving the impression that it is dead!

We should therefore be aware that although right now it is necessary to engage Al Shabaab militarily in order to reduce its atrocities against innocent people, this is not a permanent solution! In order to find a lasting solution to this conflict, we have to look at its root causes and from different dimensions especially: the socio-political, economic and religious! The events that led to rise of Al Shabaab will put the problem in its context and throw light on why Al Shabaab is not easy to contain!

Al Shabaab, which means, “The Youth or the boys,” is an offshoot of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), which splintered into different groups after Ethiopian troops forced it out of power in 2006! In fact, Al Shabaab was the youth movement within the ICU! So one could rightly say, it is the remnant of the ICU.

The summary of the 2006 major events are as follows : In the early part of 2006 USA indirectly fought the ICU by giving support to the secular Mogadishu based warlords who were opposed to the ICU’s plan of imposing the Sharia law on the Somalis! But in June the same year the Islamists defeated the warlords and captured Mogadishu! And some warlords switched sides and joined the ICU! (And this is one of things that make it very difficult to crush these fundamentalists.

The different militias in Somalia can switch sides any time! Today they can be on the side of the government fighting Al Shabaab and the next day they change sides and join Al Shabaab to fight the government!

Once the ICU captured Mogadishu and took power, Ethiopia was militarily sucked into the war because like the US it was supporting the secular forces in Somalia. On 20 July 2006 the Ethiopian troops began their push into Somalia to face the Mujahideen fighters! And on 9 October, the Ethiopian troops seized the town of Burhakaba.

But on 19 November, an Ethiopian convoy of 80 vehicles was hit by landmines and attacked by the ICU troops. With the fighting intensifying, on 13 December, Ethiopia poured more troops in their thousands, into the battlefield! And on 22 December, Ethiopian T-55 tanks, 20 in number, headed to the front line with four attack helicopters in the air striking at the Mujahideen positions! On 26 December, the ICU troops were retreating on all fronts! And on 28 December, the Ethiopian troops captured Mogadishu; and quickly swept across the country to the port city of Kismayo!

2007-2011 events in the Somali war reveal the regrouping of the Islamists and how they regained control over Somalia! On 21 February 2007, UN Security Council authorised Africa Union to deploy a peace-keeping mission (AMISOM) in Somalia to replace the Ethiopian troops. On 7 March the same year, Uganda military officials arrived on the ground in Somalia. AMISOM is composed of Ugandan and Burundian troops.

In December 2007 when Ethiopian troops withdrew from the Somali central town of Guriel, the insurgents took control of it! By the end of December that same year the Mujahideen had regrouped and were controlling half of the city port of Kismayo and half of the city of Mogadishu! Although originally Al Shabaab was the hard-line youth movement within ICU, when these insurgents or Mujahideen regrouped, the whole of ICU metamorphosed for every short time into what was call PRM (Popular Resistance Movement) and then into Al Shabaab the monster of atrocities we have today!

In 2009 Al Shabaab had success in its fight against the weak Transitional Federal Government (TFG). For on 26 January that same year they captured Baidoa the seat of the TFG. And on 3 December 2009, they killed three ministers of the TFG in a suicide bomb attack.

On 7 February 2010, Al Shabaab declared jihad on Kenya over allegations that it was training Somali troops! And on 11 July the same year Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the Kampala bomb attacks that left 80 people dead and many others injured!

Early on Sunday 23, October 2011, Kenyan troops pushed into Somalia in a bid to crush Al Shabaab insurgents whom it claims are responsible for killings, abductions and kidnapping of foreigners on its soil! On 11 September 2011, a British tourist at a beach resort north of Lamu in Kenya, near the Kenya-Somali border, was killed and his wife kidnapped! Three weeks later on 1 October, heavily armed men believed to be Al Shabaab operatives abducted a French woman from Kenya and took her to Somalia. And a few days later on 13th of the same month, gunmen kidnapped two Spanish doctors from a Kenya refugee camp and disappeared with them into Somalia!

And On 20 October 2011, Al Shabaab claimed to have killed 80 AMISOM troops in a fierce battle at the outskirts of Mogadishu! But AMISOM said the number of its soldiers killed in the battle were 10. Then on 24 October 2011, two grenade attacks carried out by Al Shabaab in Nairobi killed one person and left many others injured.
This brief history of the Somali war shows clearly how dangerous Al Shabaab is to the peace and stability of the East African region. So the daunting task we are facing right now is how to defeat Al Shabaab. As I said above Al Shabaab is a hard nut to crack and can metamorphose into anything leaving the troops pursuing it puzzled!

This is confirmed by Colonel Cyrus Oguna of Kenya armed forces in an article, “ Al Shabaab change of tack may prolong the war in Somalia,” carried by the Kenyan news paper Daily Nation of 13 November 2011. According to the article, “Colonel Cyrus Oguna said Al Shabaab were now operating in groups of two to five…

The new reality means that the group has been forced to melt into the population and operate in small groups, making it harder to launch air strikes against them….The militia has also abandoned their uniforms…making it difficult to identify them.”
In my opinion the most dangerous and deadliest weapon which has kept Al Shabaab in existence to this day, is not the gun, the grenade or the explosives it has in store, but the young people who are easily available for its recruitment progamme! The unemployed youth both educated and uneducated who swarm in their millions throughout East African, provide the fighters which Al Shabaab needs in order to survive!

The following statistics give us an idea of how bad the situation of youth unemployment in East Africa is. In article, “Unemployment worries Minister,” posted by allAfrica.com, Ugandan Minister Eriya Kategaya, “pointed out that 80% of all graduates naturally, fail to secure employment after their studies.” In another article entitled, “Arresting Youth Unemployment At Once Should be Priority, Here’s How,” posted by allAfrica.com, we read, “An unemployment rate of 40 per cent with the youth at the receiving end should scare any right-thinking citizen. It means approximately 16 million Kenyans [out of a population of 40 million] have no means of generating income, and that over 10 million are aged between 18 and 30.”

It is a basic and fundamental human need and right to have a job and so earn one’s living. This means, unemployment has grave effects and consequences on any given human being! Unemployment dehumanizes us because we cannot meet our basic needs! And this leads to depression and other psychological problems. But when we are employed and earn a decent sarary, our self esteem is raised and we feel good about ourselves! In other words, our life is psychologically balanced!

So, many unemployed youth in East Africa would find joining Al Shabaab very attractive. Because by so doing, one becomes employed as a soldier, as a fighter and is well paid! This is better than sitting at home in unending misery of unemployment!

East Africa governments are aware of the problem of youth unemployment and the great threat it poses to the religion. Recently Kayihura the Inspector General of Police in Uganda expressed his fears about the dangers posed by the high rate of unemployment among the youth. In an article, “High unemployment rate worries Kayihura” posted on 1 November 2011, by the Ugandan newspaper, New vision, we thus read, “Kale Kayihura, the Inspector General of Police has expressed fear that the high rate of unemployment among the youth poses a great threat to the security of the country. He said due to unemployment the youth have become mercenaries who can be hired by anybody to cause unrest.”

In another article, “Inside Al-Shabaab Networks in Kenya,” posted by the Kenyan newspaper Daily Nation, on 29 October 2011, we read, “Hundreds of Kenyan youth have been recruited into Al Shabaab over the last six years in a process that has complicated efforts to tackle extremism in the region and which the government is now urgently seeking to reverse.”

So, in theory it is very easy and simple to defeat Al Shabaab because all that is needed is to created jobs for the youth and improve their socio-economic situation. But this imposes an obligation on the East African governments to invest heavily in the socio-economic projects of the young people. Unfortunately we do not see this happening! Where it has been tried corruption by government officials has brought youth projects to a halt!

In Uganda President Museveni put a very good programme in place, popularly known as “Prosperity for all” or “NAADS” to help all Ugandans improve their economic situation. But corruption by the officials in charge of the money is the biggest hindrance to its success! Museveni has therefore twice halted the release of this money because of corruption!
In an article, “Museveni stops NAADS funds again,” posted on 7 July 2010 by Sunrise, we read, “President Yoweri Museveni had for the second time halted the release of the NAADS funds…Museveni says the Ush120 billion allocated to NAADS for this financial year will only be release after thorough scrutiny of the projects and current beneficiaries of the programme… The President’s announcement follows wide spread complaints of financial impropriety, corruption and poor implementation of US$108 million project in various districts.”

The situation in neighbouring Kenya is no different! The government of Kenya put in place a programme populary known as “Kazi Kwa Vijan ” (KKV) in order to help the youth get out of poverty. But corruption has hindered its progress and success and brought it to a halt! In an article, “Kazi Kwa Vijana Scandal,” posted on 28 October 2011, we thus read, “It seems the phrase commonly used to describe the Kazi kwa Vijana (KKV), ‘Kazi kwa Vijana, Pesa kwa Wazee’ [meaning, work for the youth but money for those in big or high places/Elders], holds a lot of water. On Sunday this week, the papers revealed large-scale misappropriation of funds intended for the KKV project.”

And a report by Kenya’s Capital FM News, posted on 24 October 2011, says the following about the World Bank’s suspension of funds for the Kazi Kwa Vijana project : “The World Bank has cancelled the Sh4.3 billion project after and external audit revealed that officials at the Office of the Prime Minister had misappropriated the funds…The World Bank now wants a refund of the money spent so far…a World Bank financial management review found that millions of shillings meant for young Kenyans had instead been paid to a number of senior officials.”

All these reports demonstrated that Al Shabaab continues to exist and to cause unrest in the region partly because of corruption by some officials in our East African governments. These officials swindle the money meant for the socio-economic uplifting of the young people in the region, and in this way contribute to their joining of Al Shabaab in search of greener pastures!

So fighting Al Shabaab and defeating it, will involve among other things, fighting corruption in our East African countries. And this means arresting those corrupt officials and giving them heavy punishments including selling some of their property to get back the money meant for the youth.

Fighting corruption will ensure that the youth benefit from the money and projects meant for them. With their socio-economic situation improved, they will have no more reason to join Al Shabaab. And with reduced numbers of young people joining the militia, the fighting capacity of Al shabaab will be greatly reduced and it will eventually be defeated.

Dominic Vincent Nkoyoyo

Monastery Val Notre-Dame, Canada.

Frequently Asked Questions on the Church’s Veneration of Relics

2011-11-15T01:00:00.000-08:00

This year the Catholic Congregation of Salesians of Don Bosco will mark its 150th anniversary since foundation.
To mark the celebrations the relics of Don Bosco the founder of the congregation, will make a stop –over in East Africa, Kenya on their world wide pilgrimage to commemorate the anniversary. The relics will be in Kenya from December 1, to 7, 2011.

By Dr. Christopher Owczarek, Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA)

At the end of this year, relics of Don Bosco will make a stop-over in East Africa on their world-wide pilgrimage to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Salesian Congregation (1859–2009)--a Catholic order of priests and brothers spread in 130 countries and working in the field of education, especially among the poor youth —and to prepare for the bicentennial of the birth of Don Bosco (1815–2015).

It is in this context that we wish to deepen our understanding of this coming event by re-examining the biblical, theological and historical foundation of the veneration of the relics of saints in the Catholic Church.

In order to do so, we shall try to answer few relevant questions:

1) What are relics of Saints?

These are the material remains of the saints which are venerated as signs of their continued presence in the world. The word relic comes from the Latin reliquiae, meaning "remains" or "something left behind". They may be physical remains of a saint (a bone, a hair, skull, a limb, etc.), an item that the saint wore (a shirt, a glove, etc.) or an item that the saint owned or frequently used (a crucifix, rosary, a prayer book etc.) or even a piece of cloth that is attached to these.

2) Is the Veneration of the Relics peculiar to the Catholic Church?

The veneration of relics is, to some extent, a primitive instinct, and it is associated with many other religious systems besides that Christianity. At ancient Athens the supposed remains of ancient heroes, Oedipus and Theseus enjoyed an honour which it is very difficult to distinguish from a religious cult. Miracles and healing were only rarely attributed to them; rather, their presence protected the city, as the tomb of Oedipus was said to protect Athens. The tomb of Theseus became a sanctuary for runaway slaves and all men of low estate who were afraid of men in power.

In the Far East, the famous story of the distribution of the relics of Buddha, an incident which is believed to have taken place immediately after his death, seems to have found remarkable confirmation in certain modern archaeological discoveries. In any case the extreme development of relic-worship amongst the Buddhists of every sect is not in dispute.

3) Has the Catholic Church theologically justified pagan or, we can say, purely human practices and even developed them? Or, as the great Reformer Martin Luther maintained, is the worship of relics a money-making invention of the worldly Church that deserves condemnation?

We need to state this right away: the Church has not invented the veneration of relics, just as she has not invented the Incarnation of Christ and his Resurrection. As in the case of the Incarnation and Resurrection of Jesus, those who came to believe in him did so because of the overwhelming evidence of his supernatural power and presence even after his death. Similarly, in case of the relics, i.e., the material remains of the saints, the believers simply witnessed some extraordinary events associated with them.

During his ministry on earth, Jesus displayed his divine power through his word and touch. Even the clothes he wore, when approached with faith, could transmit his healing power. We read in the Gospel according to Luke 8:43-48: 43 And a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years and could not be healed by anyone, 44 came up behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment; and immediately her flow of blood ceased(Luke 8:43-48).

What happened to that woman was not just an isolated event, as the Gospel according to Mark (6:56) tells us: wherever he came, in villages, cities, or country, they laid the sick in the market places, and besought him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment; and as many as touched it were made well.

Jesus promised his disciples that those who believe in him would do the works he was doing and even greater then these (John 14:12: Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.)

This prophecy came true after the ascension of Jesus. In the New Testament we find the description of such great works in the life of the apostles Peter and Paul. We read in the Acts of the Apostles: (5:14-16) And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and pallets, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed. Then in 19:11-12: And God did extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.

If just a shadow cast by Peter’s body or a handkerchief that touched the body of Paul were bringing healing, this was a clear indication that their bodies were the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit and the divine power emanated from them. (Cf. 1 Cor 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God?). Christians expected that even after their death the time would come when their bodies would rise to everlasting life, transformed and glorified, but still their bodies (cf. 1 Cor 15:35-57). That is why, right from the beginning, they venerated the bodies of great apostles and martyrs and wished to be buried close to them in order to be raised together with them.

The early Fathers often quoted an event linked to Elisha’s bones in order to demonstrate the efficacy of the relics: “So Elisha died, and they buried him. Now bands of Moabites used to invade the land in the spring of the year. 21 And as a man was being buried, lo, a marauding band was seen and the man was cast into the grave of Elisha; and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood on his feet (2 Kings 13:20-21)”

4) What is the Catholic doctrine regarding the veneration of relics of the saints?

In fact, right from the beginning the Church strived to keep the use of relics in perspective. In his Letter to Riparius, St. Jerome (d. 420) wrote: “We do not worship, we do not adore, for fear that we should bow down to the creature rather than to the Creator, but we venerate the relics of the martyrs in order the better to adore Him whose martyrs they are.” St. Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) added: “We by no means consider the holy martyrs to be gods, nor are we wont to bow down before them adoringly, but only relatively and reverentially”.

The great medieval theologian, St. Thomas, had this to say regarding the relics: “Those who have an affection to any person hold in honour all that was intimately connected with him. Hence, while we love and venerate the saints who were so dear to God, we also venerate all that belonged to them, and particularly their bodies, which were once the temples of the Holy Spirit, and which are some day to be conformed to the glorious body of Jesus Christ. Whence also”, adds St. Thomas, “God fittingly does honour to such relics by performing miracles in their presence”.

The teaching of the Catholic Church with regard to the veneration of relics is summed up in a decree of the Council of Trent, which enjoins on bishops and other pastors to instruct their flocks that “the holy bodies of holy martyrs and of others now living with Christ—which bodies were the living members of Christ and ‘the temple of the Holy Ghost’ (1 Corinthians 6:19) and which are by Him to be raised to eternal life and to be glorified are to be venerated by the faithful, for through these [bodies] many benefits are bestowed by God on men…

As we can see, the argument in favour of the veneration of the relics is not a fruit of some complicated theological doctrine but it is based on the facts on the ground, namely, the miracles occurring when the relics of saints are approached with faith. In this way, the Incarnation aspect of Christian faith is manifested, that is, God continues to manifest his power through the agency of the material body.

The Big Bang of Inner Transformation: Voice of the Transcendent

2011-10-25T07:14:00.000-07:00

By Dominic Vincent Nkoyoyo*
After all the struggles and pains we go through in life, the shattering disappointments that sometimes bring us on the verge of despair, and after our successes in this world if any, the inevitable question is, ‘what next?’
This question is embodied and implied in every project, big or small, which we undertake!
This same question reveals also the limitations and weaknesses of our human powers and potential! For when we think of death, and ask, ‘what next?’ We come to a halt! Our cognitive and imaginative powers hit the wall! And all our psychic forces and capabilities, both conscious and unconscious, reach their extreme limits!

What lies beyond our earthly life is inconceivable! The very fact that we know neither the specific and decisive moment when we shall breath our last nor where and how we shall die, is enough to demonstrate that at a purely human level, we have no idea whatsoever of what lies beyond earthly life! If we knew that specific moment when we shall die, that would at least bring us very close to peering into the mystery of what lies beyond the grave!

And the fact of the decomposition of the human body at death, and the termination of all ordinary and normal communication with the dead, makes it even harder and more difficult to believe that there is life after death!
It demands therefore, consultation or getting in touch with an intelligence that is more powerful than ours, an intelligence that is omniscient to know what happens next after our death! In other words we have to get in contact with the Transcendent!

But does the Transcendent, the all knowing Intelligence exist? Being transcendent, being beyond all our psychic powers and ordinary experience, we have no scientific or experimental way of proving or refuting its existence!
And this leaves us with only three possible answers or solutions all of which are just matter of faith, namely: to believe that it exists, or that it does not exist, or that we just do not know whether or not it exists! This groups all human beings into three categories: the theists, the atheists and the agnostics! And no one has a right to condemn anybody for the position they hold! This is what we call freedom of conscience or religion or worship.

As for me, I situate myself in the camp or category of theists! I believe in the existence of the Transcendent! I acknowledge the presence of ‘The All Knowing Intelligence,’ active in each person’s life and in the universe at large! And this means that by getting in touch with it, this Transcendent and ‘All Knowing Intelligence,’ I can have at least a vague idea of what next, after our life here below!

But it is important that I share the reasons why I personally prefer theism to atheism and agnosticism! In other words, I have to answer the question, why theism appeals to me more than atheism and agnosticism. This is a long story and a search that has been tedious and sometimes very painful through the labyrinth of conflicting ideas, contradictory opinions and irreconcilable doctrines.

I was born to Roman Catholic parents. They were not very devoted Christians, but all the same they often went to Church, and we too their children followed. But this is not the reason why I believe in the existence of ‘The All Knowing and All Powerful Intelligence!’ For at some point during my youthful years, I had a terrible inner crisis that nearly forced me to abandon my faith and become an atheist!

In brief it happened like this, one day during my third year of philosophy in the Major Seminary, as I genuflected before the Blessed Sacrament, I was cast into the worst and darkest spiritual nightmare of my life! For the first time in my life I doubted the real presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

How could a whole person, a fully grown up human being that Jesus was, squeeze or compress himself and be contained in such a small host! I wondered. The doubt then extended to his historical existence. Did Jesus really exist? Could the Jesus story not be just one of the legends told from generation to generation? All these questions crossed my baffled and puzzled mind!

For the following three months I went to the library nearly every day and read books big and small, I read commentaries on the scriptures, theological and philosical books in search for a satisfactory answer to my questions. Unfortunately, I found none! But my conscious search for the Transcendent as a mature person had began.

Up until then I had taken Jesus Christ as the centre and meaning of my life, but here I was my faith in him totally shattered! And could find no answer to those deep questions about his historical existence and real presence in the Blessed Sacrament! So I decided that it was no longer meaningful for me to continue being a believer and a Christian!

It was therefore necessary for me to redirect my life! I had to take another path! And the path that my head proposed to me was to join the notorious army of Field Marshal Idi Amin Dada Ssalongo, CBE (Conquerer of British Empire) and Life President of Uganda! And my next move was to throw away my Bible and all the religious articles like the rosary and medals which I had in my possession.

Very soon the day for throwing away all these things that had become meaningless to me came. I gathered them and piled them on my table! But for reasons beyond my grasp when I looked at my Bible as it lay there on the table, I said to myself, «Before I throw away this Bible, let me open it for the very last time in my life!»
And a miracle I will never forget as long as I live, the miracle that saved my faith and so retained me in the camp of theists happened! For when I opened it, my eyes fell on (Jn. 14 :21) which reads : «Anybody who receives my commandments and keeps them will be one who loves me; and anybody who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I shall love him and reveal myself to him.»

When I read this verse, my heart told me not to abandon my faith. For Christ had promised to reveal himself to us! And all along what I had wanted was exactly that, to have just a glimpse of this Christ! And in a way I cannot explain, interiorly all the doubts that had assailed me about the real presence of the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and his historical existence vanished like smoke!

But even then, I am still just at the beginning of my search for the Transcendent. For I have not yet experienced that big bang of total inner transformation which those who clearly heard the Voice of the Transcendent underwent! Radical and profound changes in their lives clear not just to themselves, but to everybody!
The following are some of the great and prominent figures that underwent such a radical change after hearing the transforming Voice of the Transcendent:
Samuel: «Yahweh then came and stood by, calling as he had done before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Samuel answered, ‘Speak, Yahweh, your servant is listening’….
Samuel grew up and Yahweh was with him…and the word of Samuel went out to all Israel.» (1 Sam.3 :10-21. 4 :1)

St. Paul: St. Paul says this of himself, «You must have heard of my career as a practicing Jew, how merciless I was persecuting the Church of God, how much damage I did to it.» (Gal.1:13). But this same Paul on the road to Damascus heard the Voice of the Transcendent and a big bang of transformation took place in his life! And he became one of the greatest pillars of Christianity! In the Acts of the Apostles we thus read:

Suddenly, while he was travelling to Damascus and just before he reached the city, there came a light from heaven all round him. He fell to the ground, and he heard a voice saying, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ he asked, and the voice answered, ‘I am Jesus, and you are persecuting me….’(A/A.9 :3ff)

After hearing the Voice of the Transcendent, Paul’s life changed totally! He made a U-turn! The change was radical and visible! And everybody was astounded!

Blaise Pascal: This great French philosopher, mathematician and scientist, on the night of November 23, 1645, he had a big bang of inner transformation, a spiritual experience that completely changed his life! He heard the Voice, the Word of Jesus Christ and promised never to forget his Word! For at the end of the account of this experience which is called: Blaise Pascal’s night of fire, he wrote, «Total submission to Jesus Christ and my director. Everlasting joy in return for one day’s effort on earth. I will not forget thy word. Amen.»

After the night of fire, Pascal’s life radically changed and this was clear to all those who knew him! It was a real big bang of inner transformation! And from then on he spent most of his time not on Mathematics, Philosophy and Science, but on moral and spiritual matters.

*Dominic Vincent Nkoyoyo, Monastery Val Notre-Dame, Canada.

OPINION: "A Whole Generation Risks Being Lost"

2011-10-11T08:37:00.000-07:00

Cardinal Sarah on the Drought in East Africa

"A Whole Generation Risks Being Lost"

Here is the address given by Cardinal Robert Sarah, president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, at the press conference held on the severe drought and food crisis affecting the Horn of Africa. Cardinal Sarah is a native of Ourous, Guinea, located in West Africa.

* * *
Dear Friends,

This conference is one of information and updating; it is promoted by the Pontifical Council Cor Unum over which I preside, together with representatives of charitable organizations. We returned this morning from a meeting on the situation and the intervention of the Church in the Horn of Africa and we wish to share with you some information and considerations.

The issue is very dear to the Pope. He was among the first in the international realm who spoke about it last July 17. In the Wednesday General Audience of two days ago, he repeated his concern and his appeal to the international community.

Obviously, we speak for the Catholic Church. The speaker who follows me will give some more precise indications on the activities carried out and the projects to be realized. In a general way I can say that there was a strong involvement of the local Churches. The most involved locally were in Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti, which offered hospitality and help to the victims. Through Cor Unum, the Holy Father supported this effort with almost US$400,000 in the first interventions.
Then there were interventions of different organisms, which will be presented to you.

I do not want to forget that in several countries special collections were carried out in the churches, for us they are: Italy, Germany, Switzerland, France, Ireland and others.

The presence here of a delegate of the Archbishop of Canterbury speaks of the joint concern and joint effort of the Christian communities. A message will be read that the Archbishop himself sent for this occasion. It is a significant testimony of the charity that unites us and of which we are the bearers.

All this effort, moreover, speaks of the vitality that the faith produces and that is manifested in these fruits of sharing, of love, of compassion, of care for the other, of help and of promotion of the human person, regardless of the race or religion to which he belong. This action is a consequence stemming from our faith that becomes operative in love (cf. Galatians 5:6; DCE 31; 33).

As president of Cor Unum I would like to thank all the members of the Church for their commitment. I would also like to share henceforth three reflections, addressing myself also to those who are in the second line, namely all the people of good will who wish to do something, but who, because of the geographic and human distance of the humanitarian emergency and also not knowing what to do concretely, are induced slowly to forget the problem.

The Catholic Church will continue to do her part and will again seek collaboration with the other Christian communities to play an active part in resolving the humanitarian drama that is being consummated in the Horn of Africa. I address all the faithful, less they forget their brothers so tested. Today’s meeting states that the answer of the Church is unitary, although realized by different individuals, diocese, agencies, associations, missionaries and religious institutes. It responds to the Pope’s desire to witness the charity of Christ and of the whole Church to suffering man. Where man suffers, God is close.

I take up again the appeal of the Holy Father to the international community. Unfortunately, we often see that the mechanisms that govern international action are marked by the interests of individual nations. Prevailing are aspects of egoism also in international politics. We must allow ourselves to be inspired to carry out a policy that has the common good truly at heart. Only the quest for the common good makes it possible not to have winners and losers, executioners and victims, exploiters and hungry. A vision of man and of society should prevail where recognized in the economic value is the importance due to it, but not the ultimate decision on good and evil.

In the end, we must return to the heart of the question of development, which is education. In fact, what is at stake today in the Horn of Africa? What is the peculiarity of this humanitarian emergency? In it are all the tragic ingredients that are present in similar crises: a catastrophic event -- in this case the very long drought -- the lack of health infrastructure, the insufficiency of qualified personnel to manage emergency situations, political instability, corruption, the endemic poverty of the territory, the lack of work. But there is a particular thing that worries me, and risks jeopardizing the future of this part of the African continent, and it is this: the millions of dispersed people that are wandering in search of survival, who tomorrow will become fugitives, illegal immigrants without a homeland, people who do not have a home, a job, a community. A whole generation risks being lost.

In Africa, as everywhere in the world, a fundamental element that brings together a community of people is the school: where there is a school, where there is education, there is a possible future, there will be work tomorrow, families will be formed.

Therefore, I would like to make an appeal today, first of all to Christians: let us commit ourselves to build schools! Once this emergency is surmounted, we must intervene in formation. Here there is a special call for the Church, mother and educator as perhaps no other institution. Others perhaps are more adept and prepared to contribute to the reconstruction of houses and the health infrastructure necessary to render fitting the life of these millions of dispersed people. But we must be committed especially to education and the formation of upright consciences.
Henceforth I make an appeal: a school in every village! I say it as an African: let us unite in the effort to help the Horn of Africa to give education, instruction, and culture to its children!

I thank you.

OPINION: Excerpts From Interview with New Superior, Fr Joya

2011-10-04T08:35:00.000-07:00

Fr Hieronymus Joya has been elected the new Regional Superior of the Consolata Missionaries. He makes history as the first African to hold the office.

The following are excerpts from the interview with CISA.

Q: How do you feel now?

A: I do not feel worthy to be in the office but because of the overwhelming majority of confreres who voted, they saw something in me that they think will be of benefit to the congregation and the region. I am ready for the challenge and responsibility bestowed on him.

Q: Give a brief history of the Consolata Missionaries in the Kenyan Region

A: The region covers Kenya and Uganda and has a lot of history. The Dream of Blessed Joseph Allamano was to evangelise the Galla in Abysinia (Ethiopia). However, they could not be permitted to go in due to the influence of the Orthodox Church. Even today, our missionaries in Ethiopia are considered as social workers.

Bishop Perlo with two priest and two brothers were hosted by Chief karoli who decided that the missionaries should remain and work with his people. The Consolata were given the responsibility of working in the Northern Frontier specifically in the Larger Archdiocese of Nyeri.
There has been an enormous work by the Consolata since then and this is a very overwhelming responsibility for me.
This is the most dynamic region with multiple activities for there are four houses of formation: prepaedeutic with 26 students, Consolata Institute of philosophy with 57 students, Novitiate with 11 novices and 28 in theology at Allamano house, Lang’ata. The region has the highest number of vocations.

Q: Where are you working currently?

A: We work in 14 dioceses, 11 in Kenya and 3 in Uganda. We have 27 parishes and three centres of vocation animation. One in Uganda and two in Kenya. There are also several learning institution under the Consolata. Two charitable organisations Famili ya Ufariji for the rehabilitation of street kids and the St Mary’s village for the elderly and neglected women in Sagana.
We have missionaries working in special responsibilities within the dioceses like the administrators of the dioceses of Marsabit and Maralal, the resurrection garden and the Nazareth hospital.”

The region has over 120 professed active members and it is not easy to coordinate such a number.
The mind of the congregation treasures this region for it is offering a lot.

The life of the missionaries is influenced a lot by the society around where the missionaries are working. Some work in hardship areas and the superior has to coordinate all of them.

Q: What are some of your achievements so far?

A: Over 10 priests have been sent for further studies. This is for priests to be well educated and in touch with current affairs.
We have expanded to places where we had not been.

We have a very good rapport with all the bishops and superiors of other congregations.

The merger of Consolata institute of philosophy and Tangaza to Tangaza Consolata University. It is not yet formalised but is in advanced stages.
The setting up of the Consolata Media centre incorporating The Seed and Catholic Information Service for Africa, CISA, which are proving to be strong instruments of evangelisation through the print and soft media within Africa and beyond.

Currently young African missionaries are holding responsibilities and are giving a different touch of missionary work and service. Some of them include Fr Albert Kathare, Novice Master at Consolata Novitiate Sagana, Fr James Lengarin the parish priest at Consolata Shrine, Fr Caroli Ouma the principal of Consolata School, Fr Mark Gitonga Propaedeutic year, Fr Zachariah King’aru Consolata Seminary, Fr Mathews Odhiambo Allamano House and Fr Dan Mkado the Chief editor at Consolata Media Centre just to name a few.

Q: What are your future plans?

A: They include the setting up an inductive course for council members to brainstorm on the ideas of leadership, planning and management and on finance,

To reorganize activities of the region and our communities,

An ongoing formation where members are encouraged to study and update themselves regularly and to manage well our resources both human and financial and how to acquire more for better evangelisation.”

Q: What about challanges

A: The major challenges that lie ahead are;

Upholding the identity and charism as Consolata missionaries,

Progressive change of attitude and the way of doing things,

Living the spirit of interculturality and harmonise all the members to avoid any divisions
And inadequate resources both personnel and financial for sustainability.

Others are organisational and restructuring of all activities in order to guarantee offering quality service,
Offering quality service in the local church and institutions and adherence to directives, policies and laws of the church and state; the constitution of the Consolata missionaries, the cannon law the constitution of Kenya and Uganda.

Editors’ Note:

Fr Zachariah King'aru is the new Vice Regional Superir. Members of the council are Fr James Lengarin, Fr Nicholas Makau and Fr Tommaso Barbero.

Fr Joya has been the vice regional superior for the last three years. Previously he had been working in formation and as a parish priest.

SIERA LEONE, OPINION: Is There a Just God?

2011-09-27T08:48:00.000-07:00

Interview with Archbishop Edward Tamba Charles of Freetown

Sierra Leone is a small country on the western coast of Africa with a population of 5 million and a wealth of natural resources, including diamonds, gold, bauxite and iron ore.

The nation has recently emerged from a decade-long civil war, but it continues to struggle with the challenges of reconciliation and reconstruction.

The television program "Where God Weeps" on the Catholic Radio and Television Network (CRTN), in cooperation with Aid to the Church in Need, caught up with Archbishop Edward Tamba Charles of Freetown, and conducted the following interview.

Q: Your Excellency, upon your appointment you faced the daunting task of reconstruction and reconciliation after a decade long civil war which ended in 2002. Where do you begin?

Archbishop Charles: I agree with you that it is a daunting task and in the beginning we didn't know where to begin. My predecessor had already started and so I continue by way of rehabilitation of the structures, of lives by way of trauma healing and counseling as well as through peace education program in schools.

Q: Can you briefly tell us the root cause of the war?

Archbishop Charles: I will say here, first of all, what it was not. It was not a religious war; rather it was the usual African tribal war. It was greed for power. Some groups wanted to take over power and have access to the wealth of the country; the huge mineral resources we have. Injustice also played into that because some of the people who were treated badly joined one or the other of the fighting groups to avenge what was done to them. For example in some areas entire villages were wiped out. Later on, we were told, that was done by some people who felt that their own party was cheated during the election of chiefs. They thought everybody should lose so they went and burned villages.

Q: The war is uniquely recognized internationally as particularly brutal; the hacking off of legs and arms, but the population is peace loving. Can one say that the devil had his day? How can you explain this spiritually?

Archbishop Charles: This is one of the manifestations of the mystery of evil. Sometimes people who are good, peaceful and loving act in a manner that is difficult to explain and ours was such situation. Young people were forced to go out and commit atrocities against other people -- in most cases innocent people. Victims were shot, arms were amputated and pregnant women had their stomachs opened to know the sex of the child. It became a game among the young people because they were drugged by adults. And yet as you say, the majority of the Sierra Leoneans are peace loving. They hate violence in normal circumstances. So it is one of those manifestations of the mystery of evil that is difficult to explain.
Q: Where were you during this war?

Archbishop Charles: I was in Sierra Leone when the war stated in March 1991. And then I had to leave in the following June to come to Rome for my studies. I did five years in Rome. When I returned in September 1996, the war was ongoing, on account of which I couldn't go to my own region because the rebels captured the area and they were mining the diamonds. I couldn't go home for a long time. I saw part of the war and I was there until it ended.

Q: Was your family affected?

Archbishop Charles: Oh yes. Our entire village was burned down. My grandmother was killed. In talking about innocent people, she was one of those. She had nothing to do with power, or fighting, and yet she was gunned down. She was killed in her own room. The rest of the family fled to neighboring Guinea and they were in a refugee camp for many years until the war ended in 2002.

Q: How do you not cry out for justice? How do you not risk losing your faith when confronted with such senseless violence and evil? Do you not ask: Where is God?

Archbishop Charles: I agree with you that in such circumstances one is tempted to say: Is there a just God? But my deep faith as a Christian and I should add, as an African, I think that God is not responsible for this. This is one moment where we have to distinguish between the justice of God and the evil deeds of man; in this case it was not God. It was done by human beings. I blame the adults who gave hard drugs to young people to have them go out and commit atrocities so that the adults would get what they were looking for -- namely access to power.

Q: The victims and the perpetuators still live in the same society. How do you build reconciliation in this kind of an environment?

Archbishop Charles: Our sense of justice also leaves room for mercy. In fact, when the UN special court was proposed, many Sierra Leoneans felt it was not necessary because it would not bring back the dead, the amputees would not regain their limbs etc. It was felt that what had been done could not be undone and so what were they looking for? OK, those fellows who did it, some of them are with us, but as I've said, many of them did it because they were drugged by adults. Some of those adults have been brought before the special court for trial, some are still being tried.
What we are looking for is their re-integration and that we move on. Life must continue. Maybe somebody will say, "Well you Sierra Leoneans have a very strange sense of justice?" So be it, but we want to move on. Some of them are back to their villages. There were traditional processes of reconciliation. They asked for forgiveness and they have been accepted by society. Some of them are being incorporated into the police and the army and they are back to normal life.

Q: Is the Church participating in this reconciliation process?

Archbishop Charles: Yes, to ensure that it does not happen again and so we have peace education programs in our schools.

Q: What does this mean in a practical manner?

Archbishop Charles: Teaching children to relate to each other in a peaceful manner, to respect each other's rights and if there is a wrong, to be courageous enough to ask for forgiveness. We started it as a pilot program for Catholic schools -- primary, junior secondary and senior secondary. Now some of the communities are asking us to extend it to them. We are also running trauma healing programs for those who suffered terrible experiences during the war and who find it difficult to come to terms with this. So they are brought there and they are helped by way of counseling.

