L'Effort Camerounais (English Version)

By Rev. Fr. Giles N. Forteh

Recently there was a ghastly car accident whose principal cause was attributed to the use of the mobile phone while driving. This life-threatening practice is part of our daily experience as we stand by the roadside and see many drivers of passing cars struggling to manipulate the steering wheel with one hand while holding tight a phone to their ears with the other hand.

This happens on a road made extremely dangerous by gaping holes and a crowd of undisciplined road users. While attending to his phone the driver’s eyes are bound to be distracted from the road. Text managing, the sending of messages involves the hands and the eyes. The result is that concentration is impaired, the focus is taken away from the road and from operating the vehicle at maximum efficiency. Dual-tasking even when the handsfree are used places extra burden on the brain in such circumstances as on the busy road where the slightest inattention can have tragic consequences. Can we put aside the phone for a while?

Many churches today have placed placards on which it is boldly written “Switch off your phones.” You will find this exhortation at the door and inside the church. In some communities an extra effort is made, as if the placards do not say enough, to remind people before the commencement of worship to do what they should have done before entering the church, that is, switch off their phones. Our sad experience is that there is hardly a liturgical celebration without the ringing of mobile phones. The attachment to this gadget is so strong that the thought of walking into the awe-inspiring presence of the Most High is insufficient to cause us to put it aside for the few moments which we have decided to consecrate to the Lord of eternity.

A friend has remarked that it seems impossible to have the full attention of people who receive you as a visitor in their home. Many hosts are torn between their phones and their guests. Even when a serious matter is to be discussed, incoming calls break interaction and divert the host’s attention. More vexing is the situation of a telephone call from abroad which may cause the visitor to be abandoned for more than an hour. The one who came to be company and communion is left alone. We are used to the ringing of phones during important meetings. Some of the ringing tunes beg for attention and succeed in carrying it away. Today, full interaction among people is difficult to achieve. Many heads are buried in the phone.

In a diagnostic study why some University students sleep during lectures, a lecturer discovered that many of the students keep vigil to make free calls. The seduction is irresistible! All things can be sacrificed for it, even the rest the body requires for its proper functioning. Mobile phone manufacturers churn out innovations each day and condition our taste so that we fly from one model to another even at spine-wrecking costs. Many sincere people have confessed that they now live beyond their means simply because they cannot resist the urge to exhaust their credits by making many non-essential calls. “I am restless until I have finished the credit in my phone. Once I have some credit, I go on calling the whole world until I am notified that I can no longer call.”

The fact that Cameroonians have been delivered to the mobile phone companies and have to pay a lot of money for poorly-rendered services only makes the situation worse. Not only is the network very unstable, one hardly succeeds to communicate without interference or a break. You may have to call many times and spend more money before passing your message across.

There are other forms of accidents associated with these creatures. I will pick out one of the physical and observable ones. Two years ago, the father of a family broke his leg while rushing out of the house to answer a call. Once the phone rang, he jumped to his feet and was running out of the house with great haste and less surveillance. He stumbled over a chair and fell, breaking his leg. In a related event, a pedestrian was answering a call while trying to cross a very busy road. She gave all her attention to the call and failed to look at both ends of the road. A descending vehicle knocked her down.

At creation, God put all things in subjection to man so that they should have only an instrumental value, ordered as they are to the fulfillment of man’s vocation of knowing, loving and serving the Creator. Whatever man finds on earth or brings into being through his ingenuity, that is, by his participation in the infinite divine strength, wisdom and intelligence, must come under his control. He must be capable of using and renouncing them in freedom and in a reasonable way.

Inordinate or irresistible attachment to some of the things we own can lead to reversal of roles so that we become their slaves and perish in their attractions. Under such circumstances, we become inseparably attached to them and behave as if life will disappear if we were to lay them aside for a while or lose them. St. Paul was very aware of this temptation when he warned the Philippians of the danger of turning food an idol and of allowing earthly things to dominate our lives. Be masters of your phones and use them appropriately. You existed without them, and you can do without them when it is necessary to do so.

“I fear the day when technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.” Elbert Einsten

By Michael Mbuwir Kengnjoh

The Church celebrates the Year of Faith this year, but many call themselves Christians when they no longer go to Church. Some are still faithful to their Christian contributions but care less about their faith. They defend the Church with conviction as they see themselves as Christians. Some of these threaten ill-luck to their family members if they are not buried in Church cemeteries. They know that the Church is the "Universal Sacrament of Salvation." What accounts then for this phenomenon of absenteeism from Church?

Transplantation from African Traditional Religion, ATR, into Christianity without conversion

By nature Man is incurably religious as seen in the divine quest of our forbears. They expressed this through the building of shrines and the offering of various forms of sacrifices. K. Rahner's terms them "an anonymous Christians." (Cfr. Theological investigations, vol. 14, p. 280). These deeply religious people at times are merely transplanted from ATR into Christianity without real conversion. This puts such such people in a situation of syncretism, that is, the mixing of two religions. This occurs especially in crisis moments such as suffering, sickness and death.

At times after vacillating between the two religions, some merely withdraw from the Church without really desiring to give up Christianity, but just to continue freely with their familiar activities. Thus in the words of Verbum Domini, "Many of our brothers and sisters are "baptised, but insufficiently evangelised" (n. 96).

Inadequate Catechesis
Inadequate catechesis or the mere desire to manufacture Christians without real preparation does harm to the catechumens and is a great disservice to the Church. Inadequate catechesis turns the Christianised into spectators at ecclesial celebrations. The liturgy of the Church requires full, conscious and active participation on the part of those attending. This entails partaking actively in the responses at the liturgy and following up the rites and actions carried out with understanding. Many "spectator Christians" regress into a kind of lethargy which is deadly and, of course, symptomatic of those who are on their way to losing the faith. Some however, do not really lose the faith for it was hardly ever developed: for though faith is a gift, it needs to be nurtured.

Christianity à la carte
In the Catholic milieu today, the mentality to pick and choose those doctrines which are appealing, while neglecting the others, which is borrowed from the teaching of surrounding ecclesial communities, is growing. This is dangerous and many lose their faith in this subtle way. This tendency leads many to take up Christianity on their own terms. Christianity therefore becomes a religion of convenience and there comes a point when going to Church degenerates into a formality. At times this laxity leads the individual to the total abandonment of the Church community.

The "Holier- than- thou" attitude
Some Christians are tempted to think they are better than others; that they have arrived at the peak of holiness. Unfortunately and as portrayed in the Parable of the Wheat and Weeds, the Church is a conglomeration of saints and sinners on their way to the Father. Some of those who see themselves as saints could even be tempted to pray, "Father look not upon the sins of the Church and her members but upon my faith" instead of "Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church." They forget that fallen Man is involved in a daily struggle for sanctity. They are surely in need of the reminder that while "Christ, 'holy, innocent and undefiled' (Heb 7:26) knew nothing of sin (cf. 2 Cor 5:21), but came only to expiate the sins of the people (cf. Heb 2:17)... the Church (...) clasping sinners to its bosom, at once holy and always in need of purification, follows constantly the path of penance and renewal. (Porta fidei, 6). The Church, however, cannot be blind to the discrepancy between the message she proclaims and the human weakness of those to whom the gospel has been entrusted. She must combat them earnestly, lest they hinder the spread of the gospel, (cfr. Gaudium et Spes, 43.) And so drive many away from their Father's house.'"

Moreover, wars and opposition between the rich and the poor, and peoples and cultures, is perturbing history. At times in the midst of this meaningless conflict, the human vision becomes blurred and a heavy curtain conceals God from human eyes and man tends to question the faith. As was the case in Hitler's Auschwitz camp, we are told that "On that day, horrible even among those days of horror, when a child watched the hanging of another child, who, he tells us had the face of a sad angel, he heard someone behind him groan: where is God? Where is he? Where can he be now?'(E. WIESEL, Night, Avon Books, New York 1969, 9). This seemingly innocent cry fulfilled the thought of Nietzsche, "God is dead." Many today question the existence of God because of man's inhumanity to man and going to Church therefore seems meaningless.

The need of the Church
The Church is the channel of faith and is indispensable for the salvation of the world The mission of the Church is "to proclaim and establish among all peoples the kingdom of Christ and of God, and she is on earth, the seed and the beginning of that kingdom. (Lumen Gentium, 5)

On the one hand, the Church is a Sacrament, that is, a sign and instrument of intimate union with God and of unity of the entire human race. (cfr. Lumen Gentium, 1). The Church therefore is the sign and instrument of the kingdom of God. It is in this kingdom that we meet Christ through the Church, the "people of God."

