Friday, December 4, 2020
19.9
C
Johannesburg
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The world after the pandemic: A glimpse into the work of the Jesuit Justice and Ecology Network Africa
Increasingly we are beginning to see that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic extend beyond health. The prolonged shutdown of economies has hit poorer...Church condemns attack on school in Cameroon’s restive region
Church leaders have condemned the 24 October attack by unidentified gunmen on a school in Cameroon which left several children dead and others injured....The Mozambican bishop on the frontline of a humanitarian crisis
Armed insurgency has created a humanitarian crisis in northern Mozambique. The Catholic Church in the Diocese of Pemba — under the leadership of Bishop...The audacity of corruption
The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the dark underbelly of many African societies, where nepotism, corruption, and authoritarianism deprive the citizens of their countries from...Lessons under the tree: building a school in South Sudan
The wanton vandalism of hundreds of South African schools during the current lockdown prompted Levinia Pienaar to reflect on the disregard for education in...
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Medium Term Budget: Policy statement of despair
Finance Minister Tito Mboweni delivered his Medium-Term Budget speech on 28 October 2020, painting a sober picture of South Africa's economic recovery prospects. Paulina...Education: Promises, promises… no delivery
After much confusion, schools in South Africa reopened on 8 June for Grade 7 and 12 learners. The resumption of classes even though the...COVID-19 and the blame game
Shrikant Peters continues his series looking at the impact of COVID-19 on the country's medical resources. In this piece, he examines the statistical models...The influence of economics on health
Many South Africans had hoped that the 2020 Budget Speech on 20 February would provide greater clarity on plans for the National Health Insurance (NHI) plan....Farm workers’ struggle for dignified working and living conditions
Farm workers are among the most exploited of labourers in South Africa. Stan Muyebe OP explains the challenges around the precariousness of labour in our strained economy and shines a light on the efforts of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) Justice and Peace Commission to secure basic rights for rural farm workers.
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Kevin Dowling C.Ss.R — Pastor bonus
On 25 November, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Bishop Kevin Dowling C.Ss.R, who has served the Diocese of Rustenberg for 30 years. Mike...Pope appoints new bishops for Rustenburg and Witbank dioceses
At noon today it was announced by the Holy See's Press Office that the Holy Father Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop...In Gratitude: RIP Fr Emil Blaser OP
Tributes have been pouring in for Fr Emil Blaser, a pillar of Catholic media in South Africa, who passed away on 16 November. Russell...The Three Popes: Examples of faith, hope and love
The last four decades have seen the Catholic Church guided by three different popes. Each brought a different gift to the Church. Patrick Giddy...Popular movements as the catalyst for economic transformation
Commenting on a Vatican meeting with popular movements in late October, Stan Muyebe OP observes that economic justice and overcoming inequality are at the...
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Skeleton in the closet: A closer look at the clothing industry
During the month of September, many Christian churches celebrate creation and draw attention to the ways in which our consumption patterns are contributing to...First rains as a sign of rebirth and new life
Mahadi Buthelezi celebrates the start of spring by reflecting on some of the lessons that COVID-19 has taught us. Just as we have had...Reconnecting with the world: The challenge of living with COVID-19
COVID-19 is here to stay for some time, but the good news is that doctors and scientists have learned a great deal about the...Masks for all: Protecting one another
There are divergent views on whether the use of masks in public can help to slow the spread of COVID-19. Margaret Blackie looks at the example...Coronavirus, a sign of the times?
The spread of the coronavirus was exacerbated by air travel. The virus itself crossed over from animals to humans because of the unsanitary conditions...
