Medien

Reimlingen, Ostern 2021

Liebe Missionsfreunde!

Nach dem Advent folgt Weihnachten, nach der Fastenzeit Ostern. Der Jahreskreis dreht sich nicht nur von Alpha zu Omega, sondern bewegt sich wie eine Spirale wunderbar vorwärts und aufwärts.

Doch ohne die Menschwerdung unseres Heilands Jesus Christus gäbe es auch kein hoffnung-bringendes Ostern, den Höhepunkt und das Sehnen aller Menschen nach endlosem glücklichem Leben, durch Gottes Gnade in guter Gesundheit und bei frohem Wiedersehen aller unserer Lieben, die uns in die Ewigkeit bereits vorausgegangen sind.

Das ganze Jahr hindurch dürfen wir für die stete göttliche Vorsehung vielmals danken. Auch allen danken, die uns Gutes getan haben – im Gebet begleitend – seien es Familienangehörige, Freunde, Nachbarn und andere Wohltäter der weltweiten Missionsarbeit und Entwicklungshilfe.

Wiederholt werde ich gefragt, wie ich denn die häufigen – meist kurzfristigen – Versetzungen in so viele Länder nördlich und südlich des Äquators überlebt habe und trotzdem so erfolgreich arbeiten konnte, auch wenn es mal Rückschläge gab, und ich öfters wieder neu anfangen musste, also niemals arbeitslos wurde, so hat der Einsatz froh gemacht, beinahe 60 Jahre als `Pastorale Ambulanz.´

Das Beispiel meiner fleißigen Eltern und Geschwister und die später auch tüchtigen Mitbrüder haben schon mitgeholfen. Sehr nützlich war der Werkzeugkasten, den mir Bruder Majella in Würzburg auf die Schiffsreise nach Südafrika eingepackt hatte. Zumal in meiner Verwandtschaft viele Handwerker & Landwirtschaftler waren, konnte ich schon in jungen Jahren allerlei abgucken und nachahmen. Das half mir beim Reparieren von Wasserleitungen, auch die Dächer und Elektrizitätsverbindungen auszubessern und kleinere Schweißarbeiten auszuführen, damit wir sicher und genügend Licht in der Kirche und den Schülerheimen haben konnten. Aber auch das tägliche Brot, Gemüse und der Maisbrei durften nicht fehlen. Gelegentlich konnte ich vom älteren Mitbruder Pater Andreas Rösli eine mobile Klinik mit Krankenpflegerin ausleihen und weiterführen, dabei sogar billigere Medizin und Gemüsesamen anbieten und verteilen; das war ein großartiges Gesundheits-Projekt vom Schweizer Pater Andreas.

Allerdings nicht alle Anliegen oder Wünsche dürfen um des echten Friedens willen erfüllt werden. Da kamen einige Burschen, darunter auch einige Pfarrkinder zu mir auf die Cala/Elliot Missionstation in Südafrika mit der gefährlichen Bitte, ich solle ihnen zeigen, wie man Bomben und Handgranaten bauen kann; denn sie wollten mit Waffengewalt das Land von der verhassten Apartheid-Regierung befreien. (Sie hatten gehört, dass ich als Pater in einer spanischen Ingenieurschule ein Diplom als Radiotechniker zu General Francos Zeiten erworben hätte und sogar von Chemie etwas verstehe.) Dennoch musste ich die Bittsteller enttäuschen; weil man nicht alles machen darf, was machbar ist; zumal solche Bomben und Granaten viele unschuldige Menschen treffen. Ich erzählte den Burschen von meinen Beobachtungen beim blutigen Partisanenkrieg an der Ostfront in den 1944/45ern. Dazu erinnerte ich sie an die weisen Ratschläge des Freiheitskämpfers (des späteren Präsidenten) Nelson Mandela, dass die Probleme im multinationalen Südafrika nicht militärisch, sondern nur geduldig durch Verhandlungen gelöst werden müssten. (Was glücklicherweise erreicht wurde.)

Gerne zeigte ich den Studenten, wie man spezielle Fernrohre baut, mit denen man das Sternbild ´Kreuz des Südens´ beobachten kann und danach Uhrzeiten stellt, besonders in der Karwoche, wenn wir das Osterfeuer vorbereiten und in der Osternacht das ´Lumen Christi´ mit brennenden Kerzen in den Händen singen. („In der Welt ist trübe, leuchten sollen wir….“)

Bevor ich jene jungen möchte-gern Helden heimschickte, setzten wir uns zusammen und lasen im Evangelium (Joh 20, 19-31), was der auferstandene Jesus seinen Jüngern mehrmals zurief: SHALOM/SALAM (auf deutsch: Friede sei mit euch), wie mich der Vater gesandt hat, so sende ich euch….

Wir sollen also Friedenstifter/Versöhner sein. Das ist sogar für alle getaufte und recht-gläubige Christen im 21. Jahrhundert, also überall, unser Missionsauftrag, trotz Covid-19 und Mutanten.

Möge der Segen des auferstandenen Heilands Sie/Euch stets begleiten, mit österlichen Grüßen

von Pater Franziskus A. Jank CMM

08^th September 2021.

Dear Confreres

It is my hope and prayer that you are all keeping well and doing your best in your various ministries. Let us be grateful to God for continued guidance and protection in these difficult times. As we navigate our way through the turbulent challenges of covid-19, let us be conscious of our personal responsibility to vaccinate in order to minimise the risks of covid-19. We cannot encourage other people to vaccinate when we shy away from doing so ourselves.

Confreres, kindly take note of the following information to keep us abreast with events in our Region.

1. Canonical visitation

The Superior General began his canonical visitation on the 3^rd August at Abbot Francis House-Merrivale (Merrivale Zone) where our young confreres are undergoing their initial formation. On the 5^th August he met each of the three confreres at Mariannhill Monastery. On the 8^th August was the installation of Archbishop Mandla Jwara, CMM as archbishop of Durban. It was a beautiful occasion, and I was one of the few Mariannhillers (including the Superior General) who attended the installation (the numbers were restricted because of covid-19 regulations). It is hoped that a bigger celebration will be organised once the covid-19 situation improves and larger crowds are permitted to gather. The Superior General arrived in the Region on 10^th August and on 11 I accompanied him to East London where he met the four confreres. We came back to Mthatha on the 12^th, and on the 13^th I again accompanied him to the Maluti Zone where he met each of the confreres. We returned to Mthatha on the 16^th and he continued with his visitation in the Mthatha Zone. The canonical visitation was concluded with a Regional Council meeting on 20^th August in which the Superior General shared his impression of the Region with the Regional Council and highlighted a few areas that the leadership will need to make some follow-up on. I wish to express a word of gratitude to the Superior General for spending this time in our Region, listening to each confrere. It is my hope that each confrere felt free to share openly whatever he needed to share with the Superior General. I want to thank sincerely all the chairpersons of our four zones for their collaboration in organising the Canonical visitation and for the warm welcome and hospitality in each of our zones. Thank you to each one of you too confreres for your cooperation and availability to participate in this important process.

2. Priestly ordination of Rev Deacon Laurent Ipoba, CMM

In the previous communication I had indicated that Deacon Ipoba’s ordination would take place on 18^th September 2021. Kindly note that, this date has been changed to 16^th October 2021 and the ordination will be at Mariazell Mission at 10am. We are not sure at this stage if the covid-19 regulations would have been relaxed to allow for many people or not. The Diocesan Ordination Committee will communicate accordingly and guide us. In the meantime, let us keep our confrere in our prayers and support him.

3. Workshop on the sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable people

According to our planning, this workshop should have taken place sometime in July when students were around in the Region. Unfortunately, it had to be cancelled when the country was moved to lockdown level 4. However, we have arranged for this workshop to take place on the 4^th October 2021, at Abbot Francis Home at 9am. With the exception of students, I kindly appeal to each one of you confreres to budget time and attend this workshop. It is scheduled to begin at 9am and end with lunch at 1pm.

4. Praying for the sick

Our candidate, Bheki Tyobeka has not been very well and had to see the Dr a few times. His condition seems to have improved. Let us keep him in our prayers. Let us also keep in our prayers our elderly confreres, especially Fr Cas at Mater Dolorosa (we assure him that he is not forgotten).

5. Bedford Flats Project

The project of constructing new flats at Bedford is complete. Unfortunately, this project took longer than we had planned due to a number of factors. The challenge now is for us to be innovative and find ways to market the flats and attract more tenants. We will need to work hard on this and ensure that the objective of investing in the construction of these flats is realised.

Confreres, on the occasion of the Feast of the Birthday of our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary I entrust each one of us to her perpetual intercession and that of our Confrere, Blessed Engelmar. Together we Can!

Fr Gideon Sibanda, CMM

Regional Superior

Circular Letter 01/2020                                               30^th January 2020

Dear confreres,

• Introduction

Compliments of the New Year 2020! This year did not begin well for us as a result of the passing on of Fr. Leonhard Ndabenhle Mncwabe CMM on the 2^nd January 2020. We are thankful to God for the fitting send-off that we witnessed on the 7^th January 2020 at the mother House. Thank you to all who assisted to make the funeral an occasion for witnessing of a good short life which was well-lived with humility and respect. We felt very comforted by the presence of our Superior General Fr. Thulani Mbuyisa CMM.

Although the actual funeral went well but behind the scenes I had to deal with very nasty and challenging experiences. It is the second time we had to bury a young confrere during my tenure as a Provincial Superior. More than ever before, from my personal experience of preparing for these funerals and the unfolding of events afterwards, I am convinced that we need to come up with clear guidelines of how to handle the death, funeral, burial and assets of our confreres especially with regards to their families. We have made a decision as the council to encourage the Zones to discuss this topic so that we can have a common policy or a Will that shall be legally and canonically binding to the confrere. Other Units like Germany have such a document. We shall share it with you through your Zone Chairperson as a sample for discussion once we have received it and translated it.

• Congregational activities in the Province

This year will be a very busy year for our Province as we shall be hosting quite a few major Congregational events.

• From the 5^th – 11^th February 2020 the Monastery will host a Workshop on Europe for all Newly Professed Confreres, except those going to Cedara. Frs. Regis Mushunje CMM from Germany and Fr. Anselmo Alfandega CMM will conduct the course.
• From the 4^th-18^th October 2020 the Retreat House and Mariannhill Coolock will host the Council of the Congregation (COC), a meeting attended by all Unit Superiors and the General Government.
• On the 18^th October 2020 the Monastery Church will host the close of the Jubilee year of the 110 death anniversary of Abbot Francis Pfanner the Servant of God. Bishops of the SACBC and CPS will attend.
• From the 19^th-25^th October 2020 the Retreat House will host the individual meetings between Unit Superiors and the General Government.

We sincerely ask for your prayers for the success of all these meetings of spiritual renewal and deepening of our communion.

• Transfers and new assignments

• Konrad Diethei CMM has been transferred back to Germany his sending Province. This is a big loss for our Province and for the Monastery in particular. We had no authority to stop the transfer but we view it as untimely and not so compassionate to our Unit. We sincerely thank Bro. Konrad for many years of presence and of hard and faithful labour for the community. We wish him God’s richest blessings in his new assignment in Germany. He will be leaving during the second week of February 2020.

• Lindelwa Dlamini CMM has been assigned assistant Parish Priest in Queensburg/Bellair parish.

• Deacon Gino Bembele CMM will begin the honours degree in Prison Ministry at UKZN – Pietermaritzburg Campus in February 2020. He will reside at Raisethorpe Parish and serve as assistant Deacon to Fr. Basilio Chilequene CMM.

• Carlos de Albertina CMM is going back to Abbot Francis House to complete his development studies course at St. Joseph’s Theological Institute.

• Novices Mutisya G. Maundu from East Africa and Fewdays Chansa from Zambia have been transferred to Mariannhill with effect from 01 February 2020 after their profession.

• Novice Nhlanhla Ziqubu has been transferred from Mariannhill to Mthatha. Transfer takes effect immediately after first profession.

• Admissions and departures

• Hearty congratulations to Sphelele Phewa CMM and Palavra Luambano CMM who will make Perpertual Profession in the Monastery Church on the 01^st February 2020 at 09:30am.

• Postulants Ntokozo Ndhlovu and Thembelani Mzizi will be received into the canonical novitiate on the 31^st January 2020.

NB: All the temporarily professed brothers will renew their religious profession during the vespers on the 31^st January 2020 and not on the 01^st February 2020 during Laudes as previously indicated in the last circular letter.

• Candidates Njabulo Ngwane and Nhlakanipho Sabela were advised to leave due to poor academic results. We wish them well in their future endevours.

The vocations team is finalizing the applications of the new aspirants, and their names will be duly communicated to you during the next circular letter. I wish to thank Archbishop Emeritus Paul Khumalo CMM, Frs. Vincent Mdabe CMM, Sbusiso Mkhize CMM and Mathew Kim CMM for directing the retreats for our candidates, fraters, novices and postulants respectively. God bless you.

• Jubilarians in the Province in 2020

Hearty congratulations to our three jubilarians this year who will celebrate their jubilees on the 25^th July 2020 at Mariannhill Monastery:

Bro. Crispin Grahama CMM:    50 years of profession

Fr. Raphael Phiri CMM:            25 years of profession

Fr. Henry Kanjo CMM:             25 years of profession

Please remember them in your prayers. Thank you confreres for your perseverance and faithfulness.

• Graduation ceremony of our confreres

On the 27^th March 2020 our confreres and novices will graduate at St. Joseph’s Theological Institute:

• Deacons John Omalla CMM: Bachelor of Theology
• Gino Bembele CMM: Bachelor of Theology
• Novices Ntokozo Ndlovu: Bachelor of Philosophy
• Thembelani Mzizi:          Bachelor of Philosophy

• Novena for Blessed Fr. Engelmar Unzeitig CMM

On the 02^nd March 2020 we celebrate the feast of Blessed Fr. Engelmar Uzeiting CMM. This year we celebrate 75 years of his death anniversary. We urge all the communities and individual confreres to begin praying the novena of Blessed Fr. Engelmar on the 22^nd February until the feast. We would wish that he is canonized during our life time.

• African Unit superiors meeting in Zambia

From the 23^rd – 27^th March the African Unit Superiors have a meeting in Makeni Zambia in preparation for the CoC 2020. If you have any issues that you want to propose for discussion in this meeting please send them to the Provincial’s office before the 15^th March 2020.

• Annual Retreat

The annual Provincial retreat will take place at Mariannhill Coolock from the 6^th – 12^th September 2020. We encourage confreres to participate in these important activities of spiritual renewal. We have noted that the same confreres attend this retreat while others do not make sufficient efforts. While we understand that some of you attend retreats in the dioceses where you work, but we urge you to prioritize our community spiritual gatherings.

• Termination of contract with Deacon Keeble Mackenzie

After a year of experience of the community life at the Monastery and discernment of his vocation as a lay CMM Associate, Deacon Keeble Mackenzie has decided to terminate his contract with the community and return to his home in Pietermaritzburg. We thank him for his contribution to the community and we wish him God’s blessings in his future endevours. He will leave on the 15^th February 2020.

• Mariannhill Monastery Link

For the past few months Deacon Keeble Mackenzie started producing their internal newsletter for the Monastery called Mariannhill Monastery Link. It aims at updating the faithful on what is happening at the Monastery and it gives different contact details for the different departments, times for Holy Masses, contacts for making appointments for tours, counselling and confessions. It also informs on the projects of the Monastery. The copy of the Link is attached. From now on Fr. Lawrence Mota CMM will be sending it directly to you confreres so that you are also informed about the Mother House.

• 110 years death anniversary Jubilee Cross and Candle

Fr. Thamsanqa Njiyela CMM and Sr. Ulrica Zondi CPS continue to spearhead the novenas in various parishes. The programme for the parishes that have been visited and those to be visited is attached to this circular letter. During the last day of the Novena we always have the whole night revival or Imvuselelo preaching on the virtues of Abbot Francis Pfanner, the Servant of God. I ask confreres to avail themselves for these important events so that we can all participate in promoting the virtues of the Founder of Mariannhill. I sincerely thank all those parishes who have hosted the Jubilee Cross and Candle. It has been a wonderful experience for the faithful.

On the 27^th-28^th March 2020 there will be an overnight Lenten pilgrimage to Emaus arranged by the promotion team. Kindly extend the invitation to all the faithful that you work with.

To mark the celebration of the jubilee of 110 death anniversary of Abbot Francis Pfanner, we have tasked the promotion team to arrange the Trappist Trail pilgrimage/walk for both CPS and CMM communities in July shortly before the feast. So many people, come from abroad and not even catholic, have walked the Trails. We need to lead the pack in walking in the footsteps of the Founder visiting the parishes that he founded. We shall update you as soon as concrete information is available.

• Conclusion

From the 22^nd – 29^th January the Southern African Bishops Conference held their bi-annual plenary session at St. John Vianney Seminary in Pretoria. On Sunday the 26^th January 2020, the bishops launched the New SACBC Pastoral Plan entitled “An evangelizing community serving God, humanity and all creation”. The plan focuses on eight important areas namely:

• Evangelization of all people,
• Laity formation and empowerment,
• Life and ministry of priests and deacons,
• Marriage and family,
• Youth accompaniment,
• Justice, peace and non- violence,
• Healing and reconciliation and
• Care for creation and the environment.

This pastoral plan presents us with plenty of opportunities for new ministries of accompanying and empowering the local church instead of focusing solely on parish pastoral work. We need to reflect on the role that we shall play in assisting dioceses to implement this wonderful and inspiring pastoral plan. During the plenary session the Bishops announced the Mini World Youth Day that will take place in Pretoria from the 09^th-13^th December 2020 in preparation for the 2022 World Youth Day celebrations in Portugal. We wish Fr. Mthembeni Dlamini CMM and his team God’s guidance as they prepare for this major event. Let us show him support especially through our Province youth ministry desk. The bishops have asked that each diocese must bring minimum of 250 youth.

I entrust you and your ministry to the guidance and intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of the Church and the Mother of Mariannhill.

