Missionaries of Africa – Southern Africa Province (SAP) – Page 32 – Missionaries of Africa

Mafrwestafrica 02 Aujourd’hui, les Missionnaires d’Afrique de l’Ouest vous proposent de visiter de nouvelles pages sur leur site www.mafrwestafrica.net :

Tout d’abord, ils vous souhaitent de belles fêtes de Noël et de fin d’année, et une bonne année 2016. Par ailleurs, ils vous communiquent comme d’habitude quelques informations :

Dans la rubrique « Actualités » :

« 8 décembre au Niger » cette date était pour les confrères vivant la mission dans ce pays pour se retrouver, et vivre des moments intenses de fraternité. (lire la suite)

« Assemblée précapitulaire d’Europe » cette assemblée de préparation au chapitre de mai-juin 2016 s’est tenue à Bruxelles du 23 novembre au 3 décembre 2015. (lire la suite)
Dans la rubrique « Témoignages » :

« Lettre de Noël de Nouakchott » ce texte rédigé et envoyé par notre confrère Mgr Martin Happe, qui est évêque de Nouakchott depuis vingt ans. (lire la suite)

« La paroisse N.D. d’Afrique de Talo au Togo ». Des nouvelles de la communauté de Missionnaires d’Afrique qui est engagée dans cette paroisse. (lire la suite)

« Ouverture de la porte de la miséricorde à Zinder », un deuxième texte de la communauté de Zinder dans l’est du Niger. (lire la suite)

Dans la rubrique « Dialogue interreligieux » :

« Comprendre et dialoguer » : encore une fois notre merci aux Missionnaires d’Afrique de l’ARCRE qui nous invitent à nous informer et réfléchir. (lire la suite)

« Islam et christianisme » trois articles pris sur le site de l’ARCRE et qui éclairent sur les possibilités de rapprochement, et ce qui se fait déjà dans ce domaine. (lire la suite)

Dans la rubrique « Justice et Paix » :

« Message du Pape François, 1er janvier 2016 » cette date est la 59ème journée mondiale de la paix. (lire la suite)

Dans la rubrique « Vu au sud, vu du sud » :

« Mandat contre Blaise Compaoré » des informations prises sur les sites de Radio France Internationale et du journal Libération, à ce propos. (lire la suite)

Merry Christmas to you all.

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On December 22, 2015

In News

Funeral Mass and burial of the maternal uncle of Fr Norbert Nkingwa

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On December 21, 2015

In News

Today, the 21^st December 2015, we celebrated Mass in our community around our confrere Fr Norbert Nkingwa who lost his maternal uncle, Mr Barnabas Kiyuga, on Thursday. His funeral Mass and burial is taking place in his home village in Mwanza, Tanzania.

We pray for the peaceful repose of his soul.

Message sent by Camille Konkobo, M.Afr

Death of Father Normand Papineau, M. Afr.

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On December 19, 2015

In News

Between 1953 and 1990, Father Normand Papineau went to Ilondola to learn Chibemba and subsequently moved from Kantensha Seminary to Kayambi, Chalabesa, Chilonga, Lubushi as Rector to the Seminary, Mpika as Rector of the Major Seminary, Mpika as Parish Priest and Superior, Mulilansolo as Parish Priest and Mulanga as Curate. He retired in Canada in 1993.

Father Papineau died on December 18, 2015, in Montreal (Canada), at the age of 90 years of which 64 of missionary life in Zambia and Canada.

Let us pray for the repose of his soul.

A Dangerous Divide. The State of Inequality in Malawi.

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On December 17, 2015

In Malawi Sector, Publications

Please find a report from OXFAM on the growing and worrying inequality in Malawi. This was published in November and give a very good picture of the divide between the rich and poor. Bill Turnbull, M.Afr

