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Pope Francis has summoned heads of Episcopal Conferences from 180 countries to Rome for a Conference on the burning issue of historic child sexual abuse in the church.      We pray for great honesty, courage, compassion  and resolution among all those taking part.

 

Bakhita’s childhood – can we even imagine?                                                                 

    Posted February 5th 2019

She was born in Sudan, somewhere near Darfur, in 1869 and grew up in her family with other the children.  At the age of seven

she was kidnapped by slave raiders and over the next eight years she was sold, bought, resold again and again.  She was beaten daily, scarred with a knife, -she had over one hundred scars- and was so traumatized that she forget her own name.  One of captors ironically nicknamed her Bakhita, meaning “Lucky”.   She was given to an Italian diplomat and taken to Italy and became nanny to their child, Mimina. When the family went abroad she and Mimina were entrusted to the Canossian Sisters until they returned.  Later they wanted to take her back to Egypt with them, but Bakhita resisted.  “I want to stay with the Sisters,” she pleaded.  A court case was taken by the Canossians Sisters in her defence which found that slavery had been outlawed in Sudan before she was born therefore she was not legally a slave and could not be compelled to go.

Loving born of suffering    

In the convent Bakhita began to learn about the love of Jesus. She was baptized and took the name Josephine Margaret Bakhita.  She became a religious Sister, and served for many years as “portress” in the convent, opening the door to visitors, in Schio in norther Italy.  When parents brought their children to school in the mornings Bakhita welcomed them and laid her hand lovingly on each child’s head.  She was greatly loved in the town.

During the Second World War the townspeople feared they would be bombed by the allied forces, but that did not happen. “It is the prayers of our African sister that have saved us,” they said.
She died in on February 8^th 1947 and was greatly mourned in the town.

In the year 2000 she was canonized, declared a saint, by Pope John Paul and is the Patroness of Sudan.

In Borrisoleigh in Co Tipperary, Ireland, the parish celebrated the memory of one of their famous sons, Bishop Joseph Shanahan, on Sunday June 2^nd 2019.

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The Papal Nuncio to Ireland, Archbishop Jude Thadeus Okolo, from Southern Nigeria himself, was the chief celebrant, proud to acknowledge the man of whom they say, “He was our Saint Patrick.”
He was the apostle of Southern Nigeria, from the day he stepped ashore from the River Niger in Onitsha in 1902.  With other Spiritan priests he brought the news of the saving love of Jesus which the people accepted eagerly; he also bought them Education which he believed in passionately, as their gateway into the modern world.

As time went on he felt strongly that women missionaries were needed to reach out to the women, and this led him to found the Holy Rosary Sisters to do just that.

Many Holy Rosary Sisters attended the celebration

In Borrisoleigh Fr Hennessy, the parish priest, the nieces and nephews of Joseph Shanahan to the third and fourth generation, with all the people of the parish, gave a big welcome to those who came to celebrate with them; after a beautiful Mass, at which the story of his life was told and everyone did their part with practised skill, including the choir, there was tea and sandwiches for all, and music, song and Irish dancing performed by young and old.  After this we visited the Bishop Shanahan monument in Glenkeen and heard more of the story and more songs.

This annual event begins with a football match, arts and crafts competitions and school debates to promote the legacy of Bishop Shanahan.  There is also an enactment of the arrival of the young Joseph Shanahan by canoe on the great River Niger, bringing to mind the hazardous journeys of the early missionaries in their efforts to bring the Good News to the ends of the earth.  Then comes the Rosary Procession from Shanahan Steps (Missionary Gate)  led by the students of Holy Rosary Girls Secondary Scool, Nsugbe, right up to the Basilica, around the grounds and into the Cathedral, consecrated by Bishop Shanahan in 1936.  At the homily of the Mass, Rev Fr Prudentus Emeka spoke powerfully of the Holy Eucharist as the source of Bishop Shanahan’s ministry, emphasising how people draw strength from the Eucharist to accomplish their mission in the church and in the world. At the end of Mass there was a special blessing for the sick and people with special needs. Many people also knelt to pray at Bishop Shanahan’s grave.  The day closed with prayer for the success of evangelisation under the protection and guidance of  the Blessed Virgin Mary, Star of Evangelisation and Mother of the church

By Sister Catherine Asomugha (MSHR)

 

 

Partners with Pope Francis in bringing young people to Christ.

 

Christ is Alive  – Christus Vivit!

By Chanda Mulenga, Youth Animator, Diocese of Monze, Zambia

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Posted June 21st 2019

 

Chanda with Pope Francis     Sr Mercy Ani with the youth animators

To attend the pre-Synodal meeting in Roma, to share experiences with young people from round the world, to contribute our ideas to the Bishops’ Synod on youth, to be listened to: this is an awesome experience in any young person’s life. And then, to receive back from Pope Francis his response to all we had to say, to read his inspiring message to youth of the world, now  in 2019, and hear him say to us, Christ is Alive, my dear young people, go out and spread the news, and  know that he is with you always, right to the end of the world.