Q: Many of these are not necessarily Catholics or Christians? Some of these are also Muslims or other denominations as well?

Archbishop Charles: Indeed there are people of other religions. We do not have any problems relating to other religions in Sierra Leone. In fact, recently Sierra Leone was nominated as one of the, if not the first, country of religious tolerance. Maybe we should export it to other parts of the world. Yes, we live in peace. We relate to each other well both Muslims and Christian - Muslims are the majority - because many of us are from the same family background. This common cultural background is very helpful.

Q: The Church was also deeply affected: priests were killed, religious were killed. Can you tell us a little about this and how you re-construct after this period?

Archbishop Charles: We lost one priest, Father McAllister -- a Holy Ghost Father. We lost a Christian Brother. We lost four sisters of the Missionaries of Charity; sisters of Mother Teresa. We lost catechists and prayer leaders and thousands of church members.

Q: Was the Church a target or was it just a part the spectrum of random violence?

Archbishop Charles: I would say it was part of the violence; wanton destruction of life and property. The Church was not targeted as such because, as I said earlier, this was not a religious war.

Q: And yet every single church in your archdiocese was destroyed?

Archbishop Charles: Yes, we lost many churches, schools and clinics. Those that were not destroyed completely were rendered in a manner that made them useless.

Q: Your predecessor, Archbishop Ganda, understood that there were very few financial means and he suggested starting parishes with small businesses on the side: a farm, an ice-cream parlor, anything that could create self-sufficiency. Was it successful? Are you pursuing this strategy as well?

Archbishop Charles: The idea was fascinating, but not many people warmed to it, especially among the priests who were not used to business or farming, but I think we have to continue because the resources from overseas are drying up. I have gone around the world and I know that this is the way, the future of the Church. We are insisting on self-reliance as a way for the Church in Africa. We have no other option but to promote it.
That said, as I said earlier, not many people warmed to that and so the initiative now is to focus on a few of the parishes where there is enough land to farm. Some priests do this to subsidize whatever minimal subsidies they are receiving from the bishop. In the cities we have initiatives like restaurants, but it is not bringing us much yet. We hope to reorganize it to make sure it is profitable.

Q: To your pastoral priorities: You are confronting a wave of challenges ranging from church reconstruction, to evangelization, to young people. Where do you weigh your priorities?

Archbishop Charles: As you say it is a difficult choice, but I would put a premium on education and also on the support of the priests who are my first collaborators; priests who are in the parishes and future priests, so that we have many more laborers in the Lord's vineyard. Once you have that, then we begin to look at where to celebrate Mass. You see, in Africa, sometimes we celebrate our Masses beside a big tree, maybe from there we then move to a Church, but only when we can afford to build one.

Q: The young people; do they see hope in the Lord or Christianity, or is there disaffection?

Archbishop Charles: Perhaps there might be one or two young men or women who are really angry about the war and want to turn their back on God, but the majority are very religious. That is the one difference between us and the rest of the world -- Europe and America. Our churches are full of young people; actually they constitute the vitality of the Church. Since the war the churches are really full. People are coming back. In fact, in some places where the bishop started it, and I intend to continue, some of the churches have to be extended because they were built with a small congregation in mind. Since the war the numbers have increased and for an ordinary Sunday Mass, people are sitting outside. In some places they have to introduce a second or third Mass to accommodate the congregations.

Q: To what do you attribute this growth of the Church?

Archbishop Charles: It could be the hunger for God, which is very natural for us Africans. Christianity has helped us to build on that. We are a religious people and so we turn to God first when seeking solutions to our problems and so that may well be the reason why young people have gone to the Church after the war.
Also, during the war the Church stood by the people; priests were in displacement camps and myself I spent some time in a displacement camp ministering to people and burying some of the dead. I had a rickety pickup that I used, a kind of funeral van for carrying those who died and praying for them. Some of them were not even Catholics, but it didn't matter to me. They came to me: "Father we need your help," and so I did. That built up the credibility of the Church. One diocese even set up a Catholic mission for refugees in Guinea. They sent priests from Sierra Leone to go and minister to our refugee brothers and sisters in Guinea. The Church came out of it, I would say, with a high profile.

Q: The country is rich in mineral resources: Diamonds, gold and bauxite. Has this been a curse or blessing?

Archbishop Charles: A curse! As you know extractors all over the world leave behind so much destruction in terms of environmental damage and poverty, and the mineral resources in Sierra Leone have been no exception. The first diamonds were discovered in the 1930's in my own region, in the Kono district. Today there is no running water, there is no electricity, poor roads and those there are infested with holes left behind by both the mining companies and the rebels who, during the war, targeted that area because they wanted something they could use with which to buy weapons. They destroyed many villages, deliberately destroying the buildings because they wanted to establish an open mining field from which to be able to extract the diamonds to buy weapons. You know the film "Blood Diamonds?" This attempts to give you a picture of what happened: different groups were selling weapons to both sides -- the rebels and the government -- in exchange for diamonds.

Q: How do you change this curse to a blessing?

Archbishop Charles: Well, we need good laws, but above all a machinery to ensure that the policies are well implemented. I think that this is where the problem is for the third world. It's one thing to make a good law, but it is quite another thing implementing it because some multinational companies have ways of manipulating the system to ensure that they get what they want and, in some places if they require it, even to ferment conflicts to ensure that they get access to the mining areas.

Q: That's a big statement?

Archbishop Charles: It is a big statement, and it is happening in Eastern Congo.

Q: Your Episcopal motto is: Duc in Altum. How do you live your Episcopal motto today in Sierra Leone?

Archbishop Charles: First of all I must say it is a statement of trust and confidence. You know the story about Peter. Peter toiled the whole night and caught nothing, and the Lord told him: "Go out there and throw your net into the deep." Peter initially, in his usual manner, protested, but when he did he caught a huge catch. I thought it would be a good model for me. First of all I had no intention of becoming a bishop and so when I was appointed, you know…

Q: It wasn't your choice…

Archbishop Charles: No, so I needed something to hold on to and Pope John Paul II used that expression. Many times when I was in Rome and afterward I thought it would be fine for me. So that is why I chose it as my episcopal motto. It requires of me to trust in the Lord. In the final analysis it is the Lord's work. It is not a question of waiting until I have all the means available to me. I must do the little I can trusting in the Lord. Sometimes I have had experiences that convinced me that was a good choice because some days you are not so sure. You wake up and you are not sure which direction to take but then the Lord presents you an opportunity and you do something useful for the people.

Q: What would you ask of the people around the world?

Archbishop Charles: To ask them to pray for us first of all; secondly I want to assure them of our own prayers. It saddens us in the newly established churches to see that the churches that have contributed and are still contributing to our sustenance are losing the dynamism they used to have. Some of the churches are empty. There are no vocations. Parishes are being closed and it saddens us. So we pray that the faith may not be lost. So that is my hope and prayer for them and perhaps in the future they will be courageous enough to accept missionaries from those churches they have built in Africa, Asia and around the world. That is my message to them.
* * *

This interview was conducted by Mark Riedemann for "Where God Weeps," a weekly TV & radio show produced by Catholic Radio & Television Network in conjunction with the internation Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need.

OPINION: Pan African Church Comes to Kenya

2011-09-09T08:29:00.000-07:00

Nairobi will become the heart of World Wide Marriage Encounter during the month of September 2011. First, there will be the Panaf (African regional secretariat) meeting which will be held at St Therese Girls training center in Karen between September 12 to 18.

His Eminence John Cardinal Njue will preside over the opening mass to be celebrated at 10am on September 12. Secondly, the International Ecclesial Team (IET) Tony and Cathy Witzak with Fr Emile from the USA who are the current head of the movement world wide will be offering a new enrichment program to the African region on 9th and 10th titled ‘Love and Respect’.

The events will reach their climax with the celebration of a community mass to be held at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church at Ongata Rongai at 10am Sunday the September 18. The fifteen African countries who embrace the movement will be represented each by their ecclesial teams comprising of a couple and a priest.

Each of our 17 dioceses embracing the movement will be represented during this mass, which will be presided by His grace Archbishop Boniface Lele of Mombasa Archdiocese.
The theme of the Nairobi meeting is “COMMITMENT THAT LEADS TO EVANGELIZATION”

But what is this movement called World Wide Marriage Encounter?

Many of us in the church today must have had of World Wide Marriage Encounter. This is a lay movement that enjoins the two sacraments of matrimony and the Holy orders with a mission to evangelize love as per Christ’s commandment “Love One Another as I have loved you” John 15:12. The movement promotes the growth of spousal love based on perpetual decisions to love in order to be loved. It is open to married couples, priests and religious.

The Servant of God, his holiness the late Pope John Paul the II while addressing a gathering in 1998 remarked; “I place much of my hope for the future in Marriage Encounter”.

The movement strongly believes that the church of Christ is firmly founded at home, the small church and hence the building of strong faithful homes is key to strengthening faith and evangelization. Once the family is evangelized, the whole church is evangelized.

The movement is 50 years now since the 1960’s when the Spanish Jesuit priest Fr Gabriel Calvo initiated special talks to his parish parents in an effort to contain the source of many street children who kept flocking to his parish in need of food, love and comfort that they lacked at their parents homes. The talks had dramatic effects on couples involved and changed their homes to be havens of love for both themselves and their children. They became popular in other parishes and were later to spread to English speaking America and Europe.

In Kenya, the movement is here courtesy of the late Michael Cardinal Maurice Otunga who experienced his weekend in America during the 1975 Eucharistic Congress in Philadelphia. He was so touched with the experience that he decided that it was good for the church in Kenya. Indeed, he worked so hard that in 1978, he brought in some Irish couples with their children and priests who pitched camp in Kenya for three months to train Kenyan facilitators. Since then, the movement has grown from the Archdiocese of Nairobi and it is now to be found in 17 diocese.

Encountered couples are to be found across all spheres of our church and they give testimony to harmonious relationship that is warm and fulfilled. Encountered couples and priests have one thing in common; they have endless love for one another and are strong pillars and source of evangelization. Their unique system of daily dialoguing technique enables them to have a systematic method of resolving any emerging issues before them and turn their differences into opportunities of building their togetherness.

It is a system that enables the couples to reflect deeply on the worldly way of living differently as they are equipped with the Godly plan of matrimony based on the gospel teachings which must be lived daily. The couples becomes the sacraments to each other on a daily basis. The priests and religious are able to see the sacraments through the eyes of the married couples and hence understands in a different dimension the meaning of matrimony. They also understand the interpersonal relationship which they encounter in their own parish houses, community houses or the parishioners themselves.

It becomes a wonderful opportunity for them. To use the words of Prof James Dobson “…it proved to be one of the highlights of my life. I just wish that everyone who trusts my opinion would now accept this advise; attend a Marriage Encounter Weekend at the earliest opportunity”.

World Wide Marriage Encounter in Kenya has sponsored the inception of the International Engaged Encounter, a complimentary movement for premarital counseling which ideally should be experienced by all Christians before sacramental marriage. We have also sponsored the Retrouvaille movement to take care of our hurting marriages.

By becoming hosts to this important conference, it is our hope and desire that the whole of our church will become more aware of evangelizing the family. We are called upon individually to play our part in bringing the plan of God for our lives a little closer to others by playing our roles fully. Let us welcome our guests with open hands and hearts.

OPINION: The Roman Missal, Enriching it With a Touch of African Culture

2011-09-06T23:31:00.000-07:00

At the level of song and dance, no one can doubt that the Roman Catholic Liturgy in Africa today, has a visible and irreversible touch of the African culture! So my thanks and gratitude to all those (musicians, composers, religious, laity, priests and Bishops) who have made this possible.

Another great breakthrough and landmark in the field of Africanisation in recent years has been the publication of the African Bible! Although the main text is the New American Bible translation, the introductions and comments place it in today’s African context.

But there is still another big, heavy and daunting task ahead, which deserves and demands all our attention, skill and energy, namely: The Africanisation of the Roman Missal! And this is much more than a mere good translation of the Missal into African languages like: Kiswahili, Luo, Luganda, Kikuyu etc! It should touch the soul and heart of the African people! In other words, it should reflect as much as possible all the essential elements and values of the African world view which are not contrary to the Gospel! It should also reflect the concrete socio-political and economic reality of the African continent!

The Roman Missal is the Church’s official document, which contains authorised prayers and texts for the liturgy of the Roman Rite. Therefore, this document plays a very important role in the life of the Church, and in the life of every catholic Christian! We use the document for the celebration of Mass. And the Vatican II document on the Sacred Liturgy (N°10) has this to say stressing the importance of the liturgy : The liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; at the same time it is the fountain from which all her power flow.

So given the centrality of the Roman Missal in the life of the Christians, to be as meaningful and effective as possible, it should be presented to the faithful within their cultural context! In addition, as I have mentioned above, in Africa, it should touch the soul, heart and concrete life of the African people.

The third and revised edition of the Roman Missal is already out and on sell! It is result of 10-years’ work! Mother Church in her wisdom leaves room for adaption and adjustments of the Roman Missal! And the Vatican II document on the Sacred Liturgy recommends and encourages such adaptations and adjustments! It thus says:

It is the goal of this most sacred Council to intensify the daily growth of Catholics in Christian living; to make more responsive to the requirements of our times those Church observances which are open to adaptation; to nurture whatever can contribute to the unity of all who believe in Christ; and to strengthen those aspects of the Church which can help summon all mankind into her embrace. Hence the Council has special reasons for judging it a duty to provide for the renewal and fostering of the liturgy. (Sacrosanctum Concilium No° 1).

And the document adds something very important saying : The Council also desires that, where necessary the rites be carefully and thoroughly revised in the light of sound tradition, and that they be given new vigor to meet the circumstances and needs of modern times. (Sacrosanctum Concilium No° 4) So with adaptations and adjustments to this new edition of the Roman Missal, the Church in Africa should be able to produce an Afro-Roman Missal acceptable to the Holy See.

I propose the following to be part of the adaptations and adjustments :

Inclusion of the ancestors in the Afro-Roman Missal. Ancestors are an essential and integral part of the African perception of reality! Their reverence and veneration is engraved upon the African soul! And they play an active and important role in people’s daily lives! Blessings, joys and curses in one’s life are generally interpreted and understood against the backdrop of ancestors!

In addition, ancestors provide the most powerful symbol of eternal life in the African culture! Africans have no need for philosophical proofs for the immortality of soul and for life after death which occupy a big place in western thought!
The ancestors also symbolise the union between the living and the dead! These are all good reasons for their inclusion in the Afro-Roman Missal! And it should be remembered that celebration of Mass, is celebration of the passion, death and resurrection of the Lord. It is celebration of eternal life! And this celebration unites both the living and the dead. That is, the pilgrim Church on earth and the saints in heaven!

To the inevitable question: Where exactly should the ancestors be inserted in the Afro- Roman Missal? I proposed that they be inserted between the introductory rites and the penitential rite. And this part of the Mass should be called: The Ancestors Invocation Rite! This place fits them because generally in African traditional worship, ancestors are invoked at the beginning of the ceremony.

The prayer of invocation of ancestors could be formulated along the following lines : Almighty God, Lord of endless ages, without beginning or end, creator of heaven and earth, and all they contain, Ruler of the spirits in the skies above, in the waters below, in the forests, thickets and rocks, Lord of life and death, God of our great, great ancestors Abraham, Isaac and Moses; God of the ancestors our African continent : St. Augustine of Hipo, St. Monica, the Uganda martyrs (Charles Lwanga and his companions,) Bakhita, (other African Saints can be added), God of the ancestors of our clans, men and women, our grandparents, parents and relatives who a lived a holy life before your eyes, we beseech you to let them come down from the heavens above, bringing with them all your blessings; and join us in giving glory and thanks to your name. This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit now and forever. Amen!

The normal penitential rite should follow the ancestor’s invocation rite, but which in my opinion should be said when we are on our knees whenever possible! The symbolism of kneeling would make this rite more meaningful to the African congregation. For in Africa you cannot ask for forgiveness of your wrong doing from the king or chief while standing! You go down on your knees or prostrate yourself to do this! And God is the King of Kings, Chief of chiefs!

In the Afro-Roman Missal, a little adjustment could be done on formula one of the penitential rite. Its first part should thus read: I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, the living and dead, that I have sinned through my own fault. This will provide an occasion of reconciliation for members of the congregation who wanted to reconcile themselves with some people, but who unfortunately died, before this reconciliation could take place.

We should also have an Afro-Eucharistic prayer addressing the deep rooted socio-political problems of the African continent, namely : Tribalism or negative ethnicity, witchcraft, racism corruption and poverty. The 1994 Rwanda genocide, the 2007-2008 Kenya political and ethnic violence, and the independence of South Sudan from North Sudan, are all vivid reminders of these problems. Just a little adjustment of our usual Eucharistic prayer II can serve this purpose!

So after the prayer of consecration, the part that starts with, ‘In memory of his death and…..’ should be adjusted and thus read: In memory of his death and resurrection, we offer you, Father, this life-giving bread, this saving cup. We thank you for counting us worthy to stand in your presence and serve you. And we ask you Lord God of mercy and love to save and set us free from the dark forces of witchcraft, tribalism, racism, corruption and poverty. So that all of us who share in the body and blood of Christ and the rest of his children be brought together in unity by the Holy Spirit. We should call this Eucharistic prayer II with its adaptations: The Afro-Eucharistic prayer.

I also propose that some of the great African Traditional Prayers be integrated into the Afro-Roman Missal as: opening, offertory or prayers after communion, etc! Here are some examples of those great prayers, all taken from the article: African Traditional Prayers – Love Peace and Harmony:

In the beginning was God,
Today is God,
Tomorrow will be God.
Who can make an image of God?
He has no body.
He is the word that comes out of your mouth.
The word!
It is no more,
It is past, and still it lives!
So is God. ( African-Pygmy)

Oludumare, oh Divine One! I give thanks
To You, the one who is as near as my heartbeat, and more anticipated than my next breath.
Let Your wisdom become one with this vessel as I lift my voice in thanks and love. (African-Yoruban)
To our Gods [God] of old, we bless the ground
That you tread in search of our freedom!
We bless your presence in our lives and in our hearts!
Take this offering to your delight,
And be filled with our prayers of thanksgiving!
May our lives remain as full as our hearts on this day! (African-Yoruban)
Praise ye, Ngai…Peace be with us.
Say that the elders may have wisdom and speak with one voice. Peace be with us.
Say that the country may have tranquility. Peace be with us.
And the people may continue to increase. Peace be with us.
Say that the people and the flock and herds,
may prosper and free from illness. Peace be with us.
Say that the fields may bear much fruit,
and the land continue to be fertile. Peace be with us.
May peace reign over earth,
may the gourds cup agree with vessel. Peace be with us.
May their heads agree and every ill word be driven out
into the wilderness, into the virgin forest.
Praise ye, Ngai…Peace be with us. (African-Kikuyu of Kenya)
With such adaptations and adjustments, the Afro- Roman Missal will speak to the heart of hearts of the African people! It will touch the greatest depth of their being!

Dominic Vincent Nkoyoyo

Monastery Val Notre-Dame, Canada.

Abolition of Death Penalty

2011-08-23T05:41:00.000-07:00

In a recent meeting, the representatives of East African judges rejected calls from the international organisations to formally abolish death penalty. Other judges within Kenya found themselves divided on whether to maintain or abolish death penalty. Those in favour of keeping the capital punishment are posing the question “whose right to life is to be defended; that of the already killed victim or of the live aggressor?

The United Nations is in favour of a moratorium on the death penalty whereby the executions are suspended in view of total abolition. Although most of the countries in the world have not officially abolished the law, they no longer practice death sentence or if it is done very rarely (cf. Evangelium Vitae n. 56). Although the Catholic church does not exclude the possibility of the extreme way of punishing capital offences if this is the only way to defend other lives against the aggressor, it has nevertheless defended the right to life of every person and advocated for non lethal means to punish capital offences, which are more in conformity with human dignity and in line with the conditions of common good (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church n. 2266-2267).

A non governmental Organization in Italy called “Hands off Cain” (in Italian Nessuno Tocchi Caino), initiated in the early 90’ the movement of suspension of death sentence and war against torture in general. The name of this association originates from the Biblical verse in the book of Genesis 4:15, whereby God put a mark on Cain so that nobody would kill him. Cain who killed his brother Abel out of jealousy was well aware that his burden was greater than he could bear and that people would be looking for his blood. However, God decided to protect the murderer saying that whoever kills Cain will suffer a sevenfold vengeance.
Is this not a clear indication that nobody really deserves death penalty, not because the crime committed is not capital, but simply because there is nothing or no punishment which can equal the crime of death of another person. I think a life lost in crime like murder can only be paid not by eliminating another life through death sentence, but by maintaining another life so that throughout his or her life one can repay through penance and other forms of punishment.

Those advocating for the death penalty instead seem to follow the law of an eye for an eye. Although they don’t quote the bible it can be traced in Genesis 9:6, where God speaks to Noah and tells him that he who sheds blood of man, shall by man his blood be shed. By this statement God however wants to stress how important and valuable human life is. This can be seen in the prohibitions (do not kill) found not only in Deuteronomy 5:17 and Exodus 20:13, but also in Mathew 5:21, among other biblical texts.

Article 26 § 1 of the Kenyan constitution states that every person has right to life. Although § 3 of the same article says that except to the extend authorised by the same constitution or any other law, it does not mean that such a law that might permit killing is a just law. We need to look at the objectives of punishment. It is meant to expiate one’s offences, to preserve public order and safety and as medicinal scope to correct the offender. It is obvious that when the person’s life is eliminated, some of the goals mentioned above won’t be effected. Preservation of public order and safety may be maintained by the aggressor’s death, but it is not guaranteed that such other persons capable of committing similar crimes are not still at large. And it might be impossible to eliminate each and every one who threatens public order and offends fundamental human rights. The circle will be too vicious if we have to apply an eye for an eye or a tooth for a tooth rule to every capital offence. Even when the universal declaration of human rights (UDHR) defends the right of every person, it states in article 1 that all human beings are equal in dignity and rights. This implies that even the person who murders another has the same right to life, regardless of the offence committed. While article 3 of the same UDHR defends security of every person, article 5 prohibits acts torture, cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment and punishment. With death penalty we can no longer talk of punishment, but revenge.

This is what precisely God meant by saying that whoever kills Cain will have sevenfold vengeance. Whoever then executes another person because he has committed a capital offence will also have to face the same charge. He is also going against the right to life of the other person (a murderer). As I pointed out, the vicious circle will be endless and the injustice great. Nowadays there are new technological ways of administering death penalty unlike the traditional head chopping or hangman. Nevertheless this does not lessen the gravity of the offence. All those involved in administering such punishment in countries whereby this is still practised, have a right to objection of conscious. This means they can pronounce against the act of killing someone if this goes against their inner voice: not simply as a personal matter, but against natural law of preservation of life, which is also prohibited by divine law.

Looking at the world records between 2010 up to at least July 2011, there is a positive evolution towards abolition of capital punishment. The number of countries/states practising it has gone down compared to the past years. In Africa, death penalty was executed by 6 countries in 2010 namely; Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea and Botswana. Recently it has been eliminated in Burundi, Rwanda, Cȏte d’Ivoire, Senegal etc. Asia remains the continent with the highest number of executions. In 2009 president Mwai Kibaki announced that the Kenyan government was commuting all death sentences to life in prison, a move which was seen to reduce by a fifth the total number of prisoners in the world facing the execution. What the East African judges are proposing now is a setback.

Kenya should be looking forward to officially eliminate death sentence after it took the move not to carry out the sentence, which in effect has not been done since 1983. Kenya should focus more on justice as pertains to non capital offences than putting into action the already dormant law of death punishment. It should actualize the moratorium favoured by majority of the nations because it is in line with the dignity the human person and in defence of his rights.

Death penalty can’t be termed as such like legitimate defence which needs to be an actual defence in the here and now action. When the officers in charge of security come across such concrete cases where the public need to be defended, unintentional killing may be viewed as legitimate self defence, if that was the only option to disarm the aggressor. However, when death penalty is executed it is not as a means to punish someone, but it becomes an end on its own. The end of capital punishment is the elimination of the culprit (killing). This does not neither guarantee that the crime committed will end nor give a chance to the person to amend his life. Life imprisonment seems to make sense as the society is free from the aggressors, yet at the same time the prisoners have time to reflect on their past life. Not all of them repent as seen by those who still organize other crimes while in prison or those who escape from prison. But at least the fact that they are imprisoned for life is almost equivalent to being sentenced to death, without being killed by anybody. One just waits for the natural death as he or she continues to study, work, reconcile with the creator and those he offended.

BY FR PASCAL MWAMBI MWAKIO
Master’s degree student at the Faculty of Bioethics
REGINA APOSTOLORUM UNIVERSITY, ROME.

OPINION: Church Launches New Evangelisation: NASA Scientists Launch First Rocket to Jupiter, 600 Million KM away

2011-08-16T08:34:00.000-07:00

The launching of the first rocket ever to Jupiter by NASA scientists, demonstrates the technological stage on which Pope Benedict’s New Evangelisation plan is unfolding! And reveals some of the greatest challenges ahead! Challenges posed by advanced technology which appears to be out pacing by far, our theological reflection and thinking, leaving theologians gasping for breath!

At some point in history, we thought and believed that going to the moon, which is only 384, 000, Km away from the earth was a dream and an impossible task! But on 20 July 1969, Neil Armstrong stepped where no human had ever trodden! He set foot on the moon!

The apparently inexhaustible human intellectual powers are at it again! On 5 August 2011, NASA’s Juno spacecraft blasted off heading to Jupiter about 644 million kilometers way from the earth! It is a 5-year journey to the largest planet in the solar system! In terms of surface area, Jupiter is about 122 times bigger than the earth! In July 2016, Juno is expected to settle in the orbit around Jupiter!
In 2014, NASA will launch the James Webb Space Telescope, the most advanced and sophisticated space telescope of our time! It will study the birth and evolution of galaxies, and the formation of stars and planets. It will replace the Hubble Space Telescope.

All this reveals today’s complicated context in which God’s people for whom our Lord Jesus Christ died live. The context in which the Gospel, the Good News of salvation is to be proclaimed to all humans and to all creation! We are not living in the middle ages nor in the early 1900s! We in a world of highly advanced technology! We are in the digital age whose spiritual, moral, economic and socio-political challenges the New Evangelisation seeks to address and tackle!

The Pope is very conscious and aware of the technological and complex life situation in which we live today. And this is why he has given an important position and role to science and technology in his plan of the New Evangelisation as necessary tools at the service of the Word!

In his message for the 44th World Communication Day he thus said :
All priests have as their primary duty the proclamation of Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word of God,…

Responding adequately to this challenge amid today’s cultural shifts, to which young people are especially sensitive, necessarily involves using new communication technologies. … Priests stand at the threshold of a new era: as new technologies create deeper forms of relationship across greater distances, they are called to respond pastorally by putting the media ever more effectively at the service of the Word.

… Priests are thus challenged to proclaim the Gospel by employing the latest generation of audiovisual resources (images, videos, animated features, blogs, and websites)…

And on 21 September 2010, when he created the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelisation, it was revealed that one of its specific tasks was the study and promotion of the use of modern forms of communication, as tools for the New Evangelisation.

In our Community of Val Notre-Dame, our Superior Dom André Barbeau, shared with us his reflections on the Lineamenta for the Synod on the New Evangelisation. And from his sharing I discovered that this document too, discussed the technological and digital culture in which we live!

Reading the document myself, I found that chapter one in the section entitled: The Sectors Calling for the New Evangelisation discussed the extensive mixing of cultures due to today’s technological means of communication. The text thus says:
Although these means of social communications, in their initial stages, were limited to the industrialized world, they are now able to influence vast portions of the developing countries. Today, no place in the world is beyond reach and, consequently, unaffected by the media and digital culture which is fast becoming the ‘forum’ of public life and social interaction.

In my view, this section touches a very important issue, which deserves all our attention, namely: Science and technology in the life, thinking and theology of the Church today. And when the Pope requests and encourages the priests to proclaim the Gospel by employing the latest generation of audiovisual resources, we are for sure talking about technology in the life of the Church!

So at this point, I would like to give an answer to question number two at end of the introduction of this Lineamenta, which states:

In the process of discerning events in history, what should be shared with the universal Church, so that, by mutual listening to these happenings, the universal Church can recognize where the Spirit is leading her in the work of evangelization?

One of the most striking and amazing things in today’s world and which I would like to be shared with the universal Church, is the incredible speed at which science and technology are developing and advancing! All the time scientists are coming up with new discoveries and astounding findings, in addition to the newly developed scientific theories! So I would like the universal Church during the Synod on the New Evangelisation to ask herself whether or not her theological thinking is coping with the speed and pace at which science and technology are developing.

Are we for example able to integrate the developments in synthetic biology (e.g. the invention of artificial life or DNA, by Dr. Craig Venter and his team, and the invention of the artificial sperm by the Japanese scientists, etc.)? Some genetic scientists, from a mixture of human genes and animal genes are now creating being that are between humans and animals (human-animal hybrids) How is our theology tackling this?

In astrophysics, a theory has been advanced and supported in Stephen Hawking’s book the Grand Design that the universe created itself! This renders God as creator meaningless. How is our theology handling this? In particle physics we are at the level of subatomic particles like: quarks, photons, neutrinos, muons etc, is our present theology making use of this development in physics?

We have Bioethics, but science being so vast, I feel Bioethics is too limited to theologically handle all the material and findings from the different fields of science! So I think the Holy Spirit wants the Church at this point in its history to create a new body of experts who are at once scientists and theologians or at least men and women of faith, to theologically make use of the scientific and technological developments of our day! So I propose that a new Pontifical Academy be created for these experts! And I further propose that it be called: The Pontifical Academy of Techno-theology!

And by Techno-theology, I term I have coined, (techno, stands for technology) we should understand: A theology that uses scientific and technological discoveries of our time and modern scientific theories as its major material for reflection in light of the Gospel and our Christian faith. And it does so, inorder that theology may move at the same pace as science and technology.

So the proposed Pontifical Academy of Techno-theology should be a Sister Institute to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. And should be structured along the same lines of universality. Meaning, its members like those of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences should be of diverse racial, cultural and religious backgrounds, coming from different parts of the world. But what they should all have in common is faith in a Personal God and being experts in the natural sciences or technology.

This means members of this academy could be : Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, Jews etc, as is the case with the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. This would give us an opportunity to profit from the theological reflections of believing scientist who are not Christians!

But one could ask, if such an academy were created what exactly would be its contribution to the New Evangelisation? Given the fact that in today’s world especially in the West, young people generally, listen more to scientists than to religious leaders (Imams, Gurus, Pastors and Priests,) if the scientists who believe in God were brought together in such an academy, their strong voice as believers would touch many people’s hearts! Their voice would be strong instrument for the New Evangelisation plan.

I remember for example being touched very deeply by the faith testimonies of two great scientists of our time, Charles Townes (Nobel Physics Prize 1964) and William Phillips (Nobel Physics Prize 1997) published in a French magazine, Le Monde des Religions. (see, Le Monde des Religions, Janvier-Fevrier 2010 N°39 p.36-38.)

I believe and I am convinced that all these great scientists of our day, men and women of deep faith, are an indispensable tool for the New Evangelisation. Let us bring them together in a Pontifical Academy of Techno-theology and we shall live to see a changed world through their testimony of faith and theological reflections.
Dominic Vincent Nkoyoyo
Monastery Val Notre-Dame, Canada.

Science and Religion: Are the Wonders of the Digital Age here to Stay?

2011-08-09T06:15:00.000-07:00

The fruits of scientific research and the wonders of advanced technology are everywhere, tangible and visible to everybody! But are they here to stay? Are we sure future generations will live to see them and enjoy them?

The bicycles and motor vehicles on our roads, the trains on the rails, airplanes flying the vast skies above and rockets and satellites orbiting the outer space are all fruits of science and technology! The triumph of the human mind!

We are living in a technological and digital world! The mobile phone is now common even in the remote villages of Africa! The Internet, Facebook, Twitter etc, all these are fruits of science and technology, which have revolutionised human communication! And have bridged the enormous distances between us, turning the world into a global village!!

The human mind is constantly in search for knowledge! Even the poor people who never had a chance to go to school are searching for knowledge within their limits to cope with life and its daily challenges!

As for scientific researchers, they are spending sleepless nights in private, national and international laboratories and the Space laboratory trying to find the key and explanation to the mystery of the universe and the enigma of life!

Using advanced ground telescopes and sophisticated space-crafts like : Hubble Space Telescope and Spitzer Space Telescope, Astronomers and Astrophysicists have plunged into deep space to study the origins of the universe, the formation of stars, black holes etc! And Astrobiologists have joined them in search of the possibility of life on other planets beyond the earth!

A new French video called: Du Big Bag Au Vivant (which translates: From the Big Bag to life) is out! It discusses among other things: the galaxies, the planets, their sizes and the distances between them, the sun as a nuclear reactor, the spectacular explosion of a dying star (supernova), the beautiful colours of the stars, etc.

As I watched the unfolding of the marvels of the universe in this video, several questions crossed my mind, namely: What is the ultimate goal of our hunger, thirst and search for knowledge? In other words, what do we want to achieve as the very last and final goal of our scientific endeavours and struggles? And can science really survive without religion?

I call upon both the scientific community and the religious community to reflect seriously on these questions. And together formulate and articulate the ultimate goal of our scientific project and research. For experience shows that the knowledge obtained through our scientific and technological breakthroughs, can be used for both good and evil purposes!

Breakthroughs in the medical field, for example: the discovery of vaccines, antibiotics, and organ transplant, has led to the improvement of the quality of human life. But 11 September, 2001 will always be remembered as a day of unspeakable terror! The day, passenger jets, fruits of high technology, were turned into deadly weapons that crashed into the World Trade Centre and reduced it to a heap of ruins and ashes killing thousands of people.

So the possibility that we can wipe the whole human family out of existence by the knowledge we have obtained through scientific research and technological advancement is very real. Scientists, politicians, tycoons who finance scientific projects and religious leaders, should therefore urgently address this problem! And it should be a concern of everybody.

This threat of humanity’s possible self-destruction using the very knowledge we have struggle to obtain through scientific and technological research, in my opinion comes from five basic corners:
• Scientific fundamentalism
• Religious fanaticism, terrorism and intolerance
• Scientific secrecy and bitter rivalry
• Abandonment of ethical and moral principles in scientific research
• Militarisation of outer space

The stance or view held by some scientists which attributes absolutely no positive value to religion and intentionally and systematically seeks its eradication from society and from the human mind, is what I call, scientific fundamentalism!

For example, one of Britain’s leading scientists, Richard Dawkins who is described as: The UK’s Chief Atheist, has declared that religion is a delusion, incompatible with science. To this effect he wrote his now famous book: The God Delusion.

According to him: faith – belief that is not based on evidence – is one of the world’s great evils. And he compares religion to the virus of the mind which is difficult to eradicate!

But the eradication of religion seen as a virus, from the human mind, heart and society, will lead to a human disaster that will eventually bring about our total self destruction. The human race without God will for sure wipe itself out of existence!

What we call, religious fanaticism, terrorism and intolerance has been around since time immemorial! But what makes it so dangerous today is that religious fanatics have access to advanced weaponry technology! They are capable of constructing and assembling devastating bombs! And some already have in their possession sophisticated modern weapons of high tech!

And throughout the world we are witnessing almost at daily basis the heinous crimes committed by these religious fanatics: Muslims, Christians, Hindus etc, alike! They kill innocent people in the name of God or Allah! As they acquire more advanced technical know- how in weaponry construction, these people are capable of doing something that can wipe the entire human race out of existence!

Scientific secrecy and bitter rivalry! Some scientific research projects are in the realm and category of what is called: Top security secrets! An article in Idea Connection entitled: Secrecy in scientific research, states thus:

A considerable amount of scientific research is conducted in institutes or under contracts which preclude dissemination of the results to other than a select group. … Secrecy may be maintained either to gain a military advantage (in the case of defense research) or to gain commercial advantage (in the case of industrial research).
The same article adds: While secrecy in science may be necessary to protect the human race from damage or extinction, secrecy in science in order to increase private profits is morally indefensible.

I have the feeling that if we are not careful, this defense research and the rivalry between different nations, if not checked, might one day bring the human race to the doors of its extinction!

Abandonment of ethical and moral principles in scientific research is a reality we cannot deny! The dignity of the human person has been totally eroded in some scientific research projects! And this is a very dangerous move for the human family.

It has been discovered that some scientists have secretively created what is called, human-animal hybrids. They created embryos from a mixture of human and animal genes. This is totally unacceptable if we still have a sense of respect for the human person. And scientists of this kind, for whom human dignity means nothing, are surely capable of producing something in the laboratory that can wipe out the entire human family and release it out of the lab confinements!

