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‘I don’t understand why Africa is still hungry’: UN envoy

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‘I don’t understand why Africa is still hungry’: UN envoy’s plan to transform food systems for all

‘I don’t understand why Africa is still hungry’: UN envoy’s plan to transform food systems for all.

Food systems involve all the stages that lead up to the point when we consume food, including the way it is produced, transported, and sold. Launching a policy brief on food security in June, UN chief António Guterres warned of an “impending food emergency”, unless immediate action is taken.

Ms. Kalibata told UN News that her commitment to improving food systems is closely linked to her early life as the daughter of refugees.

“I was born in a refugee camp in Uganda, because my Rwandan parents were forced to leave their home around the time of colonial independence in the early 60s.

Thanks to the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), were given land, which allowed my parents to farm, buy a few cows, and make enough money to send me and my siblings to school. This allowed me to experience, first-hand, how agriculture, in a functioning food system, can provide huge opportunities for smallholder communities.

I took this appreciation with me when I eventually returned to Rwanda, as Minister for Agriculture, working with smallholders and seeing them grab every opportunity to turn their lives around against all odds. This was probably the most fulfilling period in my life. 

ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw== ‘I don’t understand why Africa is still hungry’: UN envoyUN Food Systems Summit

 

Female farmers in discussion with former Rwandan Minister for Agriculture, Agnes Kalibata (far left).

But, I have also seen what can happen when threats like climate change, conflict and even more recently, a pandemic like Covid 19, hit the world’s farmers, especially those who are smallholders, like my parents were.

As a daughter of farmers, I understand how much people can suffer, because of systems that are breaking down. I often reflect that I, and other children of farmers my age that made it through school, were the lucky ones because climate change hits small farmers the hardest, destroying their capacities to cope.

My experience has shown me that, when food systems function well, agriculture can provide huge opportunities for smallholder communities. I am a product of functional food systems, and I am fully convinced of the power of food systems to transform lives of smallholder households and communities, and bring about changes to entire economies.  

I’m extremely passionate about ending hunger in our lifetime: I believe it’s a solvable problem. I don’t understand why 690 million people are still going to bed hungry, amidst so much plenty in our world, and with all the knowledge , technology and resources. 

I have made it my mission to understand why this is the case, and how we can overcome the challenges we see along the way. That is why I gladly accepted the offer by the UN Secretary General to be his Special Envoy for the Food Systems Summit.

ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw== ‘I don’t understand why Africa is still hungry’: UN envoy© Hadong County, Republic of Korea

 

Traditional Hadong Tea Agrosystem in Hwagae-myeon, Korea, cultivate indigenous tea trees around streams and between rocks in hilly areas surrounding temples.

Why food systems need to change

Today’s food systems do not respond to what we need as people. The cause of death for one in three people around the world is related to what they eat. Two billion people are obese, one trillion dollars’ worth of food is wasted every year, yet many millions still go hungry.

Food systems have an impact on the climate. They are responsible for around one third of harmful greenhouse gas emissions that are causing climate change, which is interfering massively in our ability to produce food, upending farmers’ lives, and making the seasons harder to predict. 

We have built up a lot of knowledge around the things that we’re doing wrong, and we have the technology to allow us to do things differently, and better. This isn’t rocket science: it’s mostly a question of mobilizing energy, and securing political commitment for change.

Galvanise and engage

The main impetus behind the Food Summit is the fact that the we are off track with all of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that relate to food systems, principally ending poverty and hunger, and action on the climate and environment.

We want to use the Summit to galvanise and engage people, raising awareness about the elements that are broken, and what we need to change; to recognize that we’re way off track with the SDGs, and raise our ambitions; and to secure firm commitments to actions that will transform our current food systems for the better.

Pulling together the UN System

The UN system is already doing a lot of work in this area, and we’ve pulled together several agencies and bodies to support the Summit.

We have formed a UN Task Force to channel the existing research, so that nothing falls through the cracks, which will work closely with a core group of experts we have assembled, which is looking at scientific data pooled from institutions all around the world. At the same time, we are examining national food systems, to see what is and isn’t working. 

We are going to pool all the information, evidence and ideas we receive, and create a vision for a future food system that benefits all.”

At a briefing on the Food Systems Summit held on Friday, Amina Mohammed, the UN Deputy Secretary-General, noted that a transition to more sustainable systems is already underway, with countries beginning to “take action and change behaviours in support of a new vision of how food arrives on our plate.”