Pope Francis’ exhortation to young people:

“Christ is alive! He is our hope, and in a wonderful way he brings youth to our world, and everything he touches becomes young, new, full of life. The very first words, then, that I would like to say to every young Christian are these: Christ is alive and he wants you to be alive!”

Given on the 25^th of March, on the Solemnity of the Annunciation, the exhortation has nine chapters, which are outlined as follows:

Introduction:         Christ is alive!
Chapter One:         What does the word of God have to say to young people?
Chapter Two:         Jesus, ever young
Chapter Three:      You are the “now” of God
Chapter Four:        A great message for all young people
Chapter Five:         Paths of Youth
Chapter Six:          Young people with roots
Chapter Seven:      Youth Ministry
Chapter Eight:       Vocation
Chapter Nine:        Discernment

The exhortation ends with the Pope’s wish for young people:

“Dear young people, my joyful hope is to see you keep running the race before you, outstripping all those who are slow or fearful. Keep running, “attracted by the face of Christ, whom we love so much, whom we adore in the Holy Eucharist and acknowledge in the flesh of our suffering brothers and sisters. May the Holy Spirit urge you on as you run this race. The Church needs your momentum, your intuitions, your faith. We need them! And when you arrive where we have not yet reached, have the patience to wait for us”.

 

Nakambala parish youth group.      Nakambala female youth         Small group feed-back session

Here in Monze we, the youth animators, wasted no time.  We came together to study the “Christus Vivit,” we took it to heart and planned how we would bring it to our young people throughout the Diocese.The 299 points of the nine chapter book are all very useful but after series of preparations, we decided to prioritize them according to our realities. At the invitation from the parishes we visit to give the inputs and workshops.    We concentrated on Chapters one, four and five.
You are infinitely loved,
God who is love,
God who saves us and
God who is alive
In the power of the Holy Spirit, we become committed youth and courageous missionaries/ witnesses of Jesus Christ to everyone and at all places, especially to other young people. The reality of the Digital environment holds a strong attraction for many youth in the urban parishes but we must open their eyes to a wider world. I feel passionate about this.  We must do justice to both its positive and negative aspects.

Chivuna parish feedback session          Singing in Chivuna!

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. The implementation of the Post Synod Document on the Youth is a lifelong one. We will continue to use it for the faith formation of the young people in our Diocese. To God be the glory.

By Chanda Mulenga. Monze Diocesan Youth Animator Secretary.

“Jesus has kept his promises. Trust him with unlimited trust and let there be no love like unto yours for him.  Christ will ever keep you near to his heart, his arm in yours!
“Don’t fear.  Whatever befalls you, He is ever with you.” Bishop Shanahan

African Chaplaincy  Archdiocese of Philadelphia USA

By Arlene Edmonds                                                       Posted October 29th 2019

The Philadelphia Archdiocese’s largest gathering of African Catholics drew hundreds dressed in African attire, including some who donned black and white photographs of their cherished saint, for the African Family Heritage Mass on Sunday, Oct. 6 at St. Raymond of Penafort Church in Northwest Philadelphia.

“This is an event that the African Catholic congregations look forward to every year,” said Emmanuel Okoro, coordinator for the Igbo Catholic Community at St. Cyprian Parish in West Philadelphia.

“Many of us are wearing a patron saint,” Okoro said. “I chose to wear the outfit with St. John Paul II. I have a special devotion to him. Many of those here are from throughout the Philadelphia Archdiocese and Camden. You will see that many of us are wearing different saints.”

For lifelong Catholic Tracey Pugh, who is African American, attending the heritage Mass was a chance to explore her heritage in a religious environment.

“I was invited by a parishioner,” she said. “I wanted to come to explore how the African churches worship. This is my first time coming to this event.”

Sister Florence Enechukwu, a Missionary Sister of the Holy Rosary, was the coordinator of Sunday’s African Mass. In her remarks afterward, she said St. Raymond’s was selected for this year’s Mass because of its commitment to helping refugees.

She drew thunderous applause from the packed church crowd when she noted that the church housed and assisted 10 African refugees. They were from Sierra Leone, the Congo and Tanzania, she said.

“We have those from 21 African countries who live and worship in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia,” Sister Florence said. “This Mass celebrates the sharing of the joy that God gives. This Mass is made possible by many people who work behind the scenes for months.”

