In collaboration with the Initiatives of Change NZ and the Wellington Islamic Centre, there will be a special screening of two short films, The Imam and the Pastor and An African Answer. In the 1990s, Pastor James Wuye and Imam Muhammad Ashafa led opposing, armed militias, dedicated to defending their respective communities as violence broke Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Africa’
Worship prefect slams extravagant offertories
Friday, February 5th, 2016The Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship has criticised “long and loud” offertory processions in some countries. Writing in L’Osservatore Romano, Cardinal Robert Sarah took aim at offertory processions in some African countries that include “endless dances”. “One has the impression of being present at a folklore exhibition,” the cardinal wrote. Cardinal Sarah comes Read more
Pope Francis in Africa: he came, he saw, now what?
Friday, December 11th, 2015
Pope Francis was hailed around the world as a “messenger of hope” during his historic visit to Kenya, Uganda and Central African Republic. The visit to the three African countries was replete with gestures of reconciliation and peace. He pushed all the right buttons on religious liberty, climate change and reforms to the annulment process Read more
Francis critiques question about condoms in Africa
Friday, December 4th, 2015
Pope Francis has told a journalist asking about condom use to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa that the question posed is too small. The Pope answered the question during a session with reporters on his plane flying back from the Central African Republic on November 30. The journalist asked if the Church should Read more
African church growth put down to lack of education
Tuesday, December 1st, 2015The editor of the German bishops’ website has said the Church is growing in Africa because of a lack of education and because Africans have little else. Björn Odendahl said this on Katholisch.de in an article entitled “The Romantic, Poor Church”. “Of course the Church is growing there. It grows because the people are socially dependent Read more
At start of African visit, Pope names what feeds terrorism
Friday, November 27th, 2015Starting his three-nation African visit on Wednesday, Pope Francis said violence and terrorism feed on “despair” which comes from poverty and frustration. Speaking in Nairobi, Kenya, the Pope said fear and mistrust spring from the same source. He also re-iterated his view that the protection of the environment needs to take place alongside building a Read more
David Attenborough backs assisted dying, slams Church
Friday, November 20th, 2015
UK broadcaster Sir David Attenborough has given qualified support to assisted dying and has criticised the Catholic Church’s stance on contraception. Speaking on the BBC’s Costing the Earth programme, Sir David was asked if he supported the right to die. “I suppose I do really, but [only] if you could solve all the problems of Read more
Sydney archbishop looks to Africa for orthodoxy
Tuesday, September 29th, 2015
Ahead of the synod on the family, Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney has pointed to African bishops as a sign of hope in confused times. Archbishop Fisher’s comments came after an address by Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah at the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia on September 24. Archbishop Fisher, who attended the address said: Read more
Possible future pope contrasts martyrs with laxity in West
Tuesday, April 14th, 2015
A cardinal touted as the next pope has said that while some Christians are being martyred for their faith, some in the West are trying to water down the Gospel. Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah said this in a book length interview “Dieu ou Rien” (God or Nothing) published in France last month. Italian Vatican commentator Read more
Charity OK. But first, take your medicine!
Tuesday, March 3rd, 2015
The Pope on his return flight from the Philippines to Italy suggested that when western help to third world countries is only available if they accept western ideas into a culture as “ideological colonization”. Gender ideologies from the wealthy Western world are being imposed on developing nations by tying them to foreign aid and education, Read more