Mafrwestafrica – Lettre du 28 juin 2015

Aujourd’hui, les Missionnaires d’Afrique de l’Ouest vous proposent de visiter de nouvelles pages sur leur site www.mafrwestafrica.net :

Dans la rubrique « Actualités » :
« Nouvelles de la Province d’Afrique Occidentale » ; quelques informations fournies au sujet des ordinations à venir, du nouvel économe provincial, et du dernier conseil provincial. (lire la suite) 
« Le point de vue d’un non croyant sur ‘Laudato si’ » le sociologue Edgar Morin est très intéressé par la dernière encyclique du pape.(lire la suite)

Dans la rubrique « Témoignages » :
« Construire des ponts d’amitié» : le témoignage d’une Soeur Missionnaire de ND d’Afrique, qui travaille dans un bidonville au Kenya (lire la suite)
« Cinquantenaire, pourquoi faire ? », ce qu’en dit Mgr Jean Gabriel Diarra, l’évêque du diocèse de San au Mali, à l’occasion de la célébration du cinquantenaire de ce diocèse (lire la suite)

Dans la rubrique « Dialogue interreligieux » :
« Ramadan 2015 » c’est le 18 juin dernier qu’a commencé la période de jeûne du Ramadan pour nos frères musulmans de par le monde (lire la suite) 
« Voeux de l’Eglise pour le Ramadan». La présentation du texte du Cardinal Tauran, président du conseil pontifical pour la dialogue interreligieux, et la lettre de Mgr Claude Rault, évêque de Laghouat-Ghardaia. (lire la suite) 
« Quelques publications intéressantes ». La présentation de quelques livres qui aident à mieux comprendre le dialogue interreligieux. (lire la suite)
« Nouvelles du Moyen Orient », quelques articles pris sur le site de l’ARCRE et qui traitent de la situation toujours préoccupante dans cette partie du monde. (lire la suite)

Dans la rubrique « Justice et Paix » :
« L’encyclique Laudato si » cette encyclique du Pape François qui appelle à prendre soin du monde qui a été confié aux hommes… (lire la suite)
« Islam et économie au Burkina Faso » texte du Professeur Issa Cissé, universitaire et islamologue Burkinabè (lire la suite)

Dans la rubrique « Vu au sud, vu du sud » :
« Sécheresse inquiétante au Burkina » un article paru dans « Le Monde » du 31 mai-1er juin : « Les vents fous du réchauffement »…(lire la suite) 
« Gardiens de la terre» : un texte écrit par le Père Maurice Oudet, et publié dans le « Petit Echo » du mois de juin 2015. (lire la suite) 
« Situation au Mali et au Burkina », des questions sur l’avenir politique du Mali, et des recommandations de prudence pour la Burkina. (lire la suite) 

Newsletter South Africa No 52 – 26th June, 2015

25th anniversary of Kolibo Vocation Centre and end of 2015 candidacy course.

Dear Missionaries of Africa, Missionaries Sisters of Our Lady of Africa, M.Afr students and ex-students, MIMSAF members, parents and friends. 2015 marks the 25^th anniversary of the existence of Kolibo Vocation Centre in Serenje. A special Mass was celebrated on the 14^th June coinciding with the closing of the 2015 candidacy course which ended in a good mood. For now, the students are on leave waiting for the opening of their academic year in Balaka, Malawi, for Philosophy.

25 years is truly a blessing. May the Lord blesses our work of promoting vocations for the Church of Christ.

Camille Konkobo, M.Afr, Vocation and Missionary Animator in Zambia.

Names of the candidates who participated to the 2015 candidacy course: From Mozambique: Gineto Xavier Penicera, Rafael Gabriel Benjamin Campira, José Manuel Castiao Quissimisse. From Zambia: Darious Mwape (Mansa), Cuthbert Chilalika (Ndola), Kelvin Mutalala, George Kunda and Reagan Chola (Chingola), Louis Kangwa (Kasama), Vincent Mutale (Chongwe) and Sandram Mwanza (Mukushi).