rr-inequality-in-malawi-261115-en

By Oxfam in Malawi’s Country Director, John Makina

Economic inequality has worsened significantly in Malawi in recent years. In 2004, the richest 10 percent of Malawians consumed 22 times more than the poorest 10 percent. By 2011 this had risen to see the richest 10 percent spending 34 times more than the poorest. Yet even this shocking statistic is likely to be a significant underestimate1. Anyone who has seen the many large mansions springing up on the edges of Lilongwe and Blantyre, and the plethora of new shopping malls being opened, knows that conspicuous consumption amongst the richest is dramatically growing. Malawi’s Gini coefficient, the key measure of inequality, also shows the extent to which robust economic growth is benefiting the rich whilst leaving the poor behind. In seven years of impressive growth, the Gini has leapt up from 0.39, on a par with Cameroon, to 0.45, on a par with the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Malawi inegality Dec 2015 05 This study modelled the link between inequality, growth and poverty in Malawi over the next five years. In 2015, 8 million people – 50 percent of the country’s population – live in poverty. Yet if inequality continues to rise as it has in recent years, by 2020 1.5 million more Malawians will be poor3. Even if inequality stays broadly at the level it is now, there will still be 400,000 additional people living in poverty in Malawi by 20204. Unless Malawi acts now to reduce inequality, even rapid economic growth will fail to reduce poverty in the country.

Conclusion

Inequality is not an accident, nor is it inevitable; it originates from policy choices. Consequently, some policy choices can worsen inequality while others reduce it. As is aptly pointed out by UNRISD, ‘Without deliberate policy interventions, high levels of inequality tend to be self-perpetuating. They lead to the development of political and economic institutions that work to maintain the political, economic and social privileges of the elite.

This study has identified a number of factors driving inequality in Malawi, and made clear that poverty reduction in Malawi will be faster if inequality decreases. But reducing inequality will not be a benign by-product of growth under trickle down assumptions. It will only happen as a result of deliberate joint policy efforts, which all Malawi’s government and civil society must unify behind.

Network Pastoral Africa – Third Meeting

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On December 15, 2015

In Conference

By Romaric Bationo, M.Afr

From 6^th to 9^th November 2015, the 3^rd annual meeting of the Network Pastoral Africa, organised and sponsored by Missio Aachen, took place at the AMECEA Pastoral Institute Gaba, in Eldoret, Kenya. The two previous meetings were held at Lumko, South Africa in 2013 and at the Centre for Social Concern and the Kungoni Centre of Culture and Art in Malawi in 2014.

At this 3^rd meeting, six Pastoral Institutes from different corners of Africa were represented: the Capuchin Franciscan Research and Training Centre of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Lux Terra Leadership Foundation of Abuja, Nigeria; Tamale Institute of Cross-Cultural Studies, Ghana; Centro de Formacao de Nazare of Beira, Mozambique, Lumen Christi Institute of Arusha, Tanzania; and Faith and Encounter Centre, Zambia. Other delegates came from: the AMECEA Pastoral Institute, Gaba; the Pastoral Department of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, CUEA, the Pastoral Department of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference; the Commission for Pastoral and Lay Apostolate of Kenya; and from Missio Aachen. The big absents were the Centre for Social Concern, Kungoni Centre of Culture and Art, Malawi and Wadzanai Training Centre of Harare, Zimbabwe.

For the first time FENZA participated in this meeting and I was privileged to represent it.

This year, the discussions and presentations at the meeting revolved around the core theme of the pastoral challenges and implications of Evangelii Gaudium. The three main presentations were: Evangelii Gaudium and Interreligious Dialogue in Africa, by Rev Prof. Fredrick Mvumbi; Pastoral Challenges in Kenya in Relation to Evangelii Gaudium, by Prof. Eunice Kamaara; and Evangelii Gaudium in Relation to the Church as Family of God in Africa, by Rev Dr. Jordan Nyenyembe. Then the participating pastoral institutes, FENZA included, were given the opportunity to give each a presentation on the impetus the apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium has had so far on their respective work.

Besides knowing, sharing and learning from one another, the most important point of this 3^rd meeting of Network Pastoral Africa, was the setup of a concrete networking among the various Pastoral Institutes. Under the facilitation of Fr. Pikiti Febian Mulenga from the AMECEA Pastoral Department, the Pastoral Institutes reached and agreed on a networking action plan that should promote and advance co-operation among them.

At the end of the meeting, the delegates decided that the next Network Pastoral Africa meeting will take place from 3^rd till the 6^th February 2017 in Arusha, Tanzania.

