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The Catholic Private Educational Institutions Association (CAPEIA) Tuesday began a three-days conference at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa. The theme of this year’s meeting is “The Catholic School – a place to encounter Jesus Christ, the Compassionate Teacher.”

Opening the conference, Bishop Philip Anyolo, Chairman of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) told participants that Kenyan Bishops were proud of the work by Catholic private schools in Kenya.

“The conspicuous Catholic identity, ethos and values in many of our schools continues to characterise these schools,” he said. He added, “The Bishops’ Conference is banking on you to mentor the youth into persons of integrity and responsible citizens in the midst of all societal, social, economic and political challenges.  You have the capacity and formation to do exactly this,” he emphasised.

At the same occasion, Bishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba, Chairman of the Commission for Education and Religious Education noted that the theme resonated well with the universal celebration of the Jubilee Year of Mercy.

“Our Catholic identity is not an option in our schools.  It is our lifeline.  We embrace and allow it to pervade all aspects of our institutional life; in so doing, we successfully fulfill our God-given mission,” Bishop Muhatia told the conference.

Bishop Muhatia congratulated Catholic schools in Kenya for posting impressive examination results in the school year of 2015.

Some of the topics to be discussed at this years’ conference include Radicalization in schools; Child abuse and corporal punishment; Catholic Identity and faith formation in Catholic Private Schools and Legal issues affecting private Catholic schools.

(CISA, Nairobi)

Email: engafrica@vatiradio.va

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A delegation of 40 persons, led by the Bishop of Mamfe in Cameroon, Andrew Nkea Fuanya together with the Bishop Emeritus of the same diocese, Francis Teke Lysinge, Tuesday, visited the International Centre of the Focolare Movement in Rocca di Papa, Rome. President of the Focolare Movement, Maria Voce and the general council of the movement were on standby to welcome the delegates. This is according to a statement made available to the Africa Service of Vatican Radio by the Focolare Movement.

The Diocese of Mamfe is undertaking the visit as a "pilgrimage," to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Chiara Lubich's first visit to the village of Fontem in Cameroon. The Cameroonian delegation also wanted to pray at the grave of Chiara Lubich. The delegation’s visit was a tangible expression of gratitude for the contribution of the Focolare Movement to Cameroon and Africa as a whole.

"Fifty years ago Chiara Lubich came to plant a seed in Fontem, a gift for all in Africa. Fifty years later Mamfe has come to plant a seed of gratitude," said Bishop Nkea in his address. "From this moment begins the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the presence of the spirit of the Focolare Movement in Fontem, a city on the mountain."  The Bishop Emeritus of Mamfe, Francis Teke Lysinge added that, "from the fruits we see the root."

Speaking shortly after, President of the Focolare Movement, Maria Voce told the delegation that their presence at the International Centre had brought great joy to the movement and was indeed testimony of the spirit of unity and fraternity present in Africa.

Chiara Lubich, born on 22 January 1920 was an Italian Catholic founder of the Focolare Movement. She died on 14 March 2008.

(Email: engafrica@vatiradio.va)

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(Vatican Radio) The Vatican celebrated “International Women’s Day” on Tuesday with a conference dedicated to giving a platform to women working for the Church around the world.

Listen to our report:

Held at the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, this week’s gathering was the third consecutive “Voices of Faith” conference, which is an initiative of Fidel Götz Foundation, with the partnership of Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS).

The afternoon session of the 8 March event had a four-women panel discussion which centered on the role of women in the Church

The panel was moderated by Fr. Thomas Smolich SJ, International Director of JRS in Rome. He shared his impressions with Tracey McClure about the conference, which often touched on mercy throughout.

"The theme of VoF this year was that 'Mercy requires Courage',” Fr. Smolich said. “It's very fitting with the Holy Year of Mercy, but also fitting in the stories that we heard from the people who spoke, both the women and men who, in a sense, share God's mercy and also those who experience God's mercy. It requires courage on both sides."

"What we also heard was a desire for the Church to recognize this courage, especially the courage of the voices of women, women who make up most of the Church, women who participate in many ways in the Church,” the Jesuit priest said.

He added: “They are courageous to be here; they are courageous to do what they do. [They ask us:] 'How can we, as Church, really be family and welcome all people? That's what I took away from VoF this year." 

One of the Panelists at the VoF conference was Dr. Carolyn Woo, President and CEO of Catholic Relief Services in the US.

“We are here to celebrate the gifts and contributions of women but, at the same time, to also remember the challenges which they deal with every day,” she told Tracey McClure in an interview.

“Women have actually come a long way. Eighty-five percent of the work in the Church, which is not done by clerics, is done by women. At least in the United States, there are many key positions held by women."

