Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

Welcome to Southern Africa Blog

Category: Mozambique Sector Page 2 of 4

News and events of Mozambique Sector of SAP

Violent death of the watchman of Sussundenga, Mozambique

By

On October 9, 2015

In Mozambique Sector, News

Sussundenga MOZThe community of Sussundenga in the Diocese of Chimoio in Mozambique is mourning the violent death of his watchman. At 6:15 on 8th October, I saw a missed call from one of our parishioners who is a medical Doctor. I got surprised and called her back. She was very preoccupied and wanted to know if we were all inside the house. She then told me that we should not get out until the police recommends us to do so. “Your watchman was killed last night in your house”, she concluded. I immediately informed my confreres. Shortly the police called us to come out as they were at the gate. Our watchman was lying down as if he was asleep but with his mouth widely opened. His face shown marks of violence. Joaquim has passed away! Strange enough, nothing was stolen or vandalised, including our cars and motorbikes. Even the personal belongings of the watchman were left behind intact; phones, radio, lamp torch, except his gun.

We are still waiting for the Police and hospital reports. For our security, two policemen kept vigil in our house for one night. Our Joaquim left two wives and many children. His funeral took place yesterday the 9th in the morning.

Pray for us. Boris Yabre, M.Afr

Jos van Boxtel in Mozambique – March 2015

By

On March 29, 2015

In Mozambique Sector

Jos van Boxtel in Mozambique March 2015 01 copie

Celebration of the 8th December 2014 in Dombe, Mozambique

By

On December 16, 2014

In Mozambique Sector, News

Although Dombe Parish is in a remote rural area, the Missionaries of Africa working in Mozambique have decided this year to celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception together with Pequenas Missionárias de Maria Imaculada (Little Missionaries of Mary Immaculate). We started the day with a meeting chaired by Richard Ujwigowa on behalf of the Delegate Superior Timothée who is on home leave. We had a brain storming about our mission in Mozambique, in particular within the diocese of Chimoio. Many questions were raised: should we stay in the diocese of Chimoio? Should we leave? What is our aim as Missionaries of Africa working in Mozambique?

This reflection was made in a climate of free discussion, without being judgmental and pointing out the matter objectively. No decision was taken. Richard presented also some information about the Provincial Council which took place in Lusaka in November.  

We celebrated Mass with others Missionaries, namely the Pequenas Missionárias de Maria imaculada, Obra de Maria (Work of Mary) and the Fazenda da Esperança (Family of hope). We ended the day with music and sharing a good meal together at the residence of the Fathers.

Viva, 8 de dezembro!  Florent Sawadogo

Dombe,-Mozambique-2014

Theological week in Nazaré, June 2014, Mozambique

By

On July 24, 2014

In Mozambique Sector, News

Theo week Mozambique 2014Nazaré Centre organised its 19th « semana teológica » or its theological week from the 16th till the 20th June 2014 under the topic: “A Familia Em Mocambique, Desafios Para O Terceiro Milenio” translated by: “a family in Mozambique, challenge for the third millennium”.
People came from different areas of Mozambique such as Beira, Chimoio, Tete, Nacala, Quelimane, Inhambane and Maputo. Inputs, group works and the plenary helped the discussions surrounding family life; its challenges and what the Church is saying about it looking into various documents such as Vatican II, Familiaris consortio, Ecclesia in Africa and Africae Munus. The questionnaire of the synod “so Desafios pastorais da família no contexto da evangelização” was also explained.
The family remains the cell of life where human beings give birth and develop. In this third millennium, we are invited to take into consideration the importance of living together as a family and to rediscover its value and identity, both human and spiritual.   
Hugh SeenanFernando Perez 2014On the 29th June, the compound of the church of Inhamizua / Beira was full of joy and dance. There was something unusual on that Sunday Mass. Fathers Hugh Seenan and Fernando Pérez were celebrating respectively 25 years and 50 years of priestly ordination. The thanksgiving song was followed by many gifts from the parishioners where Hugo and Fernando worked. That day was also the official launch of the Friends of the Missionaries of Africa in Mozambique (AMAMO). 
Florent Sawadogo, Dombe parish, Mozambique