Yours faithfully

Fr. Bheki Shabalala CMM

Provincial Superior

Als ich im Januar nach Port St. John’s versetzt wurde, habe ich noch nicht gewusst, dass es Ende des Jahres schon das Ende sein wird für mich hier. Die Landschaft ist ja wunderbar, viel Busch und Grünes. Auch das Wetter ist angenehm. Im Winter viel wärmer als in Mthatha, 100 km weiter im Landesinneren. Aber es gibt Dinge, die man nicht vorausplanen oder sehen kann. Wie zum Beispiel das Altern und was es mit sich bringt. Gesundheitlich geht es mir relativ gut. Aber die Augen lassen nach. Und bevor das „Licht“ ausgeht, möchte ich noch die zwei Aufgaben abschließen, die mir der Bischof übergeben hat. Das ist zum Ersten das Computer-Programm für jede der 23 Pfarren. Darin sollen festgehalten werden alle Taufen, Firmungen, Eheschließungen, Sterbedaten und sonstige Informationen. Wenn alles „up to date“ ist, klickt man einige Tasten und schon sieht man, wie viele Katholiken sind in der ganzen Pfarre oder wie viele in einer bestimmten Außenstation usw. Heutzutage muss ja alles sofort abrufbar sein.

Die zweite Aufgabe ist die Chronik der Diözese und jeder einzelnen Pfarre. Da muss viel in Pfarrregistern, Dokumenten und Papieren nachgeschaut werden. Das heißt für mich, dass ich frei bin, um zu den Pfarren fahren zu können, um Informationen zu sammeln. Ich habe Unterschlupf gefunden in Mthatha. Das liegt mehr zentral.

Ich werde also keine Pfarre mehr haben. Für mich ist natürlich der Weggang von Port St. John’s und keine Pfarre mehr zu haben, ein wichtiger Einschnitt und Änderung in meinem missionarischen Leben. Ich bin dankbar für die 52 Jahre, die ich in verschiedenen Pfarren verbringen konnte. Es waren vor allem 3 Pfarren, die mich in meinem missionarischen Leben begleitet haben. Nicht ich habe sie begleitet, sondern sie haben mich begleitet und mir immer wieder Kraft gegeben. Die erste Pfarre war Qumbu, meine erste Liebe. Eine aufstrebende und lebendige Pfarre mit buchstäblich hunderten von Katechumenen. Ich hatte das Glück, dass mich ein Schweizer Mitbruder sehr gut in die Sprache, Sitten und Bräuche und die Missionsarbeit eingeführt hat. Alles war neu und fremd für mich. Ich habe gelernt, eine Pfarre aufzubauen. Nicht nur Kirchen auf Außenstationen zu bauen, sondern auch führende Menschen auszubilden, die Aufgaben in der Pfarre übernommen haben wie Religionsunterricht für Kinder, Vorbereitung der Mütter für die Taufe der Babys, Leitung von Begräbnissen und Sonntagsgottesdiensten ohne Priester, Vorbereitung von Erwachsenen für die Taufe. Man kann priesterliche Arbeit nicht vergleichen mit Seelsorge drüben in Europa.

Die zweite Pfarre war St. Patrick’s. Wahrscheinlich die liebste Pfarre, die mir am meisten Freude und ein Erfolgserlebnis gegeben hat. Dort war ich zwei Mal, insgesamt 22 Jahre.

Die dritte Pfarre war Libode. Auch dort war ich zwei Mal. Dort war für mich auch der Abschluss meiner missionarischen Arbeit. Den Menschen in all diesen Pfarren bin ich dankbar für die Unterstützung und Mitarbeit, die ich dort erfahren habe. Eine lebendige Pfarre ist das größte Geschenk, das man sich als Priester wünschen kann. Dann kann man auch Einsamkeit wie hier in der Mission, wo man eigentlich immer ein Fremder bleibt, Misserfolg und Probleme leichter ertragen.

Nun aber zur Politik, die auch zum täglichen Leben gehört, aber oft nicht viel Freude bereitet. Im Gegenteil, man kann oft den Mut verlieren und die Hoffnung aufgeben. So erging es am 23. Oktober Mussi Maimane, dem jungen Parteivorsitzenden der Opposition. Er hat abgedankt und ist auch aus der Partei ausgetreten. Grund: schlechte Resultate bei der letzten Nationalratswahl im Mai. Der DA (Demokratische Allianz) hat gegen alle Erwartungen viele Stimmen verloren. Warum? Streitereien um die Richtung der Partei für die Zukunft. Aber im Hintergrund steht doch das Rassenproblem Schwarz gegen Weiss. Hellen Zille, die frühere Vorsitzende, eine Weiße, wollte wieder an die Macht kommen.

Innerparteiliche Streitereien gibt es auch im ANC (Regierungspartei oder Mandela Partei). Aber hier geht es um zwei Schwarze: Zuma, den abgewählten Präsidenten und Ramaposa, den gegenwärtigen Präsidenten. Hier geht es um Korruption oder nicht-Korruption. Als gewöhnlicher Bürger kann man nur froh sein, dass man nicht alles weiß, was verheimlicht und vertuscht wird. Aber das, was an die Öffentlichkeit kommt, ist genug, um die Hoffnung aufzugeben. Man hört immer öfters den Spruch: „Enough is enough“, „Genug ist genug“. Aber anscheinend geht es doch immer weiter.

Ein Lichtblick oder Lichtschimmer fuer Suedafrika war am 2. November der Weltmeistertitel in Rugby. Ein in Österreich und Deutschland unbekannter Sport. Aber hier in Südafrika die Domäne der Weißen. Ein Kraftsport. Das Ziel ist, mit einem eierförmigen Ball unter dem Arm über die Torlinie zu laufen. Es ist erlaubt, die Gegenspieler brutal aus dem Weg zu räumen. Ein Symbol für das Problem in Südafrika.

Es wurde gefeiert im ganzen Land. Man erinnert sich an das Wort von Mandela: „Sport kann die Nation vereinen“. Aber das ist nicht passiert, als Südafrika zum ersten mal nach der politischen Einigung 1994 Weltmeister wurde. Und das wird auch diesmal nicht der Fall sein. Der gemeinsame Sieg von Schwarz und Weiß wird bald vergessen sein und die vielen ungelösten Probleme werden weiterhin die Rassen spalten. Das interessante ist, dass der Kapitän ein Schwarzer ist, wo doch lange dagegen gekämpft wurde, dass Schwarze an diesem „weißen“ Sport teilnehmen können. Dieser Sport zeigt deutlich, dass es um die Macht geht, die Kontrolle und Beherrschung einer Rasse gegen die andere. Jetzt noch nach 25 Jahren wird gekämpft um die Nationalflagge, die alte und die neue, um die Nationalhymne, in der vier Sprachen verwendet werden und um die Macht an der Spitze, politisch und wirtschaftlich. Aber was das Land immer mehr in den Morast sinken lässt, ist nicht Aids. Obwohl es täglich etwa 700 neue Ansteckungen gibt. Was das Land moralisch zugrunde richtet, ist Korruption. Und die kennt keine Hautfarbe. Schlimm, sehr schlimm. Darin ist Südafrika wahrer „Weltmeister“.

In wenigen Tagen schreiben wir 2020. Aber vorher ist noch Weihnachten. Dieses Fest ist ein Fest der Hoffnung. Und die brauchen wir alle. Ob Afrika oder Europa, ob Schwarz oder Weiß.

Das wünsche ich uns allen und Gottes Segen und Begleitung im neuen Jahr

Herzliche Grüße

Dear friends of Mariannhill PNG!

This edition of TANGET should reach you before you blow out the Chistmas candles. I wish you, also in name of the other CMM confreres in PNG, a Blessed and Joyful Christmas!

For us, CMM in PNG, Christmas reminds us always of Bishop Henry van Lieshout, the first Bishop of Lae Diocese, because he died on the eve of Christmas, sitting in his easy chair, preparing the liturgy of the Nightmass which he was going to celebrate with the community of the St. Martin’s Parish. His heart gave up and Fr. Ignatius Bwalya, at that time also a member of our community at Mariannhill House and coming back from the Night Vigil, found him sitting in his chair, like in a deep sleep. Too deep indeed to wake up again!

That was in 2009, ten years ago. Bishop Rozario Menezes thought it fitting to have a special memorial service, and so on the 24^th of December we had a Eucharistic Celebration, presided by Bishop Rozario in the church of the Pastoral Centre at St. Joseph’s, 8 Mile, next to the cemetery where Bishop Henry’s body found its last resting place.

Some 250 people turned up. St. Stephen’s Parish had organized the singing. Next to the altar was a wooden frame with objects from Bishop Henry’s life.

I was asked by Bishop Rozario to give the sermon, and so I sketched  Bishop Henry’s  curriculum, and tried to describe his main character traits, making use of Fr. Anthony Mulderink’s memories of Bishop Henry’s personality. Mentioning Bishop Henry’s humility, his sense of humour, his nearness to the people and his joyfulness, I saw many heads nodding in approval. The  people still remember well their beloved Bishop.

It was nice to have the crib already installed in the church. Christmas gives exactly the family atmosphere of humble humanity proper of late Bishop Henry. It was also this atmosphere that surrounded his going to the Father’s House.

After Mass we went a moment to the cemetery, where Fr. Roland Masima Matoyi, our Regional Superior, led a short prayer and the blessing of the grave.

Then refreshment and some snacks were offered at the Pastoral Centre.

In January we shall have another special celebration, remembering at its first annivesary the sudden death of Bishop Christian Blouin, cmm.

That will be already 2020. The twenty first century is nearly coming of age, and kids are thinking that smart phones have always been there, while the older ones among us are still struggling to find their way in the dense media traffic.

Talking about the media, our much praised Catholic Radio of Lae Diocese is silent since the 10^th of December due to a technical failure. The STL receiver at the tower is not working. Repair is expected to take place in January. In the meantime you have to content yourself with the BBC or he ABC.

Our confrere Deacon Daniel Apas is having this year a special Christmas, more identified with Christ’s suffering than with his birth. Ten days ago he suffered a backlash in his  health and is since then in the hospital. Not only we, his confreres, but also his family is near to him. Especially his nephews, who must love uncle Daniel very much, are nearer to him than the shepherds to the crib and accompany him litterally day and night.  We wish deacon Daniel a speedy recovery.

On Thursday, 12 December, we celebrated the 50^th birthday of Sister Pauline Mpongo, CPS. 

Also the three new priests from India who have already come to Lae to join our diocese, were invited.

Bishop Rozario, aware of the shortage of priests in the diocese, has dedicated already quite some time and energy in contacting Congregations  that could provide more personnel. In January another Congregation, speciali-zed in Education, is due to provide three Brothers, who will take care of the Catholic Schools in Lae Diocese. They are very welcome, as at present and according to news commentaries, the level of school education in the country is going down.

This Christmas there are only two  CPS Sisters in Lae as Sister Pascal Nyadmadzawo went on home-leave and Sister Michaela Kim had to go home to Korea due to her mother’s delicate health.

In the light of the latest Appostolic Letter of Pope Francis, entitled “Admirabile Signum”, which talks about the importance of the Nativity Scene, Bishop Rozario has announced what seems to be a “first” in Lae Diocese, namely a crib-compe-tition. Today, the 26^th of Decem-ber, he went with a jury and accompanied by many more faithful, from parish to parish to see the cribs prepared and evaluate them so that a winner can be proclaimed. Some parishes have done a great job and made cribs even too big to have a place within the parish church, like the one at St. Stephen’s parish, made with live-size figures. No surprise that pigs, our national house-animal by excellence, take the place of ox and donkey, although not necessarily in the sense of Isaiah, 1.2-3.

The initiative, centering the attention of the faithful on the event of the Nativity, is much needed here, as Christmas entered PNG when Santa Klaus was already conquering the market, by now occupying every corner of house and home, and leaving no space for the little Jesus.

By the way, famous became this year the crib called “Let mum rest” thanks to the commentaries of Pope Francis. He stressed that this crib shows in a beautiful way the tenderness and solidarity so much needed in family life today.

As to national news the most important event of the last months was the referendum in Bougainville.

The Autonomous Region of Bougainville held a referendum, in compliance with and as part of the Peace Agreement between Bougainville and the Govern-ment of PNG of 2001: The people of Bougainville had to choose between independence and greater autonomy.

On 12 December the newspaper published the results: nearly 98% of the valid votes were in favor of independence.

The Peace Agreement, however, rules that the referendum is not binding. The final decision will be taken by the Parliament of PNG.

That means: We have  a wide-open door for a possible conflict between the official arrange-ment and the  feelings of nearly the whole of Bougainville – long live independence! With that we have – parallel to the European Brexit – our own Bouxit,  with probably as many years of uncertainty.

Dear friends, I wish you all, in name of all confreres here in PNG, a beautiful Christmas-time and a good start of the new year 2020!

With the Diocese of Lae receiving new missionaries and working out a new Pastoral Plan, we – Missionaries of Mariannhill – expect some changes to affect us. We may have some news on that already in the next edition of the TANGET.

May the good Lord bless us all in the New Year with peace within and without and the typical Christian joy, so deeply rooted in Christmas!

Dear friends of Mariannhill PNG!

This edition of Tanget starts with very sad news, which in the meantime you must have heard about already via other means of communication.

On the 11^th of february, feastday of our lady of Lourdes, Patroness  of the sick, our confrere Deacon Daniel Apas, passed away in the Angau Hospital in Lae.

Daniel was 49 years old. His health had deteriorated dramatically from November 2019 on. He was internalized in the hospital in Lae, but in vain. He just got weaker and weaker. He had, however, no pain and died peacefully, with a last deep sigh, with a picture of  Padre Pio, to whom he had great devo-tion, smiling at his side. May he rest in peace!

Daniel – his full name: Daniel Kwainimbu Apas –  was born on the 30th of June, on Walis Island, East Sepik Province. He was the third last born of the eleven children of Mr. John Apas and Mrs. Maria Moinedan. His childhood he lived on Walis, enjoying and discovering with eager interest maritime life around the island. He still knew the names of all the different fishes in tokples. Also in school Daniel showed himself an interested and intelligent pupil.

In 1985, then 14 years old, Daniel came with his elder brother Steven to Lae. After his grade 8, Daniel started studying at St. Joseph’s Technical School, where he came in contact with Mariannhill. The life of the Brothers and contact with Fr. Christian Blouin inspired him and he felt called to join the Missionaries of Mariannhill.

In 1992, Daniel moved into the Mariannhill community in Chinatown, Lae, in order to discern his vocation to religious life. After that and two year of propaedeutic studies at St. Fidelis College near Madang, he began his philosophical studies at Holy Spirit Seminary in Bomana – Port Moresby.

In 1999 Daniel entered the novitiate in Mariannhill Monastery in South Africa. He made his first profession on February 2, 2000, and became the first Papua New Guinean member of the Congregation of the Missionaries of Mariannhill. After the novitiate he went for theological studies to the Cedara Institute of Theology in Pietermaritzburg South Africa.

In 2002, however, he came back from South Africa, together with Frt. Ludwig Teika, who had just finished his novitiate. They were to receive their further initial formation at Bomana, near Port Moresby. Two years later Mariannhill opened its own house of formation at Bomana, where the students would have easy access to the Catholic Theological Institute there.

Daniel quickly became the Vice-President of the Students Representative Council and an editor of the students’ publication for Mariannhill College. During this same year, on 22 October, the Archbishop of Port Moresby, Brian Barns, conferred on him the ministry of acolyte along with other seminarians and students from several religious institutes at Bomana.

In 2003, Daniel moved to Lae for his pastoral year. He worked with Fr. Alfonso Voorn in the Holy Spirit Parish.

On February 2, 2004, Daniel made his final profession, and became a permanent member of our Congregation.

On the 9^th of October 2004, Daniel was ordained a deacon by the auxiliary bishop of Port Moresby, Cherubim Dambui in the chapel of the Catholic Theological Institute at Bomana. Thus, he became the first Papua New Guinean deacon of the Missionaries of Mariannhill.

After finishing his studies in November 2004 with a bachelor degree in Theology, Daniel served as a deacon in several parishes: at St. Mary’s Cathedral, in Wau, in Tent City and in St. Steven’s at Three Mile.

His time as a deacon was marked by this varied experience in the pastoral field, by a formative interlude in Rome in 2008, by a frustrated transfer to the Zambian Province and by other circumstances that prolonged his diaconate.

It must have put a strain on his patience and endurance, and at the beginning of 2016 Deacon Daniel asked for a year exclaustration, which was granted.

When his year of exclaustration finished in May 2017, his health had deteriorated. He didn’t regain his former strength and in November 2019 he was hospitalized.

Even the healthcare given at the Hospital, first at the Lae International Hospital and then at the Angau Memorial Hospital, was not able to avoid a continuous weakening of his vital functions.

On the 11^th of February 2020, day of our Lady of Lourdes, Patroness of the sick, at about 1 pm. Deacon Daniel breathed his last in the company of his nephew Joseph Apas at the Angau Memorial General Hospital. He may now rest in peace and enjoy the fullness of life that is at the heart of all our dreaming and longing.

The funeral Mass took place at St. Therese, Kamkumung, where many relatives and wantoks of Daniel are living. More than three hundred people filled the church. Their mourning showed their love and nearness to him.

On Sunday, the 23^rd of February the “haus krai”, which had been set up at Mariannhill House,  was closed.

Daniel died more or less a year after Bishop Christian Blouin, CMM, whose death we had comme-morated with a solemn Mass at St. Joseph’s on the 16^th of January.

The Diocese of Lae has welcomed new missionaries, among them two Montfort Brothers. They have been put in charge of the supervision of the Catholic Schools of the Diocese. Both  reside at St. Joseph’s Station and one will have a special task with regard to St. Joseph’s Technical School, while the other is the manager of St. Francis Technical School in West Taraka. This special attention to the Schools is certainly in line with the longstanding tradition of our Diocese to give priority to Education.

On the 23^rd of February, Fr. Alfonso Voorn, cmm, gave over the keys of St. Joseph to the Brothers, one of whom is now the Superior of St. Joseph’s Station.

The 2^nd of February, Feast Day for all Religious and the “birthday” of our CMM Congregation, this year fell on a Sunday. There was a special Eucharist at the Cathedral for all Religious in the Diocese of Lae, with refreshments afterwards, and in the evening we renewed our vows during Vespers in the chapel of Mariannhill House. Many other religious were joined us. (see picture). The “haus win” was nearly too small for the sharing afterwards.

On February 21, Bishop Rozario went through a kind of “baptism of fire” when driving on the highway. Two missionaries from Congo were with him in the car. They had come to Lae to see whether it was a suitable place to send some of their confreres to work in the Diocese. Bishop Rozario was showing them places and possibilities.

Uninvited, a gunman appeared, determined to hold up the car. But Bishop Rozario was not less determined to go on, and gave gas. The man had to jump aside but still had a chance to trigger the gun and a bullet went in through the second left side-window leaving the car through the third right-side window. Thanks to God nobody was hurt.

The incident may have convinced the visitors that Lae is a safe place to work: not even when they shoot at you, do you suffer personal damage!

