Catéchèse du Pape (21/06/2017)/Pope’s catechesis (21/06/2017)/Catequese do Papa (21/06/2017)

Speaker : Frères et sœurs, au jour de notre baptême, nous avons été confiés à l’intercession des saints, ces frères et sœurs "aînés", que la Lettre aux Hébreux nous présente comme une « multitude de témoins ». Leur existence nous rappelle que la vie chrétienne n’est pas un idéal inaccessible. Avec eux, nous ne sommes pas seuls. A chaque instant de notre vie, la main de Dieu nous protège et la présence discrète de cette multitude de frères qui nous ont précédés nous accompagne. Ainsi, les chrétiens, dans leur combat contre le mal, ne désespèrent pas ! L’intercession des saints est aussi invoquée dans la liturgie du mariage comme dans celle de l’ordination, afin de rappeler à ceux qui s’engagent pour la vie que la grâce de Dieu ne leur fera pas défaut. Fragiles sont nos forces, mais puissant est le mystère de la grâce à l’œuvre dans la vie des chrétiens. Alors, que le Seigneur nous donne l’espérance d’être saints. Car notre monde a besoin de personnes qui renoncent à toute domination et qui aspirent à la charité et à la fraternité, pour garder l’espérance !

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Saint Père :  

Sono lieto di salutare i pellegrini e i fedeli di lingua francese, venuti da Francia e Svizzera. Per l’intercessione di tutti i santi, il Signore ci conceda la grazia di credere profondamente in lui per divenire immagine del Cristo per questo mondo! La compagnia dei santi ci aiuti a riconoscere che Dio non ci abbandona mai, per testimoniare la speranza su questa terra. Dio vi benedica!

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Speaker: Je suis heureux de saluer les pèlerins et les fidèles de langue française, venus de France et de Suisse. Par l’intercession de tous les saints, que le Seigneur nous accorde la grâce de croire profondément en lui pour devenir image du Christ pour ce monde ! Et que la compagniedes saints nous aide à reconnaître que Dieu ne nous abandonne jamais, pour témoigner en ce monde de l’espérance. Que Dieu vous bénisse !

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Speaker: Dear Brothers and Sisters:  In our continuing catechesis on Christian hope, we now look to the saints, to “those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith”.  The Letter to the Hebrews speaks of the saints as “a great cloud of witnesses” who support us on our pilgrim way through this present life.  In the sacraments of baptism, marriage and ordination, we pray the Litany of the Saints to implore their intercession and help in the particular vocation we have received.  The lives of the saints remind us that the Christian ideal is not unattainable.  Despite our human weakness, we can always count on God’s grace and the prayers of the saints to sustain us in faith and in hope for the transfiguration of this world and the fulfilment of Christ’s promises in the next.  May the Lord enable all of us to become saints, to be living images of Christ in our time.  May he strengthen us to be his witnesses and to bring the Gospel to all our brothers and sisters, especially the suffering and those most in need of its message of undying hope.

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Holly Father:  

Saluto i pellegrini di lingua inglese presenti all’odierna Udienza, specialmente quelli provenienti da Scozia, Grecia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Filippine e Stati Uniti d’America.  Su tutti voi e sulle vostre famiglie invoco la gioia e la pace del Signore nostro Gesù Cristo.

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Speaker:

I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly the groups from Scotland, Greece, Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Philippines and the United States of America.  Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Locutor: Os santos são, para nós, testemunhas e companheiros de esperança mostrando-nos que a vida cristã não é um ideal inatingível. São companheiros de nossa peregrinação nesta vida. Compartilharam as nossas lutas e fortalecem a nossa esperança de que o ódio e a morte não têm a última palavra na existência humana. Por isso, invocamos o auxílio dos santos nos sacramentos. No Batismo, os invocamos como irmãos mais velhos que já cruzaram a estrada fatigosa desta vida e encontram-se no abraço de Deus por toda a eternidade. No Matrimônio, eles vêm em socorro dos noivos que, ao assumirem um compromisso por toda a vida, sabem que precisam da graça de Deus para se manterem fiéis. Na Ordenação Sacerdotal, o candidato sabe que conta com a ajuda de todos os que estão no Paraíso para poder suportar o peso da missão que lhe é confiada. De fato, os santos nos lembram que, apesar das nossas fraquezas, a graça de Deus é maior nas nossas vidas. Por isso, devemos manter sempre viva a esperança de ser santos, pois este é o maior presente que podemos dar ao mundo.

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Santo Padre:  

Rivolgo un cordiale saluto a tutti i pellegrini di lingua portoghese, in particolare ai fedeli di Jundiaí, São Carlos e Santo André. Cari amici, il mondo ha bisogno di santi e tutti noi, senza eccezioni, siamo chiamati alla santità. Non abbiamo paura! Con l’aiuto di quelli che sono già nel cielo, lasciamoci trasformare dalla grazia misericordiosa di Dio che è più potente di qualsiasi peccato. Iddio vi benedica sempre.

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Locutor: Saúdo cordialmente todos os peregrinos de língua portuguesa, de modo particular os fiéis de Jundiaí, São Carlos e Santo André. Queridos amigos, o mundo precisa de santos e todos nós, sem exceção, somos chamados à santidade. Não tenhamos medo! Com a ajuda daqueles que já estão no céu, deixemo-nos transformar pela graça misericordiosa de Deus que é mais forte do que qualquer pecado. E que Ele sempre vos abençoe!

Vatican Radio Communiqué/Communiqué Radio Vatican/Comunicado da Rádio Vaticano

If you are listening to us on Shortwave, we would greatly appreciate a short report from you on the quality of our programs and of the signal reaching you. Please address your report to: The Africa Promotions Office for Africa, Vatican Radio, 00120 Vatican City.

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Nous demandons à nos auditeurs qui nous suivent sur les Ondes courtes de bien vouloir nous faire parvenir un rapport d’écoute sur la qualité de la réception de nos programmes, à l’adresse du Bureau de Promotion-Afrique de Radio Vatican, 00120 Cité du Vatican.

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Pedimos aos nossos ouvintes que nos escutam em Ondas Curtas que nos enviem um relatório de escuta sobre a qualidade da recepção dos nossos programas, escrevendo ao seguinte endereço do Serviço de Promoção-África da Rádio Vaticano, 00120 Cidade do Vaticano.

Avis pour les radios catholiques africaines et les auditeurs de Radio Vatican/ Notice to Catholic Radio Stations in Africa and listeners of Vatican Ra

Radio Vatican avait produit en 2011 un album musical, Afrika tenda amani (fais la paix, Afrique), avec le concours de quelques artistes musiciens africains dont Papa Wemba de la République démocratique du Congo et Bonga d’Angola. Cet album qui accompagne l’exhortation post-synodale Africae munus, reflète les thèmes de la Deuxième assemblée spéciale pour l’Afrique du Synode des Évêques (réconciliation, justice et paix), a été expédié à toutes les radios catholiques africaines par le canal des Pères Evêques diocésains auxquels Radio Vatican a fait parvenir 3 copies.

Si jamais une radio n’a pas encore reçu une copie de cet album, elle peut nous écrire (africa@vatiradio.va) pour nous en demander. De même, nous disposons de quelques exemplaires pour nos auditeurs qui en feront la demande. Mais la quantité est fort limitée.

P. Jean-Pierre Bodjoko, SJ

Responsable du Bureau de Promotion de Radio Vatican pour la zone Afrique

E-mail : africa@vatiradio.va

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In 2011, Vatican Radio produced a music album titled Afrika tenda amani (Make Peace, Africa), with the help of a few African musicians including Papa Wemba of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Bonga from Angola. Three copies of the CD album, which accompanied the publication of the post-synodal exhortation Africae munus  and reflects on the themes of the Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops (reconciliation, justice and peace) was sent to all  Catholic radio stations in Africa through the local bishops.

If your radio station has not yet received a copy of this album, please write to africa@vatiradio.va to request a copy. Also, we have a limited number of copies for our listeners who may also send their requests to the above email address.

Fr. Jean-Pierre Bodjoko, SJ

Head of the Promotions Office for Africa

Vatican Radio

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A Rádio Vaticano tinha produzido em 2011 um álbum musical denominado Afrika Tenda Amani (faz a paz, África), com a participação de alguns artistas músicos africanos, dentre os quais Papa Wemba da República Democrática do Congo e Bonga de Angola. Este álbum, que acompanha a Exortação pós-sinodal Africae Munus reflecte os temas da Segunda Assembleia Especial para a África do Sínodo dos Bispos (reconciliação, justiça e paz), e foi enviado a todas as Rádios Católicas africanas através dos Senhores Bispos Diocesanos aos quais a Rádio Vaticano fez chegar três cópias.

Se por acaso alguma Rádio ainda não recebeu uma cópia deste álbum, podem nos escrever (africa@vatiradio.va) para solicitá-lo. Da mesma forma, também dispomos de alguns exemplares para os nossos ouvintes que o solicitem. Mas a quantidade é muito limitada.

P. Jean-Pierre Bodjoko, SJ

Responsável do Departamento de Promoção da Rádio Vaticano, para a região África

E-mail: africa@vatiradio.va

PROGRAMME FRANÇAIS-AFRIQUE : SUIVEZ-NOUS SUR FACEBOOK

En plus de notre site internet, vous pouvez aussi suivre de nos nouvelles sur Facebook à l’adresse : Radio Vatican Français-Afrique. Cliquez sur "j'aime" pour interagir.

Nos fréquences en KHz sur les Ondes courtes (Heure en Temps universel)/ Our frequencies in KHZ on Short Waves (Universal Time)/As nossas frequências e

Anglais-Afrique/ English-Africa/Inglês-África :

8 :30 : 11625 - 13765 

19 :30 : 9660 - 15570 

22 :00 : 7360 -9670

Français-Afrique/French-Africa/Francês-África :

6 :30 : 9660

8 :00 : 11625 - 13765 

19 :00 : 9660 - 15570 

22 :30 : 7360 - 9670 

Portugais-Afrique/ Portuguese-Africa/Português-África :

7 :30 : 9660 - 11625

20 :00 : 9660 - 15570

Kiswahili :

5 :30 : 7360 

18 :00 : 9660 - 15570

NB:

Partout dans le monde, on peut suivre nos programmes à travers notre site internet www.radiovaticana.va.  De même, on peut suivre en direct les images des événements, des cérémonies du Pape sur notre Player video live dont le lien se trouve sur notre site internet.

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Please note that you can follow our programmes at all times, day and night the world over. Just go to www.radiovaticana.va. Also you can follow a live video coverage of Papal events by clicking on the video player on the website.

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Em todo o mundo é possível seguir os nossos programas através do nosso sito internet www.radiovaticana.va Do mesmo modo, se podem também seguir in directo as imagens dos acontecimentos e cerimónias do Papa  no nosso Player vídeo ao vivo, cujo link também se encontra no nosso sito internet.

Adresse utile pour Radio Vatican/Useful contact of Vatican Radio/Endereço

P. Jean-Pierre BODJOKO, SJ

Responsable Bureau de Promotion-Afrique/Head of Africa’s Promotion Office/ Responsável

Sector de promoção-Afrique

e-mail: africa@vatiradio.va

Tel : +39.06.698.83366

Catholic Church celebrates 200 years of existence in Southern Africa

To start the year-long Bicentennial Celebrations of the existence of the Catholic Church in Southern Africa, an inaugural Mass of Thanksgiving in Cape Town’s Cathedral of Our Lady of the Flight into Egypt will be held next week on Sunday, 25 June. According to organisers, due to limited space the Mass will be by invitation.

