By Vatican News

Archbishop Bernard Longley of Birmingham in the UK has joined the ranks of other religious and political leaders around the world in condemning the knife attack which killed three people on Thursday in the Basilica of Notre Dame in Nice, France.

In the aftermath of the killings, Pope Francis expressed his sorrow and offered prayers for the Church in France.. He also condemned “such violent acts of terror in the strongest possible way.”

The country is now on its highest state of alert and President Emmanuel Macron has deployed thousands of soldiers to protect important sites such as places of worship and schools.

France’s interior minister Gerald Damarnin said on Friday more militant attacks on its soil were likely following the second fatal knife attack in the country in two weeks.

Horrific attack

Archbishop Longley, who is also Chair of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales Department of Dialogue and Unity described the killings as “senseless.”

Speaking to Lydia O’Kane, the Archbishop said he shared “what must be the response of most people in the UK and of course across France and the world with horror at hearing what happened at Notre Dame in Nice.”

Determination to secure peace

He spoke of a deep sense of sadness “for the French nation and people; for the Catholic Church and for all people of faith in France, and the sense of obligation that lies also upon us as Catholics, here in the UK and elsewhere, to be united in prayer with those who are suffering most closely.” He also highlighted the “determination that we can do our part in securing peace and good relations in all parts of the world.”

Over recent years France has been hit by a number of terrorist attacks. Paris suffered a series of coordinated bombings and shootings on 13 November 2015 that killed 130 people. In 2016 a fundamentalist islamic militant drove a truck through a seafront crowd in Nice celebrating Bastille Day, killing 86 people.

Attack in God’s house

Thursday’s attack took place inside a Church, as did an attack four years ago in which 84-year-old priest, Fr Jacques Hamel, was killed during morning Mass.

Archbishop Longley noted that when he heard the news on Thursday it immediately made him think of the murder of Fr Hamel. He went on to say that this violence in God’s house immediately undermines “the sense of peace which so many people seek within our sanctuaries and in our churches.”

The way of the Lord is dialogue

The Archbishop stressed that the Church’s way, the way of Lord is always one of dialogue, of opening up conversation with others.” He added, he was quite certain that these terrible events can only strengthen the Church’s commitment to dialogue with people of other faiths and indeed with culture and society more broadly.”

However, the Archbishop emphasized, at the moment the principal focus needed to be on those who are suffering because of these terrible events.

By Vatican News staff writer

The virus has not stopped the spirit of Christmas, today ,more than ever, it is important to remain united and empathise with our sisters and brothers until we are able to return to life as we know it.

This is precisely what symbolises the Vatican’s Christmas display this year more than others: hope, trust, love, family, and the awareness that Jesus will come among his people to save and console them.

On 11 December at 4.30 p.m., in compliance with anti covid-19 regulations, as is custom, the Nativity scene, donated by the Italian town of Castelli, the spearhead of the ceramic industry since the 16th century, and the Christmas tree, a 28m high majestic spruce (Picea abies) from Kočevje, in Slovenia, will be inaugurated.

The ceremony will be presided over by Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello and Bishop Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, respectively President and Secretary General of the Governorate of Vatican City State. On the same day, in the morning, the delegations from Castelli and Kočevje will be received in audience by Pope Francis for the official presentation of the gifts.

The nativity scene

The Monumental Nativity Scene is made up of ceramic statues. It is a work created by the pupils and the teachers of the Art Institute “F.A. Grue”, the current state art high school for design, which, in the decade 1965-1975, dedicated its teaching activity to the Christmas theme.

St. Peter’s Square will see only part of the fragile collection, made up of 54 statues, exhibited. 

The tree

The spruce comes from Kočevje, a town on the Rinža river. The region Kočevsko is one of the Slovenian territories where nature is most intact, considering that the forests cover 90% of its territory. Since ancient times it has been a symbol of fertility and in popular tradition it is often used in occasion of ceremonies as for the feast of the 1st of May or for the Christmas solemnity.