UN Member States, she continued, are increasingly aware that food systems are “one of the most powerful links between humans and the planet”, and bringing about a world that “enhances inclusive economic growth and opportunity, while also safeguarding biodiversity and the global ecosystems that sustain life. “

EU seeks reduced reliance on others for RE minerals

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Juan Sanchez Gil
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EU seeks reduced reliance on others for RE minerals
  • AP, BRUSSELS

Worried by an increasing dependency on the raw materials used to make smartphones, televisions and energy-saving lights, the EU on Thursday launched a new strategy to secure access to rare earth (RE) minerals and to reduce reliance on suppliers such as Chile, China and South Africa.

The EU is predicted to need about 60 times more lithium and 15 times more cobalt for electric vehicle batteries and energy storage by 2050. Its demand for rare earth materials in permanent magnets used in several technologies could increase 10-fold over the same period.

The COVID-19 pandemic is highlighting the world’s increasing reliance on electronics and technology for remote work, education and communication, and the 27-nation EU enters a widening race to secure supplies for its communications, health, defense and space sectors along with the US, China and Japan.

“We have to drastically change our approach,” European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic said. “We are largely dependent on unsustainable raw materials from countries with much lower environmental and social standards, less freedoms, [and] poor, unsustainable economies.”

The EU gets about 98 percent of its rare earth minerals from China. Turkey supplies 98 percent of its borate, while Chile meets 78 percent of Europe’s lithium needs. South Africa provides 71 percent of its platinum.

The European Commission has said that the EU’s mining potential is underused.

“We need to diversify supply and make better use of the resources within the European Union, where we would apply the highest environmental and social standards to that effect,” Sefcovic told reporters in Brussels.

The strategy aims to set up a European raw materials alliance with industry, investors, the European Investment Bank, EU member countries and others to help secure raw mineral supply chains.

The commission wants to start a partnership with Canada and interested African countries starting next year. 

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Europe lights the way for schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

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Europe lights the way for schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

A high-level meeting hosted by WHO/Europe and the Italian Ministry of Health has paved the way for longer term dialogue between Member States on how schools in the WHO European Region can teach in the wake of COVID-19. “Our actions must target the virus not the children. We cannot ask our children to press the pause button on their lives,” said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, on opening up the discussion that sought to create a consensus on how societies and schools can best manage this transition.

Children and adolescents must not be left behind, and their developmental, physical, mental, emotional and social needs must be met to avoid them becoming hidden victims of the pandemic, Dr Kluge emphasized. He went on to state that WHO aims to support the leadership of health authorities while recognizing the concerns of parents and children, and protecting the constitutional rights to health and education for all citizens.

The fact that 1.6 billion children worldwide are losing out on time in school is a generational catastrophe, and more resilient systems are needed to mitigate the longer term impact on children’s health. Thanking WHO/Europe for steering the debate on this crucial issue, Italy’s Minister of Health, Mr Roberto Speranza, proposed sustaining the process through a regular gathering of experts to help marshal the facts, analyse the evidence, and better protect children, their families and communities.

No zero risk: transmission scenarios and mitigation measures

The Minister’s suggestion was warmly welcomed by WHO/Europe, which proposed a framework to support countries as they intervene to make schooling safe. In addition, WHO/Europe committed itself to providing a platform for Member States and partners to share experiences, alert each other, and follow adaptive measures as necessary.

The WHO framework describes a number of transmission scenarios, alongside mitigation measures which could be considered in each instance. Advice includes what to do if no cases are reported in communities and how measures should be escalated if sporadic cases appear or lead to clusters of infections or community transmission. It suggests a stepwise approach with a range of personal, administrative and environmental interventions, including regular handwashing, physical distancing, and ensuring adequate ventilation and masks, and the provision of tailored solutions for children with disabilities, without stigmatization.

WHO stressed that there was no zero-risk approach to schooling during the pandemic, and therefore it is important not to blame schools when infections occur. Instead, it is necessary to prepare for, plan and react appropriately, while ensuring that school closures are used as a last resort.

Education at the forefront of the recovery

The organization of schooling was brought up in presentations by representatives of Member States. Mr Dan Petersen, from Denmark’s Ministry of Health, emphasized the need to collect data and coordinate research to establish whether outbreaks were occurring in schools or elsewhere, as he reiterated the need for schools to function as normally as possible.