Announcing the Bi-centennial Celebration, Vicar General in the Archdiocese of Cape Town, Monsignor Clifford Stokes described as exciting the year ahead in which the southern African Church would celebrate its faith and honour the memory of those who brought it to them.

“An exciting year in which we shall celebrate our faith and those who have been instrumental in bringing it to Southern Africa is soon to be inaugurated. Let us prepare well through our prayers and the offering of our Masses for this grace-filled time of remembrance of those who have gone before us in the faith, “ Mgr Clifford Stokes said.

The Bicentennial Celebrations will conclude on Sunday, 10 June 2018.

See below the full statement on the Bicentennial celebration. The Statement was made available to Vatican Radio by the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference

Catholic Church Celebrates 200 years of existence in Southern Africa

Bi-centennial Celebration of the Church in Southern Africa

Historical traces of the development of the Catholic Church in Southern Africa

In June 2018 Catholics in Southern Africa will celebrate the bi-centenary of the establishment of the Catholic Church in the region of Southern Africa.

From the time of the discovery of the Cape, ecclesiastical jurisdiction over it belonged to the Portuguese mission under the authority of the king of Portugal. After the establishment of the Dutch East India Company at the Cape in 1652, the practice of the Catholic religion was de facto prohibited.

It was only in 1804 that Jacob Abraham de Mist, the Commissioner-General of the Cape Colony, decided that “all religious societies which for the furtherance of virtue and good morals worship an Almighty Being, are to enjoy in this Colony equal protection from the laws” and in 1805 three Dutch priests arrived to minister to the Catholics of the Cape. One of them, Fr Johannes Lansink, was appointed Prefect Apostolic. The following year, however, the British colonial authorities, which had taken over the Colony in the meantime, ordered them to leave the region.

On 7 June 1818, Pope Pius Vll erected the Vicariate Apostolic of the Cape of Good Hope and adjacent territories. Subsequently the Island of Mauritius was added, and so were New Holland and Van Diemen’s Land (effectively, modern day Australia).

In 1820 the first Vicar Apostolic, Bishop Bede Slater OSB, stopped at Cape Town for three weeks on his way to Mauritius where he was to reside, leaving behind Fr Patrick Hurst Scully as chaplain to the local Catholic Community. By then, religious tolerance had made some progress. Fr Scully was succeeded by Fr Theodorus Wagener who was later joined by Fr Thomas Rishton OSB. Bishop Slater was succeeded by Bishop William Placid Morris OSB, who also resided at Mauritius.

On 6 June 1837, Pope Gregory XVI constituted the Cape of Good Hope (i.e. the entire region of southern Africa) a separate vicariate and appointed Bishop Patrick Raymund Griffith OP as the first resident vicar apostolic.

On 14 April 1838 (Holy Saturday) Bishop Griffith stepped ashore at Cape Town. While initially interested in evangelizing black people, he essentially ministered, quite successfully, to white settlers. He can be considered as the founder of the Catholic Church of South Africa.

In 1847, the Vicariate of the Cape of Good Hope was divided into the Vicariates of the Western District and the Eastern District of the Cape of Good Hope, of which Fr Aidan Devereux became the first Vicar Apostolic. It was he who invited, in 1849, the first group of religious sisters to South Africa.

In 1852 the first four Oblates of Mary Immaculate arrived to establish a mission in Natal. They later set out to evangelise Lesotho.

On 24 May 1872, the Prefecture of the Central District of the Cape of Good Hope was detached from the Western Vicariate. Further subdivisions took place in subsequent years. It was not until the 1880s that the first Southern African mission in what is today South Africa was successfully established by the Trappists. Indeed, long absent from the missionary scene, the Catholic Church’s missionary thrust in Southern Africa started to grow rapidly in the 20th century.

Also belatedly, but with increasing vigour, various sectors of the Church began opposing the apartheid regime in the second half of the century.

On 11 January 1951, Pope Pius XII established by Papal Bull the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy in the then Union of South Africa, and set up the Ecclesiastical Provinces of Cape Town (comprising the suffragan sees of Aliwal, Oudtshoorn, Port Elizabeth, Queenstown and De Aar); Durban (comprising the suffragan sees of Mariannhill, Eshowe, Kokstad and Mthatha); Pretoria (comprising the suffragan sees of Johannesburg, Lydenburg, Swaziland and Pietersburg); and Bloemfontein (comprising the suffragan sees of Kroonstad, Bethlehem, Kimberley, Keimoes and Lesotho).

Further growth has taken place in the Church of Southern Africa since then: new dioceses have been created; Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Namibia – which had been part of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference – left the Conference to establish their own Conferences in 1969, 1972 and 1996 respectively; and the ecclesiastical province of Johannesburg was created in 2007 with the diocese of Johannesburg being raised to the status of an archdiocese.

The Catholic Church in Southern Africa Today and Bicentenary Celebration

Celebrating 200 Years of Catholic Faith

It was on June 7, 1818 that Pope Pius VII erected the Vicariate Apostolic of the Cape of Good Hope and Adjacent Territories, thus constituting for the first time a formal presence of the Catholic Church in Southern Africa. While the first beginnings of the Church in Southern Africa had their origin in Cape Town, in the almost 200 years since then, the presence of the Catholic Church has grown to the extent that there are now twenty-eight dioceses and one vicariate apostolic in our Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) which includes South Africa, Botswana and Swaziland.

To commemorate the bi-centenary of the formal establishment of the Church within our Bishops’ Conference, we shall inaugurate our celebrations with a Mass of Thanksgiving in the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Flight into Egypt on Sunday, June 25, 2017 at 3.00pm. Because of the limited space, invitations to this celebration are to be sent to priests and deacons in the Archdiocese, to chairpersons of parish pastoral councils and three parishioners in each parish, to religious superiors, to the lay leaders of each of the three sodalities in the Archdiocese, to the Regional Grand Knight of the Knights of da Gama, to the Magistral Delegate of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and to a representative of the Migrant and Refugee Communities in the Archdiocese.

Moreover, an invitation has also been extended to all the bishops of the SACBC since, while the origins of the Church have their roots in Cape Town, the intervening 200 years have witnessed the spread of the Church throughout Southern Africa. It is worth noting that the “adjacent territories”, referred to in the papal document of June 7, 1818, included both Australia and Mauritius and for this reason, an invitation will be sent to the Presidents of the Bishops’ Conferences of both territories to visit Cape Town during the bi-centennial year.

During this Mass of Thanksgiving, tribute will be paid to the selfless contributions of those heroic early pioneers, both priests, religious and laity from far-off lands, by whose dedication and untiring efforts, the seeds of the Church were first planted in the Cape of Good Hope, as it was then known, and throughout Southern Africa.

We owe an immense debt of gratitude that can never be expressed adequately to so many religious congregations for their establishment of schools in our Archdiocese and throughout Southern Africa as a whole, and their invaluable contribution in the field of education during these two hundred years.

We owe much too to those members of religious congregations who have established hospitals and hospices for the sick and the dying and also to those whose charism is to minister to the poor and the destitute. At the offertory procession during this Mass, symbols of their contributions to the Southern African Church will be brought up and displayed in the sanctuary.

To further celebrate these heroic contributions by so many who, in face of much difficulty and often opposition, have brought the light of Christ into Southern Africa, during the Mass of Thanksgiving a specially decorated candle will be blessed and given to every bishop (or his delegate) to be taken back to his Cathedral and placed in a prominent position during this bi-centennial year. We hope to be able to present to every parish priest a copy of the papal document of June 7, 1818 for display in his church.

During the twelve months following upon the Mass inaugurating the bi-centennial year, there will be other large Archdiocesan celebrations. We are presently looking for a sufficiently large venue to accommodate 8000/9000 people for the celebration of a Mass. This would then be our principal celebration. Since we have not yet found such a suitable venue at a reasonable cost, we may have to extend our search further away from the city centre. This would be a Conference celebration at which all the bishops of the SACBC would be present.

As a secondary Archdiocesan celebration in the course of the bi-centennial year, there will be a Eucharistic procession starting from the Holy Cross parish, District Six and ending at the steps of our Cathedral with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. During the procession, there will be prayers for the enrichment of family life in our Archdiocese, for our young people and youth, for the elderly, for the sick and for migrants and refuges. Our prayers will reflect the Church in human solidarity with everyone. The details of this event will be advertised in due course.

There has also been a request for a national celebration in Cape Town at which all the bishops of the SACBC would be present. The possibility of such a celebration is currently being investigated.

During the bi-centennial year, there will be at least one large celebration in each deanery in the Archdiocese of Cape Town. There are eight deaneries in the Archdiocese and each, under the leadership of a dean who is a priest elected by the priests of each deanery, consists of a cluster of between eight and ten parishes. The dean’s role is to promote pastoral co-operation among the parishes that constitute the deanery.

On the Solemnity of All Saints celebrated on Sunday, November 5 this year, there will be a celebration in each deanery focussing upon Our Forefathers and Foremothers in the Faith. Also, as part of our year of celebration, Archbishop Stephen Brislin has agreed to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation at deanery level in 2018, where requested, rather than in individual parishes, thus promoting a greater sense of Church among those who are to receive the Sacrament.

Special liturgies are also to be arranged in parishes during this year of celebration. These could include a Lenten penitential celebration where the Church’s Failures of the Past are considered, an Advent or Lenten parish mission focussing upon the Renewal and Awakening of Faith, and an Easter celebration emphasising our personal invitation to Share in the New Life of our Risen Saviour.

Two special projects to include our Youth and School-going Children and their involvement in the celebration of 200 years of the Church in Southern Africa have also been arranged. The first includes two ‘Bi-centennial Catholic Schools Choir Festivals’ which will be held in the Cape Town City Hall on Sunday, August 27, 2017 and on Sunday, October 27, 2017. These choral festivals will showcase the talent of our Youth and recount the story of Catholic Education in South Africa.

The second project concerns a Youth competition entitled ‘Exploring our Catholic Heritage’. Parishes and Catholic Schools will soon be inviting our Youth to tell their story through a heritage research project. The best entries will be published in the Archdiocesan News. Details of this project will be circulated to Catechetical and Religious Education Co-ordinators shortly.

To close the bi-centennial celebrations, there will be a Mass of Thanksgiving at noon on Sunday, June 10, 2018, hopefully in every Cathedral, parish and mission station throughout Southern Africa. At that Mass, a recorded message from Pope Francis will be aired, and the special candle distributed at the opening Mass on June 25, 2017, will be lit in every Cathedral in South Africa, Botswana and Swaziland, and bells will be rung, thus symbolising the solidarity of faith between all of us.

A media committee has been established to advertise the events planned for this year and produce a bi-centennial brochure with a calendar of events. This committee will also take responsibility for advertising major events during the year of celebration in the printed media and for ensuring that the archdiocesan website is up-to-date as far as events planned for the year of celebration are concerned. A prayer card reflecting a special prayer for the bi-centenary year in Xhosa, English and Afrikaans will soon be made available through the media committee.

An exciting year in which we shall celebrate our faith and those who have been instrumental in bringing it to Southern Africa is soon to be inaugurated. Let us prepare well through our prayers and the offering of our Masses for this grace-filled time of remembrance of those who have gone before us in the faith.

