Publications – Page 27 – Missionaries of Africa

February 7, 2014

By BILKE MULENGA

FEBRUARY 1 2014, was like any other day…but it will remain a memorable day for the most people of Mansa, particularly members of the Catholic Church. Hundreds of the church members from all over Zambia and from the neighbouring countries gathered at Don Boscoe’s grounds of St James Parish in Chimese, just almost a kilometer away from Mansa central business district. The aim of the gathering was to witness the consecration of a Catholic priest, Father Patrick Chisanga as the Bishop of Mansa Diocese. The diocese had no bishop for five years. FULL STORY

Also on SAP Blog: Episcopal Ordination of Tr Rev. Patrick Chisanga OFM Conv

Leaked draft constitution by Zambian Watchdog

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On February 7, 2014

In News, Publications, Zambia Sector

A critical website [1], the Zambian Watchdog, one of which President Michael Sata and his cadres dismiss as a rogue media outlet has leaked one of the ruling party’s most guarded secrets – the draft constitution.

The 264 page document was leaked the night of Wednesday, January 14, 2014 and has since gone viral with members of the public whom President Sata did not want to give the document – at least for now – accessing it.

President Sata had promised to deliver a constitution with 90 days of assuming power on September 22, 2011 but now in his three years of governance the promise like many others has gone unfulfilled.

Although President Sata appointed a Technical Committee to Draft the constitution, whose among the many terms of reference, was to release the document simultaneously the Head of State reneged and demanded only 10 copies.

This outraged the public and a well organised Prayer Vigil was massively attended to demand the release of the constitution but those calls from members of the public, the church, civil society organisation, students and opposition fell on deaf ears.

However, Zambians will cry no more for the document as the Zambian Watchdog – blocked from access within Zambia – has given it out in its draft form as compiled by the Technical Committee in August 2013.

The draft constitution contains all the contentious clauses President Sata is opposing including the 50+1 threshold to elect a president, a presidential running mate and dual citizenship clause, among others.

Only available on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZambianWatchdog

[1] The Zambian Watchdog, a private online publication which exposes alleged government corruption, has been blocked by the government. See: http://www.humanipo.com/news/6901/zambian-watchdog-accuses-government-of-blocking-their-site/

MIMSAF Calendar February 2014

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On January 31, 2014

In Publications

You may like to set this picture from MIMSAF as your desktop background.

Newsletter South Africa no 35 – January 2014

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On January 26, 2014

In News, Publications, South Africa Sector

JCTR Press Release 21th January 2014

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On January 26, 2014

In News, Publications

2013 Showed a Mixed Picture in Economic Performance

The year 2013 had its ups and downs in terms of the cost of living as measured by the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection’s (JCTR’s) Basic Needs Basket. A continued concern for the JCTR in 2013 is the persistently high cost of living. In 2013, the high cost of living stemmed mainly from high food prices. As a faith based organisation, to see the poor access their basic needs and rights, such as the right to food, is cardinal to improving living conditions and hence reducing poverty in Zambia. FULL TEXT

CfSC Press Review of 2013, Malawi

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On January 26, 2014

In News, Publications

Without Hope Where Would We Be

Looking back over the year we try to name it, sum it up in one title or sentence. One of our newspapers speaks of: ‘the year of clapping hands to mediocrity’ (E. Chitsulo, Nation 21 December 2013). It is only a few weeks ago that we buried Nelson Mandela. We did because almost the whole world was somehow assisting at his funeral, He showed the world what real leadership is like. His passage shows the opposite of mediocrity. He was a good human being, a great leader. In our Malawi we have difficulty to identify someone like him. We chose leaders who all have given a sense of hope, a sense of ‘now things shall change for the better’.

But we were deceived very soon. Kamuzu Banda led a group of capable young people who were intent on building a Malawi to be proud of. But soon Banda took over, did away with those companions of the first hour and became a dictator imposing his will in such a way that a book about human Rights in Malawi was given the title: ‘Where Silence Reigns’. In spite of this Malawians continued to clap hands and dance for him. For some thirty years.

Full Text

Interview with Phoebe Kilby

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On January 26, 2014

In News, Publications

COMING TO THE TABLE – A Story of Racial Healing

Phoebe Kilby began her work in racial reconciliation in 2007, when she first contacted Betty Kilby Fisher (Baldwin) on Martin Luther King Day. Phoebe’s ancestors were enslavers in the United States prior to 1865; Betty is descended from the persons that Phoebe’s family once enslaved. Since that time Phoebe has become a leader in the Coming to the Table organization, which seeks to fulfil Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream “that the sons of former slave owners and sons of former slaves will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.” Coming to the Table (CTTT) is profiled at: www.comingtothetable.org

Phoebe and Betty have told their story and lead workshops and dialogues on racial reconciliation across the United States. They continue to assist others interested in improving race relations in their communities.

Mafrwestafrica – Lettre du 17 janvier 2014

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On January 19, 2014

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 « Témoignages »
« Confrères ayant travaillé dans la P.A.O. », annonce d’un décès récent, et quelques nouvelles tirées de correspondances reçues d’anciens de la Province (lire la suite)
« Etre secrétaire de la PAO », le témoignage du Père Alain Fontaine, qui occupe ce poste depuis le mois de septembre 2011. (lire la suite)

Dans la rubrique « Actualités » :
« Deux cardinaux pour notre province » quelques extraits du site « Zenit » et du site du journal « La Croix » au sujet des 19 cardinaux choisis par le Pape François, particulièrement l’archevêque de Ouagadougou et celui d’Abidjan. (lire la suite)
« Les statistiques M.Afr au 1er janvier 2014 » : une reprise des chiffres qui nous ont été fournis sur le site de notre société, www.mafrome.org, (lire la suite)
« Les M.Afr. Jubilaires en 2014 », la liste de tous les Missionnaires d’Afrique qui fêteront cette année 25 ans, 50 ans,… et jusqu’à 75 ans de leur engagement missionnaire par serment. (lire la suite)

Dans la rubrique « Vu au sud, vu du sud » :
« Les vœux du SEDELAN pour 2014 » un article paru comme d’habitude sur le site «www.abcburkina.net ». et qui engage à miser sur l’agriculture familiale. (lire la suite)

Dans la rubrique « Justice et Paix » :
« Dimanche de la migration », un texte reçu du frère Jan Heuft, qui travaille depuis de nombreuses années en Algérie afin d’aider les migrants (lire la suite)

Dans la rubrique « Maghreb » (diverses nouvelles) :
« Anniversaire à Tizi Ouzou », un article écrit par notre confrère Guy Sawadogo, originaire du Burkina et travaillant en Algérie, et qui nous parle de l’anniversaire de l’assassinat de 4 pères le 27 décembre 1994.(lire la suite)

Dans la rubrique « Dialogue interreligieux » :
« Manifestations en Mauritanie », un article paru dans le bulletin hebdomadaire de l’ARCRE (Action pour la Rencontre des Cultures et des Religions en Europe) (lire la suite)

Message from our Superior General to Bishop Sandri, South Africa

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On January 13, 2014

In Publications

To: Bishop Giuseppe Sandri, MCCJ,

Diocese of Witbank, South Africa

My Lord,

Greetings of peace for the New Year 2014!

I write on behalf of the General Council of the Missionaries of Africa, to thank you wholeheartedly for message of condolences and for the accompaniment you offered to our confrères in Lebombo as they mourned the sudden and tragic loss of our confrère, Fr. Sébastien Ndrustomi. Fr. Philippe Docq, the Delegate Superior, did keep us informed of the everything that was going on and we could see your pastoral care to them in these trying moments.

Thank you for the consoling and challenging homily you gave at the funeral of Fr Sébastien and for welcoming him to rest with his fellow pastoral workers in the diocesan cemetery. We do appreciate this final gesture that seals his belonging in a unique way.

May God continue to bless you in your ministry.

We keep you in our prayers and thank you in advance for yours for us.

Sincerely,

Fr. Richard Kuuia Baawobr, M.Afr

Superior General

Reply of the Bishop of Witbank

The spirit of Creativity remains

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On January 12, 2014

In Publications

The Spirit of Creativity remains

By Serge St-Arneault, M.Afr from the Petit Écho, January 2014, No 1947.

I came to Zambia in January 2012, after spending about ten years in Malawi. In June of the same year, I took over the job of Provincial Secretary from Georges Lauzon. I have also lived for ten years in the Congo before going to Malawi but coming to the capital of Zambia has proved to be a joyful and beneficial change for me. I still think of my first missionary experience in the Congo as being my closest ever experience with people. This sort of encounter is not thinkable in an office like mine today. However, as much effort and dedication was needed in learning languages or customs and moving around visiting Christian communities in villages, I feel the same spirit of creativity at work today. FULL TEXT

L’esprit de créativité persiste

Par Serge St-Arneault, M.Afr, extrait du Petit Écho, Janvier 2014, No 1947.

Du Malawi, je suis arrivé en Zambie en 2012 et, au mois de juin, j’ai repris la tâche de secrétaire provincial assumée jusqu’alors par Georges Lauzon. Venir dans la capitale de la Zambie après dix années de mission au Congo, et autant d’années au Malawi, s’est révélé pour moi un changement heureux et bénéfique. Je me rappelle encore mes premières années missionnaires au Congo. Ce fut pour moi l’expérience de la plus grande proximité jamais vécue avec une population. Aujourd’hui, ce genre de rencontre n’est plus réalisable dans mon service. De même que l’étude de la langue, des coutumes et les visites dans les communautés chrétiennes villageoises demandaient alors un effort et un engagement, je sens que ce même esprit de créativité est à l’œuvre aussi maintenant. TEXTE COMPLET