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 Pope Francis says the human person should be put at the centre even in the face of the current economic crisis
Pope Francis on Saturday addressed members of the “Centesimus Annus – Pro Pontifice” Foundation. The members of the foundation have been holding a three day conference on the theme: “Rethinking solidarity for employment: the challenges of the 21st century.”
Ann Schneible reports:
Instituted in 1993 by Blessed John Paul II two years after his encyclical Centesimus Annus, the aim of the FCAPP, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, is to be a vehicle for lay education and evangelization of Catholic social doctrine. Speaking to members of the organization, Pope Francis called attention to the theme of the conference: “Rethinking solidarity for employment: the challenges of the 21st century.” In light of the current economic crisis and the rapid spread of unemployment, the pope sai ...»
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Kiswahili Service Programmes
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English for Africa
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The Holy Father's telegramme for the Oklahoma Disaster
On Tuesday afternoon, the Holy Father sent a message to Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA, for the tornado that devastated the city and suburbs, on Monday, causing numerous victims and wounded many others.
Singed by the Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone, the telegramme read, the Holy Father has followed with deep concern the aftermath of the devastating tornad ...»
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Pope Francis' tweet on Wednesday: Live according to the Gospel values
Carrying on with his theme from the general audience catechesis, the Holy father in his twitter message encouraged the faithful to live by the Gospel values. To live according to the Gospel is to fight against selfishness, wrote pope Francis, adding that the Gospel is forgiveness and peace; it is love that comes from God.
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The Pilgrimage to the Uganda Martyrs shrine at Namugongo begins
Reports from Uganda say hundreds of people have set off for a pilgrimage on foot to the Uganda martyrs’ shrine at Namugongo in preparation for the celebration of the feast of the Uganda Martyrs on June 3rd. A group from the diocese of Kabale in Western Uganda started the 420 Km journey this week. A group of more than 100 pilgrims from Rwanda has crossed into Uganda and has been followed by ...»
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Persecution of Christians continues in the Central African Republic
Reports from the Central African Republic continue to indicate that sections of Seleka rebels who captured power in March this year are looting and destroying houses of local Christians, churches and mission stations. Seleka means union in the Sango Language, and hence the rebel movement is a coalition of many armed groups that had been fighting the government of former president, Francoi ...»
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Ghana's Archbishop Dominic Kodwo Andoh has died, burial is June 6
The Church in Ghana is mourning the death of Archbishop Dominic Kodwo Andoh, Emeritus Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, who died in Accra on Friday, May 17, 2013. He met his death just two weeks after he celebrated his 84th birthday anniversary on May 4. Archbishop Andoh was born on May 4, 1929 at Shama in the Western Region of Ghana. He was ordained a priest in December, 1956 an ...»
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The Order of Franciscan Friars Minor have elected Father Michael Perry as the new Minister General. He replaces Archbishop Jose Rodriguez Carballo, who in April this year, was appointed by Pope Francis to be the Secretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. Before his election to this new office, Fr. Perry was the Vicar General of the Order. H ...» |
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The Bishops of India have organized a congress of catechists on the occasion of the year of the faith. The Archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, His Grace John Barwa, told Fides Catholic News Agency that the congress for the Regional Conference of the Bishops of Orissa will be held from 12th to 14th October this year. He said the purpose is to strengthen the role of lay catechists as agents o ...» |
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Vatican City, 13 May 2013 (VIS) – This morning, Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., and Archbishop Angelo Becciu, substitute for General Affairs, presented the Holy Father with the 2013 edition of the "Annuario Pontificio" (Pontifical Yearbook, the Holy See's annual directory), in the presence of the officials responsible for compiling and printing the volumes. The "Annuariu ...» |
A court of law in Guatemala has sentenced the former military ruler, Efrain Rios Montt, to 80 years in jail after finding him guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity. James Blears was there and he sent the following report.  
