Category: Inside Church

At the end of April, World Relief will celebrate National Volunteer Appreciation Week, a time to recognize the impact and power of volunteers to “tackle society’s greatest challenges, build stronger communities and be a force that transforms the world.” 

Last year, World Relief engaged 8,430 volunteers and 873 church partners in the U.S. to welcome and walk alongside their refugee and immigrant neighbors. Today, Todun Afolabi, World Relief’s U.S. Volunteer Engagement Manager, shares her own journey from welcomed to welcomer.

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Photo: World Relief

His Holiness, Pope Francis, has appointed Rev. Fr. Thulani Victor Mbuyisa, CMM, till now the Superior General of the Congregation of the Missionaries of Marrianhill, as the Bishop of the Diocese of Kokstad.

Curriculum vitae:

His Excellency, Monsignor Thulani Victor Mbuyisa, C.M.M, was born on February 13, 1973 in Exobho, in the Province of KwaZulu-Natal, Archdiocese of Durban. He entered the Congregation of Mariannhill Missionaries in 1992, making perpetual vows on February 2, 1997. He studied Philosophy (1994-96) and Theology (1996-99) at St. Joseph’s Theological Institute of Cedara in South Africa.

Ordained a priest on 4 March 2000, he subsequently held the following positions: Parish Vicar of St. Michael’s Mission, Chaplain of Mangosuthu University of Technology and of St. Francis College of Mariannhill and Vice-Director of Novices (2001-2002); Licentiate in Canon Law from Saint Paul University in Ottawa, Canada (2002-2004); Chaplain of Mangosuthu University of Technology and Vice-Director of Novices (2005-2007); Superior and formator at the Nivard House Formation House in Nairobi, Kenya (2007-2010); Provincial Superior of the Mariannhill Missionaries in East Africa, Nairobi, Kenya (2010); Councilor and Secretary General (2010-2012), Vicar General and Procurator of the Congregation of the Missionaries of Mariannhill (2012-2016). From October 2016 up to now he has been Superior General of the same Congregation.

Congratulations to the Diocese of Kokstad.

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Photo: Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference

To coincide with the 9th World Water Forum—and to call attention to that platform as too exclusive—the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Water Network (WCC-EWN) participated in an Alternative World Water Forum which stands in opposition to the capitalistic globalization of water and sanitation services.

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Photo: Unsplash

“Participants in the meeting joined in affirming the ecumenical movement’s deep concern for the Christian physical presence and witness in Syria and the whole Middle East region, and the importance of international ecumenical solidarity with the churches and Christian communities living and witnessing in Syria, playing their essential role as part of the diversity of Syrian society, and affected by the impact of sanctions on their life and work,” reads a message from the group.

“WCC and the member church representatives participating in the meeting committed to closer collaboration in responding to the needs and aspirations of Syrian Christians for their future in a peaceful, diverse and inclusive Syria.”

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Photo: Unsplash

The meeting brought together DRC’s Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde, Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, the Apostolic Nuncio to DRC, representatives of CENCO and senior government officials. The focus of the meeting held Thursday was to begin preparations for the papal visit.

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Photo: Unsplash

After the World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee, during its February meeting, approved a set of Gender Justice Principles, the WCC’s work of implementation is just beginning. The principles clearly define the WCC’s own approach to gender justice and apply to WCC staff, governing bodies, commissions, and reference groups. The WCC executive committee will review and evaluate implementation of the principles.

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Photo: Unsplash

WCC deputy general secretary Prof. Dr Isabel Apawo Phiri acknowledged the years of thoughtful work that have gone into forming the principles, and added that the momentum increased during and after the WCC 10th Assembly in Busan. 

“Challenged by our experiences in Busan, we call all people – young and old, women and men, differently abled, people of different faiths – to engage their God-given gifts in transforming actions, together,” she said. “We call first of all on the member churches and partners to walk together in a common quest, renewing our vocation of the church through collaborative engagement with the most important issues of justice and peace, healing a world filled with conflict, injustice and pain.”

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Bauswein served as the French and German press officer in the WCC Department of Communication from 1972 to 1981. He then served as director of the Foyer John Knox in Geneva (later known as the Centre international Réformé John Knox) from 1981-96.

Bauswein also served as part of the WCC team at the WCC 5th Assembly in Nairobi.

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Since 2008, the WCC Ecumenical Water Network has invited member churches to use the season of Lent to reflect on God’s gift of water.  WCC–through its “Seven Weeks for Water” campaign–has been providing weekly theological reflections and other resources on water during the Lenten period.

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Photo: WCC

In early March the United Nation’s General Assembly voted on a resolution demanding Russia immediately stop its military operations in Ukraine.

Out of 193 member states, 141 voted in support of the resolution, five voted against, 35 abstained and 12 didn’t vote at all. Of the 54 African member states, Eritrea voted against the resolution, 16 African countries including South Africa abstained, while nine other countries did not vote at all.

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Photo: Unsplash