Click on the picture above to see the full report.
Congratulation to Karl Kälin who was the most popular post on January 13th 2014.
Visitors of SAP Blog are from 152 countries. Most of them came from The United States. Zambia and Canada were not far behind.
A South African Hail Mary
Hail Mary,
Pregnant with the aspirations of our people;
The Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among the oppressed,
And blessed is the fruit of liberation of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of South Africa,
Pray for us who hope in the Spirit of God,
Now when our people take up the struggle for justice,
And at the hour of our freedom.
Amen!
This prayer was written by a young South African Sister and given to Michel Meunier at the end of a retreat in Maria Trost on 21st December 2014.
Dear Confreres and Friends,
Yesterday, we announced you the death of the grandmother of Fidel Makara. Today, we are receiving the following messages. Let us remain united in prayer.
“I am informing you about the death of Mr. Bagumenda Luciano, the father of our confrere Africano Mucunguzi . He is being laid to rest today the 28th December at their ancestral home Kibagarwa Ibanda. We pray for the repose of his soul and pray for the family in this difficult times.”
Message sent by Lawrence Tukamushaba, M.Afr student in Nairobi.
“I’ve just received a sad news from home that my elder sister, Sebyera Marie-Claire, passed on today around 10:00 am. She has been sick for some years. She had two children and she was in her forties. The burial will be tomorrow the 29th December 2014. It is too bad and painful to me at the same time, as I am traveling tomorrow to Jerusalem in Israel. Please remember her in your prayers that the good Lord may receive her soul.” From Patrick Sebyera, M.Afr student.
“At Christmas, we celebrate the great truth that our God entered human history. At the heart of Christianity is the belief that the most loving word God spoke became a person, Jesus… We rejoice in Emmanuel, God with us!”
This year 2014 is closing with a lot of good events. PRESENT would like to highlight some few points among many.
‘’Vocation is a gift, it is a call.’’ We are all invited to share, talk, and encourage vocations from all the various corners of our apostolic service.
This year, from 13th January to 12th June, we had in Kolibo centre our aspirants from Kasama, Samfya, Chingola, Ndola, Lusaka, Chipata, Chadiza for the Candidacy course. The experience was very nice and enriching, with a colourful cultural mixture. Beginning of September, they went to Balaka, Malawi, for Philosophy and they are flourishing, full of joy. (Up: Horris, Ivor, Patrick and Innocent; down: Evans and Francis).
The 2nd years and the 3rd years are supporting the 1st years in terms of integration and knowing the culture and realities of Malawi since they are veteran.
2nd year: John, Saviour, Alfred and Leonard. 3rd year: Emmanuel, Peter, Biness, Benjamin and Grant
From 14th to 20th July 2014, and 13th to 20th October, we had ‘Come and See’ program in Kolibo. In total, nine aspirants attended. For both, we ended the session with a prayerful recollection day and picnic. We thank God for the gift of our aspirants!
On the 2nd August 2014, in Minga, we were blessed with the priestly ordination of Fr. Emmanuel Chisanga Mubanga of Kalichelo Parish, Chipata Diocese. The first mass took place in his home parish on 3rd August. Blessed mission in Mali Fr. Emmanuel! Fr. Emmanuel and Deacon Remy (from Malawi, now priest in Uganda).
On the 10th of October, Fr. Francis Kangwa took off for his new mission in Uganda. Always smiling! Continue with the same spirit. Thank you for the work done in the vocational ministry and blessed apostolate in Katakwi Parish, Uganda!
24th October 2014, we celebrated the Golden Jubilee of Zambia. The celebration took place in Lusaka at the Heroes Stadium. We pray and wish that we may remain: “One Zambia, One Nation” and show signs of good leadership not only in the southern African region but in the rest of the world. Happy Jubilee!
To all the candidates, aspirants and those who are searching for their vocation, the Missionaries of Africa are there for you. Don’t hesitate to “Come & See” for yourself. You may be misled by other friends and pear group.
From January to June: Candidacy course in Kolibo, Serenje. 9 aspirants are expected! In February, a “Come and See” program will be held for those who have completed Grade 12, with full certificate.
May this Christmas bring peace and joy in our heart. Happy and fruitful year 2015!
All the best and See you soon. Fr. Camille Kolibo, Vocation Director, Vocation Centre, Zambia.
My dear Friends, HAPPY CHRISTMAS! May the birth of the Son of God among us (Emmanuel) fill you with hope and joy!
On 28th November, most of the M.Afr were in Merrivale to witness the missionary oath of one of our students from DR Congo, Serge Boroto. By taking his oath, Serge has become a full Missionary of Africa! The following day, Saturday morning at Henley Parish, he was ordained a deacon by our confrere Jan De Groef, Bishop of Bethlehem Diocese. Many of his relatives and friends came for the occasion and rejoiced with him and all of us for these happy events! Congratulations, Serge! We all pray for you to be a good and faithful servant of the Lord and of his Church in Africa!
