Margaret OGOLA (2 June 1958 – 22 September 2011)

“Unless we recognise that each individual is irrepeatable and valuable by virtue of simply being conceived human, we cannot begin to talk about human rights. This includes the right to be born, as all of us have enjoyed. True justice should be for each human being, visible and invisible, young and old, disabled and able, to enjoy fully their right to life. The accidental attributes that we acquire such as colour, sex intelligence, economic circumstances, physical or mental disability should not be used as an excuse to deprive a person of life.”

Quoted from a speech she gave: On the Dignity of the African Woman

Life and studies

She studied at Thompson’s Falls High School and was best student overall in school. She also studied at Alliance Girls High School. At the University of Nairobi she earned her First Degree, Bachelor of Medicine & Surgery, in 1984.

After graduation, she worked as a medical officer at Kenyatta National Hospital. In 1990, she earned her Master of Medicine in Paediatrics at the University of Nairobi. She also took a Post Graduate Diploma on Planning & Management of Development Projects at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in 2004. She was an advisor to the Kenyan Catholic bishops on issues of family and health, and a member of Opus Dei.
She received chemotherapy for cancer. Ogola was married to Dr. George Ogola, with 4 children, and 2 foster children.

Cardinal Otunga’s Biographer Dies

MENAFN – http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story.asp?storyid={779c6464-505d-4af2-8323-ddd92845bf98} – Monday, September 26, 2011

Nairobi, Sep 26, 2011 (Catholic Information Service for Africa/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) — Renowned Kenyan writer Dr Margaret Ogola who co-authored Maurice Michael Cardinal Otunga’s biography; A Gift of Grace is dead. Dr Ogola, a paediatrician and medical director of Cottolengo HIV and AIDS orphans Hospice, died September 22, at the age of 53.
Dr Ogola was a celebrated Kenyan author of three novels, The River and the Source that won the Jomo Kenyatta Literature Award and Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Best First Book in Africa in 1995. The two other novels are I Swear by Apollo, a novel that examines issues of medical ethics and the question of authentic identity and Place of Destiny, a novel about a woman dying of cancer.
The late writer also authored a handbook for parents titled Educating in Human Love, as well as A Gift of Grace, a biography of the first Catholic bishop, and cardinal in Kenya, Cardinal Maurice Michael Otunga.
The late Dr Ogola was Vice-President of Family Life Counselling in Kenya and National Executive Secretary of the Commission for Health and Family Life at the Kenya Episcopal Conference (KEC) from 1998 to 2002.
From 2002 to 2004, she was the Country Coordinator of the Hope for African Children Initiative, a partnership of several international NGOs, which included Plan, CARE, Save the Children, Society for Women and AIDS, World Conference For Religion and Peace and World Vision.
The late Ogola helped found and manage the SOS HIV/AIDS Clinic, which is for People Living With Aids. In 1999, she received the Families Award for Humanitarian Service of the World Congress of Families in Geneva, Switzerland.
Dr Ogola leaves behind a husband, four children, and two foster children.
Copyright Catholic Information Service for Africa. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).

Dr. Margaret Ogola interview (in Italian, sorry!)

Dr. Ogola writes about The Teachings of Josemaría Escrivá in an African context: http://www.josemariaescriva.info/article/the-teachings-of-josemaria-escriva-in-an-african-context

There Be Dragons updates

There Be Dragons updates

http://dragonsresources.com/

From wauckinrome.comThere Be Dragons according to the critics:

Ah, where would we be without film critics? Now that the reviews are in, we know that There Be Dragons is epic, enthralling, entertaining, calamitous, compelling, strange, moving, powerful, refreshing and… buffed! And Charlie Cox, as St. Josemaría, is surprising and amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever read as many movie reviews as I’ve read in the last week. Just to save you the trouble, here are some of the more entertaining highlights. Actually, some of these comments are pretty astute.
“Powerful in the way Steven Spielberg’s epics are powerful.” – Aubrey Malone, The Irish Catholic
“This enthralling movie… includes several powerful gut-punches.” Mike Saulters, Slackerwood blog
“Demonstrat[es] an increasingly rare sense of scope and pageantry best served by the bigscreen.” – Peter Debruge, Variety
“The Battle of Madrid, rumbling across the screen, evokes a visceral response, and scenes of the Republican guerrillas being mowed down by low-swooping fascist air power give you that roller-coaster kick.” – Stephen Holden, New York Times
“Captures the beauty amid the brutality of war without forgetting that it is the individual stories of those on the ground that matter.” – Betsy Sharkey, LATimes
There Be Dragons […] had a pretty decent budget at around $36 million, but feels more like a $100 million movie. The sets are large and well thought out and the film is actually a great period piece of a 1930s civil war torn Spain.” – Tom Clocker, Baltimore Movie Examiner
“It sounds like an old-fashioned movie and it is, the kind they don’t make anymore, with the sweep and character development of a novel, and a richly textured production design that belies its low budget…. as hagiographies go, There Be Dragons is enthralling.” – Ann Lewinson, Hardford Advocate
“As Escriva, the English actor Charlie Cox acquits himself surprisingly well. You think it’s hard being a saint? Try playing one.” – Mark Feeney, Boston Globe

“Charlie Cox… does an amazing job as Josemaria” – Kevin, Reviews St. Louis

“Like The Mission, it’s about a priest and a soldier, and if their relationship seems forced, when a movie is this entertaining it really doesn’t matter….” – Ann Lewinson, Hardford Advocate

Interview with Roland Joffé:

 

See also:

 

WYD Madrid 2011, summary video & best images

JMJ Madrid 2011 – Summary video + Best images video

In opusdeialdia.org, 2 videos of the WYD 2011 have been shared: A good ‘summary video’ of the WYD and a “Best images of the WYD” video. We found the English versions, here:

 

 

 

ENJOY! Let us pray for the fruits of the WYD in the souls of all those youths who participated in WYD in Madrid and elsewhere! :-)

madrid11.com Message for 26th World Youth Day

Madrid, Madrid, here we come! :-) Pope’s Message for JMJ 2011

 

“…we are looking forward to the next World Youth Day, to be held in Madrid in August 2011. … Now, at a time when Europe greatly needs to rediscover its Christian roots, our meeting will take place in Madrid with the theme: “Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith” (cf. Col 2:7). I encourage you to take part in this event, which is so important for the Church in Europe and for the universal Church. I would like all young people – those who share our faith in Jesus Christ, but also those who are wavering or uncertain, or who do not believe in him – to share this experience, which can prove decisive for their lives. It is an experience of the Lord Jesus, risen and alive, and of his love for each of us,” said the Holy Father in his Message for the 26th World Youth Day :-)

LET US PRAY A LOT for those participating in the WYD in Madrid, as well as for all those youths who, from their countries, will be one in spirit with them, to celebrate this wonderful time to deepen in one’s relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ!

—————

Related WYD links on this website:

:-)


creoeninternet.com Values on the Net conference

creoeninternet.com Conference – Values on the Net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Congress “Creo en Internet” ["I Believe in the Internet"], to be held in Madrid this 11-11-11, will showcase important speakers and initiatives that spread Christian values via the Internet.

As of this writing, 18 speakers are confirmed to make presentations [see pic above, plus 2 more].  If you want to attend, register here.

The organizer is Antonio González, of revaloria.org, a 2-year-old initiative that has wished to spread “Christian values via Web 2.0″. From its creation in 2009, the number of users has been ever on the increase.  As of May 2011, Revaloria.org has about 6 million visitors per month, and 44,000 subscribers for its bulletin.

:-)