An article posted on 25 July 2011 by Mail Online, entitled: 150 human animal hybrids grown in UK labs: Embryos have been produced secretively for the past three years, has this to say :

Scientists have created more than 150 human-animal hybrid embryos in British laboratories. …

The revelation comes a day after a committee of scientists warned of a night mare ‘Planet of Apes’ scenario in which work on human-animal creations goes too far.
Last night a campaigner against the excess of medical research said he was disgusted that scientists were ‘dabbling in the grotesque’.

Figures seen by the Daily Mail show that 155 ‘admixed’ embryos, containing both human and animal genetic material, have been created since the introduction of the 2008 Human Fertilisation Embryology Act.

Militarization of outer space! If we think, the end of the cold war ended the arms race, we are very deceived! It is still going on unabated and in ways that are more sophisticated than ever before! It is going on in the ocean depths below and in the outer space above!

This unabated arms race among Super powers is no good news! It puts the human race on its toes! Militarizing ocean depths, the earth’s surface and now the outer space above is a real cause for concern! It is an indication that we are constantly creating paths and possibilities, for humanity’s self-destruction!
In an article entitled: Chinese break own deep-water record, posted on 22 July 2011 by The Australian, we thus read:

A Chinese submersible conducted the country’s deepest dive ever Thursday in the latest milestone for China’s deep-sea ambitions as it seeks to exploit the vast resources of the ocean floor. … [Remember these deep-sea crafts have military capability also!]

Chinese technical capabilities have gathered pace in recent decades, exemplified by a fast growing space programme that in 2003 made China the third nation to conduct a manned space flight.

That we have already put military or weapon systems in space is no longer a secret. For many of the satellites orbiting the outer space are for military purposes! For example some of the operations (especially communication) of the deadly Apache helicopters can be done only with the help of satellites. And all the Super powers have satellites in space!

And the idea of space militarisation goes back to the 1960s. In his address to Rice University on 12 September 1962 President, John F. Kennedy had this to say:

Space science, like nuclear science and all technology, has no conscience of its own. Whether it will become a force for good or ill depends on man, and only if the United States occupies a position of preeminence can we help decide whether this new ocean will be a sea of peace or a new terrifying threat of war.

It is true: science, genetic engineering and technology have no conscience of their own! Whether we use them for good or ill depends on us. However, without religion, without God can we expect to use them for good?

The total moral bankruptcy and lack of respect for the human person, manifested by those scientists engaged in the creation of human-animal hybrids, reveal what science without God, without religion does! Destruction of the human being! Science guided by moral bankruptcy is a nightmare and a weapon of self-destruction. Science without religion cannot survive!

Without a conscience enlightened and guided by the Holy Spirit, we shall eventually destroy all the fruits of science and technology we have achieved so far! We shall put an end to the wonders of our digital age!

Dominic Vincent Nkoyoyo
Monastery Val Notre-Dame, Canada.

OPINION: The Tool Transforming Africa

2011-07-20T01:31:00.000-07:00

Father Mose Adekambi on the Bible as the Base of Social Change

Many Nigerians can quote the Bible from memory -- not because they have sat down with a Gospel and drilled the words into their heads. In a population that is only 68% literate, that is not the methodology for memorization. So where do Nigerians learn the Bible? At Mass. They have heard the word of God proclaimed in their churches and retained it in their hearts.

There is a hunger for the word of God in Africa, says Father Mose Adekambi, a diocesan priest from the Diocese of Porto Nuvue in Benin.

Father Adekambi entered the seminary as a youth with dreams of being a simple diocesan priest.

But with time and the encouragement of his bishop he was sent to Rome and became a Biblical scholar. Today, this knowledge and education is serving him well as he is the director of BICAM, the Biblical Center for Africa and Madagascar.

He is responsible for promoting awareness of the Bible throughout all of Africa.
Father Adekambi spoke with the television program "Where God Weeps" of the Catholic Radio and Television Network (CRTN) in cooperation with Aid to the Church in Need, about the Bible in Africa -- and how it is bringing about social change.

Q: Father Mose, before we start talking about your work in Arica with the promotion of the Bible, tell us a bit about yourself. When did you have a sense of your calling to be a priest?

Father Adekambi: I felt my vocation when I was around 12 -- in primary school. Like any other boys of my age at that time, I wanted to be many things in my life. I wanted to be a doctor. I wanted to be a judge. I wanted to be a teacher. I wanted even to be a priest because I would play pretend priest like many other boys of my age.

Q: Your parents had a background in traditional African religions. What was there reaction?

Father Adekambi: My parents became Catholic as adults. I was already born when my mother was baptized and was married in the Church. I grew up in a Catholic family because I received a Catholic education. One day I was wondering what I wanted to be and my mother said: "You do not know what you what to be exactly?" I think it was on that day that I decided to become a priest. Later on, during the last year of primary school, I had to choose whether to go to the secondary school or enter the minor seminary. I wrote to the first priest of Benin who is a cousin to my grandmother.

Q: The first native Benin priest is a cousin of your grandmother.

Father Adekambi: Yes, I wrote to him saying, "I want to be a priest like you." He wrote back and said: "For this year it is too late for you to enter the minor seminary because the list is already closed and the exam period has passed." Since I was a little bit stubborn, I then went to the parish priest and said I wanted to enter the seminary and he welcomed me and found a way for me to enter the minor seminary. I went then to inform my grandmother and told her that I wanted to be a priest like her brother. So these are the two figures behind my vocation. My mother who unwillingly pushed me to make a decision …

Q: … unwillingly, but when you made the decision there was joy in the family?

Father Adekambi: On the day of my ordination, Aug. 4, 1984, I publicly thanked my parents. And the reason is simple: I am the first-born and I am a man. I was aware that for them it was a big sacrifice, and I thanked them because they allowed me to be free. They never said, "Don't do it." They never said, "Do it." I knew that if I had quit it probably would have been a joy for them, so that is why I thanked them publicly for allowing me to be free to follow my choice despite the pain, which I know they endured.

Q: What is the greatest challenge to your priesthood, to your vocation?

Father Adekambi: To be available. When I decided to become a priest and during my ordination, I used the symbol of raining water. In my language, we have a saying: "Rain water is used carelessly and after that it is thrown away." In Africa, we use tap water and rainwater. I wanted to be available, like rainwater, to God and to my fellow brothers and sisters to meet their needs -- whatever that need may be. Rainwater is used to water flowers, to wash dishes, for the farm, for drinking, it is used for whatever you want. So for me "availability" is a great challenge as a priest -- doing what I don't want to do but what people want me to do …

Q: … and what people will ask of you.

Father Adekambi: Exactly, because that is where they need me and how they need me. It is not easy to give up one's desires, to give your liberty to others to serve in the way they want. I am fighting to be available, and in reading the Church Fathers there was one who particularly affected me. I think it was Alexander of Jerusalem who compared the Holy Spirit to raining water that adapts to each creature. He said that raining water is not the same for a palm tree. It is not the same for the mango tree, but rain always adapts itself to each creature on which it falls. So it became a second challenge for me -- to adapt myself to each person. I am of service just like Paul who said in 1 Corinthian 9: "To the Jews I became like a Jew to win over Jews; to those under the law I became like one under the law ... " and so on, but it is not easy.

Q: Why the focus on the Bible?

Father Adekambi: The focus on the Bible is due to the fact that the Church, especially the African bishops, discovered that there is no evangelization without the word of God. It became very clear that the word of God was not known and the people have a hunger and thirst for the word of God. For example Nigerian missionaries, bishops or priests, tell me Nigerians can often quote the Bible from memory. They have such great facility and love for the word of God. When it comes to Africa I can even tell you that we are more oriented to the word of God than to the book of the word of God.

Q: Why?

Father Adekambi: Precisely because our culture is mostly an oral culture. Let us say a great part of the people cannot read. If you wait for them to know how to read and write before you proclaim the word of God -- how will you do it? How long are you going to wait? So we need to consider that factor, the oral dimension of our culture. As I mentioned, people in Nigeria can quote the Bible precisely from hearing the word of God in the churches -- most of them retain it in their memory.
Q: Because of this oral tradition …

Father Adekambi: … oral tradition and don't forget that in the book of Deuteronomy, the word of God is supposed to be kept on the lips and then be kept in the heart.

Q: So why come back to the written word? Why come back to the Bible?

Father Adekambi: Somehow it is the visible word of God, in terms of sacramentality, it is the Book that is inspired. That is why the Book is important, but we should not emphasize only the Book because to have a larger meaning of the Word of God is even helpful in terms of theology; I always tell people that Chapter 6 is the last chapter preceded by five chapters on what I call the theology on the Word of God. So we need a theology of the Bible before a good apostolate of the Bible.

Q: Africa, as we know, has terrible social ills such as poverty, war, etc. Can the promotion of the Bible address some of these social ills and is this also part of your work?

Father Adekambi: The word of God can help a lot. Take the Letter of the Hebrews Chapter 4 in which it is stated that the word of God is a double-edged sword; it scrutinizes our inner thoughts. If you open yourself and are affected by the word of God, definitely, your bad intentions are challenged and it pushes you to conversion. I think our stance may be wrong. To date, when we talk about social issues in Africa we always talk about things that go wrong: the problem with our leaders, hatred and violence. What we need is what I call an objective approach; an object-centered approach.

Q: ... something in the heart.

Father Adekambi: Exactly, and to solve the problems of Africa we should concentrate on Africans, how they can change their hearts, their mentality. The word of God in that sense is wonderful for change precisely because it challenges us to conversion through many generations. In fact, in 2007, the biblical motto was: "Where is your brother?" Are we fighting against one another? Can we re-define in the image of God who is my brother? Only then do we learn a responsibility toward our brother. Then from this you move to Matthew Chapter 5, the love of enemies. This can help us in Africa. That is really our main concern. This is our workshop.

I would like to share with you what I saw following these workshops in Africa. When I visited Rwanda -- I go around to know what is happening in the country as part of this apostolate -- they told me: "Father, Bible sharing is good. The Bible helps us to reconcile."

Q: After the genocide?

Father Adekambi: And we should never forget that. In fact, also in South Africa during apartheid, the Bible did a lot in terms of reconciliation and helping people address social issues including apartheid and after apartheid for reconciliation and for the reconstruction of the country.

Q: So, for you the Bible and the reintroduction of the word of God, is a foundation on which to build a new society?

Father Adekambi: Exactly, I believe it. I'm convinced. That is my hope for Africa. It is my hope. It is my dream. It is a realized dream because I saw it in Rwanda. I saw it in South Africa. I saw it in Zambia where they have a program where the small Christian communities, at the lowest level, are really trying to get away from their old mentalities and thus changing the world around them by listening to the word of God and the social teaching of the Church.

Q: And putting it into practice?

Father Adekambi: Exactly. The biblical meaning of listening is putting it in practice. Otherwise, if you remember James: "Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves." So, we are supposed to listen, all of us.

* * *
This interview was conducted by Mark Riedemann for "Where God Weeps," a weekly television and radio show produced by Catholic Radio and Television Network in conjunction with the international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need.

OPINION: Genetic Modification

2011-07-15T05:14:00.000-07:00

GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS AND ORGANISMS AND THE PROBLEM OF HUNGER

We talk of genetic modification, genetic engineering or transgenic plants when there is a combination of genes from different organisms (recombinant DNA). The current debate in Kenya on importation of genetically modified maize to curb the problem of hunger is not without foundation.

Benefits from biological experiments has an advantage of increased production, formation of new vegetal species for the benefit of all and especially for the most in need. Since God the creator has mandated man to take care and govern the created, we can not but ask Him to direct the application of scientific research to produce new food supplies in order to combat the tragedy of hunger of the poor people in our country and other places in the world. Power of man to govern over the created and over nature proves his divine origin and thus he becomes a steward of God by developing and modifying nature in an honest, responsible manner and in solidarity with the present and future generations.

Most of us agree that fighting hunger is one of the common grounds of understanding among the world religions and other institutions. However, none of these can effectively address this problem alone without cooperation.

Breeding methods whether natural like cross pollination or manipulated ones like genetic engineering lead to a selection of crops with higher yields and higher nutritional values, thanks to DNA techniques. As population expands, new technology develops to improve food security in a manner that sees decreased labour intensiveness, decreased maturation, decreased pesticide use and increased production and income among others. While this can improve crop properties such as improved health of the plant itself, it is not automatic that there is such improved health or risk elimination to human beings who consume them.

Plant biotechnology has great potentiality to improve productivity, but can have setbacks in the developing countries due to purchasing costs, poor infrastructure and lack of capacity building. The so called developed countries have a duty (in the name of solidarity) to help the developing countries to attain sustainability of these technologies on their own soil.

As we talk of importing GMF (genetically modified foods) like maize, one wonders why we cannot be assisted to produce the same in our country by making available the seeds or by improving the already existing traditional methods. What is the point of helping somebody only to make him or her a beggar and perpetual dependant while there is a possibility to make him/her self reliant and independent.

Just to give an example of malaria which existed in some European countries some years back, and has since then been eliminated. Why should the poor African countries not be assisted to eliminate the mosquitoes transmitting the parasite. Is it genuine to continue producing mosquito nets, malaria drugs, researching for vaccines instead of revealing the secrets behind its eradication if this can work in Africa? The World Food Summit needs to revisit the strategies of food security by empowering local communities to manage for instance the seeds and water banks. If this technology is to serve man, the seeds produced in the laboratory should be made to reproduce even after harvest.

There could be economic motives behind intentionally making the seeds sterile to reproduction to ensure that farmers have to buy them every new season.
While the developed countries have solved the problem of fundamental right to food, our country (not poor as such in terms of resources) still lacks this stability. While some members of parliament want to deny the government revenue from taxes, the poor is struggling to get a meal, leave a lone a balanced diet which may only be attained after a whole week and in un even pattern. The government of Kenya should be the first to solve this problem by having equal distribution of recourses and wealth. And now that we have the new constitution, it is the government’s duty to educate people on their rights and corresponding duties, while the civil servants should be the first to respect the law.

The so called “Golden Rice” is an example of GE (genetically engineered) product which can make an important contribution to fight against serious eye diseases, respiratory and intestinal problems mostly affecting children and women. This rice is inserted with genes and bacterium to modify the grain with sufficient vitamin A potentials and irons. If this rice is approved, then nutrition is improved and mortality rates of the affected groups can be lowered. Apparently there has been a delay to its approval due to the regulation of such products not just for safety, but for other bureaucratic reasons too. The resistance to approve GE products has also to do with the war between GMO and products not modified genetically (organic products). Those producing and selling the organic ones fear loosing market since with high productivity of the GMO the prices go down. The rising cost and campaigns for the advantages of the organic products are justified for the labour/cost of production, originality and nutritional values especially the traditional and indigenous ones. Nevertheless, not all the products portrayed as such in the market are truly organic.

The rejection of GMO is not only in Kenya, but in other places too. In Europe there are restrictions to the importation of GMO not more so for the risks, but for absence of direct benefits to the continent unlike in Africa. In Africa there are more farmers even though the productivity is low while in Europe there are few farmers, but with high productivity. Resisting GMO in Africa is more costly since the effects due malnutrition, hunger and poverty are worse. Over regulation for a long period of time is disadvantageous to the poor and hungry. Those responsible for pre-market safety review for food products should use a reasonable amount of time to assure consumers before deploying the products for consumption. Although regulation is important, some modifications caused by combination of genes are unpredictable. The long term effects may also not be available at the moment. There is however a need to take a lot of precaution when it comes to the use of such products like maize by human beings. High risks must be avoided, zero risk may be almost impossible. However, no damage should be done to human values like health or life due to the unnecessary delays.

Although GMOs are feared for the potential harm to human health, damage to environment, negative impact on traditional farming practices, excessive corporate dominance and lack of free expression of preferences by farmers to employ the technology; it is nevertheless a threat to some politicians and the power elite. In developing countries despite chronic food shortage and poverty the above mentioned are concerned about protecting their export markets of organic products which supply them with money in stable countries, thus protecting their wealth and power. The debate on GMO therefore needs a wider view than we may imagine.

It could be useful to consider the new possibilities that are opening up through proper use of traditional as well as innovative farming techniques, always assuming that these have been judged, after sufficient testing, to be appropriate, safe for human health, respectful of environment and attentive to the needs of the most deprived peoples.

Fr Pascal Mwambi Mwakio
Holds a Masters for Bioethics
Rome, Italy.

OPINION: Celebration of Independence

2011-07-12T09:36:00.000-07:00

CELEBRATION OF INDEPENDENCE OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN

OPENING INVOCATION

AT FREEDOM SQUARE, RUMBEK

Honorable Leaders of Governments, Members of the Diplomatic Core, Non Government representatives, Dear Visitors and all of you my brothers and Sisters, I Invite you to collect your hearts in prayer.

LET US PRAY:

God of all Mercies , on this Independence Day of the new Republic of South Sudan, we humbly lift to you the loud supplications of Psalm 51 , Sung long ago by the chosen leader of your people, King David. LISTEN WITH PITY LORD, TO HIS AND OUR WORDS OF PRAYER:

“HAVE MERCY ON US , O GOD, IN YOUR KINDNESS.
GIVE HEALING SIGNS TO OUR NATION THAT YOU ARE NOT A GOD
WHO TAKES DELIGHT IN SACRIFICE BUT RATHER,
A GOD CALLING US YOUR PEOPLE TO NURTURE A HUMBLED
AND CONTRITE HEART, A PEOPLE THAT LISTENS AND OBEYS YOUR WORD.
GOD OF MERCY, IN YOUR GOODNESS, STAY WITH US
AND MAKE US ABLE TO REBUILD THE WALLS OF OUR JERUSALEM
WHICH IS OUR NEW REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN.”

We first of all CRY OUT TO YOU with David your King and all the Sudanese Martyrs, Patriots and Heroes:” Lord, You are not a God who takes delight in sacrifice. Yes, Lord, we have had enough sacrifices and blood poured in our land: 2 million Sudanese people killed in 22 long years of war, Hundreds and thousands of heroes, patriots and martyrs whose blood we lift to you today. Merciful GOD, bring all this inhuman sacrifice to an end. Sacrifice you do not want, BUT there is still dying , hunger, displacement and great human atrocities CAUSING PAIN in our land TODAY.

Enough suffering and sacrifice. As in the Old Testament you, Our God, have seen the pain of your people and had mercy on them. Once again, have mercy on your Sudanese people today and bring our suffering to an end. This is our beginning prayer.
Secondly, Lord, we surrender to you our contrite hearts. We sincerely repent for we are people in conflict, divided by greed, selfishness, revenge and violence toward your gift of life. YOU NEED TO TOUCH OUR SPIRITS WITH YOUR COMPASSIONATE DIVINE HAND “TO CHANGE OUR HEARTS FROM HEARTS OF STONES TO HEARTS OF FLESH”…. To make us able to forgive, as your Son has forgiven us, to make us become a people of reconciliation, because a divided nation cannot stand. Unite your Sudanese people in ONE NATION from every tongue, tribe and people.

With humble and contrite hearts our nation pledges TODAY to listen and obey your word, so that thegovernance our leaders, the WORDS AND THE SPIRIT of our Constitution AS WELL AS THE VOICE OF the conscience of every Sudanese will RECOGNIZE, RESPECT AND FULFILL Your Divine Law in our land.

And now,Lord, comes OUR commitment. With joy we thank you on Independence Day for the Grace of a New Nation and a wonderful motherland. We join hands with you our Father and with one another in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem , which IS our South Sudan.

 We believe that: ”unless the Lord builds the house, in vain will the laborers build it” and therefore, WE VOW TO BUILD our new nation with TOTAL TRUST IN you, OUR GOD. At the same time we are aware that you have entrusted South Sudan to the work of our hands.

 Therefore, make us love our country the way our patriots loved it and gave their life for it . Give us courage and wisdom to do honest and hard work. Make us able to work with the other nations of the world with true solidarity for our greater growth. We are indeed grateful for what other people and nations might do for us.

HOWEVER PLANT DEEPLY IN OUR SUDANESE SOULS THAT what really counts FOR THE BIRTH OF A NEW NATION is what we, as individual Sudanese, will do for our country. So, WE SHOULD not first ask what OTHERS will do FOR US, but what WE, SOUTH SUDANESE, will do for South Sudan. Likewise, WE SHOULD NOT FIRST DEPEND on what OTHERS will provide for US, but depend on the hard work of our hands, hearts and minds to provide what we need for OUR families and FOR THE COMMON GOOD OF OUR NATION.
 AND THEN THE PROPHETIC WORDS of psalm 85 will come true for South Sudan:”
“Prosperity will be in our land. Justice and Peace shall kiss
Truth will spring from the earth, Justice will look down from heaven.
The Lord will surely give us abundance, And our land will yield its increase.
Prosperity will march before the Lord, And good fortune will follow behind’.”

Psalm 85

And May the Blessing of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit come upon all of us here united to celebrate the Independence of the New Nation of South Sudan. AMEN

+ Bishop Caesar Mazzolari,
Bishop of Rumbek – Republic of South Sudan

OPINION: Survivor!

2011-07-08T08:21:00.000-07:00

WHEN DISASTER STRUCK!

Like a time bomb, it flamed up
With a simple spot
So small and petite
The noxious power in it was so enormous
Biopsy and histology interpreted
Benign or malignant, so they wondered
So my life had to change and to change for good.

Oh what a catastrophic Monday!
So the canto went
‘MJ’ the surgeon said
‘We are apt to heave out the entire breast’
The voice thundered!
So my life had to change and to change for good.

‘Oh Jesus No!’ I cried to the designer of my being
‘So my life has to change!’ I exclaimed
That brilliant day turned to peach dark
Life seemed to have stopped
Prayers vanished from my memory
Words from my mouth vanished
My tummy rumbled
Joy disappeared
Sadness took over the sovereignty of my life
No one, no comment, no love, no pal
Could quench the agony deep in my heart
So my life had to change and to change for good.

Immediately to hospital we rushed
My eyes remained blank
Darkness shrouded everything
I searched for tears
But the wells of my eyes deserted me
To scream I wished
But my energies were far exhausted
And I kept examining my heart
For suspicions I still existed
So my life had to change and to change for good.

Less than 24 hours later
Let me scream for the world to hear
Into your hands Lord I comment my life
On that cold surgery table I helplessly lay
Surgical blades on my skin
Lacerated into the risky, toxic, killer - lump
Deep into my fleshy tissues plus nodes they dug
As if probing for hidden fortune
My frail wounds they stitched
So my life had to change and change for good.

Once from the land of the departed I rose
Feeble and dozy was I
A merciless heartbreaking pain set in
Controlled my pain was
Little by little I improved
So my life had to change and to change for good.

As if pain was a joy to celebrate
Radiation! Radiation! Radiation! Medics advised
30 days under that assassin machine I lay
Daily, soundless, with none but my God
And when this was through
A more overwhelming prescription
So my life had to change and to change for good.

Chemo!
Six cycles they prescribed
Courage!
Everyone seemed to say
Exhausted, I lamented, I cried, I wailed
But the only line of attack was to face it bravely
Optimistic and pessimistic words
From innocent and educated, I listened
Yet my cross - I have to bear to Calvary my destiny
For my life has changed never to be the same again.

Then, when all was over
While I anticipated relief and strength
Complications showed their ugly face
Insulin and labetalol became my friends
From Physician to the next I went
But at last all was well again
My hair shot up, tinted nails began to clear
For my life had changed never to be the same again.

At the eve of my first birthday
A Survivor of this monster disease
I’m scripting this Testimony
Optimistic about life
Courage! Courage! Courage!
Those in a state such as mine
Life is more than Pain
Far gone is Yesterday
Celebrate the Present,
Tomorrow may be too late
Though life has changed never to be the same again.

A Blissful New Born am I
Active and Joyful
Though I’ll Never Be the Same Again
I Know My Redeemer Lives
For God has Transformed My Life
NEVER WILL I BE THE SAME AGAIN!

By Sr Marie Joe
A CANCER SURVIVOR.

OPINION: Communiqué of the AMECEA 17th Plenary Assembly

2011-07-06T08:25:00.000-07:00

AMECEA FAMILY OF GOD CELEBRATING THE GOLDEN
JUBILEE OF EVANGELISATION IN SOLIDARITY

The AMECEA plenary convened in Nairobi, Kenya from 27 June to 6 July, 2011
The Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA), comprising the Episcopal Conferences of Eritrea, Ethiopia, Malawi, Kenya, Tanzania, Sudan, Uganda, Zambia and the affiliate members of Djibouti and Somalia met for their regular triennial Plenary Assembly to celebrate 50 years under the theme AMECEA: Family of God celebrating the Golden Jubilee of evangelization in solidarity, Nairobi, Kenya at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA).

Preamble:
To all Catholics in the AMECEA region and people of good will:
We, the Catholic Bishops in the AMECEA region, together with our AMECEA Patrons, their Eminences the Cardinals greet you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Shalom!

CELEBRATING our Golden Jubilee with profound gratitude to God for His grace bestowed on AMECEA in the last 50 years;

APPRECIATING with prayerful thanksgiving the 60th anniversary of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI’s Priestly ordination;

ENCOURAGED by the presence, at our Plenary Assembly, of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples through the Secretary, Archbishop Savio Hon Tai-Fai, who also came as a special delegate of the Holy See;

AWARE of our failings and shortcomings in meeting our call to holiness as a Church leaders;

MINDFUL of the challenges ensuing from the First and the Second Synods for Africa;
INSPIRED by the deep insight of the AMECEA founding fathers both living and deceased;
HAPPY that the processes on the cause for the beatification of the Servants of God Maurice Cardinal Otunga, Bishop Vincent McCauley, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere have advanced;

EARGERLY awaiting the Apostolic Exhortation on the Church in Africa being at the service of reconciliation, justice and peace;

DETERMINED to forge ahead with confidence and solidarity in our mission of evangelization;

The 17th AMECEA Plenary Assembly hereby affirms the following:
1. A Word of Gratitude

As AMECEA Catholic Bishops, we express our sincere appreciation to the people of Kenya and acknowledge with deep gratitude the hospitality of the Kenyan people and in particular the welcome extended to us by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Kenya, Hon. Mwai Kibaki who also invited us to continue fulfilling our prophetic role in society notwithstanding negative responses that our messages sometime receive.

The constant presence of the Apostolic Nuncio in Kenya during this Plenary Assembly and Golden Jubilee Celebrations reminded us of our communion and solidarity with the Holy Father. We are grateful for this.

We appreciate the efforts of the Kenyan Government, the security wings and other political and civic organs who contributed to the success of our Plenary Assembly and Golden Jubilee Celebrations. We thank our AMECEA Secretariat, the Kenya Episcopal Conference (KEC), staff and students of CUEA, the alumni of CUEA, St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary, Blessed Bakanja seminary, the choirs and parishes in the Archdiocese of Nairobi. In a special way, we acknowledge the support of the Holy See demonstrated through the delegates who attended the Golden Jubilee ceremonies. We are grateful to His Eminence John Cardinal Njue who hosted us in his Archdiocese and to His Grace Archbishop Savio Hon Tai-Fai for gracing these AMECEA events.
The presence and contributions of our local and AMECEA region facilitators, guest speakers, priests, religious sisters and brothers, the laity and all those who came to pray with us during the Golden Jubilee Celebrations added substance and colour to the events of the last few days.

We do not forget to thank the missionaries, those living and deceased. They brought us the faith and we are what we are today because of them.

2. Solidarity With The New State of the Republic of South Sudan

We are grateful to God that the Sudanese comprehensive peace agreement of 2005 has ushered-in the new state of the Republic of South Sudan. We join our brothers and sisters in the Republic of South Sudan as they celebrate this milestone in their history. We pray that all categories of people and groups in the new Republic of South Sudan will lay down arms, embrace peace and work towards nation building. The new Republic of South Sudan should be a model of tolerance and unity in diversity.
As AMECEA Bishops we appeal to all member countries and Catholic religious congregations to translate their solidarity with the Republic of South Sudan into more practical means by committing personnel and resources to this new country.
We also urge the international community to continue to work towards achieving a lasting peaceful solution to the continuing conflicts in Abyei and Darfur.

3. Solidarity With Somalia

We are saddened by the unending war in Somalia. We deplore the suffering of the people in Somalia. We strongly advocate a peaceful resolution to this conflict and remain committed as AMECEA Bishops to do whatever is within our means to bring about peace to this country. We ask our Catholic faithful and people of good will to remember Somalia in their prayers.

4. The Youth in the AMECEA region

We welcome the celebration of the World Youth Day which takes place in Madrid, Spain from August 16 -21. This is one of the primary means by which the Church proclaims the message of Christ and expresses its concern for young people.
We urge all young people in the AMECEA region, who will be privileged to travel to Spain, to view this as a grace-filled opportunity of sharing in the vibrancy of our Catholic faith. More importantly, the Madrid experience should enthuse them with the love for others and the love of Christ. We pray that upon their return, this love will be manifest by their witness in schools, work places, parishes and homes.

5. Bishops as Authentic Leaders

As Catholic Bishops in the AMECEA region, it is our desire to strive for an authentic leadership style. We re-commit ourselves to the leadership style of Jesus Christ which is rooted in the rich Biblical images of Service, Shepherd and Steward. Through our actions, in unity with the Holy Father, we shall endeavour to act in humility, justice, fairness and love. In our actions, we will strive to manifest to the world around us God’s love, justice and care.

6. Ongoing Faith Formation of Catholic Professionals

As AMECEA Bishops, we have taken note of the need to accompany our Catholic professionals through on-going faith formation so that their faith can continue to be demonstrated even when they ascend to important administrative, civic and political offices. Our Catholic professionals should be men and women of faith who are socially and politically relevant to the African continent.

7. Catholic Presence in Learning Institutions

Catholic institutions of learning are optimal places of Christ meeting His people of all races and religions. The Catholic Church, since its inception, has valued learning and established institutions to promote learning of people at all levels. Through education, the Catholic Church has been able to evangelise and participate in developing responsible members of society.

As Bishops of the AMECEA region, it is our intention to establish more learning institutions from primary schools to tertiary institutions such as universities, vocational training schools and technical institutions in order to spread the Good News of Salvation and produce African citizens who are truly inspired by Gospel Values and the Catholic ethos.

8. The Office of Chaplaincy in Institutions

Together with other pastoral agents, it is our intention to provide moral and spiritual guidance to institutions of learning and scale-up on the appointment of more chaplains to military departments, schools, colleges and other institutions of higher learning. The presence of chaplains in schools and institutions should be visible and go beyond the occasional celebration of the Mass.

9. Teaching about AMECEA in Seminaries and Catholic Universities

In the last 50 years, AMECEA has achieved much and produced several important documents. We call upon seminaries and Catholic universities in the AMECEA region to consider researching and designing appropriate courses, in consultation with relevant authorities, on the history of AMECEA, its challenges and achievements.

10. The Scourge of Conflicts in the Region and in Africa

Our countries in the AMECEA region can be said to have achieved relative peace. Nevertheless, even in the most seemingly peaceful nations, our countries are still grappling with potential causes of conflict such as poverty, tribalism, regionalism, elections that lack credibility, bad governance, religious fanaticism, corruption, intolerance, domestic and gender-based violence, partisan media, land-related conflicts, environmental concerns and many other issues that can lead to violent confrontation.

As Shepherds, we will continue to exercise our prophetic role of speaking out wherever there is need. We shall not be silent in the face of potential or actual situations of conflict. We will also strive to do all that we can to create a culture of reconciliation, justice and peace.

We appeal to Governments and politicians in the region to work towards reducing all forms of conflict and violence in our countries and communities. We look forward to a time when our Governments will embrace the spirit and letter of democracy.
Those who thrive on violence and conflict must be challenged

We further acknowledge and encourage regional and global partnerships that seek to bring about reconciliation, justice and peace.

11. Global Warming

The impact of global warming is already being manifested, within our region, in the form of droughts, famine, desertification and population displacement. We appeal strongly to our Governments and our people to tackle global warming issues as a matter of priority.

12. The role of women in society and the Church

In line with Proposition No. 47 of the Second African Synod on Women in Africa, we acknowledge that women in our region and in Africa make a great contribution to the family, society and the Church with their many talents and resources. We condemn all acts of violence against women and several other abuses which women endure. We pledge to continue supporting efforts that seek to empower women to take their rightful place in society and in the Church.

13. Freedom of Worship in the region

We appreciate the efforts of our political leaders in allowing for freedom of worship within the region. Still, we urge our Governments to embrace human rights as one sure way of guaranteeing lasting peace in the region.

14. AMECEA Caritas Justice and Peace Network

We call on our AMECEA Executive Board to explore the possibility of operationalising the AMECEA Caritas Peace Network which will provide the missing link between the AMECEA regional office and our national offices.

15. Interreligious Dialogue

Amidst the challenges of fundamentalism, religious fanaticism, mushrooming sects, we implore the leaders of other faith communities to engage with us in genuine and constructive dialogue in order to nurture peaceful co-existence and reduce tensions in communities.

16. The Church and New media

In the AMECEA region, we will continue to empower our social communication departments in order for the Church to fully embrace new forms of media as modern ways of propagating the Gospel. In the words of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, “without fear we must cast into the deep with the same passion that governed the ship of the Church for two thousand years.”

17. Solidarity of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) with AMECEA

AMECEA wholeheartedly welcomes the USCCB’s generous initiative and willingness to work with AMECEA in various fields with the view to enhance capacity building in our institutions. This spirit of brotherhood and solidarity will surely transform our regional, national and diocesan institutions for better.

We shall endeavour to strive towards building a more sustainable Church which is self-supporting, self-ministering and self-propagating. The Church in AMECEA commits itself to greater transparency and accountability in promoting a spirit of prudent stewardship in the manner we use resources.

We hasten to say to our traditional partners that the Church in AMECEA shall forever be grateful to them for continuing to walk with us from the beginning.
18. Refugees, Migrants and Human Trafficking and Smuggling in the AMECEA region and the Great Lakes Region

AMECEA countries are home to huge numbers of refugees who have run away from their countries due to wars, persecutions and even abject poverty. In recent times, we have seen the alarming and frightening rise in the scourge of trafficking of fellow human beings for economic gain.

We remind all concerned that Scripture teaches us to love refugees: “You shall love the alien as yourself for you were once aliens in the land of Egypt” (Lev. 19: 33 – 34). We therefore, call upon Governments, NGOs and our own Churches to redouble efforts in awareness creation on the plight of refugees in our midst. Above all, we should respond with unfailing charity to refugees who live in our midst.

We are particularly empathetic with the people of South West Sudan, Central African Republic and Congo DR who are victims of destabilization due to instability in that part of Africa. We appeal for a regional resolution of the causes of conflict in these areas.

19. HIV and AIDS

The HIV/AIDS pandemic continues to be the greatest threat in our region. With millions of our people still recording new infections; millions yet still living with HIV and many more dying because of AIDS, the Church in our region must continue in its commitment to prevent the spread of HIV. We extend a hand to those who are ill and need palliative care. The invitation of Christ to be Good Samaritans to everyone who is in need (Lk. 10: 25 - 37), suffering or afflicted; and especially to those who are living with HIV/AIDS is still very relevant today.

20. HIV/AIDS can be defeated

We call upon parents, teachers and pastoral agents to do everything in their power and capacity to teach children, youth, and all those preparing for marriage about their human sexuality so that they acquire sound values and virtues to uphold chastity and shun all pre-marital sex. We urge pastoral agents to guide married couples in living out their marriage vocation faithfully. We must never tire to remind our people that HIV/AIDS can be defeated.

21. Families: Truly Christian, truly African

As a Church in the region, we will endeavour to protect the family which is the domestic Church against dangers such as materialism, secularism and seek to enable the family to be an instrument of neo-evangelisation which is truly African, truly Christian.

22. Conclusion

We rejoice in the fruit of the past 50 years and pray that our association of AMECEA will be abundantly blessed for many more years to come with a bright future.
Ad multos annos!

Signed by Most Rev Tarcisius Ziyaye,

Archbishop of Blantyre and AMECEA Chairman on July 6, 2011, Nairobi, Kenya

OPINION: Lessons to learn from Libyan conflict

2011-06-24T08:13:00.000-07:00

It is not late to stop these bombs and save human lives

What’s happening in Libya should be a wakeup call for all Africans, the African governments and the African Union (AU).

There is so much to learn from the Libyan conflict. What is probably the most important lesson to learn is that foreign powers will always do whatever is possible to protect their interests, whether that means supporting and imposing a democratic government or a dictatorial regime.

