The Catholic Church in Somalia: Next step forward

Since the establishment of the Federal Government last year, Somalia and particularly the nation’s capital of Mogadishu, has made historic steps forward in terms of peace, stability and economic development. While no one denies that Somalia still has a long way to go, and that the present hard earned peace is still very fragile, it must be said that the current situation is more hopeful than any period since the start of the civil war in 1991.

Given this situation, and that there is an official and somewhat stable government authority to deal with, the Catholic Church seeks to officially reestablish her presence in Somalia, and particularly in Mogadishu. To this end, H.E. Msg. Giorgio Bertin OFM, the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Mogadishu, has approached the Somali government, explaining the Church’s desires.

In a letter to the Somali Minister of Foreign Affairs, Msg. Bertin expresses in point form a number of requests for the Church in Somalia. The letter mentions how the Church has been present in Somalia for the past 22 years of turmoil, mainly through humanitarian projects worked often in conjunction with local Somali partners; as well as through public interventions of the Pope on the situation in Somalia.

Among the requests the letter makes, the desire for a ‘physical and permanent presence’ comes to the fore. This presence will be expressed in the reopening of a place of worship for Christians, particularly among the expatriate community, as well as an office for CARITAS Somalia, the Church’s humanitarian branch.

Among other things, the letter makes reference to Church property and buildings that have been destroyed and, in many cases, have been inhabited by displaced persons. The letter also mentions the possibility of a visit by the Papal Nuncio which could lead to obtaining full diplomatic ties between the Holy See and the Federal Republic of Somalia.

As such, there remains much to pray for. The acceptance of these points by the Somali government would be a huge step forward for the Catholic Church in Somalia, who for the present is severely hampered in her mission of peace and justice among the afflicted peoples of Somalia.

                                                                                                                         

Our Lady of Africa, pray for Somalia and for the Church in this land. Amen.

Jesuit Refugee Services/USA: Horn of Africa Appeal

The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) has released an appeal for the work they are accomplishing in the Horn of Africa. Please support them in their efforts to help the displaced peoples of the Horn of Africa. The following is taken from the appeal page on the JRS website:

"The Horn of Africa
Somalia, Eritrea and the Horn of Africa are at the center of one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. Years of conflict and regularly recurring droughts have displaced nearly two million Somalis. People fleeing the autocratic regime of Eritrea, and refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan trek to Ethiopia seeking safety. In addition to providing services for urban refugees in Addis Ababa, Jesuit Refugee Service operates several projects in the largest of the Ethiopian camps for Somalis, Melkadida. More than 40,000 refugees live in tents at Melkadida, and JRS provides counseling, adult literacy and a variety of youth programs. To the north, Jesuit Refugee Service provides programs for 13,500 Eritrean refugees at the Mai Aini Refugee Camp."

Melkadida Somali Refugee Camp Ethiopia

"We have been serving Somalis for many years and are aware of their needs. We are preparing to help increased flows of traumatized survivors restore normality to their lives. This is a long-term commitment, as psychosocial and education services are key to helping bring stability to refugees' lives," Rev. Fr Frido Pflueger, S.J. Director of JRS East Africa

To see examples of the work JRS is doing for refugees and to support their work visit:
http://www.jrsusa.org/campaigns_focus?TN=PROMO-20110802085741

Please pray for Somalia, and for the work that JRS and other humanitarian groups are accomplishing here and elsewhere around the world.

Persecution update: Christian mother of two abducted by Somali Islamic militants

Our Lady of Sorrows, who witnessed the cruel death of thy Holy Son, pray for this family and for all the Christians of Somalia!

Your prayers are urgently requested for the young Christian mother of two children who was abducted by suspected Al-Shabaab militants from her home on August the 5th. Her husband and two young children have gone into hiding. She has not been heard from or seen since the kidnapping. It is feared that she is dead, as Al-Shabaab has vowed to rid Somalia of all Christians and traces of Christianity- and they accomplish this with brutal and efficient force. Please offer up Masses, Holy Communions, Rosaries and other prayers for this mother and her family, as well as for all the heavily persecuted Christians of Somalia. The following article is taken from Christianity Today, and can be read at the original site here.-RCMS

Islamic extremists suspected to be rebel Al-Shabaab militants have kidnapped a Christian mother of two young children in Somalia and threatened her husband because of their faith, her husband said.