Intrinsically, the Father exists, and through Christ's incarnation, He reveals His face to humanity "for to have seen Christ, who in himself is God, the Son, is to have seen the Father." Christ reveals Himself and his message through his Church. Thus, "the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, and is necessary for salvation'. (Dominus Iesus, 20). The faith, hence, is only transmitted effectively within the context of the Church, the vehicle of the Church's living tradition. Through Tradition, as taught by the fathers of Vatican II, "the Church, in her doctrine, life and worship, perpetuates and transmits to every generation all that she herself is, all that she believes." (Dei Verbum, 8).

St. Paul asks, "How then shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed? Or how shall they believe him, of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear, without a preacher? Faith then comes by hearing; and hearing by the word of Christ."(Rom. 10: 14-17). Through the liturgy, the sacramental celebrations, and the Church's teaching office, this faith is transmitted and enkindled. Being a member of the body of Christ, the Church, helps nurture the faith especially through the Eucharist, the source and summit of the Christian life. Staying apart is therefore depriving oneself of the spiritual gratuitous benefits of Christ's saving work.

Apart from the above, the crisis of faith that is experienced today is more about a certain anthropocentricism, which is expressed in pride and the claim to self sufficiency. Man can only be happy on earth if he seeks his centre in God. Incorporated into Christ by Baptism, and the person baptised is configured to Christ. No amount of "Churchlessness" can reduce him to a non-Christian. He only fails in his duties.

By Grace Ongey

The Cameroon Association of Catholic English-speaking Journalists, (CACEJ), has seen the light of day in Douala. CACEJ is the outgrowth of a meeting that some Catholic English-speaking journalists held at the American Language Center, Douala, on Friday, February 22, 2013.

The convener of this meeting, Martin Jumbam, declared the meeting open with a short prayer. He then explained that he has had a long cherished desire to form an association of Catholic English-speaking journalists, who would help spread the Word of God through the written, spoken and audio-visual media in line with the prescriptions of the Magisterium of the Catholic Church.

He said from his days as General Manager of the Catholic Media House, MACACOS, he has always considered training in all departments as his managerial priority. But when he left MACACOS in October 2009, he felt for sometime that he was no longer in a position to do much in the area of formation of Catholic journalists.

However, the zeal to ensure that Catholic journalists spread the word of God through the media in a professionally acceptable manner kept haunting him; and that is why he decided to convene the meeting.

After much brainstorming, participants agreed on the name: the Cameroon Association of Catholic English-speaking Journalists (CACEJ). Ireneaus Chia lauded Martin Jumbam’s initiative to re-initiate and reinforce training for Catholic journalists which, he said, is indispensable for any journalist.

He regretted that even though there are training opportunities and exchange programmes abroad for Catholic journalists, Catholic English-speaking journalists in Cameroon hardly ever benefit from them, given that many are not even aware of such opportunities.

He also raised the need for a Style Book for CACEJ to help journalists write professionally as it is the case in some renowned media structures (Associated Press, Reuters, etc). Ireneaus Chia and Grace Ongey were assigned to draft the Association's by-laws and internal rules and regulations to be debated upon during the next session.

The frequency of meetings will be determined later. Membership is open to all Catholic men and women of the written, spoken and/or audiovisual media, working for the Catholic or the secular media.

It is hoped that more Catholic journalists will attend the next session, to be announced soon. Martin Jumbam said the closing prayer which brought the meeting to an end.

By Emmanuel Verdzeka

Catholic Men Association, CMA, members of Kumbo Cathedral Mission joined their counterparts in Kumbo Diocese to observe the Feast of St. Joseph, the association’s patron saint on March 17. The celebration started with a Holy Mass at the Kumbo Cathedral, with the Cathedral Canon, Rev. Fr. Joseph Lukong, officiating.

The Eucharistic celebration was also an occasion to pray and ask God to strengthen the association and to help members emulate their patron saint.

Speaking to L'Effort Camerounais, Rev. Fr. Lukong underscored the CMA’s role and contributions to the Church’s growth. He said the CMA has been contributing to the Church’s welfare even though the group is still young.

He noted that unlike in the past when they were dormant, CMA members have now taken up their role as Catholic Men. The CMA is making a positive impression in Kumbo, Fr. Lukong indicated, as more men who have joined the CMA are changing.

Kumbo CMA Mission Chairperson Joseph Dzelabam acknowledged that most members are working towards emulating St. Joseph especially at Small Christian Community level and honouring their Church contributions.

A CMA member, Elias Wirdze, said although the association is facing some challenges, a lot of education is being done to overcome them. He said some members do not still take good care of their families in the light of the Holy Family of Nazareth. Besides, some members do not contribute their dues, but Pa Wirdze explained that emphasis is laid more on members’ spiritual growth and not their financial might.

From L to R: Paul Samangassou, Mgr. Kleda and Joseph Ndjomnyam

The new MACACOS general manager, Paul Samangassou, appointed recently has been officially installed into his function. He was installed on Friday, March 15, 2013, in a ceremony which the Metropolitan Archbishop of Douala and MACACOS Board of Administration President, His Grace Samuel Kleda, chaired.

In a brief address, Mgr. Samuel Kleda thanked the outgoing general manager, Joseph Ndjomnyam Ntone, for services rendered to the company for close to four years.

The Archbishop noted that it is thanks to his efforts that construction work on the new radio and television house effectively started. During his tenure, the company also acquired a new KBA printing machine.

Mgr. Kleda thanked the new GM for accepting to take up the challenge of restructuring the company despite his tight schedule. He prescribed hard work and rigorous management given the company’s critical state. The new GM, he continued, should collaborate with the employees to find solutions to MACACOS’ present difficulties.

The outgoing GM, Joseph Ndjomnyam Ntone, thanked the Archbishop for the confidence bestowed on him during his stay in the company. He also thanked the employees for their collaboration and asked for forgiveness from whoever he might have hurt during his reign saying all his actions were to promote the company’s welfare. Mr. Ndjomnyam wished good luck to the new GM and promised to provide all the information he might need in the discharge of his duties.

On his part, the new GM thanked Mgr. Kleda for the confidence bestowed on him. He said his mission is to revive and reconstruct the company and restore the image it once had in Cameroon and beyond. He therefore called on the employees to be hardworking, honest and dedicated to their duties.

“Just like the patient who needs medical attention,” he continued, “so too will he need the employees to identify the company’s problems and as a family work together to solve them. If the company does not produce, it must at least provide for the basic needs of its workers,” he added.

Mr. Samangassou takes over from Mr. Ndjomnyam Ntone who has been at the company’s helm for close to four years. Shortly after he was installed, Mr. Samangassou addressed workers at the printing press to boost their morale and explained the company’s disturbing present situation.

Who is Paul Samangassou?

Paul Samangassou hails from the Extreme North Region of Cameroon. He worked in the public service until 1990 and at the request of Christian Cardinal Tumi who was Archbishop of Garoua at the time; Mr. Samangassou decided to render his services to the Church, particularly under the Italian organisation known by its French acronym, COE.

His activities with COE enabled him to put in place several social welfare projects in poor neighbourhoods in Garoua. At the same time he established a centre for Youths and Culture in Garoua and became its first director. He also piloted an agro-pastoral training centre in Garoua.

In 1998, the Bishops of Cameroon appointed him director of a structure within the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon that promoted activities for the underprivileged known in French as Bureau des Activités Carritatives, BASC. He was later appointed Secretary General of Caritas for the African Zone.

He later decided to be independent and is now an international development consultant. Today he controls and supervises caritas organisations in 12 African countries. He is also an editorial adviser of L'Effort Camerounais since it was re-launched in 1994. He is happily married and a father of four children- two boys and two girls.

He was appointed General Manager of the Catholic Media House, MACACOS on March 16, 2013 and has replaced Joseph Ndjomnyam appointed on August 6, 2009.