Asked about the question of women's ordination, Woo said, "I think the pope has spoken very clearly that there will be no women's ordination. I think where the tragedy is, is that the conversation sometimes gets stopped right at that point.

“Women don't talk about other things because of that particular issue, and sometimes the Church may be skeptical about women's voices out of the concern that every conversation may lead to a conversation about women's ordination.”

“I think we should actually let that rest, so that we could proceed on the other dimensions."

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(Vatican Radio) The theme of transparency regarding the Church‘s assets and the question regarding the fight against hunger and food waste were two key points during the Sixth meditation of the Pope’s Lenten Retreat.

Led by Father Ermes Ronchi who is preaching to Pope Francis and to members of the Roman Curia at their retreat in the town of Ariccia, the exercises focus on ten questions from the Gospels.

The question at the heart of Wednesday morning’s reflection was “How many loaves do you have?” (Mark 6:38, Matthew 15:34).

 "The thing that most hurts Christians - Father Ronchi said - is the clergy’s attachment to money,” whilst what makes them happy is “the sharing of the bread”.

Father Ronchi began his meditation saying "Some people are so hungry that for them God cannot but have the form of a loaf of bread”. 

“Life – he said - begins with hunger; to be alive is to be hungry”. And if you take that a step further one must consider the hunger of millions of people in the world: “the siege of the poor", millions of outstretched hands asking for something to eat does not - he said -  ask for a religious definition. “How does the Church respond?”

No to smoke screens

Quoting from the Gospel reading which tells of the multiplication of the loaves and the fish, Ronchi points out that Jesus has a very practical approach when he tells the disciples to sum up what they have in hand. 

He said that all disciples, including the ones today, are called to quantify their assets.

“How much money do you have? How many houses? What standard of living? You must check! How many cars and how much jewelry in the form of crucifixes or rings?” he said.

The Church – Father Ronchi concluded – must not be afraid of transparency.

To share is to multiply

“If you are transparent you are truthful. When you are true you are free.” Father Ronchi observed that Jesus did not allow anyone to ‘buy’ him, and “he never entered the palaces of the powerful if not as a prisoner.” 

He explained that Jesus’ logic is that of giving – not of hoarding. He said that the verb ‘to love’ in the Gospel translates into ‘to give’. The miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and the fish shows us that Jesus is not concerned with the quantity of the bread; what he desires is that the bread be shared.

"According to a mysterious divine rule: when my bread becomes our bread, then little becomes enough. Hunger begins when I keep my bread to myself, when the satiated West holds on to its bread, its fish, its assets... It is possible to feed the earth, there is enough bread. There is no need to multiply it, it would be sufficient to just distribute it, starting with ourselves. We do not need prodigious multiplications: we need to beat the Goliath of selfishness, of food waste and the hoarding of few”.

"The hunger of others has rights over me"

Quoting from the Gospel of Luke Father Ronchi said: “Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap…” In this promise of Jesus – Father Ronchi said - is the mysterious, immense economy of giving and its hundredfold return which turns every budget upside down.

And the last question will be – he continued: “Have you given little or a lot to life?” – Life depends on this, not on assets. 

“A gift of five loaves of bread is sufficient to change the world” he said.

Father Ronchi concluded saying that the miracle of the five loaves and the two fish that the nascent Church put in the hands of Christ who did no calculations and held nothing back for his own supper or that of his disciples, shows us that a drop in the ocean can give meaning and hope to life”.

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Vatican City, Mar 9, 2016 / 12:25 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The number of Catholics has increased at a faster rate than the rest of the population, newly released statistics by the Vatican reveal.

Over the course of nine years, the number of Catholics worldwide has increased by 17.8 percent, compared to the global population, which increased by 17.3 percent.

From 2005-2014, the number of Catholics grew from 1.12 billion to 1.27 billion.

These and other statistics, released by the Vatican on Saturday, are contained within the 2016 Pontifical Yearbook, and the 2014 Annuarium Statisticum Ecclesiae.

These volumes, compiled by the Central Office of Church Statistics and edited by the Vatican Typography, are set to be released in bookshops within days.

The books also show changes in the Church's life over the course of 2015, according to the March 5 statement.

The greatest increase in Catholics was seen in the African continent at 41 percent, amid an overall population growth of 23.8 percent. This was followed by Asia, with a 20 percent Catholic increase vs. the 9.6 percent population increase, then America which saw an 11.7 percent increase in Catholics compared to 9.6 percent of the population.

In Europe, the number of Catholics increased only by 2 percent compared to the overall population. Oceana, in contrast, saw an increase of Catholics that was just slightly lower than the overall population growth.