Sister Florence, who is coordinator for the archdiocesan Office of Pastoral Care for Migrants and Refugees, then singled out the many groups involved in the annual Mass. She included the young altar servers, the many choirs and musicians, deacons and priests, including St. Raymond’s pastor, Father Christopher M. Walsh, who served as celebrant and homilist.

Before the Mass the Liberian Choir sang “Let Us Come to Jesus My Friend.” The welcome remarks were offered by Eusebio Coelho from Mozambique. Then the readings for the liturgy were proclaimed in Swahili and English. The Prayer of the Faithful was read by people from Malawi, Eritrea, Tanzania and the Congo. Most read in their native tongues.

The Kenyan Choir sang songs for the offertory precession in Swahili as the Ivorian community presented the gifts. The Francophone and Nigerian Igbo choirs also sang during the Mass as well as the recessional hymns.

The Mass was followed by a buffet dinner reception that featured a sampling of dishes from several African countries. Separate tables displayed the food with large signs denoting the name of each country as people lined up for a taste of the cuisine.

On the menu was everything from stewed and fried chicken to crispy rice balls, fried plantains and steamed mixed vegetables.

Among those pleased with the turnout and the reception’s communal spirit was Samuel Abu, coordinator for the archdiocese’s Refugee Resettlement Program, an agency of Catholic Social Services.

“Having this type of reception is the African way,” Abu said. “It is part of the culture to make sure everyone comes together. Many of these groups worship together as a group. We have the Liberians who meet at the Southwest Philadelphia church, St. Charles Borromeo; the Nigerians who celebrate Mass at St. Cyprian’s; and others are at other archdiocese parishes.

Five years ago there were only 10 African communities represented at the African Mass. They were Nigeria, Togo, Benin, Ghana, Kenya, Cameroon, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Congo and Ivory Coast. Eleven more African communities have been added to the Mass since 2014.

 

Holy Rosary Sister Florence Enechukwu reports on the mentoring seminar sponsored by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s Office for the African Catholic Apostolate and the Office for Pastoral Care for Migrants and Refugees.

“The United States is now and always has been a nation of immigrants,” said speaker Dr. Chioma Ugochkwu, provost and dean of academic affairs at Cabrini University, stressing the importance of college education for African youth.
“Whether one chooses to believe it or not, America was built on the courage, sweat and resourcefulness of men and women willing to leave their country of birth and start anew, and pass those attributes on to their descendants.
“In the past most of that immigration came from Europe, and new arrivals were mentored by societies or church groups representing their ethnicity, which was mostly somewhere in Europe.  Now that invigorating new blood is more likely coming from Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia or Africa and the need for mentoring continues.”
It is in this spirit that a free encounter program titled “Connecting African Youth and Young Adults with African Professionals” was held at the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center on Saturday, June 8.    The event was organized by Sister Florence Enechukwu, a Missionary Sister of the Holy Rosary, formerly from Nigeria in West Africa and now at the archdiocesan Office for the African Catholic Apostolate and the Office for Pastoral Care for Migrants and Refugees.    Her task is not easy because in Philadelphia there are immigrants from 20 different African nations served by the African Catholic Apostolate.

Among the mentoring presenters was Nigerian-born Dr. Chioma Ugochkwu, the provost and dean of academic affairs at Cabrini University. In her talk she stressed the importance of college education for youth, especially African youth, and outlined several key strategies for ensuring a quality educational experience.

Addressing parents in the group, she said, “If your child says to you, ‘Well, Beyoncé and Jay-Z didn’t go to college, and they’ve succeeded’ – that’s one percent of those who succeed. And many of those who succeed (through nontraditional paths to success) don’t know how to manage the money.”
College education, she said, provides “greater chances for upward mobility” as well as “better health and a longer lifespan.”  On choosing a school and a career, she advised, “let your child do what they are great at. Nothing will help them succeed more than following their passion.”

In her wide-ranging discussion, Ugochkwu touched upon the importance of preparation, the value of prep classes for the standardized tests, campus visits, teacher recommendations and also the financial aspects of college.

She urged avoiding student loans if possible, perhaps by attending a two-year college first or commuting rather than residing at the college, and taking advantage of the tuition assistance offered by many colleges.

David Simons, a first-generation Ghanaian-American and founder and CEO of Kingdom Social Media, spoke on the “Power of Networking.”

“One of the biggest challenges,” he said, “is that youth coming over here don’t have guidance; they don’t have direction. So they’re left to figure things out for themselves. Their parents are just like, ‘Go get an education,’ but that’s not it. That’s not enough. You need people who have been there.”

Culturally, he said, “there’s an adaption, they have to adjust. They don’t know the ways and the nuances of how things are done in America. You can’t do things the way you did them back home.”

John Kinuthian, a Catholic motivational speaker and member of St. John Chrysostom Parish, Wallingford, is originally from Kenya.