“The health system is further along in its recovery, but for schools, the recovery is only just beginning,” cautioned Ms Joanna Herat of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), while urging health authorities to work closely with education and social sectors to place education at the forefront of recovery measures. “This will allow children the confidence and skills to participate fully in society,” she added.

The need for collaboration was also addressed by Dr Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, Director of the Division of Country Health Policies and Systems, WHO/Europe, who warned that, rather than waiting for the evidence to accumulate and looking at the situation purely through a disease control lens, “teachers, local health authorities, paediatricians and general practitioners, should know what their role is, be well rehearsed and ready to play their part”. She stressed that this is the critical component of success and we must act now to preserve the integrity of education.

More resilient systems, taking into account young people’s voices

Making systems more resilient involves hearing children’s voices when discussing policy-making. In one recent survey, young people reported a desire to see less stigmatization around mental health issues and better psychological support in schools, highlighting a need to prioritize the wider emotional impact of the pandemic when building back.

The role of children as members of families and wider communities was taken up by Dr Kluge, who said, “We must lift them up so they can lift us up. Children are ambassadors for the future of humanity”. As such, vulnerable children and young people were at the heart of discussions, where it was noted that children in violent households and girls at risk of forced marriage and gender-based violence were less likely to return to school.

Mr Parmosivea Bobby Soobrayan, Regional Advisor, Education, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) highlighted the protective role of schools in society, saying that schools needed to catch up on lost learning and ensure that all children were re-enrolled.

Monitoring the infection activity in schools, families and communities, and matching it with the public health and social measures implemented at local level would provide the data that is needed to drive sensible policies.

By holding this meeting and by placing the issue of schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic at the top of its agenda, WHO/Europe showed its commitment to children and adolescents and leaving no one behind as the world continues to grapple with COVID-19.

Cardinal: Pandemic may have accelerated secularization of Europe by 10 years

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Cardinal: Pandemic may have accelerated secularization of Europe by 10 years

CNA Staff, Sep 4, 2020 / 06:00 am MT (CNA).- A cardinal has suggested that the coronavirus pandemic may have accelerated the secularization of Europe by 10 years. 

In an interview with L’Osservatore Romano Sept. 2, Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich said he believed that the number of Catholics going to church would decrease as a result of COVID-19.

Asked whether he thought the Church in Europe would emerge stronger or weaker from the pandemic, he said: “I think about my country: we will be reduced in number. Because all those who no longer came to Mass, because they came only for cultural reasons, these ‘cultural Catholics,’ left and right, no longer come. They have seen that life is very comfortable. They can live very well without having to come to church. Even First Communions, the catechism for children, all this will decrease in number, I am almost certain.”

“But it’s not a complaint on my part. We would have had this process even without a pandemic. Perhaps it would have taken us 10 years longer.” 

Stephen Bullivant, professor of theology and the sociology of religion at St. Mary’s University, Twickenham, in the U.K., noted that he had made a similar point to Hollerich in his recent eBook “Catholicism in the Time of Coronavirus.”

“At least in terms of church attendance, we’re almost certain to see a ‘jump forward’ along the long-set downward trend,” he told CNA. “Lots of dioceses have done forecasts in previous years along the lines of ‘if present trends continue, we’ll have X number of active priests for Y number of Massgoers by 2040,’ or whatever. Well, they’re going to have to bring those forward.” 

“Whether I’d guess at ‘10 years’ myself, I don’t know — but it’s not outside the bounds of the plausible.”

Hollerich, the Archbishop of Luxembourg and president of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), said that the Church in Europe needed to respond to its weakened condition with humilty. 

He said: “But at this point, the Church must be inspired by a humility that allows us to reorganize ourselves better, to be more Christian, because otherwise this culture of Christianity, this only cultural Catholicism, cannot last over time, it has no living force behind it.”

He continued: “I think it is a great opportunity for the Church. We must understand what is at stake, we must react and put in place new missionary structures. And when I say missionaries, I mean both action and word. I also think that in the world after the pandemic, the West, the United States, and Europe, will be weaker than before, because the acceleration brought by the virus will make other economies, other countries, grow.” 

“But we must see this with realism, we must abandon the Eurocentrism present in our thoughts and with great humility we must work with other countries for the future of humanity, to have greater justice.”

