Product Description
The present SMA bulletin has three sections: The first section, 'Roots', gives us a glimpse of the topic in the early years of our history. The second section, 'Vision', summarises some of the convictions of the SMA today and shows the direction we are taking. The third section, 'Spotlight', offers space for detailed sharing of our reflections and experiences around the themes of the bulletin.RootsRoberta Grossi, the Assistant Archivist at the SMA Generalate, digs out from the diary of Mgr. Duret, the third Superior General of the SMA, interesting details of an exorcism in France where the exorcist uses the image of Fr. Planque. VisionThe word 'Migration' has brought out the entire gamut of emotions in the last few years and filled newspapers and television screens. We have witnessed heroic generosity and gruesome cruelty. The Church has been talking loud and clear through her actions. Francis Rozario, a member of General Council, outlines the SMA journey with migrants.In the second article of the section, Francis Rozario concentrates on the ministry of exorcism. GA2013 made an action plan around this ministry and the article explains what has happened in the SMA since then. The article also enumerates the best practices for today and proposes some reading material.Spotlight: MigrationWe have two sections in Spotlight. The first on migration comprises five articles. From the experience of listening to thousands of extremely vulnerable migrants in France, Daniel Mellier shares with us a perspective we don't get from the popular media. David Lohan, the co-author of Open Secrets: An Irish Perspective to Trafficking and Witchcraft, has done extensive research on modern slavery. David explains with scientific data how slavery has been not only surviving but also flourishing over the centuries right up until today though the modern generation would like to think of it as an evil of former times.We have heard of the taste of hell in Libya from those who endured it first-hand. It hurts, revolts and challenges everyone who hears of it. Florent-Alain Bikini puts words on these feelings and makes a socio-political analysis of them.Kathleen McGarvey, OLA, writes about the presence of Islam and Muslims in Europe, various challenges faced by Muslims and non-Muslims in relation to each other and what all these mean to missionaries today, especially from the point of view of inter-religious dialogue.Emmanuel Dim, who has been living in a multicultural setting in South Africa, shares the missionary experience and the challenges in such a setting while also providing an overview of South African history and the work of the SMA there.Spotlight: Ministry of ExorcismThis section of Spotlight also comprises five articles. While some pastoral agents run away from this whole area of exorcism, some run after it for various reasons. It becomes important to be aware of the guidelines of the Church. Donbosco Mawdsley outlines those guidelines from a canonical perspective. Michel Bonemaison in his first article lays the foundations for the ministry of exorcism from the Scriptures and tradition. Then he shares quite a few experiences from his missionary life which call for a deeper discernment before deciding when exorcism is needed.In Michel's second article he concentrates more on the infanticide in Benin and links it to various misconceptions and fears of the people. He proposes a 'rite of reparation' as an inculturated pastoral approach to the problem of infanticide. Jean-Paul Kpatcha, who participated in the course on the ministry of exorcism in Rome, gives more details about the course and shares his personal experiences and reflections.Pierre Saulnier, from his mission and research in the Central African Republic, provides an anthropological reading of illness, its attributed causes, its divination, and witchcraft and healers in the country.
Click to expand