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Ambitious men and women in the Church who who want to use other people or the church to build their careers are doing great harm to the Church. This was the message of pope Francis on Wednesday when he addressed Superior Generals of women religious congregations at the Vatican. The Holy Father spoke to the to the sisters of obedience, poverty, and chastity, and invited them to be aware of thei ...» |
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A Moslem Sheik from the Sinai region of Egypt, Mohammed Al Awad, told Vatican Radio on Friday that bandits in the area are holding more than 400 Eritrean immigrants whom they kidnapped as they attempted to reach Israel. The kidnappers commonly known as Bedouin demand heavy ransom to release their victims. Sheik Al Awad said these Eritreans are escaping injustices, and harsh political and economi ...» |
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A human rights organisation, Human Rights Watch, has issued a report criticizing international mining companies operating in Mozambique and the Mozambican government for failing in their obligation to the local people who have been displaced by coal mining. The government granted licenses to big mining companies including Vale of Brazil, and Rio Tinto of Australia, which have invested millions o ...» |
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The African continent will observe the Africa Vaccination Week 2013 from 24th to 27th this month. The week will be dedicated to eradicating polio. During the four days, health officials will take part in the vaccination exercise of children below the ages of 5, by giving them doses of the oral polio vaccine, free of charge, irrespective of their previous immunization status. The objective of th ...» |
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The spokesperson of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Rupert Colville, has warned Boko Haram Islamic militants in Nigeria that they could be charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity for their deliberate acts of killing people on ethnic and religious grounds. Mr. Colville made the warning on Thursday in Geneva in a press briefing after it was announced tha ...» |
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Prominent Africans who include the former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and Graca Machel, the wife of former South African President, Nelson Mandela, have released this year’s Africa Progress Report. The report notes that tax evasion, secret mining deals and financial transfers are depriving Africa of the benefits of its resources. The report gav ...» |
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The American-born priest has been working in the countries of eastern Africa since 1968. In this interview from the studies of Vatican radio, the lecturer and author of the book “Building the Church as Family of God: Evaluation of Small Christia ...» |
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Tension between Orthodox Coptic Christians and radical Moslems continues in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, after the Islamic radicals attacked St. Mark’s church, the Cathedral of the Orthodox Coptic Church, on Sunday, April 7th. John Baptist Tumusiim ...» |
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Empowering marginalised groups in society is one of the priorities of the Catholic Church. Marginalized groups are people who suffer various forms of discrimination, displacement and poverty either because of their beliefs, ethnicity, gender, o ...» |
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Cardinal Wilfrid Napier is the current Archbishop of Duran in South Africa. He was born on 8 March 1941 in Swartberg, in South Africa. He was 29 when he received his priestly ordination and ten years later he named for the dicocese of Kokstad. I ...» |
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The Sierra leone Civil War between 1991 and 2002 devastated the country leaving more than 50,000 people dead. Much of the country's infrastructure was destroyed, and over two million people were displaced in neighbouring countries as refugees. Man ...» |
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The Missionaries of Africa recently launched a campaign in the fight against modern forms of slavery, such as human trafficking or the trading of women, men and children for the purposes of exploitation. The practice involves sex trafficking, deb ...» |
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Tuesday January 1st was marked by the Catholic Church as World Day for Peace. As is the tradition, Pope Benedict XVI released a message for the occasion reminding the faithful and all people of good will that they have a role to play in buildin ...» |
In this second part of our interview with Sr. Maggi Kennedy she speaks about the legal framework and other issues relating to human trafficking.