Three masked men abducted Shamsa Enow Hussein, 28, on August 5 in Bulo Marer, Lower Shebelle Region, at 7 pm outside her home after determining that she was a secret Christian, 31-year-old Mohamed Isse Osman told Morning Star News.

"I just heard screaming from my wife and the children as I approached my house," Osman said.

That night, his wife was able to send him a text message saying he should flee the area, he said.

"Please leave immediately because of what we believe," she said in the text. "They have abused me sexually saying I am an infidel."

According to the East Africa correspondent for the news service, Osman said he has received anonymous, threatening text messages from the kidnappers from a withheld number, including one reading, "Your wife has told us all about your Christian involvement and soon we shall come for you too."

A leader of the underground church in the undisclosed town to which Osman and his daughters, ages 3 and 5, have fled said Osman has not heard from his wife since her August 5 text message.

"Our two young daughters are crying for their mother," Osman told the church leader.

The story went on to say that a resident of the Bulo Marer area whose name is withheld confirmed that Hussein was abducted but that local residents knew little else about it.

"What little we knew about Osman's family was that they were not very committed to attending the mosque during Ramadan time," he said.

Somalis consider themselves Muslim by birth, and apostasy, or leaving Islam, is punishable by death.

"Al-Shabaab, said to have ties with Al Qaeda, reportedly has a base in Bulo Marer. The group has vowed to rid Somalia of Christians, who meet secretly due to persecution. Al-Shabaab is battling the Somali government that replaced the Transitional Federal Government a year ago, on August 20, 2012," added the East Africa Correspondent.

"On June 7 in Jamaame District in southern Somalia, insurgents from the group shot 28-year-old Hassan Hurshe to death after identifying him as a Christian, sources said. Al-Shabaab members brought Hurshe to a public place in the town of Jilib and shot him in the head, they said."

The insurgents have lost control of several areas of Somalia since Kenyan military forces helped to dislodge them in the past year, but they are suspected in the shooting death of a Christian pharmacist on the outskirts of Kismayo in February. Two masked men killed Ahmed Ali Jimale, a 42-year-old father of four, on Feb. 18 as he stood outside his house in Alanley village.

According to Morning Star News, these are some of the other attacks:

* On April 13, Al-Shabaab rebels shot his widow, 42-year-old Fartun Omar, to death in Buulodbarde, 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Beledweyne, leaving their five children orphaned.

* On March 23, Al-Shabaab militants in Bulo Marer jailed and tortured a Christian, 25-year-old Hassan Gulled, for converting from Islam, sources said.

* On December 8, 2012 in Beledweyne, 206 miles (332 kilometers) north of Mogadishu, gunmen killed a Christian who had been receiving death threats for leaving Islam. Two unidentified, masked men shot Mursal Isse Siad, 55, outside his home, Muslim and Christian sources said. Siad and his wife, who converted to Christianity in 2000, had moved to Beledweyne from Doolow eight months before. The area was under government control and there was no indication that the killers belonged to the Al-Shabaab rebels, but the Islamic extremist insurgents were present in Buulodbarde, and Christians believed a few Al-Shabaab rebels could have been hiding in Beledweyne.

* In the coastal city of Barawa on November 16, 2012, Al-Shabaab militants killed a Christian after accusing him of being a spy and leaving Islam, Christian and Muslim witnesses said. The extremists beheaded 25-year-old Farhan Haji Mose after monitoring his movements for six months, sources said. Mose drew suspicion when he returned to Barawa, in the Lower Shebelle Region, in December 2011 after spending time in Kenya, according to underground Christians in Somalia.

"Kenya's population is nearly 83 per cent Christian, according to Operation World, while Somalia's is close to 100 percent Muslim," concluded the story.

Missionaries Murdered in Somalia: Bishop Pietro Salvatore Colombo O.F.M.

