Month: December 2016 Page 2 of 3
By Ogato Douglas Momanyi ,M.Afr
A very interesting three-day workshop on training and advocacy for persons with disabilities is going at Garden House Hotel in Lusaka West. This workshop has been organized by Cheshire Homes Zambia in collaboration with Lillian Foundation. It’s an ecumenical workshop as it has drawn participants from different Christian faiths. It’s being facilitated by persons with disabilities who have been advocating for an integration and inclusion of persons with disabilities into the Zambian society. It begun today and will end on Wednesday evening (21/12/2016).
Fredrick Mulenga, Brother Michael Mpindo, Martin Kasongo and Peter Nyirenda.
By Domingos Mirembwe, Levison Goodwell and Brian Banda.
On the 10th December, the community of Fraternité Lavigerie witnessed the oath taking of nine confreres. Four of them are from SAP, namely Fredrick Mulenga (Zambia), Brother Michael Mpindo (Malawi), Martin Kasongo (Zambia) and Peter Nyirenda (Malawi). The oaths were pronounced at the parish of Sainte Marie d’Agouèto of Abobo in Abidjan during Mass and received by Father Stanley Lubungo, Superior General. Confreres and many other priests, religious and lay people witnessed the event.
At the same event, with the exception of Michael Mpindo who made his oath as a Brother, our new confreres were ordained deacons by Bishop Willy Ngumbi, our confrere who is also Bishop of Kindu in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In his homily, Bishop Ngumbi urged the newly engaged confreres to place their total trust in the Lord especially while facing challenges and difficulties.
Through the singing and utumpundu (acclamations), we felt and noticed the vibrant presence of the Zambian community working in Ivory Coast. They contributed to the joy of the event.
The ceremony of Oath and Diaconate was concluded with a meal which took place in the community of Fraternité Lavigerie. The compound was full of joy which was expressed in songs and dances.
We thank the SAP Province and the Society of the Missionaries of Africa for calling these young men. We commend them to your prayerful support as we place them under the protection of Mary Immaculate, Queen of Africa. To you our beloved new confreres, may God bless you and make successful and fruitful your missionary ministry. Congratulations and all the best!
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- Fredrick Mulenga, Brother Michael Mpindo, Martin Kasongo and Peter Nyirenda.
Felix Phiri, M.Afr., Patrick Ryan, MHM (Eds), Inter-Religious Dialogue in Africa, In Search of Religious Respects, Ecumenical Centre for Justice and Peace, Paulines Publications Africa, 99 pages, 2016.
The topic of religious conflict is a concern of politicians, theologians, religious leaders and representatives, civil society and a wide range of stakeholders in the public and private domains.
This book is a sequel to the Manual for Inter-Religious Dialogue (Nairobi, 2012). That book was aimed at assisting religious leaders, facilitators and other actors in the broad field of inter-religious dialogue.
This book is a series of notes on selected aspects of dialogue between religions. It is not itself a manual of dialogue, but it is a companion to the Manual for Inter-Religious Dialogue. It is intended for professionals, for students of religion, and for all people of good will who believe in promoting dialogue among religions.
This book reinforces the urgency of dialogue between religions. There is no alternative to dialogue when it comes to building durable and peaceful co-existence.
The Golden Rule – treat others as you would like them to treat you – also known as the Ethic of Reciprocity, has been valued by human societies for thousands of years and is found worldwide throughout cultures, religions, secular philosophies and indigenous traditions. It reveals a profound unity underlying the rich diversity of human experience. With its emphasis on mutuality, interdependence and reciprocity, it is a simple but effective guide for respectful and harmonious co-existence.
http://www.columban.org.au/our-works/christian-muslim-relations/the-golden-rule
golden-rule-brochure-2014
Father Coninx loved his missionary life. He was a man of great talents: artist painting and sculptor as much as a good writer. He animated groups of artists in Lusaka. He also set up the communication department in CATHSEC (Catholic Secretariat) including a magazine, T.V. documentaries for the national broadcast ZNBC and YATSANI Radio.
Father Coninx was a good preacher, an excellent pianist and a computer expert. He laid out numerous magazines and booklets. Unfortunately, like his mother, he spent his last years with the Alzheimer disease.
Here some pictures of Father Coninx and some of his achievements. Note that a mistake was published in one of previous pictures at the farewell party of Father Pierre Lafollie.
By Timothée Bationo, M.Afr
The story started in Beira, Mozambique, in 2012 with a meeting of the Vocation Directors. They were looking for ways of improving their relationship between the four Sectors of the SAP Province and the Formation Centre in Balaka, Malawi, where our candidates make their studies in philosophy.
The creation of a Pre-First Phase was then proposed to the Provincial Council and forwarded to the General Council in Rome. A green light was given to build a centre in Chipata situated in the Eastern Province of Zambia. The town is surrounded by hills and is about 20 kilometres from Malawi and less than 140 kilometres to the Mozambican border. Therefore, the three countries could easily get involved in following the progress of their respective students.