Compiled by Mgr Clifford Stokes

Vicar General in the Archdiocese of Cape Town

ÁFRICA DO SUL. Igreja Católica celebra 200 anos de existência

Para iniciar o ano de Celebrações do Bicentenário de existência da Igreja Católica na África do Sul, será celebrada, no próximo domingo dia 25 de junho, uma missa inaugural de Acção de Graças na Catedral de Nossa Senhora da Fuga para o Egipto, na Cidade do Cabo. Segundo os  organizadores, devido a limitações do espaço, só os convidados poderão participar na Missa.

Ao anunciar  a Celebração do Bicentenário, o Vigário Geral da Arquidiocese da Cidade do Cabo, Monsenhor Clifford Stokes, descreveu como emocionante este ano em que a Igreja na África do Sul festejaria a sua fé e honraria a memória daqueles que a trouxeram.

"Um ano emocionante em que vamos celebrar a nossa fé e aqueles que foram decisivos para que ela chegasse à África do Sul  será inaugurado em breve. Vamos preparar-nos bem através das nossas orações e a oferta das nossas Missas por este tempo cheio de graça da recordação daqueles que nos precederam na fé ", afirmou Mons. Clifford Stokes.

As celebrações do Bicentenário se concluirão no domingo dia 10 de junho de 2018.

P. Bernardo SUATE,                         Rádio Vaticano/ Redação Portuguesa 

Church leaders strongly rebuke Zambian President Edgar Lungu

Alarmed by a rapidly deteriorating human rights and political climate in Zambia, the three leading Christian Church bodies, known in Zambia, as the “three Church Mother bodies” on Friday issued a strongly worded public statement, at a press conference, critical of Zambian President, Edgar Lungu's leadership. The Zambian Church leaders called for the immediate release of Zambia’s main opposition political leader, Hakainde Hichilema (popularly known as HH) whom President Lungu has confined in a maximum security prison, even before trial for an alleged treason charge, is determined.

The three Church mother bodies comprise the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB); the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) which represents Charismatic and Pentecostal Churches as well as the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ). CCZ is the umbrella body for Protestant Churches and Church-related organisations that traditionally are also members of the World Council of Churches (WCC).

The statement by the Church leaders is a stinging rebuke to President Lungu and demonstrates a show of solidarity that has recently been missing among Zambia’s Church leaders. It also underscores frustration with the Zambian President, Edgar Lungu’s vindictive style of leadership.

“Yes, we in the Church Leadership are not repentant; Zambia eminently qualifies to be branded a dictatorship. The fact of the matter is that only leadership that does not have the will of the people on its side or thinks it does not have the will of the people on its side uses state institutions to suppress that same will of the people,” the Church leaders said. In essence, they were backing an earlier statement of Zambian Catholic Bishops that labelled President Lungu as a dictator. Zambia has in the past been known as a relatively peaceful and stable democracy.

There is not much love lost between President Lungu and the leader of the main opposition UPND party, Hichilema. When the latter did not give way to the President’s motorcade in April, this year, Lungu unleashed the full force of Zambia’s state machinery against Hichilema. He has since imprisoned the opposition leader and charged him with treason. It is an offence that carries a death sentence. Amnesty International says the treason charges against the opposition UPND president Hichilema are designed to harass, intimidate and deter him from doing his political work.

Jointly presented to the media, the statement issued by the Church leaders is signed by Lusaka Archbishop and President of the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB), Telesphore Mpundu;  Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) President, Bishop Alfred Kalembo and Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia Board Chairperson, Bishop Paul Mususu. Archbishop Mpundu told the media that efforts for behind the scenes diplomacy failed as President Lungu declined to meet the clerics.

In the statement of the Church leaders, the Zambia Police Service is singled out for its lack of professionalism and brutality.

“The indictment of the Police Service as being unprofessional was not invented by the three Church Mother Bodies; it is found written in black and white in the judgment of Magistrate Greenwell Malumani which tells us that the conduct of the Police in this case was not in line with the law and Police Professional ethics! Quoting the learned Judge, the Episode ‘exposed the Police’s incompetence, unprofessionalism and criminal behaviour in the manner they handled the arrest of Hakainde Hichilema,’” reads the statement, in part. 

The Church leaders further criticise diminishing freedoms in Zambia: A growing culture of intimidation by state agents; worsening human rights situation and in particular, the erosion of press freedom. They give the closure of Zambia’s leading independent newspaper, ‘The Post’ as an example to back their assertions. They have called on President Lungu's government to initiate national dialogue as a way out of the political impasse.

Predictably, President Lungu’s supporters took to social media to vent their anger against the Church leaders though the majority of citizens seemed relieved that the Church was taking a strong moral stand against injustice and the authoritarian style of President Lungu’s government.

(Email: engafrica@vatiradio.va)

See the full text of the Public Statement by the Church leaders below

A STATEMENT BY THE THREE CHURCH MOTHER BODIES ON THE STATE OF THE NATION

 “The Truth will Set You Free” (John 8:32)

 1. We the leaders of the three Church Mother Bodies namely: the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ), the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) and the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) are saddened at the continued state of political tension in the country and the blatant lack of political will by our leaders to address the root causes of what is obtaining. As Church leaders who have a God-given mandate of exercising the prophetic mission in our nation and in our time, we cannot afford to simply stand aside and look. Our country today stands at the crossroads and we are in a crisis. We face many challenges related to governance; the muzzling of people’s freedoms and human rights violations. As Zambians, we all need to examine our conscience, seek the truth and work towards bringing back hope to our people.

2. We are also mindful of the timely message of Prophet Micah: “What is good has been explained to you, man; this is what Yahweh asks of you: only this, to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). We strongly believe that more than ever before, our political leaders need to pay heed to this message and put it into practice.

3. As the three Church Mother Bodies, we have always said that our prophetic voice on national issues is only motivated by our wish to see the Government do better and succeed. It is in that spirit that we have for several weeks engaged State House officials and sought an appointment to meet the President, Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu. Our aim was to bring to his attention, some national issues that are of great concern to the Church. Now that we have not been allowed to succeed along that path, we have decided to issue this statement to let the powers-that- be and the people of Zambia know our position on what is happening in the nation.

 Zambia Motorcade Treason and Plot!

 4. Actions by the government of President Edgar Lungu in imprisoning the opposition leader Mr. Hakainde Hichilema are viewed with growing amazement and alarm. Hakainde Hichilema’s arrest for treason was at first dismissed as an intimidatory gimmick by President Lungu after the so-called “clash of the motorcades”. Hichilema was arrested on 10th April 2017; and days behind bars for Hichilema have turned into weeks and now months (2) for the leader of the opposition UPND. In addition, the view that President Lungu is creating a new dictatorship is fast gaining ground as was expressed in the statement issued by ZCCB on 23rd April 2017 that, “The country is in all, except in designation a dictatorship and if it is not yet, then we are not far from it.” With the current state of affairs, it is difficult to see how the UPND can easily recognize the legitimacy of Lungu’s re-election in August 2016.

 5. Hichilema has been in custody since he was arrested in a late night raid on his home by heavily armed Police Service personnel who used unprecedented force and brutality in apprehending just one unarmed citizen. The State Police brought along dogs of the German shepherd breed that defecated in the vehicle meant to carry Hakainde Hichilema. Under whose instructions were the police behaving in that way? The Inspector General or his Commander in Chief?

 6. In this country, only senior citizens well over 60 years can remember the British Colonial Administration using dogs on us Africans. It was unthinkable that a Zambian Government would sink so low as to unleash dogs on its own people. The British have been gone for 53 years now but we are still using the same tactics to intimidate our own people. It is true then that oppressed people just take on the behavior and style of their oppressors. Are we liberated as a nation or are we still mentally chained in the ways of our former rulers that include the One-Party dictatorship of 1973-1991?

 7. Outrage over Hichilema’s arrest and incarceration is growing within and outside our country: The USA, European Union, Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa (where two opposition leaders of the Economic Freedom Fighters and the Democratic Alliance have voiced their outrage). Even Zimbabwe’s Movement for Democratic Change has sharply criticized Lungu’s actions because it sees the similarities with their own political leaders across the Zambezi.

 8. The present PF Administration is avoiding to address the root causes of the present political crisis and tension in this country. Leadership, particularly at national level, requires integrity, truthfulness, honesty and sincerity. We believe that the political leadership has failed on this score. “The Truth will set you free,” so says our Lord Jesus Christ (John 8:32). There is no substitute for the Truth. There cannot be national reconciliation and healing through manipulation of truth. The kind of leadership we have now is the one that allows law breaking as long as it benefits the powers that-be. If this is not dictatorship, then what is it?

 9. The political leadership must admit that the situation in the country is characterized by tension; the country is polarized. The politicians of the Administration must not ignore what is obtaining in Zambia today; it is a contest between good and evil. The Church through its leaders is determined to stand on the side of good. We are fully aware that more often than not, the fight for Justice is not a path filled with many pilgrims, but is a lonely journey by courageous leaders and a small number of followers. It is often repeated that all evils needs to thrive is silence from good people. It does not matter that only the Church raises the voice or just one leader in the Church raises his voice. The fact remains that the state of the nation today is exactly what the Church says it is, namely, a dictatorship in which force and violence are used to intimidate the population and subdue opposition of any kind by means of institutions such as the Police, ZRA, the Judiciary and the Legislature, among others. Those holding public office are now used to violate human rights of individuals and groups of people, especially those perceived to be opposed to the political establishment.

 10. Institutional violence is a fundamental measure of a dictatorship. This is why the ZCCB stated that “the political environment in Zambia today is characterized by manipulation, patronage and intimidation of perceived government opponents. We urge the government to stop using state security institutions to intimidate its own nationals. The Police Service in particular must be professional and impartial in carrying out their duties of maintain law and order” (Cf. Pastoral Statement of the Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC), Issued on Thursday, 23rd January 2015, #5.1).

 11. Yes, we in the Church Leadership are not repentant; Zambia eminently qualifies to be branded a dictatorship. The fact of the matter is that only leadership that does not have the will of the people on its side or thinks it does not have the will of the people on its side uses state institutions to suppress that same will of the people.

 12. It is short sighted to proclaim that the closure of the Post Newspaper does not constitute lack of press freedom. Yet it is an indicator to the disposition of the powers-that-be. We Church leaders maintain that the presence of 80 radio stations, online newspapers and independent television stations in Zambia does not mean press and media freedom. Media and press freedom is about journalists and media institutions doing their work without fear, intimidation and threats; it is about news editors publishing and airing what they judge as newsworthy for public good, especially in holding public officers to account. It is about upholding democratic governance that gives public and civil society institutions the chance to play their rightful role of providing checks and balances to the political establishment without looking over their shoulders for fear of closure, arrest or attack. Media freedom borders on the UNDHR Article 19 which says among other things that “every person has a right to make his or her mind, to think what they like, to say what they think and to share their ideas with people in any way they feel befitting.” What happened to MUVI TV? It was closed after the August 2016 elections and there was such a massive presence of the police immediately following the Mongu Presidential Motorcades Saga that MUVI TV was not allowed to report on that incident. What happened to the Post? It was fixed as the President had promised! What happened to Komboni Radio and Itezhi-tezhi Radio? What happened to Post Newspaper Journalist Peter Sukwa and his counterpart Kelvin Phiri from Feel Free Radio in Chipata at the hands of PF sponsored thugs in Eastern Province? If these are not signs of dictatorship, what are they signs of? Certainly not of a democratic dispensation!