-Meeting at the Pastoral Centre Bamendankwe at the end of the Original Week- End of March 8- 10, 2013,

- Considering the threats to the integrity of the family and society in the world today, - Considering the efforts of the universal Church to overcome these abuses;

- Considering the declaration of the Bishops of Cameroon in this regard which focuses precisely on abortion, homosexuality, incest, and the sexual abuse of minors;

- Considering that in this declaration the Bishops strongly condemn the abominations that are out to destroy the family fabric;

- Considering the call of the Bishops in this declaration to all parents to steer clear of the abuses, cover their children with affection and respect, ensure a good education for them and preserve them from all threats inside as well as outside the family home,

- Considering God’s lofty plan for the family beginning with marriage which is God’s idea not man’s idea,

- Considering that Jesus Christ himself raised marriage to the dignity of a Sacrament, and is very interested in the relationship of couples and within the family,

- Considering that achieving unity in our matrimonial relationship is choosing to live God’s plan through intimacy and responsibility,

- Considering that to live God’s plan in our day to day activities is to make our Sacrament shine, radiate and affect our children, the people around us and the Church,

-Considering our Christian duty to scrupulously respect and follow the direction pointed to us by our Bishops,

-Considering our duty as couples who have been equipped through our Original Week-End, with tools to live the sacrament of marriage as God wants us to, following the teaching of the Church,

We, couples (men and women), priests and religious of the World-Wide Marriage Encounter Movement in Bamenda Archdiocese, pledge to:

- Scrupulously respect the declaration of the Bishops of Cameroon on the family and fight against the abuses threatening the family,

-Build our marriages on love by showing exemplary love and faithfulness to each other;

-Bear witness to life in Christ by rooting our lives and families in fidelity to God’s Word and working hard to maintain our family unity.

-Assume our responsibilities and bring up our children properly; being the first to proclaim God’s word to them - the first evangelisers to them; presenting them to God and teaching them to live prayerful lives.

-Never giving in to ‘the forces which weaken and destroy the unity, stability and happiness of the family.’

-Fight against the path of selfish materialism which has produced so much suffering in some parts of the world.

-Beware of listening “to ideologies which allow society or the State to take over the right and responsibilities which belong to families.”

- “Make every effort to preserve the spiritual and ethical values of marriage and family life.” (Pope John Paul II).

-Be more committed than ever before to the ideals of Worldwide Marriage Encounter and let our Sacrament shine, radiate and affect our children, our community, the Church and the world.

Done in Bamenda, this Sunday, the 10th day of our Lord, in the month of March, 2013
Signed:

Rev. Fr. Anthony Bangsi and Romanus and Emilia Ngobesing
Archdiocesan Ecclesial Team

By Ireneaus Chongwain Chia

Pope Francis has put his humility on display during the first days of his pontificate, establishing a warmth and personal touch that have not been felt and seen within the Vatican for a very long time. Where his predecessor, Benedict XVI, set his personal mark through an exceptional theological astuteness, Pope Francis is demonstrably making his mark through his humility, simplicity and sense of humour and, quicker than may have been expected, is rapidly finding an acceptable mix between theology and social action. But while he forges on, his detractors are not asleep.

Shortly after he was elected, he wasted no time to give his fledging papacy a touch of his own. He has kept the simple pectoral cross of his days as archbishop and steered clear of the papal red cape instead choosing a simple white papal cassock. In a typical reversal of roles, he asked the crowd that had gathered at St. Peter’s Square to greet after he was elected to bless him."I want you to bless me," Pope Francis said. Instead of taking up residence in the majestic papal apartment, he is now living in the Domus Santa Marta in community with other temporary and permanent residents.

Immediately he was elected, it is reported that he once again confirmed his simple nature when he refused using a special sedan that was to transport him to the hotel and instead rode on a minibus with other cardinals. It has also been reported that he began his first day as Pope visiting some Vatican sites in a simple Vatican car and even stopped by a hotel in downtown Rome where he picked up the luggage he left behind before moving into the Vatican hotel for the conclave and paid the bill himself. The Vatican spokesman, Rev. Federico Lombardi, explained Pope Francis was setting a “good example” and described the Pope’s decision as “a remarkable show of simplicity and humility for a man who could easily have dispatched someone to do the job for him.”

Whereas many were seeing such display of simplicity in the Vatican’s usually carefully tailored and traditionally dictated conduct for the first time, it was not new to the Pope known for his modest ways and preference for the poor back in his native Argentina. Even after he became Cardinal, he never lived in the Church’s mansion, instead preferring a simple bed in a downtown building, heated by a small stove. For years, he took a public bus around the city and cooked his own meals. He challenged his fellow priests when he asked them to follow Jesus’ example who bathed lepers and ate with prostitutes.

"Jesus teaches us another way: go out. Go out and share your testimony, go out and interact with your brothers, go out and share, go out and ask. Become the Word in body as well as spirit."

Even as Pope, he has remained true to his convictions as one of his first gestures was a surprise visit he paid to a patient, Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mejia, in Pius XI Roman Clinic, where he asked the hospital staff to pray for him and thanked them for their work “with the sick and those who suffer.” Just as he did in 2001 when he was consecrated cardinal, he has discouraged Argentines who are raising funds to attend his inaugural, to stay back in Argentina and use the money to help the poor.

However, Pope Francis knows his pontificate is not going to be a bed of roses. Addressing cardinals after he was elected, he prescribed courage as he knows the task ahead is not going to be easy as anticlerical and antichurch adherents are determined to impose their secularist agenda by tarnishing the Church’s and her ministers’ image. That is not to say the Church is made up of saints or is new to criticisms and mudslinging, no, but she knows that in spite of the human weaknesses that have blighted and continue enfeebling the Church, the Holy Spirit with His vivifying and unifying force, remains the Church’s soul, permitting her to form a single body, the Mystical Body of Christ.

Those who craved for a progressive pope simply to pave the way for their secularist and hedonistic agenda are not going to find that person in Pope Francis. He is openly opposed to gay marriage, for example. In a letter to the Carmelite Nuns of the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires on what he called “the grave legal redefinition of marriage” he once noted that the fight against same sex marriages “--- is not a simple political struggle; it is an intention, destructive of the plan of God. It is not a mere legislative project, but rather a "move" of the father of lies who wishes to confuse and deceive the children of God,” he wrote. His stance on same sex marriage has never changed. He believes, as he said while addressing cardinals in Rome recently, that the Christian truth responds to the profound needs of human existence and is just as valid today as from the beginning of Christianity. He is simply continuing from where Peter left off.

Culled from the Moynihan Report

The new Pope's bedroom, published before the Conclave, when no one thought it would be the room the Pope would choose to remain in
Everyone likes a home they can be comfortable in. And the new Pope is no exception. And he likes the Domus Santa Marta. He's comfortable there. And so, for the moment, Pope Francis will not move into the grand, majestic Apostolic Palace which overlooks St. Peter's Square, where every Pope since 1903 has lived.

This is causing a small sensation in the Vatican. It is another sign of Pope Francis's simplicity. His life is coherent with his words. Interestingly, as far as being close to the tomb of St. Peter, except for the residences in the Fabbrica San Pietro, there is no residence in Vatican City closer to St. Peter's tomb than... the Domus.

It is only a two-minute walk across the cobblestones to the back entrance of the basilica, and then in and down to the crypt, where Peter's body was taken after he was crucified only a few steps away, probably in 64 A.D.

And the presence of Peter's body there is the whole reason for the existence of the basilica, and the entire Vatican. The basilica is built directly over his tomb. The center of Michaelangelo's cupola is directly over the tomb. The main altar is directly over the tomb.

So Francis, for the time being, will stay in his room at the Domus Santa Marta -- the House of St. Martha, the saint known for her hospitality -- the sister of Mary of Bethany and of Lazarus, whom Jesus raised.

It is the one guest house in Vatican City, and the place where the cardinals stayed during the Conclave.

There Francis will have a small suite, quite comfortable, but by no means luxurious- Room 201. The Pope's window has a view of the basilica dome, the lovely, silver cupola.

This is the same suite Cardinal Ratzinger used for a few days after his election in 2005, before he moved over to the Apostolic Palace. The same suite where patriarchs have sometimes stayed in the past. The largest and best suite in the Domus. But nowhere near as large as the papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace are.

Francis will have a common dining room on the first, ground floor of the Domus, where some 50 monsignors from the Vatican, who also live full-time in the Domus, take their breakfast, lunch and dinner.

And, also the same ground floor, is the chapel of the Domus, where Francis has been celebrating Mass each morning.

There are also several meeting rooms, and a large reception room for receiving guests.

Below that level, in the basement of the Domus, there are a couple of vending machines, for coffee and cappuccino, and there is even a small gym with weight machines and treadmills for exercising.

