Dear confreres of SAP
It is with sadness that I announce to you the death of my elder sister Chansa Magrine. She died in Kaputa hospital last night after a long sickness. The burial took place last Saturday the 25th September. I ask you to pray for her, for her 3 children remaining, for our family and especially for mum.
I am in contact with my family.
May she rest in peace! Alex Manda, M.Afr
Cher SAP Blog
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 » :
« Lettre de Ghardaia, juillet 2015 » ; la dernière lettre de Mgr Claude Rault, Missionnaire d’Afrique, et évêque de Laghouat Ghardaia. Suite aux événements violents qui ont ensanglanté récemment la vallée du M’zab, il invite au vivre ensemble. (lire la suite)
« Ordination de Simplice Traore » C’est le 11 juillet que Simplice Traore, Missionnaire d’Afrique malien, a été ordonné à Touba, dans le diocèse de San, par Mgr Jean-Gabriel Diarra. (lire la suite)
Dans la rubrique « Témoignages » :
« Humour spirituel » un texte du père Lionel Dion, canadien décédé au début de l’année 2015, à propos de la manière de se mettre à l’écoute. (lire la suite)
« Réunion des familles M.Afr au Mali » : c’est le 5 juillet 2015 que s’est tenue la 5ème rencontre des familles des M.Afr. Originaires du Mali, réunion tenue à Bamako (lire la suite)
Dans la rubrique « Dialogue interreligieux » :
« La fin du Ramadan » le 17 juillet dernier. Deux textes à ce propos : un texte oecuménique venant de Belgique, et les vœux de Mgr Claude Rault. (lire la suite)
« Concert à Notre Dame d’Afrique ». Chanter de l’arabo-andalou dans une basilique est de nature à nous réconcilier avec nous-mêmes et nous réconcilier avec les autres religions. (lire la suite)
« Publications sur l’Islam », une encyclopédie qui se veut un guide complet sur l’histoire, la philosophie et la pratique de l’islam à travers le monde, ainsi que deux livrets d’Abennour Bidar invitant au dialogue.(lire la suite)
« Appel à l’espérance », la reprise de trois articles qui soulignent quelques actions et réunions plutôt encourageantes. (lire la suite)
Dans la rubrique « Justice et Paix » :
« Laudato si’ lue par un musulman », ce que pense un croyant de l’Islam de lcette encyclique du Pape François (lire la suite)
Dans la rubrique « Vu au sud, vu du sud » :
« Les Pères Blancs en Tunisie» un article de « Voix d’Afrique », juin 2015, écrit par le père Michel Lelong, qui a passé de nombreuses années dans ce pays. (lire la suite)
« Les suites de la crise au Burkina » les dernières nouvelles à ce propos, prises sur le site de Radio France Internationale. (lire la suite)
By Kalunga Musonda,
Kabwe, Zambia
“Christ called me to be at the service of others by preaching his word,” this is the conviction of Humphrey Mukuka a catholic priest. His dream was to become a medical doctor or an engineer but his ambitions changed when he decided to join the vocation club at St Mary’s Parish in Kabwe.
He was in grade nine at Kalonga Secondary School at the time. He says it was during this time that he was exposed to different subjects concerning life and God’s mission in the world.
Fr Mukuka 31, is the fourth born in a family of seven and was brought up in a Catholic home. For his secondary education, Fr Mukuka was sent to Serenje Technical High School where he was inspired by the way Missionaries of Africa (the White Fathers) lived their lives.
“The mission of White Fathers is to serve in Africa and outside Africa where there are Africans serving as God’s messengers specifically to promote justice and peace.” he says.
Fr Mukuka says the missionaries work with other Christian denominations to spread God’s word through evangelism in Africa’s remote areas.
While still at school he visited the priests’ community regularly at St. Peter’s Parish in Serenje which was run by the society of the Missionaries of Africa. And with these interactions his desire of becoming a medical doctor or an engineer waned as he now wanted to be sent as a missionary wherever there was need to proclaim God’s message of love.
“I was deeply touched by their way of life demonstrated through an inter-cultural and simple life style coupled with service to the poor and oppressed in society,” he says. This inspired Fr Mukuka to become a priest and join the Society of the Missionaries of Africa.
“Before going for priesthood”, he says, “I met very good friends who were very committed to the scripture union – a prayer and Bible sharing gathering. The vocations club was equally raised during our time at school which motivated me to be what I am today.”
In 2006 Fr Mukuka began his journey to priesthood as a candidate Missionary of Africa in Arusha, Tanzania where he studied philosophy and psychology for three years. He was then sent to Bobo-Dioulasso in Burkina Faso in 2009-2012 and also did pastoral experience in Bandiagara in Mali from 2010-2012.
“When I completed pastoral experience I came home for a three months holiday to see my family,” he says.
Fr Mukuka was then sent to study theology in Abidjan, Ivory Coast from 2012-2015. He recently came back to Zambia for his priestly ordination which was held on June 27 at St. Veronica’s Parish in Kamushanga area in Kabwe. For his first mission appointment as a Catholic priest, Fr Mukuka has been sent to Aru in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“Serving as a Catholic priest is very challenging, however, the Lord who called me to serve him will see me through difficulties and challenges; I firmly believe that God will never let me down.”, he said.
One thing Fr Mukuka knows for sure is that to be a successful and happy priest he needs to embrace prayer and the love for people.
See PDF file of the article from the newspaper
Tanzanian, born in 1969, Oswald Mallya spent most of his missionary life in Zambia since his ordination in 2003. He was Parish Priest in Kabwata and later on in Serenje before being elected as Delegate Superior for Zambia in 2013. He got a M.A. in counselling at the University of East Anglia, Norwish, United Kingdom.
The lay Association of the Missionaries of Africa MIMSAF invited friends and confreres to say goodbye to Father Oswald Mallya at Kabwata parish. Oswald was very instrumental in helping to set up MIMSAF which has grown over the years. Thanks to the effort of them all to share the spirit of prayer and the spirituality of our founder Cardinal Lavigerie.
The confreres gathered also for a Farewell Party in Woodlands to thanks Oswald for his work and dedication at the service of all. As a gift, he received a beautiful chitenje shirt. In his speech, the new Delegate Superior in Zambia, Veverato Babaine, in his own sense of humour appreciated by everyone said: “We are very grateful to Oswald for his dedication to the confreres of Zambia but, you know, being the new Delegate Superior, I need to tell you, the sooner you go, the better!”
Oswald is on his way to Uganda to become a member of the staff in our formation centre in philosophy in Jinja. We wish him a safe journey and blessed apostolate in his new mission.
Missionaries of Africa - SAP Province 