 13. It is a fallacy to postulate that the arrest of one man cannot make this country into a dictatorship. We in the Church leadership think otherwise. It is not the numbers of the afflicted victims that count. It is the principle. Theft is theft whether one is dealing with One Kwacha or a Billion Kwacha. It is how state institutions and agents apply the law when dealing with “one of the least of the brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ” (Matthew 25:31-46). The dictum that God knows how to count only up to one when it comes to his children is the truth that makes us realize just how each one of us is important in God’s eyes because we are all children. That we should treat one another no less than God himself treats us is the evergreen litmus test which defines how civilized society is!

 14. The indictment of the Police Service as being unprofessional was not invented by the three Church Mother Bodies; it is found written in black and white in the judgment of Magistrate Greenwell Malumani which tells us that the conduct of the Police in this case was not in line with the law and Police Professional ethics! Quoting the learned Judge, the Episode “exposed the Police’s incompetence, unprofessionalism and criminal behavior in the manner they handled the arrest of Hakainde Hichilema.”

 15. After he was arrested, Hakainde Hichilema was subjected to inhuman treatment. He refused to go into the police vehicle littered with dog faecal matter which the Police wanted to use to transport him and his co-accused; at Lilayi Police Compound, he was illegally and allegedly tortured without access to beddings even though the law says one is innocent until proved guilty by courts of law. Weeks before the Mongu Presidential “Motorcade Saga,” a State Agent Kampyongo and a PF Agent Mumbi Phiri clearly told the nation at different occasions that HH would be charged with treason and treated like a rat in the process. True to their words, HH was arrested on a treason charge in a manner that cannot be said to be human because it violated both his constitutional and human rights. Now Hakainde Hichilema has been transferred to the Maximum Security Prison even though he has not been pronounced guilty after the due process of the law. He was tied like a dog because he refused to go. HH is not an ordinary criminal but a political prisoner who should be treated with respect. We therefore call for the release of HH from prison. If he is charged with Treason, an un-bailable offence, let him be under house arrest as the trial goes on instead of treating him as if he has already been found guilty. Our thoughts and prayers also go to other political prisoners who are innocently suffering in several Correctional Centres. History has an uncanny knack of repeating itself. The first Republican President with some of his famous/fellow freedom fighters were imprisoned and restricted to remote areas by the colonial administrators. In fact, the option of house arrest and restriction to defined areas was pursued by the Kaunda and Chiluba regimes and could have been considered by the present regime. That notwithstanding, the late President Chiluba was imprisoned by President Kenneth Kaunda. President Chiluba later threw President Kaunda into maximum security prison and he had to be rescued by late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere! Late President Micheal Sata was thrown into Chimbokaila Prison by President Mwanawasa. Mwanawasa did not live long enough to be thrown into prison by Michael Sata. However, the historical reconciliation between President Mwanawasa and Michael Sata still ring fresh in our memories. Today, we have HH thrown into maximum prison by President Lungu; we leave it to you to guess what the future is likely to be!

 16. The crux of the matter is that the UPND challenged the Presidential Election Result as provided for in the Zambian Constitution but the petition was not heard due to a technicality. On the other hand, the PF are demanding that the UPND must accept the presidency which they challenged in the first place. Since the matter was not heard in court and is now out of court, this impasse can only be resolved by using an open, sincere and respectful dialogue, with both parties open to discussion and compromise where necessary, for the sake of this country and the future of our children. Intimidation, threats, arbitrary arrests, even the State of Emergency promised us by the President cannot succeed in diffusing the political tension we have put ourselves in, thanks to the intransigence of our political leaders! We appeal to both the Party in the government and the Opposition to put the interest of our great country above their own.

17. Indeed, what has happened to us as a nation? Where are our values as human beings and as Christians? Is this what it means to be a “Christian Nation”? How can we celebrate the incarceration of one of our own flesh and blood being taken to a maximum prison even before he is found guilty and keep quiet? We in the Church leadership feel for HH, for his young children, for his wife, relatives and friends. The pain they feel is ours and it is also the pain of the entire nation, whether we like to admit or not. Not only that, we are greatly concerned that the inhumane treatment of some of our nationals is likely to poison the next generation.

 18. All the three Church Mother Bodies (CCZ, EFZ and ZCCB) have prison ministries whereby we visit prisons and attend to the spiritual needs of the convicts. We do it not because we condone their actions or their wrong doing. We do it because they are our fellow human beings; they are our sisters and brothers. We do it because it is a biblical requirement on our part as our Lord Jesus reminds us: “I was in prison and you came to see me” (Matthews 25:35-37;42-43). Everyone, convicts included, deserves our love, compassion and support, not condemnation, for the only one who has the power to condemn, God, does not condemn but redeems us and loves us into life. As Christians, one fundamental value we should cherish and keep nourishing is compassion for those going through hard times regardless of our relationship with them. Hatred is the exact opposite of Christianity.

19. In this nation, where has compassion and solidarity with the suffering gone? What does it mean to be a Christian Nation? Why do we take pleasure in the misfortune of others? We harbor hatred and resentment against each other and waste a lot of time and energy in a sickening destruction of each other instead of building one another. Let us use this negative energy in acknowledging, appreciating our rich diversity of tribes and cultures, and building each other to the stature of a great One Zambia – One Nation. Tribalism is a cancer that can kill a nation if not constantly kept at bay. The political leadership has a sacred mandate to keep this nation united and must desist from statements that go to polarize people into ethnic groups that thrive on ethnic bigotry. We have only one country; let us cherish and support one another for the greater glory of God.

 20. In conclusion, we demand that efforts be made to have an all inclusive National Indaba which should address the many challenges we are facing. We also demand that government takes the lead in organizing and effecting the proposed National Indaba. As we have stated before, the Church stands ready to mediate but is also open to other eminent and neutral persons mediating. Further, we expect H.E. Mr. Edgar C. Lungu, to act as Republican President whose aim is not only to protect the good of the members of his party (the PF), but also and more importantly, be the guardian of ALL ZAMBIANS, regardless of their political affiliation. We firmly believe that this nation can overcome all our current political differences through genuine dialogue aimed at true reconciliation and national building.

Signed:

Archbishop T-G Mpundu (ZCCB PRESIDENT)

Bishop Alfred Kalembo  (CCZ PRESIDENT)

Bishop Paul Mususu (BOARD CHAIRPERSON – EFZ)

Issued to the Press on Friday, 16th June 2017

ZÂMBIA: duro ataque das Igrejas ao Presidente Edgar Lungu

Alarmados por uma deterioração rápida dos direitos humanos e do clima político na Zâmbia, as três principais Igrejas cristãs, conhecidas na Zâmbia como as "três Igrejas Mãe", publicaram nesta sexta-feira (16/06) uma duríssima declaração pública, numa conferência de imprensa, criticando a liderança do presidente zambiano Edgar Lungu. Os líderes da Igreja na Zâmbia pediram a libertação imediata do principal líder político da oposição da Zâmbia, Hakainde Hichilema (popularmente conhecido por HH) que o presidente Lungu lançou  numa prisão de máxima segurança máxima, mesmo antes do julgamento por uma alegada acusação de traição.

Os três Organismos-mãe da Igreja na Zâmbia compreendem a Conferência dos Bispos Católicos da Zâmbia (ZCCB); a Comunidade Evangélica da Zâmbia (EFZ) que representa as Igrejas Carismáticas e Pentecostais, bem como o Conselho das Igrejas na Zâmbia (CCZ). CCZ é o ‘corpo guarda-chuva’ para as Igrejas Protestantes e as organizações relacionadas com a Igreja que tradicionalmente também são membros do Conselho Mundial das Igrejas (CMI).

A declaração dos líderes da Igreja é um severo ataque ao Presidente Lungu e demonstra uma clara manifestação de solidariedade que recentemente não se via entre os líderes da Igreja na Zâmbia. Ela também ressalta a frustração com o presidente da Zâmbia e o estilo vingador da liderança  de Edgar Lungu.

"Sim, nós na Liderança da Igreja não estamos arrependidos, a Zâmbia eminentemente se qualifica para ser marcada como uma ditadura. O facto é que apenas uma liderança que não tem a vontade do povo ao seu lado ou pensa que não tem a vontade do povo do seu lado usa as instituições do Estado para suprimir a mesma vontade do povo", disseram os Líderes da Igreja. Em síntese, eles estavam a apoiar uma declaração anterior dos Bispos católicos zambianos que chamavam o presidente Lungu como um ditador. A Zâmbia tem sido conhecida no passado como uma democracia relativamente pacífica e estável.

Não há muito amor perdido entre o presidente Lungu e o líder do principal partido da oposição UPND, Hichilema. Quando este último não cedeu prioridade à comitiva do presidente em abril deste ano, Lungu desencadeou toda a força da maquinaria estatal da Zâmbia contra Hichilema. E desde então ele aprisionou o líder da oposição acusando-o de traição. É um crime que acarreta uma sentença de morte. Amnesty International diz que as acusações de traição contra o presidente da UPND na oposição, Hichilema, têm a finalidade de perturbar, intimidar e dissuadi-lo de fazer o seu trabalho político.

A declaração conjunta apresentada aos órgãos de informação, e emitida pelos líderes da Igreja é assinada pelo Arcebispo de Lusaka e Presidente da Conferência dos Bispos Católicos da Zâmbia (ZCCB), Telesphore Mpundu; o Presidente do Conselho das Igrejas na Zâmbia (CCZ), o Bispo Alfred Kalembo; e o Presidente da Comunidade Evangélica da Zâmbia, o Bispo Paul Mususu. O arcebispo Mpundu informou aos órgãos da comunicação que todos os esforços para a diplomacia dos bastidores falharam quando o presidente Lungu recusou-se a receber os clérigos.

Na declaração dos líderes da Igreja, o Serviço da Polícia da Zâmbia é destacado pela sua falta de profissionalismo e pela brutalidade.
"A acusação do Serviço da Polícia como não profissional não foi inventada pelos três Organismos-Mãe da Igreja; encontra-se em preto e branco no julgamento do Magistrado Greenwell Malumani, que nos diz que a conduta da Polícia neste caso não estava em conformidade com a lei e a ética Profissional da Polícia! Citando o bem formado juiz, o episódio "expôs a incompetência da Polícia, a falta de profissionalismo e o comportamento criminoso na maneira como geriram a prisão de Hakainde Hichilema", lê-se na declaração.

Os líderes da Igreja criticam ainda  a diminuição das liberdades na Zâmbia: uma crescente cultura de intimidação por parte dos agentes estatais; o piorar da situação dos direitos humanos e, em particular, a erosão da liberdade de imprensa. Papa apoiar as suas afirmações, eles dão como um exemplo o fechamento do jornal independente líder na Zâmbia, 'The Post'. Eles pediram ao governo do presidente Lungu para iniciar o diálogo nacional como uma saída para o impasse político.

Como era de prever, os apoiantes do presidente Lungu contactaram os meios da comunicação social para desabafar a sua ira contra os líderes da Igreja, embora a maioria dos cidadãos tenha ficado aliviada por ver que a Igreja estava a assumir uma forte posição moral contra a injustiça e o estilo autoritário do governo do presidente Lungu.

RD CONGO : Ouverture de la 54ème session de l’assemblée plénière de la CENCO

La 54ème session de l’assemblé plénière de la Conférence Episcopale Nationale du Congo (CENCO) s’est ouverte le 19 juin 2017 par le discours de son président, Mgr Marcel Utembi Tapa, archevêque de Kisangani.