The Domus is spotlessly clean, and has been carefully managed, first, for nearly 10 years, by don Aldo Tolotto, and, for the past year, by Tolotto's successor, Monsignor Battista Ricca, who is also in charge of the other two Vatican guest houses, both outside the Vatican, one behind Vatican Radio and the other on via della Scrofa, just behind the Piazza Navona.

In addition to the monsignors who live there, members of pontifical academies who have meetings in Rome (for example, members of the Pontifical Academy for Life and the Pontifical Academy of Sciences), can also reside for a few days in the Domus.

It is not known how this decision of Francis to stay in the Domus may affect the operations of the Vatican security force, or if any changes will have to be made to the traffic flow from the nearby side gate of the Vatican.

It is only a few minutes walk from the front door of the Domus up into the Vatican Gardens. On an afternoon stroll, then, Pope Francis could, conceivably, walk up into the gardens and in just a few minutes arrive... at the convent where Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI will be staying, beginning in May.

By Rev. Fr. Giles N. Forteh

In their daily experience, many find themselves treading the rocky path of the biblical Job. Battered by the storms and woes of this imperfect life, they pose fundamental theological and ethical questions. These are the anguished questions of faith, the love and might of God, the reality and logic of suffering, the triumph of goodness, and the apparent dominion of evil.

Groaning under the oppressors' thumb, the afflicted often wonder aloud whether God is still in charge. Like Zion in captivity, they feel abandoned. When the poor and the disinherited, victims of unjust and iniquitous systems, look up and see the wealth amassed by their crooked neighbours, they question the triumph of good over evil. When the politically and economically mighty make their authority absolute and crush the nameless downtrodden, the latter are forced to ask whether the Lord is still in charge. At times, in extreme pain, they find themselves repeating the words of the Psalmist:

My tears have become my bread
By night, by day,
As I hear it said all the day long:
Where is your God? (Ps 42)

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the world of my groaning.
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer And by night, but find no rest. (Ps 22: 1-2)

Inflated by the extent of their power, the superfluity of their sordid gains, and the prestige of their     thrones, those "who make things happen" in society are tempted to feel that they are ultimately in control of the world. Like the self-indulgent fools of the days of the Prophet Amos, "they lie on ivory beds and sprawl on their divans, they dine on fat lambs from the flock, and stall-fattened veal … they drink wine by bowlful, and lard themselves with the finest oil" (Amos 6:4-5), and are deluded into thinking that they are in control. Damning false sense of security!

They have not learned the silent lessons of history that empires rise and wan, that great men rise and fall and that man, finite and subject to change, is not ultimately in charge. He is at best a steward. The One at whose command "the sea fled, the Jordan turned back on its course, the mountain skipped like rams and hills like yearling sheep" (Ps 114:3) is in charge. God is in control of the world and he directs all happenings towards the salvation of all who put their trust in him.

Men may cast their lots, gamble with their deeds, create chaos and confusion in the world and move the heels of history with blood-stained hands. But God's providence that presides over human lives finally brings order out of chaos. "The old order changeth giving place to the new and God fulfils himself in many ways" says the great poet Tennyson. Yes, even those who now think that they are running this world by their human ingenuity, without divine assistance or what they foolishly call 'interference from God, will at the end submit to a greater Power and see that God is in control. He who created the world directs it in conformity with his bounteous plan for the salvation of all who seek him.

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power, and the glory,
and the victory and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Both riches and honour come from you and you rule over all. In your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all"   (I Chron 29:10-13).

"Every knee will bend in submission at the name of Jesus" (Phil 2:10), for "everything visible and invisible, thrones, ruling forces, sovereignties, powers - all were created through him and for him" (Col 1:16). God never abandons his people in their misery. He is their refuge and their strength. He leads His people from bondage to freedom and raises the lowly.

"Shout for joy, you heavens; earth exult!
Mountains, break with into joyful cries!
For Yahweh has consoled his people
in taking pity on his afflicted ones.
Zion was saying, 'Yahweh has abandoned me,
the Lord has forgotten me.'
Can a woman forget her baby at the breast
Feel no pity for the child she has borne?
Even if these were to forget,
I shall not forget you.
Look I have engraved you on the palms   of my hand.         (Is 49:13-16).

It is decisive that from the very start, every aspiring man or woman should mount his or her life on the sure foundation of a firm faith in God. Jesus told his disciples "In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (Jn 16:33). Suffering is part of life. We can share it, relieve it, but we never escape it. The mystery of why God allows his children to suffer is rooted in redemption, in Jesus' suffering for us on the cross. His death and resurrection assure us of God's love and bring us hope in the world to come. It is a mystery only revealed to us in so far as we have faith. It is evidence of things unseen. "It is in affliction itself that the splendour of God's mercy shines from its very depth, in the heart of its inconsolable bitterness."

Suffering teaches us endurance, and by endurance, Jesus tells us we shall gain our lives. For our suffering to retain its spiritual merits, we must surrender ourselves to the will of God. "Happy indeed the man whom God corrects. Then do not refuse this lesson from the Lord. Because he who wounds is he who soothes and the hand that hurts is the hand that heals" (Job 5:17-19). We must never be discouraged by pain or grief. In his poem "Auguries of Innocence" William Blake says:

Man was made for joy and woe;
And when this we rightly know
Thro' the world we safely go.
Joy and woe are woven fine,
A clothing for the soul divine;
Under every grief and pine
Runs a joy with silken twine.

The Lord is in charge "If the Lord does not build the house, the work of the builders is useless; if the Lord does not protect the city; it is useless for the sentries to stand guard. It is useless to work so hard for a living, getting up early and going to bed late, for the Lord provides for those he loves, while they are asleep.(Ps. 127)

By Fr. Moses Tazoh

Eukeria and her babies

Eukeria Tambeyong began her story by thanking God for her life. After her first child she skipped two years when she went back to school. After she completed her course, she intended to have a child, but she had a serious problem becoming pregnant.

For two years she could not understand what was going on. Some thought it was due to the fact that she had spaced out her delivery. No. She consulted a gynaecologist who discovered that she had developed ovarian cysts on both sides of the womb and a growth which was not yet mature for an operation. The doctor thought taking drugs would get rid of it. This was to no avail. In the meantime, the growth had developed and could be operated upon. She was booked for an operation.

In the meantime, she had begun a programme of prayers for the two years that the cyst and growth were diagnosed. With the leaders of her prayer group she underwent a rigorous regime of fasting and praying. The leader of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal gave a schedule that she carried out right up to the operation day. She had to fast on Mondays and Thursdays, pray the Rosary and recite the Divine Mercy Chaplet every day. She prayed psalms 212, 113, 127, 138 in the morning and 130, 22, 118, 118, 123, 128 in the evening. She meditated on the word of God daily.

While visiting the Blessed Sacrament she prostrated in front of the tabernacle for one hour at each prayer session. There she told her story to Jesus and worshipped him. The Stations of the Cross were also done meticulously. Drinking holy water was also part of her remedy for a favourable solution to her problem. What might appear too laborious for some people, she said, “I took this prayer seriously and with faith, trusting God for my healing.”

Before the day of the surgery drew near, some members of the prayer group suggested that the day could be postponed while they continued praying. Apparently they had seen a sign which was not too clear, but could be positive. She herself began to be hopeful and hesitant about the medical option.

The day for the operation came. At the maternity all was ready. She was tidied and dressed up. The doctor and theatre nurses were ready for their job. The doctor had an urgent call to go to Buea. She remained patiently in that state until the doctor returned late in the afternoon. Trembling, she voiced out whether the operation could not be postponed. Dr. Sylvester Adeh in his humorous style accepted willingly. But no future appointment was scheduled. She was simply prescribed some antibiotics which she took with strong resistance. While in bed she received a call from her prayer leader that made her pluck up courage to abandon the surgery without any cause for regret.

Back home she continued with prayer and fasting. At a healing prayer session it was the turn of praying for the fruit of the womb. The leader announced that he had seen someone receiving a child. Immediately she cried out: “I am the one oh”. The Lord seemingly had done it for her. Within two months, though she was not feeling any pain as before, she decided with her husband to go for another check-up for she was having some bouts of fever. Tests were conducted. The story had changed. There was a new discovery. She was pregnant. The cyst and the growth were nowhere to be seen. A second gynaecologist was consulted in Buea and the same results were obtained. There was no reason to doubt that a miracle had taken place. She burst out: “No operation had taken place. And yet I have received the healing I had prayed for. Praise the Lord! Alleluia”.

