Thursday, 17 November 2011


A GOOD INTERFAITH KISS!
UNHATE campaign by Benetton
A series of posters, created by Benetton's 'research communication centre' Fabrica in cooperation with 72andSunny, features political and spiritual leaders kissing

The Pope and Ahmed Mohamed el-Tayeb, Imam of the Al-Azhar mosque in Cairo.

Monday, 31 October 2011



On this day in 1517 Martin Luther nailed in the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg his 95 theses. That symbolic act changed the church and the history of Western Europe forever. The OLSX have become the nails and the living arguments against an institutional church that has lost its credibility and moral compass. The church will not be the same again.

Tuesday, 11 October 2011


St. Teresa of Jesus (of Avila)
“The important thing is not to think much but to love much”.
“The soul's progress does not lie in thinking much but in loving much”.
“Let nothing trouble you, let nothing frighten you. All things are passing; God never changes”

We will remember her on the 15 October.

Tuesday, 4 October 2011


Francis of Assisi
Today we remember this wonderful man of God.

“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life”


Friday, 30 September 2011


Chau, Chau Facundo
Las Franciscas lloran pero no es por ti

La trágica muerte de Facundo Cabral, el viejo canta-autor argentino nos tomo por sorpresa. Fue en Guatemala donde la muerta lo encontró distraído. Cabral era de esa generación de folklóricos que cantaban a la tierra, a los oprimidos, ‘artista comprometido’, anti- imperialista, tirando más para la izquierda, pero jamás para la derecha. La gente le dijo adiós cantando ‘chau, chau Facundo’…debe ser bonito que de digan adiós así.
"no soy de aquí ni soy de allá" cantaba Cabral, el artesano de poesía y música que caló hondo en el alma de su Latinoamérica sufrida y golpeada por injusticias y corrupción.
Ironía de la vida como murió el trovador.
Facunda Cabral murió acribillado por sicarios buscando venganza. Las balas que lo acribillaron no eran para el pero para Henry Fariñas Fonseca, su promotor, el hombre que organizo sus conciertos en Guatemala y se lo llevaba a Nicaragua. Fariñas Fonseca es un conocido empresario del espectáculo y dueño de una cadena de clubs nocturnos llamados Elite Night Club, donde según la promesa “our divas will make you feel like you are in paradise” a un precio, claro está, porque en este business todo tiene un precio, las bellas carnes son commodities en el mercado del sexo.
No soy ‘moralista’ ni ‘puritano’ pero me cuesta entender que un cantante que dedico su vida a contar las historias de los oprimidos, andaba de copas y en negocios con un hombre de esa calaña. Se requiere cierta ambigüedad moral para asociarse con alguien que usa la necesidad para explotar mujeres en el negocio del sexo con precio. Esto me entristece, que algunos en la izquierda hayan perdido sus compas moral. Quizá Cabral se olvido del las muchas Franciscas que su paisano León Gieco inmortalizo en una canción


“En una casa del barrio San Pedro
Francisca muestra todo su cuerpo
pone el dinero entre sus senos
toma un vino negro y algunas ginebras
Viste de verde, viste de rosa
y se desviste muy silenciosa”

Si en vez de pensar en los dólares, Facundo hubiera dicho no, asunto de principio, solidaridad con las muchas ‘Franciscas’ que trabajan en la industria del sexo, usando sus cuerpos para ganarse unos pesos, soñando que algún empresario o turista la hará su princesa. Cabral por unos dólares perdiste la vida. Me da pena que Rigoberta Manchú cuando lamento la muerte de su amigo no recordó a las Franciscas que ese promotor explota pero busco echarle la culpa a la derecha por conspirar la muerte del canta-autor. Si tan solo Facundo hubiera mantenido sus principios, hoy no estaríamos llorando esta tragedia.

Chau, chau Facundo, no eres de aquí ni eres de allá.

PRAYER
I grew up being taught that prayer was a conversation with God.

It was a tradition that emphasised the spontaneous free speaking to God. Language with all its beautiful possibilities and obvious limitations was the way to pray. But, if I’m honest I should concede that quite often this conversation became a monologue of fancy words to praise God or, at its worst, a “shopping list” of requests. I knew this wasn’t right, but I didn’t know better.

To be honest, at some point, I stopped praying and eventually gave up prayer altogether. After a while, after a series of experiences, I re-discovered prayer again. I was learning not just from my own Anglican spirituality, but also from other enriching Christian traditions. I have found this to be an inspiring and challenging experience that has opened my eyes to new possibilities.

The way I pray and my understanding of prayer has changed as my faith journey has lead me to different places and experiences: from verbal Rococo to minimalistic silence; from contemplating an Icon or lighting a candle to absorbing the beauty of creation or engaging in the creative endeavour; from doing prayers to being a prayer. At the point in my journey where I am now I am more convinced as never before of the importance of prayer in our lives. Prayer is a way to connect with God, to connect with ourselves, and to connect with others. That is what prayer is at its core.

Wednesday, 20 July 2011



“It clearly appears that there are no races in the world, however rude, uncultivated, barbarous, gross, or almost brutal they may be, who cannot be persuaded and brought to a good order and way of life, and made domestic, mild and tractable, provided ... the method that is proper and natural to men is used that is, love and gentleness and kindness.”

Bartolomé de Las Casas
Apostle of the Indies
1484 - 1566
Commemoration 20 July