Sussundenga in celebration – Mozambique

By

On February 24, 2014

In Mozambique Sector, News

Serge Kasombo Kabwakila 02Boris YabreEvery promise that we make in our life, no matter how small, is a landmark. This is what happened on the 16th February 2014 in Sussundenga when Serge Kabwakila Kasombo made his declaration of Intent on the same day as Fr. Boris Yabre, M.Afr, was officially welcomed as curate.
The event started the day before with the participation of 73 young adults who shared theirs views on contemporary challenges affecting family life. A vocation takes root in a family and grows until it matures into marriage or religious life as the Declaration of Intent of Serge was intended to signify.
The Sunday celebration brought six Missionaries of Africa and three Stagiaires together with some Sisters and about 500 Christians who were jubilant throughout the Mass. The main celebrant was Father Richard Ujwigowa who received the declaration of Serge on behalf of Father Timothée Bationo, Delegate Superior of Mozambique. Other confreres did not managed to come because of the rain which had cut-off the road from Beira to Chimoio.
The readings and homily centered on the call made by the owner of all vocations; Jesus. As a good shepherd, he is the one who guides us, especially in times of difficulty. Serge trusted his own vocation into the hand of our Mother Mary when the choir sang the “Santa Maria”.
After Mass, in the Parish hall, all the families who contributed in the preparation of the day were invited to have a bite together enjoying a variety of food and drinks. Music and dance, both traditional and modern, added to the festive atmosphere.
Compiled by Maurice Odhiambo, Stagiaire in Dombe

Searching for the identity of the Missionaries of Africa in Dombe

By

On December 7, 2013

In Mozambique Sector

Bernhard WernkeI am living now over a year at the Mission in Dombe. I call it charmingly “little Brazil”. At the Mission are four different groups: Fazenda da Esperança, Obra de Maria, Pequenas Missionárias Pequenas de Maria Imaculada and the Missionários de África. We the Missionaries of Africa are the only community composed of different nationalities. The others are all from Brazil. Reflecting on the living together with these communities I started reflecting about our Identify (common vision) as the Missionaries of Africa.
Dombe-Mission is a remote and rural place about 5 km from the commercial center Dombe-Sede. It has a secondary school, a clinic, a boarding school for boys and girls and a center for alcohol and drug addicts. The Missionaries of Africa serving 26 Christian communities.
Living at the Mission you see the students, people who are consulting the clinic, but rarely Christians visiting the Fathers. It might be because of the remote location. It might be because we have not yet settled down, because the community was completed at Easter this year. How can our identity as the Missionaries of Africa be reflected in the Parish / Mission? Or does our identity have an integrative impact on the live of the people and the mission personal? If one would define the Missionaries of Africa, you would hear answers like that: they are living in international communities, working in and for the African Church, doing justice and peace and working with Islam. Our basic priority in Dombe is evangelization and building up of Christian communities. Is this part of our identity, when one looks into our priorities? How do our priorities, our identity and common vision go together, when Catechesis is almost forgotten? For me it is via catechesis that we can reach most of the people in the parish community. I digitalized a catechism for adults and a prayer book, printed it and distributed it to the communities. Until now I’m still waiting for a corrective response.
Are we here to follow the will of the people, or are we building up in a constructive process parish communities with the basic ministries functioning? In order to have a living parish we need to build up structures on the organizational level: functioning and living Christian communities, pastoral zones and finally a functioning parish council and an administrative financial body. We are far from it, but on the way to it. We are still on a long road, but we see this lamps lit up. The Christians are willing to work with us and welcomed us. There is a lot of hope among us that we will succeed. Building up of Christian communities is hard work. It is a like a field which needs to be worked in: working the field, sowing, planting and weeding. A farmer is identified as a farmer because of his work. What is our common vision in relation to the work of evangelization? Does our charisma push us to work in this direction?
A community is identified and unified by its common project based on prayer, the experiences of so many missionaries and our documents. Too many visions do not unify a community and a community will not have an integrative and challenging aspect to our surrounding, if we are not united by the common vision (identity) of the Missionaries of Africa. The search continues and thanks to our community project we will see a good united community in their apostolic approach.
A blessed Advent time.
Bernhard Wernke, M.Afr