Expectations were high. She could not hide her feelings: “After nine months I delivered a set of twins. In fact, I delivered just like the Hebrew women. Praise God. Amen”, she proclaimed. This woman, we are told, wasted no time in putting to birth without the assistance of a midwife. Her countenance and comportment surprised everybody. Her long protruding stomach was a sorry sight, but posed no problem. She felt no labour pains. At the hospital she prepared her bed, walked unaided to the labour room and the babies came out unscathed without much ado. Light pains were only felt during the contraction.
She explodes. “So today, my entire family and I are celebrating my healing and the blessing of two healthy boys into the family. I just believe that if we trust and obey God, then there is nothing he will not do. Praise God. Amen.”

To satisfy some doubting Thomas, it was necessary to crosscheck with her physician at the Holy Trinity Foundation Hospital, Ekona. Dr. Ade explained that many medical, natural and psychological factors could account for the phenomenon. But he did not doubt the power of prayer. He personally prays before performing his functions. As the saying goes, doctors treat but God heals. In the medical field, he confessed, there had been cases that science and medical experts could not really explain adequately. Therefore, he intimated, one would not dismiss the possibility of a miracle.

Talking to Eukeria I am touched by her humility and earnestness. Though she was confident that God could intervene to rescue her from her predicament, she never believed it could come too soon. She said repeatedly that the prayer programme was too cumbersome that she could not go even half way through the prescribed texts. She was never fully there because of time, house chores, school work and lack of energy due to her frail nature. But she believed it was her firm trust in God’s promises and her filial obedience to God that she got what she most desired from God.

By Anthony Ndang Ndichia, MHM, Our Lady of Assumption Parish, Sasolburg, Kroonstad Diocese, South Africa

One of the great miracles of nature is how the pregnant womb, small in itself, expands little by little to make room for the growing life within. “Our spiritual life is a constant cycle of emptying and filling, of dying and rising, of accepting and letting go.”

Emptiness is part of human experience. Sometimes it can be seen as pain, yet it can be treated as a gift. I need emptiness in me: that space for something new; to be open to wonder and surprises from God.

Just as our bodies breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide, so too do our spirits need to take in what is life-giving and empty out what is not helpful for us. A pot which is full cannot receive. Even the soil has to be ready to receive the seed (Mk 4:1-20).

When our minds are filled up, there is no room for the other, no room for the new and unexpected, and no room for surprises of God. Openness to God could be one of the brave steps to empty anything that might be blocking our spiritual growth and freedom. There is a space within us that is waiting to be filled with the radiance of God.
I empty my dustbin and after a few days it is filled with scrap papers. I clear my table, arrange it well, and next week it will be even messier. There is something always waiting to be sorted and discarded.

This is also true of our spiritual life. There are many things we can discard: resentment, anxiety, harsh judgments, self-pity, mistrust, breaking a vow, an addiction and so on.

Negative thoughts, useless fears, worries, old wounding messages and so on, also take up a lot of space.

These leave no room for God’s agenda of growth, knowledge, love, beauty or pleasure.

Moses prepared himself to receive revelations from God: “Remove the sandals from your feet for the place where you are standing is holy ground” (Ex 3:1-6). What shoes do we need to remove to embrace the grace of God?

For God to enter our lives fully, we must be ready to create space: longing opens the heart to receive (Psalm 63). The door to our inner self, heart, and mind must be opened: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be” (Mt 6:21). God needs openings in our lives to get through to us, to communicate with us, to stretch us to greater growth, to nourish us, to revitalise and renew us with love.
When we pray, how often do we say, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening”? Often we rather say: “Listen, Lord, your servant is speaking”.

If my life is clouded, cluttered with many thoughts and feelings, I may easily miss what God wants me to hear. Listening is key for our spiritual growth. To do this we need to open our minds and hearts, empty what blocks our way, create space and await God’s voice into our lives. In ministry or community, when we listen attentively we discover God everywhere, within the people.

“Let me hear what God will speak, for God will speak peace to the people, to those who turn to God in their hearts” (Psalm 85:1-8).
Our spiritual life is a constant cycle of emptying and filling, of dying and rising, of accepting and letting go. The process of creating space for something new may be painful, yet it leads us to yearn for God, to appreciate our life with greater reverence and gratitude.
If we shake off the power, the prestige and possessions, then our spirit will be freer to thirst for the deeper things of God.

When we create space for something new, we receive: peace of mind and heart, healing of old wounds, greater acceptance of ourselves, discovery of who we truly are, harmony with our families and colleagues, wisdom to make good choices and decisions, forgiveness of ourselves and others, freedom and spiritual growth, reverence for life, willingness to hear God’s voice.

By Jude Abanseka

The Bishop of Mamfe, His Lordship Francis Teke Lysinge, has invited the Monks of St. John the Evangelist to construct and run a monastery at the Apatha Hill in Ossing village in Mamfe. Bishop Lysinge disclosed this to some pilgrims on Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at the start of a Eucharistic celebration at the Apatha Hill.

The Bishop of Mamfe underscored that the provincial celebration of the Year of Faith presents Mamfe Diocese an urgent pastoral need to transform Apatha Hill into a place of a genuine encounter with God.

Mgr. Francis said after reflecting on what to do to ensure that Apatha Hill keeps the memory of the arrival of missionaries in Mamfe, they finally decided not long ago that it will be fitting to set up a monastery on the hill. The Monks of St. John the Evangelist, he went on, have accepted to take up residence on the hill.

Bishop Francis also expressed hope that not long from now, work will begin on the hill so that there can be a permanent community of prayer not only for Mamfe Diocese, but also for the provincial and the universal Church.

On the diocese's behalf, Bishop Lysinge thanked the Monks of St. John for accepting to take up this apostolate of prayer on the hill which he considers a very important apostolate in the Church's life .

In line with the slogan of Mamfe Diocese, Mgr. Francis Teke added that he was hopeful the presence of the Monks on the Apatha hill will soon help transform Mamfe into "Something Beautiful for God".

He seized the opportunity to invite the elite present and those in the Diaspora to contribute generously as they have always done to construct the structures the Monastery community will require. The Monks of St. John the Evangelist are already in Ossing at a temporary residence until the monastery is constructed.

The Holy Mass was a prelude to the inauguration of a monument which carries the history of the Catholic Church in Cameroon and thus ended two days of activities for the celebration of the Year of Faith in the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province.

The Bishop of Mamfe thanked the Bishop Emeritus of Buea, Mgr. Pius Awah, who braved the odds to be present for the celebration and above all for the pastoral foresight he had to create Mamfe Diocese, which has moved from six parishes when it was created, to 31 parishes today.

Mgr. Lysinge stressed that Bishop Awah began the pilgrimage to Apatha Hill as Bishop of Buea. He noted, among several things, that it was at Apatha Hill that the German Pallotine Missionaries planted the seed of faith in 1912. He said it was on that hill that the first Holy Mass was celebrated on the soil of Mamfe Diocese.

It was also on the hill that Bishop Shanahan had the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament when he made his famous trek to Cameroon from the Republic of Nigeria.

Mgr. Lysinge said it was still from the same hill 'that a missionary almost in despair declared, "only a miracle of Grace will save the people of this area." “As you can see, the miracle of grace is continuously taking place in our midst and that is why we are here today," Bishop Lysinge said.

Interviewed by Jude Abanseka

Most incest victims usually confide in the medical doctors treating them, if they decide to break the silence. L’Effort Camerounais asked a surgeon at Mount Mary Health Centre and Maternity Buea, Dr. John Chuwanga, to throw more light on incest from a medical and psychological standpoint. Excerpts:

How prevalent is incest in the South West Region? In other words, is it a common or a rare phenomenon?
It is against the law to commit incest because there is a law that punishes those who commit incest. I suppose we all know that. As one grows up, and from a moral and cultural standpoint, we are trained and everybody knows that having any sexual relationship with a blood relative is against God and State laws. It is very difficult to give the prevalence rate of incest either in Cameroon, in the South West Region or in Buea because we do not get complaints every day.

Cases of incest mostly remain in the family. Many people are either shy or embarrassed to talk about it. So at the end of the day you do not get a clear picture. I have heard stories of girls whose uncles have tried to go to bed with them. In other cases some girls’ cousins have tried to have them and some even lured the girls with money. Like I said earlier, victims rarely talk about it.

