On April 4, the Southern African Bishops' Conference came out with a statement on the situation in Zimbabwe. Meant to coincide with the Easter season, the Bishops bring out the various forms of suffering of their brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe and the impending disaster if things don't change. They recall their own suffering under apartheid and call for Catholics of South Africa to pray in a special way during the masses of Easter season for a resolution to the problems of their neighbors. They ask especially...

The continent of Africa is getting a healthy dose of attention from Pope Benedict XVI. The Pope's new book, Jesus of Nazareth, has been written about quite widely in the international press, especially for what the Pontiff has said about Africa. John Allen, of the National Catholic Reporter notes that Pope Benedict has used the word, Africa, even more times than the word, sex. And that, in spite of writing an encyclical on human erotic love.

In celebration of his 80th birthday, the Pope released the book that is a meditation on the life of Jesus with an eye on the current situation in the world. In particular, he uses the parable of the Good Samaritan to discuss what is happening with his African sisters and brothers today. Benedict states that the impoverished countries of the world have been plundered and sacked and that their oppressors have brought with them a the 'cynicism of a world without God.'

On April 17, the US House of Representatives, by a vote of 414-0 passed a resolution 'condemning the recent violent actions of the Government of Zimbabwe against the peaceful opposition party activists and members of civil society.' The resolution (H.Con Res.100 ) was then sent on to the Senate for consideration in the Judiciay Committee.

Introduced by Rep. Thomas Lantos of California, the resolution had 31 co-sponsors among the representatives. It calls the state-sponosred violence taking place in Zimbabwe a 'serious violation of fundamental human rights,' commends the US ambassador and other foreign officials who support political detainees and among other things calls on the leaders of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union to apply appropriate pressures on the Government of Zimbabwe to resolve the crisis.

AFJN members should encourage their senators to support and co-sponsor the companion resolution in the Senate.