L'Effort Camerounais (English Version)

Editorial: Where the Ephemeral Attempts to Supersede the Divine

By Ireneaus Chia Chongwain
Every epoch is confronted with a problem that defines its time. One of the defining hallmarks of the 21st century in years to come will undoubtedly be the HIV/AIDS pandemic. This explains why any comment on the subject attracts a lot of attention. This is even more so as the disease continues to pose veritable scientific, spiritual and ethical challenges.

Condom Controversy: Cameroon Bishops Reaffirm Pope's Stance

Following a controversy generated by an interview the Holy Father granted en route to Cameroon last month, in which he stressed the Catholic Church's opposition to the use of condoms as a means of fighting HIV, the Bishops of Cameroon have reiterated the Pope's position. Their reaction follows a systematic distortion and misrepresentation of the Holy Father's position by the local and foreign media. Although the press singled out the Pope's position on condoms for comment, he, however, addressed a variety of issues- from the global food crisis, through climate change to corruption and the impact of sects and miraculous religions in Africa. But what exactly did the Pope say? Read the complete interview in this edition.                                                               

Pope’s Press Conference en Route to Cameroon

Your Holiness, we are grateful for your presence with us today; there are about seventy of us preparing to make this journey with you. We offer you our best wishes and we hope to be of service to you, by enabling many others to take part in this visit. As usual, we want to express our thanks to you for this conversation that you have granted us; we have prepared for it by collecting, in the course of recent days, a certain number of questions from our colleagues - about thirty have been received - and then we chose the ones that seem likely to put together a fairly complete picture of this journey and to be of interest to all. We are most obliged to you for the responses that you will offer us. Several journalists from different news organs and countries interviewed the Holy Father. Excerpts:

Declaration relative to the Holy Father's message on the fight against HIV/AIDS during his apostolic visit to Cameroon

After the visit of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to Cameroon, some media reported that the Holy Father's views on the use of the condom and on HIV/AIDS were negatively received in Cameroon.
The media in question have continued to treat as irresponsible the Pope's position on the subject of the use of the condom, and to claim that his views on the subject have had a negative impact on his visit to Cameroon.

Cameroon bishop backs pope on condoms

Interviewed by John L. Allen, Jr.

Seen through Western eyes, the Catholic Church in Africa often presents an intriguing mix of deep conservatism on some issues - especially sexual morality - and remarkably progressive views on other matters, such as economic justice, peace, and the environment. Cameroon's Bishop George Nkuo, who heads the mostly English-speaking Kumbo Diocese in the Northwest Region, illustrates that mix. Commenting on day one of Pope Benedict XVI's first voyage to Africa, Mgr Nkuo strongly backed the Pope's line on condoms and AIDS, insisting that in his rural diocese, the easy availability of condoms encourages promiscuity and a false sense of invulnerability. Only personal conversion, he argued, including sexual self-discipline, offers a long-term solution to the AIDS crisis. Excerpts:

70th anniversary celebration: Sasse University College announced

By Grace Ongey

St Joseph's College Sasse will soon have a university to beef up existing universities in the country. The announcement was made in the school campus on March 28 as Sasse College commemorated its 70th anniversary.

Major Actors Speak

Views sampled by Grace Ongey
Pa Augustine Paul Valembe-Bonjonjo

We were about 39 of us when Sasse started but I cannot remember very well. I grew up as an orphan and I came to Sasse through a Common Entrance Examination in the hay days when we were attached to Southern Cameroons. At that time it was all bushy here, not like it is today. We had no cooks, so we did fend for ourselves young as we were. We had to cut fresh wood and cook for ourselves. On public celebrations we marched barefoot in our uniforms. It was tough. I left Sasse because of financial difficulties.

After the Creation of Higher Teachers Training College, preparations underway for Bambili State University

By Emmanuel F. Sanosi      
After creating a second cycle for ENS Bambili and an Advanced Technical Teachers Training College for the English Sub-system, government has now given a green light for a student's residential quarters, a restaurant, pedagogic blocks and four amphi-theatres to be constructed in Bambili. But more is still being awaited.

Douala Co-adjutor Archbishop calls on government to provide lasting solutions to youths problems.

By Grace Ongey

The Douala Co-adjutor Archbishop, Mgr Samuel Kléda, has called on State authorities to find lasting solutions to the problems youths are facing and, in so doing, stop them from seeking greener pastures abroad.

Archbishop Cornelius Esua inaugurates Njinikom Maternity wing

By Emmanuel F. Sanosi

On Sunday March 22 the Bishop of Kumbo George Nkuo concelebrated Thanksgiving Mass with Archbishop Cornelius Fontem Esua at Njinikom for the newly built ultra modern maternity wing of the Catholic Hospital in Njinikom.