Sunday, February 28, 2021
16.7
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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Nuncio urges Southern African bishops to build bridges of encounter
The personal representative of Pope Francis to South Africa, Archbishop Peter Wells, addressed the assembled bishops of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC)...Rest in peace good and faithful servant
In a week that has seen the death of at least 11 senior church leaders to COVID-19 worldwide, South Africa also mourns the loss...The toll of COVID-19 on clergy
Much has been written about the toll of COVID-19 on frontline workers, especially doctors and nurses. Russell Pollitt SJ issues a stark reminder that...Mercy conquers doctrine in the Catholic Church’s response to HIV/AIDS
World AIDS Day is celebrated on 1 December each year. The Catholic Church has for decades been immersed in pastoral activities to care for...Pope Francis proclaims “Year of St Joseph”
With the Apostolic Letter “Patris corde” (“With a Father’s Heart”), Pope Francis recalls the 150th anniversary of the declaration of Saint Joseph as Patron...
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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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Two roads diverged in a wood: Vaccine nationalism or global cooperation?
The squabbles between the United Kingdom and Europe over access to the COVID-19 vaccine reveals a self-centered nationalism in efforts to end the pandemic,...NGOs struggle for survival as donor funds dry out
Many of South Africa's most vulnerable groups rely on the non-profit sector for much-needed support, from food and shelter, to education and legal services....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...
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Vaccine hesitancy, efficacy and rollout
Controversy and misinformation have thwarted the effort of governments around the world in rolling out COVID-19 vaccination programmes. Shrikant Peters, a medical doctor, dispels...Uganda’s Church leaders struggle with impartiality as pre-election tensions rise
President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power in Uganda since 1986, is gearing up for another election win on 14 January. He has...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...
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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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Nuncio urges Southern African bishops to build bridges of encounter
The personal representative of Pope Francis to South Africa, Archbishop Peter Wells, addressed the assembled bishops of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC)...Rest in peace good and faithful servant
In a week that has seen the death of at least 11 senior church leaders to COVID-19 worldwide, South Africa also mourns the loss...Uganda’s Church leaders struggle with impartiality as pre-election tensions rise
President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power in Uganda since 1986, is gearing up for another election win on 14 January. He has...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...
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Continued support for Trump casts shadow on global democracy
United States President Joseph R. Biden Jr, has been in office just shy of a month. Many people, inside and outside of US borders...Surviving the second wave is a matter of discipline
President Cyril Ramaphosa's most recent 'family meeting' on 11 January painted a sober picture of the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa....No man is an island
2020 took us all by surprise. Chris Chatteris SJ says that the general response to last year's challenges proved that human beings are more...Life is more than dust devils
Shrikant Peters describes the emotional toll that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on healthcare workers in 2020. He reminds us that life is more...COVID-19: Christmas parties and beach holidays
2020 has been a difficult year and many are looking forward to a break and hope to spend Christmas and New Year with family...
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What do you truly desire?
Inspired by a Netflix series and an Ash Wednesday retreat, Sarah-Leah Pimentel reflects on what she wants out of life. She explains that a...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...
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Back to School: Stop or go?
The new school year in South Africa coincided with a spike in COVID-19 cases. The Ministry of Education announced that the start of the...The Wise men, shepherds and the Judge: the story of the Class of 2020
Controversy has raged over two leaked Matric exams. The Department of Education called for a rewrite, but the High Court have ruled against this....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...
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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.
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