The NATO intervention in Libya has absolutely nothing to do with promoting democracy and protecting civilians. You don’t promote democracy by using bombs and killing civilians, intentionally or not. You don’t promote democracy by fuelling a civil war and arming rebels to fight against the very government you’ve been friendly to until recently. Some wise man once said that in politics, there are no permanent friends and no permanent enemies.

If you want to know how true this is, do an online research on how Western leaders used to praise Muammar Gaddafi up to just a few weeks before they turned against him.

And you don’t promote democracy by supporting the very people who were key ministers and military leaders in what you now consider a dictatorial regime. What makes them clean now? It defeats logic to hear the way these people are now shouting against the very regime they were part of.

Are Western powers blind not to see that they are dealing with the same people? No, they aren’t blind. They know that these are the ideal people to impose as leaders because it will be easier to control them. When someone helps you to get what you know you don’t deserve, your loyalty goes to that person. Nobody helps you for nothing, at least in politics.

Now, let’s take a step backwards and see how the AU and African leaders have been treated since the Libyan conflict emerged.

The AU didn’t play any significant role in the drafting of the UN Resolution 1973. It was reported that the Resolution was drafted by the UK, France and Lebanon.

The AU was invited to the 19th March Paris meeting that preceded the NATO military intervention in Libya. But the fact that the AU didn’t attend the meeting and called for a mediation role in the crisis, didn’t stop the world powers from launching immediate attack on Libya.

That was a slap on the face of the AU and African leaders. The AU is the legitimate umbrella body of all African countries. A decision by foreign powers to attack any African country without approval and key involvement of the AU amounts to invasion of African land and in normal circumstances, should be faced with the AU military resistance.

Try to imagine what would happen if the AU drafted a resolution to intervene in a European country (choose any of the least democratic ones), without consulting the EU, then arm twisted the UN to make it a UN resolution, then the AU dispatched its military planes to bomb the European country in the name of protecting civilians from being massacred by their so-called dictator.

NATO’s decision to launch military intervention in Libya at a meeting without the AU delegation shows how little regard they have for African leaders and the AU. They basically proved that the voice of African leaders and the AU doesn’t count even on crucial issues within the continent.

It is a further proof that if you are no longer a darling of these powerful forces, you can’t be a leader in your own country even if that’s the wish of your people.

The AU should learn from this intervention to be quick to react to problems in the continent. The AU should not be invited to meetings to discuss African issues, it is the AU that should be inviting others to such meetings. Africans must not let others take a leading role in solving African problems. Africans must learn to defend their own interests.

It has been said so many times that nobody from outside will come to solve African problems because he is a Good Samaritan. Foreigners will only come to intervene to defend their own interests, whether those interests go against the interests of the local people or not.

It is disappointing to see the way the Western powers are undermining the efforts by the AU and African leaders to negotiate for a peaceful solution to the Libyan conflict. One wonders why they continue to ignore Gaddafi’s offer for a peacefully negotiated resolution to this conflict, and why whatever the AU says is continually ignored.

One also wonders why foreign powers have created a parallel government in Libya, and illegitimately created another centre of power in a different city from the country’s official capital.

This article doesn’t justify what Gaddafi is alleged to have done. The International Criminal Court (ICC) is investigating those allegations and will take proper action.

The crucial question at this stage is this: is destroying Libya the most effective way of addressing the Libyan crisis? The military intervention is not only killing civilians and creating hundreds of thousands of refugees, but it’s also destroying the country’s infrastructure. At the end of this military intervention Libya will need to be rebuilt a fresh.

It should not be forgotten that ethnic hatred that has been fuelled during this conflict will seriously affect any attempts to unite and reconcile Libyans in the future.

And what about the trauma of living under bombs, the pain of losing loved ones, injuries sustained, families separated, refugees who drown and die in the Mediterranean Sea, jobs lost, schools and hospitals demolished, etc.

What was one of the most developed and rich countries in Africa is now completely destroyed and will have to start from scratch. And of course it will need the help of foreign powers to help it re-emerge, a process that will take several decades, and give those foreign powers unfettered control of Libya’s resources.

At this time when it appears that only bombs can solve the Libyan crisis, those isolated voices calling for a peaceful solution to this crisis should be listened to. This conflict can be solved peacefully according to the will of the Libyan people. Word is the most powerful weapon. There is no one in the world who cannot be negotiated with if you choose the right approach and involve the right people.

Several Libyan lives will continue to be lost each time a NATO bomb lands on Libyan soil. And more lives will be lost each time Gaddafi’s loyalists fight back. It is not too late to stop these bombs and save human lives in Libya.

By Stephen Ogongo Ongong’a

Mr Ongong’a is the editor of Africa News, Email: africanews@stranieriinitalia.it

DRC Protracted War in the African Nation Series

2011-06-21T23:04:00.000-07:00

Local War of Global Interest

In August 2010 the UN published a report …which documented crimes committed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) between the nineties and 2003, a period when the country was being devastated by two wars. The report sheds new light on a conflict that still persists and behind which enormous interests move. This document was discussed at a conference held in November 2010 at the University of Parma, Italy.

An explosive report, so controversial, that its publication was opposed to the bitter end. No, nothing to do with the Wikileaks revelations but only the honest work of some UN personnel who documented the horror into which the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) plunged between the mid-nineties and 2003, a period when the country was ravaged by two bloody wars forgotten by the media.
An act of neglect by the media that has also been the fate of this United Nations document, despite its devastating content. Or perhaps precisely because of them. A conference held in Parma in late November 2010 tried to pull back the veil of silence. The conference was organized by “Rete Pace per il Congo” (an organ linked to the missionaries who work in the war-torn African country) and the Department of Political and Social Studies at the University of Parma.

The gathering was introduced by the quite informal greeting of the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Roberto Greci, who mentioned the reason why the academic world had taken on the initiative: as “humanists,” he said, we cannot remain indifferent to the tragedies that are tormenting the world. After the Dean came Sister Teresina Caffi, a Xaverian working in eastern DRC. She summarized what happened in the country in those dark years, during which she explained, referring to a study by the International Rescue Committee, three million eight hundred thousand people died because of the war.

Blood-Stained Wealth

It all began on October 1, 1990, said Sister Teresina, when the then Head of the Ugandan Information Service, Paul Kagame, launched a rebellion to overthrow the government of Rwanda, a country considered strategic for gaining access to the wealth of the east of the DRC. A venture “supported and followed by the Anglophone powers eager to replace France in access” to the resources. Kagame relied on the thirst for revenge of the Tutsi whom the Rwandan regime, monopolized by the country's ethnic majority, the Hutu, had ousted from power. The war between government and anti-government supporters went ahead with various massacres until, in 1994, the ferocity reached its climax.

On April 6, the plane carrying the presidents of Rwanda and of neighboring Burundi, returning from a meeting of negotiations, was shot down. Both presidents died in the incident. In response Hutu extremists massacred 800,000 people: mostly Tutsis, but also many Hutus. A genocide known to the world, but of which, Sister Teresina said, much remains to be clarified. The massacres lasted a hundred days that is until Kagame managed to seize power in Rwanda.

The Hutu, terrified by the idea of collective vengeance, fled en masse to the neighboring DRC where they crowded into refugee camps. But the camps were too close to Rwanda, as various humanitarian organizations made clear, and tension, instead of diminishing, grew. The new Rwandan regime, in fact, considered them a threat, and in October 1996, after yet another ultimatum, bombed them. It was the beginning of the first war: troops from Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda invaded the DRC. At their head was placed an old Congolese opponent of the oppressive government in Kinshasha, Laurent-Desire Kabila: in that way the “war could be called a war of liberation”, Sister Teresina commented. Although, the Xaverian sister added, with the progressive sickness of the dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, the Kinshasa government had opened a process of democratization heralding positive developments.

In May 1997 the war ended and Laurent-Desire Kabila declared himself president. But the peace did not last long. After about a year, the new president, “also driven by popular pressure”, asked foreign troops to leave the country. In response, a second war broke out in August: “the Rassemblement Congolais pour la Democratie” a rebel group which has its operational base in the eastern regions, rose against the government in Kinshasa. But, Sister Teresina said, it was a “screening rebellion” behind which lay Rwanda and Uganda yet again. Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Chad entered in support of Kabila. [to be continued].

Crimes against humanity

During the wars, which ended in 2003, unspeakable atrocities took place in the Congolese jungle. The UN experts made a kind of chart of the violence, ascertaining 617 slaughters, defined as “crimes against humanity” and “war crimes”. Emma Bonino, vice president of the Italian Senate, at the time of the war was commissioner of the European Union. Asked for her opinion, she tersely remarked: “To my knowledge, for the period in which I was an eyewitness, the UN report is very well done”. And she revealed that very strong pressure had been exerted to prevent its publication. In her speech she spoke of the start of the first war, recounting the shock at the bombing of the refugee camps, although the flag of the United Nations was flying over them. And she recalled an episode in which she was personally involved. It happened in the first phase of the war and the Rwandan government, fearing reactions to the invasion, had reassured the world that all the Hutu refugees had returned home, a total of 500,000 returning Hutus.

Information confirmed by the general commanding the UN multinational force stationed in the DRC. So all was well, everything normalized, so much so that the international force was dissolved. But questions arose from many quarters: at the beginning of hostilities there was talk of 1,200,000 refugees, while the returnees were only 500,000. It didn't add up. Doubts grew as disturbing news came from the missionaries in the DRC, who spoke of masses of fugitives on the move within the jungle. “We decided to check”, Bonino resumed. “So, after several searches, we found the Tingi-Tingi camp, 250,000 people crammed into an area four hundred kilometers from the border. Hundreds of thousands of refugees who simply did not exist for the world. They had done four hundred kilometers on foot. You can imagine their conditions ...

After that, she recalled, appeals and calls for action to stop the war multiplied, unfortunately in vain. She had the documents telling of those insistent appeals and showed them. “The fact is that, in the course of that first war, the international community was prepared to accept any wickedness just to end Mobutu's regime”, she explained. She also spoke of the effectiveness of the propaganda of the invasion forces, which capitalized on the genocide in Rwanda: the Rwandan Hutus were indiscriminately accused of those murders, a stigma which justified any atrocity against them. “But the perpetrators of the genocide were some tens of thousands ... The Hutu refugees in DRC were more than a million, most of whom women and children”, Bonino remarked.

During those years, the United Nations experts noted horrors without end: mass murder, brutal violence, people burned alive, cannibalism ... A series of crimes committed by the forces opposed to the Congolese government, but also (to a lesser extent, according to the UN report) by government forces. In particular the report focused on a “modus operandi” very much used by the forces of “liberation”: once arrived in a village, the weary civilians were asked to gather together for a food and clothing distribution. Then, when the intended victims (mainly Hutu of Rwandan origin) had been picked out, they were tied up before being killed with blunt instruments (mostly with hammers).

Sometimes in dozens, others in hundreds, including women and children. A similar selection was made at checkpoints, separating those who were to be repatriated to Rwanda from the others. Then, instead of Rwanda, those selected were killed and their bodies made to disappear in mass graves or thrown into rivers or latrines. Another ploy for identifying the prey was to allow the humanitarian organizations to enter the territories under the control of the forces of “liberation” to permit assistance to be given to the fugitives hiding in the jungle. Permission granted so that the relief workers took with them trusted persons to check on their operations. In reality, the latter then located the fugitives and passed the information to the executioners ... The UN report includes variations on the tragic theme set out above: women and children buried alive or killed by smashing their heads against walls or trees.

A score performed with method and dedication, so much so that the United Nations experts speculated that a veritable genocide had been committed against the Rwandan Hutu refugees in the DRC. And they asked that a special court be set up to verify the truth of this hypothesis. Among the many crimes also the mass kidnapping of children to turn into soldiers or to subject to sexual violence. But the acts of pedophilia committed in the Democratic Republic of Congo did not make many headlines.

War and mobile phones

Mathilde Muhindo Mwamini, a former member of the DRC parliament, spoke at the Parma conference on the sexual violence that took place in those years and explained how it, carried out on a large scale and in a systematic way, had served as a weapon: the aim being to spread AIDS and erode the social fabric of the civilian population, since it resulted in the psychological disruption of family relationships. Also, since the domestic economy of Congolese society is based largely on women's work (particularly in the fields), the violence was also meant to undermine the subsistence of families.

A detailed report by Muhindo Mwamini showed that widespread impunity was a key factor in the perpetuation of such practices even today. Indeed, because at the Parma conference not only the past was spoken of, but the tragic present also. In fact the eastern region of Democratic Republic of Congo is far from pacified. Terror continues to rage even after the end of the war. On various occasions militias led by adventurers, with the support of the Rwandan regime (and others), have risen up against the Kinshasha government. The last major rebellion was that of Laurent Nkunda, leader of the CNDP (National Congress for the Defense of the People), who, after putting the region to fire and the sword, was arrested in January 2009 and imprisoned in Rwanda. Currently those who are spreading terror are armed groups known under various acronyms: the anti-Rwandan Hutu armed forces, former militiamen of the CNDP still in active service (a recent UN report states that Nkunda had not broken his ties with his old buddies and that he is pulling the strings from prison in Rwanda) and many others.

The various warlords are vying for pieces of territory, roads, mines, rivers, leading to continued violence against the civilian population. While the international community remains silent. Marco Deriu, a sociologist and lecturer in the Department of Political and Social Studies at the University of Parma, explained the enormous interests in this war in eastern DRC, one of the richest areas in the world: there are huge reserves of gold, diamonds, oil, cobalt, uranium, cassiterite, wolframite, copper, coffee and hard woods ... In detail there is: 17% of the world's production of rough diamonds, 34% of the world's cobalt, 10% of world production of copper, 4-5% of world production of tin and 60-80% of coltan resources. This latter mineral is used for electronic components, particularly for telecommunications and computers, but also for play stations, as Deriu remarked with tragic irony. The chaos of this continuous war still allows the looting of natural resources. More or less everybody is exploiting the situation: the warlords, the various dealers (local and international) in resources and weapons, up to the big multinational corporations that are buying precious minerals at bargain prices.

It is a conflict that feeds off itself, given that the profits are partially reinvested in fomenting warfare so as to increase business, in a crescendo of chaos organized by subtle minds. At the expense of the local populations who are driven out of mining areas or used as forced labor for the mines or to reinforce the ranks of the militias. The fate of women and girls, however, is that of sex slaves. It is difficult to break this network of concentric interests in a war that is both local and global. “But this UN report is a window of opportunity”, said Muhindo Mwamini in concluding her speech, “and at the same time, a testimony to the fact that, sooner or later, the truth comes to light”.

There were many Congolese at the conference, mostly young students. Some of them were there thanks to the Xaverians, with whom they have close and affectionate relations. They spoke out, asked questions, told of their experiences. They asked for justice and peace. And there was an amazing lack of bitterness in their words, despite everything that has happened and is happening in their country. They had smiling faces, bright eyes. And that is more than a window of hope.

NOTE: The chaos of this continuous war still allows the looting of natural resources. More or less everybody is exploiting the situation: the warlords, the various dealers (local and international) in resources and weapons, up to the big multinational corporations that are buying precious minerals at bargain prices. A conflict feeds off itself, given that the profits are partially reinvested in fomenting warfare to increase business.

By David Malacaria, This article was first published in the magazine called 30Days, a catholic Italian Magazine.

A Dream of an African child

2011-06-17T09:17:00.000-07:00

I WISH I WERE BORN A LION!

God, I wish I was born a lion cub in the Maasai-Mara game reserve!
I would be well protected by tough rangers so that my specie never disappears from the face of the earth.

Millions of dollars would have been poured from around the world just to keep me alive so that generations and generations may see me and enjoy their sight in the name of wildlife conservation.

Oh! How much would I have caught the attention of thousands of tourists from all over the world just to see how I look like in real life!

I would have become such a great movie star like the “Lion King”!

Oh God, What a curse for me!

Instead of a famous lion in the wild, I was born a baby of so-called “human” animal that I’ve found, at times, more animal than brother lion in Maasai-Mara!

My protection is not such a big deal, anyway!

There is so little money to care about my basic needs!
My life has little value, or none whatsoever. Dead or alive, it does not bother anybody!

My childhood is violated and stolen from me so early.
Street is my homeless home! There in the heat, in the cold and rain, I am battered like a repugnant deadly snake!

I am slipped into loose uniforms cut out for big brothers, pushed to carry heavy guns and fight wars I have never understood. I walk miles and miles, and hungry, I smoke what I saw big brothers smoking… and I forget that I am alive! Who cares, anyway!
I am suffering from a severe love and care starvation!
My worst foes are not lions in Maasai-Mara, they are “human animals” like you and I!
Little dogs have no toys but they are enjoying life better than I!

I cry when I hear that beautiful song sung by Mike Jackson: “We are the world, we are the children!” Why don’t you wake up Mike Jackson and sing it one more time for me!

Am I truly the world? I wonder if I were the world, why should my nights be full of nightmares? If I were the world, why is my life such a broken dream with no hope for a better tomorrow?

JESUS AND THE CHILDREN

The first best gift our children deserve is love; then, the rest. Remove the first and then the rest would remain hanging walls with no foundation. Jesus welcomed children with love and blessed them: “…Let the Children alone and do not stop them from coming to me; for it is to such as these that the Kingdom of heaven belongs” (Mat. 19: 13-14).

Earlier on, in chapter 18, verses 5 to 6, Jesus identified himself to children as he warned the adults for their duty of setting good examples for them: “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But anyone who is the downfall of one of these little ones who have faith in me would be better drowned in the depths of the sea with a great millstone round his neck.”

The implications of these words of the Lord are obvious. When we reject children or mistreat them, we are doing so to no one else but Jesus Christ himself. We all have an ethical responsibility towards our children. We should ever strive to set a good model for them and avoid causing their downfall.

Are we still observing this warning? Haven’t we become wolves to our children? Those parents called Christians have to follow the Master’s words in the way of treating their children. Let them stand as models for neighbours to follow.

CHILDREN’ RIGHTS

Most African countries are still wrestling with constitutional issues to come out from the jungle law set by long-life dictators and become legal States. Kenya crossed this stage last year, endorsing a new constitution for the country. We are now on the stage of gradual implementation; hoping that the process will go on without any blocks on the way.

I hope that our children’s rights are getting space within the legal framework. The privileged place Christ gave them will be recovered not only by the observance of the law but above all by the love we have for our children.

Children are a gift from God received through parents, who continuing the work of procreation given them by God at the beginning of history. So as gifts, they are accepted with no condition or discrimination, whether they are handicapped or have any behavioural defects that may affect the parents.

No child, including parents who were children at a certain point of their lives, ever negotiated his face, shape, character, time of birth or parents through whom he/she was supposed to be born. It is therefore a great responsibility for parents to welcome children the way they are born, without causing them any wounding prejudice that would affect negatively their process of growth.

A newborn has all the potential to grow as a human person but he/she starts life like any other living animal created by God. The natural, biological and instinctive functions are first at play before the gradual evolvement of the cultural, rational and intuitive functions. Becoming human is therefore a project and process entrusted into the hands of parents and various educators as the child grow up.

Do we have to cut and paste rights as practiced in the West?

It is wise that when one gets a packet, he should open it and proceed by selecting what is useful and what is not. The Western application has serious loopholes requiring a re-examination of children’s rights with regard to fundamental duties of every human person in the process of growth.

Because of the fundamental role of parents in helping the process of transformation from the natural animal to the cultural human being, we think that any sound notion of children’s rights should never jeopardize parents’ authority and guidance. There is a tendency that is making of children little adults who have too many rights that they have become the ones dictating to parents what they are supposed to do for them. Children do not have the psychological maturity to assess a situation a make the right decisions. They have to be trained by those who have undergone the experience before them.

When children can have their parents arrested for petty whims, then they have taken over their parents’ place. A child who is stronger than his parents has no reason to respect them anymore. He/she thinks everything is permitted and becomes simply a bully and selfish person who have everything the way he wills! Such an attitude is not only dangerous for the society as such but even for the very law that’s granting them such rights. We are training selfish persons who will bend laws to their personal interests. Limits are necessary for a sound growth of every human person.

Children’s right with no strong families are again walls with no foundations. As we grow aware that our children should be legally protected, it is imperative that we strive for the betterment of the parents’ life conditions. Parents who cannot afford to raise their children with the meagre means they earn are already impeded to guarantee some of the rights of their children.
Countries’ resources should be fairly distributed among all the work force; a bigger share is usually destined to the few at the top of our countries while the majority is left with scraps to survive with. Too many rights unaccompanied with love weaken the family ties as spouses and children indulge in seeking their rights fulfilled instead of giving themselves fully for the growth of their families.

Behind strong family ties we see the love driving parents to look for the benefit of their children. Normally when people love each other, they care and observe each other’s rights without even thinking of any theoretical discourse; things flow out naturally out of love. It is often when love is over that human beings begin to turn against each other in a destructive manner. Lost in the passion of hate, our judgment becomes biased and some sort of a positive reference is needed in order to establish some justice beyond our biases and prejudices. A parent who does not love his child for any reason, this happens in real life experience, needs to be reminded of the duties that are still his/hers for the growth of that child who did not negotiate to have him/her as parent.

The most important thing for us is to strike a balance between what we consider a defected notion of rights that consecrates the reign of the children over their parents; and a sound notion of rights that creates more consideration, more respect to our children without putting in jeopardy the guiding and instructive role of the parents. The latter should have the rights to use their positive creativity in dealing with specific characters of their children and responding adequately to the needs of growth of each one of them as individual beings.

A more stubborn child needs to be dealt with differently than an obedient or a meeker one. No one can direct him/herself from childhood to adulthood without parental assistance in whichever way it may be. The child does not raise his parents; he is raised by them and this fundamental position should not be reversed by any constitution if we care about making sound human beings for the human community.

This is where Africa, on matters of children’s rights, could make a difference with the West, unless we want to get out of Hollywood fiction and create true “Tarzans” raised in jungle standards! Parents! Do not leave your homestead unilaterally run by lawyers and politicians! Stand up for your responsibility when lawyers cross the line and force you to destroy your homes with misleading notions of rights.

You need Institutions that help you to build your families and raise your children according to sound human and Christian standards! The biblical wisdom reminds us that “the law was made for man and not man for the law; and that the son of man is master even of the law” (Mark 2: 27-28).

Fr Nhessy Iland IMC

INTERVIEW WITH FR. PASCHAL MWAMBI MWAKIO ON BIOETHICS ISSUES

2011-06-14T23:23:00.000-07:00

VATICAN RADIO
1. I have pleasure of welcoming Fr. Paschal Mwambi Mwakio from Mombasa Archdiocese in Kenya who is a student specialising in Bioethics at Regina Apostolorum in Rome. Father Pascal welcome to the programme on Marriage and Family Life.

Good morning listener, I am happy to be at the Vatican radio studio.

2. Fr. Paschal could you please tell our listeners why you are interested in studying Bioethics?

First of all bioethics has been of interest to me because I was in the same university before I became a priest, when these special studies were introduced at Queen of Apostles University, back in 2001. Secondly, my interest in bioethics is because it affects real life issues, and these challenges face each and every person, family and the society at large. Third, I want to help people know the Church teaching on these issues.

3. What does the term bioethics mean? Please explain in simple language.

Bioethics is first of all the understanding of changes and progress brought about by science and technology in the area of medicine, health and diseases, and how this has affected human life, improved it, worsened it or how this destroys human life.

4. What themes are related to bioethics or discussed in bioethics?

Themes in the area of bioethics include some of the following: when life of a human person really begins? Who is to be considered a human being, those who are born or those not yet born? Can sick children not yet born be allowed to live if the diseases they suffer from cannot be cured? How can people who cannot have children on their own be helped to have children? Can children be produced in the laboratory without the sexual act and outside the mother’s womb while selecting what kind of a child one wants to have? How about the old and those critically sick, can they be considered as people who need to live or who should be helped to die so that they do not continue to suffer? Should the critically ill be killed to save money, resources and time for others. Suppose some of the elements or organs needed to heal some diseases are found on other live human beings including unborn children, is it possible to make use of them. Can body organs like the kidney, liver etc, be removed from another person and transferred to a sick person anytime, without agreement and sold for profit? Criteria of respect for life, healthy organs, minimum risks, rejection of organs, charity, and certified death in case of dead donor (among others) need to be considered. These questions and problems raised may be solved technically because of progress made by science. But the main bioethical affirmation is that, not all that which is technically possible in this current world is to be accepted unless this really respects human life in all its stages from conception till natural death. And on issues of children, marriage is the right place to beget them through the sexual union between a man and woman of the same marriage. Any technical solution by science to replace this conjugal right or to manipulate human life is unacceptable.

5. What is the foundation of bioethics? Is it only proposed by Catholics or Christian believers?

Bioethics has the person, that is the human being as the point of focus. Every human being is a person with the same dignity from birth. One does not need to be a Catholic or non Catholic, Christian or non Christian to know by his mind and correct use of reason that respecting life of any person is necessary. Some of the very important rights like the right to life, is not created by any government or created by any religion. Such rights are universal, written in our conscience, and in our hearts, and are therefore found in our nature. Every human being including the unborn, the mentally sick, people in coma, the terminally ill and the old have the same dignity even when others fail to recognize this truth. Religion reveals to us something more than our minds can see or understand. To be a believer is an added advantage. If my religion as a Christian teaches me that life is a precious gift and that I am created in the image of God, then I have more reason to respect my life and that of others. Human life comes before religion and before governments, it is upon it other rights, and values are built. Yet our life transcends, goes beyond all these. God is the author of human life and him alone has the power over our life.

6. Why is it necessary for “ordinary” Christians to know about bioethics?

Bioethics issues affect everybody and for the ordinary Christian it is important to respect the way of life of Christ himself who is the way, life and truth. Christianity teaches that God is the author of life. Ordinary Christians need to know about bioethics so that in any thing they do to improve their life, their health, and that of others; or in anything they do to cure illnesses and diseases respects not only one’s own life, but that of others too. This is only possible if we are aware of the help or problems caused by science and technology.

7. What are some of the complicated bioethics issues? Can you give some examples of diseases or conditions which may affect our family life or bring into conflict our Christian values?

Some of the complicated issues in bioethics are in the area of early stages of the child’s development. Discovering diseases affecting children before they are born is recommendable work yet not without complications. This process may involve producing the unborn child in the laboratory without respecting the normal process of how a child begins his or her life, that is, by skipping the sexual act between a husband and his wife. Thus, artificial fertilization involves complicated issues of overproducing human life (embryos - to increase chances of attaining a child), involves loss of life of the embryos which are considered unfit or affected by genetic diseases, preservation of extra human life in freezers approximately (-190°) etc. If a very serious disease is discovered before the child is born, the parent(s) are found in a difficult situation. An example of such conditions is what is called Down syndrome. This condition has no cure just like many other discovered diseases before birth, and the child may be born with serious disabilities. Common features of such children include a small rounded head, small fingers, oval shaped eyes, short structure and mental disability. In other diseases the child may even die after a few days. What are the parents going to do? Accept the sick child or eliminate the child? The doctor may give an advise to them, but whose decision should the parents follow? In case the disease discovered can be cured, then that will be of benefit to the child’s life, the parents and society.

8. What does bioethics teach or what does the Church teach its members to do in situation like a woman expecting a child who has Down syndrome?

Not all bioethics views represent the teaching of the church. Thus, it is important to get the official views through the right authority. A Down syndrome person is to be respected and protected like any other health child or person. Although a down baby may not be able to exercise all the mental and physical faculties, this does not make this child less a human being. A child is a gift from God and his/her life needs to be respected and welcome from the beginning. Pregnant mothers are there fore encouraged to carry the pregnancy until birth. Doctors and those responsible should look for ways of revealing the truth about the condition of the child’s health while preparing to accompany them morally and spiritually. In case such pregnancies develop problems and there is a danger to the life of the mother, then all should be done by the doctors to help save both lives without disregarding the unborn baby. All the lives (mother’s and child’s) have the same dignity. Sometimes the unborn baby may perish in the process, but intentional killing or elimination is unacceptable and therefore should be avoided.

9. Bioethics is not all about condemnations of what is bad about science. Neither is it all about what is licit or illicit, good or bad, evil or good. Can you please elaborate this statement?

The church is not just against artificial things or processes which are not natural. The church appreciates the outcome of many problems solved by scientific progress in a respectful manner to the human dignity. Bioethics welcomes ways which can reduce human suffering or brings total healing to diseases without considering human life as an object or as a means to satisfy others. Bioethics therefore should not be seen as a discipline which is there to prevent progress or to condemn artificiality.

10. What would you say to families or persons who find it difficult to look after their beloved one suffering from conditions which arise from bioethical issues?

I would like to encourage all those people who are faced with these trying moments. They should not loose hope or doubt whether their beloved ones are still human beings in those conditions. Let them continue to love these suffering persons, care for them, clean them, feed them if this is possible and encourage them. Medication which is helpful to improve the health of the sick without heavy burden to the sick or to the family, and which proves to have the desired results should be offered. Sometimes there is nothing we can do to stop an immanent death which does not mean abandonment of the sick or causing death, but just accepting the will of God. Many times it is those taking care of the sick who get tired, or even wish to anticipate the death of the suffering people. Suffering is part of human nature and from it, positive values can come, for instance appreciation of life, our love, physical and emotional presence. In case the sick is able to talk, he or she may pronounce a word of love, pardon they never mentioned in the rest of their lives. Christians get strength from the sufferings of Christ who is the way, the truth and life. Suffering doesn’t have the last word, there is victory over death. No one has a right to kill oneself or to help the other die even if asked to do so by the sufferer.

11. What can you say to pastors or hospital chaplains dealing with the bioethical issues?

First and foremost, it is important to have the knowledge of bioethics in order to give the right advice in situations where need be. Bioethics committees in hospitals have become a necessary organ. Pastors and chaplains need to offer not only spiritual, moral, emotional support, but also real and practical counselling for the complicated clinical cases at hand. Knowledge of bioethics is helpful for them to counsel where necessary the relatives and the patients on the choices which are not only approved by the Church, but which respect life itself in whatever condition.

12. Is there anything else you would like to say on bioethical issues?

Bioethics is an interesting topic, but very challenging. It affects us on almost all life issues. It is important for our bishops to send some priests, religious and laity to specialise in bioethics issues so that we can promote the gospel of life in a developed world. The African continent cannot be left behind since technology has become global. It will be my joy to continue sharing with you more about bioethics and in details about the topics I have highlighted.

13. Thank you very much Fr. Paschal Mwambi Mwakio for sharing with us about bioethical issues and how we need to respond to various situations our families or individuals may find themselves. Thanks for sparing you time, and May God bless you always!

Thank you Fr Moses for this opportunity.

OPINION: THE UGANDA MARTYRS: A Symbol of Ecumenism, Inter-Ethnic Harmony and African Unity

2011-06-08T04:21:00.000-07:00

On 3rd June every year about one million people from all over Africa and from as far as USA, Germany and other parts of the world, flock to the Namugongo Shrine in Kampala-Uganda, to commemorate the 24 Catholic and 23 Anglican Uganda martyrs. I do not know of any other place on this continent which on a single day every year attracts such a huge gathering!

The Uganda martyrs are indeed a symbol of unity of God’s people regardless of creed, race, tribe, colour or nationality.

These heroes who shed their blood for Christ came from different tribes of Uganda. Both Catholics and Protestants were stentenced together to death, bundled together and burnt alive together. There is no greater symbol of unity and ecumenism than this!

Belonging to different denominations and tribes was no cause of division and hatred among them! The love they had for Christ did not allow this to happen. In life and death they love each other. As in their earthly life they served the same king, Kabaka Mwanga who killed them, in their faith with extraordinary love they served the one God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the creator of the universe.
The worst desease we have on the African continent is not the incurable AIDS but chronic tribalism or negative ethnicity.

Tribalism has deep roots in every country of Africa from Libya in the North to South Africa and Zimbabwe in the South. From Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi in the East to Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) in the West! Because tribalism has found a comfortable home in our political parties and governments, and unfortunately in our churches too, it is a constant source of conflict and instability on the continent.

When one tribe tries to dominate others, to reduce them to salves or second class citizens, conflict is inevitable! In war torn Libya, the political dominance of one tribe is partly to blame for the on going conflict there. The recent civil war in Côte d’Ivoire is the fruit of tribalism, the 2007-2008 Kenya violence is also a fruit of negative ethnicity, the 1994 Rwanda genocide and the bloody histories of Uganda, Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo are work of tribalism!

In the Uganda martyrs we find the medicine and vaccination against this negative ethnicity. These martyrs who lived together harmoniously and worked together in peace in the king’s palace originated from different ethnic groups! For example : Mathias Mulumba was a Musoga by tribe, Charles Lwanga was a Muganda by tribe and Andrew Kagwa was a Munyoro by tribe, and in the palace he was loving and jokingly called «Munyoro!»

So God in his kindness gave us these martyrs from different tribes to teach us that although we are from different ethnic groups, were are all his childred and he loves us equally. We should therefore love one another and live in harmony and peace as children of the same Father. He gave the grace of martyrdom equally to people of diverse ethnic groups. Before him we are all equal!

In fact these martyrs are a great gift not only to Uganda and East Africa but also to Africa as whole. For they have already started working out the miracle we are all longing to see, namely : regional and continental union of Africa! On 3 June, pilgrims from all over East Africa go to Namugongo! Many walk all the way from Mombasa-Kenya to Kampala! So Namugongo Shrine is a place of unity for the East Africans.

At the continental level the unity of Africa is also visible at the martyrs Shrine Namugongo! For people from all over Africa are represented there! This year for example the following are some of the countries from where the pilgrims came : Nigeria, Zambia, Malawi, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa and Southern Sudan.

And it is very interesting to note that the Preacher at the Anglican Martyrs’ Shrine was Pastor Steven Mwangi from Kenya. And last year the Preacher was also from outside of Uganda, he was Dr. Chad Gandiya the Bishop of Harare Church of the Province of Central Africa. This is really very good. And I request the Catholics to follow suit! They could organize in such a way that the preacher comes from outside of Uganda. These martyrs are for the whole of Africa and beyond.

And since both the Catholic and Protestant martyrs lived to gether and were killed together, I propose and appeal to the Catholic and Protestant Bishops in Uganda to make arrangements so that at least every two years we have a joint martyrs’ day celebration! This will enable us relive the ecumenical spirit of the Uganda martyrs! And it might eventually lead to total union.

In the years between the joint commemoration, Catholics and Protestants should send representatives to each other’s celebrations.
With the prayers for the beatification of the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, the first President of Tanzania, taking place every year at Namugongo Shrine, the Uganda martyrs are gaining political importance. The prayers are organized by Maria Nyerere the wife of the late President Nyerere in coordination with the Tanzanian and Ugandan governments and the Catholic Church in both countries. Last year the President of Tanzania himself Kikwete was present at the prayers!

Like last year President Museveni attended this year’s prayers for Nyerere. And he took this ocassion to inform the world that Nyerere was the greatest African that ever lived. The Ugandan news paper the New Vision, thus reported him saying, «I am happy when I speak of Nyerere because I am his supporter. I said he was the greatest black man that ever lived. There are other black men such as Mandela, Kwame Nkrumah; but Nyerere is the greatest black man that ever lived.» And in addition he said, «we shall continue coming to Namugongo to pray for the beatification and finally for the Mwalimu’s canonization. If we continue knocking and asking, Rome will open for us.»

The importance of the Uganda martyrs to Africa and the whole world, challages the political establishment in Uganda to do more on the beautification, maintance and protection of both the Catholic and Protestant Shrines! For this is an international ground now!

I am happy Museveni is clearly aware of this international nature of Namugongo. For last year 2010, he made important promises relative to the two Shrines. He celebrated the martyrs’ day with our Anglican brothers and sisters. Of his financial promise to the Church of Uganda, the Ugandan news paper the New Vision reported, «Museveni pledged sh100m towards the beautification of the martyrs’ site to match the standards of the side of the Catholic Church. He caused laughter when he said the bush behind the martyrs’ shrine was cursing the Church of Uganda. He asked the clergy to clear it.» For the Catholics among other things he pledge sh229m for the construction of a perimeter wall aroung the church.

I propose that the government of Uganda secures according to the laws of justice, all the land in between and around the two shrines and encircle them in one single well constructed stone- fence. This will make security easier for the place. And strong big gates like those on olympic stadiums could be constructed along the fence for getting in and out to reduced the chaos and stampede at Namugongo. And there will be enough room inside for the ever growing number of pilgrims.

As we continue to honour and commemorate the Uganda martyrs every year, may our Lord Jesus Christ through their intercession answer the prayers and needs of all those who go to Namugongo to pray. May he through their intercession protect and guide our religious and political leaders. And shower his blessing upon all people, believers and non believers of every race, colour, tribe and nationality under the sun.