The personal damage came five days later when the same gunman tried to stop a lorry of the Tablebirds  Company. He didn’t jump aside in time and died of the impact. Shortly before, he had tried to hold up the parish priest of the Christ the King Parish, Fr. John Joseph, a new priest from India. Fr. John also gave gas and escaped.

And a last short notice: your corres-pondent is going on home-leave at the end of March (if the coronavirus permits it). The next Tanget may come not earlier than July.

Till then, all the best and may our common Father in Heaven bless you, your families and communities!

10 April 2020

Ich become Anfragen per Telefon, Email und Skype wie es hier aussieht bezueglich Corona und wie es mir geht.

Seit 27. Maerz haben wir sogenannten Lockdown, alles ist unter Schloss und Riegel wie in Europa.  Noch zusaetzlich ist der Verkauf von Zigaretten und Alkohol verboten.  Am Tag nach der Einfuehrung von Lockdown sind Massen von Menschen aus Johannesburg und anderen grossen Staedten aufs Land geflohen.  Polizei und Militar waren machtlos.  Vielleicht ist es hier noch sicherer?  In den grossen Townships und Slums leben die Leute so dicht aufeinander, an soziale Distanz nicht zu denken.  Auch hier gab es sofort Panik-Einkaeufe.  Ein paar Tage nach dem Lockdown, das war Monatsende, wurden die Alterspensionen und Regierungszuschuesse ausgezahlt.  Ich habe es in Mthatha erlebt.  Die Auszahlungen erfolgen noch meist in Cash, Bargeld.  Der Empfaenger muss persoenlich sein Geld in Empfang nehmen.  Vor dem Postamt standen lange Schlangen von Menschen und mussten stundenlang warten.  Niemand hatte einen Gesichtsschutz, von Distanz zum anderen keine Spur.

Im Vergleich zu Europa gibt es hier ein wichtiges Zugestaendnis.  Bei Begraebnissen duerfen bis zu 50 Menschen teilnehmen.  In Europa hat fast jeder ein Auto, um einkaufen zu fahren, zum Arzt oder zur Arbeit, die notwendif\g ist.  Hier haengen die meisten Leute von den „Taxis“ ab.  Es kind Kleinbusse fuer etwa 15 Passagiere.  Sie duerfen nur zwischen 5 bis 9 Uhr frueh und zwischen 4 bis 8 Uhr abends auf der Strasse sein.  Die Regierung hat die Bestimmungen immer  wieder korrigieren muessen.  Zuerst hiess es: nur 50% der zugelassenen Passagiere, dann 70% und jetzt 100%, aber alle muessen Gesichtsschutz tragen.  Aber woeher holen?

Bis heute (9. April) gibt es nur 18 Tote und etwa 1.900 Infizierte. Tests werden  jetzt erst langsam durchgefuehrt.  Man fragt sich, warum so niedrige Zahlen?  Die Vorschriften werden bei weitem nicht so genau eingehalten wie in Europa. Wie kann das auch moeglich sein, wenn in Slums 5 Menschen in einer kleinen Blechhuette wohnen.  Oder wenn 20 Haushalte das Wasser von einem Wasserhahn in der Strasse bekommen.

Kommt das Virus noch oder verschohnt es uns aus irgend einem unerklaelichen Grund?  Bis 21, April wird der Lockdown dauern und dann???

Ich lebe hier auf einer „katholischen Insel“.  Hier haben die Missionsschwestern ihren Hauptsitz, etwa 40 Schwestern, die meisten aelter und kraenklich.  Die aelteste Schwester ist 101 Jahre alt.  Auch wir, die Mariannhiller haben hier ein Haus.  Hier ist auch ein Heim fuer  ewa 60 Findlingskinder.  Auch eine Schule fuer koerperbehinderte Kinder und ein Rehabilitationszentrum, wo die schulentlassenen Kinder einen Beruf erlernen koennen.  Aber alle Gebaeude stehen leer, nur die kleinen Waisenkinder sind hier.

Ich lebe allein mitten drin in einem kleinen Haueschen.  Koche und wasche selber.  Lebe wie ein „Einsiedler“ in der Wueste.  Taeglich habe ich meine Spaziergaenge im Gebiet morgens und nachmittags fuer je eine ¾ Stunde.  Ich treffe keinen Menschen.  Wir haben noch taeglich Messe mit den Schwestern.  Eigentlich verboten, aber wir halten uns so weit wie moeglich an die Vorschriften.

Wer haette die Welt und das Leben jeden einzelnen so radikal aendern koennen?  Kein Politiker, kein  religioeses Oberhaupt, keine Organisation wie die UNO, keine wirtschaftlichen Grossmaechte.  Die Menschen sind aber faehig, wenn es ums Ueberleben geht.  Sie koennen auf vieles verzichten was sie vorher ohne Druck nicht gemacht haetten.  Es geht auch ohne Reisen, Sport, Unterhaltung, wenigsten fuer einige Zeit.  Es braucht nur einen Grund.  Warum kann die Menschheit nicht so entschlossen vorgehen gegen andere Uebel in der Welt wie Umweltverschmutzung, gegen extreme Armut, gegen Ungleichheit unter den Voelkern zwischen Nord und Sued, gegen Konsumluxus, gegen, gegen, gegen..Es wird schon diskutiert: was nach dem Corona?  Viele sagen: das Leben kann nicht mehr so weiter gehen wie zuvor.  Aber niemand weiss, was anders werden soll.  Welche Lehren wird man daraus ziehen?  Die einen werden sagen: Dies, die anderen werden sagen: das muss sich veraendern.  So wird die Diskussion und die Meinungsverschiedenheit wieder weiter gehen und am Ende aendert sich nichts.  Aber wir wollen nicht so pessimistisch sein.  Vielleicht lernt der eine oder andere doch etwas:  mit bisschen mehr Einschraenkung geht es auch.  Es geht auch mit weniger.

Das „frohe Ostern“ wuenschen lassen wir heuer bleiben.  Aber das Osterfest ist trotzdem nicht abgeschafft.  In Englisch hoert man immer wieder:  there is light at the end of the tunnel =  es gibt Licht am Ende des Tunnels.  Das Licht ist fuer us der auferstandene Herr.  Er moege uns allen sagen: „ Fuerchtet euch nicht, ich bin es“.

Herzliche Gruesse.

13^th April 2020

Dear Confreres

As the leadership of our Region we greet you all Confreres in the name of the Risen Lord and we wish you a Happy and Blessed Easter.  Indeed, these are the most unusual and challenging times in the history of humanity. That the coronavirus pandemic has interfered with our most solemn and significant celebration in our liturgical calendar is more traumatic. The world is experiencing a season of disorientation and is crying out in lamentation because of the darkness and brokenness caused by Covid-19. The coronavirus does not discriminate between people on any ground, this means that we are all vulnerable and can be infected by it. According to the City Press Newspaper (12 April 2020), there are currently 1 721353 cases of Covid-19 globally, and so far international deaths stand at 104 800. These figures are increasing on daily basis with the USA, Italy and Spain amongst others recording the highest cases of infection and deaths. Let us support all our confreres in the USA/Canada, Colombia and Europe with our prayers. Let us ask the Risen Lord to protect, strengthen and grant them the graces they need to continue witnessing and ministering to his people with love. It has been stated that the most vulnerable are the elderly, children or people with other health conditions whose immune system has been compromised. To this end, let us pray and entrust our elderly confreres in Reimlingen-Germany Province to the intercession of Blessed Engelmar and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Prayer is the best support we can offer them and each other in this times of the coronavirus pandemic.

The whole world is in crisis and jittering. In response, Governments across the globe have been compelled to declare states of emergency and lockdowns to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. Here in South Africa the lockdown has been extended by two more weeks until the end of April. Although the lockdown seems to be the only option at the moment, its social and economic consequences will be disastrous to the economy in general and, on the poor and the unemployed who are already crying to the government for assistance otherwise they will die of hunger. Dear Confreres, we are all aware that our  society at large and the Church have been greatly affected by the restrictive measures and ban on public gatherings of any kind with the exception of funerals. As we have stated, for many of the faithful this Easter has been strange and traumatic. Yet we have to stand tall and proclaim that Jesus Has Risen; we have to preach the resurrection with the greatest of conviction and faith, and give people hope and encouragement. Wherever you are, please do the best you can under the present circumstances!

Dear Confreres, as we wish all of you a Blessed Easter we also want to draw your attention to the following updates and information;

• Zones

At both the general meeting which was held in January and the Regional Conference at the end of January 2020, a concern was raised about the dysfunctionality of the zones. We recognise that zones are important for information sharing, discussion of matters in small groups and community building at grass-root level. They can also be utilised for spiritual development in small groups, for example, recollections can be arranged at the level of zones. In addition, they can provide a support structure for confreres within the zone. It is our desire as leadership to get the zones functioning again. Therefore, I appeal to the chairpersons of the respective zones to convene zone meetings urgently to elect new chairpersons and secretaries. Please do organise the meeting in consultation with the Regional Superior so that he can avail himself to attend. For your convenience, the zones and members for each zone are listed in the table below.

Table of Zones and their members 

Various Portfolios:

Formation and Vocation Promotion

After evaluating the work of the team, the Regional Superior with the consent of his Councillors re-appointed Fr Faustin Mapwar, Deacon Taele Litlotlo and Bro Bernard Isanda to the Formation and Vocation Promotion portfolio. We thank them for their commitment and hard work, and wish them God’s guidance as they continue serving the community in this ministry.  Their job description is delineated in our Provincial/Regional Directory (2).

Projects and Development Committee

The Regional Superior with the consent of his Council appointed Bro Alexander Lizani and Bro Bernard Isanda to be members of the Projects and Development Committee. The Regional Superior is ex officio member of the same committee.

Finance Committee

The Regional Superior with the consent of his Council appointed Fr Pinji Gondwane, Fr Mandla Mchunu and Fr Ojok Francis to the Finance Committee of the Regional. We thank Fr Bernard Gathu who served in the previous Finance Committees with dedication and made immense contribution. Enkosi kakhulu Bawo!

CMM Lay Associates

Deacon Taele and Fr Mafu have been re-appointed to continue working on establishing CMM Lay Associates in our Region. They have successfully worked on the translation of the Constitutions from English into isiXhosa and will soon finalise the translation of the Sesotho version. These confreres have done some good ground work in terms of recruitment and the Lay Associates will be officially launched once the isiXhosa and Sesotho versions of the Constitution have been printed. We thank Deacon Taele and Ntate Mafu for their work.

Regional Retreat

This year we are supposed to have our own annual retreat separate from the Dioceses in which we work. The coronavirus has created unprecedented uncertainty which makes it difficult to make any concrete plans. Having said that, we still hope to have our retreat in September 2020 and the dates will be announced once things are clear. We shall monitor the situation and keep you updated. In the meantime, kindly set aside time for this retreat and prioritise it in your diary.

Superior of Abbot Francis Home

With the consent of his Council and in consultation with the General Government, the Regional Superior appointed Fr Stephan Mandl House Superior of Abbot Francis Home for a period of one year. We thank Fr Stephan for availing himself for this important ministry despite his age. We also thank him for the time he has served the community in the same ministry in the past. Rea leboga Ntate Stephan.

Fr Emmanuel Nkofo CMM

We welcome Fr Emmanuel Nkofo back after successfully completing his studies in Rome. He is currently on holiday at home with his family. After his holiday he will go to Mariannhill Monastery to commence his new assignment as Assistant Director of Novices. Welcome back Bawo.

Fr John Chikadi CMM

Fr John Chikadi is currently on home leave in Nigeria. He is expected back in the first week of May 2020. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic most countries including Nigeria and South Africa have imposed lockdowns, and this has resulted in the cancelation of many flights. We hope the situation will improve soon. On his return, Fr Chikadi will remain in the Region until the GG has finalised his new assignment.

Once again, Happy Ester to all of you Confreres, and may the Risen Lord guide and protect all of us during these difficult times.

Yours in the Risen Lord
Fr Gideon Sibanda, CMM
Regional Superior

Fr. Stefan  Mandl  /  Abbot Francis Home                                                         Ostern  2020

P.O.Box  85    /     5100     Mthatha    /   Südafrika

mandlfr@gmx.de        0027 681630015 (Telkom Mobil)

Unter traurigen Umständen richte ich meine hoffnungsvollen Ostergrüße an Euch.    Mit Beginn des Jahres hat Herr Willi Hirt,  mein Schwager “zu Hause”  die Heimat gewechselt.  “Tsamya hantle” und “Tsela Tsweu “,  Willi  !    (So verabschieden sich unsere Basothos von einem weggehenden Gast:

“Gehe gut”  Hab einen  “weißen Weg” )

Von meinen Gymnasial-Mitschülern hat uns wieder einer verlassen.  Bald wird es ein Viertel derer sein, die verschieden sind.  Da ich als  Spätberufener einstieg, waren sie um einiges jünger.

Tsela Tsweu,  Herr  Hans Mayr !

Eben wurde auch ein sehr guter, treuer Freund, und engagierter Missions Förderer abberufen:   Herr Alois  Wenninger  in Kösterndorf,  Salzburg.  Er war der Begründer und Förderer des Missionskreises in Köstendorf, der uns seit mehreren Jahrzehnten in unserer Missionsarbeit begleitet und unter-stützt  hat.    Vielen Dank,  lieber Alois !    Vielen Dank Euch allen  im Missionskreis, mit der Pfarr-gemeinde Köstendorf,  die beigetragen haben an diesem löblichen Werk.   Es war bestimmt sein Wunsch, dass es nicht mit ihm zu Ende geht.

Nach P. Sales und P. Konrad Kietzinger,  der bei der Familie Weninger seinen Endkampf mit Krebs  gefochten hat,  war ich der beglückte Nachfolger und Nutznieser dieser Organisation.

Mit solchen Organisationen und guten Leuten konnten wir Missionare uns am Aufbau und an der Entwicklung der Missionskirche beteiligen.

Hiermit möchte ich in spezieller Weise ein Loblied singen  für Euch alle, die Ihr uns begleitet und geholfen habt,   und Euch hiermit ein großes   D a n k e  !   sagen.

Das geht auch an alle, die uns  unterstützten mit dem Kauf des  jährlichen Kalenders und unseres  MMM  (Mariannhiller Missions Magazin)   und den darüber hinausgehenden Missionsspenden.

Nach wie vor  haben wir Mariannhiller kein anderes großes Einkommen,  das uns in unserer Existenz und Arbeit hilft,  und besonders  in der Ausbildung unserer jungen Mitglieder .

Deshalb bitten wir um Eure Treue in diesem unseren Projekt  der Missionszeitschriften  und Spenden der individuellen Freunde von Mariannhill und  durch die Missionskreise.    Ich weiß, es wird immer schwieriger  aus vielen verständlichen Gründen.

Diese Bitte geht besonders an Euch,  den Förderern  dieser Aktionen.  Ein besonderer Dank gebührt Euch für die oft schwere und  und unentlohnende  Arbeit, die Ihr leistet.

Danke auch allen  Seelsorgern,  die da mitwirken.

Über die aufregenden Umstände brauche ich nichts zu sagen.  Wir alle wissen, was überall passiert.

Während ich schreibe, ändert sich schon alles.    Corona kam viel später zu uns als zu Euch.  Sie kam zu uns von Europa.   Noch zählen wir die Kranken in Hunderte, nein, schon sind es  über Tausend,  noch wenig Tote.  Aber wir wissen, das ist nur der Beginn.  Wir haben noch den Winter vor uns.

Unser Gesundheits Minister hat uns angesagt, dass  70-80 %  sie bekommen könnten.   Das gibt uns wenig Chancen zu glauben, dass wir nicht dabei sein werden.  Wie in den meisten Ländern hat auch unsere Regierung trastische Maßnahmen getroffen, die Ausbreitung zu vermindern.

Gott sei uns allen gnädig  !

Vermutlich werden wir Ostern  recht bescheiden feiern,  wo wir wieder einmal sagen:  “als ob Kar-freitag / Karsamstag  noch nicht geendet haben”.

Aber Gott sei Dank:    Covid  19   ist  noch nicht die Pest  oder  Ebola, oder doch ?   Laßt uns tief Atem holen und untertauchen, hoffent, dass wir danach wieder frische Luft haben werden.

In SA   ist die Wirtschaft am Eimer ,   durch  die  Korruption  der  Elite,  aber noch mehr  durch die Korruption  der Unfähigkeit   einiger  staatlichen  Großbetriebe,  besonders:   Elektrizität und Luftfahrt,  die dem Staat jährlich   Zig-Billionen kosten.  Ein anderer Faktor ist die fast tägliche

“Load-shetting” (Stromverteilung).

Mit dem derzeitigen Wechselkurs wäre es  recht günstig,  hier Urlaub zu machen.   Mama Corona hat dafür gesorgt, dass das nicht geschehen kann,   leider auch zum großen Nachteil der modernten Wirtschaft.

Möge Gott uns die Gnade geben, dass wir die  aufgezwungene Zeit und  die Dilemma  nützen,  wieder mehr an ihn zu denken,  und ihn wieder mehr einzuplanen in unser persönliches Leben, wie auch in die kleine und größere  Weltpolitik.

Mit  hoffnungsvollen    O s t e r  g r ü s s e n                           P.  Stefan  –   Franz   Mandl

Circular Letter 02/2020                                                         28^th April 2020

Dear confreres,

• Introduction

Since my last circular letter in January 2020, the world and our country are battling to contain the scourge of the Covid-19. Since its outbreak, the Covid-19, has caused global havoc thus bringing world economies to their knees and killing thousands of people. To date South Africa has recorded 4546 Covid-19 cases/infections with 87 deaths. We are grateful to God that 1473 of that number have fully recovered. We salute the manner in which our government and the department of health are handling this pandemic under very challenging circumstances. The World Health Organization (WHO) has praised South Africa for its effective response.

To date 178 470 South Africans have been screened and tested for the Covid-18, 4793 have tested positive, 1473 people have recovered and 90 people have died. The number of new cases continue to rise. To date the number of new cases stood at 247. The national lockdown has helped to minimize the speedy spread of the infections. I wish to thank all the confreres who continue to observe the very frustrating lockdown regulations by faithfully staying at home. This lockdown has negative impact on our confreres working in the parishes as they could not even celebrate Easter with the faithful whom they are supposed to shepherd. The economic situation of the parishes has therefore suffered a big blow.

