Father Dominic Kapatamoyo’s Priestly Ordination in Chezi, Malawi – July 7, 2018

By Vitus Danaa Abobo, M.Afr

On the 7^th of July, the parish of Chezi in Malawi witnessed an unforgettable event as our confrere Dominic Kapatamoyo was ordained priest. There was a big crowd of people present to this memorable event, the first of its kind in the parish. Sisters, Brothers, Fathers and students in formation from Balaka, all members of the Lavigerie’s family, were present in their numbers together with other religious congregations, diocesan priests, various religious denominations, family members and friends as well as parishioners. Also present were Archbishop Tarsizio G. Ziyaye and our confrere Bishop Emeritus Remi Sainte-Marie.

A priest is another Christ chosen and sent out to serve and console the people of God in order to show them what the Kingdom of God entails. Archbishop Ziyaye agreed with the invite of Cardinal Lavigerie to his missionaries “to be apostles, nothing but apostles”. Being apostles should become our being. Ending his homily, the Archbishop invited everyone to pray for the priest to be ordained, that the Lord may give him all the graces that he needs.

The Archbishop was touched by the fact that Dominic is the son of a long-serving catechist, Mr Kapatamoyo. He was also happy that Dominic was ordained priest as a Missionary of Africa adding that “they are like our parents”, being the first missionaries to bring the gospel in that part of the world. He was happy about the good organisation of the event and active participation of the people, seeing it as a golden opportunity for vocation promotion.

The Provincial Delegate in Malawi, Father Michel Sanou, expressed his gratitude and happiness to the parishioners of Chezi for the good organisation. This remarkable event is a golden opportunity to call other youths to follow the example of Dominic to answer the call to missionary life.

At the end of the Mass, Father Felix Phiri, the Provincial of the Southern Africa Province (SAP), emphasised the missionary nature of the work as Missionaries of Africa. Like the missionaries working in Chezi Parish, originating from other African countries, Dominic will be working away from his home parish. On that note, he announced that the newly ordained priest is sent to Mingana in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where he already spent two years for pastoral training during his initial formation.

The Provincial added that the presence of representatives from Protestant churches shows a sense of solidarity among the Christians of different denominations. The event of the day is also a visible fruit of the Missionaries of Africa celebrating its 150th anniversary of foundation. He remarked how the work and faith of Dominic’s father as a catechist has been a pillar for Dominic’s vocation journey.

Filled with joy, Father Dominic expressed his gratitude to God for the gift of his priestly ordination, seeing it as a humbling honour. He was impressed by the sacrifices the parishioners, confreres, family and friends made since December 2017 to ensure the success of the event. He was also overjoyed by the presence of so many people, two bishops and friends from Zimbabwe, France, Ireland and Kenya to witness his ordination. For Dominic, the presence of all these people from far and near is a sign of the Church’s unity. In a sense of gratitude, he asked God to be with him in his priestly calling.

The ordination of Father Dominic was for the Missionaries of Africa a time of coming together to support, pray with and thank the Lord. It also became for the parish of Chezi a moment of working together to support and pray for and with their own son. For the parents of the newly ordained, the celebration was the answer to their prayers since their son started his formation with the Missionaries of Africa.

May God richly reward you all for the support rendered to us to make Dominic’s ordination a success.

 

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Priestly ordination of Fr. Paul Donnibe, M.Afr, july 2017 in Ghana.

By Patrick Kadima, stagiaire from South Africa.

Three ordinations are to take place in different Dioceses in Ghana in 2017; in Sunyani, Bolgatanga and at the Diocese of Wa. One of them has actually taken place: the priestly ordination of Paul Donnibe.

His ordination took place at St. Mary Help of Christians Parish, Sunyani on Saturday 22^nd July 2017, by His Lord, Most Rev Matthew Gyamfi, Bishop of Sunyani Diocese. I personally travelled on Friday. On our arrival, one could observe that people were arriving from different parts of the country and across the borders with Burkina Faso to witness the event.