Father Jean-Luc Gouiller started looking for a piece of land and the ground work started in 2014. The buildings were completed in December 2015. We entered into the centre in the second week of January 2016 with an initial number of 18 students from Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia. They remained up to June 2016. The second academic year started on October 12, 2016. The Formation Centre currently has once more 18 students together with three staff members, namely Brother René Garand, Father Camille Konkobo and Father Timothée Bationo.
The SAP Pre-Formation Centre was officially blessed by Bishop George Lungu on November 18, 2016. Mass was presided by the Bishop outside the premises as the church building would have been too small to contain the crowd. The Bishop was pleased to see that the official opening was just two days away from the closure of the Year of Mercy. Consequently, the official opening of the Formation Centre coincided with the closure of the Year of Mercy at the diocesan level.
Various committees from Saint Athanasio Parish were established to take care of the catering, liturgy, security and reception. By 05:00, they were already setting up everything before the arrival of the Christians and the Bishop at 7:00. Some members of the Provincial Council were delayed a bit at the border with Malawi.
Leading the procession, Bishop George Lungu and Father Felix Phiri, the Provincial, cut the ribbon at the main gate of the centre to symbolise the official opening of the Formation Centre while the diocesan choir sang a Thanksgiving song. In a colourful procession, the Bishop blessed the chapel and other buildings. At Mass, the Bishop praised the work done by the missionaries in the past, what they are doing today and what is to come. He was grateful to the Society for building a Formation Centre in his diocese. He encouraged the Formation House to open its doors to people who would like to have retreats. The Formators are welcomed exercising their apostolate all around Chipata.
The Provincial blessed each student with a symbolic cross representing the beginning of their formation.
All the missionaries, Fathers and Sisters, came together to sing the Santa Maria song. Few speeches were conducted at the end of Mass including Father Gouiller, Father Felix Phiri, Father Timothée Bationo, the Bishop, the DCL President and a Government Official. Finally, the Master of Ceremony, Father Kamanga, invited everybody to share a meal. A final blessing came at the end of the day with the first rain of the farming season.
Members of staff at the formation house will ever remain grateful to the people who took part in the organisation and preparations of the official opening of the centre. We will always remember you in our prayers as we preach the Word of God.
Merry Christmas to you all and a Prosperous New Year in 2017.
Aujourd’hui, les Missionnaires d’Afrique de l’Ouest vous proposent de visiter de nouvelles pages sur leur site http://www.mafrwestafrica.net.
Actualités
« Procès du général Sanogo au Mali » l’ex-chef de la junte, Amadou Haya Sanogo, s’enferme dans sa stratégie de défense : le déni et les menaces. (lire la suite).
« Simone Gbagbo en procès » malgré l’absence de l’accusée le procès se poursuivra pour les crimes commis en 2010-2011 qui auraient fait plus de 3000 morts en 5 mois (lire la suite).
Témoignages
« Mon père était un imam très apprécié » le témoignage d’une musulmane lors de la rencontre islamo-chrétienne du 19-11-2016 à Louvain-la-Neuve (lire la suite).
« En Terre Sainte, héritiers de Charles de Foucauld » 25 petits frères et sœurs de Jésus vivent en Israël et Palestine (lire la suite).
Histoire
« Anniversaire de la mort du Cardinal Lavigerie » nous avons célébré le 124ème anniversaire de la mort de notre fondateur, le 26 novembre (lire la suite).
« Centenaire de la mort de Charles de Foucauld » il y a cent ans, le 1er décembre, Charles de Foucauld était assassiné à Tamanrasset (lire la suite).
Dialogue interreligieux
« Le pape s’adresse au patriarche Bartholomée » : dépasser la division par la prière, le service du bien commun et le dialogue (lire la suite).
« Promouvoir la paix par le respect des lieux saints » le résultat de la 14ème réunion des dialogues entre le Saint Siège et les délégations du grand rabbinat d’Israël (lire la suite).
Justice et Paix
« Bannir les carburants toxiques » quatre pays d’Afrique de l’Ouest s’engagent à bannir les carburants toxiques contenant trop de soufre (lire la suite).
« Quelle âme pour l’Europe ? » : valeurs de la personne humaine, liberté, créativité et invention, séparation des pouvoirs, telle est la démocratie vécue en Europe (lire la suite).
Vu au Sud – Vu du Sud
« Evasions au Mali » plusieurs dizaines de détenus ont pu s’évader de la prison de Niono (centre du pays) après qu’elle a été attaquée dans la nuit de lundi à mardi par des hommes armés (lire la suite).
« Fin d’une dictature en Gambie » : Adama Barrow a su renverser démocratiquement Yahya Jammeh, l’autocrate fantasque et inquiétant qui dirigeait la Gambie depuis vingt-deux ans (lire la suite).
« L’Algérie expulse les migrants subsahariens » Pour la première fois depuis 2012, l’Algérie rapatrie des migrants subsahariens, originaires de différents pays d’Afrique de l’ouest (lire la suite).
By Mathias Mazinga, added 9th December 2016 01:37 PM
He explained that further to pioneering Catholic evangelism in Uganda, the White Fathers had also given holistic empowerment to many people, who subsequently influenced the steady growth and development of the Church and the country
The Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Mbarara, the Most Rev. Paul Bakyenga has praised the Missionaries of Africa, popularly known as the White Fathers, for their enormous contribution to the spread of Catholicism in Uganda and Africa.