However, when I was working in Yaoundé, a father had sexual intercourse with her virgin daughter and even made her pregnant at one point. But again it took a very long time, in fact almost four years, before the girl could talk about it and it ignited a lot of

problems in the family. So, we cannot refuse that incest exists in families, but even then it is still very difficult to give a clear prevalence rate because people usually do not confess or openly talk about it.

Dr., what are some of the reasons that push people into incestuous relationships?
I do not know, but I think maybe it is as a result of temptation or weakness on the part of those who initiate it. Some people belong to sects or cults and want to live by the obligations of these sects. It is claimed in such sects members are told to have sexual intercourse with close family members. But again there is no proof as nobody knows what is happening even as they see these things everyday. Sometimes those involved in incestuous relationships are mentally deranged and they force others into committing the act. In some cases both are mentally ill.

It is often said that children born of incestuous relationships usually do not live long and, even if they do, are often unhealthy. How true is this claim and can it be explained medically?
Medically or scientifically relations share the same genes and if there is any weakness or weak gene or problematic gene in the family, this will be passed on to the children if close family members have incestuous relationships. But if there are stronger genes or genes of advantage, that too will spread in the family. So I do not think it is a fact that the children of incestuous parents die easily. You cannot prove or explain that scientifically. The Bororos, for example, marry their cousins and nothing that you mentioned happens. That is why they look so alike.

In Cameroon like in most African countries family ties or relationships are strictly kept right up to the fourth or even fifth cousins. In your opinion where should the limit be?
Honestly it is difficult to put a line across this, but it depends on how close the families are. In some families by the second cousin the lineage is already broken such that they do not even know who is who. Now if they meet and marry, there is no problem. Like you say, some go on to fourth and fifth cousins, but it all depends on how close the family ties are, what advantages they have in the family, and the family status.
Do not be surprised to go to a village just to find that everybody is a cousin. In some villages in Cameroon they tell their children not to marry from their village because they are all brothers and sisters. But we are abandoning that nowadays as third or fourth cousins now inter-marry. I have even seen cousins who met, fell in love and decided to get married. Their families were very sad and thought death was coming, but they did not bulge and went ahead and got married.

In my opinion, when it starts getting to third or fourth generation of cousins, there is some lee way people could go about their lives and marry if they choose, but it all still depends on how close the family ties are.

What are some of the medical and psychological consequences of incest?
Psychologically, or better still, morally, it can affect you depending on your conscience. Take the case of a father who has had this type of relationship with his daughter and his wife knows about it. To preserve the family name she might keep it secret, but she will be permanently disturbed and may start behaving abnormally as a result. People who are obliged by a cult to engage in incestuous relationships may in the long run start having remorse and finding it difficult living with this for the rest of their lives and this may affect them psychologically.

What about having a perpetrator of incest ostracised?
That is correct, but our societies are changing. In those days the communities were closed and they had strict rules and regulations and if you broke any of these rules you were exiled. But most villages are becoming cosmopolitan now and some of these beliefs are dying out.

Nowadays, everybody goes about his or her business to the extent that even if somebody accuses another of being a wizard or witch nobody cares. Now people are thinking more about everybody’s freedom and letting them be. You will only battle with your own conscience when what you do is considered morally wrong. Nobody is prepared to bring such pressure to bear on him or herself. Such a person will feel out of place and will go on self exile.

What measures can be taken to stop or curb incest in our society?
Moral upbringing is of prime importance. Many religious groups can be relied on even as every church is preaching her own thing . But if you are a Christian or a Moslem and you know that this is wrong or right you just have to rely on your conscience and beliefs. When children are growing up they know their sisters and brothers and parents also have a duty to tell or even show them their relations. Education at home, Church and school should take care of that.

By Fr. Moses Tazoh

The breakdown of family values, the disregard for human dignity and occult practices, have caused untold damage to many lives, especially the most vulnerable, children, through incestuous behaviour.

What is incest?
Among the vices that plague the present day family and society, especially in the area of sexuality, is incest. The Bishops of Cameroon, in their recent communiqué, denounced vehemently the practice of incest. Incest is sexual relationship between siblings, immediate and extended family members. They may be by blood, adoption or marriage or members of the same household (house helps or relations of spouses) or clan or lineage. Incest becomes sexual abuse when it occurs without consent, between an adult and a minor or as a result of force.

Incest is evil
The case of Lot is staggering. Lot and his two daughters survived the flood that destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. The two girls planned to put their father to sleep through drunkenness. Their unconscious father slept with each of them so that they could propagate the race. These were the only righteous people on earth and God had sworn to cleanse the human race. Could this be the principle of lesser evil or because of the hardheartedness of a perverse people, like the case of divorce dispensed by Moses? (Gen 19:32-36)

Incest is an abomination in the Bible and a taboo in nations and cultures. “None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness. “ (Lev. 18:6) It is punishable by death when a man lies with his father’s wife. (Lev. 20:11) If a man lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them (Lev. 20:12) Incest corrupts family relationships and makes man beastlike. (CCC 2388; 1 Cor. 5:1, 4-5)

The most disturbing and dreary tale of incest is that practiced by occult movements and some religious sects. An incident has been reported in Bamenda involving a sect that practices this perverse trade as a way of cleansing, we are told. On 12 March the Police arrested seven men, eight women and 30 children who preach strict seclusion from the rest of the world and practice incest. They consider the rest of the world evil and live a vegetarian life. Only men are allowed out of the compound which is guarded by dogs of different breeds. Suspicious deaths have been registered. Away from this heinous incident we daily come across families where children are abused compulsively by their parents who are involved in occult worship. They do it for money or power.

Why is incest so common?
Incest is widespread, but rarely taken note of for obvious reasons. Since it involves families they would rather hide their shame and even spend money to cover it up than care about the victim’s welfare. Most victims are children who are scared of exposing the adult. Incest is common in families where one or both parents are often absent or emotionally unavailable. Abusive siblings also use incest as a way to assert their power over a weaker sibling. In the absence of the father, a female sibling is often abused by the brother who wants to take the father’s place.

In the case of a father violating the daughter, it could be when there is an estrangement between the mother and the daughter or the father is extremely domineering. It occurs too when the mother reassigns to her daughter some of her traditional major family responsibilities. And the likely victim is the oldest and only daughter.
Incest is on the increase because the crime is hardly reported due to false beliefs or ignorance. The victim is often told that what is happening is normal or happens in every family, and not regarded as a form of abuse. The victim may not know that help is available or who he or she can talk to. He or she may be afraid of what will happen if the case is told to someone. The abuser may be threatening the victim. The victim may also care about the abuser and not want to wash his dirty linens in public. The survivor may be afraid of his own fate being exposed. The victim may also be concerned about how many people will react when they hear about the abuse. The most common fear is that no one will believe the victim. Victims fear they may be accused of having done something wrong by expressing their feelings.

What are the effects of incest?
The devastating effects of this cankerworm are little known or felt because the perpetrators and the victims operate and live in silence and secrecy. Incest is especially damaging because it disrupts the child’s primary support system, the family. When a child is abused by someone outside the family, the child’s family is often able to offer support and a sense of safety. That shelter is absent when the abuser is a family member. Since the children, especially younger children, often have limited resources outside the family, it can be very hard for them to recover from incest. Incest can damage a child’s ability to trust, since the people who were supposed to protect and care for them have abused them. Survivors of incest sometimes have difficulty developing trusting relationships.

It can also be very destructive for a child if a non-abusing parent is aware of the abuse and chooses, for some reason, not to take action to stop it.   The rest of the family may be dependent on the abuser for shelter or income. If this parent was not a victim himself as a child, he may think this is normal for families. Maybe the only way to keep the partner is to allow the incest to continue. The parent not responsible for the abuse may think it was the child’s fault who ‘asked for it’ by being provocative and seductive.

The way the child dresses or makes up at home can give wrong signals. Unfortunately, many non-abusing parents are aware of the incest and choose not to get their child out of the situation, or worse, to blame their child for what has happened. This makes the long-term effects of incest worse.

Incest is psychologically harmful to a woman in later life. She suffers from low self esteem, unhealthy sexual activity, contempt for other women and other emotional problems. Adults abused as children suffer from difficulties in interpersonal relationships and sexual dysfunction, and are exposed to high risk of many mental disorders, including depression, anxiety, phobic avoidance reactions, substance abuse, borderline personality disorder and complex post-traumatic stress. Were the parties engage in marriage there could be genetic unhealthy disorders. The abused child grows up to hate the opposite sex and may get into homosexuality or lesbianism. Victims have committed suicide when they cannot continue living with people who have betrayed trust.

