Fr. Terry Madden, Provincial of Great Britain informed us of the return to the Lord of Brother Eugene Leonard, M.Afr, who died on the 17th January 2016, in St Francis Nursing Home, Glasgow, Great Britain at the age of 89 years old of which 60 of missionary life
in Luxembourg, Malawi and in Great Britain. Brother Leonard was in Malawi from 1958 till 1985 in various missions such as Mzambazi, Katete, Mzimba, Nkhamenya, Rumphi, Nkhata Bay, Karonga, Kaseye, Katete, all those places in Mzuzu Diocese. He was also in Lilongwe between 1990 and 1995.
By Patrick Bataille, M.Afr
President Edgard Lungu of Zambia went to pray at St Joseph’s Catholic Church, the English Parish in Paris, on Sunday the 7th February. The Mass was a normal Sunday service with the usual congregation. Father Authur Mc Cann, Parish Priest, presided and was assisted by our two confreres, Jacques Amyot d’Inville, who worked in Zambia a long time ago, and Bernard Baudon who worked in Tanzania. I arrived in the middle of the Mass because I did not get the right time. The President was accompanied by his delegation. He also had several agents of the French security around him. The delegation was not very important. According to me, the guests were very few because they are not many Zambians in France. At the end of the Mass, I joined the priests who were greeting the people and the President and his wife came to shake hands. We just said few words, even in Bemba. I hoped to see Harry Kalaba, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and a former novice at Kahangala in Zambia. I was told he was there but I have not met him. After Mass the delegation went to have a meal in the suburb of Paris.
By the new editorial team in Merrivale.
As we start our first semester of the academic year 2016, we wish to welcome each and every community member from his holidays. Our first year students had an opportunity of spending more time in silence and prayer for a period of one month in their retreat. Five of them went to Marianhill, and were directed by Fr. Fisher Urs CMM and three others went to the Capuchin sisters in Port Shepstone and were guided by Fr. Michel Côté, M.Afr on mission in Malawi. While chatting with some of them, they affirmed that they had a good experience which they will live and carry on through the rest of their missionary life.
Immediately after their deaconate ordination, our five deacons were sent outside South Africa in different parishes. Damian Ahimbisibwe was at St. Francis parish Kanengo and Albert Kondemodre at St. Thomas the Apostle parish Mzuzu, both in Malawi. Robbin Simbeye was at St. Peter’s parish, Serenje and Alphonse-Marie Byishimo at St. John the Baptist Kasamba parish both in Zambia. Konrad Simon Millanzi went to Mozambique at Our Lady Queen of the World, Dombe. They all had a wonderful pastoral experience in their respective places. On this note, they are grateful to the staff members for sending them not only for pastoral, but also for giving them a chance of meeting and working with people from different cultural backgrounds. Likewise, they appreciate the hospitality received from different confreres during their mission. We pray that the Almighty God may guide you in your missionary zeal to serve the Church.
A Few days after the arrival of our deacons from their pastoral experience, they joined the rest of the community members for their annual retreat at St. John Paul II Centre in Bethlehem diocese. Our retreat, animated by Fr. Michel Meunier, M.Afr, was very enriching spiritually.
We wish to welcome our new editorial team members to the office but also send a word of thanks to our previous one that did a tremendous job of keeping us updated on different issues. We hope that different articles and homilies that they have been posting benefited many of us in different ways.
Our community is growing not only in numbers but also in faith and love. We thank our present three staff members that are doing their best to keep us focused on our missionary vocation. Soon Fr. Jones Kawisha will be coming to join the formation team, and he is most welcome. Seven students have been appointed to this formation House and they will be starting their academic year in July 2016, during the second semester for some. We finally express our gratitude to all of you who contribute in making our community lively. Happy Lenten season to you all and may God bless you.
A terrible car accident happened on the New Year’s Eve, 31st December 2015, between Mukushi and Serenje. On their way from the funeral of their nephew, who himself was hit by a car few days before, Sister Francis Wapakwenda, SCJ., Ls, 78 years old, and a cousin called Abigail died in a car accident. The later, pregnant, died on her way to the hospital. In the same accident, Sister Cecilia Mulenga, aged 43, was critically injured. She was operated on her neck in Lusaka and recovered for this surgery. But other complications occurred while she was treated. She died on Friday afternoon the 19th February 2016 around 17:30 at St. Jean-Paul II Hospital in Lusaka. She has been with ups and downs since the accident largely paralysed from the neck. But she was showing good spirit on Friday morning; “I will be dancing tonight,” she said. Indeed, she is dancing now in heaven.