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MIMSAF recollection on Consecrated Life

A dozen members of the Lay Association of the Missionaries of Africa (MIMSAF) had a recollection on Saturday June 20 under the theme of Consecrated Life. The theme appealed to them as the first consecration of our Christian life comes from our baptism. Invited to be vigilant, Saint Paul is commanding us to God and his WORD that can build us up, that has the power to make us grow. We are all consecrated and remain so as long as we work hard to support the weak. (Acts of the Apostles 20: 28-38)

Jesus himself in John 17: 11-19 is passing on to us the WORD of his Father. It is the same WORD which has the power to build us up. But Jesus is warning us that fierce wolves are perverting the truth in search of imposing their earthly power or domination. It can be financial, political, ideological or even religious. All of them lead to exclusion, extremism, fanaticism and death.

We are in that world but not IN the world because of our consecration. We are consecrated in the truth as long as we work hard and help or support the weak.

OUR VOCATION IS TO BE CONSECRATED TO THE TRUTH.

Through meaningful community and family life.

Through respectful sharing of ideas, inspirations and visions.

Through faithfulness to our vows, promises and commitments.

Through prayers and joyful spirit.

Through faith and love as the Servant Jesus has taught us to be, in self-giving for the kingdom of God.

The Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers) in South Africa 1970-2015

However, soon the need for chaplains to serve other miners extends the work of the Chaplaincy and becomes known as the Catholic Mine Chaplaincy. The bulk of the work takes place in four Dioceses (Archdiocese of Johannesburg and the Dioceses of Rustenburg, Witbank and Dundee). Over the following twenty years, the responsibility to serve the mines becomes more and more entrusted to the local Church; gradually, the handover to local parishes is done between 1992 and 1994. 

At the same time, as the M.Afr become more known in South Africa, we see new requests for more Missionaries to come. In rather quick succession, communities are established in Phuthaditjhaba, and later on in Bohlokong, both in Bethlehem Diocese; Tweefontein and Siyabuswa in Kwandebele, and Diepsloot, all in Pretoria Archdiocese; Kamhlushwa and Malelane in Lebombo, and later on, in Kwaguqa, all in Witbank Diocese. 

In 2008, the M.Afr start a Formation Centre in Merrivale, near Cedara St. Joseph’s Theological Institute, in Durban Archdiocese. Our most recent insertion in this archdiocese is Henley parish, close to Merrivale. This gives a chance to our candidates in formation to get some practical pastoral experience.

Presence in Johannesburg Archdiocese

In 1987, the M.Afr take three parishes in Soweto: Zola, Zondi and Emdeni. In 1992, they start a new Parish in Protea North. These four parishes are handed over to the local clergy in 1996.

On 1st January 1994, the M.Afr open the Orange Farm Pastoral Region, which is to become a real hive of active development projects. Eight churches are served systematically in this area, until its handover in April 2012. From 1998 to 2004, three M.Afr served in Lumko Institute.

In 2003, the M.Afr, who specialize in dialogue with non-Christian religions, take over the parish of Lenasia where we find a dense population of Muslims and Hindus. 

A Community House in Edenglen, Johannesburg, opened in 1998, assumes the administration of the South African Sector. Many confreres from different countries pass through this guest house. The resident priests of this community offer much appreciated service to local parishes and religious communities in that area. They also have helped celebrating Mass at Radio Veritas every week since 2008. 

The Mission Continues

The Missionary of Africa presence in South Africa over the years has tried to respond to the requests of the local Church, and in particular, to requests of building a vibrant local Church, especially where the Church was not established. This has happened in the areas mentioned above, territories now served by local priests. Dwindling vocations, old age and a loss of two confreres at the hands of assassins, coupled with a policy of eventually handing over to the local Church, has resulted in a reduction of parish commitments to Malelane, Lenasia and Henley.

As needs are deemed to be greater in other parts of Africa, for the time being there is no plan to extend our presence in South Africa – unless we get more vocations, thus increasing our personnel -, but rather to consolidate our actual commitments. The M.Afr have tried to be true to their vocation: establishing a vibrant missionary Church, handing over and moving on!

Note: this short article was written in view of a ‘Coffee-Table Book’ published by the Archdiocese of Johannesburg. Each community/parish/Institute was invited to write one page size in that book.