The Monastery has suffered the same effects since we had to lay off all our employees in the workshops and all our places of work in compliance with Covid-19 guidelines. Even our two FSF Sisters had to join their community at Assisi Home, Mariannhill. We are grateful to the community and the novices who have to do all the work that our employees normally do: cooking and doing laundry for the community. They have been outstanding! The confreres take turns in cooking and washing dishes and doing all the other house chores. The lockdown has allowed confreres in the Monastery to do some extraordinary works in the Repository and Mission Press as well as cleaning the Monastery. The administration at Mater Dolorosa continues unwaveringly committed in providing good care of our elderly and sick confreres. Our retired professional nurse Mrs. Ngcobo had to work for weeks without a break. The list of sacrifices made do not go unnoticed and, I am grateful to everyone’s involvement.

We are on day 32 of the national lockdown. On Friday 01 May we shall move to Phase 4 national lockdown. Under very strident regulations, some crucial business will be open just to try and lift up the ailing economy. None of our businesses fit under level 4 of the lockdown, so the status quo remains for us. I plead that we continue to be resilient and patriotic in observing all the regulations and be our brother’s keeper. Let us get used to wearing masks especially when we go on public space.

• Consequences of Covid-19 Pandemic and new mission possibilities

As greater Mariannhill leadership i.e. the Diocese, St. Joseph Cathedral, the CPS Sisters and the CMM, we formed a structure last year which we named Disaster Management Team. We assisted people of Tshelimnyama and Mpola with basic needs after experiencing the severe storms. We provided uniforms, cash, groceries and bedding.

When the Covid-19 Pandemic struck, we also came together to reflect on how we can be of assistance to our people. Just at that time we received an emergency request from St. Mary’s hospital and the Department of Health (DOH) asking to utilize any of our structures which are not in operation as facilities for testing and keeping the Covid-19 suspects and patients. Many of our people across the river have no possibility to self-isolate or quarantine since so many of them living under the same household.

The CPS have offered their Guest House -Tre Fontane for this purpose. St. Joseph’s cathedral will avail their grounds and hall as testing centers and provide food parcels. The Diocese will offer St. Francis College and Jubilee schools as centers for self-isolation depending on when the schools will re-open. Together with my council we have seriously considered availing the Mission Centre and the Retreat House as centres for quarantine and treatment of Covid-19 suspects and patients provided that there are clearly defined legal documents. Our consultation with St. Mary’s hospital and the DOH are at an advanced stage. Our attorneys, Meauman White, and our Insurance Company are helping us with points that need to be added to the memorandum of understanding or lease with the DOH. We all agree that we need a legally binding document which indemnifies us from as many responsibilities and claims during that period of the lease. The DOH will bring their own medical, cooking, cleaning and security staff for caring for patients and they will pay us a fee for our structures. Patients or suspects are not allowed to move out of their rooms so there is no danger of infecting our confreres around the Monastery complex. The DOH will disinfect and decontaminate the places when the lease comes to an end. I have consulted with the General Government, the Southern African Bishop’s Conference and Cardinal Wilfrid Napier OFM who is the chairperson of the Bishops in Durban Metropolitan, and they all support our initiative and wish to assist during these trying times. I am sure that Abbot Francis Pfanner and Blessed Fr. Engelmar Unzeitig would have responded positively to such an invitation and saw it as an opportunity for evangelization despite all its real challenges, fears and uncertainties since there is no cure or vaccine for this new virus. If you have a word of advice to the Council, regarding what we need to guard against as we formalize the contracts, please do so through the office of the Provincial Superior. Your prayers are sought in this regard since this is our first experience.

• New assignments

• Sbusiso Mkhize CMM has been assigned to Immaculate Conception parish in Manguzi. Thank you so much Fr. Mkhize for your sacrifice, willingness and ability to do institutional ministry soon after your ordination. You contributed so positively to the Monastery Retreat House and Mariannhill Coolock House. God bless you. He will leave for Ingwavuma Vicariate on the 04^th May 2020. I sincerely thank Fr. Bernard Ngidi CMM who came out of his retirement to assist at Manguzi from the time Fr. Ndabenhle Mncwabe CMM passed away. He will return to Mater Dolorosa once Fr. Mkhize takes over the parish.
• Deacon John Omalla CMM is helping with some of the duties that used to be performed by Bro. Konrad Diethei CMM at the Monastery. After lockdown he will take up his new ministry at Emaus Mission and Emaus Heritage Centre. Thank you John.

• We welcome to our Monastery community Emmanuel Nkofo CMM who has been appointed the assistant novice director.

• Owen Jimu CMM is the new Provincial Secretary, Director of Candidacy and co-ordinator of the Youth Ministry.

This year we decided to combine our initial candidacy programme (new aspirants) with those of the Region of Mthatha. The formation committee has presented four names for admission but due to lockdown, the council has not been able to meet. The start of the candidacy programme has also been delayed. They were supposed to begin their programme this month. Fr. Owen will guide and form our candidates before they join the combined programme in Mthatha and he will also be responsible for our candidates who are studying at Cedara when they come to the Monastery for vacation.

• Indult of Exclaustration and Leave of absence

• Geronimo Matimbe CMM was granted a one year indult of exclaustration in March 2020. Kindly remember him in prayer.

• Nkosinathi Dlamini CMM completed his indult of exclaustration in March and rejoined the community in the Monastery. Once he has fully integrated in the community, he will receive his new pastoral assignment.

• Callistus Ngcobo CMM is still on his year of absence. He was supposed to return to the Monastery this month but national lockdown prevented him. We hope that he will join the community soon.

• Terence Njodzi CMM continues to be AWOL since his disappearance from the Monastery in May 2019. Since then we have not been able to establish communication with him. He does not respond to his emails and mobile phone. Kindly keep him in prayer. We thank Bro. Bheki Ngcobo CMM who took over the Blacksmith shop when Bro. Terence left.

• Pilgrimages and official community gatherings

• The May pilgrimage to the Shrine of our Lady of Fatima, Namaacha Mozambique, has been cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic
• The May pilgrimage to Emaus will not take place due to the Covid-19 pandemic
• We are in touch with the General Government regarding the training course for perpertual profession, Council of Congregation (CoC) and training of Unit treasures which were all supposed to take place in our Unit this year. Once concrete decisions have been made, we shall duly inform you. The same goes for our Congregational feast in July and annual retreat in September.

• Conclusion

We thank God that He has protected our Monastery and the Province from experiencing Covid-19 positive cases. We remain in solidarity with the Province of Germany who have been badly affected by this pandemic. May God, through the intercession of Blessed Fr. Engelmar Unzeitig, continue to give us courage to forge ahead as prophetic witnesses of the Gospel during these challenging times. We congratulate Deacons Gino Bembele and John Omalla for having been admitted to priestly ordination. Due to covid-19 we are unable to set the date for ordination. The meeting for Unit Superiors of Africa was also called off last month.

Also:

• Thamsanqa Njiyela CMM continues to recuperate at Mater Dolorosa.
• Philiasi Phiri CMM has completely recovered from the health scare.
• Thabani Khumalo CMM already returned to Abbot Francis House after his minor medical procedure.

Let us keep one another in prayer. The National lockdown has provided so much time and space for personal prayer, self-introspection, intensifying ties with the community and completing those tasks that we always had no sufficient time to do.

The Executive Board of Leadership Conference of Consecrated Life (LccL) wishes to engage with all of the members in our conference. Since March 2019 I serve as a member of the executive and in March 2020 I was elected vice president. I encourage you to read the correspondence and guidelines of the conference especially during this time of national lockdown.  We wish to respond to these challenging times with one voice and plan of action.

I entrust you and your ministry to the guidance and intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of the Church and the Mother of Mariannhill.

Yours faithfully

___________________

Fr. Bheki Shabalala CMM

Provincial Superior

The year 2020 has come to all of us with challenges especially the challenge related with the “virus”. In March this year our Unit had a Regional Chapter as from 12 March to 18 March 2020. This was an election chapter as well.
First of all I have the honor to express my gratitude to Fr. Robert Kaiza and his team [The councillors- Fr. Robert Abulala -Vicar, Nicholas Mwiti, Patrick Musumba and Moris Daniel: who have selflessly served our community during the last nine years. As he expressed it himself when he looked back… “… it has been a time of hard work and  filled with abundance of Blessings …I am grateful to the confreres ( it has been within and outside our Unit) whose contributions have enabled us to be where we are today…”.

As a result of the Chapter, I was elected to the office of Regional Superior, and the following Confreres [Frs, Patrick Musumba- Vicar, Vincent Nzabandora, Nicholas Mwiti and Robert Kaiza to make a team to serve as leaders of our Unit. This development will necessitate a few adjustments in order that all things run smoothly.

1. Formation House at CPC
   Following the Covid-19 outbreak a number of activities were interrupted among them the academic activities in the universities which our young confreres and all other brothers in initial formation attend. All aspirants, Candidates and our one postulant are at their homes as from March 2020.
   All the young confreres are still in the community at the Christ the Prophet Community. A number of them are almost winding up their semester through online classes and examinations.
   The two confreres, Frts. Simon Mushi and Evans Ogola who were meant to begin their German classes are yet to do so as the college which they were supposed to register closed following the COVID-19 instruction for all schools to close. We are exploring the possibility that they do their learning online.
2. Pastoral work
   The government issued instructions that people should stay and work from home, complete close of Churches other and places of worship and daily curfew as from 7.00 pm to 5.00 AM as from 27 March 2020 for 21 days. The curfew was extended for 21 days up to 7^th May 2020. A number of counties introduced stricter measures and residents are not allowed to leave their cities, these include our own, Nairobi.
   The confreres who work in Kenya, (Juja Farm, Frs. Benedict Kimutai and Denis Ndolo are safe. The other confreres, who are in Kericho Diocese, Frs, Nicholas Mwiti and Cosmas Omare in Ndanais Parish and Robert Abulala in Kiongo Parish are also safe and well.

1. The Conferes in Tanzania, in Dar Es Salaam, Fr. Vincent Nzabandora at St Salome Parish and Fr. Daniel Mose at St. Mary Magdalene are safe. We are keeping a close eye on the  confreres in Tanzania as the response policies in relation with the Covid-19 Pandemic seems to be different and there is no lock down of any activities in the whole of the country. It is worrying as Dar Es Salaam is hard hit with Corona infections. Fr. Patrick Musumba is still at CPC- He did not manage to go to Tanzania after the chapter following the shutdown of the borders.

1. The rest of the confreres in Tanzania who are in what is considered hard hit with Corona infections, Frs. Wenceslaus Wanjala and Michael Njenga at the Tanzania- Kenya Border at Longido are safe. Lastly, Fr. Edward Matoke in Kondoa central Tanzania is safe as well.

Pastoral Placements

Rector of Christ the Prophet community: Fr. Benedict Kimutai who has been the parish priest of Juja Farm will take a new ministry as the Rector of CPC- and the Superior of the Christ the Prophet community.

Fr. Roy Chimbindi who was a formator at Christ the Prophet community will take a new ministry as Assistant Parish Priest of Juja Farm Parish. He will carry out this ministry while he continues with his studies at Tangaza College.

Fr. Denis Ndolo will take a new ministry asparish priest of Juja Farm Parish. He has been working at the same parish as assistant to the parish priest, Fr. Benedict.

Fr. Vincent Nzabandora will take the ministry of Parish Priest of St Salome in the Archdiocese of Dar Es Salaam.

Fr. Dan Mose who has been assistant to the parish priest of St. Mary Magdalene at Kimara- Dar Es Salaam will take a new ministry as assistant to the parish priest of St. Salome – Archdiocese of Dar Es Salaam.

Fr. Bonphace Omondi will take up his appointment as assistant to the parish priest (Fr. Patrick Musumba) of St. Mary Magdalene Archdiocese of Dar Es Salaam.

1. Dcn. Jackton Angamia Kupalo will start understudying the Regional Treasurer’s duties. During this time he will take a course in accounting.

1. Fr. Denis Aura will take pastoral ministry in the Diocese of Mbinga. He will reside in the Monastery with the priests at Litembo parish while preparing the new parish (WUKIRU) for the Missionaries of Mariannhill
2. Fr. Robert Kaiza will for the time being focus on the regional projects. We have a major project of constructing our community house in Juja Farm. After its completion which is expected to be at the end of the year 2020, he will be assigned in pastoral ministry. During this time, he will support the Juja Parish team.

1. Fr. Wenceslaus will continue with his present ministry as parish priest of Longido Parish and take up a new ministry a new ministry as vocation Director. Every assistant Parish priest will be the contact person for vocations in the parish and liaise with Fr. Wenceslaus.

1. Fr. Phillip Voorn, continues with his ministry of formation as one of the formators at Christ the Prophet community.
2. Frs. Willard and Stephen while taking their studies will give a hand to Fr. Benedict Kimutai, on formation matters.

The placements especially those in relation with our confreres working in different dioceses are subject to approval and appointment by the respective ordinaries.

A word of gratitude to all the confreres who have availed themselves for the various ministries. Thank you for the spirit of cooperation.

Fr. Daniel Moris
Regional Superior

3rd June 2020

Circular Letter 2/2020

Introduction:

Greetings of peace to you all Confreres.

During the outbreak of the COVID 19 pandemic so many things have happened in our lives, our homes and our communities – some noticed and others unnoticed; some good news and others bad news and some challenging and others encouraging. However, I can admit that it has been a rough and tough time of trying to adhere to the measures put across by government and by many institutions. It has been a time that has called more for understanding, flexibility tolerance, adjustment, fervent prayer, love and care in the way we deal with one another. There has been less physical contact but more online communication, leading to uncertainty, fear and insecurity. In any case, we would like to thank God for His love and care especially during this moment of

fear and panic.

At this moment, allow me dear Confreres to communicate to you a few points:

1. St. Bonaventure: Graduation –

After completing their philosophical studies at St. Bonaventure University, our three candidates – Adam Mbwana, Moses Moyo and Cletus Mwela graduated on the 22nd of May 2020. However, their graduation was in absentia as only a few resident students of St. Bonaventure Campus were allowed to participant in a simple ceremony. Congratulations to our candidates for their achievement. Wishing them well in their next step of religious formation.

2. Postulancy 2020

The three philosophy graduates – Adam Mbwana, Moses Moyo and Cletus Mwela will start their Postulancy program hopefully in July 2020 once the situation normalizes. Fr. John Chishimba will journey with them at our Kasembo House of Formation.

3. Community placements

Allow me to update you on the following placements of our fraters and Candidates in our Unit.

a. Frt. Alois Gende

Since the 24th of February 2020, Fr. Alois moved from St. Margaret – Mungwi Parish to St. Kizito Kapata Sub-Parish where he is on pastoral attachment. We wish him a fruitful and grace-filled moment.

b. Frt. Sylvester L. Mwatibu

On the 3rd of March 2020, Frt. Sylvester moved from St. Francis – Nseluka Parish to Ukwimi Parish. We wish him God’s abundant blessings in his work and stay at St. Charles Lwanga – Ukwimi Parish.

c. Frt. Didier N. Sampungi

On the 3rd of March 2020, Frt. Didier moved from St. Kizito – Kapata Sub-Parish to St. Nicholas – Chambishi Parish. God’s blessing to him in his pastoral work.

d. Frt. Abraham C. Mwango

After the closure of St. Dominic’s Major Seminary, like all institutions of learning in the country due to COVID-19, since the 20th of March 2020 Frt. Abraham has been assigned to Blessed Engelmar House of Formation – Makeni. He remains at the Formation House doing online assignments as he awaits the eventual opening of the seminary.

e. Br. Chewe E. Mwape

Following his First Profession on the 2nd of February 2020 in Mariannhill, and one-month holiday here in Zambia, Br. Mwape was asked to stay at Blessed Engelmar House as he waits for his departure for East Africa where he has been transferred by the General Government.

f. Frt. Horace X. Kawimbe

After being transferred back to the Unit of Zambia by the General Government, Br. Horace

Kawimbe has been assigned to St. Francis – Nseluka Parish. Welcome back Confrere and wish you God’s abundant blessing.

g. Candidates in 2nd Year of Philosophy at St. Bonaventure

In view of the closure of all institutions of learning by the Government of the Republic of Zambia, our four second year students at St. Bonaventure University were advised to go home for some time until we see how the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds. After staying home for two months they were assigned by the Regional Council as follows:

i) Remy Matipa – goes to St. Charles Lwanga – Ukwimi Parish

ii) Victor Mpundu – goes to St. Kizito – Kapata Sub-Parish

iii) Geoffrey Sikwesa – goes to St. Stephen – Chunga Parish

iv) Peter Phiri – goes to St. Margaret – Mungwi Parish

The four candidates will be asked to report back to Blessed Engelmar House of Formation immediately St. Bonaventure University re-opens.

h. Deaconate Ordination

Our four Confreres – Frt. Alois Gende, Frt. Abraham Mwango, Frt. Didier Sampungi and Frt. Sylvester L. Mwatibu – will be ordained deacons on the 29th of August 2020 at St. Dominic’s Major seminary. Preceding this date of ordination will be a preparatory retreat of which dates and place will be communicated as soon as possible.

i. St. Dominic’s Major Seminary partial re-opening

A note was received from the Rector’s office concerning the partial and gradual re-opening of the Seminary. The following is the outline of this gradual opening of the seminary:

• 2nd and 4th Year students – to open on the 12th June 2020 and closing on the 10th July 2020
• 1st and 3rd Year students – to open on the 29th July 2020 and proceed to the next academic year 2020/2021
• Pastoral year students – to open on the 12th August 2020

j. COVID 19 Intervention from the General Government

Following the COVID 19 outbreak and the strict health measures and guidelines enforced by the local church and the Government of the Republic of Zambia, we witnessed the closure of many institutions in order to control the spreading of the disease. These measures led to the suspension of Church gatherings and left a negative impact on our part where sustainability of our communities is concerned. To this effect, we approached the General Government – appealing for emergency financial help during COVID 19 pandemic. After the intervention by the general Government, our communities have received some relief. Hopefully by the end of the year 2020, things will be much better in terms of the COVID 19 control and our liturgical gatherings back to normality, leading to the usual community sustenance from the lay faithful. All in all, we are grateful to the General Government for its timely intervention.

k. Face Mask – Contribution and Distribution

Looking at how the COVID 19 cases have been increasing every day in the country, the government of the Republic of Zambia has made it mandatory to wear face masks in public places. Acknowledging that not many of our brothers and sisters in society would manage to buy a face mask, the CMM Associates, in collaboration with the Regional Office, asked for contributions from its members to make face masks that would go to the needy brothers and sisters in the communities where we work. Therefore, from the 8th of May 2020 to date 2,240 (two thousand, two hundred and forty) face masks were organized and distributed as follows:

• The Archbishop’s office – Kasama Archdiocese – 140 Face Masks
• Margaret Mungwi Parish – 325 Face Masks
• Francis Nseluka Parish – 325 Face Masks
• Kizito Kapata Parish – 325 Face Masks
• Holy Family Kasembo Christian Community – 325 Face Masks
• Charles Lwanga Ukwimi Parish – 350 Face Masks
• Stephen Chunga Parish – 250 Face Masks
• Nicholas Chambishi Parish – 200 Face Masks

I would like, therefore, to thank all the Associates and you Confreres for this spirit of collaboration expressed so far. Once we get more face masks, we shall send them to the communities so that they are distributed to the needy members of the Parishes and surrounding outstations.

l. PPPP 2020

Due to the prevailing COVID 19 pandemic, kindly be informed that the General Government has decided to cancel this year’s edition of the Perpetual Profession Preparation Program (PPPP) that was due to take place in June – July 2020 in Mariannhill. Therefore, the next PPPP will now be in June – July 2021, hoping the situation at the time allows.

m. Council of the Congregation (CoC 2020)

In its program of activities, the General Government had proposed that the CoC would take place from 4th – 28th October 2020 in Mariannhill but due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the General Government has postponed the CoC to a time and place yet to be determined in 2021. In the same vein, the workshop for the Unit Superiors and Treasurers has been cancelled.

n. Day Care Centre – Makeni

During our Regional Conference held in August 2017 at Kasisi Retreat Centre, the Unit of Zambia, discussed and resolved to apply for funds (under the St. Josef Campaign – Switzerland) to establish a Day Care Centre in Makeni. After the completion of all the necessary works, the Project was funded this year. The Contractor is now slowly organizing the site to commence the works. We are grateful to the Unit of Switzerland and the General Government for supporting the establishment of the Day Care Centre in our Unit. As a Regional Council we appeal for your support dear Confreres of this noble project.

o. Condolences

We would like to express our heartfelt condolences to all Confreres who recently lost their loved ones. In a special way, we mourn with the Units that have lost their members (Germany, Austria and Zimbabwe) due to COVID-19. May the Almighty God console you all and may he grant eternal rest to all our deceased Confreres, brothers, sisters, friends and relatives.