On 2nd and 22nd December, I took part in two meetings to prepare the great vocation youth rally which will take place on 7th February in Johannesburg, to celebrate the YEAR OF CONSECRATED LIFE. This special year proclaimed by Pope Francis on the 1st Sunday of Advent (30th November) has for theme Wake Up the World! Yes, all consecrated people – we all are, as per our baptism – , especially the religious priests, brothers and sisters, we ALL have to pray and work very hard in order to wake up our world to the reality of the presence of Jesus in our lives. This Year of Consecrated Life will last until 2nd February 2016. It is a golden occasion to pray more and reflect on our vocation…
From 11thto 20th December, I was in MariaTrost Pastoral Centre in Mpumalanga, giving a retreat to some Religious Sisters. I took the occasion to go to pray on the tomb of late Fr. Sebastian Ndrutsomi, M.Afr, who was killed in a car accident last January 5th. Let us pray for his eternal rest and for some young people generous enough to pursue a vocation to replace him in his work in the vineyard of the Lord. (See his profile on this PDF file)
This month, I had a few contacts with some youth interested to join us. One who used to search his vocation with us, has abandoned the idea and is pursuing some other studies. Another one has gone to another religious congregation who are not missionaries. Two others have showed some interest, but are still unsure. Let us pray for them all.
And those of you who have just written Matrics, we wish you all some good results.
Wishing you all a very Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year. Above all, let us remember the real reason for Christmas!
“God so loved the world that He gave his only Son” (Jn. 3: 16)
God bless you all! Fr. Michael Meunier, M.Afr
Dear Friends from Zambia
It is high time for me to send you some news. First and foremost I had the joy to share a meal with Fr. Christopher Chileshe, here in Brussel. We had a very long time to share about the news from Zambia and from Brussel. Here we do have many Africans. But most of them are from Congo. Once after a mass, I had the joy to hear someone telling me: “My wife is from Zambia!” But they were tourists from London. Just too bad for me.
You may have heard that last year in November, I moved from the AMANI Center to our community of ARCRE, a community trying to follow up all what is happening between the Western World and Muslim World; and at the same time, we do work for a better relation between Christians and Muslims, in short a better and deeper “Vivre Ensemble”. So we are running a Web Site to the name of ARCRE where we publish all the documents and articles related to those topics. Please go and see it at least once in order to see what we are trying to do. On my part, I am more especially concerned with the presentation and review of books which could be interesting or which anyone can find for sale in any bookstore. It asks me a lot of readings and patience. We have to consult and read, at least just in order to know that this book or this article has very little value.
We do have a lot of contacts with various people working in the same line than ourselves. We participate in a variety of meeting, conferences and seminars. The weak point is our direct contacts with Muslims. On that point we still have a lot to do
We are supposed to go on like that up to 2016. After that, we shall probably have a new team, a younger team. Because I remain the youngest of the community and as you know I am 69 by now. Already, one of us, Father Eric Bladt, has left us because of health problem; and we remain only two by now: Fr. Agustin Arteche from Spain, formerly in Burkina and Sudan, and myself. So we are not the ideal community.
This year of 2014 will be remembered as the year during which I broke my wrist. On the day of Pentecost, running up in order to buy ice cream for my community, I did not see a small step on the pavement, fell on the ground and so it happened. Result: 5 weeks with plaster on the wrist followed by 30 session of health care by specialist. Now I am okay a part from feeling some time to time the peace of iron covering part of my wrist. Health problems are part of life. I am far away from Zambia but I realize that I am well cared for in that domain. Health wise I do feel more secure here in Europe than in Zambia and with the insurance, it is quite cheap.
I am still working on a part time basis in a local parish. It is demanding but very rewarding. We have a lot of Africans coming to this parish. Twice a week, I am receiving people for encounter or confession. And as our street is right in the middle of the Shopping Mall of Brussels, a lot of people are coming in. When Africans are knocking, I let them talk and narrate their trouble. When finally I ask them: “And your family, where do they come from?” and once I mention to them that I had been 35 years in Zambia, then you should see the big smile on their face: “Then you are going to understand!” are often enough their joyful answer.
Through internet, I am following all what is happening in Zambia. The Post has no more a Web site but the Times of Zambia still have. I know that you are preparing for the next election. It does not seem to be so easy. I keep Zambia in my prayers.
Dear All, I keep you in my prayers. Africa is still my baby although here in Brussels.
May God bless you all! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Here is a lovely Christmas Song written by Don Murdock from Colborne, Ontario, a little community just down the road from Ottawa on the 401. It is not a Holiday song, it’s a CHRISTMAS song. This Ontario singer battles “political correctness” in his latest song. Kudos to him! Massage sent by Michel Meunier, M.Afr
Lets stop all the silly political correctness around Merry Christmas. This is a song that says it all. Merry Christmas to all! Don Murdock
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