Dear Confrère,
I have published a book called “Come closer to yourself”. It is the outcome of many retreats I directed. I truly believe that it can be an excellent tool for spiritual reflection for many of us. May I ask you to kindly make it known to the confreres of your responsibility? You can have a look at the book and its content table by typing the title “Come closer to yourself” in Google search. Google advertises the book for a couple of months. Perhaps a good present for Christmas to give to confreres, priests, Sisters?
The book can be ordered directly from the Publisher
Thank you in advance for your fraternal cooperation in this matter.
Marcel Neels, M.Afr.
Author: Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP) Page 82 of 113
Dear Confrère,
I have published a book called “Come closer to yourself”. It is the outcome of many retreats I directed. I truly believe that it can be an excellent tool for spiritual reflection for many of us. May I ask you to kindly make it known to the confreres of your responsibility? You can have a look at the book and its content table by typing the title “Come closer to yourself” in Google search. Google advertises the book for a couple of months. Perhaps a good present for Christmas to give to confreres, priests, Sisters?
The book can be ordered directly from the Publisher
Thank you in advance for your fraternal cooperation in this matter.
Marcel Neels, M.Afr.
Dear Confreres,
I regret to inform you of the passing on of Stan Lubungo’s mother in Mpongwe hospital last night. She was admitted yesterday and passed away around 02 hours.
Funeral arrangements are yet to be made.
Let us pray for her that she rests in peace and for the family that they find strength in the Lord.
If you would like to pass a word of condolences to Stan who is still in France, you may do so by sending a word to Stanislas below this message under “Leave a comment”.
In Christ,
Christopher Chileshe, M.Afr
SAP Provincial
UPDATES:
The funeral took place on the 29th November 2013.
Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium of the Holy Father Francis to the Bishops, Clergy, Consecrated Persons and the Lay Faithful on the Proclamation of the Gospel in Today’s World
1. THE JOY OF THE GOSPEL fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born anew. In this Exhortation I wish to encourage the Christian faithful to embark upon a new chapter of evangelization marked by this joy, while pointing out new paths for the Church’s journey in years to come.
I. A JOY EVER NEW, A JOY WHICH IS SHARED
2. The great danger in today’s world, pervaded as it is by consumerism, is the desolation and anguish born of a complacent yet covetous heart, the feverish pursuit of frivolous pleasures, and a blunted conscience. Whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its own interests and concerns, there is no longer room for others, no place for the poor. God’s voice is no longer heard, the quiet joy of his love is no longer felt, and the desire to do good fades. This is a very real danger for believers too. Many fall prey to it, and end up resentful, angry and listless. That is no way to live a dignified and fulfilled life; it is not God’s will for us, nor is it the life in the Spirit which has its source in the heart of the risen Christ.
3. I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly each day. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him or her, since “no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord”.
Full text in English (571 KB – 76 pages)
Summary in French / Français (146 KB)
Interview with Vanessa Jackson who is an African-American women who shares with us her liberation journey. Her personal journey goes from trauma to power wounding. She is an activist and a “narrative therapist”. In this interview she shows to be quite critical with the traditional clinical approach to people who have been carrying wounds from systemic oppression, especially from inherited slavery. She says: “Dr. Cartwright was an expert in slave medicine and based on his observations and reports from overseers, he described a mental illness that caused slaves to run away from their natural condition of enslavement. As a pro-slavery advocate, Dr. Cartwright believed that such behavior could only be characterized as mental illness. While this term sounds completely outrageous to us today, I would argue that such terms as oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorders which are widely use to describe, medicate and incarcerate children and adolescents are modern day examples of pathologizing efforts to liberate oneself and these labels blind us to the oppression that marginalized groups, like enslaved persons and children experience when they lack power and agency.” Full Text
The Apostolic Nunciature (Vatican Embassy) in Malawi is pleased to announce that
Lilongwe (Agenzia Fides) – Do everything possible to clean up politics and administration in order to regain the confidence of international donors whose aid is needed to alleviate the suffering of the population. This is the meaning of the message delivered by Chris Chisoni, Secretary General of the Commission for “Justice and Peace” of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi, at a press conference at the end of the meeting of the Commissions “Justice and Peace” of 8 Catholic dioceses in the Country.
“The Church cannot just sit and watch some of the challenges Malawians are facing now hence the need for us to speak out with one voice over these issues”, said Chisoni.
International donors (European Union, Great Britain, Norway and the African Development Bank) have stopped giving aid to Malawi following the discovery of serious fraud on the use of funds received. It is estimated that at least 185 million dollars have been stolen from state coffers.
So far, fifty officials have been arrested, including the Minister of Justice, Ralph Kasambara.
In relation to the so-called “cash-gate” Chisoni said that “we want the arrest of all those involved, sparing no sacred cow”.
Representatives of Justice and Peace finally ask donors to reconsider the suspension of aid that is having serious social consequences: food shortages in certain areas of the Country, with serious risks to people; drastic decrease of school attendance and risks for next year’s harvest. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 23/11/2013)
The light of Faith: this is how the Church’s tradition speaks of the great gift brought by Jesus. In John’s Gospel, Christ says of himself: “I have come as light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness” (Jn 12:46). Saint Paul uses the same image: “God who said ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts” (2 Cor 4:6). The pagan world, which hungered for light, had seen the growth of the cult of the sun god, Sol Invictus, invoked each day at sunrise. Yet though the sun was born anew each morning, it was clearly incapable of casting its light on all of human existence. The sun does not illumine all reality; its rays cannot penetrate to the shadow of death, the place where men’s eyes are closed to its light. “No one — Saint Justin Martyr writes — has ever been ready to die for his faith in the sun”. FULL TEXT Texte en français
Invitation from the Missionaries of Africa, Merrivale Formation House Community in South Africa.
Ordination to the diaconate of Antony Alckias (India) and Tomasz Podrazik (Poland)
Date: Saturday, 14th December 2013.
Venue: St. Raphael Parish, Kwa Mzimba, Arch-diocese of Durban, South Africa.
Time: 11:00 AM.
By His Eminence Wilfrid Cardinal Napier OFM, Archbishop of Durban.
Greetings from JCTRWe are happy as always to share with you the 2013 October Basic Needs Basket for Lusaka and accompanying press release. We hope this information is helpful for you.
To get more on this and other JCTR activities, please visit our website or contact us on the address and numbers indicated below. We also invite you to visit our well stocked resource room for your research and other information needs.
Do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions, requests or comments.
We always appreciate your feedback on how you are using the Basket.
Namundi Siwale
Acting Information Officer
Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection Press Release BNB October 2013