Yours in Christ,

The Regional Superior – Zambia

________________________

Fr. Kabwe Abidon Katai CMM

Dear friends of Mariannhill PNG!

Greetings from Lae! We hope you are all OK, even within the limitations and restrictions imposed because of Covid – 19.

You may not want to hear anymore about it, but I can’t avoid the topic and have to tell you how we are dealing with the situation in PNG.

Fortunately, and thanks to God, PNG has no trouble with the virus itself. There is no other country in the world of this size and population, free from the virus. This is a unique situation! We are very happy with it, because also the capacity to cope with an eventual entering of the pandemic is a bit unique, namely zero. PNG with its over eight million people has less than 500 doctors (one on 16.000 people) and 3000 nurses (one on 2,650). Intensive care has 200 beds, of which 44 have oxygen ventilators.

In a few lines the history of the virus in PNG developed as follows:

On the 13^th of March there was a confirmed case at Bulolo. The man was isolated and afterwards sent to his country, Australia. There were no consequences.

A second case turned up in Rabaul at the beginning of April. It was detected in time, quarantined and cured.

The 17^th of April seemed te be the day marking PNG as the latest  member of the club of affected countries. There were 5 new cases. It was front page news.  However, there were no major consequences and rumours started to go around that PNGers were immune to the virus.

Well, the virus may not have been successful in entering the country, the restrictions imposed by the government  affected people, espe-cially in town, although certainly not in the measure as in infected countries.

On the 24^th of March started the State of Emergency declared by the Government. It would last two weeks. It was extended for another two weeks, with a slight relaxation of the SOE travel rules. Schools and tertiary studies were allowed to resume their activities.

At the beginning of June the SOE has again been extended for another two weeks.

Open markets, where many families earn their daily bread selling the products of their gardens, were closed. Many people in town suffer really, because their only daily income is being taken away from them. But where there is need, creativity increases and people have started selling and buying wherever they have a chance.

The  country as a whole is expected to lose 8% in internal revenue because of the decrease in business.

Church celebrations also have suffered limitations, although not in the measure it happened in other countries.

Our Bishop, Rozario Menezes, SMM, published on the 16^th of March a circular letter with instructions, applying “social distancing” to Church life.

Restrictions for the Holy Week were also ordered by the Bishops’ Conference.

The usual devotions of our Lady during the month of May also suffered limitations: no processions, no going from house to house with the statue of our Lady.

A curious note: in Pidgin the rosary is called CORONA. Thus we were praying the CORONA against the coronavirus!

Our work in the parishes is affected in the sense that there is less work. All kinds of meetings have been suspended for the time being.

Even our founder, Abbot Francis, suffered the consequences of the restrictions. In our community there was no special celebration this year of the anniversary of his death

on the 24^th of May.

Also the CPS Sisters were afected in their work and movements. In the second half of April the virus seemed to have reached Lae appearing at the Mercy Center, where our CPS Sisters are working and Sister Pauline Mpongo, CPS, who works there, had to go into quarantine for a few days. But no infection had occurred.

There were no courses or meetings at the Diocesan Pastoral Centre and Sister Pascal Nyadmadzawo, CPS, responsible for its practical organiza-tion, shifted her workplace to the Diocesan Offices where she is now in charge of the office of “Pastoral and Family Life”.

Sister Michaela Kim, CPS, on home-leave in South Korea, should have returned in May, but there are no flights.

A similar fate waited Sister Knowledge Ndlovu, CPS, from Zimbabwe. She is a nurse and should have come  to join the little CPS community in Lae in March, but no flights.

As to our own CMM situation – and forgetting a moment about the pandemic, we have also good news.

On the 19^th of March our PNG confrere and Deacon Wilfred Salhun came back from Africa, where he had received an important part of his formation.

In January 2014 he went to Mariannhill in South Africa together with our PNG confrere, Frt. Alois Gende. It had been decided that after their novitiate in Mariannhill Monastery they should finish their studies in Africa. The choice fell on Zambia, and they became members of our Zambian Province in September 2015. There they went to the St. Dominic’s Major Seminary in Lusaka and finished their theological studies there in June 2019. Frt.  Wilfred has been ordained a deacon in May that year.  He has been admitted to the priestly ordination which is planned for the next future. But due to the coronavirus, the date has not yet been fixed. Frt. Alois Gende is still in Zambia and was to be ordained a deacon in May this year. But also there the coronavirus made a postponement inevitable. The ordination is now planned for the end of August.

On Monday, the 23^rd of March Deacon Wilfred went for a Covid – 19 check-up. But even in Lae they couldn’t do more than take his temperature. Fortunately, time showed that he had not brought in any virus.

And PNG in general?

Apart from the coronavirus pandemic, other more constant worries like civil and domestic violence go on afflicting PNG. Like the USA (now in the global news), PNG has also its problems of violent behaviour of police as well as of soldiers. Sometimes they are fighting even each other. It seems that a greater inclination to violence in young men raises their interest in joining the police or defence force, thinking that there they have more opportunity to exrcise their favourite sport! If the selection process is not careful, too many violent characters come into both forces.

Violence, also domestic violence, appears frequently in the news. And suspicion of sorcery and witchcraft is often at the root of the violence. In line with traditional mgic thinking, sickness and death are normally  thought to be caused by the ill-will of other people. These people must have known the victim.

Therefore they use to be of the same village. Thus many times, if you ask for the cause of a sickness the answer is that it is a “sik bilong ples”, a home-made sickness.

And, of course, the one who has caused this sickness or death must be punished accordingly. Thus “sorcery-realted violence”, normally the killing of the one suspected of sorcery, is a hot topic and a continuous worry for the government. Churches are asked to put all their influence to change this part of the local tradition. It may take generations as it did in Europe.

The coronavirus doesn’t escape from this reasoning. An affected person can easily infect you just by looking at you. A woman in the Province of East New Britain who had been infected was cured. But that didn’t stop her or her family’s misery. She got a bad name and had to appeal to the public through the media – everybody knew already her name – in an attempt to return to normal life. People are easily stigmatized.

As in other parts of the world, the threat of the virus has also positive effects. Here it may help the authorities to limit the betelnut spitting. The use and spitting of betelnut is considered to be a possible cause of contagion. And even without the virus being present yet, prohibitions are everywhere.

I see that the corona virus, not even being active in PNG, has managed to occupy this whole TANGET. Its strength seems to be our weakness to be fascinated – as the rabbit by the snake – by anything life-threatening. Let us hope it produces also and even more a lot of positive life-changing effects all around the world!

Blessings and greetings to all of you, and till next time!

Ikhwezi Lokusa

frwegler@gmail.com

23. Juni 2020

Es war ein warmer, sonniger Wintertag hier in Glen Avent, Mthatha am 20. Juni 2020. Aber der Anlass war sehr traurig in vielerlei Hinsicht. Wir haben vier Schwestern begraben. Alle sind innerhalb von acht Tagen am Corona-Virus gestorben. Es waren Schwester Maria Corda, eine Österreicherin, Schwester Martha Ann, Schwester Beatrice und Schwester Ambrose. Traurig war der Anlass, weil wir unseren Schmerz nicht mit den Familienangehörigen teilen konnten. Laut Regierungsvorschriften dürfen nur 50 Leute an einem Begräbnis teilnehmen. Von den drei lokalen Schwestern durften jeweils nur fünf Familienangehörige dabei sein. Und von Schwester Corda konnte natürlich niemand aus Österreich kommen.

Es war ein ungewöhnliches Begräbnis. Kein Singen während der Messe, keine Bewegung und Tanzen beim Begräbnis, wie es hier Sitte ist, keine Ansprachen, kein gemeinsames Essen nach dem Begräbnis. Jeder ist sofort verschwunden. Es ist nicht nur Vorsicht, sondern vor allem Angst, die überall zu sehen ist.

Unser Bischof Sithembele Sipuka hat das Begräbnis gehalten. Bei Begräbnissen von Schwestern ist die Kapelle immer voll von den Schwestern der Kommunität, den Verwandten und Gläubigen aus der Umgebung. Aber heute war die Kapelle fast leer. Wie schon erwähnt wegen den Vorschriften. Aber auch viele Schwestern waren abwesend. Von den 45 Schwestern hier im Convent wurden 22 Schwestern Corona-Virus positiv getestet. Es geht ihnen relativ gut. Darunter waren auch die fünf Verstorbenen. 23 Schwestern sind negativ. Es wird noch einige Wochen dauern, bis sich die Situation hier beruhigt hat. Wir können nur hoffen, dass wir nicht noch mehr Schwestern verlieren.

Die fünf Schwestern, die gestorben sind, waren:

• Schwester Celine: 66 Jahre alt, von Mt. Frere, gestorben am 8. Juni
• Schwester Maria Corda Waldhör: 79 Jahre alt, aus Österreich, gestorben am 12. Juni
• Schwester Martha Ann: 74 Jahre alt, von Umzimkhulu, gestorben am 13. Juni
• Schwester Beatrice: 84 Jahre alt, von Mariazell, gestorben am 14. Juni
• Schwester Ambrose: 81 Jahre alt, von Umzimkhulu, gestorben am 17. Juni

Wer sich unter Glen Avent nichts vorstellen kann: Es ist ein Komplex am Rande von Mthatha. Hier haben die Schwestern vom Kostbaren Blut ihr Hauptquartier. Die Provinzleitung ist hier und ein großer Convent der Schwestern. Es sind meist pensionierte, alte und kränkliche Schwestern, die hier leben. Die Schwestern hatten eine große Landwirtschaft, eine Druckerei, ein Heim für HIV/AIDS und Waisenkinder, eine Schule für körperbehinderte Kinder und ein Rehabilitationszentrum, in dem die schulentlassenen Kinder einen Beruf lernen können wie Töpferei, Schneiderei, Schuhreparatur, Leder- und Perlenarbeiten. Das Gebiet ist etwa ein Quadratkilometer groß.

Ende Mai war Schwester Corda noch bei meinem 80er dabei. Es war ein kleiner Kreis von sieben Leuten. Ich sagte ihr, dass wir bald ihren 80er in einem größeren Kreis feiern werden, wenn die Pandemie überstanden ist. Aber es sollte nicht dazu kommen.

Wie sieht es momentan mit Corona Virus bei uns aus?  Der Gesundheitsminister hat uns heute gesagt, dass wir jetzt in den Sturm der Pandemie eintreten. Es gibt jetzt täglich 4.000 bis 5.000 Neuinfektionen. Seine Experten haben das schon im April vorausgesagt, dass wir im Juli/August den Höhepunkt erreichen werden. Trotzdem sind Anfang Juni viele Schulen aufgegangen. Werden aber in manchen Regionen schon wieder geschlossen. Fast alle Betriebe, Fabriken, Bergwerke etc sind wieder in Betrieb. Die Regierung wird von vielen Gruppen vor Gericht gebracht, weil sie unverantwortlich ist, widersprüchlich in Verordnungen, gegen die menschlichen Grundrechte entscheidet, die Verfassung wird nicht respektiert und so weiter. Die Frage ist: wie lang kann ein Land „eingesperrt“ werden? Keine Schule, keine Arbeit, keine Unterhaltung. Dabei die richtige Balance zu finden, ist fast unmöglich. Man protestiert, weil man keine Zigaretten kaufen kann, man protestiert, weil man keinen Alkohol bekommt, man protestiert, weil man nicht in die Kirche gehen darf. Sobald der Alkoholverkauf gestattet war, sind die Unfälle auf den Straßen hinaufgeschnellt, häusliche Gewalt hat unheimlich zugenommen, vor allem gegen Frauen und Kinder. Man spricht von einer zweiten Pandemie in Südafrika: es werden viele Frauen ermordet. In den letzten zwei Wochen 27 Fälle, die die Öffentlichkeit in Wut versetzt hat. Es wird wieder nach der Todesstrafe geschrien.

Die Zahl der Arbeitslosen steigt, jetzt ist sie bei 30.1 %. Man befürchtet bis zu 50 % Arbeitslose. Viele Kleinbetriebe gehen unter. Es ist jetzt hier genauso, wie es vor ein, zwei Monaten in Europa war. Aber der Übergang von abnormal auf normal wird hier nicht so leicht gehen wie drüben.

Wir warten jetzt mit Sorge, was der große „Sturm“ bringt.

Wir beide, Pater Stefan Mandl, ein Mitbruder und Landsmann aus der Steiermark, und ich sind beide negativ.

Mir geht die Bewegung und Arbeit draußen ab. Habe mir noch vor der großen Krise hier eine mit Benzin betriebene Grasschneidemaschine (Stiel) gekauft und täglich bei den Schwestern im Garten und auf den Feldern das hohe Gras und Unkraut geschnitten. Diese Arbeit ruht jetzt schon über einen Monat. Aber ich hoffe, dass ich bald wieder die „Sense“ schwingen kann.

Mit dem üblich gewordenen Gruß: bleibt gesund.

Herzliche Grüße.

Circular Letter 03/2020                                                         30^th June 2020

Dear confreres,

• Introduction

The globe continues to battle against the Covid-19 pandemic which has infected more than 10 million people worldwide and claimed more than 500 000 deaths globally and 2529 in South Africa alone. The next two months are said to be the most challenging ones as the country will reach the peak of Corona virus infections. I urge all of you to continue to be vigilant during these trying times caused by the national lockdown. However, these are moments to demonstrate our strongest resolve against this pandemic. By staying at home and wearing your face mask, you can save a lot of lives. Only go to public places for essential services.

In compliance with the Covid-19 regulations and protocols, the Monastery decided not to open the Church for public worship. Also, the Units of Mthatha and Mariannhill decided that confreres in Abbot Francis House should remain in the house during June/July vacation. Due to the easing down of lockdown regulations of level 3, the Monastery has opened its workshops (Blacksmith, Repository and Tailorshop) with limited numbers. The kitchen staff have also returned to work on rotational basis. The Retreat House remains closed.

I sincerely thank the novices and confreres who have demonstrated their commitment for the past three months as they took turns to cook and clean the Monastery facilities. I also thank the students in Abbot Francis House who are using their holiday time to renovate the house. Five students are assisting at Mariannhill Coolock House to erect the Stations of the Cross. We thank the rectors Frs. Vukani Masango CMM and Siyabonga Mbeje CMM for their collaboration and understanding.

• Update on availing of our facilities for Covid-19 patients

The consultations with the Department of Health (DOH) and St. Mary’s Hospital regarding the availability of the Retreat House and the Mission Centre as possible sites for hosting Covid-19 patients have come to a standstill. Our legal team and insurance brokers assisted us in putting together a possible Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that could be signed between the Province and DOH and since then, the DOH has not come back for further discussion. I presume that they wanted to use our facilities free of charge but we had to ensure that we have a legal documents that indemnifies the Province from any legal issues that could be associated with our kind gesture of caring for the sick.

• Confreres on home leav
• Derek Mwansa CMM went for home heave in December 2019 and he was supposed to have returned to the country in March but due to the lockdown regulations he was unable to do so. We thank the Unit of Zambia that continues to host him in Kasembo Farms. Once the borders are open, he will travel back to the country. We thank God that his mother who was ill has since recovered.

• Mathew Kim CMM went for home leave in South Korea on the 12^th May 2020. He will be home for three months. We hope that when his stay at home is over he will not experience same predicament as Fr. Derek.
• Yves La Fontaine CMM is still in Canada for more than a year now. When his one year ban was lifted in April, the Covid-19 lockdown regulations were already in place hence he could not begin the application process for a work permit in South Africa. We shall wait until the borders are opened again. We thank the Unit of US/Canada for hosting him.

• New assignment
• Skhumbuzo Cyril Ngubane CMM has been appointed the coordinating secretary the Department for Formation, Life and Apostolate of the Laity at the SACBC. I thank Fr. Ngubane for accepting this huge task and for accepting to leave St. Joseph’s parish after completing the new parish house as well as many other outstanding projects. We are proud to avail yet another confrere to serve the SACBC. We wish Fr. Ngubane God’s richest blessings in his new assignment.

• Vukani Mbuso Masango CMM has been appointed the new parish priest of St. Joseph’s parish, Richmond. The Provincial Council is in the process to appoint an assistant priest. Fr. Masango continues to serve as a rector of Abbot Francis House until the end of his term in June next year. The process for seeking a new rector will begin soon. Thank you Fr. Masango for your availability.
• Owen Jimu CMM is taking care of Mariannhill Coolock House until the return of Fr. Mathew Kim CMM.