Dominic Vincent Nkoyoyo
Monastery Val Notre-Dame, Canada.

OPINION: Botswana's Bishop Valentine and His Big Heart

2011-06-04T00:48:00.000-07:00

Interview With the Bishop of the Diocese of Gaborone

At only 44 and with already two years of Episcopal experience, Bishop Valentine Tsamma Seane carries a heavy charge on young shoulders.

But the ordinary of Gaborone in Botswana says that his personality and his heart easily lend themselves to self-giving and serving the Church of Christ.

The television program "Where God Weeps" of the Catholic Radio and Television Network (CRTN) in cooperation with Aid to the Church in Need and Zenit spoke with Bishop Seane about his vocation and the Church in his country, where Catholics are both a minority and a majority.

Q: Botswana is one of Africa's most stable countries and it has the longest continuous multiparty democracy. It is also a large producer of diamonds. What is the situation of Christianity in Botswana?

Bishop Seane: Botswana is known to be a Christian country. Statistically the Catholic Church accounts for 5%-6% and other Christian churches: Protestants, Pentecostals, spirituals and other independent churches represent about 67%. So you can see it is a Christian country.

Q: So the Catholic Church is a minority?

Bishop Seane: Yes in that sense, but if you take the churches individually like the Anglican Church, or the Lutheran church, the Catholic Church is the largest single denomination. If you group the other Christian churches together then they make up a larger part of the population.

Q: How did Protestants come to outnumber Catholics?

Bishop Seane: The Protestants were the first ones to enter as missionaries and for many years, they convinced the tribal chiefs not to allow the Catholic Church to enter the country. The Catholic Church was allowed to mission only in 1928. By then the Protestant churches were already well established.

Q: You are a new bishop and one of the first things you wrote was: "I'm a Valentine with a big heart." Why?

Bishop Seane: I love working with people and, I suppose, because of my openness and passion for working and serving people. I also discovered that my personality and my heart contribute to that expression: self-giving to others, serving the Church of Christ.

Q: What is your other name?

Bishop Seane: I'm also known as Vala, which is short for Valentine. Many people also know me by Tsamma, which means a staff or walking stick. My grandfather gave this name to me because I used to walk with him and he said that I am his staff. The name stuck with me.

Q: Why did you become a priest?

Bishop Seane: I originally wanted to become a lawyer but when a priest came to my parish to preach I thought that I could also serve the people as a priest. I went to the seminary and I continued to be fulfilled and I discovered that it was my vocation, to serve the people of God as a priest.

Q: The priestly vocation is not easy. You have to live a celibate life.

Bishop Seane: Yes, it is very challenging and it is a gift from God. It is not just an individual decision and individual capability. One spends eight years in the seminary, the spiritual life is very important, and this is what helps us in this journey, a journey of service. It is difficult and it is not easy and it demands self-giving all the time.

Q: On your ordination, all the important people of Botswana were present. Why was this such an event?

Bishop Seane: You have to remember that many people, including Catholics, have never witnessed an ordination. My predecessor was a bishop for 27 years, so most people were not [at his ordination]. There were 15,000 people at the city hall including visitors from the neighbouring countries like South Africa, I worked as a priest in Pretoria. Bishops from Botswana and South Africa came as well as many stars, business people and government members. So it was a national event.

Q: It rained during your ordination. It was seen as a special sign. Why is this?

Bishop Seane: Botswana is very arid, so rain is very precious to us. Even our money is called pula (rain). Rain brings life. As rain is very rare, whenever it rains it is precious and it is seen as a blessing. Even in my family during special occasions, when it rains, it is seen as a blessing. On that day it started as a sunny day. There were no clouds present but toward the end it rained and it was seen as a blessing, a special occasion. God was happy. The ancestors were happy, everybody was happy.

Q: You also wrote that you have experienced God's love. How?

Bishop Seane: I have experienced it all my life. We grew up well. We are five siblings: two brothers and three sisters. I have experienced the invisible hand of God all my life from childhood, in high school and throughout the various changes during my growth. As you mentioned, I was ordained a priest when I was 27 years old and people were wondering about my age. It happened again when I was ordained a bishop. When I was ordained a bishop there were only 10 bishops younger than me in the whole world. In our conference I am the youngest bishop. So I still experience today the love of God and this helps me to go on in the service of his church.

Q: What have you chosen as a motto?

Bishop Seane: Deus Caritas Est, God is love. I read the Pope's encyclical, but it just came to me; the love of God is that around which my life centres. The invisible hand of God, that love is what is guiding me. So I keep on appreciating and thanking God for that. I found that it is precious and it helps me to strive to do my work.

Q: You have received so much. What is the first thing you wish to give to your diocese?

Bishop Seane: I want to encourage local vocations to the priesthood and religious life. I want the indigenous people to be able to discern and respond to God's call so that the Church can be in the hands of the local people who understand the culture of the people. So far it is very promising because there are 16 young men in the major seminary, so the future is promising. I have already ordained three priests as the new bishop. The other thing is the promotion of a self-propagating and self-reliant Church.

Q: What does this mean?

Bishop Seane: It means that people should be ready to participate in the building up of the Church financially and otherwise. Despite being poor, they can give in some other ways: their time, their skills and resources for the benefit of the Church. People know that for a time they were receiving and now it is time to give. When I see the Church as self-sustaining and self-propagating, then I will be happy.

Q: AIDS is also a problem. What is your answer to this scourge?

Bishop Seane: Botswana was fortunate in that when AIDS was discovered the government stood out and spoke aloud: We have this problem. They wanted the world to know and in that way, Botswana received assistance. The government also budgeted and provided free medication as well as AIDS education from primary through to university. Those with the disease received anti-viral (ARVS) and these were distributed in all the hospitals free for those people in need. It is good because these people were accepted and the state accepted that it was a problem and the government was able to allocate resources toward that.
However, it is in the educational aspect where we differ. The government, for instance, promotes condoms; "condom sense" instead of common sense. The Church talks about common sense because the Church understands that as human beings, we are intellectual beings with the ability to control ourselves and we can do that if we are educated. We stress more the "Education for Life" program. While the government is doing its best to help people with medication, it says that there has to be an attack on all fronts, including of course the distribution of condoms, which is not for us to promote. The Church promotes "Education for Life."
The government and the NGOs missed the point in the beginning. Only now are they turning around and slowly seeing the wisdom of the Church because of the problem of multiple partners. They are seeing the problem and are addressing the issue through education.

Q: By multiple partners, do you mean polygamy?

Bishop Seane: No, polygamy is not a common practice in Botswana. It is in the culture but it is not a common practice. The issue is multiple partners before marriage or even after, and not multiple wives. This is what has contributed to the problem. We hope that the Church's message will be heard and will help the country make the right choices for the good of the country.

Q: Are the young people willing to listen to this message from the Church?

Bishop Seane: Yes, the young people are. It is a question of forming the consciences of people and ultimately the choice belongs to them, but they can only activate their knowledge if they are informed. So what we do is give people knowledge and information, and then they are left to make their choice because the conscience is the "highest court of appeal." Ultimately their conscience will have to choose: We choose what culture says, we choose what the state is promoting, or we choose what the Church says.

Q: The government is seeing the wisdom of the Church with regards to the issue of AIDS?

Bishop Seane: Yes slowly, slowly they are seeing it. You cannot think that by distributing prophylactics to people that you can say that you are doing something. If people are conditioned they become totally dependent and then they lose their ability to contain themselves and you end up behaving on your impulses, feelings and senses and forgetting that you have the ability to say "yes" or "no" and forgetting that you are a responsible person.

Q: How is the relationship between Church and government especially now that you are the bishop?

Bishop Seane: Fortunately, the government of Botswana has a history of having good relations with the Church because when the Church began to work [here] in 1928, the government at that time was incapable of building schools and clinics and the missionaries were able to do so. That partnership has always been there. That is why there is this understanding that the Church is there also to help the human person not only spiritually, but also as a whole.

Q: What is your hope for the future of the Catholic Church in Botswana?

Bishop Seane: My hope is that the Church will continue to grow in Botswana, in vocations to the priesthood and religious life, in self-sustainability, and to see more Catholic families, more people marrying in the Church, strengthening the foundations of family life. All this will add to making our nation a better nation and a better country for all.

OPINION: Fr Renato Kizito is Innocent……

2011-05-31T09:33:00.000-07:00

THE DEVASTATING EFFECTS OF SEXUAL ALLEGATIONS

Deep down in my heart I feel and believe that Fr Renato Sesana Kizito twice accused of sexual scandals is truly innocent. If I am wrong may the merciful God forgive me. Therefore, I invite all those who feel the deep pains and sorrows father Kizito is going through because of these humiliating charges levelled against him, to do whatever they can to repair his damaged image and name.

And let us try to console him with our prayers and in any other possible way in order to alleviate his miseries and sorrows. For it is not easy to singlehandedly handle the devastating effects of false sexual allegations. In addition, everybody should know that false sexual allegation is a crime and an act of brutality. It amounts to psychological torture and character assassination.

Sexual scandal charges, false or true, are always very damaging to any given human being. And they can be levelled against anybody you and me included! They damage Presidents of nations, prominent politicians, top military officers, Bishops, priests, Chief Executive Officers, medical doctors, university professors, schoolteachers, village elders and the common person on the street.

Right now, the former chief of the International Monetary Fund is under scrutiny over charges of sexual assault. The New York Times of 14 May this year in an article : I.M.F. Chief, Apprehended at Airport, Is Accused of Sexual Attack, reported thus, The managing director of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, was taken off an Air France plane at Kennedy International Airport … in connection with the sexual attack of a maid. On Wednesday 18 May this year, he resigned his post.

In Italy Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has sexual allegations to answer in court ! The article : Berlusconi to stand trial in teen sex case, posted by msnbc.com on 15 February this year, reports thus, The 74- year-old Italian premier was ordered Tuesday to stand trial on charges that he paid a 17-year-old Moroccan girl for sex…an offense that, if proven, could see him barred permanently from public office and even jailed.

In Turkey, as many as 10 prominent politicians have resigned in May this year amid allegations of sexual scandals. One source says that six senior politicians in a Turkish opposition party resigned amid a sex video scandal that could have far-reaching consequences in the June 12 elections. The same source goes on to add that four top members of the hard-line nationalist group resigned earlier this month because of similar videos.

Other offences like : corruption, fighting, caught drunk while driving, bounced cheques, illegal possession of a fire arm, drug trafficking etc are also damaging but not as much as sexual scandals. This is why people who seek to totally ruin another persons name, make every effort to connect them to a sexual scandal ! And sometimes they even pay big sums of money to make sexual traps for them! Sexual scandal allegations inflict maximum damage on a person’s name, image and personality.

Our heads or minds are tuned in such a way that they think more about sexual matters than say corruption or drug trafficking! We may spend several days without thinking about drug trafficking but it is almost impossible to spend a day without sexual thoughts passing through our heads! This is why sexual allegations attract enormous public attention and interest! And it is one of the reasons why those who want to destroy Fr. Kizito are making everything possible to connect him with sexual scandals.

Sexual scandals are also very damaging because our sexuality touches our very dignity as human beings! Self-respect and respect for others implies that we handle our sexuality in a proper way. Sexual scandals inflict damage on the victim’s dignity and ego. For this reason they generate a public out-cry and anger against the alleged offender. This again explains why those who seek to take over Koinonian property are constantly making sexual allegations against Fr Renato Kizito. They want the public to turn against him and force him out of office!

They began their campaign of accusations against the priest way back in 2009. A reliable source thus says, In June 2009 Father Kizito was accused of having sexual intercourse with boys hosted in his community. The priest denied the allegations, saying the properties of Koinonian Community were the real targets of the people behind the accusations. On May 26, 2011, he was arrested in Nairobi on sodomy charges, after his 26-year-old Secretary made a complaint at the Police Station to the effect that Father Kizito sexually attacked him.

The Attorney General of Kenya cleared Fr Kizito of all the 2009 sexual allegations. For the investigations never found a shred of evidence to support the accusations. In the Press Release we therefore read: In a letter dated December 1 2010, Mrs. Alice Ondiek, Deputy Prosecuting Counsel in the Kenya Attorney General’s Chambers, writes under instruction from the same A.G., to the Director of the Criminal Investigation in Nairobi on the matter of the inquiry into allegations of unnatural offences at Kivuli Centre (Nairobi) by Fr. Renato Sesana, alias Fr Kizito against young boys.

Mrs. Ondiek states ‘I am pleased to notify you that the file was placed before the Hon. Attorney General who after perusal on the same has directed as follows: there is no sufficient evidence to prosecute the suspect.’

Even for the new allegations of May 26 this year, no evidence was found to implicate Fr. Kizito. So Police released him. A Kenyan newspaper, Daily Nation, reported thus, Catholic priest Renato Kizito Sesana was released on Friday after investigators said medical tests had failed to tie him to sexual abuse accusation.
The truth has triumphed over lies. Congratulations Fr. Kizito and May God bless you.

Dominic Vincent Nkoyoyo
Monastery Val Notre-Dame
Canada.

OPINION: The Historic Encounter between Science and Religion

2011-05-27T08:40:00.000-07:00

THE POPE SPEAKS TO ASTRONAUTS

NAIROBI, May 27 2011. -Saturday 21, May 2011 will go down into history books as the day of the greatest historic encounter between Science and Faith / Religion in modern times!

On this day, Pope Benedict XVI spoke to the crew of astronauts at the International Space Station!

All voices, in an article: Pope Talks to Astronauts in Space, reported thus, Pope Benedict XVI, has broken ground here on earth, now he has entered where no Pope has gone – space. Astronaut Mark Kelly, aboard the International Space Station received a visitation by the Pontiff via satellite. The Chat from Pope Benedict marks a historic event; the first time that a Pontiff has linked-up in space.

The Vatican was connected with the International Space Station, Kelly, his five-man crew and six station residents.

The conversation between the Pontiff and the astronauts revealed to the world the unity between science and religion. From the article: The Pope blesses astronauts in 1st papal call to space, by Associated Press, we read, Benedict told the space travelers that ‘You are our representatives spearheading humanity’s exploration of new spaces and possibilities for our future.’…

Space station astronaut Ronald Garan Jr Spoke of the paper-thin layer of atmosphere ‘that separates every living thing from the vacuum of space.’ And shuttle crewman Fincke described how he and his colleagues ‘can look down and see our beautiful planet Earth that God has made.’…

Benedict expressed concern for astronaut Paolo Nespoli, whose 78-year-old mother died…while he was serving on the space station. ‘How have you been living through this time of pain on the International Space Station?’ The Pope asked. ‘Holy Father, I felt your prayers and everyone’s prayers arriving up here…’

This is a memorable event that has repaired and settled once and for all, the misunderstanding and conflict between Galileo and the Catholic Church. It cements the apologies already offered by the late John Paul II on this matter. In addition, it opens a new era in the relationship between religion and the scientific community.

But it is important to remember that apart from isolated incidents, which sometimes are exaggerated, the Catholic Church has never been hostile to science. And the Pontifical Academy of Sciences through its members and the Vatican Observatory have made a lot of contribution to scientific and technological developments.

The list of these members who are from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds is long but just to mention a few: Fr Georges Lemaître (1894-1966) the father of the Big Bang theory, was the President of this Pontifical Academy from 1960 to his death in1966, American Charles H. Towens, Nobel Physics prize 1964, Israel’s Aaron Ciehanover Nobel Chemistry prize 2004, German Gerhard Ertl Nobel Chemistry prize 2007, Egyptian Ahmed Zewail Nobel Chemistry prize 1999, etc.

It should also be remembered that the Vatican Observatory is one of the oldest astronomical research institutions in the world! In 1993 its modern 1.8 metres Advanced Technology Telescope was completed at Mount Graham in Arizona USA.

One source says, Given its excellent optical qualities, the telescope has been used primarily for imaging work, in which it regularly out performs much larger telescopes located elsewhere. Among the notable results from this telescope has been the discovery of MACHOs in Andromenda Galaxy. (MACHO stands for Massive Astrophysical Compact Halo Object.)

The long list of priests who have greately contributed to the development of science and advancement of technology also testifies to the fact that the Church has not always been hostile to science as some people think.

This list includes:
Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) Apart from being a Catholic cleric he was a mathematician, astronomer and a physician. He is the father of modern astronomy.

Fr Nicolas Steno (1638-1686) He is considered the father of geology.

Fr Francesco Maria Grimaldi SJ (1618-1663) He was a mathematician, physicist and astronomer. The Crater Grimaldi on the moon is named after him!

Fr Giovanni Battista Riccioli SJ (1598-1671) He was an astronomer. He was the first person to measure the rate of acceleration of free falling body.

Gregor Johann Mendel (1822-1884) He was and Augustinian monk. He is the undisputed father of the genetic sciences.

Apart from Galileo Galilee, other devout Catholic lay people have also contributed greatly to the development of science and technology.

These include:
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) a convert to Roman Catholicism, he is one of the greatest minds of all time! He was a mathematician, physicist, astronomer and philosopher. He invented the calculator.

Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) He was a great biologist. He is the inventor of pasteurization.

Both science and religion/faith are gifts of God to the human family. Moreover, I find it very interesting that even the Bible itself, written many centuries before the age of our modern science, has room for natural science!

In the book of Sirach, we read the following, Honour physicians for their services, for the Lord created them; for the gift of healing comes from the Most High, and they are rewarded by the king. The skills of physicians make them distinguished. The Lord created medicine out of the earth and the sensible will not despise them. (Sir. 38:1-4)

Pope Benedict’s approach to science is in total agreement with the scriptures! And in my opinion he, more than any other pontiff has invested a lot of energy in bridging the gap between science and faith.
As we have two bodily eyes at the physical level, we also have two eyes at the spiritual level, one eye is science and another faith; both looking at one and the same reality but from different perspectives. To have a better perspective of reality, both eyes are needed!

Dominic Vincent Nkoyoyo
Monastery Val Notre-Dame, Canada.

Religious Freedom

2011-05-06T07:20:00.000-07:00

A REFLEXION ON THE CONVERSION OF PERSECUTOR: SAINT PAUL
Acts 22:3-16
If salvation came to us through the cross, then the latter becomes clearly a way through which the expiation of our sins, the cleansing of our stained mind and heart, is carried out before we are actually restored to our primeval image, that which God gave us at the creation of the universe, as narrated in the two first chapters of the Book of Genesis. In this context of the way of the cross, any moment of persecutions and tribulations is seen in the light of our faith to the crucified Christ, not as moments of disgrace but of grace.
The conversion of Paul is one of the amazing manifestations of God’s grace, forgiveness and power to empower what human eyes may judge as unworthy disgrace. It’s clear that Paul was out there on a specific mission: “to persecute the newly growing Christian Church by arresting and eventually killing its followers.” It’s exactly there that the Light of the Lord shone in his darkness. That’s where I remember the English saying that “every cloud has a silver lining.” Obviously bad situations may bear some glittering lights in them if at all we are able to sail beyond the large and “cast the net into the deep.”
The occasion of Paul, the converted persecutor, prompts me to rethink about the current Christian persecutions by other religions such as Islam (in several parts of the world, recently in Egypt) and Buddhism (in some parts of India), all of them brothers of ours, sharing the same gift of human life from the same God that we do call with different names as the late South-African Reggae Star Lucky Dube put it in his song “Jah live”: “Some call him Jah, some Allah, some God… but He cares for everyone…”
As the persecution of the Christian Church is reawakening, it appears to me that our reading and interpretation of the situation is widely biased and blinded by the “Americanized or the Westernized vision of Islam.” And this unilateral narrowed vision impedes us from grasping the situation in a more eclectic approach that would bring together history, faith, reason and our commitment and witness as Christians in the world. The Americanized/Westernized vision of Islam associates the latter with “terrorism”, a widely shared vision in the West. I am equally amazed that the counter position comes from the same America and through a lay leader in the person of President Barrack Obama whose moderate approach seems to balance this unilaterally minded vision (Cf. his positive statement when Muslims wanted to build a Mosque on Ground zero where the two Towers of the World Trade Center were blown off). His speech was very conciliating and urging the American people, and all of us by extension, to forego any form of “hate speech” and use in our language “the words that heal” instead of “words that wound” (Cf. his latest speech in Tucson/Arizona when he visited a recovering Gabrielle Giffords in her hospital bed after being shot in the head).
First of all, I want to state clearly that I’ve no intention whatsoever to provide any form of apology to terrorism. As a Christian believer, a priest, a free thinker and a student in Communication and Mass Media, I fundamentally subscribe for a peaceful world with religious, political, ideological and social tolerance. No one has the right to take people’s life as this pertains to God alone, the Creator of life. I simply find absurd and narrow minded this association of some Religions to “terrorism.” This is, to my humble opinion, a real easy short cut, a cheap way of pointing quickly a finger at someone else without looking deep inside on our own side. So I wonder as I ponder on the grace of Saint Paul, “the converted persecutor”, isn’t there any other way of reading history, using different lenses than the most popular current one viewing only the surface? Beyond the gruesome events of terrorism here and there, isn’t there any meaning that God is trying to communicate to us as Christians in the nightmare of modern liberalism and terrorism? If in the past, God did use pagan Kings like Nebuchadnezzar to make his glory be known by his chosen people Israel, what impedes Him today to use some other historical circumstances to make us re-question our own journey in the world as far as our Christian commitment or witness is concerned? My suggestion is therefore a wider and eclectic reading of the reality that brings us back to ourselves, inside our own home in order to see if we are not in some ways responsible for letting other alternatives thrive, looking better than our Christian faith; or giving an opportunity to others to express their emotional outburst at the extreme.
Are you responsible? “Yes, I am!” is my answer after a number of considerations that I would like to share in this short reflection. If you find yourself challenged, then let us look together for words that heal and restore peace with our different brothers in dialogue. If you hold a different opinion than mine, then let me know so that we may grow together in our reading of reality as it unfolds itself.
History taught me that somewhere along the line, crusades were organized around the 15th-17th Centuries to establish Christianity in the West and fight against all the infidels. I do not remember if that was called “terrorism”, maybe the word did not yet exist, or at least was not yet on the limelight like today. What do I think in my mind and feel in my heart when others are using methods I did use in the past to repress their freedom of religion? They probably felt the same way I feel right now. The fact that I was not physically there to witness the crusades does not alter my historical link to this dark past (Just as the West does with the story of slavery in Africa). Without ratifying the concept of “holy wars,” I simply wonder if this is not somehow part of the process of religious development in human history, taking in account the fact that a religion such as Islam for instance, takes its roots in the year 622 of our era, 7 centuries after Christianity. Such an argument would not apply for Buddhism or some other religions older than Christianity.
History taught me that from independence in 1960 until now, most if not all leaders of my country, D.R. Congo were and are Christians, even former students in Seminaries, as these were the best learning Institutions in our African countries during colonization and at the dawn of our independence. I did not hear any Muslim name in our governments, maybe one or two. All my presidents, from “Joseph” Kasa-vubu to “Joseph” Kabila, passing through “Joseph”-“Désiré” Mobutu and Laurent-“Désiré” Kabila, were and are all Christians, possess Christian names and go to different Christian services, especially on Sundays. The D.R. Congo population is Christian in majority (over 50 %)… Yet we can see the stark contrast! How much all these seeds, not necessarily fruits, of Christianity, except the first Joseph, have wrecked our very rich country with their drunkenness of power, greed and selfishness! Most leaders and people continue mixing both Christian faith and some occult and traditional practices, ranging from animist and fetishist rituals to stark devil worshipping where human blood is used.
History taught me that the West has become extremely democratic that it is terminally ailing from a thorough and stubborn amnesia of its Christian roots of development that brought it to the peak of its medieval and early modern glory. In the name of democracy and human freedom, the West has trampled down several values and removed all Christian symbols, namely the cross of Christ, from their schools so that children may have no reference to any form of religion. The West has forbidden prayers to avoid any form of discrimination and allow religious freedom in Christian schools; the other religions did not do that, they are still maintaining their non negotiable traditions in schools. In the name of the same democracy, the West has let children become stronger and fight their own parents, those from whom God gave them life, accusing them to the police and having them jailed for not fulfilling their rights; the other religions did not do that! While the Bible clearly condemns homosexuality, some Christian Churches tolerate the ordination of homosexual pastors and nurture paedophiles in the name of freedom as if the Word of God has changed for modern Christianity… and with no one protest, homosexuality has been simply cancelled from the list of psychological deviations to become a natural, free and fulfilling sexual orientation! This mentality is in the process of its exportation across the globe! Oh! Even our fellow non-rational creatures, our cows and goats, cocks and hens, domesticated in our animal husbandries know the difference between male and female; ask them, they also know the right and natural sexual orientation better than the so-called human animal!
History taught me that my people back home were practicing agriculture before we missionaries – I’m one of them – brought them salt and sweets, shirts and shoes and began dishing out money to serve their needs under the beautiful evangelical intention of “helping the poor”. We infantilized them instead of making them mature persons with the development of their hard working skills. And we still continue doing so, stripping them from any human self worth and dignity while we should rather empower them and raise them up from the ash heap by the products of their sweat, to be faithful to the God’s given mandate in the book of Genesis. From hard workers and tough survivors against natural disasters, we turned our people into lazy expectants settled in the disastrous belief that “they got nothing and their salvation has to come from elsewhere.” And in the world global context, “if you’ve got nothing, you are nothing!”
History taught me that not so long ago, a Christian Western president called “Gushing War Blades” (I’m still expecting the Ocampo sword to fall upon him! Unfortunately it won’t!). GWB stubbornly waged a war in some Middle-East country, home for thousand of Muslims, because their hung leader, Salaam Hell, was suspected to have weapons of mass destruction. Nothing of the kind was found but the so called “World saviors” are still present there and no peace is found yet. Wonder! No one raised a voice to term that “terrorism”! In my own country, D.R. Congo, 6.000.000 people have lost their lives, thousands of women raped, mutilated of their lips and body parts with devilish cruelty… and recently, one nun, the former General Superior of the Augustinian Sisters of Dungu was coldly riddled with bullets by the LRA rebels… Aren’t some of Christian Super powers behind all these gruesome sceneries… letting African puppet leaders serve faithfully their interests at the expenses of our beloved people, the very people of God… still nobody calls that “terrorism”!
Then I wonder if the term “terrorism” is only applicable when the killing is initiated by others, different from us? Does it have a discriminatory meaning depending on denominations and geographical situations; or does it have a universal meaning applicable to all similar situations around the world? Or is it used only when it’s linked with suicide bombers and saved for planes bombing and other weapon and missile strikes? Isn’t the fight against “terrorism”, within the so called “Axis of evil”, as referred to by the World Salvation Legion, another way of perpetuating this “terrorism” and justifying their exorbitant military expenses and their economic invasions of poor countries rich in petrol and minerals? Have we thoroughly investigated the reasons why this terrorism begun and still goes on? Is it the right method to deal with consequences while causes are neither solved nor even addressed?
I think, in my humble perspective, that there is a tremendous inconsistency between professed values and the real commitment to the witness of faith. Somewhere, deep down in their confused minds and hearts, our people are hoping for some better alternatives even though they are still hanging around with the known status quo already offered. Maybe that is why others find it relatively easy to fish in our Christian ponds.
My heartfelt acknowledgement goes to all great Christian leaders whose struggles and witness brought a palpable social impact felt beyond their geographical boundaries. I particularly think of Reverend Pastor Martin Luther King in the USA (Martyr of the fight against discrimination of the black people), Bishop Desmond Tutu in South-Africa (living icon of the fall of Apartheid), Mother Teresa of Calcutta (Blessed woman having given herself totally for the dignity of the poor), Bishop Oscar Romero in Peru (Martyr for the defense of the poor natives)… and all world Christian disciples who have dedicated or sacrificed their lives for the incarnation of the liberating message of Christ’s Gospel without bending low or keeping a compromising silence in the face of peoples’ oppression. Such witness is needed to reaffirm our faith in Christ within a world seemingly loosing the compass. We ought to follow such steady examples in our search for and restoration of human dignity in its divinely anthropological roots of “beings created in God’s image.” I do believe that if we’re walking towards such a witnessing direction “to become light and salt of the earth”, then persecution, part of the ongoing process of Christ’s cross in the fight between light and darkness, will have some sparkling light on “some new Paul’s” of our time, falling from their domineering horses and responding to some peculiar questions leading them to “some conversion”, not necessarily Christian but “Godly grounded.”
Fr. Nhessy, NKULU ILAND, imc.

A Critical response to the Article “Are you a Sperm Donor?”

2011-04-28T07:51:00.001-07:00

By Fr Pascal Mwambi Mwakio,*
This is a reaction to the Saturday magazine in one of the Kenyan local dailies story, “are you a sperm donor? from the website www.nation.co.ke (posted Friday, April 22, 2011 at 18:00). Sperm banks (from anonymous donors) are widely known for artificial insemination/fertilization purposes through the in vitro fertilization. This is mainly for women or men (married) with pathologies regarding their reproductive system.
When donation of sperms come from the husband of the same marriage, then this is referred to as homologous artificial fertilization (artificial insemination by husband AIH), but when the male gametes come from a different man apart from the husband, this is called heterologous artificial fertilization (artificial insemination by donor (AID). The legal, ethical and moral issues involved are enormous in case of AID.
Morally, these techniques are illicit and immoral whereby they involve substitution of the conjugal act (sexual relationship) of the couples; lack of respect to the conceived lives (normally more embryos are ‘created’ at the same time); lack of dignity in the manipulation of lives conceived; loss of lives and separation between the sexual union and procreation of children in case of fertilization in the test tube (in vitro fertilization).
The story of Marion, (probably a pseudo name), as used in the article, portrays lack of seriousness in these complicated issues. The use of sperm donation for purposes of beauty and attractiveness, through genetic selection is a setback and not really a progress. It takes us back to the Nazism era whereby discrimination of some human beings was practiced.
It is lack of fidelity in marriage for a married woman to prey for other man’s sperms other than their husbands for whatever reason at all. Physical beauty or attraction is accidental to the dignity of human beings. It may reduce some chances of recognition, for instance in beauty contests or models, but it does not diminish somebody’s dignity and respect. It is unfortunate to associate these traits with success and failure or with worthiness of a child.
It seems a contradiction (except for adoption and marriages whereby children fathered by other man existed before) to want to have a husband who is not the father of your children. A wife/husband who really loves her/his married partner cannot lie or ‘fake’ pregnancy with another person.
Rather than aesthetic reasons, the story of Marion seems driven by infidelity. She did not disclose or agree with her husband about the heterologous fertilization, although consent does not approve this case. She kept it secret to herself and I believe still secret to her children. Legal complications will arise eventually pertaining paternity and progeny.
The child born out of such a situation would have two fathers, a biological (the sperm donor) and a social one (the husband of Marion). The child will be a legitimate son/daughter to the mother, but not to the husband. This means that the child can have disclaimer rights (to disown) to the social father and claim progeny to the biological father. The social father can also disown the children not born legally from their marriage. Legitimate children are those born out of a valid marriage; born by a married woman; conceived by action of husband and in stability of marriage. In the case of sperm donation by a (known or anonymous) donor, conception is not by husband’s action. Children born out of heterologous fertilization and those involving selection of traits, are prone to Psychological problems. The psychosocial integrity of the child is not respected when another man donates the sperm.
The question asked by the child may be why this happened. This child becomes a ‘product’ of somebody else’s choice. “I am attractive or beautiful because mum wanted me this way”. How will these ‘attractive children’ view those considered as not attractive? Marion calls her husband ‘plain’ because he lacks these traits. All this leads to a form of discrimination and lack of respect to persons lacking the character traits we desire. We should learn to accept others as they are, and not for how they appear.
If Marion would still love unattractive children born from the sperm donor, just in case the attractive traits were not transmitted, then why can’t she accept children by her husband who was not good looking? It seems there are other reasons for preying sperm donors. Marion’s husband does not seem to have any problem with fertility. If she did not use in vitro fertilization, normally used for such cases, then she committed and sought adultery willingly with the sperm donor.
Thanks to biomedical technology, there is a possibility of proving biological parents of a particular child. Marion imagines that the possibilities of her husband finding out the really father of his children are nil. It would not be unwise for parents who doubt their partner’s fidelity to go for DNA test to prove who the biological parent of the children is. Days are long gone for the Latin phrase mater semper certa est, pater numquam, meaning that the mother is always certain, but never the father (is more difficult to prove).
DNA test has come in handy. This however, may not be a very good approach since it may create more disunity than unity where mere doubts exist. The presumption of law that the father of a child born during marriage is the husband of the wife may need to be reviewed. Men should be careful about women who are out to exploit them to donate their gametes for selfish and eugenic reasons.
The sperm donor story shows lack of serious commitment to marriage, an institution designed by the creator Himself. This mentality can lead young mature boys, for economic gains, to sell their sperms to women who are in search of male gametes or to sperm banks.
Marriage is a covenantal relationship between a male and a female, geared towards procreation of children. Children in marriage are a fruit of the union between the husband and wife. Children have a right to be born out of matrimony where both the husband and wife have paternal (and maternal) project. This ought to be respected. I hope that not all who read the article presented by Marion will take her serious and that they will defend their fidelity in marriage welcoming and respecting children, no matter their physical characteristics, as a gift from God, with same dignity as any other child. Artificial insemination by donor remains therefore substitutive of the proper subject the husband, in the conjugal act.
*Fr Pascal Mwambi Mwakio is a catholic priest from Mombasa Archdiocese, Kenya. He is currently a student of masters in bioethics at Regina Apostolorum University, Rome-Italy.

