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Yearly Archives: 2022

Egypt. The Copts. Second-class Citizens.

Since the 2011 Arab uprisings, Christians in Egypt have lived on a knife edge as they cannot rely on the country’s authorities whose policies fail to protect them. Today in Egypt the Coptic Christian population is divided into Catholics and the Orthodox Christians, the latter being a vast majority, some 9.5 million inhabitants, around 10%…

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The Enemy Inside.

The fight is not only between Peuls and other groups. In many areas there is also an inner fight within the community. Younger generations coming especially from the lower castes of the community refuse the role of a Peul aristocracy that they judge as corrupt and deceitful. To challenge the status quo, they take up…

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The crisis of chieftaincy.

The crisis of traditional authorities is a common phenomenon in many northern areas in West African countries and is not limited to Peuls. In addition to the factors listed above, traditional leaders lost their authoritativeness due to their links with the politicians. In many areas, politicians are directly involved in the nomination of traditional monarchs…

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Saudi Arabia in Africa.

With its petrodollars and religious penetration, Saudi Arabia is broadening its influence on the continent. It is spreading the Salafi doctrine of radical and conservative Islam. The Saudi heir Prince Mohammed bin Salman has announced that next April a summit will be held in Riyadh on collaboration between Saudi Arabia and Africa. What are the…

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Evangelizing in a Changing World.

In the face of epochal transformations, the missionary service is called to renew itself. A Comboni Missionary looks at innovative ways of evangelizing in line with the teaching of the Church.   The dynamics of globalization and of the digital revolution, on top of the dominant neo-liberal financial capitalism, are shaping the world in a…

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The Leopard, the Tortoise, and the Bush Rat.

Once there was a great famine on earth, and all the animals were very thin and weak from want of food; but there was one exception, and that was the tortoise and all his family. They were very fat, and did not seem to suffer at all. Even the leopard was very thin, in spite…

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The Third Way of African Philosophy.

The Mozambican, Severino Elias Ngoenha, the main exponent of African philosophical thinking in Portuguese-speaking Africa, tells of his journey of research and the challenges of modern African thinking which ‘must be capable of finding adequate answers, without looking back too much and without too many ideologisms’. What is meant by ‘African philosophy’? There is no…

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Herbs & Plants. Aerva lanata. A Diverse Medicinal Herb.

The continent of Africa is endowed with plenty of important medicinal plants. One of such plants is Aerva lanata (L.) A. L. Juss. ex Schultes (Family Amaranthaceae) which has been used since time immemorial for a number of medical conditions. It is a strangling herb or undershrub that can grow to 90 cm in height. It…

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Mission. Sharing Our Life.

Three African Comboni Missionaries share their vocation journey and their pastoral experience. My name is Father Nicholas Onyait and I am 33 years old. I was born in Kokorio village, in the Eastern Region of Uganda. I attribute my vocation to my early childhood years. My family was so close to the Church. We used…

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Narrative African Voices in Print and on the Web.

A panorama of the newspapers founded by African intellectuals who gave and are still giving a black tone to cultural and literary production. To change the narrative on Africa, it is necessary to have spaces where this narrative can be initiated. Unique and original spaces. Original spaces that emerge from autochthonous roots. These places, whether…

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Egypt. Anaphora, the Monastery of Encounter.

The situation of Christians in Egypt is that of a varied minority. They do not always succeed in living as brothers and sisters. Nevertheless, the reality of encounter and fraternity is a real possibility. The monastery of Anaphora is a place that bears witness to this. A young Comboni Missionary tells us about it. Christian…

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The Buffalo and the Bees.

It was while grazing one night under the watchful eye of the king of the night and his tribe of stars, that the leader of a herd of very strong buffaloes decided to move to a place where there was better grazing. They journeyed for many days and arrived at a place where life was…

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Advocacy

Adenike Oladosu. Climate Change: Time to Act.

Nigerian ecofeminist Adenike Titilope Oladosu is the founder of   I Lead Climate Action, an initiative aimed at empowering women and youth to combat climate change.…

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Baobab

The Crocodile and the Cockerel.

Once upon a time, the crocodile was king of the animals. He was holding court one day. He sat majestically on his throne as he received…

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Youth & Mission

Jubilee of the Youth: An Unforgettable Journey of Hope.

Coming from five continents, 270 young people belonging to the Comboni Youth Movement gathered in Rome (24th July – 4th August 2025) to celebrate the Jubilee.…

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