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Popular movements as the catalyst for economic transformation
Commenting on a Vatican meeting with popular movements in late October, Stan Muyebe OP observes that economic justice and overcoming inequality are at the...Small-scale farmers need much more than a bailout
The financial stimulus package for businesses in distress due to the COVID-19 pandemic is the South African Government's strategy to begin the process of...Overcoming gender and race inequality in the business sector
Mahadi Buthelezi drew attention to the gender pay gap during a 10 September webinar that advocated for greater gender equality for women. South African...The Mozambican bishop on the frontline of a humanitarian crisis
Armed insurgency has created a humanitarian crisis in northern Mozambique. The Catholic Church in the Diocese of Pemba — under the leadership of Bishop...Church and civil society need collaboration to end gender-based violence
August is Women's Month in South Africa. Mahadi Buthelezi says that it is impossible to speak about freedom for women without first eradicating the...
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How do we save our Catholic schools from financial disaster?
Catholic Schools Week celebrates the contribution that Catholic schools have made to education and society. Despite these successes, Mark Potterton addresses the very real...Homelessness and COVID-19: Political, institutional and theological capacities and priorities
Two weeks into the national lockdown, media reports have emerged about how various towns and cities in South Africa are responding to the needs...After 75 Years: The life, legacy and witness of Dietrich Bonhoeffer
9 April 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of the death of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian and pastor executed by the Nazis as...Querida Amazonia in Five Sentences
Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation, Querida Amazonia, generated a great deal of commentary immediately after its publication in February. Mike Pothier argues that it is...CPLO Unpacks the 2020 Budget Speech
South Africa's Finance Minister Tito Mboweni, in his Budget Speech on 26 February, brought some relief, a few surprises, and indications that the government is finally...
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Stay home and all will be well
Ncamiso Vilakati is a priest from eSwatini who is currently studying in Rome. He has witnessed the devastation of the coronavirus first hand. He...The uncommon cold – a healthy response to the coronavirus
The recent outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has, understandably, created a lot of anxiety, especially among those whose immune systems may be weak. That,...Amazon fires — political ploy to privatise public land
The massive forest fires in the Amazon have reached unprecedented proportions. Chris Chatteris comments on the lack of political goodwill in putting an end to the...Burning Amazon — World’s lung under threat
Martin van Nierop responds to the reports of widescale fires in the Amazon that have made headlines in the international media. He relates his experience of visiting the Amazon and the people who he met there. Nierop reflects on the direct consequences these fires have for those communities and the far-reaching impact on climate change in South Africa and worldwide.Teen climate change activist challenges global economic model
Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg has captured the imagination of climate change activists. Chris Chatteris SJ examines the environmental impact of a consumer economy on the future of the planet.
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Pope appoints new bishops for Rustenburg and Witbank dioceses
At noon today it was announced by the Holy See's Press Office that the Holy Father Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop...Catholic Business Forum joins civil society to promote moral renewal
High-profile corruption cases reflect South Africa's need for moral regeneration. Mahadi Buthelezi reports on a joint initiative by the Catholic Business Forum and the...Webinar — COVID-19: Faith and the crisis of capitalism
An all-Catholic panel will host a webinar on 16 October, 2020 at the Jozi Book Fair. The panelists will discuss the response of faith...Faith organisations launch campaign to end gender-based violence
A group of faith-based organisations on 8 October 2020 launched a 70-day Joint Faith Action campaign to end gender-based violence and femicide in South...Fratelli Tutti: A political theology for our time
Yesterday Pope Francis travelled to Assisi to sign his new encyclical letter, considered the most authoritative and developed form of papal teaching, which is...
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Advent and the wait for COVID-19 to be over
As the Church begins a new year, marked as usual with the period of Advent to prepare and wait for Christmas, Grant Tungay reflects...Thanksgiving is more than an American holiday
Thanksgiving is an annual holiday in the United States that brings together family and friends in a celebration of gratitude for the many blessings...Politics and religion in (not so polite) society
The recent US election had less to do with mature debate and more with lobbying and finger-pointing to garner votes. Sarah-Leah Pimentel is especially...Time to divorce America
For countless generations, America has represented a place of hope and opportunity. Jennifer Morris describes her disappointment with the turn that US politics has...Class of 2020: Matric exams in a pandemic are unfair
The Class of 2020 began their Matric exams on 5 November. This year's Matrics have weathered a pandemic, disrupted schooling, and for many, the...
