Unlike more traditional depictions of the Magi, the Andean interpretation has them accompanied by llamas and bearing sacks of food from the region, including corn, quinoa and potatoes.
Latin America
Posted inFaith, Podcasts
An unprecedented gathering in Latin America is putting Pope Francis’ vision for the church into action
On “Inside the Vatican,” Austen Ivereigh joins host Colleen Dulle to discuss his experience at the Mexico City meeting and what lessons the Latin American church can teach the rest of the world about synodality.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
To understand our battles over critical race theory and liberation theology, look to Brazil’s fight over Paulo Freire’s legacy
The current mischaracterization of Freire by the political right in Brazil has parallels with the campaign of the political right in the United States against critical race theory.
Posted inFaith, Faith in Focus
The best holiday tradition you’ve never heard of: Venezuelans roller skating to Christmas Mass at sunrise
One of the best parts of Christmas is hearing about how other people celebrate it. And in Venezuela, they have all-night roller skating, which ends with everyone skating to Mass at dawn.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
‘Nobody flees from love’: Brazil’s alternative prisons offer a model of restorative justice
Criminals “are not dangerous people. They are only people who are not sufficiently loved.”
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
Protests shut down in Cuba after bishops call for free political expression
“Every Cuban should be able to freely and respectfully express and share his personal opinions, his thoughts or his convictions, even when he disagrees with the majority,” the bishops said.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
El Salvador’s death squads have new targets but continue their bloody work
El Salvador’s contemporary death squads do not engage in political liquidation. Their targets have largely been criminal suspects or innocent bystanders caught up in the violence.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
Could Indigenous demonstrations against corruption lead to lasting change in Guatemala?
Guatemala’s historical social inequality has only worsened because of economic deterioration intensified by the Covid-19 pandemic and a political crisis created by President Giammattei’s increasing authoritarian tendencies.
Posted inDispatches, Faith
Brazil once depended on Europe for vocations. Now it sends women religious missionaries all over the world.
Besides taking up the challenge of exploring new frontiers of evangelization in Africa, Asia and Latin America, Brazilian women religious have also become evangelizers of the “old continent,” Europe, where female vocations have radically declined in recent decades.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
Amid Ortega’s crackdown on opponents, is the Catholic Church in Nicaragua next?
As Nicaragua prepares for a general election in November, Mr. Ortega has ramped up a broad repression of dissenting voices. Could the Catholic Church be his next target?