Public Masses were suspended across Europe for several months in order to restrict the spread of COVID-19. While public liturgies have resumed, anecdotal evidence suggests that attendance is well down compared with before the crisis. 

In some countries there are strict limits on the number of Catholics permitted to attend Mass at any one time due to concerns about virus transmission. 

There have been 2,304,846 cases of COVID-19 reported in the European Union/European Economic Area and the U.K. as of Sept. 4, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, with 182,358 deaths.

Hollerich, a Jesuit, was appointed Archbishop of Luxembourg in 2011. He received the red hat on Oct. 5, 2019, becoming the first cardinal from Luxembourg, a country with a population of only 626,000.

Hollerich told L’Osservatore Romano that the positive reaction to Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical Laudato si’ showed that Christian culture was still alive in Europe.

“There is a great openness to these messages, especially from the Holy Father, even in a lay Europe. Sometimes this lay or secularist Europe also presents itself in Christian clothes. But they are only clothes. It is not the elements of Christianity and the Gospel that are at work, it is only a carnival,” he said.

“Solidarity, the fact of sharing, of wanting to share riches with the poorest, of respecting human rights: these are the distinctive elements of Christianity. But unfortunately I also think that Christianity is becoming weaker in Europe. Even after the pandemic I believe that the number of people going to church will have decreased. We must always think about the evangelization of Europe.”

Emmanuel Macron condemns ‘Islamic separatism’ and defends ‘right to blasphemy’

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France’s President Emmanuel Macron criticised what he called “Islamic separatism” in his country and those who seek French citizenship without accepting the “right to commit blasphemy”.

Mr Macron defended satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, which published caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed that helped inspire two French-born Islamic extremists to mount a deadly January 2015 attack on the paper’s newsroom.

The weekly republished the images this week as the trial began of 14 people over the attacks on Charlie Hebdo and on a kosher supermarket.

To be French is to defend the right to make people laugh, to criticise, to mock, to caricature

Speaking at a ceremony celebrating France’s democratic history and naturalising new citizens, the French president said: “You don’t choose one part of France.

“You choose France….The Republic will never allow any separatist adventure.”

Freedom in France, Mr Macron said, includes “the freedom to believe or not to believe.

“But this is inseparable from the freedom of expression up to the right to blasphemy.” French President Emmanuel Macron, left, congratulates an unidentified new French citizen after he was granted citizenship (Julien de Rosa/AP)  

Noting the trial that opened on Wednesday, he said: “To be French is to defend the right to make people laugh, to criticise, to mock, to caricature.”

The 2015 attacks killed 17 people and marked the beginning of a wave of violence by the Islamic State group in Europe.

Mr Macron’s centrist government has promised a law in the coming months against “Islamic separatism” but it is not clear yet exactly what it would police.

Some critics fear it could unfairly stigmatise France’s largely moderate Muslim population, the largest in western Europe.

Emmanuel Macron condemns ‘Islamic separatism”

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Newsdesk
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Emmanuel Macron condemns ‘Islamic sep...

Mr Macron defended satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, which published caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed that helped inspire two French-born Islamic extremists to mount a deadly January 2015 attack on the paper’s newsroom.

France’s President Emmanuel Macron criticised what he called “Islamic separatism” in his country and those who seek French citizenship without accepting the “right to commit blasphemy”.

The weekly republished the images this week as the trial began of 14 people over the attacks on Charlie Hebdo and on a kosher supermarket.

Speaking at a ceremony celebrating France’s democratic history and naturalising new citizens, the French president said: “You don’t choose one part of France.

“You choose France….The Republic will never allow any separatist adventure.”

Freedom in France, Mr Macron said, includes “the freedom to believe or not to believe.

“But this is inseparable from the freedom of expression up to the right to blasphemy.”

French President Emmanuel Macron, left, congratulates an unidentified new French citizen after he was granted with French citizenship (Julien de Rosa/AP)
French President Emmanuel Macron, left, congratulates an unidentified new French citizen after he was granted citizenship (Julien de Rosa/AP)

Noting the trial that opened on Wednesday, he said: “To be French is to defend the right to make people laugh, to criticise, to mock, to caricature.”

The 2015 attacks killed 17 people and marked the beginning of a wave of violence by the Islamic State group in Europe.

Mr Macron’s centrist government has promised a law in the coming months against “Islamic separatism” but it is not clear yet exactly what it would police.