Sister Cecilia was the Vocation Promoter of the Sacred Heart Sisters. She was the first Zambian to join the Congregation and made part of her formation in the Philippines. She worked on the isle of Cebu for two years.
The Missionaries of Africa invited the Sacred Heart Sisters to come to Zambia in 1956 and remain close to each other ever since. The funerals will take place at Mary Immaculate church in Woodlands, Lusaka, on Tuesday 23rd February at 9:00. The burial will take place in Kasisi, few kilometres from the International Airport of Lusaka.
We pray for them all, their families and the Sacred Heart Sisters. Note that Sister Francis Wapakwenda was the aunt of Sister Cecilia who was present at the farewell party for Father Jean-Pierre Sauge which took place on April 25, 2015.
On the 17th February 2016, Jos Van Boxel, First Assistant of the General Council of the Missionaries of Africa and Major Superior of the Community of the General House read a letter from the Holy See informing us of the appointment of our Superior General Father Richard Kuuia Baawobr as Bishop of his home diocese, Wa Diocese (Ghana). Here is his reaction and a word to his confreres. (4 minutes).
-
- Richard Baawobr and François Richard
GHANA – Resignation of the Bishop of Wa and appointment of successor
Vatican City | Agenzia Fides (SL) | 18/02/2016
On 17 February 2016 the Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the Diocese of Wa (Ghana), presented by His Exc. Mgr. Paul Bemile, in accordance with can. 401 § 1 of the Code of Canon Law. The Holy Father appointed Rev. Fr. Richard Kuuia Baawobr, M. Afr., Superior General of the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers) as Bishop of the Diocese of Wa (Ghana).
Fr. Richard Kuuia Baawobr, M. Afr., was born on June 21, 1959 in Tom-Zendagangn, Diocese of Wa. He attended the elementary school in the village, he continued his studies at St. Francis Xavier Minor Seminary and Nandom Secondary School. He entered the St. Victor diocesan Major Seminary in Tamale in 1979, after his philosophical studies. In 1981 he went to the Society of Missionaries of Africa, where he continued his studies for priesthood. From 1981 to 1982 he was in Fribourg, Switzerland, for his Novitiate. Subsequently, from 1982 to 1987, he completed his theological studies at the Missionary Institute London (MIL). On 5 December 1986 he professed his religious vows at St. Edward’s College, London and was ordained a priest on July 18, 1987.
Since his ordination, he has served the following pastoral and academic roles: 1987-1991: Assistant priest in Livulu, Archdiocese of Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo; 1991-1996: Student of exegesis at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome and at the Ignatian Spirituality at Le Chatelard in Lyon, in France, where he obtained a Licentiate in Sacred Scripture and a Doctorate in Biblical Theology; 1996-1999: Formator of the Missionaries of Africa in Kahangala, Tanzania; 1999-2004: Director of the formation house of Toulouse in France; 2004-2010: First Assistant General of the Missionaries of Africa. Since 2010: Superior General of the Missionaries of Africa (the first African to hold this position), Vice Chancellor of PISAI (Pontifical Institute of Arabic-Islamic Studies).
He was elected by the Union of Superiors General to attend the Ordinary Assembly of the last Synod of Bishops on the Family, from 4 to 25 October 2015.
Dans la rubrique « Actualités » :
« Les statistiques de notre société missionnaire au 1er janvier 2016 ». (lire la suite)
« Confrères décédés en 2016 » s’agissant de ceux qui ont travaillé dans la P.A.O. Il n’y a pour l’instant que deux personnes, l’une d’elles étant d’ailleurs décédée le 31/12/2015 (lire la suite)
« 50 ans de Tema Bokin, la suite » quelques nouvelles des célébrations de cet événement datant du mois de janvier 2016 (lire la suite)
Dans la rubrique « Témoignages »,
« Jubilaires Missionnaires d’Afrique 2016 » la liste des M.Afr qui célébreront le jubilé de leur serment missionnaire cette année. (lire la suite)
« Récollection pour le Carême 2016 » un texte du père Herman Bastijns, pour aider à vivre ce temps important de la vie chrétienne. (lire la suite)
Dans la rubrique « Dialogue interreligieux » :
« Islam tolérant ou intolérant » : encore une fois notre merci aux Missionnaires d’Afrique de l’ARCRE qui nous invitent à nous informer et réfléchir (lire la suite)
Dans la rubrique « Justice et Paix »
« Laudato Si, un cadeau pour l’Afrique » : un texte du Père Bernard Ugeux, présentement en République Démocratique du Congo (lire la suite)
Dans la rubrique « Vu au sud, vu du sud » :
« Procès de Laurent Gbagbo » des informations prises sur le site de Radio France Internationale à ce propos. (lire la suite)
« Attentats au Burkina » là aussi, merci à RFI pour les information détaillées prises sur leur site (lire la suite)
« La COP 21 vue du Burkina (3) » : merci au SEDELAN et au Père Maurice Oudet pour cet article et les vœux 2016. (lire la suite)
« Burkina et coton transgénique » : un autre article du SEDELAN qui nous parle du fait que le Burkina Faso abandonne le coton Bt transgénique (lire la suite)
By Innocent Majune, Stagiaire
On the 5th February 2016, the community of the Missionaries of Africa in Serenje organised a farewell party for Father Emmanuel Mambwe. It was a happy moment shared with confreres from Kasama, Kasamba, Lusaka, Chipata and Ndola.
