...Other Key Issues
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The Church Responds in Kenya |
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Church In Africa
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Thursday, 17 January 2008 |
Statement from the Catholic Bishops of Kenya:
“We the Bishops of Kenya, with deep concern wish to
address all our Christians and Kenyans in general, at this
critical and crucial moment of our country.
We have witnessed with deep sorrow and concern the
outbreak of violence and the breakdown of law and order
that has led to, numerous deaths, injuries and destruction
of property, creating fear and helplessness that has led
many to flee from their homes.
We wish to make a passionate appeal to all Kenyans, men
and women, old and youth, from all the political parties,
and from all walks of life, to refrain from violence and from
the senseless killing of our brothers and sisters!
Our dear people, Kenya is ours together! It is a time to
stop and reflect on the consequences of our actions.
We have lived together for all these years as brothers and
sisters. There is therefore no reason for us to be used to
raise our hand against our neighbor because he or she
belongs to a different ethnic group or political affiliation.
Life is Sacred! We all belong to one family of God.
Our dear people, we must all be responsible for the
security and peaceful co-existence in our country.
(a) Let us restrain ourselves from all violent, destructive
or divisive behaviour remarks or comments.
(b) Refuse to take part in any form of destruction, looting
or even receiving stolen goods.
(c) Do not think you are powerless. You can do something.
Talk to relatives, friends, neighbours, people you know
who can help resolve the current situations.
(d) Encourage any person involved in or engaged in
destructive behaviour to cease from doing so.
(e) At this time of dire need be ready to share basic goods
like food shelter and water with people with greater
need than ourselves.
(f) We especially urge our youth not to be enticed to take
up violent means.
We are close to the many who have lost their loved ones in
these skirmishes. As we console you, we pray for you to
find peace in your hearts. We also feel with those injured,
abused and displaced, as we journey with you at this
difficult moment.
Once more we offer our mediation in this difficult crisis. We
especially urge our priests and religious in our parishes
and religious communities to facilitate as much as
possible justice, peace and solidarity to those suffering at
this moment.
We finally appeal to all Kenyans to have recourse to
prayer, and to organize special prayers for peace in our
Churches whenever possible.
Peace I give, my own peace, I give you.
A Peace with the world cannot give,
This is my gift to you! John 14:27
Let Justice be our shield and defender."
Signed:
His Eminence John Cardinal Njue
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"The Call of Christ in Africa," Bishop Kevin Dowling Speaks in DC |
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Church In Africa
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Tuesday, 21 August 2007 |
Bishop Kevin Dowling, who received the Faith & Justice Award from AFJN in 2005, recently spoke in Washington on "The Call of Christ in Africa."
Please follow the link for the text of this inspirational and thought-provoking address to the FADICA (Foundations and Donors Interested in Catholic Activities) conference in June. Bishop Dowling of Rustenberg, South Africa, speaks eloquently to the major issues in Africa today and to the needs that deserve the greatest attention of funders and donors.
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Justice Comes Slowly for Fr. Kaiser |
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Church In Africa
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Monday, 06 August 2007 |
 Death came in the dark of night. On the morning of August 24, 2000, Mill Hill Missionary Fr. Anthony John Kaiser was found mortally wounded on the side of a highway in Kenya. He had been shot with a rifle in the back of the head, not far from the truck he had been driving. The truck had scrapes of paint of another color on the side, as if it had been hit. Many in Kenya and in his home community in Minnesota assumed that he had finally been murdered for daring to speak about the rampant corruption in the Kenyan government. However, the Kenyan police quickly ruled it suicide to the great consternation of his colleagues. Pressure was put on the US embassy to investigate and the FBI sent a team over. The FBI, too, ruled that it was a suicide, cementing what AFJN and many others considered to be a whitewash if not a cover up. The authorities in Kenya were too important to the U.S.to upset over such a small thing. Finally, seven years later, after a reopening of the inquest, a Kenyan judge has ruled that Fr. Kaiser was indeed murdered. Much remains to be done to finger the killers, but at least the laughable conclusion of the FBI has been officially discredited. Our colleagues at The Nation newspaper in Kenya wrote....
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Congolese Archbishop Sounds the Alarm |
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Church In Africa
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Tuesday, 12 June 2007 |
 Archbishop Francois-Xavier Maroy of Bukavu, in eastern D.R. Congo, in a May 28th letter to the visiting French ambassador sounded the alarm concerning the developing dangers for the people of the Bukavu region. In the letter, which follows, the archbishop ominously states that "all the elements are gathering for a new war in
South Kivu." He speaks of infiltatrion of fighters from Rwanda and of killing in Kaniola on May 26th and 27th. He calls on the authorities in Kinshasa to fulfill their repsonsibilities to protect the population of the East, which has suffered too much war already. Continue below to read his plaintive appeal in English, to read the originial letter in French click here .
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