Conference on Ecumenism – FENZA, 5th December 2015

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On December 15, 2015

In Conference

In collaboration with St. Dominic Major Seminary, FENZA organised a conference on Ecumenism on Saturday the 5^th December 2015. Above 20 participants of various Catholic parishes of Lusaka together with few Seminarians listened to the presentation made by Robert Lavertu, M.Afr, on Church history using a chart which he published recently. Father Charles Mwila also made a presentation by focusing on the theological, spiritual and pastoral aspects of Ecumenism.

Group discussion helped the participants to express their views on ecumenical issues looking into initiatives already taking place in various parishes such as Palm Sunday prayer and regular meetings with various Christian denominations concentrating on common ground.

Another speaker, Father Searson, presented his work at the Apostolate of Prayer focusing on the preparation of the yearly Octave of Prayer for Unity, which will take place as usual this coming year 2016 between the 18^th and the 25^th January. The participants were encouraged to get involved in this week of prayer.

It is the wish of the participants to renew this workshop with more people. Romaric Bationo, M.Afr, Director of FENZA, thanked the participants and emphasised that Ecumenism is part of FENZA’s vocation. An activity such as this one must continue and enjoy the participation of greater numbers of Catholics. Patrick Mumbi, M.Afr, concluded the day with a prayer.

Mafrwestafrica – Lettre du 13 décembre 2015

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On December 14, 2015

In Publications

Aujourd’hui, les Missionnaires d’Afrique de l’Ouest vous proposent de visiter de nouvelles pages sur leur site www.mafrwestafrica.net :

Dans la rubrique « Actualités » :

« Textes du Pape, voyage en Afrique » toute une série de textes en français prononcés par le pape à l’occasion de son périple africain. (lire la suite)

« Confrères décédés en 2015 » au jour de publication de cette lettre, ils sont 14 confrères ayant servi dans la PAO et à nous avoir quittés en 2015 (lire la suite)

« Lettre de Laghouat Ghardaia, décembre 2015 » texte envoyé par Mgr Claude Rault, Missionnaire d’Afrique. (lire la suite)

« 50 ans d’existence pour Tema Bokin » : cette paroisse vient d’engager son année jubilaire. Elle a été fondée en 1966 (lire la suite)

Dans la rubrique « Témoignages »:

« Le Pape François en Ouganda » quelques photos prises par notre supérieur général à l’occasion de la visite du Pape dans ce pays. (lire la suite)

« 2015-2016 à Kasama ». comment les étudiants qui vivent l’Année spirituelle ont commencé cette expérience fondamentale. (lire la suite)

« Récollection pour l’Avent », un texte du Père Herman Bastijns, Missionnaire d’Afrique belge, pour se préparer à Noël. (lire la suite)

Dans la rubrique « Dialogue interreligieux » :

« Espoirs de dialogue » : quelques témoignages qui nous sortent du pessimiste et de la terreur qui ont gagné beaucoup de terrain un peu partout dans le monde (lire la suite)
« Pourquoi devenir terroriste ? » quelques réflexions à ce propos qui donnent un éclairage intéressant. (lire la suite)

Dans la rubrique « Justice et Paix » :

Où en est le Burkina Faso ? » suite aux élections présidentielles et législatives, un bref rappel de l’histoire de ce pays et l’état actuel de la situation (lire la suite)

Dans la rubrique « Vu au sud, vu du sud » :

« Koudougou, rebelle ou belle ?» un article du Père Maurice Oudet, qui introduit au nouveau site qui vient d’être créé. (lire la suite)

« La COP 21 vue du Burkina » : deux articles parus sur le site du SEDELAN à ce propos (lire la suite)

End of construction of Chipata Pre-First Phase

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On December 13, 2015

In News

The Pre-First Phase Centre in Chipata is already operational since the 19^th November 2015 when five candidates came from Mozambique to perfect their English while waiting for the official opening of the Centre on January the 15^th with the coming of more candidates from Malawi and Zambia. This first year program will end in June 2016 when the candidates will be going to Balaka for their philosophy. The formators are Timothée Bationo, René Garand and Camille Konkobo who has just arrived from his home leave in Burkina Faso.

The Mozambican candidates are Texeira Manuel, Messias Carlos, Manuel Pedro, Hilario Junior and Bernardo Ana. We wish them all good luck in their studies.

Below some recent pictures of the Centre.