The tallest spruce tree in Europe, “Sgermova smreka” measures 61,80 metres and is located on the Pohorje massif in Slovenia. It is about 300 years old, with a perimeter of 3 meters and 54 centimetres and a diameter of over one metre.

The tree and the Nativity scene will remain on display until the end of Christmas time, which coincides with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Sunday 10 January 2021.

By Vatican News staff writer

At least 140 migrants aboard a ship headed towards Europe drowned off the Senegalese coast marking the deadliest shipwreck recorded this year, the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a statement on Thursday.

The vessel, bound for Spain’s Canary Islands, reportedly caught fire a few hours after departing the western Senegalese coastal town of Mbour on Saturday before capsizing on the country’s northwest coast, near Saint-Louis.

According to the statement, the vessel was carrying about 200 migrants. The Spanish and Senegalese navies, as well as fishermen who were nearby were able to rescue 59 people and recover the bodies of 20 others. The others are presumed dead.

The IOM said that it “is deeply saddened by this recent tragedy which follows four shipwrecks recorded in the Central Mediterranean last week and another in the English Channel.”

The government of Senegal and the IOM have both arranged a mission to assess the survivors’ needs and provide assistance.

A dangerous route

In 2020 alone, the IOM estimates that including the victims of this latest tragic incident, at least 414 people have died along this route.

The international body notes that in recent weeks, the number of departures from West Africa to the Canary Islands has significantly increased. In September alone, “14 boats carrying 663 migrants left Senegal for the Canary Islands.” Of this number, “26 per cent were reported to have experienced an incident or shipwreck.”

Compared to figures from previous years, there have been roughly 11,000 arrivals to the Canary Islands in 2020 as opposed to 2,557 arrivals in 2019. However, this is still below the peaks in 2006 when over 32,000 arrived.

In light of this, the IOM calls for “unity between governments, partners and the international community to dismantle trafficking and smuggling networks that take advantage of desperate youth,” said Bakary Doumbia, IOM Senegal Chief of Mission.

“It is also important that we advocate for enhanced legal channels to undermine the traffickers’ business model and prevent loss of life,” Doumbia added.

Vatican News English Africa Service – Vatican City

JCTR says it is deeply concerned with the rapidly weakening economy in Zambia now threatening the economic and social survival of ordinary citizens, especially the poor, the marginalised and the vulnerable. Speaking on the occasion of Zambia’s 56th Independence Day commemoration, recently, Jesuit priest, Fr. Alex Muyebe who is JCTR Executive Director, said the government needs to be more transparent about the debt crisis.

Zambia’s debt now equivalent to its GDP

“The irony is that as we celebrate our country’s Independence Day, we cannot but lament the current shrinking fiscal space in Zambia. Zambia’s total external debt stock now stands at 27 billion dollars, which, literally is equivalent to the country’s GDP,” said the JCTR Executive Director. He advised the Zambian Government to put in place a transparent debt contraction mechanism and to stop further borrowing.

Fr. Muyebe said, “This is not the first time Zambia has found herself in a debt crisis. The Government must learn from these experiences and come up with a lasting solution to avoid finding ourselves in this same bad place over and over again. Government must pursue fiscal consolidation and stop further borrowing,” he said. Adding, “Government must put in place a transparent debt contraction mechanism and a robust and workable debt management and debt sustainability strategy.”

JCTR observes that from the 2021 national budget, it is evident that funds allocated to the social sector had decreased significantly, thereby affecting the ordinary person’s access to health, education, clean water and sanitation.

Political observers say the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened Zambia’s debt situation.

Growing political violence and intolerance

Another factor worrying JCTR concerns the increase in political violence and prevalent intolerance of divergent political opinion in Zambia.

“Over the last 56 years of Independence, Zambia has enjoyed the long-earned reputation of peace on the continent and beyond. However, JCTR is concerned with the rate of political violence threatening this long-earned reputation. The Centre implores government to take the lead in sensitising citizens to reject all forms of violence in our society,” said Fr. Muyebe.