Some critics fear it could unfairly stigmatise France’s largely moderate Muslim population, the largest in western Europe.

Macron decries ‘Islamic separatism,’ defends blasphemy

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Macron decries ‘Islamic separatism,’ defends blasphemy

… , AP
Macron decries ‘Islamic separatism,’ defends blasphemy
PARIS … criticized Friday what he called “Islamic separatism” in his country … of violence by the Islamic State group in Europe.
Macron’s centrist … population, the largest in western Europe.

Europe’s Catholic bishops back archbishop blocked from returning to Belarus

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Europe’s Catholic bishops back archbishop blocked from returning to Belarus

CNA Staff, Sep 4, 2020 / 03:00 am MT (CNA).- Catholic bishops across Europe have expressed support for an archbishop who was refused entry to his homeland of Belarus. 

In a Sept. 3 statement, the presidency of the Council of Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (CCEE) said it hoped that Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz would be allowed to return home immediately.

“While ensuring their own prayers for the beloved pastor and for the whole Belarusian community, they hope for an immediate return home for the Archbishop of Minsk and a resumption of his episcopal ministry,” the statement on behalf of bishops from 45 European countries said.

The archbishop of Minsk-Mohilev was turned back by border guards when he attempted to return to Belarus Aug. 31 following a trip to Poland. He told CNA Sept. 1 that he was “very much surprised” and had demanded an official explanation. 

The incident occurred amid ongoing demonstrations in Belarus following a disputed presidential election Aug. 9. The incumbent, Alexander Lukashenko, claimed victory with 80% of the vote. His challenger, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, was detained after she complained to the electoral committee, then fled to Lithuania. 

The decision to stop Kondrusiewicz, a Belarusian citizen, from returning home has provoked international concern. Mike Pompeo, the U.S. Secretary of State, urged the Belarusian authorities Sept. 1 to readmit Kondrusiewicz to the country.

The archbishop had spoken out in defense of protesters following the election. 

He demanded an investigation last week into reports that riot police blocked the doors of a Catholic church in Minsk while clearing away protesters from a nearby square.

He prayed outside of a prison Aug. 19 where detained protesters were reported to have been tortured.

Kondrusiewicz met with Interior Minister Yuri Karaev Aug. 21 to express his concerns about the government’s heavy-handed response to the protests.

He told CNA that he feared the country was heading towards civil war.

“The situation is very, very difficult, very critical,” he said.

Catholics in Belarus will hold a day of prayer Sept. 7 for the archbishop’s swift return to the country.

The CCEE statement was issued by its secretariat in St. Gallen, Switzerland. The organization, which was officially established in 1971, has 39 members, comprising 33 bishops’ conferences, the Archbishops of Luxembourg, the Principality of Monaco, the Maronite archbishop of Cyprus, the bishop of Chişinău, Moldova, the eparchial bishop of Mukachevo, and the apostolic administrator of Estonia.

The group’s statement said: “The CCEE Presidency expresses the closeness of the entire European Episcopate to Msgr. Kondrusiewicz and to the Church in Belarus in this delicate matter and makes their own the appeal of Pope Francis ‘to dialogue, the rejection of violence and respect for justice and law.’ And, together with the Pope, entrust ‘all Belarusians to the protection of Our Lady, Queen of Peace.’”

The CCEE concluded by saying that Europe’s bishops “encourage everyone to commit themselves to peacefully resolve the conflict and to pursue, with confidence, the path of dialogue for the good of man and of society as a whole.”

‘Unique’ Christian artefact uncovered at Hadrian’s Wall

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'Unique' Christian artefact uncovered at Hadrian's Wall



ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw== 'Unique' Christian artefact uncovered at Hadrian's Wall
A fragment with Christian symbols etched across it(Photo: The Vindolanda Trust)

A “unique” discovery at Hadrian’s Wall is offering a tantalising glimpse into early Christianity in Britain.

Archaeologists found “incredibly rare” fragments of a chalice buried in the rubble of a former 6th century church at Vindolanda, a ruined Roman fort that lies just south of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

The 14 fragments date back to the 5th and 6th centuries, and form the only surviving partial chalice from this period in Britain. 

The find is in “very poor condition” as a result of being close to the surface of the ground. Despite this, the Vindolanda Trust said the etchings on the surface of the fragments make the chalice “one of the most important of its type to come from early Christianity in Western Europe“.