Political Leaders must Promote Inter-Ethnic Understanding

2011-04-19T08:57:00.000-07:00

ARTICLE 19 reminds Kenya’s political leaders to promote intercultural understanding through their speeches and actions by refraining from making statements that undermine equality and fuel inter-ethnic tensions. The responsibilities of political leaders are especially vital at this time of heightened tensions in Kenya surrounding two ongoing cases against six prominent Kenyans before the International Criminal Court (ICC)…[Readmore]
Introduction
ARTICLE 19 is concerned about the escalating levels of inter-ethnic tensions in Kenya. This tense atmosphere stems from discussions currently taking place in the country relating to two ongoing cases against six prominent Kenyans at the ICC as well as recent comments made by Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and former Education Minister William Ruto – at recent rallies and in the media. Comments made by some members of parliament attending a rally against the ICC process on Monday 4 April and on Monday 11 April have also contributed to fuelling tensions within the country.
International Criminal Court: process
The two ongoing cases against six Kenyans accused of having committed crimes against humanity have attracted a huge degree of interest in Kenya, and beyond. The so-called “Ocampo Six” are accused of being the main perpetrators of the 2007-2008 post-election violence that claimed more than 1,300 lives and forcefully displaced over 650,000. They include some of the most powerful people in the country such as Uhuru Kenyatta, Deputy Prime Minister, finance minister, the son of Kenya’s first president, Jomo Kenyatta, and the perceived leader of the Kikuyu tribe; Francis Muthaura, head of the public service and Cabinet Secretary; William Ruto, the former education minister and the perceived leader of the Kalenjin ethnic group; and Hussein Ali, the former policy chief. Each of the “Ocampo Six” maintains their innocence.
The ICC issued summonses in relation to each of the six individuals following requests by the ICC Prosecutor in December 2010. The first three defendants – William Ruto and Henry Kosgey, both until recently cabinet ministers, parliamentarians and senior members of the Orange Democratic Movement, and Joshua Sang, the head of KASS FM, a radio station – are accused of committing crimes against humanity. The charges include murder, forcible transfer and persecution of perceived supporters of President Mwai Kibaki’s Party of National Unity. The three remaining defendants – Francis Muthaura, Uhuru Kenyatta, and Hussein Ali, who was chief of police during the violence – are accused of committing crimes against humanity, including through murder, forcible transfer of population, rape and other forms of sexual violence, and persecution by employing the services of a known criminal gang called Mungiki, to carry out attacks against perceived Orange Democratic Movement supporters. They are also accused of instructing the police not to interfere with these attacks or bring the perpetrators to justice.
The ICC’s involvement in the “Ocampo Six” case stems from the failure of Kenya’s coalition government to set up a credible local tribunal to try those responsible for the ethnic attacks during the post-election violence in 2007-2008, which had its roots in politically inspired violence of earlier decades dating back to the independence, in 1963.
The Kenyan government has attempted to challenge the ICC prosecutions over the admissibility of the case arguing that justice can be dispensed locally. However, Kenya’s justice system has failed to hold to account any of the perpetrators of the post-election violence in any of the over 3500 cases reported and under investigation. The Kenyan government has also appealed to the UN Security Council, which has refused to intervene, to defer the international charges against the “Ocampo Six” for a year. In sharp contrast to the attitude of their government, most Kenyans support the ICC process. A poll published on Tuesday 5 April 2011 by the research firm Synovate indicated that 61% of Kenyans wanted the trials to proceed at the Hague.
The ICC has set the confirmation of charges hearing in the cases of Ruto, Kosgey and Sang for 1 September 2011 and in the cases of Muthaura, Kenyatta and Hussein Ali for 21 September 2011.
Escalating inter-ethnic tensions
Although four of the six suspects have kept a relatively low profile since being named by the ICC Prosecutor in December 2010, Kenyatta and Ruto have made highly publicised speeches at rallies and “prayer tours” around the country in an attempt to discredit the ICC process and to cause public disaffection against Raila Odinga.
These rallies have transformed into venues for ethnic mobilisation and recall the increasing tensions that led up to the 2007 elections. Although Kenyatta and Ruto deny that their speeches spread ethnic hatred, it is apparent that their speeches which “abuse, ridicule and provoke others … sow the seeds of discord that can easily manifest themselves in violence” and a new wave of bloodshed in Kenya. The situation has prompted the country’s leading newspaper, The Daily Nation, to argue: “unless checked, these politicians will lead this country into anarchy” (Editorial, The Daily Nation, 4 April 2011).
The ICC itself has indicated its concern about the dangers of such speeches upon a new bout of violence in Kenya. At the pre-trial hearing of Ruto, Kosgey and Sang, Judge Ekaterina Trendafilova indicated that: “It came to the knowledge of the chamber by way of following some articles in the Kenyan newspapers that there are some movements towards re-triggering the violence in the country by way of using some dangerous speeches.” Judge Trendafilova said that such activities were a breach of a key condition imposed on the suspects when the summonses were issued on 8 March 2011, although she did not single out any specific individuals. Failure to heed the warning of the ICC, however, could lead to the replacement of the summonses to appear with arrest warrants for those found in breach of the conditions.
In defiance of the ICC warning, supporters of Kenyatta and Ruto have subsequently indicated that these men will continue to speak out against the ICC and their cases. The supporters also indicate that Kenyatta, Ruto, the other members of the Ocampo Six and the supporters themselves should be free to talk as they wish.
Responsibilities of Political Figures and the Media, Obligations on the State
ARTICLE 19 reminds all state and political actors in Kenya that the rights to freedom of expression and equality are universal, interdependent and indivisible human rights. Put differently, these rights are mutually reinforcing and can only be properly realized if they are promoted at the same time.
ARTICLE 19 reminds politicians and other leadership figures – including the “Ocampo Six” – that they have responsibilities to avoid making statements that promote discrimination on ethnic grounds or undermine equality in Kenya. These political figures should instead take advantage of their positions to promote intercultural and inter-ethnic understanding, including by contesting where appropriate, discriminatory statements or behavior.
Furthermore, ARTICLE 19 recommends that Kenyan media should, take care to report in context and in a factual and sensitive manner whilst ensuring acts of discrimination and the harm caused by them are brought to the attention of the public. The media should also avoid unnecessary references to ethnicity and other group characteristics that may promote intolerance, but take steps to ensure that their workforces are diverse and they address issues that concern all ethnic groups.
The responsibilities of political and other leadership figures and the media have been elaborated upon in the Camden Principles on Freedom of Expression and Equality. ARTICLE 19 draws attention to the Camden Principles as they are especially relevant to the situation in Kenya at this time.
ARTICLE 19 is an independent human rights organisation that works around the world to protect and promote the right to freedom of expression. It takes its name from Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees free speech.
For more information contact: Henry Maina, Director, ARTICLE 19 Kenya +254 20 3862230-2 or Email: henry@article19.org or Mona Samari, Senior Press Officer ARTICLE 19, + 44 207 324 2510 or email mona@article19.org

The Long Easter Prayer of an Internally Displaced Child

2011-04-15T07:01:00.000-07:00

By Father Nhessy Nkulu Iland, IMC,
Little Dewy attended Sunday mass and was so much impressed by the reading of John 11: 1-46 on the death and resurrection of Lazarus. “He cried in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’”. “Come out!”… “Come out!”… “Come out!”… The preacher’s voice continued resounding in his ears long after the 43rd verse was read. He wondered how and when he was going to “come out” from the makeshift life he has been living since the post election violence shattered his dreams. A sudden strong desire to “come out” of his long lasting plight pulled out of his young and innocent heart a spontaneous prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ! You ordered Lazarus out of his tomb… Why don’t you just do that again for me now? For such a very long night, I have been in a tomb of hardships and misery with no hope to “come out” at all! Lord, I did not even know what elections were. I saw on that fateful morning daddy and mummy going to a poll station to cast their vote and give us a new president for our beloved motherland Kenya. Oh, Lord! I did not mind who would “come out” as president! I knew it would be a Kenyan leader, anyway I waited! Instead, oh Lord, all hell broke loose thereafter. I had no idea election meant trouble, killing, looting, running up and down… such a terrible nightmare! I would not like to see that happening again… Oh Lord, I beg you, spare me of that hell for the rest of my life!
Lord God! I had a warm shelter, food, clothes, school fees… You blessed me with hardworking daddy and mummy who took care of me. I had milk, sukuma, ugali and irio everyday… I had a future! But look how I’m living now, Lord! I tread from one place to another. I have no place to call home, no food, no clothes, no… nothing! Lord, did you see how my shack was blown off by the wind the other day it rained? Do you know how my strong daddy and sweet mummy are toiling to keep us all five children alive? The other day my little sister was sick and there was no money to take her to the hospital! My old brother was sent home from school since daddy could not pay his school fees! Yesterday we did not have enough food and we just don’t know if today we will find something to eat! Oh God! Can’t you see all that? Why don’t you say: “Come out!” and give us life again? Oh God, I beg you!
The other day, Lord, I heard a loud noise along the street and asked what was happening. I was told someone returned from Hague… Since I was hungry, Hague sounded in my ears like egg… I thought of the eggs I used to eat when I still had a place to call home! I don’t even know if those going there are really the ones who broke all hell loose on my people and me… But I know, Hague won’t bring back my eggs and my home too soon. Maybe Hague will take another decade, perhaps two, before it hatches the eggs sheltering those who brought violence and took away my dream for a better future. I wonder where I will be then, Lord, when Hague will be over!
That is why my dear Lord, I come to you today, begging you to dawn your sunrise into my long lasting night so that I may truly celebrate the resurrection of Christ, your son and my dearest brother! Sure, mummy always told me that we will rise at the end of time when you get back here; we won’t need homes, food, drinks, school fees… But now, Lord, I just need all that to stay alive and celebrate Easter. Why don’t you say it again: “Kenyans, sons and daughters of mine, come out of your tombs!”…
…the tomb of confusion of priorities where animals in our parks and orphanages are better protected and well taken care of than I, your son, for whom you created all these animals. They have now more rights than I. An elephant cannot be killed… I can be, anyway! It does not matter! Oh Lord, remove the splinter in our eyes so that we may “come out” of our tomb of confusion and give priority to our brothers and sisters, living beings created after your very image.
…the tomb of hate and division laying a wide gap between my people and those who took away our dream for the future. Almighty Lord, I beg you, extend the boundaries of our Eastern province to the Pacific coast of China; widen the Western province up to the USA beach! We will then “come out” of our tomb of tribal discrimination and nepotism to look at each other as brothers and sisters with no boundaries and with only one Father, you, the God of all Creation!
…the tomb of greed and selfishness worsening our sufferings day by day. Let the millions spent for luxurious trips and prestigious lawyers hired be used to build us better homes so that we may “come out” of the hot and unbearable shacks!
…the tomb that is prolonging our nightmare with vain and broken promises. Lord God, just as Christ, your son and our brother, became a man, let the words of our earthly powerful leaders turn into actions so that we may “come out” of the camps where, in inhumane conditions, are living in.
…the tomb of carelessness and irresponsibility making some of the people I always regarded with respect and esteem as my daddy utter words of threats endangering the next election. Lord, smooth their sharpened tongues so that we may, forever, “come out” of the tomb of violence.
…the tomb of stony indifference where we hardened and locked our hearts in hate, in lack of compassion and forgiveness. Oh, Lord! Give courage and humility to those who broke our life and dumped it into the tomb of gloom, to kneel down, feel sorry and ask for our forgiveness. In addition, give us too the compassion to forgive them. Remove in us the stone of indifference, Lord, and give us a new heart of flesh so that, as one people of the same Kenyan family, we may all “come out” of anger, bitterness, division, hate… to be able to forgive from the heart and love again.
…then “Hague” will be turned to “Hugs” of love and true forgiveness for a new era of justice, peace and unity… then Christ will rise in our peaceful hearts revived in the joy of the good news of Easter… then the light of the risen Christ will shine again in our warmer homes with milk and irio on our tables and bring back our sweet dream for a brotherly future of one Kenya, one people!

Moving Towards Respectful Dialogue And Just Relationships Or Towards Fundamentalism-Moralism?

2011-04-01T04:46:00.000-07:00

By Fr Lazaro Bustince Sola, Missionaries of Africa,*
Introduction
One of the most intriguing questions we face today both in Church and State Institutions as well as in society in general is the interaction between two fundamental and simultaneous movements: the movement towards respectful dialogue and just relationships on one hand, and the movement towards fundamentalism on the other.

On one hand we observe the commitment and struggle of many social groups to promote a more respectful dialogue among cultures, ethnic groups and faiths, a more just society. Proof of this commitment are events like: the present appraisals in many Arab countries, solidarity with victims of natural disasters like in Japan, interfaith commissions to work together for a more human and peaceful society, human rights groups, social forum, UN efforts to foster a greater solidarity among the human family, the Churches commitment to dialogue, the second Synod for Africa to promote reconciliation, justice and peace, and the increasing number of Religious Societies which take as a priority the commitment to justice, peace and dialogue.
At the same time, there is a clear movement towards greater fundamentalism! Examples of this could be: political dictatorships and presidents for life, abuse and control of resources by individuals and multinationals, mafias for women and children exploitation, drugs and arms trafficking, absolute powers of some cultural and religious leaders, middle east conflicts, suicidal bombers, appointments of many religious leaders of “strict mentality movements”, impositions of some religious leaders-bishops upon their congregations, covering up injustices, increasing demand of “blind obedience” in many religious congregations and increasing emphasis on strict observance of external laws and practices to feel secure and orthodox.!
In this article, I want to focus on religious fundamentalism!
“There can be no peace in society without peace among religions “! (Hans Kung)
By religious fundamentalism, I refer to: the mind set and practice of APPLYING VERY STRICTLY the rules and teaching of any religion.
This can take place in cultural, political and economic systems. Basically, fundamentalism leads to RIGID thinking and attitudes resulting in COMPULSIVE or driven behaviour.
MORALISM referring to having or showing very FIXED ideas about what is right/wrong leading often to judge/condemn human behaviour.
Highlighted is the importance of: genuine dialogue and compassionate relationships, the movement towards fundamentalism-moralism, some roots and consequences of this fundamentalism-moralism among religious.
1. GENUINE DIALOUGE AND COMPASSIONATE RELATIONSHIPS
We notice in today’s world a strong movement towards: freedom, democracy, respect for human dignity and human rights, dialogue and social justice. Humanity is crying for greater solidarity, justice, authentic peace and respect for the other. The cry for responsible leaders who care for the common good and empower their followers other than dominate and dictate without any form of dialogue or consultation is becoming very loud in all spheres of life. Examples of the recent political uprisings in Egypt, Libya among others are big lessons. In Uganda, the recent Elections have shown quite clearly the craving for change and for a more just society and responsible leaders of integrity. In the Church, especially after the second African Synod, there is as well a great awareness and commitment to promote justice and dialogue among ourselves and in society. In many religious congregations, as in our own Missionaries of Africa Society, there is certainly a renewed commitment, clearly expressed in our four recent Chapters, to promote more just and respectful relationships in all our services. This commitment though is clearer in the documents than in our daily attitudes and behaviour.
Our daily witness is not quite as convincing, particularly in the quality of our relationships, in being Mission centred and in our style of leadership. There is a big gap between words, what we preach and actions. We often remain at the level of “political correctness” and of “secular success”, rather than becoming prophetic witnesses.! I find that Pedro Arrupe’s life and leadership is one of the most inspiring prophetic witnesses for religious leaders today. By the end of Vat.II, he was already convinced that: True faith must bear fruits of compassionate justice in dialogue with each culture of today’s world! We humans are so attracted by power and glory that frequently we forget the “Ways of the Kingdom”, and the Way of Jesus which is the way of washing of the feet and service to all that they may have LIFE!
MOVEMENT TOWARDS FUNDAMENTALISM-MORALISM
In today’s world, injustices, corruption, decadency the moral fabric, abject poverty and abuse of power (political –religious) seem to be on the increase and this leads to frustration, social civil unrest, loss of lives and loss of credibility.
The constant social, political and religious “protests” of these days are symptoms of a deeper evil at work. Personal and structural dictatorships seem to have the upper hand in controlling resources, abusing human dignity and rights and other violations of human freedom which take place with impunity.
These fundamentalists’ attitudes and behaviour are particularly evident and regrettable in religious movements, in the Church and in religious societies/orders manifested in the following ways:
• Abuse of minors, both by civil and by some religious leaders.
• Impositions of some religious leaders and even some bishops on their congregations.
• Vatican decisions of imposing certain “strict” renewal movements on some churches, like Japan.
• The focus on “ritual celebrations” forgetting compassionate behaviour and respectful dialogue. Jesus was clear that he wants mercy and not just sacrifices! Math. 9,13
• Increasing demand of “blind obedience” in many religious circles rather than personal and community discernment to search together for God’s Will.
• Abuse of power and money-power in office;
• Gender violence, jealousy and lack of genuine dialogue and cooperate discernment in religious congregations;.
• Unfair suspension and dismissal of staff in religious institutions based on personal issues, ethnic bonds and without any previous dialogue;
• Manipulating appointments of religious members for “bad” reasons;
• Focussing more and more on “survival issues” rather than on Mission;
• Controlling attitude in leadership style rather than “team leadership” in genuine dialogue;
• Covering up injustices and abuses rather than truth telling, compassionate justice coupled with forgiveness and reconciliation
• Encouraging “formalism and uniformity”, for safety’s sake, rather than personal responsibility, quality relationships and creativity.
1. SOME ROOTS OF THIS FUNDAMENTALISM-MORALISM AMONG RELIGIOUS
Lack of focus on the Lord’s Mission for us today
Many religious congregations are becoming quite “introvert” because of the ageing of their members rather than focussing on Christ’s Mission for us in today’s world. Some religious leaders are turning to “strict observance of the rules”, partly out of fear, rather than remaining Mission centred and prophetic. Being too preoccupied with our own survival, we loose the focus on Christ’s Mission for us today and become irrelevant to people’s lives and needs. Our faith often bears little impact on everyday’s life and on the culture of today. Are we deeply rooted in the Vine!?
Disconnected from people and from reality.
The decreasing number in many religious societies is also caused by our lack of credibility. We live often in our own “ivory towers and comforts”, disconnected from the real life and the real needs of the people. We engage in some charitable works but rarely dare to go to the root of the injustices and find ways to overcome them. Since religious are hardly affected by the injustices, pains, sufferings and concerns of so many people, they fail to read the signs of the time. In this situation many religious “over-spiritualize” everything and speak-preach a language foreign and irrelevant to the people. Some religious groups could balance better their religious practices by being closer to the poor and needy. True intimacy with the Lord will bear always abundant fruits of loving the people. (cf. Jn.15:15)!
Crisis of leadership.
We are facing in many religious communities a serious deficit of leadership. We have no charismatic leaders. We lack leaders of sufficient human and spiritual maturity, able to be at ease and dialogue respectfully with others. Thus, many religious leaders resort to abuse of power and to “labelling” of members, exonerating themselves from caring for them and causing serious harm to many. “They lord it over them”! (Mt.20:25). Many religious leaders also fall into the “celebrity culture” of secular leadership rather than remaining in the attitude of service. Many religious leaders seem to function in “political correctness”, be out of fear, be out of personal expectations for higher office! Some are in positions of authority because “we have nobody else”!
Among the temptations for religious leaders and financial administrators today, power for control (prestige, possessions) seems certainly the most damaging of all. The Gospel invites us precisely to use authority for service. Mt. 20,20-28. Some people who become leaders have never known parental love. They had authoritarian fathers, mothers or guardians who wanted to control everything, who did not understand or affirm them. These conflicts with parents often create a sense of insecurity and an ambivalent attitude in regard to authority. When children have had a bad experience with authority, they will have difficulty taking and exercising responsible leadership when they become adults. They have never had good models!

Sometimes authority becomes mere power. The leader then starts organizing everything and everyone, without any care and respect for the persons dignity. They often try to control others and stifle their freedom. Such a leader would easily start finding pleasure in having power and in all the privileges that are attached to a function. They tend not to listen, particularly to those whom they consider to be critical and disturbing.
The need for power can often hide and compensate for a lack of inner freedom and strength! Often leaders cling and hide behind the role instead of becoming good shepherds who serve others and the common good. In the Gospel of John Chapter 10, Jesus describes the characteristics of a good shepherd. Good shepherds know their sheep by name. Knowing someone by name implies knowing his or her gifts, strength, weaknesses, inner wounds as well as vocation and mission in life. This presupposes listening to each one attentively and constructively without judgemental attitudes.
Lack of ongoing renewal
Some religious leaders lack deep and ongoing renewal and sufficient human-spiritual maturity, becoming often “administrators and functionaries”. Being unaware of how they operate and why, they continue to act from their “shadows”, projecting on others the compulsive needs they have within themselves. The “ora et labora” (pray and work) of St. Benedict is often not balanced, leading many religious leaders to one sided views, “re-cycled preaching” and routine practices. There seems to be often a lack of understanding and integration between personal freedom-initiative and community responsibility, due to insufficient human-spiritual integration.
How many of us know and are committed to implement the recommendations of the second African Synod and the Catholic Social Teaching? How many are in touch with the signs of the time ?
2. SOME CONSEQUENCES OF THIS FUNDAMENTALISM-MORALISM AMONG RELIGIOUS
Unless “we live more justly, love more tenderly and walk more humbly with our God” (Micha 6,8) with genuine respect for each other and well focussed on Christ’s Mission for us today, our religious congregations will become more and more irrelevant in the lives of the people, seeking “false” securities in ritualistic celebrations and “strict observances” of external regulations, thus becoming counter-witnesses!
The Church and religious are fast loosing credibility in many countries because of these injustices, abuse of power, hiding the truth and irrelevant living. Clinging to traditions and rituals has failed to bring renewal and vitality. The tendency to find “refuge” in external practices, uniformity and strict observance of blind obedience is one of the most serious temptations for today’s Church and religious. Equally damaging is the lack of consequence and single minded commitment to live the priorities of the Mission as defined in the Gospels, in the Synods of the Church and our own Chapters. This has serious repercussions not only on the number of vocations but especially on the lack of credible and life giving witness. “They do not practice what they preach”! Mt. 15,8. We become then “conformists”, “secularised” and irrelevant rather than prophetic and life giving witnesses. Our faith to be transformative, needs to be “hammered on the anvil of life”, and pruned in deep intimacy with the Lord and care for the neighbour.
CONCLUSION
“This people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. In vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines human precepts. You disregard God’s commandments and cling to human traditions”. Mk. 7, 6-8
“I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees…” Mth.5,20
“The Lord loves justice and right and fills the earth with goodness”. Ps.33,3
How we deal with fundamentalism- moralism will determine our spiritual and moral health as individuals, our vitality and relevance as religious societies/orders, and our credibility as leaders of the world which cries for true freedom and integrity. The events in the world today do not afford us the luxury of stagnation in the status quo. The bells of history are definitely tolling for fundamentalism and calling for authentic dialogue and more just-compassionate relationships. I am convinced that in less than ten years, a change of mentality will be a reality in the style of leadership.! Lent may be a good opportunity to review our way of “praying, fasting and helping others”! Perhaps this can be a time of awakening and turning to God and our neighbour in greater truth, compassionate justice, genuine dialogue and convincing witness both as individual leaders and as religious communities.
For this we pray and labour!
*By Fr Lazaro Bustince Sola Missionaries of Africa, Lourdel House, Kampala.

The Voice of Nature

2011-03-25T02:30:00.000-07:00

By Dominic Nkoyoyo*
The magnificent and brilliant colours of the breath-taking splendour of dawn, the gorgeous and ineffable beauty of twilight, the twinkling stars in the deep blue of the night sky, the silent music of the flowing waters, the vastness of the seas and the immensity of space all speak to us in a voice known to the heart alone! Nature is speaking and its voice is medicine for the soul!
Unfortunately, it is as if we have totally closed and stuffed our ears with cotton! In today’s world, we no longer listen to the messages of wisdom of the soothing voice of nature! Even our own make up, our human nature, is speaking and sometimes very loudly, but we are not paying any attention!
From around the age of 18 to 28, nature adorns a woman with exceptional beauty and allure. This has been so down the centuries and it is very unlikely that it is going to change tomorrow! In the programme of nature, this is the best time for a woman to get a life companion, a husband. And the best time for child bearing and rearing. In general beyond this time child bearing gets more difficult and complicated and chances of begetting an abnormal child are high. Nature is speaking! Are we listening?
Apparently most of us are not listening! In today’s world, many women want to prolong their youth into their late thirties and early forties on the ground that they want to perfect their careers, move around the world and enjoy life before they get old. Unfortunately the privileges nature gives and bestows upon a woman in her twenties do not move along with them in their late thirties! So by the time they think of begetting children, it is rather too late!
To marry and to get married and bring up children is one of the basic desires nature has engraved upon the fibres of our being! But in today’s world we seem to be paying very little attention to this! Apparently many people do not think that marriage and having a family and children is important in their lives. But many regret as they get older!
We need to know that the things which our very nature dictates are basic! And we ignore them at our own risk! Love of money, academic achievements and an endless search for self amusement have made many forget the basic needs of human life. The article «Are Kenyan Women Wearing Trousers?» which appeared in the Kenyan news paper Daily Nation of February 25, 2011, is a reminder that we should go back to the basics. It discusses today’s Kenyan woman also called «This New Woman!» And in my opinion, what is said of this new Kenyan woman is true of most career and single women all over the world.
This new woman, is described as the career woman, well educated, economically independent and generally un married! At one point the moderator of the discussion poses a very important and fundamental question : «Is this new woman happy?» The panel of experts discussing this new woman includes men and women. The answer Ann Gitao gives to this question is deep and astounding. She hits the nail on the head!
She thus says, «…Your genetic make up, your natural instinct is to be a mother, to be a wife, to be all those things and you can never scrap that. So I think you are happy as a lady if you have that and you are feeling fulfilled. Hopefully, you end up with a good marriage and a good family and on top of that you are living comfortably and living your other dream, your career growth…So I would describe a happy woman as one who has fulfilled her natural instincts and continues to meet them and one who also meets her worldly needs and desires.»
Nature has also engraved upon the heart of a man, the desire to take care of his wife, to provide for her and to protect her. But today many people call this outdated! That it was true only of the primitive and stone age man, the hunter! For they claim that since today’s new woman is economically independent and sometimes earns much more than her husband, she can take care of herself, provide for herself and protect herself! But this wrong thinking has had devastating consequences on the psychological identity of men. Many men no longer know clearly who they are in relation to women! Some even shy away from women because their inner self, their identity and confidence as men has been eroded and destroyed.
Naturally any man whether of yesterday, today or tomorrow will always find joy and fulfillment in providing for his wife and protecting her. I have no problem with a woman being economically independent and I encourage it. But her economic independence does not change the natural instincts of a man! So her economic independence should be harmonized with the natural instincts of her man. Dr. Njoki Fernandez one of the experts and panellists discussing «The New Kenyan Woman» understood this very well.
In the discussion she shares her own experience thus: «I got married when I was very young, at 21, and in medical school. So for a long time, my husband was provider, care giver and whatever and it was a role he enjoyed and did very well. But fortunately or unfortunately, you complete medical school, get employed and soon money starts to come in and this girl starts showing signs of independence. The man freaked out. Soon there were all these fights about ‘now you think you have money you can do your own thing.’ I think I also took it a bit too far, telling him, ‘don’t fuel my car, I can do it myself.’ When I realised what was happening to us, I withdrew a bit and I allowed him to be the ‘one.’ Now there is peace because I had taken over his role.»
Another dictate and command of nature which we should listen to, is that man and woman are relational and social beings. And therefore should not live in isolation. In other words man and woman are communal beings who should live in some form of community like a family or a religious community.
Unfortunately, Western individualism and urban setting have deprived many people of their relational and communal dimension of life. Although it is normally said that no man is island, many people in the Western world and in most of the big cities all over the world have been reduced to «islands!» They find themselves all alone in their apartments, with no one to talk to, no one to share with. And they suffer grave and serious effects from this isolation! These people have money and all the material things they need but no friends!
Again when we listen attentively, we hear the voice of nature telling us that our sexuality is a treasure beyond price. For it forms part of the core of our innermost being and identity! What touches our sexuality touches the roots of our being, our identity and dignity as human persons. This is why when we engage in inappropriate sexual relationships (which instinctively we know) they fill us with shame, humiliation and guilt instead of joy.
Our sexuality is meant to help us establish and form healthy and warm relationships, to strengthen and cement them! And our creative powers, be it in terms of procreation, imaginative thinking and creative writing, to my knowledge they are all linked to our sexuality!
But what we see today is the trivialisation of this treasure of our sexuality! It is handled and treated no better than rubbish in the dustbin! Everyday we are bombarded with pornographic material from every side! Sex for many, is no longer a relational and personal act through which people express their love and commitment to one another.
We can rightly say that sex has been reduced to an empty and impersonal theatrical act! It is staged in the studio or open air before the cameraman, for the pornographic industry! In other words, sex in our digital world is no longer a bedroom affair but a stage affair for all, including our children, to see!
We shall live to regret our refusal to listen to the voice of nature and the damage we do to these children and to our society as a whole.
*Dominic Vincent Nkoyoyo, Monastery Val Notre-Dame, Canada.

Hiding the Real Africa - Why NGOs prefer Bad News

2011-03-22T04:09:00.001-07:00

By Karen Rothmyer
And now for some good news out of Africa. Poverty rates throughout the continent have been falling steadily and much faster than previously thought, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. The death rate of children under five years of age is dropping, with “clear evidence of accelerating rates of decline,” according to The Lancet. Perhaps most encouragingly, Africa is “among the world’s most rapidly growing economic regions,” according to the McKinsey Quarterly.
Yet US journalism continues to portray a continent of unending horrors. Last June, for example, Time magazine published graphic pictures of a naked woman from Sierra Leone dying in childbirth. Not long after, CNN did a story about two young Kenyan boys whose family is so poor they are forced to work delivering goats to a slaughterhouse for less than a penny per goat. Reinforcing the sense of economic misery, between May and September 2010 the ten most-read US newspapers and magazines carried 245 articles mentioning poverty in Africa, but only five mentioning gross domestic product growth….
Reporters’ attraction to certain kinds of Africa stories has a lot to do with the frames of reference they arrive with. Nineteenth century New York Herald correspondent Henry M. Stanley wrote that he was prepared to find Zanzibar “populated by ignorant blacks, with great thick lips, whose general appearance might be compared to Du Chaillu’s gorillas.”
Since the Biafran War, a cause célèbre in the West, helped give rise in the late 1960s to the new field of human rights, Western reporters have closely tracked issues like traditional female circumcision. In the 1980s, a famine in Ethiopia that, in fact, had as much to do with politics as with drought, set a pattern of stories about “starving Africans” that not only hasn’t been abandoned, but continues to grow: according to a 2004 study done by Steven S. Ross, then a Columbia journalism professor, between 1998 and 2002 the number of stories about famine in Africa tripled.
In Kenya, where I was a Peace Corps volunteer in the late 1960s and where I returned to live four years ago, The New York Times description of post-election violence in 2007 as a manifestation of “atavistic” tribalism carried echoes of Stanley and other early Western visitors.
But the main reason for the continued dominance of such negative stereotypes, I have come to believe, may well be the influence of Western-based non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and international aid groups like United Nations agencies. These organizations understandably tend to focus not on what has been accomplished but on convincing people how much remains to be done. As a practical matter, they also need to attract funding. Together, these pressures create incentives to present as gloomy a picture of Africa as possible in order to keep attention and money flowing, and to enlist journalists in disseminating that picture.
Africans themselves readily concede that there continues to be terrible conflict and human suffering on the continent. But what’s lacking, say media observers like Sunny Bindra, a Kenyan management consultant, is context and breadth of coverage so that outsiders can see the continent whole, its potential and successes along with its very real challenges. “There are famines; they’re not made up,” Bindra says. “There are arrogant leaders. But most of the journalism that’s done doesn’t challenge anyone’s thinking.”
Over the past thirty years, NGOs have come to play an increasingly important role in aid to Africa. A major reason is that Western donors, worried about government corruption, have channelled more funds through them. In the mid-1970s, less than half a dozen NGOs (like the Red Cross or CARE) might operate in a typical African country, according to Nicolas van de Walle, a professor of government at Cornell, but now the same country will likely have 250.
This explosive NGO growth means increasing competition for funds. And according to the head of a large US-based NGO in Nairobi, “When you’re fundraising you have to prove there is a need. Children starving, mothers dying. If you’re not negative enough, you won’t get funding.”
So fierce is the competition that many NGOs don’t want to hear good news. An official of an organization that provides data on Somalia’s food situation says that after reporting a bumper harvest last year, “I was told by several NGOs and UN agencies that the report was too positive.”
Rasna Warah, a Kenyan who worked for UN-Habitat before leaving to pursue a writing career, says that exaggerations of need were not uncommon among aid officials she encountered. “They wanted journalists to say ‘Wow.’ They want them to quote your report,” she says. “That means more money for the next report. It’s really as cynical as that.”
Western journalists, for their part, tend to be far too trusting of aid officials, according to veteran Dutch correspondent Linda Polman.
In her book; “The Crisis Caravan,” she cites as one example the willingness of journalists to be guided around NGO-run refugee camps without asking tough questions about possible corruption or the need for such facilities. She writes, “Aid organizations are businesses dressed up like Mother Teresa, but that’s not how reporters see them.”
Pushed and pulled by slashed budgets and increased demands, journalists are growing increasingly reliant on aid groups. Sometimes that involves not just information or a seat on a supply plane, but deep involvement in the entire journalistic process.
In an online essay written in 2009, Kimberly Abbott of the International Crisis Group discussed a 2005 Nightline program on Uganda that her NGO helped to produce and fund. It was hosted by actor Don Cheadle, the star of Hotel Rwanda. Nightline’s Ted Koppel explained in his introduction, as retold by Abbott: “Cheadle wanted his wife and daughters to get a sense of the kind of suffering that is so widespread in Africa. The International Crisis Group wanted publicity for what is happening in Uganda. And we, to put it bluntly, get to bring you a riveting story at a greatly reduced expense.”
According to Abbott, “versions of such partnerships are happening now in print and broadcast newsrooms across the country, though many are reluctant to discuss them too openly.”
Daniel Dickinson, a former BBC reporter who is now a communications officer for the European Union in Nairobi, has seen the impact of technology and economics on reporting on Africa first-hand. “The big difference in the past five to ten years is the expansion of the Internet,” he says. “Journalists have got to feed these animals. Add to that the financial crash, and more and more internationals are taking the content we offer them.”
Ben Parker, co-founder and head of IRIN, a news agency that is part of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, admires Dickinson’s success. “He does stories and they’re picked up whole,”
Parker says. IRIN itself can point to many similar successes in finding takers for its stories on aid projects. “The Western media won’t reprint us verbatim,” he says. “But some plagiarize.”
Lauren Gelfand, a correspondent for Jane’s Defence Weekly who is based in Nairobi, says most reporters she knows string for three or four news organizations to make ends meet, and can’t afford to do time-consuming stories. She saw the effect when she took a year off from journalism to work for Oxfam. “If reporters were going to cover a development story it had to be easy,” remembers Gelfand, noting that the simplest sell was a celebrity visit to an aid project.
Gelfand says that her Oxfam experience helped her to understand just how much attention NGOS put on getting their story told. “All the talking points are carefully worked out…. It’s a huge bureaucracy and there are as many levels of control as in any government,” she says of Oxfam, adding that many NGOs are reluctant to cooperate with media unless they know they’ll be shown in a positive light.
To be fair to the NGOs, Gelfand says, “It’s easier to sell a famine than to effect real, common-sense policy change.” And, she says, she continues to believe that most aid workers do what they do because they want to make a difference. Nonetheless, “A lot of what Oxfam does is to sustain Oxfam.”
Stories featuring aid projects often rely on dubious numbers provided by the organizations. Take Kibera, a poor neighborhood in Nairobi. A Nexis search of major world publications found Kibera described as the “biggest” or “largest” slum in Africa at least thirty-four times in 2004; in the first ten months of 2010 the claim appeared eighty-three times. Many of those stories focused on the work of one of the estimated 6,000 or more local and international NGOs working there, and cited population figures that ranged as high as one million residents. Recently, however, the results of Kenya’s 2009 census were released: according to the official tally, Kibera has just 194,269 residents.
In 2010, Rasna Warah wrote in the Daily Nation, a Kenyan paper, that while working for the Worldwatch Institute, an NGO, she had published inflated population estimates using UN-Habitat data, despite knowing there was no consensus on the numbers among her former colleagues at the organization. Sometime after 2004, she wrote, population estimates for Kibera started to rise, and “Before we knew it, the figure spread like a virus.” She added, “The inflated figures were not challenged, perhaps because they were useful to various actors…. They were particularly useful to NGOs, which used them to ‘shock’ charities and other do-gooders into donating more money to their projects in Kibera.”
Questionable figures of another sort are to be found in reports on the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, a series of targets on poverty reduction and other measures of well-being. UN and NGO officials routinely describe Africa as failing to meet the goals, and the press routinely writes up this failure.
But some experts, among them Jan Vandemoortele, one of the architects of the MDGS, have expressed concern that the goals are being misused.
He wrote in 2009 that the MDGS were intended as global targets, but have been improperly applied to individual countries and regions. “It is a real tragedy when respectable progress in Africa is reported as a failure by international organizations and external observers,”
Vandemoortele wrote, voicing the suspicion that particular measurements have been selected “so as to present Africa as a failure, solely to gain support for a particular agenda, strategy, or argument.”
Nonetheless, when the UN met in September, The Associated Press quoted UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as saying, “Many countries are falling short, especially in Africa,” while the Los Angeles Times quoted an Oxfam report as saying, “Unless an urgent rescue package is developed to accelerate fulfillment of all the MDGS, we are likely to witness the greatest collective failure in history.”
The consequences of skewed or incomplete reporting on Africa are not just a disservice to readers but also have the potential to influence policy. “The welfare model [of Africa] is still dominant on the Hill and in Hillary Clinton’s world,” according to van de Walle. Among corporate officials, says Catherine Duggan, an assistant professor at Harvard Business School, the perception is still that “Africa is where you put your money once you’ve made it somewhere else.”
Moreover, such reporting is demoralizing to Africans working for change. Martin Dawes, a UNICEF regional chief of communication for West and Central Africa, says that when there is a disaster, journalists “come to us as aid workers but often don’t talk to the government, which is often what we’re working through. It means that the chances for Africans to show an engaged response is limited. They are written out of their own story.”
Even with shrinking resources, journalists can do better than this.
For a start, they can stop depending so heavily, and uncritically, on aid organizations for statistics, subjects, stories, and sources. They can also educate themselves on how to find and interpret data available from independent sources. And they can actively seek out stories that deviate from existing story lines.
But in the end, it will probably take sustained economic progress to break the current mold. Sunny Bindra, the Kenyan management consultant, recalls that in the 1980s, “Japan got attention because it was whacking the US. It’s the same with India and China now.” Until that happens, a sick African woman in labor will continue to be treated as poverty porn, and most Africans will have to starve in order to make it onto the evening news.
This article was adapted from a paper (pdf) written for Harvard’s Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy.
Columbia Journalism Review Reports — March / April 2011 http://www.cjr.org/reports/hiding_the_real_africa.php?page=all