What is the way forward for survivors?
Assistance to someone who has survived incest is rather difficult. A child molested by a stranger can run home for help and comfort. A survivor of incest cannot. Professional help from a counsellor or therapist is rare and expensive. A support group of people who have had the same experience would be good. Sharing their stories, especially with some guidance of group therapy could help. The feeling of not being alone is very consoling.

Survivors should be encouraged to speak out. Truth heals. Breaking the silence helps the survivor and others as a kind of warning or precaution. When an authority abuses a child and tells him to keep quiet, it traumatises the child and makes him more helpless. Children should be empowered to question things that breach their rights and dignity. This is evident in our Western society, though sometimes exaggerated, where children can call the police at will.

Abusers are usually respectable people, those we trust and confide in. Without being too pessimistic or judgemental, care should be given and nothing taken for granted. Despite the fact that incest is a taboo, it is just another rule to be broken, and another boundary to cross. There might be a hidden agenda which can be power and not sex. Emotions play a big part. Consent can rise from genetic sexual attraction whose pleasure gives the lie that it is the right thing to do. In some cases traditional rites are carried out to cleanse the genes or rid the family of subsequent curses. Suspected significant adults should therefore be kept away from vulnerable children.

By Ireneaus Chongwain Chia

From a biblical standpoint, God refuses incestuous relationship as He forbids sexual relationships between consanguineous relations. The book of Leviticus is particularly useful when examining incest in the Bible, but the New Testament also addresses the problem and its ensuing consequences.

St. Paul stigmatises this especially grave offense: "It is actually reported that there is immorality among you . . . for a man is living with his father's wife. . . . In the name of the Lord Jesus . . . you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh. . . . " The Catholic Church is opposed to consanguineous relationships as she considers consanguinity as sacred. She is therefore opposed to incest which the Catechism of the Catholic Church defines as the intimate relations between relatives or in-laws within a degree that prohibits marriage between them. The intimate relations among relatives, to a certain degree, prohibit marriage between them" (CCC n° 2388).

Incest corrupts family relationships and marks a regression toward the animal nature. Therefore marriage or sexual relationships between two people related by consanguinity that is, by natural kinship, legal kinship and by direct affinity, should be avoided, the Bishops of Cameroon stated in a recent pastoral letter on the ills that are threatening the contemporary Cameroonian family.

Though it is usually difficult for victims and perpetrators to discuss the subject openly and freely because of the subject's sensitive nature, shame, pressure from family members, threats from the abuser, and the stigma associated with the practice, the warning signs are usually there.

Incest victims usually find themselves in deep emotional pain or become depressed because it is often someone they either trust or depend on who is abusing them. While it can be very difficult for a family member to know if incest is occurring in the household ,when a female house help, for example, no longer wants to be left alone with the father of the house, there is an absolute need to start asking questions.

When young victims, previously respectful, for some unexplained reasons either become disrespectful or engage in some self-destructive behaviour, this could be a pointer that someone inside the home maybe abusing them sexually.

Incest is more likely to occur in a family where at least one parent is a stepparent and erroneously thinks this is a leeway for sexual permissiveness. Incest has grave consequences as victims mostly always no longer trust and have no self respect, and suffer from trauma and fear, to name just these few. If a parent is at all suspicious that incest is going on, it is important to discuss the concerns with the other parent.

It is based on the grievous and sinful nature of incest that the Bishops of Cameroon have called on all families, tribes, and ethnic groups to scrupulously respect the consanguinity and affinity among close family members and to make them know their descendants and the relationship between them to keep the incest hydra out of the home.

Nowadays the society has become so permissive that people are finding it more and more difficult drawing a clear line between acceptable and deviant conduct. This has resulted in, among other consequences, a sexual promiscuity that is leaving many lives, especially those of children victims, devastated. Incest is commonly defined as a sexual relationship among close family members, but it actually stretches wider than you may have imagined. So what can you do to keep your children and loved ones safe from this hydra? L’Effort Camerounais attempts an answer.

Joachim Enoh: Mamfe Diocese

My impressions are very good. The congress was well organised and all the Bishops came to show how important the event was. They are interested in seeing the faith grow. I have already started putting in place measures to help deepen my faith during this Year of Faith. I have just bought a copy of the Provincial Catechism and with my family; we shall study it to the finish. My faith and my family's shall surely improve greatly. Dolores Shulika Yaya, Bamenda Archdiocese

I am humbled to be part of this enriching and a history making event in the life of the church, especially as the launching of the Provincial Catechism coincided with the inaugural Mass of the new Pope. It is a very strong call for mission. To take my faith to a higher level, I will first of all use the guidelines given to us to study the Catechism and through words and my deeds, I will try to make other people live it too.

Noella Manka'ah: Bamenda Archdiocese

I am very happy with the launching and to be part of it. Coming to Mamfe was Divine intervention. It was a wonderful experience and when I take the information back, my parishioners will welcome it. My faith has already improved but I have to concretise it. I will start by making sure that I have a copy of the Catechism. With my parish priest, I will make sure we move to Small Christian Communities to share with others how the faith in our parish can grow.

Innocent Finya: Kumbo Diocese

My impressions are very positive. When I was coming to Mamfe I did not know there was so much to learn. I am very grateful for what I have learned and I will try to bring this knowledge to the rest of the people in my community back home. To take my faith to a higher level, I will explore the Catechism that has just been launched. I did not know there was so much in it because I have always thought the Catechism was just a handbook for Catechists and not for every Christian.
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So with this change of perception, I will study it and make sure I encourage friends and other Christians to do same to deepen their faith.

Emmanuel Pivaga Fokum: Bamenda Archdiocese

This has been a wonderful initiative of the bishops of Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province to bring us to Mamfe to enrich and deepen our faith. The papers presented were also very good. I know the way forward now. Many people will now be challenged to live what is preached. To improve on my faith I will strive to match words with action. It does not suffice to talk only, but also to evangelise through our actions. I will try to make myself a living Bible. I will try to live in such a way that just by looking at my life, somebody can be inspired to write another Bible.

Denis Mbeng Ashu: Buea Diocese

The seminar was very rich because we have been properly drilled on the Year of Faith, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Pastoral Plan and what it takes to be a full time Christian. I have already procured all the documents that were on sale, except the Pastoral Plan and the Universal Catechism which I already had. I am looking forward to acquiring the Vatican II document as we have been told that we need to master these documents to improve our faith. As a Parish Council chairman, I will study these documents, especially as I am also expected to help in disseminating information and training in my parish. Since parishioners must see a change in me, I will strive to be an example during this Year of Faith.

Christopher Fongeh: Bamenda Archdiocese

The whole event touched me. I learnt a lot from the talks that were presented. I am leaving Mamfe encouraged to practice all what I have gathered especially the Provincial Catechism and the Provincial Pastoral Plan. As a Catechist, I am going to study the Universal and the Provincial Catechisms and the Bible intensely. That way I believe I will be empowered as a Christian.

Elfrida Ghenghan: Kumbo Diocese

It has been a wonderful and challenging occasion for me. To improve on my faith, I will start by having copies of the necessary books especially the Catholic Catechism and study them. I will begin putting what I have learned into practice and also try to teach others.

Benedicta Bime: Kumbo Diocese

The celebration reawakened my faith. I will change from today because I now know that I have to deepen my knowledge of the Catechism of the Catholic Church more than ever before. I have realised that from today we have to turn over a new leaf and know the doctrine of the Catholic Church. I will let my friends and fellow Christians know that we have been sleeping and not actually practicing the Catholic faith as we are supposed to.

Florence Fokum: Bamenda Archdiocese

I am overwhelmed with joy as I learned much from the talks. They will go a long way to enrich me spiritually. To deepen my faith, I will buy a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic faith, read it and try to implement its contents. Beginning from my home, I will see how we can study it as a family, digest it and then extend it to other parishioners.

By Sr. Roseline Reuben and Nicole Blanche Iteinjoh

Bishop Blushu blesses historic Year of Faith monument

From March 18 to 20, 2013, the Ecclesiastical Province of Bamenda celebrated the Year of Faith at Apatha Hill, Ossing, the Pallotine Missionaries evangelisation seat in 1912 in Mamfe Diocese.

