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Benedict XVI at 95: Searching for the Face of the Lord
Towards the end of the Book of Signs in the Gospel of John, the Evangelist narrates an intriguing request from a somewhat unexpected source: “Among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. These approached Philip, who came from Bethsaida in Galilee, and put this request to him, ‘Sir, we wish […]
April 16, 2022
Theologians gather to discuss ‘Africae Munus, Ten Years Later’
Africae Munus Ten Years LaterNovember 4-6, 2021, Mundelein Seminary Co-organized by Maurice Agbaw-Ebai and Matthew LeveringSponsored by the Benedict XVI Institute for Africa and the Center for Scriptural Exegesis, Theology, and Doctrine at Mundelein Seminary Scheduled speakers: Paulinus Odozor of the University of Notre Dame, Joseph Ogbonnaya of Marquette University, Ken Amadi of the University […]
November 6, 2021)
Fr. Zifac: Never Give Up Looking Up
Yes. Never give up in looking up. Refuse to be discouraged. No bad condition is permanent with Jesus. Solve your problems the Bartimaeus’ way. When Zacheus could not see Jesus bc of a height impediment he climbed a tree; when Bartimaeus could not see Jesus bc he was blind he used his voice. Use what […]
October 24, 2021
Father Zifac: it is well in Jesus’ name
With the uncertainty and political and cultural volatility of nowadays it can be easy to become overwhelmed. It can easy to lose hope and to give in to despair. Thankfully, as Christians we can return to the Scriptures for perspective. We can look to the Word of God and be reminded that for those who […]
September 6, 2021
Reflections on Fatherhood
Members of BIA’s Holy Mass Association of Africa share reflections on fatherhood in honor of Fathers Day.
June 20, 2021)
Father Jude: reflections for Friday of the 11th Week in Ordinary Time
Show-show for Jesus.
June 18, 2021)
The Christian God and Culture in Africa – Part 5
Fortunately or unfortunately, most of Africa was evangelized by Latin rite missionaries. Which means that the way we worship God in the celebration of Mass and the sacraments is typically Roman, western or Latin. The church Catholic is made up of 21 sui iuris churches with 7 major rites (Roman, Byzantine, Alexandrian, Syriac, Armenian, Maronite […]
May 29, 2021
Father Zifac: I am with you always.
We are gathered here in prayer, with St. Joseph and with Our Lady. They are here with the legion of angels and saints in heaven and so no one of us here is wasting his time even if you came here because somebody forced you or bribed you to come or even if you came […]
May 23, 2021
Father Maurice: “I do not feel like praying”
Feelings are an essential part of what it means to be human. As it has been said before, one might not remember the exact details of a given incident, but one would remember how one felt about it. Human beings are feeling beings. And oftentimes, we act from our feelings. We even tend to make […]
May 9, 2021
Father Zifac: The Secret of Fruitfulness
To make plants, God spoke to the earth: “Let the earth produce all kinds of plants” (Gen. 1:11). To make the fish, He spoke to the water: “Let the waters swarm and abundantly produce living creatures…” (Gen. 1:20). To make man, God spoke to Himself. And the Lord said, “Let us make man in our […]
May 2, 2021
The Christian God and Culture in Africa – Part 4
At the crux of this dialogue is a theme which I evoked earlier on, the transcultural nature of Christianity. Pope Benedict XVI in the encyclical Deus Caritas Est captures this uniqueness of the Christian expression when he says: Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter […]
April 21, 2021)
Father Ferdinand: My Parish in Pictures
April 19, 2021
The Flame of Easter – Lumen Christi, Deo Gratias!
“Brothers and Sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, the gospel that you received and in which you are firmly established; because the gospel will save you only if you keep believing exactly what I preached to you – believing anything else will not lead to anything. Well then, in the […]
April 18, 2021
Happy Birthday, Pope Benedict XVI!
Prayers and well-wishes for continued good health for our inspirational father, Jospeh Ratzinger/Pope Benedict XVI, on his 94th birthday!
