February 2013 – Page 3 – Missionaries of Africa

Let us keep in our minds and prayer our confrere Jean-Bosco Masaba who will be put under general anaesthesia today for an important surgery in Fairview Hospital in Lusaka. Jean-Bosco is in good spirit and confident to be back to our house, here in Woodlands, tonight.

Pensons et prions pour Jean-Bosco Masaba qui subira une importante opération sous anesthésie générale aujourd’hui à l’hôpital de Fairview à Lusaka. Jean-Bosco est confiant que tout ira bien et espère même d’être de retour à Woodlands ce soir.

Tragic accident in Chibombo

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On February 10, 2013

In News, Zambia Sector

A terrible accident happened on February 7 in Chibombo, half way between Kabwe and Lusaka, when 59 people died following a collision between a truck and a passenger bus belonging to the Post Bus company. We received the sad news that Janet Chimanse, first cousin of our confrere Elvis Ng’andwe, Zambian stagiaire in Niger, died in this tragic event. Let us pray for the family of Elvis who are mourning her loss.

May her soul rest in peace through the mercy of God.

News from Felix Phiri in Egypt

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On February 9, 2013

In News

The situation is still volatile here in Egypt. The political process towards democracy seems to be holding a lot of surprises for the now disillusioned Egyptians. Apart from some flash points here and there especially on Fridays, life continues with a lot of difficulties for most of the people. The cost of living seems to have increased beyond the reach of many and the new government of the Muslim Brothers is still struggling not only to pacify the masses but also to stabilize the economic situation. The relations between Christians and Muslims seem relatively less tense than soon after the departure of Mubarak. However, the future remains unpredictable.

Questionnaires by Fenza and Kanengo. Where are we?

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On February 8, 2013

In News

The questionnaires were sent last year and each community was asked to work with them and to send back a report before 31^st December 2012. Until now we have had no reply from anyone. Please try to do your homework during Lent so that by Easter, at the latest, we receive your findings. See below for the details:

In last year meeting of JPIC coordinators held at Kasisi, some practical decisions were taken. Let me just remind you of the following:

2.5. Two main areas of concern were identified:

2.5.1. Reconciliation (which is problematic per se and it becomes more so at the family level and in politics, compounded with witchcraft and the way the latter is perceived and dealt with).

2.5.2. Devastation of the ecosystem, consequences of discovery and exploitation of natural resources.

2.6. Action Plan

We agreed that our Centres (Kanengo and Fenza) should be directly involved and we proposed the following:

2.6.1. Fenza (in the line of what is said in #42-46 of Africae Munus) will spearhead a research that will provide us with methods/rituals of reconciliation and will also come up with the necessary tools to research and interpret stories of reconciliation.

2.6.2. Kanengo will do the same concerning the realm of Integrity of Creation.

2.6.3. These tools will be used by JP coordinators in the field, in their parishes and communities.

2.6.3. The results of the research will be sent back to Fenza/Kanengo who will then proceed to analyse the findings and send back their reports to the communities in the field.

Claudio Zuccala, M.Afr

Father Some’s Farewell Party in Serenje

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On February 8, 2013

In News, Zambia Sector

There were plenty of people on Sunday the 3^rd February to bid farewell to Father Evariste Some after being the parish priest for four years at the Parish of St. Peter in Serenje, Kabwe Diocese. In attendance were Christopher Chileshe, Oswald Mallya, who is the incoming parish priest, Faustin Kerumbe, Marc Nsanzurwimo, Emmanuel Mambwe, Everisto Mwelwa and the two stagiaires Fitiwi Abraha and Patrick Sebyera. Father Some will be going soon to Rome for studies in view of formation in his home province of PAO.