• Crispin Graham CMM continues as the administrator of the Monastery Retreat House until we find a new manager. The Retreat House and Mariannhill Coolock House remain closed to intake of groups until the lockdown regulations allow these premises to operate once again. We invite confreres who offer retreats and specialized programmes to the laity or religious and priests to please come forward as we wish to advertise CMM directed retreats and programmes when Covid-19 regulations ease and allow us to take new bookings. Frs. Vincent Mdabe CMM and Kevin Mapfumo CMM have availed themselves to be part of the team that offer programs or retreats.

• Vincent Mdabe CMM is the new administrator of Mater Dolorosa. His term of office begins at the end of July. While congratulating Fr. Mdabe on his new appointment, we sincerely thank His Grace Archbishop Emeritus Paul Khumalo CMM, who despite his retirement age, has faithfully served as the administrator of the house for the past four years. God bless you Mhlekazi. Enjoy the well-deserved rest! Fr. Mdabe will continue to serve at the development office at Pfanner Centre.

• Status of St. Joseph parish, Richmond

As I had mentioned regarding the assignment of the new parish priest of Richmond, I had a chance to renew our consultation with His Lordship Bishop Mlungisi Dlungwane concerning the official documentation entrusting the parish to our pastoral care. In principle he agrees to do so, but he cannot do it at the moment as they await the response from the Holy See following the Apostolic Visitation in diocese early this year. As a sign of his commitment, Bishop Dlungwane accepted in writing our vision to avail the parish to CMM to have our students from Abbot Francis House do their pastoral work at the parish. He also accepts that the Congregation can institute its candidacy/postulancy programme in the parish property since we have lost Mariathal mission.

It is our vision as a council that St. Joseph’s parish should serve as a centre for offering specialized apostolates of lay training and specialized apostolates in the Diocese since the property belongs to us. For that to happen we need to have a strong team of confreres working in that parish. We are grateful to Fr. Ngubane who built a double storey parish house on our property which makes it possible for a community to live there. Also, Fr. Dominic Muheim built a house there which could be used to house the candidates. Mrs. Emelia Mdunge donated a four bedroom house to the Province which is rented by Mr. Konrad Govender and his family. This house can also be used for our training and formation projects.

• New candidates

We have admitted two new candidates. Their names are Mr. Athi Doko from Kokstad and Mr. Mlekeleli Beatus Chiliza from Mariannhill Diocese. After spending two weeks at the Monastery, the candidates left for Mthatha to join the combined candidacy with the Unit of Mthatha. Bro. Bernard Isanda CMM is their director. We appreciate this collaboration with Mthatha Unit. Please put our candidates in your prayers. We sincerely thank the formation team who have journeyed with the candidates before joining us.

• Vusumuzi Bernard Sokhela

In a letter dated 3 March 2020, Prot.n. 57366/2020, the Holy See granted the petition of Fr. Vusumuzi Bernard Sokhela to be incardinated into the Diocese of Mariannhill. In a letter dated 11 May 2020, the Bishop of Mariannhill, Mlungisi Pius Dlungwane, confirmed the acceptance and incardination of Fr. Sokhela into the Diocese. Fr. Vusumuzi Bernard Sokhela is therefore no longer a member of our congregation since his incardination is juridically established by the acceptance of the Bishop. We pray for God’s guidance in the future endeavor of our brother.

• Cancellation of events due to Covid-19 pandemic

• The Preparation for Perpetual Profession Programme (PPPP) by the General Government for Jun/July 2020 has been cancelled until next year June. In the meantime the Units of Mthatha and Mariannhill have organized a PPPP course for our students who are due for perpetual profession. We thank formators at Abbot Francis House for putting together a very solid programme. We thank the confreres and other religious and lay people who have availed themselves for giving inputs to our confreres during this extensive preparation period for their perpetual profession. The same programme will also run for our confreres in Mozambique.

• The Council of Congregation CocC that was scheduled for Mariannhill in October this year has also been canceled. The workshop for Unit Treasures which was to precede this meeting was cancelled too.

• The official closure of Jubilee of 110 years death anniversary of Abbot Francis Pfanner on the 18^th October 2020 has been cancelled. The General Governments of the CMM and CPS were the hosts of this event and they had invited the SACBC bishops to be part of the celebration. We shall still celebrate the official closure of the jubilee year on the date to be still announced. We wish to invite all the parishes which the Jubilee Cross and candle has visited since last year. As part of the closure of the jubilee year:

Our students in Abbot Francis House have a project of selling key holders with the theme of 110 years death anniversary of Abbot Francis Pfanner. The aim is to boost the student fund but also to support the Province.  Each key holder costs R35. The available colour for now is blue. I appeal to you confreres to support this project of our fratres by buying these keyholders or encouraging the parishioners and CMM Associates to buy them especially before the official closure of the jubilee year.

We have left the July Feast (27 July) and CMM annual retreat (6-12 September) dates intact until the President of the country addresses us on further lockdown regulations.

• List for CMM birthdays Province

Fr. Sbusiso Mkhize has put together the calendar containing the dates for all birthdays of our confreres in the Province. We encourage you to send your name feast day to him so that he can complete this important task. We need to remember our confreres in our prayers when they celebrate their special days.

• Condolences

Kindly remember in your prayers our five CPS sisters who died in Mthatha recently. Also, we remember Fr. Sizwe Nxasana of Mariannhill Diocese who passed on last week. I represented the Province at his Requiem Mass in Maristella parish on the 27^th June 2020.

Due to the Covid-19 regulations I could not attend the funeral of the CPS sisters in Mthatha. It is important to note that one of the sisters who died, Sr. Maria-Corda Wladhoer CPS served as a member of the Pfanner historical commission for the beatification of the Founder. Few days after her death, Professor Joy Brain who also served as a member of the same commission passed on at the age of 94. These are two great women of faith and we mourn their deaths as CMM and we are grateful for their services. Please remember them in your prayers.

We recommend to your prayers Mr. Dinis Andre Vilanculo, the father of Fr. Tiago Vilanculo CMM who passed away on 29 June.  We also recommend Mrs. maMahlaba Khumalo, the sister in law of Archbishop emeritus Paul Khumalo who passed away on the 17^th June. Due to Covid-19 regulations, our confreres were not able to bury their loved ones. Please remember them in your prayers.

• Congratulations

I heartily congratulate Bro. Mauricio Langa CMM who was awarded the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. His thesis is entitled Black African parents and school history: A narrative inquiry. We have two copies at the Archives and one at the Monastery if confreres wish to read the thesis which I highly recommend. I thank Fr. Lawrence Mota CMM and the Monastery community for celebrating this special achievement with Bro. Dr. Mauricio Langa CMM in our recreation room on the 14^th June 2020. It was a very beautiful celebration and Fr. Kevin Mapfumo CMM was the Master of Ceremony.  

• Updates
• We heartily welcome Fr. Callistus Ngcobo who has returned to the Monastery after his leave of absence ended.

• It is with great sadness that we communicate to you that since first day of lockdownFr. Nkosinathi Dlamini CMM has been missing from the Monastery. Through the assistance of Bishop Jose’ Luis of Swaziland, we have traced Fr. Dlamini to be at home in Swaziland. We hope that he will return to the community after the national lockdown. Please keep him in your prayers.

• On the 09^th June 2020 I attended the Chrism mass for the Diocese of Mariannhill. I represented religious in the Diocese as the celebration took place at the Bishop’s private chapel in the Chancery which could only take 8 priests. At the end of Mass, the Bishop spoke fondly of the role that has been played by the CMM in the Diocese and he urged us to continue ministering to the diocese with zeal. He acknowledged the past disharmony and pleaded that we put that in the past. The way he has handled the exchange of CMM personnel in Richmond is real a demonstration of his commitment to me. Let us pray that this is the beginning of the restoration of our fraternal relationship with the Diocese.

Yours faithfully

___________________

Fr. Bheki Shabalala CMM

Provincial Superior

Dear Confreres,

Greetings and peace to you all!

I am writing with the hope that you are all well and still safe under the conditions in which we now live. While things seem to have relaxed a bit under lockdown level 2, the statistics of new cases that are reported on a day-to-day basis indicate that the fight is far from being won. It is therefore, imperative that we continue being vigilant and take the necessary precautions to protect ourselves and those around us. This is a personal responsibility that we need to commit ourselves to, because any relaxation or carelessness might cost us dearly. At the same time, let us be grateful to God for the protection so far and let us continue to play our part. Dear Confreres, kindly take note of the following urgent information and updates. Please do diarise the important dates.

• Fr Bernard Gathu, CMM

Fr Bernard Gathu has been appointed the Parish Priest of St Francis Xavier Parish at Maclear. He will also be in charge of managing the Pope Francis Pastoral Centre. Fr Bernard has been the Manager of Mariazell Institute for the past ten years and has done marvellous work there.  He will continue as part of the team that is managing the institution until a new team is assembled. We thank Fr Bernard for his commitment and hard work at Mariazell and wish him well for the new assignment. Enkosi Bawo.

• Fr Benjamin Malapane, CMM

Fr Benjamin Malapane has been transferred to our Region of Mthatha. We thank the Unit of Mariannhill for availing him to us and for his readiness to join us here in Mthatha. Fr Benjamin is ear-marked for Maria Linden and it is hoped that he can begin his pastoral assignment at the beginning of November 2020. We welcome Fr Malapane to the Region of Mthatha and wish him God’s blessings and guidance.

• Ordinations
• Deacon Taele Ulrich Letlotlo, CMM: I am pleased to announce that the ordination of our Rev Deacon Taele will take place on 17th October 2020 at St Francis Xavier Parish in Maclear. At the moment, the lockdown regulations still limit the number of public gatherings for whatever purpose to 50 people. Unless new changes are announced prior to the ordination, we will comply with the law in this regard.
• Frt Ipoba Laurent, CMM: I am also pleased to announce that Frt Ipoba Laurent will be ordained deacon in Mariannhill on the 17^th October 2020. We are grateful to the Unit of Mariannhill for agreeing to ordain Frt Laurent together with his classmates from Mariannhill.
• Aspirant Mthokozisi Mkhwanazi: Mr Mthokozisi Mkhwanazi who had joined our community as an aspirant has decided to go back home. We wish him God’s guidance as he continues to discern his vocation. We also appreciate his gifts which he shared with us during the last six months of his stay in the community.

Dear Confreres, I kindly ask that we support our two confreres who will be ordained Priest and Deacon with our prayers. Let us stand together and make this important step in their religious and missionary life one to remember and cherish. Together we can!

Sincerely yours in Christ

Fr Gideon Sibanda, CMM

Regional Superior-Mthatha

Circular letter 01/2019

Dear Confreres

1.1 Introduction
Greetings and peace of the Risen Lord to you all! After the shock and sad news of the tragic death of our dear Confrere Fr George Kageche Mukua, CMM in the plane crash, I pray that we have now emerged from the Easter celebrations consoled and healed by our faith in the Resurrection, and that Fr George has been granted eternal life promised to him and to all of us by our Saviour. From that sad event we also learn that, death is a reality of life and that sometimes it comes when we least expect it, hence the Lord’s advice for us to stand ready at all times. Let us continue to pray for the soul of Fr George to find peace in the Lord and for his family in Kenya to be consoled and healed by the Risen Lord.

The objective of this letter is to update and share with you information relating to any developments that have occurred after our Regional Assembly on 1st February 2019. To that end, allow me, on behalf of the leadership team of our Region to sincerely thank each one of you Confreres for attending the Assembly and robustly engaging with the issues that affect us. Know that such commitment from your part is highly appreciated by the leadership team, and we encourage you to maintain that spirit of collaboration and unity. There are a few issues from the Assembly that needed a follow up, and I share these hereafter.

2.1 Directory
The Directory was revised and approved by the General Government in Rome. However, at the Regional Assembly some Confreres raised concerns in relation to some points, and it was resolved that the Zone Chairpersons should go back to their zones to iron out issues of contention with their members. In March 2019, the Regional leadership had a combined meeting with the chairpersons of the zones to make a follow-up on the issues raised and map out a way forward. After studying the contentious clause we came to the understanding that it had been likely misinterpreted or misread by the concerned Confrere(s), and we therefore, resolved to adopt the approved version of the Directory as a final copy and get it printed out. You will soon receive a printed copy of the Directory for use in our Region.

2.2 Integrity in Ministry
You will recall that Fr Thomas Wao, CMM presented a draft document on integrity in ministry, and we had a long discussion on it. Fr Thomas was made aware that the document is supposed to be premised on the already existing “Code of Conduct” document for the whole Congregation and that it is essential that it should speak to our South African context. We therefore, resolved that the zones should study the draft document together with the “Code of Conduct” document for the Congregation and send their comments to Fr Thomas. To this end, I would like to appeal to the Chairpersons of the zones to ensure that their respective zones do meet and discuss these issues, and thereafter send the comments to Fr Thomas.

2.3 Social Project –St Joseph’s Campaign
The development team presented a draft project proposal for the St Joseph Campaign Social Project from Switzerland. The development team had been tasked by the Regional Assembly to prepare the project proposal. It was given a go ahead and has since been submitted to Switzerland, with the approval of the GG.

2.4 Poultry project
The Regional Assembly officially adopted the poultry project which had been run and managed by Bro Bernard Isanda, CMM as the income generating project for the Region. So far, the project has been expanded to increase the capacity and include piggery. I can report to you Confreres that at this juncture, the project is doing well and we hope it will continue to expand and make a difference to the Region. I would like to thank Bro Bernard as the Project Manager for his expertise and hard-work and the development team for monitoring and evaluating the projects.

2.5 Expansion to other Dioceses
The issue of expanding or accepting invitations from other Dioceses was again discussed in the context of the resolutions of the Council of the Congregation (2018) which took a stand to consolidate our own institutions and communities as opposed to over stretching ourselves. In this respect, although the Regional Assembly showed explicit preference for our continued presence in the archdiocese of Cape Town, the Regional Leadership team, in consultation with the General Government, has taken a decision to withdraw from the archdiocese of Cape Town. This decision was informed by the reality of the shortage of personnel in our Region and the fact that we could not leave Fr Francis Ngadi, CMM to remain in Cape Town alone after successfully completing his studies. We have had very cordial discussions with the archbishop regarding our decision, and he understands very well our concern. We have not burnt our bridges and should the situation improve in the future, the archbishop has assured us that we shall be welcomed. Accordingly, Fr Francis Ngadi has planned to conclude his pastoral engagement in the archdiocese by the end of June 2019. Meanwhile, although not officially concluded, negotiations for another Parish where Fr Francis will be assigned are under way with the Diocese of PE. It is my hope that this will be concluded soon and favourably.

2.6 Workshops at Abbot Francis Home
At the Assembly I gave an update on the issue of the works that the late Bro Stephan used to manage on behalf of the Diocese. The original vision of the workshops was to train the local people in various skills and also do building projects and maintenance of the Church buildings within the Diocese of Mthatha. Without getting into details which are already to you, let me inform you that Bishop Sithembele Sipuka, the Bishop of Mthatha Diocese has officially handed the workshops back to the CPS with whom the Diocese had an original agreement or written contract. In his letter, the Bishop expresses his wish that the vision of training the local people in development skills be continued preferably by the Missionaries of Mariannhill. We shall soon begin the negotiation process with the CPS and we shall update you accordingly so that every Confrere knows what is happening.

2.7 CMM Associates
I take this opportunity to inform you that Bishop Sithembele Sipuka has officially given us permission to establish CMM associates in the Diocese of Mthatha. In his letter to me, he clearly states that the process of establishing CMM associates in the Diocese should begin with immediate effect in those Parishes where our Confreres work. They can then expand to other parishes with time. To this end, the Regional leadership has asked Fr Mafu Ponya, CMM and Rev. Deacon Taele Letlotlo, CMM to promote and establish CMM associates in the Diocese of Mthatha. I thank the two Confreres for accepting this task and as the leadership team we assure them of our support. Fr Nicholas Leaka, CMM will do the same work in the Diocese of Port Elizabeth (PE) once Bishop Vincent Zungu gives us a go ahead. In principle Bishop Zungu has no objection to the idea, however, other stakeholders need to be consulted before any work could start.

2.8 Launch of 110 Death Anniversary of Abbot Francis
The launch took place during the celebration of the annual pilgrimage on 18th May 2019 at Emmaus. It was well attended. The Bishop of Umzimkhulu diocese blessed special candles and a cross which will be used by both the CMM and CPS for prayer during the year of the 110 Anniversary. The leaders of the Units were commissioned to take the burning candle which symbolise Christ to our communities. Each community has been asked to pray the nine days novena of Abbot Francis and thereafter pass the candle to another community to do the same. For us this will begin at Abbot Francis Home and from there it will be passed on to all the Parishes where our Confreres work. Dear Confreres, you are encouraged to pray the nine days novena of Abbot Francis together with the lay people of your Parish. From Mthatha Diocese, the candle will be handed over to the Confreres in PE diocese to also pray the nine days novena of Abbot Francis. Please use this time to also explain and promote Abbot Francis amongst the faithful. The cross will also be passed from one community of CPS and CMM to another until the conclusion of the 110 Death Anniversary next year in May 2020. The Emmaus Heritage Team in collaboration with those responsible for promoting Abbot Francis will accompany the cross to conduct prayer services and workshops on Abbot Francis.

3.1 Bedford Cemetery Project
This cemetery belongs to the Holy Cross Sisters who no longer work in Mthatha Diocese. The Holy Cross Sisters were kind enough to allow us to bury our departed Confreres in their cemetery, and indeed a good number of our departed Confreres are buried there, and the last one to be buried there was Fr Michael Riedner. Unfortunately, the cemetery has not been maintained for a very long time. As a result, it is in a sorry state. We have agreed with the Sisters to fence up the cemetery and make sure it is maintained and kept in a decent state. We have developed a project proposal and presented it to the Finance Commission for consideration, and the Sisters are also considering the quotations submitted to them. We are hoping that this project will be successful.

4.1 Community Recollection Day
As the Regional leadership team, we have resolved to have a recollection day for our Region on 2nd September 2019. I kindly appeal to all of you Confreres to mark this date on your calendar so that we can spend the day together in prayer and recollection.