The fight against this crime entails many things and can sometimes be risky. So I asked the Missionar ...» |
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M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo captured the town of Goma last week. Catholic Bishops who had gathered in the Congolese capital, Kinshasa, to discuss the role of Caritas in Africa condemned the fighting especially the humanitaria ...» |
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It is over a year now since South Sudan became independent. It had been thought that as soon as she became independent the formerly Catholic Bishops conference of Sudan would be split into two. But this was not the case. The Bishops resolved tha ...» |
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Assumpta Science Center Owerri is a Nigerian National initiative to help young people understand that anyone can take the so called difficult subjects at school and in College . In this organization young Nigerian Scientists talk about and explai ...» |
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The Missionaries of Africa, also known as the White Fathers, and the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa, also known as the White Sisters, will launch a campaign to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the anti-slavery campaign began in 1888 b ...» |
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We are privileged to host Marylee Meehan, the immediate past President of the International Catholic Committee of Nurses and Medical Social assistants, CICIAMS. She is an American national, 71 years old. She has worked as a nurse for many years an ...» |
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We are privileged to host His Grace Colnelius Esua, the archbishop of Bamenda in Cameroon. He is one of the synod Fathers, representing the Catholic Bishops conference of Cameroon, at the synod on the New Evangelisation, underway here in th ...» |
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Zambia is one of the acknowledged safe places to visit in the world. It’s people are hospitable and live in harmony, in spite of being surrounded by neighbours that usually experience a lot of turbulence. Apart from being richly endowed with natura ...» |
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You are welcome to the second part of our coverage on the Secrets behind land grabbing in Africa. In the first part, Fr. Wolfgang Schonecke, a member of the Missionaries of Africa, explained that many African governments had been selling and leasin ...» |
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There is growing concern in some African countries over the purchase of vast pieces of land in Africa by foreign business interests and governments and by the local elite. A report released last year by the researchers of the Oakland Institute i ...» |
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The United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria released its latest report on the human rights situation in Syria recently . The report was submitted to the United Nations Human rights Council in Geneva and concludes tha ...» |
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A five-day meeting for the pastoral care of people on the Road and streets in Africa and Madagascar ended in the Tanzanian capital, Dar Es Salaam, on Saturday. It was attended by more than eighty-five people from thirty-one African countries. The ...» |
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| Pope Benedict XVI in Benin |
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Jesuit Father John Mwelwa reflects on the readings of the 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time (16th Sept.)
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Jesuit Father John Mwelwa reflects on the readings of the 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time
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| GENERAL INTENTION – MARCH 2013 |
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That the Holy Spirit may grant perseverance to those who suffer discrimination, persecution, or death for the name of Christ, particularly in Asia.
The Second Vatican Council, with the participation of Catholic Bishops from all the corners of th ...» |
That the peoples at war and in conflict may lead the way in building a peaceful future.
The truth of peace must also let its beneficial light shine even amid the tragedy of war. The Fathers of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, in the Pastora ...» |
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That migrant families, especially the mothers, may be supported and accompanied in their difficulties. On the occasion of the coming World Day of Migrants and Refugees, and looking at the Holy Family of Nazareth, icon of all families, I would lik ...» |
That migrants throughout the world may be welcomed with generosity and authentic love,
especially by Christian communities.
Another aspect of integral human development that is worthy of attention is the phenomenon of
migration. This is a strikin ...» |
That Christ may reveal himself to all humanity with the light that shines forth from Bethlehem and is reflected in the face of his Church.
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We celebrate with joy the Solemnity of the Epiphany, the "manifestation" of Christ t ...» |
That bishops, priests, and all ministers of the Gospel may bear the courageous witness of fidelity to the crucified and risen Lord.
When in December 1944 I was drafted for military service, the company commander asked each of us what we planned to d ...» |
That the pilgrim Church on earth may shine as a light to the nations. "The nations will walk in its light" (Rev 21:24)
"The nations will walk in its light" (Rev 21:24). The goal of the Church's mission is to illumine all peoples with the light of th ...» |
That the celebration of World Mission Day may result in a renewed commitment to evangelization.
The universal mission involves all, all things and always. The Gospel is not an exclusive possession of whoever has received it but a gift to share, goo ...» |
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That the New Evangelization may progress in the oldest Christian countries. The term, “new evangelization” recalls the need for a renewed manner of proclamation, especially for those who live in a context, like the one today, in which th ...» |
That Christian communities may have a growing willingness to send missionaries, priests, and lay people, along with concrete resources, to the poorest Churches.
The universal Church, which knows neither borders nor frontiers, is aware of he ...» |
That politicians may always act with honesty, integrity, and love for the truth
The theme of your Assembly: "Witnesses to Christ in the Political Community", takes on a special importance. Of course, the technical formation of politicians is not par ...» |
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(21 May 2013) An upcoming World Council of Churches (WCC) consultation in Bangkok will attempt a distinctive mode of interreligious dialogue.
Terrorism strikes at the very heart of human dignity and constitutes an offence against all humanity. And for this reason, instead of sitting bac 
The Press Office of the Holy See issued a communique on Tuesday saying that the Pope, informed of the kidnapping, “is following the events with dee 
The centrality of poverty eradication to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is not only a requirement of the Rio +20 Outcome but is essentiall 
