I Can See (More) Clearly Now

Having opened my eyes to a more global perspective as a member of the universal Catholic Church, I see more clearly now the impacts and implications that social problems in the 3rd world have on all Catholics, perhaps especially Western Catholics (e.g. in the USA and Western Europe).

I am preparing to write my thesis about the experiences of suffering in remote Eastern Indonesia and impacts to peoples' Christian faith, hopefully with an eye to hope and positive thinking.

"For much of the post-colonial period, the Church in Africa was consumed with two primary challenges. ... the second was facing the mind-numbing social problems of the continent, such as armed conflict, chronic poverty, environmental degradation, ethnic and tribal conflict, and HIV/AIDS." -- John L. Allen Jr. Much of the above is still true in remote Eastern Indonesia.

John Allen continues, about Africa: "However, what emerged from the Rome summit is a sense of growing maturity, a conviction that African Catholicism has passed out of childhood and adolescence into adulthood and is ready to enter a new phase." Add this to the statistics that show that, in 30 years' time, 30% of the Church's priests will be Asians.

Attention Catholics of the North: The church of the Southern Hemisphere is coming, or will continue to come, to a church near you...from Africa and Indonesia, and Vietnam and India. This is our Catholic Church! And this article is an excellent read!

Happy Holy Week, y'all.

#Iamforeverchanged #Ilovemylife #WeareonebodythebodyofChrist

 

You can read John Allen's article here: 

http://www.angelusnews.com/articles/an-african-moment-rome-summit-marks-launch-of-african-catholicism-2-0 

 Altar flower arrangement in easern Indonesia

 Hanging out with seminarians at St. Paul Major Seminary, Ledalero, Flores, Indonesia

 Palm Sunday, 2017 at St. Paul Major Seminary in Ledalero, Flores, Indonesia

 Hanging out with novices for the Holy Spirit Servant Sisters (SSpS) from Kewapante, Flores, Indonesia

Muslims, Catholics and Protestants working together to planting 500 trees in Flores, Indonesia.  Led by SVD Fr. Hendrik Maku #reforestation  #Wearetheworld