Fires in the Japanese Tsunami: A Call for a Nuclear Free World

2011-03-18T05:44:00.001-07:00

By Dominic Nkoyoyo*
Possession of nuclear weapons makes us feel powerful, super-powerful and irresistible! It makes our individual and national egos swell with pride that everything is under our control. And that we are the masters directing the events in the world! «The Big Super Powers» or «The Nuclear Club»: USA, Russia, Britain, France and China are so called because they have stockpiles of these weapons of mass destruction! India, Paskistan and Israel, they too being in possession of atomic bombs seek to join the club!
When you have nuclear weapons, you feel safe, powerful and ready to confront any enemy who comes your way. Moreover, it is a clear warning to the rest of the world, that anyone who tries to offend you can and will be punished very severely! With these weapons, we feel invincible! However, what an illusion! No human being is invincible, no nation is invincible! We are mere creatures who will always remain weak and vulnerable. The 9th November 2001 Al Qaeda attacks on USA testify to this!
In fact these nuclear weapons in which we have put our trust can spew and unleash uncontrollable fires which no waters can quench, fires that can reduce to ashes and rubble the very nation that has stock piles of them! In addition, I think this is one of the message and warnings we can read in the uncontrolable fires of the Japanese tsunami. Twenty four hours after the tsunami struck, the fires were still raging uncontrollable amid the floods!
Normally water and fire are great enemies. However, in the morning hours of the unforgettable day of 11 March 2011 when a mega earthquake of magnitude 8.9 struck the eastern coast of Japan, a giant tsunami, ten metres high sprang to its feet from slumber! In addition, with anger, cruelty and speed of 700km per hour, began its march and adventure of destruction and devastation heading towards the cities where humans live. It sparked off untamable fires! Moreover, for what looked like an eternity, Water and Fire hand in hand wrecked havoc beyond all description in towns, cities and villages!
Thousands of our Japanese brothers and sisters for whose eternal rest we now pray, perished in the water tides and in the blazing flames that looked like «light islands» amid the floods. And as if the earthquake and tsunami catastrophes were not enough, the next day at Onagawa, a huge explosion tore through the roof of a nuclear plant adding misery to a nation already in tears and grief!
Kenji Koshiba a construction worker who lives near the plant, in article by the Associated Press entitled: Japan’s nuclear crisis intensifies as authorities race to combat threat of multiple meltdowns, expressed his worries thus, «First I was worried about the quake…Now I am worried about radiation.»
This raises a very important question, namely: How reliable and effective are our nuclear reactors’ and nuclear weapons’ safety measures? An article entitled: Principles of Nuclear Weapons Security and Safety, in an attempt to answer this question tell us thus, «Due to their extreme destructiveness, nuclear weapons require stringent measures to ensure that they are never detonated either intentionally or by accident except under properly authorized circumstances.» In other words this article is telling us that these weapons are designed with safety mechanisms in them and that they are even resistant to detonation by accident!
Another article by World Nuclear Association entitled: Safety of Nuclear Power Reactors, in an attempt to answer the same question informs us thus, «…radioactive material is not readily mobilized beyond the immediate internal structure. Thus, even if the containment structure that surrounds all modern nuclear plants were ruptured, it would still be highly effective in preventing escape of radioactivity.» It continues to say, «It is the laws of physics and the properties of materials that preclude disaster, not the required actions by safety equipment or personnel. In fact licensing approval now requires that the effects of any core-melt accident be confined to the plant itself, without the need to evacuate nearby residents.»
And a nuclear expert Valeriy Hlyhalo, Deputy Director-General of the Chernobyl Safety Center when on 12 March 2011 was interviewed by Reuters on the explosion at Japan nuclear plant, he said that Japanese nuclear plants are earthquake resistant!
Unfortunately, however much experts want us to believe that the safety mechanisms and measures of our nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons are very reliable and effective; the facts on the ground in the Japanese earthquake and tsunami are showing us the contrary! Radiation has escaped and has also been made to escape more by the operators themselves beyond the internal structure!
The evidence on the ground also dismisses Valeriy Hlyhalo’s claim that Japanese nuclear plants are earthquake resistant! If they were that resistant, there would be no talk of a Japanese nuclear plant crisis reported in all local and international media! Reuters on Sunday 13 March 2011 in an article entitled: Japan fights to avert nuclear meltdown after quake, reports thus, «The most urgent crisis centres on the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex, where three reactors were threatening to over heat and where authorities said they had been forced to vent radioactive steam into the air to relieve reactor pressure…The nuclear incident,…sparked criticism that the authorities were ill-prepared for such a massive quake and threat that could pose to the country’s nuclear power industry.»
Since a quake of magnitude 8.9 has crippled the nuclear plant, suppose it was of magnitude 9.5 or above, how would the situation be? And on Monday 14 March 2011 there was a second huge explosion at the plant!
And by telling us, «In fact licensing approval now requires that effects of any core-melt accident be confined to the plant itself without the need to evacuate nearby residents,» the World Nuclear Association wants us to believe that those responsible for licensing approval know the gravity of all possible nuclear accidents! But the evidence on the ground proves them wrong. The fear and danger of a possible meltdown at the nuclear facility has forced authorities to evacuate the nearby residents. On 12 March 2011 Reuters reported thus, «About 140,000 people have so far been evacuated from areas near two Japanese nuclear power plants after Friday’s earthquake.»
Given today’s industrialised world with a large consumer society that finds it very difficult to tame its desires for material things, the demand for electric energy is enormous. And it is very difficult to find an alternative to nuclear energy. The Japanese tsunami experience is therefore a wake up call for all of us to invest more time, energy and money in research projects whose target is to find alternatives to nuclear power. For our nuclear plants have the potential to destroy not only all the scientific and technological development and advancement we have achieved so far but also ourselves!
The potential for self-destruction through our nuclear plants is very real. And this is supported by what Reuters reported in an article entitled: Japan’s nuclear power operator has chequered past, «The company at the centre of a nuclear reactor crisis following the biggest earthquake in Japan’s recorded history has had a rocky past in an industry plagued by scandal…In 2002, the president of the country’s largest power utility was forced to resign along with four other senior executives, taking responsibility for suspected falsification of nuclear plant records. The company was suspected of 29 cases involving falsified repair records at nuclear reactors. It had to stop operations at five reactors, including the two damaged in the latest tremor, for safety inspection. A few years later it ran into trouble again over accusation of falsifying data.»
Another worrying report @BBC World on Twitter said, «Japanese engineer Masashi Goto, who helped design the containment vessel for Fukushima’s reactor core, says the design was not enough to withstand earthquakes and tsunamis and the plant’s builders Toshiba knew this.» These shady deals which compromise standards and professionalism in the nuclear industry should be a concern for everybody.
Due to past falsification of data, lack of transparency and these shady deals in the nuclear industry, the Japanese population finds it very difficult right now to believe what the nuclear engineers operating the Fukushima nuclear plant and the government are telling them about the situation! On March 15, 2011 a third deafening blast was heard at the Fukushima nuclear plant! And it was reported that radiation was being released directly into the air! But it took long before the Prime Minister was informed of it. Reuters thus reported, «Japan’s Prime Minister was furious with the power firm at the centre of the nuclear crisis for taking so long to inform his office about a blast at a stricken reactor plant, demanding ‘What the hell is going on?’»
From my analysis of the information I have bout the Fukushima nuclear plant looming catastrophe, it is very likely that this nuclear crisis will be worse than the 1986 Chernobyl crisis! On the 16 March 2011 the Associated Press in an article entitled: Japan suspends work at stricken nuke plant due to surge in radiation, announced thus, «Japan ordered emergency workers to withdraw from its nuclear plant Wednesday amid a surge in radiation, temporarily suspending efforts to cool the overheating reactors.»
As for our nuclear weapons, the Japanese earthquake and tsunami reveal to us that even the waters of the sea will not be able to extinguish the fires these deadly weapons will unleash upon the earth once several of them explode! This experience also puts in question the safety mechanisms of these weapons in which we trust! It is claimed that they are even resistant to detonation by accident, but if an earthquake of magnitude 9 and above blew up their depot, are we sure they would still not explode?
And we have thousands of these weapons around the world. Reliable sources say that we have at least 23,000 stockpiles of nuclear weapons scattered around the planet! And apart from ordinary atomic bombs, USA, Russia, Great Britain, France and China also possess thermonuclear or hydrogen bombs which can be thousands of times more powerful than atomic bombs!
So let the entire world learn from the nuclear crisis at the Japan’s nuclear plant the dangers posed by our nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons scattered all over the planet. And let us work hard for a nuclear free world.
*Dominic Vincent Nkoyoyo, Monastery Val Notre-Dame, Canada.

An Appeal to the EAC Governments

2011-03-11T04:29:00.001-08:00

By Dominic Nkoyoyo*
Drought is looming throughout East Africa! Even Uganda, East Africa’s principal food producer is already alerting its people on the impending drought……
The Ugandan news paper, The Monitor of Sunday, March 6, 2011 carried an article entitled: Review channel used to relay message about drought. In part this article says «…the office of the Prime Minister (OPM) is currently broadcasting a message on television in English aimed at building awareness about the impending drought as well as cautioning the public against the misuse of food reserves and water resources since the country is likely not to receive rains until May.»
Another article entitled : USAID/East Africa Food for Peace Provides Kenya Drought Donation, that appeared in USAID/EAST AFRICA of Wednesday, February 16, 2011 has this to say «During January, 2011 USAID staff…travelled to two of the most drought affected regions in Kenya—Wajir and Marsbit—to ascertain the severity of the drought…and come up with appropriate response options,…In every community the priority cited by the local representatives was the need for water for humans and animal consumption…In order to address ongoing mitigation efforts USAID/FFP has made a contribution of food aid, valued at $24 million.»
Our people with their animals are dying because they have no water! The 2009 drought caused the death of very many animals in Kenya. Human beings too died! An article entitled: The Great drought: Disaster looms in East Africa, which appeared in the British news paper, The Independent describes that calamity in vivid terms, «On the plains of Marsabit the heat is so intense the bush seems to shiver…carcasses of cattle and camels are strewn about the burnt red dirt in every direction. Siridwa Baseli…passes a skeletal cow that has given up and collapsed under a thorn tree…he is driving his herd in search of water…Only 40 of his herd…that once numbered 200 have survived. Those that remain are dying at a rate of 10 every day.»
According to reliable sources, over the past 20 years droughts are common in East Africa. Unfortunately for all these years the East African governments have done little or nothing to contain the situation. It is normally the humanitarian organizations and the International Community that come in to save the situation! And usually help arrives late when several people have already died of starvation and hunger!
We now know that this tragedy of drought is not just a natural disaster, by cutting down trees and destroying forests we are part of its cause. For example we have greatly destroyed the Mau Forest Complex. Covering an area of 273,300hacters (675,000acres) it is the largest water catchment in Kenya and in East Africa as a whole!
Since 1999 the East African countries have been working on plans of using Lake Victoria and River Nile waters for irrigation, in view of increasing food production to combat famine. Unfortunately most of the big rivers which feed Lake Victoria originate from the degraded Mau Forest! And although many people have been evicted from the forest, to restore its eco-system will take many years. It is also clear that since the Nile is the lifeline of Egypt’s population of 80 million which is expected to swell to 122 million in 2050, we cannot divert too much water from Lake Victoria.
This water problem affects not only people in remote and dry areas but also those in towns! Because of deforestation, drought and global climatic changes, all the big cities and towns in East Africa are experiencing shortage of water supply. One reliable source says that the daily demand by Nairobi residents alone stands at 750,000 cubic metres against the supply capacity of 530,000 cubic metres, leaving a deficit of 220,000 cubic metres! In Mombasa the daily water demand is 150,000 cubic metres, but the water firms can supply only 58,000 cubic metres!
During the 2009 drought a lot of boreholes were sunk in Nairobi to address the water shortage in the City. But according to experts, ground water in some areas because of the many minerals it contains is not recommended for domestic purposes! Marsabit residents blamed underground water for cancer illnesses and deaths suffered by their people and animals! And a report by Water Resource Management released in April 2009 confirmed that water from the boreholes in that area was hazardous!
With lakes and rivers drying up because of climatic changes and with ground water being hazardous in some areas, where should we turn to address the water problem?
God in his infinite kindness has given us the Indian Ocean! And I have no information that it too is about to dry up! So I am proposing that the Indian Ocean be our principal source of water in East Africa. And our weapon to combat drought and famine!
I therefore appeal to all the East African Community governments to construct together two big Desalination Plants which remove salt from sea water. One should be constructed at Mombasa in Kenya and another at Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. Then pipelines from these two big water refineries should be constructed to supply water to all areas in the region including semi desert areas like Wajir, Marsabit, Karamoja etc.
If our governments push this project through, we shall have put an end to starvation and death of our people due to drought and famine. Saudi Arabia is a desert country but it has enough water for domestic purposes for its people! And this is explained by its desalination plants! Its Shoaiba Desalination Plant at the cost of USD1,060 million is the largest in the world. It produces 450 million litres per day!
Our governments should realise that through the death of our people and animals due to drought and famine we lose a lot of money. Kenya alone during the 2009 drought lost more than 3,000,000 head of cattle. This loss amounts to a staggering Ksh 75 billion ($ 1 billion)! And if we take into account the sheep, goats, camels, elephants etc, which died how much money is that?
So I again appeal to the East African Community governments to take seriously my proposal of the construction of Desalination Plants as our weapon to combat famine in the region. I also call upon all our religious leaders in the region to help me explain this to our governments.
*Dominic Vincent Nkoyoyo, Monastery Val Notre-Dame, Canada.

The Uncomfortable Silence

2011-03-08T07:45:00.000-08:00

By Jimmie Briggs*
In his quest to end violence against women, former war journalist Jimmie Briggs faces his toughest audience yet.
"I couldn’t tell my daughter’s class about my struggles as a man in a traditionally women’s movement, because I barely understand them myself."
Several months ago, my daughter’s teacher invited me to speak to her class about what I do for a living. How was I to tell a room full of squirmy first-graders that I am launching a global campaign to end violence against women and girls, using hip-hop and soccer? That I’ve gone from, sometimes, war reporter to human rights advocate? My own daughter has only the slightest inkling about my work, and the thought of facing her classmates terrified me.
As I trudged up the stairs to my daughter’s classroom, I could hear the barely controlled chaos beyond the door. I opened it quickly and bounded across the room. Once the giggles, finger pointing, and poking subsided under the teacher’s laser-like stare, I cleared my throat and walked to the front of the room, finally leaning my back against the chalkboard. My daughter was sitting near the middle of the class, unsmiling and propped forward—unable to contain her anticipation. I took a deep breath. All I could do was speak to them as I would any other group and hope they understood.
I told my daughter’s class the truth: I began my work as a journalist but would be ending it as an activist. I told them about travelling around the world, speaking to kids very much like them, who are fighting and hurting each other, or who are being treated badly by the adults around them, especially, the girls. I told them that I didn’t like the stories I heard when I was writing articles or books, and about how I’m trying to get other people to help me give those stories happier endings. I told them that since the summer of 2008, I’ve been flying back and forth across the world to build a new kind of effort to end violence against women and girls. It’s the vision of a worldwide campaign called “Man Up.” As I spoke, I saw my daughter lean back and smile.
But I couldn’t tell my daughter’s class about all the suffering I’d seen in places like Afghanistan, Colombia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. That had held people as they died in my arms, and I’d sat with women who had been raped to the point of paralysis.
I also couldn’t tell my daughter’s class about my struggles as a man in a traditionally women’s movement, because I barely understand them myself. I frequently meet with people to talk about my ideas for confronting violence against women, and I run into a lot of suspicion—as if I have an ulterior motive for doing this work. At one cocktail reception, a woman asked me, half-jokingly, if I was exploring this issue as a way to meet women. The stare behind her smile told me she was being more serious than not. My guy friends assume the same.
Outside my professional life, I consciously avoid speaking about the work I do, because people expect me to be the embodiment of the “good guy,” the ideal man. I’m quick to cite a mother, ex-wife, daughter, and scores of frustrated ex-girlfriends who would eagerly agree that I’m anything but perfect.
Trying to build a campaign, or a movement, is all-consuming. Most of the time I feel halted in social situations because all I’m really able to talk about is work, leading me to feel like “Debbie Downer” from the TV show Saturday Night Live, guaranteed to bring a festive mood to an abrupt, uncomfortable end.
One night at a regular Sunday evening dinner party with friends and acquaintances, every time I brought up my work, or hot-button words like “rape,” “activism,” or “change,” one guest would change the subject to the texture and taste of the dessert, or to the succulence of the roast chicken. Eventually, I made it a game to see what food item would be introduced next.
As my talk to the first-grade class wound down, I asked them rhetorically, “Why do I care so much about what is happening to women and girls around the world?” The students all turned to look at my daughter as she began to blush and smile nervously. They got that I’m doing this for my daughter.
I hope one day my work over the last 20 years for women and girls will mean something to her and her classmates. At present, my daughter only knows that her dad leaves for days and weeks at a time, returning only to leave again, just when we’ve become reacquainted. But I stay on the path because there is hope; there is affirmation in this movement of women and men. I see it every day when I read about the many men’s conferences on violence against women that are springing up on college campuses across the US; when I see the grassroots efforts that are struggling to be born in the unlikeliest of places on the Web; and when I witness the coalitions that are being formed between organizations across the globe.
Amid the darkness I witnessed as a journalist, there was light as well, resting in the imaginations and faith of countless young people surviving in the worst imaginable situations. My purpose, the end goal of the Man Up Campaign, is to create the space for that light, and for my daughter and her classmates to be in it.
*Jimmie Briggs is a New York-based writer, teacher, and activist, and is the founder of the Man Up Campaign. His upcoming book, "The Wars Women Fight: Dispatches from a Father to His Daughter," will be published in 2011. Learn more about his international campaign to end violence against women at www.manupcampaign.org

The Arab Revolt in North Africa: Inter-Religious Dialogue in the Balance in «The New World Order»

2011-03-04T01:53:00.000-08:00

By Dominic Nkoyoyo*
The Arab revolt in North Africa beginning in Tunisia, Egypt and spreading like wild bush fire to the rest of the Arab world, has taken the International community by surprise! And for better for worse a «New World Order» is in the making!
On 17th December, 2010 the «self-immolation» of a young Tunisian man trying to earn his living in very difficult circumstances, sparked off the revolt. Police brutality, unemployment, food inflation, poor living conditions, a lack of freedom of speech and political freedom were behind the «self-immolation» of Mohamed Bouazizi. He set himself ablaze after suffering from police repression and brutality.
Anti-government protesters forced dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali who had ruled the country for 23 years to flee to Saudi Arabia where on January 14, 2011 he officially resigned as President of Tunisia! Then the rebellion caught up with Dictator Hosni Mubarak of Egypt. It began on 25th January, 2011. Millions of protesters went to the streets in Egypt demanding the resignation of the dictator. And on 11th February, 2011 after 30 years in power Mubarak resigned.
Internationally this Arab rebellion has deep implications and far reaching consequences at three basic levels: Political, Economic and Religious.
At the political level, the Arab countries are going to change their political structures. And this is going to affect their relationship with the rest of the world including the Super Powers! It is clear that the West which claims to be the defender of democracy had been the one supporting the toppled Arab dictators! Will the new governments in these Arab countries still have the same relationship with the West?
As the entire world watches the unfolding of events in the Arab nations, citizens of other countries who are dissatisfied with their governments might also take to the streets to force them out! The Arab revolt has shown that people can liberate themselves from oppressive regimes.
At the economic level, all these Arab countries affected by the revolt are oil producing! And the one who controls this oil controls international economics! Since USA has been supporting the toppled dictators it has obviously been controlling most of this oil. Will this stay the same? Wont China in the changed Arab political structures not use this chance to try and get the lion’s share of this oil and so reduce USA and EU control over the «black gold?»
At the religious level, the Arab countries are basically Muslim states. Since the West which has been supporting the toppled dictators is identified with Christianity, the revolt is at once against the dictators themselves, the West, Christians and the Jews! We can already see that brutality and atrocities towards the minority Christians and Jews in these countries is on the increase. And remember Osama Bin Laden is still around! And this Arab revolt in my opinion is a great victory for him. Many political analysists have ignored or downplayed Al-Qaeda involvement in the Arab revolt! And just call it popular revolt! I doubt their analysis, for its difficult to believe that there no secret links between the Muslim Brotherhood and Al-Qaeda!
So it cannot be a far-fetched idea that Al-Qaeda is going to increase its attacks on Christians in these countries. On 1 November 2010, Al-Qaeda followers calling themselves «the Islamic State of Iraq» massacred 58 Christians and wounded 78 in the Church Our Lady of Salvation in Baghdad. Then posted a statement on the website saying: «We will open upon them the doors of destruction and rivers of blood. All Christian centres, organisations and institutions, leaders and followers are legitimate targets for mujahedeen wherever they can reach them.»
During the Egyptian revolt on 30 January 2011 at 3PM local time in the village of Sharona in this very country, Muslims killed 11 Coptic Christians including children and left four others seriously wounded. On 1 February 2011 the El Hamma Synagogue one of the last surviving synagogues in Tunisia was set on fire by some Islamists. The fire damaged the Torah scrolls inside the building. And it is reported that the police which was not far from the Synagogue did not do much to prevent the attack.
So the Arab revolt deeply affects the inter-religious dialogue and co-existence of non Muslims in the Muslim world. Catholic League, 23 January 2011 thus reported: «The president of Al-Azhar, an Egyptian university, Sheikh Ahmed el Tayeb, along with leading members of the Islamic Research Academy, announced Thursday they are breaking off dialogue with the Vatican in response to Pope Benedict XVI’s criticism of Muslim violence against Christians.»
The Christians are better positioned to dialogue with anybody including their enemies! Because several teachings in the Scriptures allow this, for example: «You have heard that it was said ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you. Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven.» (Mt.5 :44).
But the Quaran itself, if taken literally, makes it very difficult for Muslims to dialogue with other religions. It says for example: «Those who follow Muhammad are merciless for the unbelievers but kind to each other.» (Quaran, Sûrah. 48 :29). «Kill the unbelievers wherever you find them, besiege them and prepare for them every kind of ambush.» (Quaran, Sûrah. 9 :5). «Fight the unbelievers in your surroundings, and let them find harshness in you.» (Quaran, Sûrah. 9 :123). With these verses in the Quaran it is very difficult to see how on the theological or doctrinal level the Christian-Muslim dialogue can achieve much! But we should not forget that the Quaran also says some very beautiful things about God, «In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All the praises be to Allah the Lord of all» (Quaran, Sûrat.2:1-3).
So in this New World Order sparked off by the Arab rebellion, we have to ask ourselves : «Is it possible to keep the Christian-Muslim dialogue alive?»
My position is that we should make every effort to keep this dialogue alive. But we should change our strategy! Up to now this dialogue has basically been between Vatican officials and some outstanding Muslim leaders and academics. This is good but I propose that we should also take the dialogue to grassroots level in the villages and towns where Muslims and Christians interact on a day to day basis! In other words let us get the dialogue to diocesan and parish levels! Let the parish priest and the village Muslim leaders get engaged in the dialogue. Facebook groups could also be created to enrich the dialogue. Right now I have three Facebook Muslim friends from India with whom I am engaged in this dialogue. I am reasonably well informed about Islam. And I have my copy of the Quaran which I often read.
While the theologians continue with their intellectual dialogue, here in the villages let Muslims and Christians work together on developmental projects to up lift their standards of living. And let us engage our young people both Christians and Muslims into sport activities, song, dance, theatre and other cultural activities. This working closely together might lead them to grasp the most important thing in life, namely: love of each other regardless of religion, race, colour or tribe. A concrete example will help: In Masaka Catholic Diocese (Uganda) Bishop Kaggwa created the «Kaggwa football Cup.» I happened to be in Uganda at the end of 2008 and I was deeply touched by the competitions of that year for this Cup. All the parishes of the diocese sent in their teams, but the team members were not just Catholics but also Protestants and Muslims! It was really moving to see these young people together appreciating each others’ presence!
Once people come to the knowledge that we need each other regardless of religion, race, colour or tribe, it becomes easier for them to overcome contradictory religious doctrines engraved in their scriptural writings and traditions. Then they begin to work for each other’s good and to protect each other in difficult times. My best friend in secondary school was a Muslim. We were in the same class. We revised our notes together and prepared for exams together. To this day he is still my friend! I lived for some years in a predominantly Muslim region in Cameroon, and my closest friends there were Muslims. So it is very possible for Christians and Muslims to live together in peace. The present difficulties should not discourage us from keeping the dialogue alive.
We have faced difficulties before but the dialogue continued. For example in March 1996 seven Cistercian monks who lived in a small monastery called Our Lady of Atlas in Algeria, we slaughtered by Muslim fundamentalists. But what is amazing, the Muslims of the small village of Tibherine where these monks lived remember them with great reverence, joy and love to this day. A French film by Xavier Beauvios has been made about them. It is called «Des hommes et des dieux» (in English: Of Gods and men.) Within a very short time since it was launched on 8th September 2010, it has been viewed by more than 2,000,000 people in France alone! Since 25th February this year it is also showing in Canada!
But this interreligious dialogue should not be limited to religious leaders and their flocks discussing among themselves, the United Nations and political leaders should get involved. For it is an illusion to think that religion and politics can be completely separated. For the two are just different dimensions of the same human being.
The very fact that over the years USA and its allies have been engaged in a bitter battle with Al-Qaeda which is an Islamic religious group is evidence enough that the interreligious dialogue should involve the international community and its political body. At some point we might be forced to speak and negotiate with Al-Qaeda! The attacks against Jews and Christians during the Tunisian and Egyptian Arab revolt points to the Al-Qaeda elements and involvement in it!
If we want lasting peace in today’s world, Politics must get into dialogue with Religion. And the different religions all over the world should come to the consensus that no one should ever take away the life of another in the name of religion or God or Allah.
*Dominic Vincent Nkoyoyo, Monastery Val Notre-Dame, Canada

Africanization: The Place of Spirits, Ancestors, Ancestral World, Witchcraft, Resurrection and the Child

2011-02-25T06:44:00.001-08:00

Dominic Vincent Nkoyoyo,*
By Africanization I mean: the unveiling of Jesus Christ the Lord and foundation of all cultures veiled in the depth and roots of the African Culture, through dialogue with the the Good News (the Gospel), Church Teaching and Church Tradition. This is so that the African people may stop living in tension between their culture and Christianity. Right now, Africans are apparently living in two worlds, one leg in their culture and another in Christianity!

Christ, The Word, is the foundation of all human cultures because «All things [including culture which is an essential dimension of our social life] came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being.» (Jn.1 :3). And for this reason, if we look carefully in the foundations, roots and the basic pillars of African Culture, we shall find Christ veiled in there! So it is our task to unveil him, like I have said, through dialogue with the Gospel, Church Teaching and Church Tradition.

But as Jesus challenged some of the concepts, customs and traditions of his culture and time, the Gospel helps us unveil the Christ hidden in the foundations of African culture which we can also safely call African Religion. If need be, it will challenge some of its ideas and customs. The Gospel will do this in order to enrich our culture by adjusting its lenses to have a better vision for the truth.

African Cosmology or World View
Africans have a world view and interpretation of reality, in many ways different from the Asiatic or Western understanding of the world and conception of reality, but which in my opinion is very close the biblical or Hebrew mentality, especially, the Old Testament. The African world view like that of the Bible, is very anthropocentric. Almost everything rotates around the human being.
Pillars or Foundations of the African World View

The following are the basic pillars of African Culture and perception of reality:

a) God or Supreme Being or Creator

b) Spirits [like those believed to be in the sky or air, water or sea, forests and rocks ], ancestral spirits or spirits of departed relatives and the ancestral world

c) The human being and the centrality of the child in human life

d) Living things, like: animals, insects and plants

e) Non-living things, like: rocks, stones and mountains

f) Witchcraft, the dark force of destruction and the ultimate cause of sickness and death

All these pillars of African culture are dynamic forces which interact with each other.
In our Africanization efforts, there are already some gains made which deserve mention: The Liturgy in many places in Africa is celebrated in local languages, the Bible has been translated in many of the main African languages, African song and dance have been introduced into the liturgy.
In spite of these positive developments, the African still finds himself living a kind of double life, one leg in his culture and another in Christianity. So, there is still a lot to be done to resolve this tension. I believe it is now time to go beyond liturgy in local languages, song and dance which right now dominate Africanization to the African conception of the human being and the basic cultural forces that influence the African in their daily life outside the Church!

Some of the basic things or problems the African faces outside the Church after Sunday Service are: sickness, misfortune or bad luck, family problems like failure to have a child in a marital union, impotence, poverty, death of relatives and friends etc. The way the African understands and interprets these realities is different from the Asiatic or Western conception of them. So, anybody engaged in Africanization, in order to find some solutions to the difficulties an African faces in his life has to turn his attention to the African conception of a person and the basic cultural forces that influence him.

Anybody who reads the Bible and is familiar with the African culture easily notices that there are many similar things between biblical stories and texts and the African Culture. These similarities could serve as bridges that can help us unveil Christ concealed in the African culture. The following Biblical text are a good example:
«…our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places [or in the air].» (Eph.6:12) The African in his conception of reality knows that there so many spiritual forces in the air and some them are evil spirits which are manipulated, captured and used in witchcraft. Again for the African everything even non-living things like rocks in the cosmos are active forces or powers.

«Then Saul said to his servants, ‘Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, so that I may go and inquire of her.’… ‘There is a medium at Endor.’ So Saul disguised himself…and went there, he and two men with him. They came to the woman by night and he said, ‘Consult a spirit for me, and bring up the one whom I name to you.’…» (1Sam.28:3ff) Africans most of the time consult the ancestral spirits when there is a big problem. So all this fit in very well with the African conception of reality!

«Then woman said, ‘whom shall I bring up for you?’ He answered bring up Samuel for me.’…The woman said to Saul, ‘I see a divine being coming up out of the ground.’… ‘An old man is coming up; he is wrapped in a robe.’ So Saul knew it was Samuel…Then Samuel said to Saul, ‘Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?’…» (1Sam.28:11ff) Here we have an ancestral spirit namely, Samuel. And it is called up from the ground where Africans believe the ancestral world to be, where the dead go although they have the power to come up! And interestingly, the spirit of Samuel is visible! In Western thinking, the spirit is invisible. But it is common in Africa to hear people say that they have seen the spirits of the dead, sometimes, sitting on their graves!

Our Lord Jesus himself when he died, before his resurrection descended into this ancestral world! «Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last….the earth shook and the rocks were split. The tombs were opened, and many of the bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered into the holy city and appeared to many. » (Mt.27:50-53) According to African anthropology, these bodies that entered the city and moved about appearing to many cannot cause any intellectual problems! For in African mentality, apart from the ordinary physical body a person possesses another body! And, especially, when he is about to die, he can be seen in two different places at the same time. An elderly person I interviewed in Cameroon made me aware of this African concept of the human body.

The Child (Symbol of Christ): The Greatest Meeting Point Between African Culture / Religion and Christianity
The child is so important in the African context that it is not an exaggeration to say that it is the centre of the African culture. In an African context, someone who has all the riches of this world but has no child is considered as nothing and his ideas cannot be taken seriously! And he cannot be given an honourable burial! Everything in African life rotates and revolves around the child! This is why religious life and celibacy do not make much sense to many Africans.

A marriage without a child is a real curse! And it is very difficult to tolerate! So every possible solution has to be tried so that such a couple gets a child. This child is the life, salvation and resurrection of its parents and their ticket to the ancestral world. One who dies without a child cannot be welcomed into the ancestral world! He or she becomes an evil spirit that has no merits to join the ancestors!
This child, so important in African life, is the Christ veiled and hidden in the depth and roots of the African Culture! So from this child dialogue with Christianity should begin. This child is the greatest meeting point between the two.
In Christianity the Saviour and salvation come to us through the child! «Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel.» (Mt.1:23) And this child Emmanuel, Jesus Christ is our resurrection and life. For he said, «I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live. » (Jn.11:25) The Lord himself loved children so much and once he said, «Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.» (Mk.10:14)

Resurrection in the African Context
Resurrection in the African mentality is through procreation or begetting children and not the Christian resurrection of the individual person at the end of time. This is why in Africa the more children and grand children one can have the better. And this is the way the Jews also generally understood resurrection. «The same day some Sadducees came to him, saying there is not resurrection; and they asked him a question saying , ‘Teacher, Moses said, if a man dies childless, his brother shall marry the widow, and raise up children for his brother…» (Mt.22:25-27).

So, one of the greatest tasks of Africanization should be to help the African move from the concept of resurrection as procreation, to the Christian resurrection of each individual at the end of time. It is also important to move them from the concept of ancestral world as the place where the dead go to the Christian concepts of heaven, purgatory and hell.

Witchcraft

The African world view cannot be complete without mentioning witchcraft. Meaning: the manipulation of evil spirits and forces of darkness and make them do what natural human powers cannot, including evil things that leave everybody totally shocked and terrified beyond belief. These may include human sacrifice in which innocent children are the majority of the victims. And this is one of the areas in which evangelizing is needed in an African context! For the majority of Africans, the ultimate cause of sickness and death is witchcraft! Even if it is clear that someone has died of malaria, it is understood that beyond that malaria there is someone who has bewitched them!

Witchcraft is such a big thing in Africa that rich and poor, men and women, educated and uneducated, politicians and peasants, young and old all consult witchdoctors. Even famous football teams on the continent have special witchdoctors whom they consult if they want to win big matches! Witchcraft is now big money and the number of witchdoctors is on the rise. Even presidents and bishops are not spared as is the case with President Yoweri Museveni and the bishops in Uganda! It is today one of their biggest worry!
So, when people are in difficulties it is very difficult to know whether it is God whom they consult more or witchdoctors! Witchcraft is really a big pastoral problem on the continent.

Suggestions
Africanization has the task of digging up and bringing out all that is good, beautiful and true in African culture / religion and integrate it in its programme of evangelizing God’s people in Africa. For what is good, beautiful and true can never be in opposition with the Gospel.
Africanization should also help Africans abandon all that is opposed to the Good News in their culture, beliefs like: that someone who dies childless becomes an evil spirit and a curse to the family and so, nobody can be named after them.

Practical solution should be found to such important questions like: How do we integrate ancestors / departed relatives, who are so important to the African people in their day to day Christian life? How do we integrate the circumcision rite, the passage from childhood to manhood and womanhood into people’s Christian life? How do we prevent Christians from getting involved in witchcraft activities and so entrust their cares to the Lord?
All religious leaders and theologians in Africa should read Tim Whenwell’s article: «Witch-doctors reveal extent of child sacrifice in Uganda» and watch the video that accompanies it. To find them, go to google: BBC News-Newsnight-Witch-doctors reveal extent of child sacrifice in Uganda.
*Dominic Vincent Nkoyoyo, Monastery Val Notre-Dame, Canada.

Report: Impending drought in Kenya’s drylands: Will the crisis ever end?