This is the first in a series of short biographies of Catholic men and women who have given their lives while serving God in Somalia. I do not wish to say they lost their lives in Somalia- these people knew what dangers they were to face, what risks they were to undertake, and for the sake of the Kingdom of God, and for the salvation of the people of Somalia, they freely gave their lives. May these short biographies inspire a new generation of selfless and zealous missionaries who will freely give their lives for God and their Somali brothers and sisters.

The Most Reverend Dr. Pietro Salvatore Colombo O.F.M. was born in Carate Brianza, Italy on the 28th of October 1922. On the 6th of April 1946 in Milan, Pietro was ordained a priest, within the Order of the Friars Minor, better known as the Franciscans. That same year he was sent to Somalia as a missionary. From that year until the year of his death in 1989, a total of 43 years, he faithfully served the people of Somalia.

In the 16th of March 1976, Father Colombo was consecrated as the first Bishop of Somalia. On the 20th of November 1975 the Vicariate Apostolic of Mogadishu was elevated by the Holy See to the Diocese of Mogadishu, on that same day Father Colombo was appointed by the Holy See to become the first Bishop of the Diocese of Mogadishu. The Diocese of Mogadishu encompasses the entire territory of Somalia.

Bishop Colombo was respected and well regarded by his small Catholic flock as well as by the non-Catholic Somalis, whether Muslim or secular. Under the regime of President Siad Barre proselytizing was not allowed, but the Church's humanitarian and charitable efforts were tolerated. Bishop Colombo skillfully guided the Church through this delicate period, as well as over seeing the running of various humanitarian aid projects. 

On the 9th of July 1989 Bishop Colombo was killed inside Mogadishu's Cathedral. He was shot by an unknown gunman. There is controversy surrounding the murder of Bishop Colombo, particularly in regards to who killed him. President Barre blamed the murder on Islamic militants and offered a reward for their capture.

Many people however believed that Barre had ordered the assassination himself, for various reasons. Bishop Colombo had been an outspoken critic of the Barre regime. The Bishop also helped a clan, out of favour with Barre, to purchase some land. And thirdly, the death of Bishop Colombo was a convenience means of appealing to Western governments for military and other aid. None the less, the death of Bishop Colombo was seen as a turning point in Muslim and Secular relations due to Barre's crackdown in response to the death of Bishop Colombo.

Since the Bishop's murder the Holy See has not appointed a successor to his post. The vacant see of Mogadishu will most likely remain that way until the restoration of peace and stability in the country. For the time being, the Diocese is run by the Apostolic Administrator, Bishop Giorgio Bertin O.F.M. the Bishop of the neighbouring country of Djibouti.

Many considered Bishop Colombo to be a very holy man of God, some might say a Saint- this decision we leave in the hands of Holy Mother Church. But it cannot be denied that Bishop Colombo was a sincere and zealous servant of God, who gave his whole life to the people of Somalia. On Sunday the 16th of July 1989, Blessed Pope John Paul II gave a speech in memory of Bishop Colombo. The words were documented and can be read in the Italian from the Vatican's website here.

Here is an extract from the Holy Father's speech, a fitting testament to the life of Somalia's first and so far only Bishop:

"His death has aroused deep emotion and regret. He had the gift of his priesthood to the mission in Somalia, lavishing it with great zeal and apostolic charity in the care of souls and the service of others. The testimony he gave to the cause, the many initiatives of his concern for the needy, the work of peace are constantly turning into a blessing in the memory of the Church and of all the people of Somalia. For him implore the reward that the Lord reserves to his 'good and faithful servant.'"

May God indeed bestow upon His faithful Bishop the reward of the good and faithful servant, and may He deign in His infinite goodness and mercy to let His servant, Bishop Colombo rest in peace, in the joyous and radiant presence of His glory and majesty. And may this good and holy Bishop look down from his heavenly home upon the Church and land and people he served for so many years, and through his prayers and ours, may Somalia and her people prosper in peace and holiness, united to Christ Jesus in His holy Catholic Church. Amen!

Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Today, the 15th of August, is the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven. This doctrine of the bodily Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven, was solemnly defined by Venerable Pope Pius XII on the 1st of November 1950, in his Apostolic Constitution Munificentissimus Deus. If you wish to read the full text click here.

