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Fall 2010 Issue of the JPIC Report Available October 10th, 2010

Read the new issue of the JPIC Report. If you are not receiving a hard copy in the mail and would like to, please contact the JPIC Office by emailing Rowena Gono.

Read the Fall 2010 JPIC Report (Download PDF)

U.S. Catholic Task Force on Africa offers Support to Bishop Duffy OMI October 10th, 2010

: Poor state of Zambian roads hampers economic development

On October 8, a coalition of Catholic religious, Africa advocacy groups and humanitarian organizations based in Washington D.C issued a letter of support to Bishop Paul Duffy OMI in Zambia. The letter from the Catholic Task Force on Africa offers words of encouragement and expresses solidarity with Bishop Duffy. The Bishop has been receiving threats in recent months from ruling government party members for his having spoken out about the living conditions of people in his diocese.

View the letter (Download PDF)

United Nations Summit on the Millennium Development Goals September 20th, 2010

Achieving universal primary education by 2015 is Goal 2 of the MDGs

Global leaders have gathered for the United Nations Summit on the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) in New York which runs September 20-22. The world is watching to see if this summit will make serious progress towards achieving the eight MDG goals by 2015.

In September 2000, world leaders came together at United Nations Headquarters to adopt the United Nations Millennium Declaration, committing their nations to a new global partnership to reduce extreme poverty and setting out a series of time-bound targets with a deadline of 2015. The goals adopted became known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). The eight MDGs are broken down into 21 quantifiable targets that are, in turn, measured by 60 indicators.

The eight MDGs are:

1. Eradicate extreme hunger and poverty;

2. Achieve universal primary education;

3. Promote gender equality and empower women;

4. Reduce child mortality;

5. Improve maternal health;

6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases;

7. Ensure environmental sustainability;

8. Develop a Global Partnership for Development.

Civil society and faith based organizations are planning a variety of campaigns to raise awareness and promote action supportive of the MDGs.

A calendar of side events at the United Nations Summit on the Millennium Development Goals.

Watch Live the United Nations Summit on the Millennium Development Goals.

Learn more…

Oblate Bishop in Zambia Threatened for Speaking on Behalf of Poor People September 17th, 2010

Missionary Oblate Bishop Paul Duffy of Mongu Diocese in Western Province of Zambia is being threatened by the ruling government over his support for and speaking on behalf of poor people. Bishop Duffy issued a statement in which he said the people of Western Province think it is time for change. His statement has elicited a strong response from the ruling party, with a section of the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) threatening to beat him up. Bishop Duffy has questioned the governments’ motive in borrowing huge sums of money which does not visibly translate to development in the country and in particular the Western Province of Zambia.

On September 16, all priests and catholic groups in Mongu diocese released a statement of support of Bishop Duffy OMI in which they added that the people of Western Province are tired of being referred to as the poorest province in Zambia.

In a statement of support to Bishop Duffy, Zambian Oblates of Mary Immaculate delegation said the verbal attacks by government ministers on Bishop Duffy were unwarranted. Father Singini Nacidze OMI, information director for the Oblates released this statement which was signed by Fr. Freeborn Kibombwe the acting local superior: “OUTSPOKEN OBLATE BISHOP PAUL DUFFY, OMI THREATENED” (Download PDF)

The Oblates in Zambia have also issued a Press Release with information about Bishop Duffy who has served in Zambia for 26 years. The statement calls for civility, decency, humility and responsibility in all sectors of Zambian society regardless of political party. (Download PDF)