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Restorative justice offers some alternatives to addressing gender-based violence
The 16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women started on 25 November. The emphasis of this annual campaign is behavioural change to stop...A grandmother’s love begins a journey of healing
Life Choices is a Salesian program that works with communities on the Cape Flats to help young people learn life skills that allows them...Lockdown encounters that reminded me to start living again
Eight months after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa, many us have begun to emerge from the lockdown experience and life...Lessons from lockdown: Searching for something more
The forced time at home, following the declaration of the lockdown has brought Kelsey Hauptfleisch to surprising realisations about herself. By sharing them with...Enacting hope during COVID-19 pandemic
Times of great crisis often produce great despair. We cannot see beyond the uncertainty and confusion of the present. Many people are feeling this...
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School culture at the heart of shaping new education futures
In a previous article, Mark Potterton described the educational potential of technology but cautioned against reducing learning to an online experience. In this piece,...Can online teaching make for better education?
Mark Potterton describes the online teaching experience of teachers at Sacred Heart College in Johannesburg during the COVID-19 lockdown. His observations form the basis...Preventing US-style mass shootings in South African schools
Statistics show that mass shootings in the United States have already killed 344 people so far this year. South Africa's context of violence provides...Can computers really save our schools?
The COVID-19 pandemic has showed the vast chasm in the access to education during the lockdown, mainly because students from poor communities lacked access...The balance between mission and market in Catholic schools
Increasingly, independent schools are run as businesses. Mark Potterton draws on some of the ideas by John Sullivan in his book "Catholic Schools in...
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Breaking the silence of abuse in schools
The horrific account of sexual abuse at Parktown Boys is the subject of veteran journalist Sam Cowen's new book. Mark Potterton examines the merits...Thoughts on Guy Ferrer’s “T.O.L.E.R.A.N.C.E.”
Matthew Charlesworth visited his former high school, where he encountered an artistic composition that prompted a deeper spiritual reflection. The artwork calls for greater...Cynicism is the lazy thinker’s theory for everything
Rutger Bergman (2020) has published a new book in which he examines the inclinations of human nature and dismantles the pessimistic view of humankind....Tradition as an antidote to liberalism and clerical abuse
Reflecting on a new book by Michel Camdessus and others entitled "Transformer L'Eglise Catholique" , Patrick Giddy explains how individualism fuels clericalism. A different...REVIEW — Utopia for Realists
Published almost two years ago, Rutger Bregman’s ‘Utopia for Realists’ is timely now. Bregman’s vision is worth paying attention to when our world needs a fresh understanding of justice and how it might be meted out across nations and people, writes Chris Chatteris SJ.
EDITOR PICKS
Pope appoints new bishops for Rustenburg and Witbank dioceses
At noon today it was announced by the Holy See's Press Office that the Holy Father Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop...
Catholic Business Forum joins civil society to promote moral renewal
High-profile corruption cases reflect South Africa's need for moral regeneration. Mahadi Buthelezi reports on a joint initiative by the Catholic Business Forum and the...
Webinar — COVID-19: Faith and the crisis of capitalism
An all-Catholic panel will host a webinar on 16 October, 2020 at the Jozi Book Fair. The panelists will discuss the response of faith...
POPULAR POSTS
Restorative justice offers some alternatives to addressing gender-based violence
The 16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women started on 25 November. The emphasis of this annual campaign is behavioural change to stop...
Advent and the wait for COVID-19 to be over
As the Church begins a new year, marked as usual with the period of Advent to prepare and wait for Christmas, Grant Tungay reflects...
Natural evil and God: from Voltaire’s “Candide” to Camus’ “The Plague”
Every age has its cataclysm and every generation asks how a loving God can permit suffering. The COVID-19 pandemic has so far killed just...
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