Le président de la CENCO a fait état des sujets qui seront traités lors de cette assemblée plénière, à savoir : la situation socio-pastorale du pays, la présentation des rapports-synthèses des commissions épiscopales, le projet d’éducation civique et électorale (PECE), le Guide de l’Apostolat des laïcs, le Guide pour la nouvelle évangélisation, le livret catéchétique de la famille chrétienne, le plan triennal de l’éducation, le synode ordinaire des évêques sur les jeunes, les statuts du sanctuaire Bienheureuse Anuarite, les statut du Renouveau Charismatique, la convention entre l’Etat congolais et la CENCO en matière de santé, l’IFOD, la nomination du premier Secrétaire Général Adjoint de la CENCO, etc.

Mgr Utembi a saisi cette opportunité pour présenter ses félicitations à Mgr Oscar Nkolo pour sa nomination à la tête du diocèse de Mweka.

Les évêques ont également reçu la visite de Mgr Luis Mariano Montemayor, Nonce Apostolique en République Démocratique Congo. La session se clôturera le vendredi 23 juin 2017.

Abbé Jean Marie BOMENGOLA

TOGO : Ouverture du mini Congrès Eucharistique

Dans le prolongement du Congrès Eucharistique international célébré en 2016 à Cebu aux Philippines, la Conférence des Evêques du Togo a convié la Famille chrétienne catholique au Togo à une célébration fervente d’un mini Congrès Eucharistique National dont la cérémonie d’ouverture a eu lieu le mercredi 14 juin 2017. « Je déclare le mini Congrès Eucharistique ouvert ! » C’est par ces mots que le Nonce Apostolique au Bénin et au Togo, Mgr Brian Udaigwe, a prononcé l’ouverture officielle du Congrès eucharistique au cours d’une messe solennelle concélébrée par tout l’épiscopat togolais, entourée d’une assemblée de prêtres, de consacrées et de plusieurs milliers de fidèles laïcs en l’Eglise Cristo Risorto de Hédzranawoé à Lomé.

Mgr Denis Amuzu-Dzapgah, Archevêque de Lomé, en communion avec les autres évêques et le peuple chrétien catholique du Togo, a saisi cette heureuse et providentielle occasion pour rendre grâce au Seigneur, pour le jubilé d’argent d’ordination sacerdotale du Nonce Apostolique célébré le 02 mai 2017.

Dans son homélie, Mgr Brian Udaigwe a livré un enseignement dense sur les fondements théologique et doctrinal  de la présence réelle et de la puissance agissante et sanctifiante de notre  Seigneur Jésus sous l’aspect du pain et du vin dans le Très Saint sacrement de l’eucharistie. Aussi a-t-il invité le peuple des croyants à se laisser transformer pour reconnaître et témoigner du Christ dans leur vie à la manière des disciples d’Emmaüs qui le reconnurent à la fraction du pain.

P. Gustave WANME,                                   Lomé, pour Radio Vatican

ANGOLA. Congresso Eucarístico Nacional: “A Missa é fonte de reconciliação”

O Presidente do Comité Pontifício para os Congressos Eucarísticos Internacionais, Dom Piero Marini, afirmou na última quarta-feira,  em Angola, que a Missa é “a fonte” da “reconciliação” e do “diálogo construtivo com os povos e as culturas”, numa época de extremismos e “violência insensata”. O pronunciamento foi no âmbito do I Congresso Eucarístico Nacional, que se realizou na arquidiocese do Huambo, de 11 a 18 de junho, sobre o tema "Reconheceram-no ao partir do Pão”.

“Na Eucaristia encontra-se a fonte desse processo histórico de mudança que se chama reconciliação, a fonte do diálogo construtivo com os povos e as culturas, com as religiões, com os pobres, os jovens e os que estão distantes”, afirmou o bispo italiano. Para o Presidente deste organismo da Santa Sé, na Eucaristia “ganha forma o rosto da Igreja de hoje, chamada a oferecer ao País a cooperação sincera para chegar à fraternidade universal”.

Dom Piero Marini sustentou que os cristãos, quando se reúnem na Eucaristia, inserem-se “nos lugares da fraqueza e da cruz” para “partilhar e curar”, referindo-se aos “problemas do trabalho, da coabitação pacifica, da justa distribuição dos bens”, que têm na sua origem a “migração dos povos”, os “extremismos contrapostos”, a “violência insensata”. “É nestas provações, e noutras ainda mais desumanas, que os cristãos celebram o memorial da cruz e tornam vivo e presente o Evangelho do Servo entregue por amor”, sublinhou Dom Marini, desafiando os baptizados a construírem uma “cultura eucarística” onde sejam “servidores dos pobres”.

Dom Piero Marini sustentou que o Sacramento da Eucaristia “dá uma ajuda para pôr em andamento processos históricos de renovação”, sublinhando que a “salvação social” se deve traduzir “numa cultura eucarística capaz de inspirar o compromisso dos cristãos no campo da família, da caridade, da solidariedade, da paz, da ecologia, da comunidade humana”.

“Este primeiro Congresso Eucarístico dá-nos a possibilidade de dar início a novos projectos de crescimento da comunidade cristã, à volta de valores partilhados para dar vida a uma sociedade verdadeiramente solícita pelo bem comum”, disse o presidente do Comité Pontifício para os Congressos Eucarísticos Internacionais.

O Primeiro Congresso Eucarístico Nacional de Angola foi organizado pela Conferência Episcopal de Angola e São Tomé (CEAST) para assinalar os 150 anos da segunda fase da evangelização de Angola, onde o Cardeal-Patriarca de Lisboa, Dom Manuel Clemente, era o Enviado Especial do Papa Francisco.

Agência Ecclesia /Secção Portuguesa da Rádio Vaticano

BURKINA FASO : Messe solennelle de la fête du Saint Sacrement, à la Place de la Nation

Depuis  une dizaine d’années maintenant, c’est en fanfare au figuré comme au propre que l’archidiocèse de Ouagadougou célèbre la solennité du saint Sacrement sur la grande place publique dénommée place de la Nation. A l’occasion, toutes les paroisses de la ville de Ouagadougou convergent vers cette place suivant cinq grands axes bien déterminés. Et elles en repartent chaque année à la fin de la célébration en grande procession avec le saint Sacrement, par les mêmes artères.

La participation de cette année a été si exceptionnelle qu’il a fallu recourir à la sainte réserve de la paroisse cathédrale pour compléter la communion des fidèles, car il n’y avait plus d’hosties.

Le cardinal Philippe Ouédraogo a donné les raisons de cette célébration qu’il a voulue ainsi depuis son arrivée comme archevêque de Ouagadougou en 2009 : « Nous rendons grâce au Seigneur qui nous a permis de célébrer une fois de plus le saint Sacrement à ce lieu hautement symbolique. La Place de la Nation, c’est une place symbolique pour tous les Burkinabé : les musulmans y prient, les catholiques y prient. C’est vraiment la place de la famille ». L’archevêque de Ouagadougou est aussi revenu sur la signification profonde de la solennité du Saint Sacrement : « Tout le trésor de l’Eglise est concentré dans l’eucharistie et le Concile a raison de dire que l’Eucharistie, c’est vraiment le trésor de toute l’Église que l’on donne à tous les chrétiens : Jésus-Christ lui-même ».

Paul DAH,                             Ouagadougou pour Radio Vatican

CONGO-BRAZZA-VILLE : Solennité du Saint Sacrement à Dolisie

L’église universelle a célébré, le dimanche 18 juin 2017, la solennité du  Saint Sacrement.

Au Congo  Brazzaville, précisément dans le diocèse de  Dolisie, la fête a donné l’occasion à 112  baptêmes, 120 première-communion et  47 confirmations. La messe unique en matinée dans la cour intérieure de la paroisse Notre Dame de Fatima a permis aux fidèles de comprendre davantage le mystère de l’eucharistie.       

Le célébrant principal, Mgr Bienvenu Manamika, ordinaire de Dolisie, a invité le peuple de Dieu a croire à la vraie nourriture de la vie, celle référée par Jésus qui nous demande de manger sa chaire et boire son sang, gage de la vie éternelle.

En cette journée solennelle, la procession du Saint Sacrement a occupé le dernier cadran de la célébration à travers l’adoration.

Dans l’après-midi, tous se sont réunis au Rondpoint du  Cercle Culturel pour la compagne d’évangélisation sur le thème : «  Père,… Que ton règne vienne » ( Cfr. Mathieu 6 :10).

La cérémonie d’ouverture  de cette quatrième édition présidée par l’évêque de Dolisie a rassemblé plus de 4045 âmes.

Pendant six jours de prière, les enseignements du prédicateur Débat Maloubi de l’archidiocèse de Brazzaville seront centrés sur la manifestation de la puissance de Dieu et l’affermissement  de la Foi.

Séverin  MOUCE,                             Brazza-Ville, pour Radio Vatican

COTE D’IVOIRE : L’archidiocèse d’Abidjan solidaire de la paroisse Saint Marc de Yopougon

Pour la construction d’un nouvel édifice religieux pour la paroisse Saint Marc des Toits Rouges dans le diocèse de Yopougon, le cardinal Jean-Pierre Kutwã, archevêque métropolitain d’Abidjan a remis un chèque de 42 million de FCFA  (64 mille Euro) à Mgr Jean Salomon Lézoutié, évêque du diocèse de Yopougon.

C’était le vendredi 16 juin à la Cathédrale Saint Paul d’Abidjan Plateau en présence des vicaires généraux et secrétaires des curies diocésaines d’Abidjan et de Yopougon.

Fruit de la mobilisation des fidèles catholiques de l’archidiocèse d’Abidjan, ce montant a été collecté dans un élan de solidarité à l’endroit de la paroisse Saint Marc de Yopougon dont l’église a été dévastée par un grand incendie le 12 novembre 2016.

A travers ce geste, selon l’archevêque métropolitain d’Abidjan, c’est l’image d’une Eglise solidaire que nous recommande l’exemple de la première communauté chrétienne.

Le Cardinal Kutwã a souhaité que ce geste de solidarité et de fraternité soit imité par tous les diocèses du pays.

En réceptionnant ce chèque, Mgr Lézoutié a traduit la reconnaissance de tout son diocèse au premier pasteur, aux prêtres et fidèles catholiques d’Abidjan.

Les travaux pour la construction du nouvel édifice religieux sont prévus pour les mois à venir et donneront lieu à un appel d’offre. Selon le curé de Saint Marc des Toits Rouge, le père Paul Allou, l’église sera reconstruite sur un nouveau site pour lequel les documents administratifs sont en cours.

En attendant, les fidèles de Saint Marc des Toits Rouges célèbrent la messe sur le site qui doit abriter leur future église, sous des bâches dressées pour les protéger du soleil et de la pluie.

Françoise NIAMIEN,                                   Abidjan Côte d’Ivoire radio Vatican

BURKINA FASO : Diaconat 2017 au grand séminaire de Ouagadougou

Le dimanche 18 juin 2017, en  la Solennité du Saint Sacrement, 27 grands séminaristes de Wayalgê, à Ouagadougou, ont reçu le diaconat transitoire des mains de Mgr Piergiorgio Bertoldi, Nonce apostolique au Burkina-Niger. Il avait à ses côtés Mgr Lépold Ouédraogo, évêque auxiliaire de Ouagadougou.

A l’occasion, la chapelle du grand séminaire qui a abrité la cérémonie s’est avérée bien étroite, eu égard au nombre de participants, parents et amis, venus nombreux pour la circonstance.