Father Some was the main celebrant for the Eucharistic celebration while the reception took place at the hall in town in the afternoon. A colourful send-off in which parishioners congratulated Father Some included a banquet, speeches and gifts. In his word of thanks, Father Some urged the Christians to support the new parish priest in the same spirit as they did for him. The SAP, and Zambia Sector in particular, wishes Father Some all the best and thanked him for his good apostolate. By Everisto Mwelwa, M.Afr

: St. Peter

: The church of St. Peter

: Fr Some and parishoners

: Fr. Some and parishoners

: Blessing of Fr. Some at Mass

: Hall in town

Sharing Trentaprile December 2012

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On February 7, 2013

In MSOLA, News, Publications

Sharing Trentaprile is published 4 times a year by the Missionaries of Our Lady of Africa.

Simply click on the picture to read the content.

Breathing Forgiveness

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On February 5, 2013

In Justice and Peace, News, Publications

Antislavery campaign updates

The following blog, by our confrere Yago Abeledo, is highly recommended by Claudio Zuccala. Two articles are available in Word format for those with poor internet connection. They can be requested on demand using the section “leave a comment” below. Those articles are: 1. Diarmuid O’Murchu, EMBRACING THE PAINFUL TASK OF DECONSTRUCTING SLAVERY, Insights from the New Cosmology, New Physics and the Historical Jesus. 2. Wolfgang Schonecke, STRUCTURES AND IDENTITIES IMPEDING THE “GREAT TRANSFORMATION”, The Wisdom of a Life’s Journey.

Protected: Motomoto Echo February 2013, No 1

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On February 4, 2013

In Publications, Sectors

Erick Balderas Vega

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On February 3, 2013

In News, Zambia Sector

Erick Balderas Vega is originally from the State of Idalgo, close to Mexico City. He grew up there together with three brothers and two sisters. Erick is the third child of the family and his parents are still alive. After his High School, Erick did his philosophy at the diocesan seminary. Then he spent a year at home before coming to our formation house in Guadalajara in 2006. He first met our confrere Sergio Villaseñor Salinas and saw in him what he was looking for, someone committed to missionary work in Africa. What really attracted him to the Missionaries of Africa is our international community lifestyle where he feels really at home. Erick spent a few months in Washington DC to learn English before going to Lua-Luo in Kasama for his noviciate. At present he is a stagiaire at the parish of Kabwata in Lusaka. Erick has to make efforts to overcome his shyness. He does not rush into things but takes his time to reflect before making a decision. His family will surely see in him a new person when he goes back home at the end of his stage. Erick has been recommended for further studies at Merrivale by his community of Kabwata. He is still waiting for his official appointment.

To help people to get organized

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On February 3, 2013

In Mozambique Sector

Justice & Peace in Mozambique

Our vocation in the Church is linked with our fight for more justice in society. Already the Second Vatican Council said explicitly that “the joys and hopes, the grief and the fears of the people of today meet an echo in our hearts” (GS 1). The Church feels intimately linked with the cares and needs of all people. The Second Assembly of the Bishops likewise emphasised the necessity of working for justice: “The task of justice is an integral part of the mission of evangelisation of the Church” (Justice in the world, 1971). Engagement in justice and peace is part of the missionary’s action in all Christian communities as it is prayed in the fourth Eucharistic prayer for various needs: may your Church stand as a living witness to truth and freedom, to peace and justice, that all people be raised up to a new hope.

In Sena Parish (diocese of Beira, Mozambique), the people managed to organise themselves for the protection of their land against a multinational that wanted 18 000 hectares of their land in order to grow sugar cane and produce ethanol for the european market. This multinational intended to expel the inhabitants to other areas lacking basic infrastructures like schools, hospitals, proper roads and stores. The person in charge of promoting justice and peace issues distributed documents explaining the Law of the Land to all churches and beyond. He was threatened at the Local Court, but people who don’t belong to our Church protected him. Then, with their Paramount Chief, people started to get involved. They finally succeeded to protect their land with the help of the Diocesan Commission of Justice & Peace. A lawyer assisted them too to be officially recognised as an Association. As a result, the multinational had to withdraw from the area. Sadness and fear were transformed into joy and hope for a better world. Seeing this success story other communities want to do the same. Together with prayer and worship in church the work of evangelisation means helping people to overcome powerlessness, ignorance and submission to the powerful. It is the will of Jesus to work against injustices and all inhuman conditions including slavery.