“It is important to bring people together because they can talk to each other and help each other,” he said, “so you don’t go through the same problems. Sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know.

“When I came to America my biggest problem was, I did not have a network. You have to have a vision and those who will help you achieve it.”

Father Rene Againglo, who is chaplain for the Francophone (French-speaking) African community at St. Cyprian Parish in West Philadelphia, agreed it was important to bring the young people together with successful professionals who can help them as they plan their futures.

In all, there were well over 100 potential mentors and young people at the conference. Based on comments after the fact, it was a resounding success, according to Sister Florence.

As a matter of fact nine of the adults and 16 of the young people have already signed up for future sessions, she said.

Nation-building immigrants from Africa find mentors here.

Divina Maloum (Cameroon) and Greta Thunberg (Sweden) both received the International Children’s Peace Prize in 2019.  Greta’s cause is well known; Divina recruits children in the cause of peace in her country to say No to war.  See our Blog

Posted January 8th 2020

What do we need to do?

It is a big question to ask in difficult times.

Sister Noel Mary tells of a journey she made with a group of women in Zambia. 

Read more.                                                                                                                                                    Posted August 7th 2019

In 2005, a group of women came to me looking for help. They seemed to be women in great need, as the Parish Priest confirmed later. What kind of help do you want, I asked. We want to make sisal baskets like we see women doing in Mazabuka where you came from.

I arranged for a woman called Beauty to come from the Mazabuka group to show them how to weave the baskets. I didn’t think they could gain much from the baskets but you begin with people where they are.

 

Beauty came to teach them.

It takes time to learn.

NEEDS ASSESSMENT:

Meanwhile, we began to do needs assessment with them. What do you need? To feed our families. To send the children to school. Good health. Our daughters walk 11 kilometers in the morning to fetch water for the family and then they are late for school. Because of being late they don’t do well; they drop out; some become pregnant because this is a higher social status than being a school dropout.
Water is necessary for health. The government has provided bore holes but they dry up as soon as the rains stop.   So, water is not the problem. As long as it is raining there is plenty of water. The problem comes when the rains stop. Yes.
What you need is to put metal roofs on your houses so that you can harvest clean water from them; then you need underground tanks to store the water for use during the dry season.
The reaction was immediate.
 SISTER! Women do not own houses here. It is not possible!
There were about 13 women in the group at the time, each woman representing a family. So, what can we do?
After this meeting, one of the women came to me and said, you know, it is hard to get women to work together in this part of the country, unlike the people from the Eastern and Northern parts. They won’t work with you for this, unless they see. What you need to do is to get a woman who would believe in what you are saying, and would work with you to roof her house with metal sheets and build an underground tank so that the others can see. I think that after that, they will all come along. So, we did that.

Roofing the house
    We put down certain conditions for participation. The benefiting family would have to provide: The plot, with documentation to show that it is their plot from the appropriate authority, building sand and river sand, burnt bricks and crushed stones. The family would receive a loan from the club in the form of building materials: roofing sheets, cement, door and window frames, doors and windows, roofing nails, metal bars for decking the tank, iron sheets for guttering the water from the roof into the tank. The house will have two bedrooms and a sitting room. It must be of good standard and must be finished within a period of 12 months. No small thing!
The proposed house was estimated to cost Fifteen million of the local currency, in those days, about six thousand United States Dollars. As soon as it was finished, the family had five years to repay their loan in installments. They will only repay fifty per cent of the loan. The other fifty per cent would be for Family empowerment.
Josephine, the person eventually identified, was not a member of the club but I had been observing the women in the parish, and noted that she was more hardworking than most of them. Her husband had died less than one year before this. The house she was living in with the husband had also collapsed under the heavy rains that year. She was living with one of her granddaughters who was in her last grade of junior secondary schooling at the time. Josephine was reluctant at first. As she said, she did not even know how to make the rope used for the sisal baskets. But she was willing to learn. As soon as she ageed, we embarked on the building. We got the building department of the Zimba Rural and Youth Development Center to do the building. But still I had to be pushing.  I would come to look at the progress twice a week and close my face: you have to try harder, much harder! What have you been doing, that there is not enough water for the builders? Truly, they could not have worked any harder! And we finished within 12 months, and the transformation in the community was contagious.  As Josephine said at the blessing of the house and tank “I never believed I could be a home owner. I still don’t believe it!” All the other members who had been watching from the sides came for the blessing. Each wanted her own “family survival unit” as we named it.

​

The water tank!

Sister Noel, left, encourages the Women,s Club.

Buka u Mweke: Rise and Shine!   (Isaiah 60: 1-3)

More stories about the Women’s Club next post!

Sister Noel Mary Ajaero is a Nigerian Holy Rosary Sister working in Zambia for youth and family development.