Ward (Edward or as he was often called ‘Warre’) was born on the 28th August 1923 to a big family at Kinrooi in Limbourg Province, Belgium. He was the second child in a family of ten children. His father was the headmaster of a school. Ward attended secondary school at a college run by the Holy Cross Canons (Crosiers) at Maaseik. We should note in passing, that all his life, Ward was a passionate Continue reading “Ward Schoofs 1923 – 2017 (PE nr. 1089 – 2018/03)”
Gaby Claerhout 1935 – 2017 (PE nr 1089 – 2018/03)
Gaby was born on the 19th July 1935 at Pittem in West Flanders to a farming family of eight children. He followed his secondary school studies in Tielt. In September 1954, he entered the White Fathers at Boechout. At the time, his uncle René (+1964) was working in the Congo. He did his Spiritual Year in Varsenare from 1956 to 1957. He was appointed to Eastview for his theological studies. As was the custom at the time, Continue reading “Gaby Claerhout 1935 – 2017 (PE nr 1089 – 2018/03)”
Prêtres Diocésains, L’homélie (PE nr. 1089 – 2018/03)
Prêtres Diocésains, L’homélie, numéro spécial 2017, p. 97-276, 11 € (plus frais de port)
When we talk about ongoing formation, in addition to the book reviews that we regularly publish, it is important to mention subscriptions to magazines or periodicals especially as some can now be downloaded from the internet as a very reasonable cost.
For French speaking readers, I would like to recommend a monthly magazine (10 issues a year) published by the l’Union Apostolique du clergé in France. Its editorial committee represents diverse situations and responsibilities in the community. I have already recommended it to francophone participants of the sessions in Jerusalem. Continue reading “Prêtres Diocésains, L’homélie (PE nr. 1089 – 2018/03)”
En finir avec le « péché originel »? – A review (PE nr. 1089 – 2018/03)
Michel Salamolard, En finir avec le « péché originel »? Exploration théologique et pastorale, collection Petits traités, ISBN 978-2-87356-665-4, Fidélité, Namur, août 2015, 282 pages, 19.95 euros
A good number of us feel uneasy when talking about original sin. To those and to others as well, I would advise them to read this book even if it is something of a brick. It brings us back to the core of our Christian faith, our salvation in Jesus Christ. Continue reading “En finir avec le « péché originel »? – A review (PE nr. 1089 – 2018/03)”
Publications of Confreres (PE nr. 1089 – 2018/03)
Jean Moriaud, Vraiment, Il était là! Une relecture de ma vie avec Dieu, Pau-Billère, 2017, 183p.
Callistus Baalaboore, L’engagement de l’Église dans le développement social et humain dans la paroisse de Zinder, Diocèse de Maradi, Rép. du Niger, Leuven (Diplôme d’études spécialisées en catéchèse et pastorale et Master of Theology and Religious Studies), Lumen Vitae: Continue reading “Publications of Confreres (PE nr. 1089 – 2018/03)”
My missionary life from Tunis to Paris (PE nr. 1089 – 2018/03)
After my priestly ordination at Thibar in 1948, I was sent by my superiors to our community in rue Friant in Paris in order to undertake university studies; studies which continued at the University of Algiers. I was then appointed to Tunisia to our community of the Institut des Belles Lettres Arabes (IBLA), which was and still is a cultural centre where Christians and Muslims met and still meet one another.
After working in the library and on the IBLA magazine, I was appointed superior of the Catholic Students Centre, which had been founded by the Bishop of Tunis and which was also a place of encounter between Christians and Muslims. Then I worked with our confrere Robert Caspar and some Tunisian friends, all theologians and academics, to set up the Groupe de Recherche Islamo-Chrétien (GRIC), which published many books in France.
In the summer of 1975, at the request of the French Bishops’ Conference, our superiors appointed me once more to Paris to take charge of the Secrétariat pour les Relations avec l’Islam (SRI), which had just been created by the French Church. The mission of the Secretariat was to help the Catholics of our country to know and to become aware of the teachings of Vatican II regarding relationships between Christians and Muslims. After working for about 10 years at SRI and being responsible for our community in Maisons-Alfort, near Paris, I founded, with some friends, the “Groupe d’Amitié Islamo-Chrétienne” (GAIC) with which I worked a lot and still remain in contact.
In the years when SRI and GAIC were established, some of my White Father confreres found it difficult to understand how a “Missionary of Africa” could exercise his ministry in Europe. I am happy to see that, since the last Chapter, our superiors are very attentive to the presence of Muslims in our western countries where we can bring our input and support to the local Church in the very important domain of interreligious relationships and particularly in the area of Justice and Peace.
Michel Lelong, M.Afr.
Round Table on South Sudan and the DRC (PE nr. 1089 – 2018/03)
The input of Bernard Ugeux
18th January 2018 in Rome
I thank the organisers for having invited me to speak at this round-table on South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Continue reading “Round Table on South Sudan and the DRC (PE nr. 1089 – 2018/03)”
Intercultural living: prophetic calling (PE nr. 1089 – 2018/03)
“Our globalized world increasingly brings together people of many different cultures, though not always harmoniously. In recent decades, multinational companies have sought more efficient strategies for authentic intercultural collaboration. But in today’s multicultural world-church, faith communities too are faced with the challenge of intercultural living. The social sciences have developed some constructive approaches, but people of faith also need to build their endeavours on a sound biblical and theological foundation… Continue reading “Intercultural living: prophetic calling (PE nr. 1089 – 2018/03)”
Reflections on formation (PE nr. 1089 – 2018/03)
Many thanks to Freddy for the first issue of the Petit Echo on Formation in the Society. Thanks also to Dave Sullivan for his fine summary presentation of the changes that have taken place over the years in this field. At the end of his article he asks for people to share comments, memories and experience of their own formation. So here goes. Continue reading “Reflections on formation (PE nr. 1089 – 2018/03)”
Not only a missionary stomach but also a missionary brain (PE nr. 1089 – 2018/03)
My letter of appointment to Mexico arrived in December 2014. I was Parish Priest of Kasamba and Dean of the Samfya Deanery in the Diocese of Mansa in Zambia. This appointment surprised me and put me in a state of uncertainty and doubting. And what about learning Spanish? A short period of discernment reproached me that language problems were not an excuse for a missionary brain. I accepted the appointment. Continue reading “Not only a missionary stomach but also a missionary brain (PE nr. 1089 – 2018/03)”