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South African President Zuma Visits Archbishop Denis Hurley’s Tomb July 5th, 2012
South African President, Jacob Zuma visited Durban’s Emmanuel Cathedral on 19 April to pay tribute to Archbishop Denis Hurley’s contribution to South Africa’s liberation struggle by laying a wreath on his tomb. This was part of a national program of visits throughout South Africa to mark the centenary of the ANC’s foundation. The brief ceremony at the Cathedral began with Cardinal Wilfrid Napier, OFM, and other religious leaders greeting the President and his party at the entrance to the Cathedral and then escorting them to the Archbishop’s tomb in the Lady Chapel.
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Fr. Seamus Finn Presents at Renewing Mission and Identity in Conference on Catholic Business Education July 2nd, 2012
Fr. Seamus Finn, OMI was one of the presenters at the 8th International Symposium on Catholic Social Thought and Management Education: Renewing Mission and Identity in Catholic Business Education. The conference was held at the University of Dayton, Dayton Ohio from June 18-20, 2012.
Fr. Finn presented on “Sustainable Investing and Corporate Social Responsibility: Adding Value to the Identity and Mission of Catholic Business Education”.
Celebrating the Summer Solstice on the Bluffs! June 28th, 2012
Each year, the Oblate Ecological Initiative celebrates the Summer Solstice – the longest day of the year, when the sun is at its farthest point north of the equator.
This event is an opportunity to welcome the summer season and to heal our separation from the Earth by immersing ourselves in the heavens and the natural world. The OEI celebration connected the participants in many ways:
Viewing the prominences on the sun through solar scopes provided by two local astronomers
Photographs of the Sun!
Participating in a scavenger hunt that taught ecological principles. For example, they were to find something that eats the sun, something that is not connected to anything else (trick question), and evidence of the presence of animal life
Marking the change of season with a ritual "turning of the sun staff" by our youngest participant who has had this honor for many years!
Sharing food - watermelon and herbal drinks made from fennel and mint growing near the OEI office.
Latest Huffington Blogpost: The Media and the Dynamic Duo June 19th, 2012
Read the latest Huffington blogpost by Fr. Seamus Finn, OMI who writes scathingly about recent encounters with the CEOs of Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan Chase at their Annual General meetings.
Religious Groups Establish Principles to Promote Food Security June 18th, 2012
The Oblate JPIC office joined thirty development NGOs and faith-based organizations in a letter to the State Department, US AID and the White House celling for adherence to a set of principles to assure food security as the government engages increasingly in overseas agricultural Public Private Partnerships. The groups contend, “Because we know that how donors invest in agriculture is as important as the investments themselves, we urge the U.S. Government, as it partners with the private sector for the purpose of increasing food and nutrition security, to adopt the following principles:”
- Do no harm (to other public investments
- Respect the dignity of the human person
- Provide measurable benefits to smallholders
- Ensure sustainability
- Provide transparency and mechanisms for ongoing civil society participation
- Protect and prioritize local private sector actors
Read the letter for detail on the principles listed above (Download PDF)