Au même moment, Mgr Prosper Kontiébo, évêque de Tenkodogo, conférait la même ordination diaconale à 23 jeunes au grand séminaire Saint Pierre Claver de Koumi, à Bobo-Dioulasso. Ce qui donne un effectif total de  cinquante diacres pour l’Eglise Famille du Burkina Niger et pour plusieurs Congrégations religieuses dont les candidats au sacerdoce sont formés dans ces grands séminaires en même temps que les prêtres diocésains.

A  une unité près, c’est le même nombre de diacres issus l’an dernier des deux grands séminaires de Koumi et de Saint Jean-Baptiste et qui seront ordonnés prêtres entre ce mois de juin et octobre 2017, selon le calendrier des différents diocèses et congrégations religieuses.

Paul DAH,                             Ouagadougou pour Radio Vatican

Une croix implantée sur le site de la basilique au Tchad

Pour confirmer que le site attribué à la famille de Dieu qui est au Tchad pour la construction d’une Basilique appartient bien à l’Eglise, les chrétiens de l’Archidiocèse de N’Djaména se sont mobilisés pour implanter une croix visible sur le lieu en attendant la réalisation. Mais pourquoi implanter cette croix ?

Désormais les fidèles chrétiens de différentes paroisses, vicariats et même ceux d’autres diocèses peuvent effectuer le déplacement sur le site pour leur retraite ou pèlerinage.

C’est une des raisons fondamentales qui a conduit les chrétiens du diocèse de  N’Djaména à initier et à réaliser ce projet.

En effet, c’est depuis 2012 que le Président Tchadien Idriss Deby Itno, après avoir attribué le terrain, a promis la construction d’une basilique pour l’église catholique mais aussi la réhabilitation de la Cathédrale Notre Dame de la Paix de N’Djaména.

C’est avec une grande joie que fidèles chrétiens avaient accueilli cette bonne nouvelle lors de la cérémonie de la pose de la première pierre de la construction de cette basilique et cela en présence de feu Mgr Mathias Ngartéri, alors archevêque de N’Djamena et de  nombreux fidèles venus des paroisses et ceux d’autres confessions religieuses.

Plus de 4 ans après, cette promesse tarde à être concrétisée et les chrétiens ne savent que faire et à qui se confier.

 C’est ainsi que lors de la célébration de la veillée pascale, l’Archevêque de N’Djaména, Mgr Edmond Djitangar, avait demandé aux chrétiens de son archidiocèse de mettre la main dans la poche pour réhabilité la cathédrale.

Car depuis son installation, l’Archevêque Métropolitain de N’Djaména, qui n’a pas de cathédrale, ne célèbre les messes que sous les tentes installées par l’Etat Tchadien.

Répondant à l’appel de leur l’Archevêque, les femmes chrétiennes de la cathédrale Notre Dame de la Paix de N’Djaména viennent de donner le ton lors de la fête des mères célébrée le 28 mai dernier en mobilisant de fonds.

En déplacement à Rome où il attend recevoir son pallium des mains du Pape François le 29 juin prochain, Mgr Edmond Djitangar compte dire au Saint Père qu’il est l’Archevêque Métropolitain de N’Djaména mais sans cathédrale.

Edouard TAKADJI,                          N’Djaména pour Radio Vatican

Justice and Peace needs to be in line with Catholic Social Teaching

Malawi’s Archdiocese of Lilongwe through its advocacy and governance arm, the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) has underscored the need to have a guiding tool that effectively promotes justice, peace and the integrity of creation in Malawi.

CCJP Diocesan Secretary, Noel Mtonza said a clear road map that guides the work of the Commission was needed. He said it was against this background that the Diocesan Commission had engaged stakeholders in the Archdiocese of Lilongwe to validate the Commission’s five-year strategic plan which expires this year and at the same time endorse a new one that would run from this year (2017) to 2022.

“Basically, we have invited all our stakeholders to develop a Specific, Measurable, Accurate, Realistic and Time-bound (SMART) strategic plan so as to improve delivery of services, performance and impact in our operations,” said Mtonza.

To this end, a two-day consultative meeting was held with the aim of reviewing the organisational vision, mission, goals, strategic objectives and expected outcomes.

“We believe that we have done better in strategic pillars like Human Dignity and Access to Justice; Human Rights and the Rule of Law; Good Governance and Democracy and the Environmental Justice or Integrity of Creation,” said Mtonza.

Mtonza, however, said the Commission needs to do more to ensure that Catholic Social Teaching was widely known and appreciated.

Reflecting on the Archdiocese’s CCJP Strategic Plans, Vicar General for Lilongwe, Monsignor Francis Sonkhani said any healthy institution needed to re-examine its operations and at the same time take stock of its work.

“We should ask questions like, what have we learnt from our past? How do we want to move forward? Who will help us move forward and when should we move forward?” he observed.

Monsignor Sonkhani commended the Commission and urged it to strive to implement its programmes in line with Catholic Social Teaching.

Prince Henderson,                              in Lilongwe

TCHAD : Rewnodji au service de l’Eglise

Après plus de 40 ans d’existence, le mouvement Rewnodji qui signifie : chemin de Charité, continue non seulement à faire son chemin mais enregistre au quotidien de nouveaux membres. 

C’est ainsi que lors de la célébration de la solennité du Saint Sacrement, le mouvement a accueilli 110 nouveaux membres.

Ces dernier ont fait leur promesse et se sont engagés publiquement devant la communauté chrétienne de la paroisse Sainte Thérèse d’Avila de l’archidiocèse de N’Djaména.

Ceux du diocèse de N’Djaména ont profité de leur assemblée générale qui vient de se tenir au lycée collège Saint Etienne pour évaluer leurs activités de l’année pastorale 2016-2017.

 Lors de la messe de clôture de cette rencontre, l’abbé Samuel Mbaïrabé a insisté sur l’importance du Saint Sacrement en invitant les membres du mouvement Rewnodji à mettre le christ au centre de leurs activités.

La déléguée diocésaine de ce mouvement, Mme Ndilnodji Irène, est revenue sur le bien-fondé de ce mouvement. « Le but de ce mouvement est d’aimer Dieu et d’aimer son prochain, servir son prochain  et son église, mettre en pratique les principes du mouvement selon l’évangile et aider les membres à grandir et à connaître la foi de l’église catholique ».

Edouard TAKADJI,                          N’Djaména pour Radio Vatican

BENIN : Inoubliable souvenir

14 juin 2012 – 14 juin 2017 : Il y a 5ans déjà que l’auteur de l’hymne nationale du Bénin, le Père Gilbert Marie-Thérèse Dagnon est entré dans l’eucharistie éternelle. L’église du Bénin, en particulier, l’archidiocèse de Cotonou s’en est souvenu et en a rendu grâce à Dieu. C’était le 14 juin dernier en l’église paroissiale Saint Jean-Baptiste de Cotonou qui a rassemblé autour du Père Pamphile Fanou, vicaire épiscopal chargé des affaires sociales officiellement envoyé par l’ordinaire du lieu, Mgr Roger Houngbédji pour présider la messe d’action de grâce, une vingtaine de prêtres concélébrants dont le curé de la paroisse, le Père Hilaire Houéto, des religieuses et religieux, notamment les Filles de Padre Pio et les Frères de Jésus, deux congrégations autochtones créées par le regretté Père, Gilbert Marie-Thérèse, des fidèles chrétiens laïcs, des parents  et amis sous l’animation des chants des chorales des jeunes et Adjogan. C’est un hommage bien mérité pour le  regretté Père Dagnon a reconnu le Père Houéto : « Il s’est totalement donné à Dieu. 5 ans après, nous ne saurons rester indifférents à cet homme. Ses deux congrégations sont le signe d’un homme pieux ».  Et le représentant de Mgr l’archevêque de témoigner à l’homélie : « Quand on consacre sa vie à faire de la musique, à fonder des instituts, à chasser le diable, on ne meurt pas. On se sépare partiellement de ses réalisations et les œuvres continuent ». Puis, le Père Fanou de conclure : « Si je perds ton souvenir, Père Dagnon, que ma langue s’attache à mon palais ».

Guy DOSSOU-YOVO,                                Cotonou, pour Radio Vatican

RD CONGO : Un nouveau départ pour les Sœurs franciscaines de la sainte famille

La supérieure générale des Sœurs franciscaines de la sainte famille, sœur Marianne Jungbluth, venue d’Eupen en Belgique, a nommé sœur Clémence Tabu pour succéder à sœur Claire Kunzi comme supérieure régionale en RD Congo. C’était à l’issue d’une consultation organisée lors du chapitre régional que sœur Jungbluth a présidée récemment au Centre Verbist de Kinshasa-Mbudi.

La congrégation a été fondée en 1857 à Eupen, avec le charisme : « servir Dieu dans les pauvres et les démunis, la jeunesse et les personnes âgées ». Les missionnaires sont arrivées en RD Congo en 1958. Leur maison régionale est à Dungu, au diocèse de Dungu-Doruma, dans la province du Haut-Uélé. Le recrutement de Congolaises a commencé en 1982. Aujourd’hui, toutes les missionnaires belges, allemandes et hollandaises sont parties. Les Congolaises sont une vingtaine, présentes à Amadi, à Dungu et à Kisangani.

Le chapitre régional avait pour but de rechercher le royaume de Dieu et de savoir comment servir l’Eglise et le monde dans l’aujourd’hui. Plus particulièrement, les religieuses cherchent comment aboutir à un renouveau de la communauté entière maintenant que les missionnaires sont parties et que les Congolaises ne sont pas suffisamment formées pour la relève.

La nouvelle supérieure régionale, sœur Clémence Tabu, et son conseil doivent travailler à l’avènement d’un nouveau départ, visionnaire, réaliste, pour accomplir la mission au Congo. Pour la supérieure général, « il faut des sœurs bien formées pour ce renouveau ».

P. Jean Baptiste MALENGE KALUNZU,OMI,                            Kinshasa, pour Radio Vatican

Retour au Burkina des pèlerins de la Terre Sainte !

Sous la houlette de l’abbé Anatole Tiendrebeogo, 31 pèlerins Burkinabé sont partis du Burkina le 31 mai dernier sur les pas de Jésus de Nazareth en Terre Sainte. Ils en sont revenus, comblés le 15 juin 2017.

Un dernier acte du groupe des pèlerins, à l’atterrissage à Ouagadougou, fut une prière groupe suivie de la bénédiction du prêtre accompagnateur avant que chacun ne retrouve les siens. C’est en nombre que parents et amis se sont retrouvés à l’Aéroport International de Ouagadougou pour l’accueil de ceux des leurs de retour de la Terre Sainte. Sur les visages de ces pèlerins, tout rayonnants, et, mouillés certains de larmes, se lisait le bonheur. Ce sont des pèlerins visiblement heureux dont quelques-uns ont fait part de leurs sentiments, à commencer par l’abbé Tiendrebeogo : « Mes sentiments sont des sentiments de joie et de satisfaction. Tout s’est réalisé comme programmé et nous ne pouvons que rendre grâce au Seigneur et lui demander que ce pèlerinage puisse contribuer à approfondir la foi de chacun de nous pour que nous soyons de meilleurs disciples de Jésus et de sa Parole.

Même son de cloche chez Mme Soula Sanon dont la joie a été indicible : « C’est des sentiments de joie. Ce que j’ai vu là-bas, je ne peux pas l’exprimer. Je vous invite à aller l’année prochaine pour voir et marcher sur les pas de Jésus ».

La joie a par contre été explosive chez Mme Nare Semde Maïmouna Amandine ; et débordante chez M. Pierre Claver Damiba, Consultant de la Banque Mondiale : « Après avoir mis les pas dans les pas de Jésus en Palestine et en Israël, on ne peut plus vivre comme avant. On se sent transformé. »

Paul DAH,                             de Ouagadougou pour Radio Vatican

BENIN : En route pour le jubilé d’argent

Par un pèlerinage les 9 et 10 Juin 2017 au Sanctuaire marial Notre-Dame Arigbo, l’évêque de Dassa-Zoumè, Mgr François Gnonhossou a ouvert les festivités marquant le 22e anniversaire de la création de son diocèse. Ce pèlerinage qui constitue le début des préparatifs de la célébration dans trois ans des noces d’argent du diocèse de Dassa-Zoumè a enregistré plus de 1000 pèlerins venus des 46 paroisses du diocèse réfléchir ensemble avec leur évêque sur le thème de l’année pastorale diocésaine : «  Fidèle du Christ, lève-toi, prend ta part au service de l’Eglise ». Au-delà de la méditation du thème  à travers la conférence-débats animée par le Père Barnabé Bocovo, curé à la paroisse Sainte Thérèse de l’Enfant Jésus de Zogbodomè du diocèse d’Abomey, l’ordinaire de Dassa-Zoumè, en union avec ses agents pastoraux ont vécu un chemin de croix, une retraite aux flambeaux, un festival culturel sans oublier la messe pontificale de clôture et d’ordination sacerdotale de l’Abbé Christian Akpona. Après avoir à l’homélie rendu un hommage mérité aux divers pionniers qui ont parcouru les paroisses de Dassa d’alors pour y semer la foi, Mgr Gnonhossou a rappelé à l’assistance qu’avec les 46 paroisses que compte aujourd’hui le diocèse, bien d’autres champs restent à défricher. Et le prélat de préciser : « Le commandement du Christ aux Apôtres, « allez, de toutes les nations faites des Disciples », se fait plus que jamais pressant aujourd’hui pour nous chrétiens dans notre diocèse et dans notre pays le Bénin où beaucoup attendent de connaître et vivre la foi et l’amour fraternel ».

Guy DOSSOU-YOVO,                                Cotonou, pour Radio Vatican

ANGOLA. Dom Manuel Clemente: “Eucaristia para uma Angola Eucarística”

 “Eucaristia para uma Angola Eucarística” foi o tema dissertado pelo enviado especial do Papa Francisco ao primeiro Congresso Eucarístico Nacional de Angola que decorre de 12 a 18 de Junho na Arquidiocese do Huambo, sob os auspícios da Conferência Episcopal de Angola e São Tomé (CEAST).

Ao tomar a palavra o Patriarca de Lisboa Dom Manuel Clemente agradeceu a confiança do Santo Padre pelo envio e lembrou–se de todos aqueles missionários que ao longo dos séculos trouxeram e difundiram o evangelho de Cristo que encontra na Eucaristia o seu sacramento essencial para se tornar vida de Cristo nos crentes.

Dom Manuel Clemente concluiu a sua intervenção com alguns pontos fundamentais da reflexão Papal sobre a eucaristia em três incidências oportunas, nomeadamente “eucaristia-evangelização, eucaristia-criação e eucaristia-família”.

O Prelado lembrou ainda que na ceia eucarística os esposos podem voltar a selar a aliança pascal que os uniu.

 Anastácio SASEMBELE,                              Luanda, para a Rádio Vaticano

MALAWI. Amnistia Internacional denuncia nova ondada de ataques contra albinos

O Malawi registrou uma nova ondada de assassinatos e ataques dirigidos a pessoas com albinismo nos últimos seis meses, apoiados por um sistema judicial deficiente: foi o que denunciou no dia 13 de junho a Amnistia Internacional (AI) no Dia Internacional da Conscientização sobre o Albinismo. Desde janeiro de 2017, pelo menos duas pessoas com albinismo foram assassinadas e outras sete denunciaram delitos, como tentativa de assassinato ou sequestro, depois que não houve registro de incidentes durante os últimos seis meses de 2016.

“Apesar de uma legislação mais forte, incluindo reformas no Código Penal e uma Lei para abordar os ataques contra albinos, estamos  ver um alarmante ressurgimento de assassinatos e ataques contra este grupo vulnerável em 2017”, disse o representante da AI na África Austral, Deprose Muchena.

Organização denuncia lentidão na justiça

A organização denunciou num comunicado a lentidão do sistema judiciário no País que fez com que casos contra o albinismo não tenham sido resolvidos e que criou um clima de impunidade que “encoraja os autores destes horríveis crimes”. Em diversos Países africanos continua enraizada a crença de que os ossos dos albinos têm poderes mágicos.

Por uma extremidade de um albino, se chega a pagar mais de 3 mil euros, enquanto que por todo o corpo a cifra pode chegar a 60 mil euros, segundo dados da Agência das Nações Unidas para os Refugiados (ACNUR).

Albinos caçados

No seu relatório de junho de 2016, a AI expôs como as pessoas com albinismo eram “caçadas e mortas como animais” para vender os seus ossos a quem pratica medicina tradicional em países como Malawi e Moçambique para usá-los em poções mágicas associadas com a riqueza e a boa sorte.

Pelo menos 20 pessoas com albinismo morreram no Malawi desde novembro de 2014 e 117 sofreram ataques segundo a polícia, num País que tem uma população albina de entre 7 mil a 10 mil pessoas.

EFE /Secção Brasileira da Rádio Vaticano

ÁFRICA. Mais de 49 milhões de meninas não vão à escola: denuncia a HRW

Mais de 49 milhões de meninas menores de idade estão fora da escola na África Subsaariana devido ao casamento precoce e à gravidez durante a adolescência, o que limita as suas oportunidades, alertou nesta sexta-feira a Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Na África Subsaariana, 40% das menores se casam antes dos 18 anos, e 15 dos 20 países com as taxas mais altas de casamento precoce no mundo estão no Continente Africano, denunciou a organização por ocasião do Dia da Criança Africana.

Centrar ajudas

“Os Governos devem centrar-se em ajudar as menores a prevenir gravidezes não desejadas e apoiar os seus esforços para permanecer na escola”, afirmou a pesquisadora da HRW, Elin Martínez, num comunicado. Ainda que a maioria dos Países se tenha comprometido a garantir o ensino fundamental e médio obrigatório para todos os menores, muitos excluem ou expulsam as grávidas e jovens mães da escola.

Práticas discriminatórias

Uma investigação da HRW detectou Tanzânia e Serra Leoa entre os Países com as políticas e práticas mais discriminatórias para as estudantes grávidas e casadas. “Os professores descobriram que estava grávida”, relatou Rita, uma jovem do norte da Tanzânia que ficou grávida aos 17 anos.

“Descobri que nenhuma estudante tem permissão para permanecer na escola se estiver grávida ... Não tinha a informação (educação sexual) sobre a gravidez e nem sobre o que ia acontecer”, contou. Muitas adolescentes ficam grávidas porque carecem de informação necessária para tomar decisões sobre a sua sexualidade, planificação familiar e saúde reprodutiva, enquanto outras são forçadas a ter relações sexuais.

80% das mulheres entre 15 e 24 anos que vivem com HIV estão em África, enquanto que as meninas de entre 15 e 19 anos têm cinco vezes mais probabilidade de contrair o HIV que os meninos, segundo dados das Nações Unidas.

EFE /Secção Brasileira da Rádio Vaticano

CAMARÕES. Apelo dos Bispos: justiça para Dom Bala, o Bispo brutalmente assassinado

"Dom Jean Marie Benoît Bala não se suicidou: foi brutalmente assassinado ": afirma o comunicado da Conferência Episcopal dos Camarões a propósito da morte de Dom Jean Marie Benoît Bala, Bispo de Bafia, cujo corpo foi encontrado no rio Sanaga no passado dia 2 de junho.
Mons. Bala faleceu em março de corpo encontrado em 2 de Junho

Dom Bala desapareceu em março e seu corpo foi encontrado a 2 de junho

O Bispo – segundo a agência Fides - fora dado como desaparecido na manhã de 31 de março, quando a sua viatura foi encontrada na Pont de l'Enfance. No carro tinha sido encontrado "uma mensagem estranha, ao lado do seu Bilhete de Identidade e outros afectos pessoais", recorda o comunicado episcopal. Num primeiro momento, pensou-se que fosse suicídio, tanto que as autoridades haviam enviado mergulhadores para vasculhar o rio em busca do corpo. No dia 2 de junho, finalmente, um pescador havia encontrado os restos mortais de Dom Bala a poucos quilómetros da Pont de l'Enfance.

Crime odioso e inaceitável
"Actualmente, o corpo está à disposição das autoridades judiciais para a investigação das circunstâncias, as causas exactas e dos autores deste crime odioso e inaceitável – reitera a Conferência Episcopal dos Camarões - Nós, os Bispos dos Camarões afirmamos que Dom Jean Marie Benoît não se suicidou. : foi brutalmente assassinado. Eis mais um homicídio, e um homicídio a mais”.

Outros prelados e consagrados desaparecidos
Os Bispos sublinham "a triste memória de vários Bispos, membros do Clero e pessoas consagradas que foram assassinados em circunstâncias não esclarecidas até hoje", entre os quais Dom Yves Plumey, Arcebispo Emérito de Garoua; Padre Joseph Mbassi; Padre Antony Fontegh; as Irmãs de Djoum;  o Padre Engelbert Mveng, todos eles desaparecidos no início dos anos 90. "Temos a impressão de que o Clero dos Camarões é particularmente perseguidos", denuncia o episcopado local.

Proteger a vida humana. Os assassinos se convertam
Por isso, os Bispos pedem para que "se esclareça completamente sobre as circunstâncias e os motivos do assassinato de Dom Bala, e que os responsáveis sejam identificados e levados à justiça para serem julgados de acordo com a lei". Além disso, pede-se ao Estado para que "assuma a nobre tarefa de proteger a vida humana", enquanto que os media e os que utilizam as redes sociais são exortados a não espalhar mentiras e a respeitar a dignidade dos seres humanos.

Finalmente, os Bispos dirigem um apelo aos assassinos de Dom Bala "para que empreendam um percurso de conversão urgente e radical".

Fides/ Bernardo SUATE,                              Rádio Vaticano/ Redação Portuguesa 

ARGÉLIA. Mesquita no local de igreja demolida

No passado dia 9 de junho, com o aval da Assembleia  Municipal Popular, foi demolida uma igreja católica no centro da cidade de Sidi Moussa, a 25 km de Argel.  No local será construída uma mesquita e uma escola corânica, segundo antecipou o Prefeito da cidade.

A ação recorda a destruição de uma igreja no centro de Jijel ou da bela igreja de uma cidadezinha nas proximidades de Sidi Moussa, para implantar no local uma praça.

Para as autoridades locais, o templo “corria o risco de desabar”, por isto foi demolido, com o uso de uma retro-escavadeira.

O Ministro dos Assuntos Religiosos nada fez para impedir a demolição, que desrespeita os cristãos argelinos, uma minoria - cerca de 10 mil. De facto, 98,5% da população é muçulmana.

O Artigo 36 da Constituição do país garante liberdade de consciência e contempla a liberdade de culto “nos limites da lei”, mesmo se não indicado de maneira explícita no texto. Os artigos 2 e 10 estabelecem, respectivamente, que o Islão é a religião oficial de Estado e é proibido às instituições estatais agir contra a moral islâmica.

Ag. Asianews /Secção Brasileira da Rádio Vaticano

Pain hebdomadaire du catholique. Douzième Dimanche. Temps Ordinaire. Année A. Dimanche 25 juin 2017. Par l’Ambassadeur Théodore C. LOKO

I. Traits définitoires du laïcat :

Les laïcs constituent l’ensemble des chrétiens qui ne sont pas membres de l’ordre sacré et de l’ordre religieux (Lumen Gentium n° 31, cf. Can 207 §1) et qui, de par leur baptême, en leur qualité de fidèles, sont incorporés au Christ et intégrés au peuple de Dieu, d’où leur participation, à leur manière, à la fonction sacerdotale, prophétique et royale du Christ (cf. Can 204 §1). "Tous les laïcs ont le devoir et le droit de travailler à ce que le message divin du salut atteigne sans cesse davantage tous les hommes de tous les temps et de tout l'univers" (Can 211).

La foi est un acte personnel : la réponse libre de l’homme à l’initiative de Dieu qui se révèle. Mais la foi n’est pas un acte isolé. Nul ne peut croire seul, comme nul ne peut vivre seul. Nul ne s’est donné la foi à lui-même comme nul ne s’est donné la vie à lui-même. Le croyant a reçu la foi d’autrui, il doit la transmettre à autrui. Notre amour pour Jésus et pour les hommes nous pousse à parler à autrui de notre foi. Chaque croyant est ainsi comme un maillon dans la grande chaîne des croyants. Je ne peux croire sans être porté par la foi des autres, et par ma foi, je contribue à porter la foi des autres (Cathéchisme de l’Eglise catholique, Première partie, première section, chapitre troisième, article 1er).

II. Textes du jour : Jérémie 20,10-13 ; Psaume : 68 ; Romains 5,12-15 ; Matthieu 10,26-33

III. Commentaire :

Porter la Parole du Seigneur a toujours été une grande et belle mission. Mais nous savons tous qu’elle comporte son lot de difficultés et de souffrances. La liturgie de ce jour nous a fait entendre les lamentations du prophète Jérémie : « J’entends les calomnies de la foule… Dénoncez-le ! » Il lui en coûte de proclamer la parole que Dieu a mise dans sa bouche. Sa foi est une mise à l’épreuve. Mais il se tourne vers le Seigneur pour qu’il prenne sa défense. Dieu lui a promis d’être avec lui pour le délivrer de ses persécuteurs.

Jusque dans l’adversité Dieu reste proche de nous. En signe de reconnaissance, le prophète termine sa prière par une louange. « Chantez le Seigneur, louez le Seigneur : il a délivré le malheureux de la main des méchants. » C’est aussi cette reconnaissance que nous faisons monter vers le Seigneur. Comme le dit l’apôtre Paul, rien ne peut nous séparer de son amour. »

Quand saint Matthieu écrit son Évangile, les chrétiens sont persécutés, pourchassés et mis à mort. Et c’est encore plus vrai aujourd’hui. Mais il nous faut réentendre cette parole du Seigneur : « Ne craignez pas… N’ayez pas peur… Je suis avec vous ». Les hommes les plus mal intentionnés peuvent tuer le corps mais ils ne peuvent tuer l’âme. Ils ne peuvent rien contre notre dynamisme, notre confiance. Ils ne peuvent pas nous faire douter de l’amour de Dieu. Ce n’est pas le moment de chanceler car le mal n’aura pas le dernier mot. Le Christ ressuscité veut nous associer tous à sa victoire sur le péché et la mort.

Nous chrétiens, sommes donc tous appelés à accueillir le Christ et à le mettre au centre de notre vie. Cet amour qu’il met en nous, il nous faut l’annoncer, le rayonner autour de nous. De nombreux chrétiens s’organisent pour relayer son message à la télévision, la radio, la Presse, Internet et par tous les moyens qui sont à leur disposition. Le Christ compte sur l’engagement de tous ses disciples pour que son Évangile soit proclamé à toutes les nations. Personne ne peut le  faire à leur place. Ce passage est extrait du deuxième grand discours de Jésus dans l’Évangile de Matthieu, le discours missionnaire. Jésus a choisi les Douze et il les envoie en mission pour guérir les malades et chasser les démons et il leur laisse ses instructions. Alors qu’il vient de leur annoncer des persécutions, ce qui fait référence à la vie future de l’Église, il leur dit : « Ne craignez pas », comme Dieu le disait déjà aux prophètes lors de leur envoi en mission. Que les apôtres n’aient pas peur car il n’y a rien de voilé qui ne soit un jour dévoilé. Dévoilement ou révélation, en grec c’est ce même mot qui donnera son titre au livre de  l’Apocalypse, qui nous révèle le triomphe final du Christ dans son combat contre les forces du mal à la fin des temps. La vérité fera son œuvre, le dessein de salut de Dieu pour tous les hommes qui croiront, finira par se réaliser pleinement au terme de l’histoire des hommes. Il faut donc sans crainte proclamer publiquement cette bonne nouvelle du Royaume révélée par  Jésus. L’Évangile de ce jour se termine par un avertissement très ferme : « Quiconque se déclarera pour moi devant les hommes, moi aussi je me déclarerai pour lui devant mon Père qui est aux cieux. Mais celui qui me reniera devant les hommes, moi aussi je le renierai devant mon Père qui est aux cieux. »

Dans sa lettre aux Romains, l’apôtre Paul nous parle de l’humanité plongée dans le péché : « …par un seul homme, le péché est entré dans le monde… » Cette présence du mal, nous la constatons tous les jours. Mais ce régime du péché ne peut pas avoir le dernier mot. Par sa mort et sa résurrection, le Christ a inauguré le régime universel du salut. L’apôtre Paul n’a-t-il pas écrit : « Là où le péché a abondé, la grâce a surabondé. » On a beaucoup parlé du « péché originel » mais peut-être pas assez de la « grâce originelle » obtenue par le Christ.

Alors oui, nous ne devons rien craindre ; c’est ce que Jésus nous rappelle en ce dimanche.

La revue de la presse catholique africaine du Mercredi 21 juin 2017. Par Albert MIANZOUKOUTA*

La revue de la presse catholique africaine de ce jour nous conduit d’abord au Gabon et au Burkina Faso, avec des célébrations liturgiques dont nous rendent compte les portails de ces deux pays.

Ainsi, EGLISE CATHOLIQUE AU GABON, titre sur les confirmations 2017 dans les doyennés nord et sud de l’Archidiocèse de Libreville. « 2 400 jeunes scolaires et adultes, ont reçu le sacrement de Confirmation, le dimanche 18 juin 2017, en la paroisse Saint Michel de Nkembo. Un rendez-vous spirituel placé cette année sous le sceau de la Fête-Dieu. Mgr Basile Mvé Engone (Archevêque de Libreville, Ndlr) a ensuite conduit la procession du Saint Sacrement, des lieux dits ex Gare routière-Bessieux-Immaculée Conception-cathédrale Notre Dame de l’Assomption, où les nouveaux confirmés se sont recueillis, en un temps d’adoration du Saint Sacrement ».

Au Burkina Faso, EGLISE FAMILLE titre sur la Fête du Saint-Sacrement dans l’Archidiocèse de Ouagadougou. Paul Dah nous apprend que « depuis une dizaine d’années maintenant, c’est en fanfare au figuré comme au propre que l’archidiocèse de Ouagadougou célèbre la solennité du saint Sacrement sur la grande place publique dénommée place de la Nation. A l’occasion, toutes les paroisses de la ville de Ouagadougou convergent vers cette place suivant cinq grands axes bien déterminés. Et elles en repartent chaque année à la fin de la célébration en grande procession avec le saint Sacrement, par les mêmes artères ». Suivent de belles photos de ce reportage qui souligne aussi en conclusion le rappel du Cardinal Philippe Ouédraogo : « la Place de la Nation, c’est une place symbolique pour tous les Burkinabé : les musulmans y prient, les catholiques y prient. C’est vraiment la place de la famille... Tout le trésor de l’Eglise est concentré dans l’eucharistie »…

Au Cameroun, L’EFFORT CAMEROUNAIS dans sa version anglaise reproduit le communiqué des Evêques sur la mort de Mgr Jean-Marie Benoît Bala, ordinaire de Balla. A la fin d’une assemblée plénière  mi-juin, les Evêques du Cameroun ont fermement déclaré que Mgr Bala ne s’était pas donné la mort le 31 mai dernier, mais qu’il avait bel et bien été « brutalement assassiné », son corps ayant été repêché dans la rivière Sanaga le 2 juin.

Les Evêques rappellent la longue liste des ouvriers pastoraux qui ont été assassinés au Cameroun : « Mgr Yves Plumey de N’Gaoundéré, en 1991 ; le Père  Joseph Mbassy de Yaoundé, en 1988 ; du Père Anthony Fontehg (Kumbo-1990) ; les Sœurs religieuses de Djoum (1992) ; le Père jésuite Engelbert Mveng (Yaounde-1995) pour ne citer que ceux-là ». Les Evêques disent fermement ressentir « comme si le clergé du Cameroun était particulièrement persécuté par quelques obscures forces maléfiques », après cette triste liste d’assassinats et de meurtres.

Au Congo, le bihebdomadaire LA SEMAINE AFRICAINE qui paraît à Brazzaville nous rend compte de la célébration, le 10 juin, de la Journée de réconciliation nationale. La célébration revêt un caractère particulier cette année qui marque l’an 1 d’une attaque perpétrée dans les banlieues sud de Brazzaville par des miliciens affiliés au « pasteur » Ntumi. Cet homme continue d’écumer le département du Pool qui correspond au diocèse de Kinkala, causant des centaines de déplacements de populations, dévastant les paroisses et les villages. C’est pourquoi, entre autres, l’insistance de M. Marius Mouambenga, Commissaire du comité de suivi sur la réconciliation, prend un sens particulier : « pour relever les défis de la réconciliation nationale et de la paix, il faut le recours au dialogue, tout en respectant la loi », a-t-il dit selon ce que rapporte Pascal-Azad Doko dans le bihebdomadaire catholique.

A Madagascar, le quotidien LA CROIX annonce la sortie du film MALASO2 le 20 juin dans toutes les salles de la Grande Ile. « Il est à rappeler que les dialogues dans le film sont en dialecte Bara. René Fulgence, producteur et traducteur, explique qu’il veut donner au plus grand nombre de spectateurs la possibilité de comprendre le fil du film », écrit notamment le journal.

Nous terminerons par l’Algérie. EGLISE D’ALGERIE indique que « la chorale The Algiers Singers, dirigée par M. Andrew Noble, Ambassadeur de Grande Bretagne en Algérie et accompagnée à l’orgue par M. Stuart Denyer, Consul des Etats-Unis à Alger, a présenté mercredi soir ‘ The Armed Man : A Mass For Peace’ à la Basilique de Notre-Dame d’Afrique à Alger ».

Le portail de l’Eglise catholique en Algérie nous apprend que, « fondée en 2014, par Andrew Noble et son épouse Helen Noble, The Algiers Singers est aujourd’hui constitué de choristes et de musiciens des cinq continents et de 16 pays : Belgique, Bulgarie, Cameroun, Canada, Espagne, Finlande, France, Hollande, Hongrie, Ecosse, Pays de Galles, Royaume-Uni, Etats-Unis, le Vatican, le Venezuela et le Viêtnam  ».

Un vrai arc-en-ciel, un hymne à l’entente interraciale et interreligieuse par le chant, en somme !

* Journaliste à Radio Vatican/Français-Afrique

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