At the venue, it looked like nothing was taking place when we first arrived. But it did not take long when parishioners, family members, friends, priests, sisters, and religious men and women started to show that something great was about to unfold.

The District Commissioner of Sunyani, one of the chiefs and most especially the Bishop, were introduced. The Bishop likewise welcomed the whole assembly. He emphasised the importance of the day and the reason of the gathering. He mentioned that our brother Paul was set apart and reminded the people to pray for him and his family.

While congratulating our Brother Paul, the Bishop mentioned that the whole parish and the diocese of Sunyani were proud of him. Paul is the first fruit of the Missionaries of Africa in the diocese. In a manner of advising Paul, the Bishop pinpointed in his homily the good examples Jesus sets for us. He reminded Paul that Jesus was a servant for others illustrated by the washing of his disciples’ feet. The priesthood is a journey of service for others just like our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

The bishop emphasised that a good priest finds joy in his duties. Since God loves a cheerful giver, if our brother Paul, as a priest, gives himself to God’s service by doing what a priest is supposed to do, indeed he will be a joyful servant of God in his priesthood. The bishop ended his homily by reminding our brother that he was also sent as a missionary to be an ambassador of the diocese of Sunyani wherever he will be.

Before Mass ends, our brother Paul gave his first and fresh blessing as a newly ordained priest, first to the Bishop, then the Provincial followed by all the religious men and women and then his parents and his relatives, lastly to all the faithful who were present. Finally, he expressed his gratefulness to all of us and to special people who made his ordination possible including some of his former teachers who were present and the District Commissioner of Sunyani.

After Mass we were invited for some refreshment at the parish house. We had supper together with Paul’s family and some parishioners. On Sunday, Paul said his first thanksgiving Mass at 7h00. After it, we took the road to go back home. It was good to be part of Paul’s ordination and very interesting to see how people celebrate life.

Ordination of Frederick Chungu Mulenga, M.Afr

By Felix Kamunenge, M.Afr

The ordination of Rev Fr. Frederick Chungu Mulenga by his Lordship Rt. Rev Patrick C. Chisanga, OFM. Conv. took place at St Peter’s Catholic Church, Nchelenge – Mansa Diocese, on 19^th August 2017 which is a new parish created from St Paul’s – Kashikishi which had been one of the oldest parishes of the M.Afr in the 1980s.

As early as 08:30 am on Saturday morning, scores of diocesan priests from the neighbouring parishes and Missionaries of Africa from afar were getting ready to be witnesses of Frederick’s ordination day.

The ordination proper was punctuated by the solemn profession of faith in St Paul’s Parish in which the ordained publicly, in front of the Bishop, the Provincial Superior and a few priests and lay people, read and signed the creed as a sign of being faithful to the deposits of Catholic faith. The whole ceremony took about 30 minutes.

As soon as this exercise was concluded, there followed an ordination motorcade with a convoy of 20 cars following each to the ordination square in St Peter’s. It is a distance of 3.5kms from the presbytery. Two policemen on a twin police motorbike led the motorcade in front. The whole procession was so well organised that no car was allowed to overtake the other.

The ordination Mass kicked off at 10:00 am with the procession accompanied by the Stella (child dancers aged 5-10), ba Buomba (adult traditional dancers) and all the priests. Frederick was accompanied to the altar by his parents, who later presented him to the bishop and the M.Afr Superior.

The liturgy was lively and inculturated. The singing by the choir and by Buomba at different intervals was well coordinated. The ordination Mass was attended by hundreds of people from all walks of life. About 35 priests out of which 13 M.Afr attended the function and a handful of religious Sisters. Here we can say that our Chungu was fully supported.

The homily was short and straight to the point. In his homily, the bishop made it a point to praise the past missionaries of this land and urged the Christians to safeguard the faith deposits planted in the hearts of people. He urged the ordained to be an ambassador of the Church in Nchelenge by being a good example wherever he would be sent. He was tagged as the 125 Jubilee baby of Nchelenge being one of the fruits of M.Afr evangelisation. Citing Jer. 1:4-10, he was encouraged not to be afraid to speak the truth as the cross is part of our Christian identity. He further talked about certain traditional practices like seeking witch doctors as hindrances to real evangelisation.