It was the wish of the Venerable Pontiff that the solemn definition of this dogma would remind us all of our own final destiny, and thinking on that we would aim for Heavenly glory. This teaching, this truth of the Catholic Faith, reminds us and in fact shows us what awaits those who faithfully follow God and live a life of sanctity and virtue. And what is that? If we live a life of virtue, and persevere in the grace and friendship of God, we know that He will reward us by raising us up, body and soul, into the glory of Paradise. Our bodies, as well as our souls, are destined for great and holy things, so we should not corrupt them by foul sin. Nor should we be deceived by the passing vanities of the pleasures and honours of this empty world. The only true honour and glory is that of being a pure child of God. And it is Holy Mary, who was the most perfect child of God, after the very Son of God Himself, that will help us poor creatures to live a life worthy of the destiny we are called to.

It was granted to the Blessed Virgin Mary alone to receive the great privilege of being assumed into Heaven, body and soul, without having to wait for the General Judgement, like the rest of mankind. And as is explained in the above mentioned Apostolic Constitution, God saw fit to preserve His Blessed Virgin Mother from the corruption of the grave, as He had already preserved her from the corruption of sin.

But while us poor sinners must all face death and the subsequent corruption of the grave, those of us who die in the friendship or grace of God, have the blessed hope that we too will be raised up- and this hope is reinforced, not only by the glorious Resurrection of Our Blessed Lord Jesus, but by the Assumption of His Holy Mother too. For  the Mother was like unto the Son- she was His perfect imitator and follower. And this should give us unbounded hope and courage, because she is also our Mother, and she wishes to help us reach Heaven.

But there is more, something pertinent to this blog. While the world, and in this case, while Somalia is trapped in a whirlpool of sin, violence and corruption; a paralyzing and seemingly unending tale of woes and sorrow. It is the glorious Assumption of Mary that cuts through the jungle of darkness and sin, and blazes a bright light of hope and true freedom from all the mayhem. Because the Assumption reminds us, as mentioned already, that this life here below is not our final end. That the true purpose of all mankind is to love and serve God, and to be with Him, happy and glorious in Paradise.

It is easy to become discouraged by the continual flow of tragedy and killing that swamps Somalia- but Our Lady Mary gives us hope- because she is a clear proof to the world that God has not abandoned us.

And for you, my dear Brothers and Sisters of Somalia, you who are true believers in the Son of God and His Holy Church, remember that Holy Mary suffered in hiding and fear too. She was the bulwark of the early Church, when all around the forces of the devil sought to extinguish the light of the infant Church. But through her prayers she gave strength and courage to the Apostles, and they went bravely to preach the Gospel- even at the cost of their lives. Holy Mary remembers you in your suffering now, and be sure she will pray for your strength and courage. Have no fear. God is with you, if Holy Mary is with you.

Let us all turn to this Blessed and Holy Mother of God and ask her to bless and protect us, and give us the graces we need to be faithful to God, and to one day join her in Heaven, singing the praises of Our Holy God.

Mother Mary, Assumed gloriously body and soul in Heaven, pray for us and for Somalia! Amen.

This is bad...

"After working continuously in Somalia since 1991, the international medical humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) today announced the closure of all its programmes in Somalia, the result of extreme attacks on its staff in an environment where armed groups and civilian leaders increasingly support, tolerate, or condone the killing, assaulting, and abducting of humanitarian aid workers."

http://www.msf.org.uk/article/somalia-msf-forced-close-all-medical-programmes

"MSF pulling out of Somalia is the equivalent - in most ordinary countries - of shutting down the entire national health service overnight. In many parts of the country there is simply no other health provision. Hundreds of thousands of people will lose the most basic of services."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-23697275

Lord have mercy on Somalia.

Somalia's Cathedral: Past and Present Continued

Mogadishu Cathedral in it's glory.

What it looks like today in the interior.

May God raise up a mighty Church in Somalia to praise His Holy Name! And may this beautiful Cathedral once again be opened that the worship and praises of God may be sung by His Somali children. Amen