Death of Richard Ujwigowa’s grandfather

By

On October 9, 2013

In Mozambique Sector, News

Dear Confreres,Richard Ujwigowa Bikerong'a_2

I have just received a phone call from my father back home in the Congo announcing the sudden death of my grandfather, whose name is Lucien Upar. He has died at the age of 80. For many years, he had a problem of high pressure, but still could all kinds of works without any problem. Now he has gone. Please remember my grandfather in your prayers.

Richard Ujwigowa, M.Afr

Antislavery Campaign in Mozambique

By

On September 21, 2013

In Justice and Peace, Mozambique Sector, News

Os escravos de teatro copieBy Padre Florent S. Sawadogo, M.Afr, Missionarios de Africa, Paroquia de Dombe
Well prepared and discussed during sector meetings in Mozambique, the antislavery campaign finally took place in the absence of the Sector Superior, Timothée Bationo, who went to Burkina Faso for the Plenary Council. On the 29th August 2013, a minibus well decorated with writing about slavery took off from Beira to Dombe with two seminarians and a driver. The next day was the opening day of the campaign.
In Dombe, the thirsty ones for Justice & Peace awareness were ready early morning to embark to Sussundenga led by Florent S. Sawadogo en route to Tete at about 500km from there. Richard Ujwigowa was already in Tete for the ground work.
In the morning of the 31st, people from various parishes in Tete gathered at the Cathedral longing to take part into the inputs of the day. The following parishes were represented: Changara, Boroma, Matundu, Sao Pedro, Sao Jose, Moatize Cathedral and Matema. There were also some representatives from the Catholic university (UCM), other universities, the commission of Justice and Peace of Tete and some individuals like the Bishop, two visiting Brazilians and some authorities from political circles and NGO’s.
Among the Missionaries of Africa, two Fathers, two stagiaires and two seminarians spread the message of our founder Cardinal Charles Lavigerie to 108 people originating from Sofala, Manica and Tete.
The topics for discussion were: the history of slavery, the slavery of yesterday and today, the traffic of human beings and commerce of human organs, medical assistance on these cases, testimony of an elder about slavery in Mozambique and a drama which summarized this issue.
In the morning of the 1st September, Richard and Florent celebrated the closing Mass of the campaign at the outstation of Matema where the Missionaries of Africa are planning to live and work at the parish.
The seed of “the fight against slavery” has grown in Mozambique. May the Holy Spirit strengthen the hearts of men and women of good will to fight against modern slavery!
The Antislavery Trade Campaign in Chimoio
By Maurice Odhiambo, Stagiaire in Dombe Community
The Antislavery Trade Campaign came to Chimoio on the 7th and 8th of September 2013 at the Catholic University of Chimoio. Richard Ujwigowa welcomed the 500 participants present. Other organizers were Florent S. Sawadogo together with the stagiaires Maurice Odhiambo and Serge Kasongo. The conferences focussed on historical and new forms of slave trade, human trafficking and their devastating consequences.
Different dramas, dancing, reciting of poems, drawing and singing took place at the end of the day. It was a very wonderful night. So much so that no one could sleep. It was accompanied by music to keep the atmosphere conducive. At the end, the juries combined all their results and the first three winners in each item presented won different prizes. It was not only for the best performers but there were also rewards for all the participants. The function closed with the Holy Mass on the 9th at the same venue.