The statement also notes a global increase in the number of bishops from 2005-2014, although America and Oceana saw a slightly lower increase than the world average.

There was also a worldwide increase in the number of diocesan and religious priests, mostly in Africa and Asia, although there was a decline in new priests in Europe and Oceana.

While the number of permanent deacons increased in the African continent, the rest of the world saw a decline. Likewise, female religious saw a decline, but an increase in Africa and Asia.

Seminarians for the priesthood increased from 114,439 in 2005 to 116,939 in 2014, peaking in 2011 at 120,616. The number of seminarians was consistently highest in Africa, Asia, and Oceana, while Europe and America saw a decline.



Photo credit: nomadFra via www.shutterstock.com

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Aden, Yemen, Mar 9, 2016 / 03:04 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Despite a lack of news and the prospect of difficult negotiations ahead, the Salesians remain hopeful that their priest kidnapped in Yemen last week will be freed.

Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil was kidnapped March 4 during an attack on a convent and nursing home run by the Missionaries of Charity in Yemen.

The attack resulted in the deaths of four Missionaries of Charity, two staff members, eight nursing home residents and a guard, according to reports.

Fr. Tom – a Salesian from Kerala, India – was praying in the chapel of the convent at the time of the attack, and was then kidnapped by the attackers.

New Delhi’s ministry of foreign affairs confirmed that Fr. Tom was taken to an unknown location, along with one of the Indian sisters in the community. Reports later indicated that the sister had been located and was safe.

Fr. Francesco Cereda, Vicar of the Rector Major for the Salesians, told CNA March 7 that “it is difficult to see why they took Fr. Tom as prisoner” rather than killing him along with the others.

He suggested that nationality could play a role in the kidnapping, as both Fr. Tom and the sister originally reported as kidnapped were both Indian.

Fr. Cereda stressed that “we trust there is every chance for the release” of Fr. Tom. He said that “the Central Government of India through its Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is involved in trying to ascertain the whereabouts” of the priest.

In addition, “the Chief Minister of the federal state of Kerala, the home state of Fr. Tom, has also taken personal interest in the matter and is in touch with the MEA in New Delhi.” Even “the Vatican, as well as the Catholic Bishops Conference of India are also involved” in tracing the priest’s location.

“Prayers are being offered throughout the Salesian world for his speedy release. We believe that these efforts will not be in vain,” Fr. Cereda said.

The Salesians have had a mission in Yemen since 1997. Initially, it was part of the Apostolic Vicariate of Aden, established by Pope Leo XIII in 1885.

Salesians are the only Catholic priests working in the country. They provide their services in four cities: the capital of Sana’a, Aden, Holeida and Taiz.

“Salesians were present there catering to the spiritual and sacramental requirements of the large number of Catholic migrants from India, the Philippines and everywhere else.” Fr. Cereda explained.

He added that “the presence of Salesians was also a great support to the Missionaries of Charity.”

Following the Arab Spring uprisings in 2011, the already tenuous situation in Yemen became even worse. And the tension grew further when civil war broke out in 2015, with two factions both claiming to constitute the Yemeni government. The presence of terrorist groups including Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and ISIS only added to the chaos.

But despite the ever more fragile conditions in the country, the Salesians chose to remain in Yemen.

“The Salesians were fully aware that the situation was worsening day by day,” Fr. Cedera said. “The Government of India had asked its nationals to leave the country after it had shut its embassy in Yemen and had brought back thousands of Indian nationals in 2014.”

Fr. Cereda said that Archbishop Paul Hinder, the Apostolic Vicar to Saudi Arabia, spoke in January 2015 with the Salesian province of Bangalore, India, to which the Mission of Yemen is entrusted.

“It was felt that pulling out of the mission all together would deprive it of the sole organized Catholic presence in the country,” Fr. Cereda recounted.

However, “since it was felt that no one could compel anyone to remain in the given situation, the choice was left to the individual confreres in question.”  

“Out of five members, three returned to India and two stayed, with the hope of being of assistance especially to the Missionaries of Charity who had decided to stay on, as well as the few Catholics still working with them in their centers.”

Fr. Tom was one of those who chose to stay, recognizing that his work was particularly risky, as he had to move from one community to another.

Beyond all the ‘diplomatic’ efforts underway to free Fr. Tom, prayers are being offered throughout the Salesian world for his speedy release.

“We believe that these efforts will not be in vain,” Fr. Cedera emphasized. “However, in the highly fragmented society of Yemen, negotiations will definitely prove to be difficult, and we cannot predict how soon we will be able to achieve Fr. Tom’s liberation.”

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