He explained that further to pioneering Catholic evangelism in Uganda, the White Fathers had also given holistic empowerment to many people, who subsequently influenced the steady growth and development of the Church and the country.
“I am one of the people that were educated and groomed by the White Fathers. Even after I became a priest, they gave me enormous help in my ministry. I am humbled to be associated with the congregation,” Bakyenga said.
Bakyenga made the remarks during the celebrations for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, at Lourdel House (the headquarters of the White Fathers) in Nsambya, on Thursday (December 8).
Bakyenga encouraged the White Fathers to continue spreading the gospel of Christ with dynamism, in spite of the enormous challenges of contemporary society.
During the function, the White Fathers honoured their confrere, Fr. Gerard Reynaert (91), who made 65 years of Missionary oath. They also congratulated Fr. Ferdinand Tillmann, who clocked 50 years in priesthood. Tillmann, who hails from Germany, is currently a lecturer of Holy Scripture and Systematic Theology at St. Mary’s National Major Seminary, Ggaba. Fr. Reynaert resides at Lourdel House, Nsambya.
The day of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is the annual fellowship day of the White Fathers. They celebrate it together with their relatives and friends.
This function on Thursday was also graced by the Uganda Sector Superior of the congregation, The Very Rev. Fr. Gerard Chabannon. The Superior of the East African Province of the White Fathers, the Very Rev. Fr. Charles Obanya (resident in Kenya), also attended the function.
On Malawi Road, after the Luthembwe Bridge, near Chipata Town, Chief Mpezeni area, Eastern Province of Zambia.
By Jean-Luc Gouiller, M.Afr
The Lavigerie Formation Centre of the Missionaries of Africa is a “Pre-First Phase” for our candidates to missionary life. They are from our Sectors, namely Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa and Zambia. The Formation Centre has a capacity of welcoming twenty aspirants. The first group came on 15th January 2016 and left it on 17th June 2016. A second group arrived on 12th October 2016 and will leave on 15th May 2017.
However the official opening of the Centre took place only on Friday 18th November 2016 when people around have become more familiar with us. That day was a real feast, gathering around us some Christians of Mchini Parish and Chipata in particular. The Right Reverend Bishop George Z. Lungu thought it meaningful that the celebration be also one of the ceremonies closing the year of Mercy. The celebration took place outside, a very well-animated liturgy by various groups, and choirs.
The morning was announced as to be sunny, and it was indeed, but an abundant rain (a blessing in this time of the year) came as we were finishing our celebration.
The Catholic Church has already taken deep roots in the Eastern Province of Zambia. Like many Catholics in Zambia, the Church in Chipata and in the neighbouring Malawi have celebrated the centenary of evangelisation already at the beginning of the 1990ies. Our Protestant Brothers are also many.
In 1937, Monsignor Ferdinand Martin was appointed to the newly founded “Apostolic Prefecture” of Fort Jameson (now Chipata). He came to settle on a farm on the side of the main road coming from Malawi, some ten kilometres before Fort Jameson. That place came to be known as “SANCTA MARIA MISSION”. The sandy road leading to it is still there, as it can be seen. Santa Maria became a very vibrant Parish.
After ten years, in 1947, Mgr. Martin left the place, but he left behind him a well-established Mission, with priests and probably brothers, catechists, and many “outstations” for Christians in various places. Moreover, at that time, the Prefecture already had several Zambian Priests.
Bishop Courtemanche was appointed to take the place of Mgr. Martin and moved to Fort-Jameson. Mgr. Courtemanche would remain in Fort Jameson until the appointment of the then Fr. M. Mazombwe in 1970 (ordained Bishop in February 1971) as Bishop of Fort Jameson. The Zambian Church was “coming of age”.
In 1965/66, Santa Maria was not central anymore for the many Catholics in Chief Mpezeni area, as well as other Chiefdoms. So another place was chosen as “Mission”: Msipazi. But because money was scarce at that time, it was decided that the bricks, and some other building material needed for the construction of Msipazi, would be taken from the existed buildings of Santa Maria. At the same time the bricks of Naviruli were transported to the other newly planned parish of Chadiza.
In 2013, came the decision to build the M.Afr “Lavigerie Formation House”. Chipata being indeed a real centre of the new Southern Africa Province, thoughts revived the souvenir of the old “Santa Maria”. What a dream!
And what a reality too! Indeed after some search for a place, we found it at some 1,500 metres from Santa Maria, going towards Chipata. Providence has indeed helped us to find what has become the “Lavigerie Formation Centre” … somehow a resurrection of Santa Maria! We are grateful to all who have helped us to reach our goal. Thanks be to God.
P.S.: Jean-Luc Gouiller arrived in Zambia in April 1966. One of the first places he visited, with Fr. Hannecart, is Santa Maria. He cannot forget it. It was the time of the demolition. Fr. Mazombwe was there as a teacher in the pre-seminary.