2011-02-17T23:27:00.000-08:00

Yet again, Kenya is facing impending drought, and the drylands are already bearing the brunt. Around 3 million people are currently affected, and it is likely the situation will get worse over the coming months……..
Water and pasture is already in short supply – and as livestock get weaker and their market value decreases, pastoralists have less income to buy food. Malnutrition is rising as families skip meals, take on debts to buy food, and weak cattle are unable to produce vital milk. Families are withdrawing children from school as they migrate with their cattle to find water.
But why does a regular and predictable event like drought always lead to disaster? It’s because too often the response and the media coverage comes too late – after disaster has already struck, when people are hungry and cattle are dying – rather than addressing the issues that make people vulnerable in the first place. Exacerbated by a changing climate, drought is currently inevitable in Kenya. However it is not inevitable that people starve and thousands of animals die as a result.
Why wait until it is too late? With the right action at the right time, hazards such as drought will not always result in disaster, and lives and livelihoods can be saved. The Kenyan government, aid agencies, donors and the media urgently need to re-assess how Kenya deals with drought.
What makes the drylands so vulnerable?
It is not a coincidence that the drylands are the areas most affected by droughts.
Negative perceptions and stereotypes of pastoralist livelihoods persist, with the result that many people believe pastoralism itself increases vulnerability. In fact, pastoralism is a highly adaptable and resilient way of living that makes use of limited natural resources in areas that receive little rainfall. However, there are five key underlying issues that undermine this livelihood. With the right political will, these can be addressed:
1. Failure to invest in the drylands’ economy The economic potential of the drylands – also known as the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) – is enormous. According to Kenyan government figures, the livestock sector contributes about 12 percent of Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 40 percent of the agricultural GDP, and employs 50 percent of the country’s agricultural workforce.
The ASALs support around six million people, or 15 percent of Kenya’s population, yet the government’s budget allocation to the livestock sector is only around one percent of the national budget. While Kenya’s coffee and tea producers receive major support and subsidies, livestock keepers receive comparatively little help. The livestock sector receives only a fifth of agricultural investment, and even within the livestock sector, the ASALs are neglected: While 75 percent of Kenya’s livestock are in the ASALs, they are served by fewer than 10 percent of livestock service staff.
There is little money for development or opening the regions up for investment. Demand for meat and dairy products is increasing nationally and internationally, yet the ASALs are not benefiting from this opportunity.
2. A lack of development and basic services
The ASALs have suffered decades of neglect that have a profound impact on the situation today. These regions are the most under-served in terms of roads and basic services such as water, healthcare, education and electricity. This limits access to national and international markets, and makes people in the drylands more vulnerable to hazards such as droughts and floods.
The drylands are the poorest regions of Kenya. 95 percent of people in Turkana live below the poverty line, compared to a national average of 53 percent. Other ASAL regions such as Marsabit (92%), Mandera (89%) and Wajir (84%) are also far poorer than average.
3. Poor policies, and slow implementation of good ones
Pastoralist communities have adopted their own strategies for coping with the environmental challenges, such as communal land management, seasonal mobility, and the zoning of rangelands for dry and wet season grazing. However, these have been undermined by government policies that have tended to allocate pastoral land – particularly prime dry-season grazing areas – for other uses, such as agriculture, new settlements, game reserves and mining. This has had a devastating impact on pastoralists’ ability to cope with drought.
For example, the Kenyan government has already given tenure rights and ownership of 40,000 hectares of Delta land to the Tana and Athi Rivers Development Authority (TARDA) and the Mumias Sugar Company, to convert the land into a monoculture sugar cane plantation. Over 25,000 people living in 30 villages stand to be evicted from their ancestral land as a result.
While on paper there has been an improvement in recent years in the policies and institutional frameworks for developing the drylands and building the resilience of pastoralist communities, in reality most have not been implemented and drafts have not been finalized. This begs the question, why not?
Some key policies that remain in draft form include: the proposed Disaster Management Policy; the establishment of the Drought/Disaster Management Authority and Contingency Fund; the ASAL Development Policy; and also flagship projects included in the government’s Vision 2030. Without good policies and legal and institutional frameworks, government budget allocation to the drylands is constrained.
4. Late and inappropriate responses
Effectively dealing with drought is possible, but only if we are better prepared. Resources need to be pre-positioned in locations where they are likely to be needed – however this is rarely the case. Often, even when early warning information and contingency plans are available and the drought is predicted well in advance, the response is still late. Accessing government and donor funds in advance of the disaster often takes too long because of the overly slow and bureaucratic procedures – which ultimately costs lives.
Too often the response to drought begins when people run out of food. In fact, there are four phases (see table below) – by putting more emphasis and investment in phases 1 and 2, there is less chance of reaching the emergency phase. Long-term development and emergency aid are two sides of the same coin. This approach is known as Drought Cycle Management, and each of the four phases requires different actions:
Phase Situation Actions needed
1. Normal Good rainfall. Pasture and water available Development: Infrastructure development such as water points, grain reserves, roads and healthcare facilities; Building the capacity of local organisations to lobby and secure their rights
2. Alert/Alarm Pasture deteriorates; depleted water levels Preparedness: Livestock vaccinations and destocking (buying up animals before they get too weak); Stockpiling cereals/grains; repairing old water boreholes
3. Emergency People struggling to find food and water, livestock dying Relief: Food aid; emergency healthcare (for humans and animals); trucking in water
4. Recovery Rainfall – improved pasture and water Reconstruction: Repairing water infrastructure such as dams and boreholes; restocking animals
5. Poor co-ordination at local level While it is vital for effectively managing drought that many different actors play a role – from the government to international NGOs, civil society to donors – the long-term responses are often uncoordinated. This leads to the duplication of interventions, a lack of accurate and comprehensive information sharing, and poor linkages between national and local levels.
While local level structures are in place, currently in the form of the District Steering Groups, line ministries and sectors are often poorly represented and the groups are often not pro-active in communicating and advocating for the right assistance at higher levels. Contingency planning often lacks focus and prioritisation of needs, and without local level contingency funds, ends up being an unattainable wish list rather than a guide to action.
Solutions: Recommendations to the government and donors
The government, donors and humanitarian agencies must tackle the underlying causes of vulnerability to disasters, particularly given the likely increase in frequency and intensity of drought due to climate change. Key recommendations include:
 The government should urgently increase investment in the livestock sector, including improving infrastructure and disease control.
 The government should redress the unequal provision of basic services and utilities in the ASALs, and ensure development in the region.
 The government should prioritise finalising and implementing key draft policies and institutional bodies that would help to better deal with the crisis and long-term needs.
 All actors should base their responses on the Drought Cycle Management approach, ensuring that priority is given to preparing in advance for droughts and building communities’ ability to cope, not just responding to emergencies. Governments and donors need to provide long-term flexible funding to ensure this, and provide easily accessible contingency funds.
 NGOs should work closely with government and other agencies to develop models of good practice, and ensure these are used and implemented
 The government urgently needs to strengthen local level co-ordination, now and for the future, and ensure that government line sectors are engaged in focused and realistic joint preparedness and response planning.
The Regional Learning and Advocacy Programme for Vulnerable Dryland Communities (REGLAP) is a regional project funded by European Commission for Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) under the Drought Cycle Management Decision. It is implemented by a consortium consisting of Oxfam GB, RECONCILE, Cordaid, Care International, Save the Children UK and VSF Belgium.
For more information visit: http://www.oxfamblogs.org/eastafrica/
(edited to suite CISA’s style)

OPINION: If The Opposition Won The Ugandan Polls, Would The Kabaka Get The «Federo» He Seeks?

2011-02-15T07:47:00.000-08:00

By Dominic Vincent Nkoyoyo*
Looking at the Ugandan political scene, it is clear that the dominant figures in Ugandan politics right now are : Yoweri Museveni the current President and the Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Mutebi. It is also evindent that there is almost endless tension between them!
The cause of this tension is Museveni’s rejection of the Kabaka’s demand for «Federo» ( a federal system of government.) The Ugandan news paper The Monitor of August 17, 2009 in article entitled: Kabaka Renews Federo demand, expresses this tension, «Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi of Buganda said yesterday that his kingdom will keep demanding a federal system of government, despite President Museveni’s view that debate on the matter is closed.»
The Uganda government owned news paper New Vision, of January 8, 2011 in article entitled, Movement MPs okay King’s Bill also highlights the tension between the Central government and Mengo (the seat of the Buganda government); it says, «The people in Mengo cannot purport to turn themselves into the Parliament of Uganda. The Constitution is clear, as it gives who makes the laws of Uganda, Mengo can send representatives to make petitions, which will be listened to on their merit.» the articles goes on to say, «…the President repeated his earlier comments that the Kabaka does not answer his phone calls since their meeting last year.»
The opposition is now politically exploiting this tension to win the support of Buganda come the elections in February this year! And the Uganda news paper The Monitor of Saturday January 8, 2011 in an article entitled, Opposition parties promise federo as 2011 polls near says, «With promising federal, the opposition is likely to win the support of mainly Buganda kingdom which has for long agitated for the arrangement which Museveni says is similar to the regional tier system his government is pushing.»
But the important question right now for any politically minded person which probably the Kabaka supporters have not asked themselves is : «If the Opposition won this year’s Ugandan elections would the Kabaka get the federo he seeks or demands?» It is true the Opposition parties are promising federo, but we should not forget that it is one thing to make promises and totally another to live up to them! And we all know how empty politicians’ promises can be! Is the Kabaka really sure that if the Opposition won this year’s elections it would give him the federo he demands?
It is not an exaggeration to say that in the whole country it is basically Buganda which is demanding a federal system of government! And it is clear that not all Baganda are behind the Kabaka’s demand for federo. For there are still very many Baganda in Museveni’s NRM!
In my view, I find it politically very difficult to see how the Opposition if it won this year’s elections, would give in to the Kabaka’s demand of federo! If this demand came from every corner of the country, that would put pressure on the Opposition to honour its promise. But it is clear that very few people out side Buganda would support the Kabaka’s federo demand even if a referedum was held on the matter.
For anybody familiar with Ugandan political history knows very well that Buganda does not have a very good reputation among other tribes. During colonial times, Buganda was a very great friend of the British! And it was through and with the help of Buganda that the British conquered the rest of the country and colonized it! So in most parts of Uganda, Buganda is identical or almost identical to the British oppressors! So it is very unlikely that the people there would give support the Kabaka’s demand for federo.
And what makes matters more complicated is that, reading between the lines, behind the federo demand, Buganda is really seeking «secession!» It is very clear that around the time of Uganda’s independence, Buganda never wanted to be part of Uganda. And to this end Buganda sent at least more than one Memoranda to the authorities in Britain! In September 1960, the Kabaka’s Lukiiko or parliament, presented a Memorandum to Queen Elizabeth II seeking Buganda’s independence! This Memorandum in part reads : «The Lukiiko’s Memorandum which explains in detail the constitutional plan for an independent Buganda is being prepared and will shortly be forwarded to Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom. We intend to divide this Memorandum into three main parts : a) Geographical and Historical background of Buganda; b) Buganda’s reasons for going it alone; and c) the Constitutional Plan.» Buganda still wants to go it alone! This should at least in part explain why Museveni cannot accept federo.
Buganda is the most developed region in Uganda and it is in fact the heart of the nation. The Administrative and Commercial Capital Kampala is in Buganda! Which political leader in his senses can accept the secession of the most important part of his country? So in my opinion even if the Opposition won this year’s Uganda elections, it would not give in to the Kabaka’s demand for federo! The Opposition is just exploiting the federo demand just to win the Buganda votes and so get itself in power. But it is unfortunate the Kabaka does not seem to see that they are just playing with him! After getting into power they would tell him exactly what Museveni has told him, «No Federo!»
So it is high time that Buganda woke up from the illusion and dream of federo at least at this point in history! The Kabaka’s political adivisers who advise him to insist on federo are not helping him. They are men seeking their own interests! And unfortunately many of the religious leaders who could have advised him better and also acted as a bridge between him and Museveni, they too appear to be consumed up by the desire for secession instead of unity of the country!
For sure the Kabaka being a citizen of Uganda, all his rights should be respected and he should not suffer any oppression from the Central government. And his complaints should be listened to. But it cannot be expected that every demand he makes has to be granted.
Anyone can see that the secession of Southern Sudan from the North is reasonable given the injustices and oppression suffered by the southerners over the years. But it is very difficult to see how the secession of Buganda from the rest of the country can be justified! If it is just because some Baganda and the Kabaka himself feel that he (the Kabaka) should have political power and restore a sense of pride they had in the past, that is really the wrong reason for divinding the country! No part of the country should be allowed to secede simply because some people want to have political power!
*Dominic Vincent Nkoyoyo, Monastery Val Notre-Dame, Canada.

SEASON’S GREETINGS!

2010-12-20T22:08:00.000-08:00

To all our esteemed Subscribers, Readers, Friends and Supporters,
We sincerely thank you for keeping up with our blog throughout 2010
Thank you for all your contributions to CISA’s success this year.
It’s been a great joy serving You, the Church and society in Africa
and beyond.
We pledge to you our unwavering commitment to professional and timely service in the coming year.
We want to wish you all Merry Christmas and a truly blessed year 2011

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

CISA TEAM

Consolata Missionaries’ Position on Death Penalty

2010-12-17T06:19:00.000-08:00

By Fr. Franco Cellana Regional Superior, Kenya

In its issue No. 126 (Friday, December 10, 2010), CISA carried a “Response to Fr. Bertaina’s case” and from it, the reader may be led to believe that the Consolata Missionaries rejoice at the prospect of a death penalty being carried out. We only recognise the verdict of the High Court of Nairobi delivered by Lady Justice Jessie Lessite against those who were charged with murdering our late missionary Fr. Giuseppe Bertaina IMC, appreciating the course and the steps that the High Court of Nairobi has taken in such a short time to solve the case. We, the Consolata Missionaries in Kenya would, thus, wish to make widely known our position as it was expressed by our General Superior, Fr. Aquiléo Fiorentini and his Council only a few days after the conclusion of the case in the High Court of Kenya.

Official Communiqué from the General Direction of The Consolata Missionary Institute

As regards the press releases concerning the death sentence pronounced against the two persons considered guilty of the murder of Fr. Giuseppe Bertaina IMC in Nairobi (Kenya) on January 19, 2009, the Consolata Missionaries consider it appropriate to make some clarifications.

1. We consider it a positive step that the High Court has taken into consideration and solved this case, contrary to what happened in similar cases never solved like the murders of Fr. Michele Stallone IMC killed at Loyangallani in 1965, Fr. Luigi Graiff IMC killed at Parkati (Baragoi) in 1981, Fr. Luigi Andeni IMC killed at Archer’s Post in 1998 and Bishop Luigi Locati IMC of Isiolo killed in 2005, just to name a few.

2. The Superior General, however, has already sent for filing, in the High Court of Nairobi, a letter in which he requests that the death sentence pronounced by the court against the two persons considered guilty of the murder of our confrere, Fr. Giuseppe Bertaina should not be carried out but rather commuted at most to life imprisonment. As Christians, and even more as missionaries, we are totally against the death penalty, as we are also against every feeling and act of violence.

3. We also consider that, if the death sentence were to be carried out, this would be a great offence to the memory of Fr. Giuseppe Bertaina, who spent all his existence for the life and promotion of the people of Kenya, working with passion and generosity for the formation of several generations of students. It is because of this commitment for life that he met his death and he could not desire anything else but redemption and life.

Fr. Aquileo Fiorentini, General Superior of The Consolata Missionaries Rome, October 28, 2010

Ivory Coast must not be allowed to slip Back into Chaos

2010-12-15T06:23:00.001-08:00

Recent political developments in Ivory Coast are very worrying and alarming. They are creating a very dangerous and explosive situation in which our brothers and sisters in this country could easily lose their lives and property. This calls therefore for a quick and rapid action from the African Union and the International community to prevent Ivory Coast from sliding back into chaos and bloodshed. Action must be taken now.

A brief political history of Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) demonstrates how explosive the situation in which this country finds itself right now is.

In 1960 Ivory Coast got its independence from its colonial power France. And while the north of the country is predominantly Muslim and the south predominantly Christian, under the powerful and wise leadership of Houphouet-Boigny who ruled the country from 1960 until his death in 1993, Ivory Coast remained united, stable and economically very prosperous.

In 1990 in an effort to democratize the country, Houphouet-Boigny legalized political opposition parties. In his first contested election Houphouet-Boigny won, beating out Laurent Gbagbo the candidate from Ivorian Popular Front (IPF.)

When Houphouet-Boigny died in 1993 he was succeeded by Henri Konan Bedei. And the political problems we have in Ivory Coast now could be traced back to this man! The reason being that before the 1995 presidential elections he placed restrictions on opposition party candidates forcing the opposition parties to boycott! And as it usually happens in Africa he «won» the elections!

The next presidential elections were to take place in 2000; unfortunately before they did the country experienced its first military coup! General Guei on 25 December, 1999 ousted Bedie! With Guei in power the political problems and tensions increased in the country. He promised to hold elections late in 2000. But he established through the Supreme Court which he controlled the criteria that all candidates had to have two Ivorian parents and have never held a nationality of another country.

Mr. Alassane Ouattara who was Prime Minister under Houphouet-Boigny was the candidate of the party: Rassemblement des Republicains (RDR.) The Supreme Court controlled by Guei disqualified him when it announced that his mother was from Burkina Faso! His party boycotted and the race remained between Guei and Laurent Gbagbo of (FIP.) But when according to the initial results Guei sensed that Laurent Gbagbo was winning, he stopped the whole process, disbanded the Electoral Commission and declared himself the winner!

Within hours, just as it happened in Kenya in 2007, a bloody fight broke out. Crowds of Gbagbo’s supporters took to the streets and attacked the guards protecting the presidential palace. Many soldiers joined the crowds to fight the Junta government forcing Guei to flee! And Gbagbo was declared President.

But having been excluded from the elections, crowds ot Ouattara’s supporters also took to the streets calling for fresh elections. Unfortunately hundreds of them were killed by forces loyal to the new government of Gbagbo and FIP youth who attacked them! Ouattara who did not want to see more bloodshed called for peace and recognized the Gbagbo presidency.

On 19 September, 2002 while President Gbagbo was in Italy civil war that divided the country into two (North and South) broke out! Troops who were to be demobilised mutinied, launching attacks in a number of cities. The government lost control of the north to the rebel forces who made their strong hold in the northern city of Bouake. To save his life Ouattara took refuge in the French embassy. France sent in its troops to prevent the rebels from capturing Abidjan!

In January 2003, Gbagbo and the rebel leaders agreed to form a government of national unity. And on 28 November 2010 presidential elections were held. The Independent Electoral Commission declared Ouattara winner. The International Observers also confirmed that Ouattara was the winner. But Gbagbo contested the result! And the Constitution Council which is controlled by him, declared him winner! Both Gbagbo and Ouattara have been inaugurated as president. So right now Ivory Coast has two Presidents! This creates a very dangerous and deadly situation for all our brothers and sisters in that country.

But the European Union, the United Nations and many countries have recognized Ouattara as the winner. US President Obama also recognizes Ouattara as the winner and he sent him congratulations. But the Ivory Coast military leaders are backing Gbagbo, which militarily makes him a very dangerous man!

The African Union appointed former South African President Thabo Mbeki to mediate between Gbagbo and Ouattara. And on 5 December he arrived in Abidjan.

While it is good and commendable that AU has already sent in Mbeki to mediate, given the history of this country and that Gbagbo has the backing of the army, mere political nagotions will not force him to step down. And he should. Because the Independent Electoral Commission which alone has the power to declare the winner, declared Ouattara the winner and not him. And the more the situation goes on like this without a solution the more dangerous it becomes.

Since the United Nations, the European Union, The United States of America and many other nations have already recognized Ouattara as the new President of Ivory Coast, we must no longer sit back waiting to see what is going to happen. It is clear what is going to happen is bloodshed and already several people have been killed!

For the 1994 genocide in Rwanda the whole world stands condemned, because we waited for so long while the situation was getting out of control by the hour. By the time the world woke up, nearly a million people had been slaughtered and lost their lives. This must not be allowed to happen again.

So the African Union should already be mobilising well trained troops and amassing them with sophisticated weaponry in the neighbouring countries of Ghana, Liberia and Guinea. From here if need be, they can swiftly enter into the country to stop bloodshed and carnage. And their presence nearby would put pressure on Gbagbo to step down.

African Armies should be there to protect the lives of Africans and not just be kept by their respective governments in their barracks. According to available reports : Nigeria has approximately 167,000 military and paramilitary personnel, South Africa has approximately 34,000 military and paramilitary personnel, Ghana has a very small army of about 7,000 personnel but one of the most professional up date armies in West Africa, Cameroon has approximately 38,000 military personnel, Kenya has approximately 100,000 military and paramilitary personnel. So the African Union cannot claim that it has no soldiers to send to protect the people in Ivory Coast from senseless death.

Ugandan and Burundian soldiers are doing a very good job in Somalia for the sake of all Africans and in fact for the sake of the whole world in trying to contain Al shaabab. So other African nations should provide troops to contain Gbagbo.

Apart from the African Union, I appeal to USA and the European Union to send some of their war ships near the Ivorian coast, to send a clear sign to Gbagbo that he should put jokes away and step down. He should not joke with the lives of the people of Ivory Coast putting them in danger of death. I also appeal to all nations to cut their diplomatic ties with the Gbagbo government. I believe all this pressure will force him to step down.

Dominic Vincent Nkoyoyo

Monastery Val Notre-Dame, Canada.

Views expressed in this section do not necessarily represent the opinions of CISA.

Has Universal Access to HIV/AIDS Treatment been realized?

2010-12-10T08:35:00.000-08:00

Paul Odhiambo*

“The battle against AIDS ought to be everyone’s battle... I too ask pastoral workers to bring to their brothers and sisters affected by AIDS all possible material, moral and spiritual comfort. I urgently ask the world’s scientists and political leaders, moved by the love and respect due to every human person, to use every means available in order to put an end to this scourge,” (Ecclesia in Africa, Pope John Paul II) On December 1, the international community observed the 23rd World AIDS Day.

Since 1988, the World AIDS Day has been commemorated annually in order to increase awareness about the HIV/AIDS endemic. World AIDS Day’ activities are also meant to re-energize the fight against prejudices, discrimination and stigmatization associated with the HIV/ AIDS scourge. In addition, World AIDS Day is an occasion to continue educating the general populace about HIV and AIDS so that the public could play a critical role in the prevention of new infections and also to manage effectively the treatment and care of those infected and to provide necessary support and care to those affected by the AIDS pandemic. The World AIDS Day theme for 2010 was: Universal access and human rights. From time to time, world leaders have acknowledged that the universal access to HIV and AIDS treatment, prevention, care and support are fundamental human rights.

Former Zambian President Dr Kenneth Kaunda (R) is an activist in the anti-HIV/AIDS campaign while Goal 6 of the Millennium Development Goals aims at combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, targets 6A and 6B deal with HIV/AIDS pandemic. Target 6B is specifically about the universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it by 2010.

When the United Nations launched the Millennium Declaration in 2000, the world leaders had a great ambition that infected people would be able to access and afford the HIV/AIDS treatment by 2010. Why hasn’t this target been realized? What are national leaders doing to ensure that people’s rights to access antiretroviral drugs and other medical services are achieved? How are other members of the society responding to the needs of both infected and affected persons? How do churches, other faiths and various organizations working with people living with HIV/AIDS envisage holistic treatment to ensure that the dignity of infected people is upheld?

In the Service of Faith and the Promotion of Justice, December 4, 2010 According to UNAIDS Report (2010), there were 33.3 million people living with HIV at the end of 2009 compared with 26.2 million in 1999. The estimated number of children living with HIV at the end of 2009 was 2.5 million. In sub-Saharan Africa, the estimated number of people living with HIV was 22.5 million in 2009, comprising 68% of the global total. The estimated 1.3 million people who died of HIV/AIDS related ailments last year in sub-Saharan Africa comprised 72% of the global total deaths of 1.8 million.

Southern Africa is the most severely affected region of Africa by the HIV/AIDS epidemic accounting for 11.3 million in 2009. An estimated 34% of HIV infected people globally reside in ten countries in Southern Africa region. Nonetheless, there has been relative decline of HIV prevalence in East Africa since 2000. Between 2004 and 2008, HIV prevalence decreased in Tanzania by 3.4%. In Kenya, HIV prevalence fell from about 16% in the 1990s to 5% in 2006. The HIV prevalence in Uganda has generally stabilized at between 6.5% and 7.0%. On the other hand, the HIV incidence in Rwanda has been estimated at 3% since 2005.

The enhancement of HIV treatment in the last few years has had positive progress in reducing HIV prevalence in a number of countries. According to 2010 UNAIDS Report 37% of adult and children living with HIV were under antiretroviral therapy in Eastern and Southern African regions by the end of 2009 compared to only 2% seven years ago. In Kenya, AIDS-related deaths decreased by 29% between 2002 and 2007. An estimated 370,000 children contracted HIV during the pre-natal and breastfeeding in 2009. This is a decline compared to 500,000 children who contracted HIV in 2001. It has been observed that access to services aimed at halting mother- to-child transmission has contributed considerably to the decline of HIV prevalence among the newborns.

Though statistics have shown that concerted efforts in the last two decades have led to considerable prevention of new infections and improved HIV treatment, care and support, national governments and other stakeholders must remain vigilant to avoid “complex epidemic of complacency and AIDS fatigue” (Kelly, 2010).

Due to complacency, increases in HIV incidence among the youth have been observed in developed countries where the HIV prevalence had been low. Michael J. Kelly observes that complacency might lead to denial that HIV/AIDS needs exceptional response in low prevalence country because the government in such country might not see the need to mobilize special information, awareness-raising and protective measures to combat HIV/AIDS. A success in controlling new infections and adequate provision of HIV treatment in a high prevalence country can also lead to complacency if stakeholders are “satisfied” with the gains made in containing the HIV/AIDS pandemic hence they are “reluctant” to sustain an aggressive campaign to reduce further or eliminate altogether the HIV/AIDS scourge. It is, therefore, critical that all efforts against HIV/AIDS must be concerted so that complacency does not undermine the gains achieved against the debilitating disease.

The treatment of HIV/AIDS cannot be complete without good nutrition. According to Mombe (2008), nutritional therapy can contribute to the overall well being of HIV/AIDS patients. Good nutrition helps the body to fight HIV by ensuring a better quality of life for patients and their families. Similarly, Kelly (2010) observes that nutritional interventions should go hand in hand with the provision of antiretroviral drugs. It is an open secret that malnutrition makes people living with HIV/AIDS more vulnerable to opportunistic infections. The government and other stakeholders should ensure that people living with the HIV/AIDS get adequate nutritional care and support.

While new constitutions in our countries incorporate economic and social rights in their respective Bill of Rights, the realization of these rights is still elusive to many people in developing countries. Accessibility to clean and adequate water and adequate food is still a nightmare to a substantial number of people living with HIV/AIDS.

Universal access to treatment, care and support may not be realized wholly if nutritional therapy is inadequate. It has also been observed that people living with HIV/AIDS need emotional, psychological and spiritual support as they undergo medical treatment (Kenya Episcopal Conference Catholic Secretariat Commission for Education, 2005). HIV/AIDS patients often experience fear, anger, anguish, loneliness, stigma, discrimination, rejection, judgemental attitudes, hostility and the like.

Kelly (2010) observes that stigma and discrimination are powerful forces that can demean HIV/AIDS patients hence making it difficult to deal effectively with the disease. Though efforts have been made to mitigate these challenges through counselling… In the Service of Faith and the Promotion of Justice December 2010 5 selling, home-based care and spiritual accompaniment from religious people, health workers and other members of the community, a lot has to be done so that the dignity of people living with HIV/AIDS is respected.

Since every human being is created in God’s image and like, all persons have worth and dignity rooted simply in who they are, not what they do or what they have achieved (Overberg, 2003).

In their Pastoral Letter entitled: The AIDS pandemic and Its Impact on Our People (1999), the Catholic bishops in Kenya emphasized that all Christians should overcome any prejudice they feel towards AIDS patients. They reiterated that people should not look down upon those who suffer from HIV/AIDS. In addition, the Church leaders extended their support to “all valid and ethical scientific efforts to find ways of controlling the disease...” stressing that these efforts should ensure that the dignity of human person is respected.

Orobator (2005) observes that the Church, as a community of faith, is appropriately suited to offer spiritual and pastoral response to the people who have been infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. He underlines that the challenges facing people living with HIV/AIDS call for not only medical intervention but also spiritual and pastoral response that could include “direct counselling and... sacramental ministries.”

Orobator further submits that the care for HIV/AIDS patients is manifested in a variety of ministries within the Church. Other studies have also shown that spiritual support offers a great source of comfort and strength to people living with HIV/AIDS (Machyo, 2002).

For the universal access to treatment, care and support to be realized, organizations working on the HIV/AIDS prevalence and all other people of goodwill should show their solidarity with those living with HIV/ AIDS by ensuring that they are able to access spiritual support and pastoral case. According to Overberg (2003) solidarity leads to immediate care, education and to changing social structures.

Our solidarity with the AIDS patients should encompass all aspects of their treatment and the provision of their basic needs. It is important to note that many people living with HIV/AIDS are still not accessing ART due to several factors.

Even where a considerable number of people in Africa get HIV treatment, there are concerns about the finan…In the Service of Faith and the Promotion of Justice December 62010.. Cial sustainability of antiretroviral treatment programmes since they tend to rely on external aid (Kelly, 2010).

If the world powers could pay more attention to the promotion of human development and protection of life, then more resources could still be channelled towards the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria despite the economic crisis experienced in the last few years. The Church, other faiths, social movements, NGOs, private sector, social justice activists must continue with the campaign for integral treatment so that more people can access and afford ART and other services. Indeed the following message of the bishops is still valid today: Ways should be found to make medicines which lessen the impact of the disease and which lengthen life and improve its quality available and affordable to the poorer countries of the world.

We call upon pharmaceutical companies to match their right to compensation with the great human need and the scant resources available to our people (Kenya Episcopal Conference, 1999).

The whole world must unite and sustain the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic. International institutions that make decisions affecting lives of people across the globe should ensure that their policies are pro-poor people who often lack resources to access and afford basic needs. It is critical that national governments and other actors engaged in the fight against HIV/AIDS devise mechanisms, strategies and approaches that aim at holistic treatment of HIV/AIDS patients.

More efforts are still needed towards prevention of new infections. Universal access to treatment, prevention, support and care is possible if we all stand up and take measures that inspired by our respect for human life and dignity!

*The writer is the Programme Coordinator (Media Community and Voice) at Jesuit Hakimani Centre, Kenya.

Views expressed in this section do not necessarily represent the opinions of CISA.

Response to the Late Fr Bertaina’s Case

2010-12-10T08:34:00.000-08:00

Dear Editor,

Greetings in the Lord. I want to thank you for the report of the case of Fr. Bertaina, a Consolata Missionary (IMC) (October 23, 2010). It is rare to find an ending to such a case involving a missionary. There are a number of cases that still have not been solved after many years. These still await the truth being made known. And so, I would like to say I am happy to read about the arrest of those responsible for the death of Fr. Bertaina, ICM.

I know that the Consolata Fathers and Brothers had an important role in making sure that the police carried out their duties responsibly. They were also instrumental in finding those responsible for the crime. Without their persistence on behalf of their brother I doubt we would be reading any news of this case today.

It seems that this case has come to a speedy conclusion, perhaps also because of the interest of various important people who were watching this case closely. Your article indicates a recognition that the wheel of justice grinds slowly. These interested parties made sure that the case of Fr. Bertaina did not get put on a shelf somewhere.

It is the final sentence of the article, however, that causes me sadness. In that sentence you claim that in the case of Fr. Bertaina the wheel of justice delivers. But what you say it delivers in the body of the article is not justice, but death. Perhaps it is ironic that the opening title to the article says that two of the perpetrators are to receive life imprisonment. By the end of the article it is clear that they are actually to receive death. To rejoice over the sentence of death for two people in Kenya is not so good even if they are criminals. As we know as Catholics, it is not enough to have justice. There also needs to be mercy.

It is not easy for us to think of mercy and forgiveness when a terrible crime has been committed, but this is the nobler act than vengeance. Nor does this mean that justice is denied or ignored. A sentence of death reduced to life in prison still respects justice. Jesus did not ask for death for those who were killing him. When one has real power they don’t need to make their importance felt. They can show true power by granting mercy. He also instructed his disciples not to seek revenge or the eye for an eye, but to be ready to forgive and to love.

In the Book of Wisdom we read that God’s ways of dealing with sinners is not to destroy all at once, but to punish in order to bring about repentance and conversion and to help his people to do the same (Wis 2:22-3:22). The example of Jesus is a fuller revelation of this power of God. Nor is mercy granted because one deserves it. If they deserve it, then it is not mercy, but justice. Mercy is granted because the one who has the power to grant it is living at a higher moral plane.

Kenya is in need of such examples of mercy. There are too many examples of meeting out even more punishment than is allowed. The desire for swift justice often leads to the death of those who don’t deserve it based on their crimes. We see this in the case of mob justice on our streets when a person is killed for stealing. When the justice system is certain of the guilt of criminals, then mercy is needed to temper justice. The Church should be there to ask for it as a witness to the dignity of all people, even those who do not know what they are doing, as Jesus puts it. The actions of the two accused in the case of Fr. Bertaina do not “scare away mercy,” as the judge may have said, but call for it all the more.

The Consolata Missionary community has born witness to the inspiration of their name and forgiven these criminals. The justice system should look to their example as to how to act. Criminals are not hindered from killing by the threat of the death penalty, nor is a society ennobled by the killing of any of its citizens. Fr. Bertaina, ICM consecrated his life to bearing witness to the compassion of God. How ironic that the two perpetrators of his death should be treated in a way which does not show compassion.

There have been a number of missionaries who have been killed or attacked in Kenya over the years. There is a great desire for this to end. There is also a desire for the killing of many Kenyans to end as well. This requires a justice system that performs properly at all levels. As this happens there will be more who are captured, tried, and found guilty for their crimes and given the death penalty. The disciples of Jesus will be called upon to recognize the need for repentance and conversion of those who are guilty. A willingness to forgive and to be merciful will help this to happen without removing justice. It will lead to a more noble and Christian society which respects the dignity of all people even criminals.

Let us rejoice in the finding of one lost sheep and the conversion of one sinner rather than the death of those who are violent. Let us rejoice in love which is stronger than death. Let us seek justice tempered with mercy.

In the love and mercy of Christ,

Fr. Daudi Adiletta, OP, Chair of the Religious Superiors Conference of Kenya.

Death Penalty and the Innocently Condemned!

2010-12-07T07:15:00.000-08:00

All over the world, innocent people for different reasons are convicted and condemned for crimes they never committed! So the possibility of sentencing innocent people to death is very real! And the sad news is that it has indeed taken place and it will continue to happen! It is a crime against humanity and God the author of life. So every effort must be made to have all countries abolish the death penalty for all crimes. It is only in this way that innocent people can be save from gallows.

In countries where the death penalty still exists someone (a hangman) has to be assigned the task of killing those who have been condemned to death, and this someone is therefore turned into a killer! And for sure anybody who turns another human being into a killer commits a crime against humanity. The one appointed as a hangman ceases to live as a normal human being! He is in some way turned into a wild beast feared by everybody and therefore left a lonely creature with no friends. When Michael Kirugumi wa Njuki, Kenya’s last and longest serving hangman at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison past way in November 2009, at the age of 86, he died a shunned and most lonely man in his village. And nobody went to mourn his death!

Even in Western democracies where the Judiciary is supposed to be functioning well, we have miscarriages of justice and wrongful convictions of innocent people!

Wrongful convictions in Canada : It is reported «In 1959, Truscott was sentenced to be hanged at age 14…After the original conviction, he spent four months in the shadow of the gallows until his death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment…On August 28, 2007 – 48years later – the Ontario Court of Appeal unanimously overturned Truscott’s conviction and acquitted him.»

The report goes on to say «In June 1990, Brigitte Grenier died near Roseisle…Kyle Unger and another man, Timoth Houlahan, was convicted of first-degree murder in connection with her death in 1992. Houlahan was released on bail after the Manitoba Court of Appeal overturned his conviction in 1994, and he committed suicide later that year.»

Wrongful convictions in USA: One report says «Since 1973, more than 115 people have been released from death rows throughout the country due to evidence of their wrongful convictions. In 2003 alone 10 innocent defendants were released from death row.»

In North Carolina: «Charles Munsey, died in 1999. Sentenced to death and spent six years in prison for a crime to which another man confessed. He warn a new trial shortly before dying in prison.»

In Virginia: «Earl Washington, pardoned in 2000, spent 17 years in prison before receiving a full pardon. DNA testing proved his innocence of the rape and murder for which he was convicted…He was released from prison in 2001.»

In Illinois: Madison Hobley, Aaron Patterson, Stanley Howard and LeRoy Orange, pardoned in 2003 [were] sent to death row on the basis of ‘confessions’ extracted through the use of torture by former Chicago Police commander Jon Burge and other Area 2 officers in Chicago.»

Wrongful convictions in UK : A report by Ellen Branagh, Press Association says : «A man who spent more than three years in jail for a crime he did not commit today described an apology from the police force that helped convict him as ‘too little, too late.’ Warren Blackwell was jailed in 1999 for a sex attack outside a social club. His conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal in 2006 after new evidence undermined the credibility of the complainant. »

Another report says: «Anne Maguire’s nephew, Gerry Conlon, had been wrongly accused of carrying out the 1974 IRA bombing of a pub in Guildford that left five people dead. He and three others, who became known as the Guildford Four, were later imprisoned in one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in English history. The four were convicted on the basis of false confessions extracted after physical abuse and threats by Surrey police while detained under anti-terrorism laws.»

While Canada and the United Kingdom are among the countries that have abolished the death penalty for all crimes, USA is still among the countries that retain the death penalty.

In East Africa we are consoled at least by Burundi and Rwanda, for they are among the countries which have abolished the death penalty for all crimes. Death penalty still exists in the laws of Kenya and Tanzania although these countries have not carried out any executions in the past 10 years. Uganda brings tears of sadness on our faces, for it is among the countries that still retain the death penalty even for ordinary crimes. And very recently a Bill was discussed in the Ugandan Parliament that was proposing a death penalty for those found guilty of homosexual misconduct. But as events unfolded and with external pressure, President Museveni saw that the Bill was very harsh and distanced himself from it!

All of us should be very concerned about all the innocent people who have been condemned to death for crimes they never committed. I therefore appeal to all politicians of good will and religious leaders of all the countries, world-wide which still retain death penalty in their laws, to mobilise the people and make big demonstrations of hundreds of thousands of people and if possible of a million people to force their governments to abolish the death penalty.

Dominic Vincent Nkoyoyo, Monastery Val Notre-Dame.

Views expressed in this section do not necessarily represent the opinions of CISA