April 17, 2021
The Christian God and Culture in Africa – Part 3
Is African culture radically opposed to Christianity? The definitive answer is NO. But are there certain aspects of African culture which are opposed to Christian principles? Definitely yes. But this is not unique to African culture; each culture has elements in need of purification. It will be unfair to look at these opposing aspects and […]
April 6, 2021
Father Zifac: the stone is rolled away
Mary Magdalen and the other women, some of Jesus’ most devoted disciples, who followed Jesus in Galilee and provided for him as his benefactors, the same women who watched as Jesus was crucified and died on Friday, who followed and saw where his dead body was laid to rest, are not at the first moment […]
April 3, 2021)
Father Paul: My Parish in Pictures
March 31, 2021
Father Zifac: Jesus draws all people to Himself
Jesus promises that when he is lifted up from the earth, he will draw all people to himself. This is his reply to the Greeks. He will not only be seen by them, but by the whole world. His outstrectched arms on the cross will be ready to welcome everybody. It is only when we […]
March 21, 2021
Father Denis: The Christian God and Culture in Africa, Part 2
Continued from Part 1 Many have thought, and I believe falsely so, that Christianity is foreign and radically opposed to African culture. With a lot of shortsightedness, they claim Christianity is a European affair, their way of relating with the divine. Thus, for them Christianity is just one option among a myriad, an option which […]
March 20, 2021Scenes from Africa
Me and my Parishioners after Mass, on the way to one of my mission stations which is very high up the hills. - Father Ambrose
“Ratzinger and the Future of African Theology” by Tegha Afuhwi Nji
What I intend to do in these few pages is to present my reflections on, and a panoramic synthesis of the theological discussions at the conference, while the publication of the papers that were presented is awaited next year.A Welcome by Bishop Arthur Kennedy
It is well known that there are a large number of Institutes throughout the world that ground their interests and programs in some aspect of the broad range of contributions that Pope Benedict XVI provided the church in his ministry as priest, scholar, Bishop, Prefect and Pope. Many of these Institutes focus on one aspect of his studies, for example, on liturgy, or beauty; on Revelation, Inspiration or theology; on the interrelationship of history and ontology with its crucial consequence in moral theology, or on faith, Church and cultures.What is unique about the Institute for Africa is that it seeks to appropriate for the Church in Africa, and ultimately through insights of African theologians, clergy and laity, the inner coherence of Pope Benedict’s learning of, and teaching about, the mysteries of Christian truth and the consequences, not only for the Church in Africa, for the larger world. Thus, being shaped by the liturgy and revelation, by the tradition of doctrines and systematics, and by relating these to the situations in Africa, it is to be hoped that families, societies and culture will be graced by living in, and thinking out, their faith, hope and charity in the shaping of present and future societies and culture.
It is perhaps best captured by Chaucer’s testimony of the imperfect cleric in The Canterbury Tales: they will “gladly learn and gladly teach.”
+ Most Rev. Arthur L. Kennedy
Episcopal Vicar for New Evangelization
Archdiocese of BostonFr. James Burns, Board Member
The Benedict XVI Institute for Africa is called to play a crucial role in this task of helping the African Church to remain in the truth of Jesus Christ. By remaining in the Truth of Christ, the Truth that is Christ, you will show that the Church is alive in Africa. In fact the Church is as much Africa as it is anywhere else though perhaps it is more so here as its rapid growth proves. Thus let Africa speak loudly to and for the Church. Do not let her voice be silenced. If you do all this you will have captured the hearts and minds of all people of good will and have won them over to the Lord.– Fr. James Burns, IVD, PhD, President of St Mary’s University, Minnesota
This exciting new institute will help to assure that the massive growth of Christianity in Africa will be guided and nourished by the thought of one of the greatest theologians of modern times. May the light of what Benedict XVI called Africa’s profoundly religious soul illuminate souls longing for truth everywhere!