Stella Maris (Aprile 2022)

This is the third number of our journal, which we want to present to our readers. Wondering what I might say in this editorial, I reviewed the editorial I wrote several months ago, and I was struck by two things. The first is that the time of this pandemic is not yet over, and the second is that, we could have predicted that this would be the case and that it is not something that should surprise us. There is, however, something else, which I would never have imagined. In the previous editorial, I wrote about the world being armed with modern military equipment and technology, while the whole of humankind was (and, in fact, is still) being attacked by an enemy, invisible to our eyes, against which all this military industry is completely and totally useless. I could not have imagined that, several months after having written this observation, the world would have to face up to a real war. The Russian army has gone to war with, and invaded, the Ukraine and, as a result this military industry is doing a lot of damage, destroying cities, schools, homes, and hospitals in the Ukraine, and killing a lot of people. On the other hand, the Ukrainians are using the same military equipment to protect their country, their independence, and the lives of the innocent victims of Russian aggression. We continue to pray for peace in the world and, at the same time, we reflect on what can be done when we are confronting an attacker with whom it is difficult to imagine a real dialogue, while also taking also into consideration that the greatest good is always human life, which during these days is in danger. We also hope that this conflict does not develop into the third world war. We believe that this Paschal period, which now we live by contemplating the open tomb of Jesus, always a symbol of hope that all our problems and difficulties can eventually be solved with the help and grace of God, will help us to reach peace as soon as possible.

In the meantime, the articles we offer in this number of Stella Maris are an opportunity to detach from the pandemic and the war and to read some good and positive things.

The first article is written by our Indian brother, Paul Prabhu, who is studying canon law at the Lateran University in Rome. He offers us a reflection on the function of the laity in the power of the governance in the light of the canon law.

In his article, Innocent Diambba, a Congolese Carmelite, invites us into the biblical world, exploring what can be said about the dignity of women and their emancipation in the light of the Scripture.

For the first time, Stella Maris is publishing a translation, rather than an original article. It is an Italian translation of an article of the eminent Belgian theologian and professor of the University of Louvain, Adolphe Gesché, written in 1990 and entitled Du Dogme, Comme Exégèse. Our Italian brother, Matteo Antollini, who is finishing his first cycle at the Gregorian University in Rome, is the translator. Although a translation, we hope it might still be of interest to our readers.

For the first time, also, we are publishing two license dissertations our brothers. In this issue we begin two of them. The first is by our Mexican brother, Mario Cadena, who did his licentiate in biblical theology at the University of Mexico and who wrote his dissertation on divine mercy and the ingratitude of the Israelites in the light of the book of Hosea 11, 1-4 . The second is written by our Indonesian brother, Sony Wibisono, in the field of religious sciences at the Gregorian University in Rome. In his dissertation he analyses the phenomenon of divine light in different religions.

We hope that what we present and propose to read in this number of the Stella Maris will be interesting and well received.

Content of Stella Maris (Aprile 2022)

Kuba Walczak O.Carm                             

Editoriale                                                      

Paul Prabhu O.Carm

The Function of the Laity in the Power of the Governance                                           

Innocent Ndjabba O.Carm

Femme émancipée                                     

Matteo Antollini O.Carm

“Du dogme, comme exégèse” di Adolphe Gesché                                                        

Mario Cadena O.Carm

La Misericordia de YHWH y la ingratitud de su hijo-pueblo en Oseas 11,1-4           

Sonny Wibisono O.Carm

The Phenomena of Divine Light             

(Please read the Stella Maris vol.3 in PDF below)