After the ceremony, all M.Afr gathered in front of the altar to sing the Sancta Maria while the newly ordained priest was kneeling down.

Words of thanks from Fr. Martin Kasongo, M.Afr

By Martin Kasongo, M.Afr

Dear Confrères!

Join me first of all in thanking God for the love and for all the mercies he lavished upon me by allowing me to be ordained priest to serve in his vineyard. Dear confreres, I write to you more especially to thank you for your support before, during and after ordination. Each and every one of you, near or far, in one way or another, contributed to the preparation and the success of my ordination. I really appreciate your spiritual, material and moral support. Your support was very strengthening to me. I was very privileged and blessed by your presence during ordination and thanksgiving mass. This gesture was very encouraging and assuring to both my family and the parish. Unity and support are the echoes I receive from my family, from the parishioners of Kabundi Parish (St. Stephen) and from all the people who participated in my ordination and thanksgiving Mass. The parish and my family testified and affirmed that I have people around me.

Allow me also, dear confreres, to thank the community of Ndola (Shinde Street), Didasio and Francis in particular for the energy they put in to welcome confreres and prepare for the reception in Ndola. Dear Didasio and Francis, I am very grateful for your help and support. 

To all of you dear confreres, I say thank you very much and may God bless you. I also invite you to come in number and give the same support to our friend and confrere Frederick Mulenga Chungu on his priestly ordination this coming Saturday. May God bless us all and our families; may he make fruitful our life and our mission. United in prayer!

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One Down: ‘One’ To Go; ordination of Martin Kasongo, M.Afr

Fr. Martin Kasongo, M.Afr

By Everisto Mwelwa, M.Afr

One Zambian M.Afr was ordained on 4^th August 2017: there is yet another one to be ordained this month. So ‘One down: One to go’; Habemus Fr. Martin Kasongo, M.Afr. This brings the number of Zambian Missionaries of Africa to thirty-two.

All the roads from M.Afr communities in Zambia and abroad were leading to Ndola Diocese’s Cathedral of Christ the King. Confreres and M.Afr students filled up our house in Ndola to full capacity. A moment of fraternal sharing, updating and thanksgiving to God.

In his homily, the ordaining Bishop Dr. Alick Banda urged the twelve deacons to take a leaf from St. Jean-Marie Vianney, whose feast fell on that day. St. Vianney, though not so intellectually gifted, was ascetical, zealous, prayerful and humble. The deacons were urged to start and end the day on their knees; meaning in prayer. The Bishop also highlighted that the Catholic faith, after 125 years in Zambia, has given three General Superiors to three Missionary Congregations, namely the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers), Dominican Sisters and Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Assisi. A commendable gesture of maturity in faith.

After the ordination ceremony, a reception was held at our house in Ndola. It was a colourful and prayerful occasion to thank God for the gift of Fr. Martin to the Church.

For Fr. Martin’s Thanksgiving Mass, confreres went to St. Stephen Parish in Kabundi, Chingola on Sunday the 6^th August. The parishioners and local clergy organised the celebration well and it was attended by many confreres. Thereafter, another reception was organised at the Salesians of Don Bosco’s school and residence in Chingola. Indeed, a moment of thanking God for the self-giving of Fr. Martin. The Zambian Sector of the Southern Africa Province (SAP) is thanking all the people of God who organised and attended these celebrations. May God bless you all.

Fr. Martin Kasongo, M.Afr is appointed to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the Diocese of Kasongo (yes, same name!). Wishing him a fruitful and grace-filled ministry to the people of God in DR Congo.

On 19^th August 2017, all the roads will be leading to St. Peter’s Parish, Nchelenge in Mansa Diocese for the ordination of Deacon Frederick Mulenga Chungu, M.Afr. You are all invited and welcome to witness to this event. See you there.

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