5.1 Candidacy programme
The candidacy programme for this year has officially started with five new candidates (3 from Lesotho and 2 South Africans). Two of those from Lesotho have already done their philosophical studies. Two of our candidates studying in East Africa (i.e Emmanuel Sandile Nyoka and Sibusiso Hlophe) are home for holidays. They will come back to the Region end of June and they will be doing pastoral work until the end of the school holidays. Refiloe will not return to East Africa due to the complications he experienced when trying to renew his study visa. He will continue his studies at St Joseph’s Theological Institute-Cedara. In the meantime, he is already doing pastoral work under the mentorship of Fr Faustin. CMM at Cwele Mission.

6.1 Home Leave
Deacon Innocent Jedegwa, CMM will be going on home leave in Malawi from the 25th May 2019 and return on 1st August 2019. We wish him a restful and joyful time with his family and relatives in Malawi. Fr Raphael Arop, CMM is leaving for home leave in Uganda on 25th May 2019. After his holidays he will fly to Rome to attend a programme which begins in September 2019 and end in May 2020. We wish Fr Raphael a joyful and fruitful time at home with his family and friends. Fr John Chikadi, CMM will also be leaving for his sabbatical at the Oblate School of Theology in Texas-USA in August 2019. This programme was offered and is being funded by the GG. We wish Fr Chikadi well as he embarks of this path of renewal.

7.1 Graduations
We congratulate the following Confreres for their academic achievements. We hope their qualifications will enable them to be more effective and productive in their various ministries;

Fr John Chikadi, CMM graduated with a PhD in Theology (Ministerial Studies) from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Fr Francis Ngadi, CMM graduated with an Honours in Psychology from the University of Cape Town.

Deacon Taele Letlotlo, CMM graduated with an Honours in Theology from St Joseph’s Theological Institute-Cedara.

Frt. Joel Bokoyo, CMM graduated with a BA in Philosophy from St Joseph’s Theological Institute-Cedara.

8.1 Conclusion
In conclusion let me convey my deepest condolences to Fr Mafu Ponya, CMM who lost his niece a few weeks ago and Fr Nicholas Leaka, CMM who lost his grandmother also last week. Let us continue to pray for these confreres and their families, and ask God to be their healer and Comforter. Let us also remember in our daily prayers the sick: Fr Cas Paulsen, CMM and the father of Deacon Taele Letlotlo, CMM who suffered a stroke just a few days ago. Dear Confreres, the 26th July is one of the principal feast days of our Congregation. It is important that we celebrate it together and renew our commitment to the Congregation and the Church together. I once again appeal for donations (food, drinks etc.) to enable us to celebrate this feast successfully. A few Confreres donated generously towards the 2nd of February 2019, and I believe we can still do it even more this time. Together we stand! May the Risen Lord bless and continue to guide you in your ministry, his ministry. Thank You!

And May Mary our Mother continue to intercede for each one of us.

Fr Gideon Sibanda, CMM

(Regional Superior)

Circular letter 03/2018                                                           20 June 2018

Dear confreres,

1. Introduction

I wish to sincerely thank our confreres Fr. Raphael Phiri CMM and Fr. Thamsanqa Njiyela CMM and the Emaus Heritage team for arranging such a beautiful celebration of the death anniversary of Abbot Francis. The theme of the celebration was: Abbot Francis Pfanner, the missionary pioneer in 200 years of the Catholic Church in South Africa. During the ceremony we lit the candle to honour Abbot Francis Pfanner, all the zealous Trappists who came with him as well as all the CMM and CPS missionaries who sacrificed their lives for the sake of the Gospel in our land. It was time to take stock of our lives and ask ourselves whether we are still prophetic and zealous missionaries at our present time. Fr. John Chikadi CMM, the Provincial Superior of Mthatha, presided over the Holy Eucharist. Fr. Mthembeni Dlamini CMM was the preacher of the day and Fr. Bheki Shabalala CMM spoke on the theme of the celebration (The copy of the speech is attached). Hundreds of the faithful graced the ceremony. Many priests, sisters and the laity from Mthatha joined the pilgrimage this year and the choir from Mthatha led us in the liturgy. I thank all the confreres who brought the faithful from their parishes. We had a strong presence from Elandskop parish where Fr. Immanuel Ndlovu CMM and Deacon Lindelwa Dlamini CMM are working. We hope that as more people embrace the virtues of Abbot Francis Pfanner, his process of beatification and canonization will be speeded up.

2. Priestly ordination of Deacon David Gowelo CMM

It is with absolute joy that I announce the priestly ordination of Deacon David Gowelo CMM on the 29^th June 2018 at Witbank cathedral at 10am. Bishop Joe Sandri MCCJ, bishop of Witbank, will ordain him and one local seminarian who will be ordained deacon. Although it will be a Sunday, you are all invited and encouraged to attend the ceremony. Hearty congratulations deacon Gowelo!  The confreres who wish to attend the ordination from Mariannhill and Mozambique must indicate to me before the end of this month so that we can plan accommodation and transport.

3. Annual Retreat

Our Provincial annual retreat will take place at Mariannhill Coolock from the 16^th -22^nd September 2018. It will begin with supper and an official opening on Sunday evening. Fr. Ntlalonhle Dlamini TOR will direct the retreat. Kindly indicate to the Provincial’s office before the 16^th of August if you will attend the retreat. You are all encouraged to attend these spiritual exercises that are meant to build our fraternity and to deepen our spirituality.

4. Farewell to Dr. Rod Moffat 

On the 11^th June 2018 during a special supper, the Monastery community bade farewell to Dr. Moffat who has retired at age 83. He ministered to the community as a house doctor for thirty years free of charge. He was presented with some Monastery symbolic gifts and a certificate for the recognition of his medical service. He gave a moving speech about how much he appreciates the Monastery and our community. As a result, he has arranged with Dr. Carpenter, mission doctor, who works at Dennis Hurley Centre to continue looking after our community as a house doctor pro bono. We thank God for such good people. Dr. Kheswa also provides medical care pro bono to our confreres at Mater Dolorosa once every week. Of course once they have referred the patient to the specialist or hospital, we pay the usual exuberant medical bills.

5. Conference room at Mariannhill Coolock

There is a house annex to the main building in Mariannhill Coolock. The house has four rooms and a big room which was used as a conference room. Because of old facilities in the rooms and a poor structure of the house which was flooded with water several times resulting in destroying the carpet on the floor, a renovation was needed urgently. The work began at the end of May and it is expected to be completed at the end of June. The renovation was supported by the Korean Catholics whom Fr. Mathew Kim CMM met in his various visits and encounters. When the renovation is complete, we will have four en suite rooms with a new conference facility. This will help us to accommodate more people and it will allow us to accommodate two groups at the same time since we also have a smaller conference facility within the main house. South Coast suffers from water shortages hence there is a need to buy another 10,000 litters water tank. We also need new chairs for the new conference room. We thank Fr. Kim for his fundraising efforts. We thank you, confreres, for your continued financial support. Let us continue to support this project as far as we can.  You will receive a full report of how the house has fared once Fr. Gideon Sibanda CMM and Bro. Tendai Gandanzara CMM have visited the place and all our other business entities for evaluation.

7. Veneration of the Sacred Heart in June

Abbot Francis Pfanner had great devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the most Precious Blood of Jesus. Following in his footsteps, Abbot Gerald Wolpert solemnly dedicated Mariannhill and all its mission stations to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1911. When Mariannhill survived the First World War of 1914 without any attack, Abbot Gerald Wolpert made a solemn vow that during the whole month of June there will be adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the whole diocese to thank the Lord for the protection. He vowed that a Sacred Heart chapel will be erected at the hill where the Monastery was originally supposed to be built. Indeed, in 1919 this promise of building the votive chapel was fulfilled and the tradition of the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament continues during the month of June until today. Unfortunately, many members of the faithful and some young priests in the diocese are not aware of this precious history. Next year the Sacred Heart Chapel will celebrate 100 years of its establishment! It is a good occasion for CMM confreres working in the parishes that they bring some parishioners to celebrate the day with the Monastery and CPS Convent communities on that special hill. I invite you to discuss this idea in your Zone meetings. We need to preserve and keep alive these special devotions which form part of our charism and spirituality.

8. New appointments

Fr. Vukani Mbuso Masango CMM and Fr. Syabonga Nicholas Mbeje CMM have been re-appointed as rector and vice rector of Abbot Francis House respectively. The term of service is three years. We sincerely thank you, confreres, for your hard labour in guiding our formees. May God richly reward you!

9. Donations from parishes

According to the contracts that we have with the dioceses that we serve, we have a right to fundraise for our Congregation and Province. Some parishes have done these campaigns faithfully over the past years e.g. Queensburg/Bellair, Raisethorpe, St. Joseph’s in Middelburg, Christ the King, Portshepstone etc. We thank you sincerely for your support. This year Queensburg/Bellair parish has contributed R7084,00 towards the formation of our brothers. St. Joseph parish, Midelburg have contributed R4000,00 towards the education of our brothers. I encourage the confreres who have not started these fundraising campaigns to please do so. I am available to come and address the faithful in any parish if confreres in parishes need my assistance.

May I also remind you that in parishes where a priest receives more than one mass intention to persolve on Sunday or during weekdays, he has an obligation to send one mass stipend to the Province. I thank those confreres who do this faithfully. I also thank those confreres who fetch mass intentions from the bursar and persolve them faithfully. That is your contribution to the Province and we appreciate it. 

10. Repair of the Monastery Tower Clock 

About 115 years ago Bro. Nivard Streicher CMM, the great architect, applied for donations in Germany in order to install Mariannhill Monastery and Maria Ratschitz parish tower clocks. The firm by the name FENDT accepted the application and sent the clocks to Mariannhill 114 years ago. Many brothers have taken good care of our Monastery clock. Bro. Herman Krausert CMM, God rest his soul, even had the ability to fix it whenever necessary. Unfortunately, the clock at Maria Ratschitz does not operate anymore. At the moment Bro. Konrad Diethei CMM takes good care of the clock and Bro. Terence assists us when Bro. Konrad is away. Lately the roller brush that turns the pendulum of the clock was not functioning properly which resulted in a clock being erratic. Last year November Bro. Konrad attended the Centenary celebration of the death of Theodor Fendt, the founder of Fendt firm and he received a donation to fix our clock. Mr. Peter Flow who repaired the Reichenau Mill and his friend Micheal are working on the plan to fix the clock. They hope to finish the job before the end of this month. We are grateful to the brothers who look after our precious clock and tower and all the people of good will who have assisted us to keep the clock turning. Once the clock is fixed, Bro. Konrad wishes to introduce another younger confrere on how to maintain the clock. 

11. Course for preparations for perpetual profession

 Frts. Leopolodo Manuel CMM and Petardo Cachepa CMM will participate in the above mentioned course at Mariannhill Coolock. Fr. Patrick Chongo CMM, General councilor, and other participants from other Units will arrive on Friday 22 June.

12. Home leave for Fr. Superior General

The Superior General Fr. Thulani Mbuyisa CMM is due for home-leave in July this year. He will arrive at our Unit on the 01^st July and leave on the 31^st July 2018. Welcome home baba! Enjoy your well-deserved rest. He will join us for the ordination in Witbank and for our feast on the 26^th July 2018.

Conclusion

Pfanner Development Centre, which is run by Fr. Vincent Mdabe CMM and Mrs. Judy Fiegland, has been at the service of our community and the local people for the past few years. In April this year it completed 10 years of its establishment. Besides the work that the office renders to our community in land and property issues, it also houses offices for various organizations that also provide service and skills development to our society i.e. Catholic Schools Board, Masithuthukisane, Eye Clinic, Community Outreach Centre, Caritas, Justice and Peace office and Phenduka and Qhawe Investment.

In December this year we shall have a celebration to mark the 10^th year anniversary of Pfanner Development Centre. You will be informed of the date accordingly. We are grateful that this year, through the Development Office and the assistance of our young brothers and candidates, we raised R100,000,00 from the sales of the Christmas stocking. I thank the brothers who participated in the sale of the stockings. Mrs. Ellaine Naicker and Aqua transport are the official sponsors of this fundraising campaign. May God bless them and their business.

May I remind you confreres that June is a month dedicated to the youth in South Africa. Let us remember them in our prayers that God may always show them the right way amidst all the challenges that they face. We wish them, our young brothers, candidates and CMM teachers/professors a restful winter holiday as the schools close this week!

Yours faithfully

____________________

Fr. Bheki Shabalala CMM

Provincial Superior

Dear friends of Mariannhill PNG!

Greetings from a rainy Lae!

We hope that you are all in good shape, in the North enjoying still summertime and in the South looking forward to spring time. We have abundant rain, which means lower temperatures. We are happy with the frequent 24-25 degrees Celsius. In the months since the latest TANGET of last April we, the missionaries of Mariannhill in PNG, have been a very small community. Fr. Roland Matoyi was already off for his home-leave. He will come back on the 24^th of July. On the 1^st of August he is due to start his first term of office as our Regional Superior. Our best wishes and prayers are already putting the red carpet.

On the 28^th of May we had a “farewell party” and said goodbye and a big Thank You  to Brother Yvon Bourret who has been for three years a member of our Region. Br. Yvon Bourret, still with late Bishop Christian Blouin at our Mariannhill House in 2018

As such he has been for two years the local Superior of Mariannhill House in Eriku.

Thanks to him the house has  received a good overhaul in  maintenance and renovation. Br. Yvon has also been Diocesan Coordinator of Religious Education. In April he accompanied Fr. Krzysztof Zacharuk to Siassi, where he participated in the  Easter celebrations on Mandok.

Now Br. Yvon has returned to his home Province Canada, where we wish he may enjoy a well deserved retirement, although – knowing him a bit – he will still be on the outlook  for some usefull engagement in pastoral work.

On the 29^th of May Fr.  Krzysztof went again to the Siassi islands. We will not see him in Lae till half August.

Thus Mariannill House had in the last months a real mini-community, moreover each one being stretched in his pastoral mission.

Since Br. Yvon’s return to Canada and Fr. Krzysztof being in Siassi, Fr. Marco Saavedra has been acting Superior of Mariannhill House,  taking for the time being also Fr. Roland’s place in the parish of St. Therese at Kamkumung. As he is still new in the field, Deacon Daniel Apas is his right hand in the parish.

Since May, Fr. Ludwig Teika has been released from his responsibility as parish priest of St. Michael’s in Lae, and is going through a period of discernment. The next Tanget may see him in a new appointment.

Fr. Arnold Schmitt, Vicar General of the Diocese, has an extra work-load on his shoulders, as Bishop Rozario is often absent, visiting the parishes of the Diocese in order to know his flock, and sometimes even further away, gathering support, especially in personnel, for the Diocese.

The Bishop had planned for April the annual retreat for the priests and male Religious working in the Diocese. Thus, we all joined at the Pastoral Centre on the 1^st of April for a retreat of five days, given by the Provincial Superior of the Canadian Province of the Montfort Missionaries.

Fr. George’s input was about the basic concerns of the OT prophets as indicators for our personal life and pastoral ministry.

The Diocesan Pastoral Centre saw in May all the catechists of the Diocese coming for their yearly retreat and workshop. Thirty five catechists were there, really a representation of all the parishes of the Diocese. Fr. Krzysztof coordinated the retreat. On the 1^st of May, Bishop Rozario flew to POM to attend the 60^th  Annual General Meeting of the Bishops’ Conference of PNG and the Solomon Islands. The theme of the Meeting was “Laity, a call to holiness in today’s world”.

On the same day Fr. Arnold Schmitt flew to Vanimo, to attend a meeting of the “Consultative Implementing Council” representing the Bishop. This Council is composed by representatives of all Government Departments and of the different Churches, based in PNG. The meeting was about how to work together to generate a crime-free society. The meeting took place in the Pastoral Centre of the Catholic Diocese of Vanimo.

On the 7^th of May at 7.27 am, we were all surprised by a strong earthquake. Houses were rattling. Books fell from bookshelves. . . .

It turned out to be an earthquake of 7.2 strength on the Richter scale with its epicentre not far from Bulolo, some 80 kilometers from Lae as the bird flies.

Some people in Lae saw the water at the beach of the Huon Gulf receding and the rumour of a tsunami spread quickly. Parents rushed to the schools to get their children out, many gathered at Top Town near the cathedral expecting to see from there the tsunami invading the industrial area next to the harbour.

But the tsunami didn’t come, similar to the political tsunami expected that day in Parliament. A vote of no-confidence should be tabled against the Prime Minister, but the Government was able to adjourn Parliament till the 28^th of May before any such move could take place.

The crisis came to an end when the opposition in Parliament had enough votes and – Prime Minister O’Neil having stepped down “voluntarily” – MP James Marape was elected Prime Minister on the 30^th of May with an overwhelming majority obtaining 101 votes, with only 9 against. In his first message to the people of PNG he addressed corruption and bribery.

And in general he said: “May I ask one thing from all our citizens? Give me a good law and order environment. Stop crime, stop tribal fights – my Hela province! -,  stop torture of mothers and daughters, stop corruption at all levels, honour time by being punctual, do little things like stop littering and spitting the red stain of betel nut.”

The Bishops of PNG have addressed the new government with an appeal, stressing the following needs:

1. Preferential attention to the rural and urban poor;
2. An immediate solution for and an end of the illegal detention of asylum seekers and refugees;
3. The protection of the environment and the country’s natural resources;
4. Legislation to establish an Independent Commission against Corruption.

They also have requested from the government an effective partnership  in the managing of the Education and Health sectors.

On the 1^st of June the blessing and opening of the new chancery of the Diocese of Lae and the blessing of the newly installed Radio Station FM 103.7 took place.

Two important projects of the Diocese came therewith to completion. Both Chancery and Radio are now next to the Cathedral and the residence of the Bishop. Organization as well as outreach of the local Church will benefit with this new structure. It was all possible thanks to substantial support of our benefactors overseas, in case of the Radio especially those of our Swiss CMM Region. Fr. Arnold Schmitt, as Diocesan Vicar General, coordinated the yearlong effort and mobilized also important local financial support. Fr. Brian Nonde, as Director of the Radio, has a full-time apostolate with this important ministry.

For the opening and blessing a big tent was erected next to the new chancery in order to celebrate the official opening and blessing.

PNG may have reached the international news recently  because of two volcanic eruptions, one in West New Britain on the 26^th of June and the other on Manam Island on the  28^th of June. Thousands   had to be evacuated. The rain of scoria on Manam with pieces of the size of a fist destroyed fruits and garden products, leaving a 10 -15 cms thick layer of lava covering extensive areas.

Wishing all of you showers of a more beneficial character on life and work, we say good-bye again, till the next Tanget!

September 2019

CIRCULAR LETTER 02/2019

Dear Confreres,

Greetings of Peace and Love!