On Sunday 7th, a farewell Eucharistic celebration was organised by the Parish Council. Among the invited guests were the leaders of the parish, Christians from the United Church of Zambia (U.C.Z) and Reformed Church of Zambia, local government authorities and M.Afr confreres. In his farewell homily, Emmanuel Mambwe expressed his gratitude to the parishioners and people he worked with in Serenje. He underlined the virtue of humility and the attitude of reconciliation with one another as elements that build a good society.
The Christians were sad to see their pastor leaving. Many shed tears of sadness. The Delegate Superior of Zambia, Father Venerato Babaine, asked the people to understand his departure as a response to his missionary commitment; we come and go to where God wants us to attend to his flock. He further emphasised the need to work in harmony with the new staff. The Delegate Superior introduced new members of the community; Innocent Majune (stagiaire), Deacon Douglas Ogato and Frather Saju Akkara as the priest-in-charge. He promised that when the Bishop of Kabwe has appointed the Parish Priest, the parishioners will be informed.
Many thanks to Father Emmanuel Mambwe for his dedication. We wish him a blessed renewal in Jerusalem where he will follow a session in the coming few months. We wish him also a happy apostolate wherever he will be appointed. May the Almighty God bless him!
It’s with great sadness that we announce the sudden death of another brother of our confrere Paul Namono. Mr Fernand Namono who is the elder brother to Paul passed on early this morning in Ouagadougou after a fall which led him into a coma on Wednesday. May he rest in peace. In the event that he gets a ticket Paul will be leaving for Burkina today. Paul, we hold you tight in our prayers in these most painful moments of your life.
Michel Sanou, M.Afr, Delegate Superior in Malawi
Note: In January 2016, the younger brother of Fr Paul Namono named Janvier Namono died in Ouagadougou.
Link: Death of relatives of Paul Namono, M.Afr
Call for Papers: Religion and Society in the Contemporary Context of Zambia and Southern Africa
Justo Mwale University and UNZA Department of Religious Studies will host a conference on Religion and Society from Wednesday 6th to Saturday 9th April 2016 at the premises of Justo Mwale University located in Chamba Valley, Lusaka. Conference participants will arrive on Wednesday and depart on Saturday morning. The conference will explore the relationship between religion and society, and in particular the place of religion within society in the contemporary context of Zambia and Southern Africa. The conference will look at this question from both a religious studies and a theological vantage point. It will investigate our concepts of religion and their developments, and how to theologically evaluate the changes over time in that respect, focusing in particular on the current context of Christianity in Zambia and Southern Africa.
VENUE: Justo Mwale University, Plot 19-Sub-E-609, Chamba Valley-Munali Rd, P.O. Box 310199, Lusaka
The conference theme Religion and Society in the Contemporary Context of Zambia and Southern Africa will cover the following questions: – How does religion’s place within society determine what we take religion to be? – What is the impact of the declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation on religious education? – How is the place of religion within current Southern African society different from the position of early Christianity within the Greco-Roman society; and what are the implications of this difference? – To what extent is the place of religion in current Southern African society informed by African Traditional Religion’s perspective? – How does religion in the current Southern African society relate to politics? – How does religion in the current Southern African society relate to business? – If a ministry is viewed as a business or investment opportunity, should we still call it religion?
More details about the conference will follow later. Click here to read the PDF file.
Please send your abstracts (max. 250 words) before 21st February 2016 to: hermen.kroesbergen@gmail.com
Note: Reverend Justo Mwale was the first Zambian to be pastor in the Reformed Church in Zambia (from 1929). Since the church’s theological training moved to Lusaka at the end of the 1960s, the institution has opened its doors to other churches, brought the academic standards and accreditation to an internationally accepted level, contextualised the curriculum, expanded its infrastructure and built relationships with a multitude of similar institutions, churches and individuals. In 2008 the Zambian Ministry of Education awarded Justo Mwale Theological College university status. By expanding the student numbers through additional academic programs the institution was renamed Justo Mwale University in 2015.