Month: December 2016
Workshop on training and advocacy for persons with disabilities, Lusaka, Zambia
By Ogato Douglas Momanyi ,M.Afr
A very interesting three-day workshop on training and advocacy for persons with disabilities is going at Garden House Hotel in Lusaka West. This workshop has been organized by Cheshire Homes Zambia in collaboration with Lillian Foundation. It’s an ecumenical workshop as it has drawn participants from different Christian faiths. It’s being facilitated by persons with disabilities who have been advocating for an integration and inclusion of persons with disabilities into the Zambian society. It begun today and will end on Wednesday evening (21/12/2016).
Oath and Diaconate Ordination in Abidjan, December 2016, Ivory Coast.
By Domingos Mirembwe, Levison Goodwell and Brian Banda.
On the 10th December, the community of Fraternité Lavigerie witnessed the oath taking of nine confreres. Four of them are from SAP, namely Fredrick Mulenga (Zambia), Brother Michael Mpindo (Malawi), Martin Kasongo (Zambia) and Peter Nyirenda (Malawi). The oaths were pronounced at the parish of Sainte Marie d’Agouèto of Abobo in Abidjan during Mass and received by Father Stanley Lubungo, Superior General. Confreres and many other priests, religious and lay people witnessed the event.
At the same event, with the exception of Michael Mpindo who made his oath as a Brother, our new confreres were ordained deacons by Bishop Willy Ngumbi, our confrere who is also Bishop of Kindu in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In his homily, Bishop Ngumbi urged the newly engaged confreres to place their total trust in the Lord especially while facing challenges and difficulties.
Through the singing and utumpundu (acclamations), we felt and noticed the vibrant presence of the Zambian community working in Ivory Coast. They contributed to the joy of the event.
The ceremony of Oath and Diaconate was concluded with a meal which took place in the community of Fraternité Lavigerie. The compound was full of joy which was expressed in songs and dances.
We thank the SAP Province and the Society of the Missionaries of Africa for calling these young men. We commend them to your prayerful support as we place them under the protection of Mary Immaculate, Queen of Africa. To you our beloved new confreres, may God bless you and make successful and fruitful your missionary ministry. Congratulations and all the best!
New publication on Inter-Religious Dialogue in Africa.
Felix Phiri, M.Afr., Patrick Ryan, MHM (Eds), Inter-Religious Dialogue in Africa, In Search of Religious Respects, Ecumenical Centre for Justice and Peace, Paulines Publications Africa, 99 pages, 2016.
The topic of religious conflict is a concern of politicians, theologians, religious leaders and representatives, civil society and a wide range of stakeholders in the public and private domains.
This book is a sequel to the Manual for Inter-Religious Dialogue (Nairobi, 2012). That book was aimed at assisting religious leaders, facilitators and other actors in the broad field of inter-religious dialogue.
This book is a series of notes on selected aspects of dialogue between religions. It is not itself a manual of dialogue, but it is a companion to the Manual for Inter-Religious Dialogue. It is intended for professionals, for students of religion, and for all people of good will who believe in promoting dialogue among religions.
This book reinforces the urgency of dialogue between religions. There is no alternative to dialogue when it comes to building durable and peaceful co-existence.
The Golden Rule – treat others as you would like them to treat you – also known as the Ethic of Reciprocity, has been valued by human societies for thousands of years and is found worldwide throughout cultures, religions, secular philosophies and indigenous traditions. It reveals a profound unity underlying the rich diversity of human experience. With its emphasis on mutuality, interdependence and reciprocity, it is a simple but effective guide for respectful and harmonious co-existence.
http://www.columban.org.au/our-works/christian-muslim-relations/the-golden-rule
golden-rule-brochure-2014
Testimony of Antoon Oostveen about Father Antoon Coninx (+2016).
Father Coninx loved his missionary life. He was a man of great talents: artist painting and sculptor as much as a good writer. He animated groups of artists in Lusaka. He also set up the communication department in CATHSEC (Catholic Secretariat) including a magazine, T.V. documentaries for the national broadcast ZNBC and YATSANI Radio.
Father Coninx was a good preacher, an excellent pianist and a computer expert. He laid out numerous magazines and booklets. Unfortunately, like his mother, he spent his last years with the Alzheimer disease.
Here some pictures of Father Coninx and some of his achievements. Note that a mistake was published in one of previous pictures at the farewell party of Father Pierre Lafollie.
Missionaries of Africa - SAP Province 