It is also the only artefact of its kind to be found in a fort on Hadrian’s Wall. 

The fragments are etched with symbols, each of them representing “different forms of Christian iconography from the time”. 

Although the symbols have faded with time, making them hard to see with the naked eye, they have been brought to light by specialist photography. 

They include well known symbols from the early church, including ships, crosses, the Chi Rho christogram, fish, a whale, “a happy bishop” and angels.

The marks can be found on the outside and inside of the cup, and appear to have been added by the same artist. 

ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw== 'Unique' Christian artefact uncovered at Hadrian's Wall
Specialist photography has made it possible to see the faded etchings(Photo: The Vindolanda Trust)

The chalice forms the centrepiece of a new exhibition at the Vindolanda Museum highlighting Christianity and the last periods of occupation at the fort. 

Ongoing academic analysis of the artefact is being overseen by post-Roman specialist Dr David Petts, of Durham University. 

“This is a really exciting find from a poorly understood period in the history of Britain,” he said.

“Its apparent connections with the early Christian church are incredibly important, and this curious vessel is unique in a British context.

ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw== 'Unique' Christian artefact uncovered at Hadrian's Wall
The chalice is currently on display at the Vindolanda Museum(Photo: The Vindolanda Trust)

“It is clear that further work on this discovery will tell us much about the development of early Christianity in beginning of the medieval period.”

Vindolanda was a Roman fort housing infintry and cavalry, and was in occupation from around 85 AD to 370 AD. 

Vindolanda’s Director of Excavations and CEO, Andrew Birley, said: “We are used to ‘firsts’ and the ‘wow factor’ from our impressive Roman remains at Vindolanda, with artefacts such as the ink tablets, boxing gloves, boots and shoes, but to have an object like the chalice survive into the post-Roman landscape is just as significant.

“Its discovery helps us appreciate how the site of Vindolanda and its community survived beyond the fall of Rome and yet remained connected to a spiritual successor in the form of Christianity which in many ways was just as wide reaching and transformative as what had come before it.

“I am delighted that we can now start to share our news about this discovery and shed some light on an often-overlooked period of our heritage and past.” 

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September 3: Saint Gregory the Great

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September 3: Saint Gregory the Great


St. Gregory the Great, a central figure of the medieval western Church and one of the most admired Popes in history, is commemorated in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Catholic liturgy today, September 3.

Born near the middle of the sixth century into a noble Roman family, Gregory received a classical education in liberal arts and the law. He also had strong religious formation from his devout family, particularly from his mother, Silvia, also a canonized saint. By around age 30, Gregory had
advanced to high political office in Rome, during what was nevertheless a period of marked decline for the city.

Some time after becoming the prefect of the former imperial capital, Gregory chose to leave the civil administration to become a monk during the rise of the Benedictine order. In reality, however, the new monk’s great career in public life was yet to come.

After three years of strict monastic life, he was called personally by the Pope to assume the office of a deacon in Rome. From Rome, he was dispatched to Constantinople, to seek aid from the emperor for Rome’s civic troubles, and to aid in resolving the Eastern church’s theological controversies. He returned to Rome in 586, after six years of service as the Papal representative to the eastern Church and empire.

Rome faced a series of disasters caused by flooding in 589, followed by the death of Pope Pelagius II the next year. Gregory, then serving as abbot in a monastery, reluctantly accepted his election to replace him as the Bishop of Rome.

Despite this initial reluctance, however, Pope Gregory began working tirelessly to reform and solidify the Roman liturgy, the disciplines of the Church, the military and economic security of Rome, and the Church’s spreading influence in western Europe.

As Pope, Gregory brought his political experience at Rome and Constantinople to bear, in the task of preventing the Catholic Church from becoming subservient to any of the various groups struggling for control of the former imperial capital. As the former abbot of a monastery, he strongly supported the Benedictine movement as a bedrock of the western Church. He sent missionaries to England, and is given much of the credit for the nation’s conversion.

In undertaking these works, Pope Gregory saw himself as the “servant of the servants of God.” He was the first of the Bishops of Rome to popularize the now-traditional Papal title, which referred to Christ’s command that those in the highest position of leadership should be “the last of all and the servant of all.”

Even as he undertook to consolidate Papal power and shore up the crumbling Roman west, St. Gregory the Great maintained a humble sense of his mission as a servant and pastor of souls, from the time of his election until his death in 604.

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