The event brought together all the provincial bishops including the Bishop Emeritus of Buea, His Lordship Pius Awa, and 50 participants from each diocese.

In his opening speech, the Archbishop of Bamenda, His Grace Cornelius Fontem Esua, thanked the Bishop of Mamfe, His Lordship Francis Teke Lysinge, for the cordial and warm reception given to them. Archbishop Esua called on all to renew their conversion and rediscover the beauty of faith in Jesus.

He said Mamfe is not only the provincial meeting point, but is also the Pallotine Missionaries evangelisation meeting point in the Province. The Pallotine Missionaries pioneered the evangelisation of Cameroon in Mamfe at Ossing in 1912.

During the Pontifical High Mass on the second day at St. Joseph's Cathedral Mamfe, which coincided with the Solemnity of St. Joseph Husband of Mary, the Catholic Catechism of the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province, based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church, CCC, was launched. The 618-page Catechism has four parts namely- the profession of faith-Creed, the Sacraments, the Commandments and the Lord's Prayer.

In his sermon, the Bishop of Kumbo, His Lordship George Nkuo, urged the faithful and those present to be men and women of faith like St. Joseph who did not cling to his dream of living a blissful married life with children from Mary, but consented to God's will and became the protector and guardian of the Holy Family.
Bishop Nkuo enjoined them to follow the Pope's recommendation of walking with the Church, to build as a Church and to confess Jesus as Lord and Master. He prayed that God may grant all the grace to walk and build together and confess Jesus Christ crucified in their daily lives.

In his presentation on "Porta Fidei and the Challenges to the Faith in the Light of the Provincial Catechism of the Catholic Church in Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province", Fr. Joseph Awoh explored the teachings of faith. He stated that the Year of Faith is a "summons to an authentic and renewed conversion to the Lord, the one Saviour of the world." He also noted that it is also an opportunity for Catholics to experience a conversion; that is, turning back to Jesus and to enter into a deeper relationship with Him.

The Year of Faith, which started on October 11, 2012 coincided with the 20th anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Vatican II Council. The Year of Faith also offers Catholics an opportunity to study and understand the Second Vatican Council documents.

In the same vein, the Bishops of the Ecclesiastical Province of Bamenda in the light of making the CCC more available and comprehensible for the local Church, constituted a committee to revise the Diocesan Catechism based on the CCC structures of their August 1997 meeting.

Fr. Awoh highlighted some faith challenges in Cameroon like secularism, the weakening of society's moral fabric, Christianity and African Culture, superstition and witchcraft, bribery and corruption and the proliferation of Churches. He reiterated the need to study the CCC, to know, acknowledge and understand our faith.

Fr. Michael Bibi and Fr. Cyprian Tatah who presented a paper on "How the Catholic Catechism for the Ecclesiastical Province of Bamenda can be Better Exploited to Enrich Faith at All Levels," stated that each individual should have a personal copy of the Catechism. This is not possible due to lack of finance and illiteracy, they said.

Each family is also encouraged to have a copy and Small Christian Communities, SCCs and Mission Stations at parish level; are also encouraged to own copies of the Catechism, and to study, teach and live it.

The 10-step methodology used in presenting the Catechism in the Ecclesiastical Province of Bamenda was also highlighted and explained to participants. Bishops, Priests, Religious, Catholic Education Secretaries, Principals and all Pastoral agents, were asked to explore every means within their disposal to teach the Catechism to the faithful.

On the third day the pilgrimage to Apatha Hill Ossing began with the blessing of pilgrims at St. Joseph's Cathedral Mamfe before the procession to Ossing. The procession began with the Stations of the Cross from Mamfe Town to the top of the hill. In his sermon during the Pontifical High Mass that marked the end of the celebration, the Auxiliary Bishop of Bamenda, His Lordship Agapitus Nfon, urged the faithful to focus on the great Patriarch, model of faith and father of all believers, Abraham.

Bishop Agapitus added that Christians should not be afraid to go against new trends that do not promote the faith, citing Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego who had faith in their God and refused to worship King Nebuchadnezzar's god. He challenged them to be firm in their faith and urged all to own, study, analyse, memorise and live the Provincial Catechism.

At the end of the Holy Mass the Bishop of Buea, His Lordship Immanuel Bushu, blessed the plaque which has the names of all the Bishops who have contributed to the growth of the Church in the Province.

In his welcome address to pilgrims at Ossing, the Bishop of Mamfe, among other things, prayed "that the occasion may foster love, unity in the context of the unique and diverse Diocesan communities marking a new beginning of mutual love and support especially in this moment of renewal which the Year of Faith invites us to, so that all of us in the Province will truly become Something Beautiful for God for the greater glory of God and the sanctification of the world."

The Monastic Community of St. John the Evangelist founded by Bishop Francis Teke Lysinge in 2009 whose mother house is in Mbindia, now has another community at Ossing. Bishop Lysinge said this is a means of drawing people closer to God and to keep the memory of the arrival of the missionaries alive. He implored the elite present and the Diaspora to contribute to make the monastery’s structures a reality.

Catholic Church officials in Cameroon and the world have been warning the Faithful to guard against philosophies and practices that contravene their faith. Douala Emeritus Archbishop Christian Cardinal Tumi once attributed Cameroon’s present political and economic backwardness to the exclusion of God from our public space.

And the Bishop of Buea, Immanuel Bushu, also once commented on masked plans to impose a secularist agenda in Cameroon through the systematic destruction of the confessional school system. While plans to make the Church’s mission irrelevant have been hatched and nurtured since the inception of Christianity, recent scathing attacks to destroy the Church and browbeat her into accepting practices that are contrary to her very nature and mission, have never been more intense in recent memories than they are today. Never before has the election of a Pope received so much attention as Pope Francis’ election. While the conclave that elected him was still going on, the media was awash with divisive discussions on issues like homosexuality and gay rights, celibacy and whether priests should be allowed to marry, the ordination of female priests, the place of the woman in the Church, and the division between the traditionalists and the new orientation the Church had given herself after the Second Vatican Council; issues that the Catholic Church has been addressing over the years, but that have curiously become of prime interest to the secular media recently.

Media speculations were rife with who was going to succeed Benedict XVI and the international media, exceptionally vocal on the issue, churned out names of papal favourites based on their preferences, ignoring the Church’s internal working chemistry, which they, understandably, dismissed as conservative, obsolete and having outlived its usefulness. The choice of Cardinal Bergoglio caught many off guard as these papal experts had shot far off the mark. Evidently frustrated by Pope Benedict’s determination to keep the Church authentically Catholic, the secularists and reformists were anxious to have a pope in the Vatican who will succumb to their demands. As Pope Francis himself commented shortly after he was elected, the cardinal electors, contrary to popular expectation, went to the “ends of the earth” to look for Benedict XVI’s successor. God’s will, not theirs, was finally done!

While Christian Faith is gaining significant grounds in Latin America and Africa, it is declining by geometric progression in Europe that paradoxically evangelised the afore-cited areas. No doubt private property dealers are buying beautiful abandoned churches in Europe and America and are tearing them down piece by piece and even selling off sacred Church relics to interested property dealers and collectors.

Concerned about Europe’s growing secular inclination, Pope Benedict once remarked, “In the West, and now especially in the United States, the state is increasingly pushing a secular agenda- pushing that agenda through means driving the Church, not just out of the public square, but out of the culture. The threat to religious liberty is very, very real.” It is therefore not surprising that countries like Portugal, Spain and France, which have produced some of the greatest saints in the Church are today adopting anti-Church practices, and are on the basis of their economic power, forcing other less affluent countries to follow their example. But can the Church carry out the reforms that secularist are clamouring for and still remain relevant to her mission? Can she afford to become permissive and still remain true to her mission as a public moral witness? We do not think so! If she does, she will be doing their will, not God’s will.

Though the Catholic faith is declining in the West, the Vatican's Statistical Church Yearbook reports that the number of Catholics in the world, almost 1.2 billion, continues to grow with the global population, with the Catholic Church alone holding about 17.5 percent of the world's population. But it is misleading to associate growing faith to numbers alone, than also on the quality of practiced faith.

Make no mistake, the secularist agenda will continue and the Catholic Church will continue coming under fiery attacks, but true Catholics will live by the Church’s tenet, knowing as Jesus says that although they are in the world, they are not of the world. They should continue praying that God’s, not Man’s will, be done for the Church is a divine institution and not run on human dictates. Let thy will Lord, not ours, be done!

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