Nazaré Social Study Week – No to Slavery

By

On September 18, 2013

In Justice and Peace, Mozambique Sector, News

12-15 September 2013, by Hugh Seenan, M.Afr
The social study week in Nazaré was the climax of the three Provincial Capitals Caravan, Tete (Tete), Chimoio (Manica) and Beira (Sofala), promoting our anti-slavery campaign commemorating the 125th Anniversary of Cardinal Lavigerie, our founder’s campaign.
It was a joint week run by the Missionaries of Africa, the Archdiocese of Beira and SANTAC, the SADC sponsored group against Child Trafficking and Abuse. The participants included local traditional leaders, Catholic Secondary School pupils and their teacher, students and teachers from the Catholic University of Mozambique, local and provincial government agencies involved in this area, members of parish Justice and Peace groups as well as local religious and priests.
With the help of SANTAC we had experts in the areas of law and social policy in this area.  Key themes and presentations of the Missionary of Africa campaign were integrated into this.  There was much interest and lively debate in a friendly atmosphere.
Through SANTAC we had the presence of Fransisco Júnior, the top television investigative journalist in Mozambique and correspondent of VOA. He spoke about a famous case he was involved in, a report on girls trafficked to South Africa. He also made various interviews for VOA Portuguese service (radio and website see
Voz of América
The week was a fitting climax to our year of commemoration and through cooperation with SANTAC we hope to continue the campaign.

Moçambique: Padres católicos debatem tráfico humano

By

On September 18, 2013

In Justice and Peace, Mozambique Sector, News

Beira, 15th September 2013
As I am writing these lines, one of the major events organised at the level of SAP to mark the 125th anniversary of Lavigerie’s Antislavery campaign, has just come to an end. The sector of Mozambique was the only one capable of pulling off something in the line of the bus tour we had envisaged at the initial stage of the campaign. A minibus set off from Beira on 29th August and travelled to Tete, the boom town along the Zambezi River, picking up some people from our parishes of Dombe and Sussundenga. A two day awareness event was organised in Tete and the same happened in Chimoio a week later. Hundreds of people took part. The grand finale took place in Beira, at the centre of Nazaré, from 12th to 15th September. Conferences, debates, radio and television interviews, drama and the 4-day-long continuous and interested involvement of some 80 participants were a considerable achievement by our confreres here.
Claudio Zuccala, M.Afr
Voz of AméricaFrancisco Júnior, Actualizado em: 12.09.2013 18:16
Em Moçambique os padres católicos estão a organizar um encontro para reflectir sobre o problema do tráfico de seres humanos.
O encontro decorre na cidade da Beira, centro de Moçambique. Para além dos religiosos, participam no encontro oficiais da polícia, da procuradoria da república e representantes de diversas organizações da sociedade civil.
”Não à escravatura”, é uma campanha que decorre desde o início do ano, em 22 países africanos onde a congregação católica “Missionários de África”, também conhecida por “Padres Brancos”, está presente.
Em Moçambique, e na zona centro do país, os religiosos já promoveram diversas actividades nas províncias de Tete e Manica, e, de hoje até domingo, vão reunir-se num centro, em Inhamízua, periferia da cidade costeira da Beira. Um encontro de reflexão onde se falará do tráfico de seres humanos.
Com a presente campanha, os Missionários de África pretendem também celebrar os 125 anos da campanha lançada pelo seu fundador, o cardeal Charles Lavengerie, para a abolição da escravatura em África.
Fundada em 1868, a congregação “Missionários de África” estabeleceu-se em Moçambique em 1946 nas províncias centrais de Manica e Sofala onde, para além da sua missão evangélica, tem contribuído para a formação de líderes religiosos sobre a doutrina social da Igreja, justiça e paz, preservação e protecção do meio ambiente, bem como no diálogo inter-religioso.
Não obstante o encontro da Beira marcar o encerramento da campanha “quebremos as correntes”, as acções de prevenção e sensibilização não vão parar tal como referiu à Voz da América, o Padre Hugo Seenan, um dos organizadores do encontro de reflexão sobre o fenómeno de tráfico de seres humanos que iniciou esta quinta-feira e termina domingo, em Inhamízua, arredores da cidade da Beira.

Page 2 of 4

Previous

Next

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén