MESSAGE OF THE SECAM PASTORAL LETTER
The Pastoral Letter titled ‘Governance, the Common Good and Democratic Transitions in Africa, which we are about to launch, is in line with the message of the Pope Benedict XVI Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation: Africae Munus .
The Pastoral Letter points out that the Church in Africa cannot be indifferent and isolated in the face of our present socio-political and economic challenges that have become a major concern in Africa. In the spirit of peace and justice, it notes that common good, respect of people’s rights, and the promotion of good governance are the essential elements of the Gospel message.
The Pastoral Letter views human beings as being granted free will, which is the human freedom expressed through one’s choice to belong and one’s choice to express oneself freely in truth. In the exercise of this freedom in truth, human beings cannot be subjected to restriction or constraint. These considerations explain the passage to democratic transitions and indeed demand a new form of governance in Africa. The Church in Africa lives and works in a society in which she encounters the tragedy of human selfishness, pain and suffering in the midst of a politically tense environment. At the same time the Church is called upon to break the wall of powerlessness in the face of difficulties, to be overcome by living in solidarity with the bruised and maimed of God’s children.
READ MORE (document of 18 pages in PDF slow to download!)
Nairobi | CISA N0 0016 | http://www.cisanewsafrica.com/ | February 19, 2013
The Catholic Church in Africa has been challenged to intensify its ‘war’ against human trafficking.
Sister Maggi Kennedy of Missionaries of Our Lady of Africa (MSOLA) congregation, formerly White Sisters, told delegates at a symposium on: From the Anti-slavery campaign to the fight against human trafficking held at Tangaza University College, langata on February 16.
“As we meet here, probably one or many women and young girls are being trafficked either locally or internationally,” she further told the symposium delegates through her presentation whose theme was: “Human Trafficking…21st Century Slaves –the silent epidemic…Our Story-our challenge.
The Catholic Nun, a renowned activist in the war against human trafficking, said this year marks a momentous moment in our history as a Church when 125 years ago at the request of Pope Leo XIII, himself a man of vision with radical concern for social justice especially in the area of abolition of slavery and Slave Trade, appointed Cardinal Charles Martial Lavigerie, Archbishop of Algiers in North Africa to spearhead the Catholic Church’s contribution to the abolition of slavery and the slave trade.
The symposium, jointly organized by MSOLA and Tangaza University College aimed to commemorate the 125th anniversary of Cardinal Lavigerie, Archbishop of Algiers’ entry into the anti-Slavery Campaign in 1888.
“Human trafficking,” the Catholic Nun said, “is the world’s best money earner after drugs and small arms.”
“There is a serious link between human and drug trafficking; hence a fight against one should involve the other,” she explained.
In his paper on: Fighting Genocide and a Crime against Humanity: Cardinal Lavigerie and the African Slave Trade, Tanzanian Catholic priest Father Dr Laurent Magesa said much of the cotemporary African political , economic and social situation cannot be reasonably explained without reference to the horror of the Slave Trade.
Tonny Moses Odera, a Kenyan High Court Advocate and human rights lawyer, underscored that engaging in any acts that promote child trafficking including adopting or offering a child for fostering and offering a child for guardianship is a criminal act.
“Involved persons are liable to imprisonment for a term not less than 30 years or a fine not less than Kshs 20 million,” he explained.
Radek Malinowski, a researcher on human trafficking lamented that the area -human trafficking – is under researched.
Beware of the new currency introduced in Zambia on the 1st January 2013. The old money has lost three zeros to make life easier, especially for accounts keeping. One million Kwacha has become one thousand Kwacha with the same value. People are slowly getting use to the new paper bills and new coins called “ngwee”. Please, if you plan to come to Zambia, be sure to know the difference between the old 100 Kwacha and the new one. See below: on top is the old currency bill, still being used, which is worth 0.02 $ while the new 100 Kwacha at the bottom has a value of 20 $. Enjoy discovering the differences.
The bi-annual SAP Financial Council meeting took place on the 13th and 14th February in a new building recently opened in FENZA. Gotthard Rosner, the director, was pleased to welcome the participants.
From left to right, at the bottom: Jaya Bordhan and Jean de Dieu Bukuru. On top: Didier Lemaire, Christophe Boyer, Franco Pinna, Karl Kälin and René Garand.
The surgery took place on the 11th February successfully. Jean-Bosco was even able to come back home in the evening. Fortunately, the chirurgical intervention was a minor one even though he was under general anesthesia. Four days later, today, Jean-Bosco is still recovering and felling pain. We are planning to see the doctor today at lunch time. He is grateful for all the spiritual support and friendship you have shown him by sending your kind words through the SAP blog.
Let us keep him in our prayer. Fr. Serge St-Arneault, M.Afr
L’opération chirurgicale a eu lieu le 11 février dernier avec succès. Jean-Bosco est revenu à la maison le soir même. Heureusement, il s’agissait d’une simple intervention quoique cela a exigé une anesthésie générale. Aujourd’hui, après quatre jours, Jean-Bosco reprend du mieux. Par contre, il ressent encore des douleurs. C’est pourquoi nous prévoyons revoir le médecin de midi. Jean-Bosco est très reconnaissant pour votre le soutien spirituel et l’amitié que vous lui avez exprimé par l’entremise du blogue de SAP.
Gardons-le dans nos prières. Père Serge St-Arneault, M.Afr
Welcome to this Antislavery Campaign interview with Wore Ndiaye. In her book “Nous sommes coupables” (“We are guilty”) she uses her writing skills to be the voice of African Women while conducting a thorough analysis of various factors infringing the development of the African continent. She says that determination is just an outcome of the clarity of the vision of the individual. In this intimate interview Wore shows that determination. She opens her heart and shares fearlessly her own struggle to deconstruct oppressive structures of identity. She acknowledges being free but not fully liberated. Indeed, in this interview she embraces who she is! READ MORE
Let us keep in our minds and prayer our confrere Jean-Bosco Masaba who will be put under general anaesthesia today for an important surgery in Fairview Hospital in Lusaka. Jean-Bosco is in good spirit and confident to be back to our house, here in Woodlands, tonight.
Pensons et prions pour Jean-Bosco Masaba qui subira une importante opération sous anesthésie générale aujourd’hui à l’hôpital de Fairview à Lusaka. Jean-Bosco est confiant que tout ira bien et espère même d’être de retour à Woodlands ce soir.
A terrible accident happened on February 7 in Chibombo, half way between Kabwe and Lusaka, when 59 people died following a collision between a truck and a passenger bus belonging to the Post Bus company. We received the sad news that Janet Chimanse, first cousin of our confrere Elvis Ng’andwe, Zambian stagiaire in Niger, died in this tragic event. Let us pray for the family of Elvis who are mourning her loss.
May her soul rest in peace through the mercy of God.
The situation is still volatile here in Egypt. The political process towards democracy seems to be holding a lot of surprises for the now disillusioned Egyptians. Apart from some flash points here and there especially on Fridays, life continues with a lot of difficulties for most of the people. The cost of living seems to have increased beyond the reach of many and the new government of the Muslim Brothers is still struggling not only to pacify the masses but also to stabilize the economic situation. The relations between Christians and Muslims seem relatively less tense than soon after the departure of Mubarak. However, the future remains unpredictable.