Indeed it’s been long overdue that some official word was shared with you from this desk. We can only thank God for the graces so far received and wish each one of you God’s abundant blessings.
In this year when the Church calls each one of us to refocus our attention on the call to Holiness, we are invited to “Rejoice and be Glad” (Mt. 5: 12) no matter how frail, discouraged or demotivated we may feel at times in our ministry and vocation.

“Do not be afraid therefore to set your sights higher, to allow yourself to be loved and liberated by God. Do not be afraid to let yourself be guided by the Holy Spirit. Holiness does not make you less human, since it is an encounter between your weakness and the power of God’s grace.” Pope Francis – Apostolic Exhortation Gaudete et Exsultate.

Dear Confreres, kindly allow me to officially communicate with you the following developments in our Unit.

1. NEW REGIONAL COUNCILLOR

We would like to congratulate Fr. Ivor Chaebwa who was duly elected as the Regional Councillor during the Regional Conference that took place on the 24.05.2019 in Makeni. He replaced Fr. Gershom Mwansa who at the time was bound for the Novitiate as Assistant Director of Novices. We cordially welcome you to the to the Unit leadership team Confrere. God bless you.

2. PREPARATION PROGRAM FOR PERPETUAL PROFESSION (PPPP) – 2019

We would like to thank the General Government – Formation Portfolio, for accompanying our dear Confrere, Frt. Sylvester Luciano Mwatibu during the PPPP 2019 that took place from the 23rd June to the 24th July.

3. GRADUATION CEREMONY

Our three Candidates – Banda Steven, Mubukwanu Raphael and Musonda Damian graduated with a BA Degree in Philosophy at St. Bonaventure University on the 17th May 2019. The forth one – Patrick Magoma will only do so after obtaining all the conditions needed for such. The four Candidates have since commenced their Postulancy program on 1st July 2019 at Kasembo Farms. Congratulations and wish them well.

4. FINAL VOWS

We would like to extend our humble words of gratitude to all who contributed direct or indirectly towards the celebration of the perpetual profession of our Confreres – Frt. Gende Alois (PNG), Mwango Abraham (Zambia) and Sampungi Didier (DRC) that took place on the 26th May 2019 at St. Stephen’s Chunga Parish. Words of gratitude also go to the Parish Community that hosted us and made it possible that this ceremony was fruitful. Congratulations to our Confreres for taking such a bold step in life. We wish you steadfastness in your religious journey.

5. DEACONATE ORDINATION

In the similar way, we would like to extend our sincere words of gratitude to you all Confreres for the support and fervent prayers that you render to us before and during the ordination of our Confrere Frt. Wilfred Salhun, who was ordained deacon at St. Dominic’s on the 18th May 2019. We equally say heart congratulations to Deacon Wilfred and wish him well as he exercises his ministry in Chunga Parish.

6. SCHOOL BREAK APOSTOLATE

We would like to sincerely thank our dear Confreres and communities that accompanied our Candidates (those studying philosophy at St. Bonaventure University) during their six weeks apostolate program that took place from the 5thJuly 2019 to 14th August 2019. Our candidates were assigned in various communities as indicated below:

1. Valentine Kantanga and Victor Mpundu- St. Nicholas Chambishi Parish – Kitwe

2. Moses Moyo and Geofrey Sikwesa – St. Charles Lwanga Ukwimi Parish – Petauke

3. Remy Matipa and Cletus Mwela – St. Kizito Kapata Sub Parish – Kasama
4. Adam Mbwana and Peter Phiri– St. Francis Nseluka Parish – Kasama

We also thank our candidates for their boldness and availability in taking up this challenge. It was indeed a great opportunity for most of them especially that it was their first time to visit some of these communities and even stay and work with our Confreres in their particular communities.

7. PASTORAL PLACEMENTS

On the other side, may I also take this opportunity to officially inform you that after finishing their Theological Studies at St. Dominic’s Major Seminary, our Confreres below have been assigned to work in the following Parishes:

1. Frt. Alois Gende – St. Margaret Mungwi Parish – Kasama
2. Frt. Sylvester Luciano Mwatibu – St. Francis Nseluka Parish – Kasama
3. Frt. Didier Nzim Sampungi – St. Kizito Kapata Sub-Parish – Kasama
4. Dc. Wilfred Salhun – St. Stephen Chunga Parish – Lusaka

8. ACADEMIC YEAR 2019/2020

a. St. Dominic’s Major Seminary

We would like to thank and congratulate Frt. Didier and Sylvester, who have completed their Theological studies at St. Dominic’s Major Seminary this year. That means, this academic year, we have only one Confrere (Frt. Abraham Mwango) doing his fourth and last year of Theology at the same seminary. As classes commence on the 2nd of September 2019, Frt. Abraham will move and reside at St. Dominic’s during week days and only report back to our (Makeni) community on weekends.

b. St. Bonaventure University

This academic year, we have only eight candidates at St. Bonaventure – four in the second year and four in the third year of Philosophy. We wish them all the best and God’s abundant blessings. We did not admit any new members (first years) to Blessed Engelmar Formation House this August until they go through the six months of aspirancy that commences at Kasembo in January 2020. That means they will only join Blessed Engelmar Formation House and start philosophy at St. Bonaventure in August 2020.

9. ASPIRANCY AND POSTULANCY PROGRAMS

In accordance with what was discussed and resolved at the Regional Conference 2019 regarding our formation program, it has thus been decided that Aspirancy and Postulancy programs be conducted at Kasembo Farms from January to June and July to December respectively. Postulancy program has already commenced (with four postulants) in the first week of July 2019, while the first group of aspirants will report in the first week of January 2020. Fr. John Chishimba has been appointed as the Formator at Kasembo Farms with immediate effect. Thank you very much Fr. John for accepting this challenge.

10. “COME AND SEE” PROGRAM

We would like to extend our words of gratitude to all Confreres who assisted with various inputs during the ‘Come and See Program’ that took place at Blessed Engelmar House of Formation from the 5th to the 13th July 2019. During this program, we had received and accompanied eight aspirants from various dioceses. We thank them too for their availability and wish them God’s abundant blessings.

11. Fr. GERSHOM MWANSA

Following the withdrawal of his appointment as Assistant Novice Director and after engaging all the parties involved, the Regional Council has transferred Fr. Gershom Mwansa from St. Kizito – Kapata Sub Parish to St. Margaret – Mungwi Parish where he will assist Fr. Matthew Mwamba effective September 2019.

12. FORMATORS AT BLESSED ENGELMAR HOF

Following some adjustments in the formation structures of the Unit, the Regional Council has appointed Fr. Felix Nsama as the New Formator and Superior of Blessed Engelmar House of Formation assisted by Fr. Dennis Aurah who will also be the bursar of the House. Fr. Nsama is expected to report to Makeni at the beginning of September 2019 whist Fr. Denis will report at the end of September 2019 after his home holidays.

13. Fr. CHARLES MALAMBA

After serving for so many years as a Formator and Superior of the House, Fr.Charles Malamba has since been transferred to assist Fr. Lewis Watuka in Chunga Parish effective August 2019. We would like to sincerely thank Fr. Charles for his availability and dedication he demonstrated as formator and Superior of the House. We also would like to wish him well and success in his new ministry.

14. Fr. GASPARD PARENT

After his transfer back to his home province, Fr. Gaspard left Zambia on the 10th June 2019. We would like in a special way to extend our humble gratitude to Fr. Gaspard Parent for his time and service in this Unit. Up until now, he was the longest serving formator in our Unit, the longest serving lecturer at both St. Dominic’s Major Seminary and St. Bonaventure University where our students and Confreres go for their respective studies.

15. Fr. CHRISTOPHER KAFULA

Fr. Christopher Kafula has not been doing so well for some time now and he has been moved from Chunga Parish back to the Regional House in Makeni as he receives medical attention from the Doctors at the University Teaching Hospital(UTH). We kindly request for your fervent spiritual and moral support as our Confrere recovers slowly.

16. JUBILEE CELEBRATION

We would like to congratulate Fr. Isaac Mwansa for his first profession Silver Jubilee celebration. In the same vain, we would like to remember and posthumously congratulate Fr. Dick John Nthenga who 25 years ago did his first profession. We also include in our prayers all of our Confreres who, in a special way, celebrated their (first profession or priestly) anniversaries. May God bless you all Confreres for who you are and what you are doing in serving God through this Congregation in your particular ministries.

17. CONDOLENCES

We would like to express our heartfelt condolences to all our Confreres who during the course of the year have lost their families members. We pray that your beloved deceased friends and relatives may rest in God’s eternal peace.

18. MAKENI FLATS

We would like to cordially inform all Confreres that the construction of the third flat in Makeni has been concluded and has since been occupied. The two tenets of the third flat occupied it at the beginning of August 2019. There are now three semidetached flats providing accommodation to six families on our plot. We thank you all for the support (moral, spiritual and monetary) offered to us during the completion of these flats.

I wish you God’s richest blessing, joy and peace in your journey/ call to Holiness.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Kabwe Abidon Katai CMM

______________________

Regional Superior – Zambia

Liebe Freunde!                                                                                               Oktober  2019

Bevor dieses Jahr zu Ende geht, lasst mich Euch nochmals grüßen.

Ohne viel zu klagen über die dreisten Ereignisse in Südafrika, möchte ich löblich erwähnen, dass sich mit dem Präsidenten Ramaphosa doch einiges zum Besseren wendet.

Die Diözese Mthatha leidet nach wie vor unter Priestermangel, nachdem einige Priester schwer krank wurden, andere ins Studium oder sonstwie verloren gingen. So kann ich ab und zu aushelfen in einer Pfarre, die fast 50 km entfernt ist.

Den Monat Oktober hat uns Papst Franziskus als besonderen Missionsmonat ans Herz gelegt und bittet uns, alle Gläubigen, mehr als gewöhnlich, unseren christlichen Glauben dankbar zu schätzen und gemeinsam zu leben, und ihn so bezeugen, dass er anderen helfen kann, in ihm die Heilsbotschaft zu finden.

Heilsbotschaft müsste es sein, dass wir ihn schätzen können und anderen zumuten, ihn anzunehmen oder zu erneuern.

Wenn wir zurückblicken und bedauernd feststellen müssen, wie sich die Kirche (besonders im Westen) in einem Menschenalter gewandelt hat, fragen sich viele über die Notwendigkeit und Glaubwürdigkeit der Kirche. Das Aufdecken von Skandalen hat die Frage noch bestärkt.

Wir, Leute in meinem Alter, waren mitten drin in diesem Umbruch. Viele, die anfangs noch dabei waren, haben sich davongeschlichen, besonders in den Kirchenräumen. Ob sie dabei glücklicher geworden sind?

Viele von denen, die geblieben sind, haben sich bestens gemacht, sei es unter den Klerikern oder den Laien. Welch großartige Männer und Frauen haben die Kirche erneuert und zum lebendigen Zeichen des kommenden Reiches Gottes gemacht, auch wenn sie kleiner geworden ist und die Teilnehmer weniger.

Man könnte meinen, dass das Vatikanische Konzil nichts gebracht hat, da der Umbruch gerade zu jener Zeit geschehen ist. Aber es war ein Umbruch von der oft unkritisch gefüllten Volkskirche zu der kritisch unterfragten pastoralen Gemeindekirche, den leider viele nicht mehr mitgehen wollten, da inzwischen mit der technischen und wirtschaftlichen Entwicklung ein sekulares Paradies versprochen wurde, dem zu glauben und zu folgen leichter war.

Und doch mitten in diesem Paradies steht nach wie vor die christliche Kirche (in gewisser Hinsicht mit anderen Religionsgemeinschaften) nicht mehr als “ein Haus voll Glorie”,  aber als einladende, sinngebende Pforte zum kommenden Reich Gottes, nicht nur des kommenden himmlischen Paradieses, sondern auch zu einem irdischen, sekularen, dem viele ohne Gott, ohne Christus, ohne Kirche zu huldigen meinen. Diesen Doppelaspekt haben wir im Sinn, wenn wir die Jesus-Bitte immer wiederholen: Dein Reich komme! Himmelreich – Gottesreich – von einem evolutionären, irdischen, zeitlichen “Paradies” zu einem endgültig himmlischen.

Der Papst ruft uns alle auf: Habt Mut zum Glauben! Habt Freude am Glauben, damit Ihr die Früchte davon ernten könnt: ein gutes Leben, eine gute Welt, eine gute globale Menschheit.

Mein Dank wieder an alle, die uns unterstützen in unserer Arbeit und in der Ausbildung unserer jungen Mitglieder. Wir bekommen mehr Anmeldungen – nun auch von örtlichen Kandidaten – als wir finanziell verkraften können.

In Farview hat die Bauarbeit der kleinen Dorfkirchen begonnen. Eine geht der Vollendung entgegen. Die Dorfgemeinschaft war mit Eifer beteiligt. Der Großteil war Eigenleistung. Andere sind am Beginn.

Herzlich grüßt Euch Pater Stefan Franz Mandl

Meine Telkom Nummer besonders für Verbindung mit Festnetz:    0027 681630015

Dear brother/friend,

I thought I should send you a few words and my best wishes at the approach of Christmas and the New Year. We’ve been separated since quite a bit of time, especially those of you who live in South Africa. In fact, longer than I ever could imagine.

First, I fully enjoyed my home leave. I visited many – not all – of my family members and of my numerous friends – for the simple reason that I spent many a year here as a Missionary of Mariannhill. It was really pleasant to get updated about this or that one. Everybody gets older of course. Some who were very small at the time are now married, others have moved; some got sick unfortunately, others have lost their parents, even a spouse or a child, and others have had new children. Such is life!

I have visited more especially my immediate family of course. I even had to attend a funeral. Indeed, I lost one of my sisters-in-law, actually my favorite one. To be honest with you, on that occasion I got a “secular chock,” if I may use that expression. That funeral was a purely civil funeral. I had nothing to do at all in it. A strange feeling when this happens in one’s own family! We were all brought up in a very good family! And yet! This is an indication of the extent to which our society here has become secular.

I was supposed to return to Mariannhill at the end of last July, but, as you all know by now I suppose, I am still in exile here in my homeland – strange to say! I had sent to the Home Affairs my request for the lifting up of my penalty with regard to the renewal of my visa even before arriving here in Canada, at the very beginning of May, perfectly on time. But since that time, some 7 ½ months ago, it has been a battle to find out what to do next in the hope of finding a way to get some kind of response from the Home Affairs. So far it has been a complete failure. I am being completely ignored.

In case you were looking for a kind of spiritual exercise to make you grow in holiness more rapidly, I could suggest to you that of being completely ignored by your own society. It’s a nice feeling that prompts you to realize to what extent you are a “nobody” so to say, better still, such a “small being” that you can be forgotten somewhere without any real consequence. I am exaggerating of course, in the very perspective of the Christian faith even, for no matter how small we are in the eyes of our Father in heaven, we are all unique and indispensable.

We know it, but we need to realize that we have to become in fact like a child, the child Jesus in the stable, to bear fruits of redemption. This is the merit of my suggestion: it brings back to us the essence of the Christmas experience, as lived by the great saints like St. Therese of Lisieux, St. John of the Cross, the Curé d’Ars, Blessed Engelmar, and the others, who showed us brilliantly the necessity of lowliness, littleness, humility, self-abasement, even self-renunciation and spirit of sacrifice. In other words, I was regularly faced with the necessity of becoming again and again an icon of the child Jesus, and to entrust myself more and more into the hands of My Father in heaven. I need just to be a child. Nothing more, nothing less!

Maybe, after all, this is why I was sent here at this time in my life! To learn even more about the truth of the mystery of Christmas. And I do it in a properly Canadian climate, where all is white around me and we have reached so far minus 15 Celsius. The worse is still coming. But we also got rain some days earlier in the winter. Let’s hope snow will cover everything around us at Christmas.

To be honest, I would still like to get my visa as soon as possible. But, again, I am in the hands of my Father. He knows what’s best for me. But this does not prevent me from doing something obviously.

On the other hand, since about two weeks, I have more hope that something will “one day” happen since my dossier is now in the hands of a priest who deals personally with the Home Affairs on behalf of the missionaries who have special problems, just like me. In other words, there is at least some founded reason to hope for a positive result…one day.

I was able to see some doctors and my dentist. So I should be in a better shape upon my return, even though I should also see an ophthalmologist to check my eyes and tell me whether or not I should be operated now or later for the cataracts. Unfortunately it seems I won’t be able to get the answer before I return since the list of patients I am on is much too long.

I leave you with those few news and wish you most sincerely a most Blessed Christmas and New Year 2019.

God bless you abundantly!

Fr. Yves La Fontaine, CMM

Port St. John’s

frwegler@gmail.com

20. Dezember 2019

Als ich im Jaenner nach Port St. John’s versetzt wurde, habe ich noch nicht gewusst, dass es Ende des Jahres schon das Ende sein wird fuer mich hier.  Die Landschaft ist ja wunderbar, viel Busch und Gruenes.  Auch das Wetter ist angenehm.  Im Winter viel waermer als in Mthatha, 100 km weiter im Landesinneren.  Aber es gibt Dinge, die man nicht vorausplanen oder sehen kann.  Wie zum Beispiel das Altern und was es mit sich bringt.  Gesundheitlich geht es mir relativ gut.  Aber die Augen lassen nach.  Und bevor das „Licht“ ausgeht, moechte ich noch die zwei Aufgaben abschliessen, die mir der Bischof uebergeben hat.  Das ist zum Ersten das Computer Programm fuer jede der 23 Pfarren.  Darin sollen  festgehalten werden  alle Taufen, Firmungen,Eheschliessungen, Sterbedaten und sonstige Informationen.  Wenn alles „up to date“ ist, klickt man einige Tasten und schon sieht man, wie viele Katholiken sind in der ganzen Pfarre oder wie viele in einer bestimmten Aussenstation usw.  Heut zu Tage muss ja alles sofort abrufbar  sein.

Die zweite Aufgabe ist die Chronik der Dioezese und jeder einzelnen Pfarre.  Da muss viel in Pfarregistern, Dokumenten und Papieren nachgeschaut werden.  Das heisst fuer mich, dass ich frei bin, um zu den Pfarren fahren zu koennen, um Informationen zu sammeln.  Ich habe Unterschlupf gefunden in Mthatha.  Das liegt mehr zentral.

Ich werde also keine Pfarre mehr haben.  Fuer mich ist natuerlich der Weggang von Port St. John’s und keine Pfarre mehr haben, ein wichtiger Einschnitt und Aenderug in meinem missionarischen Leben.  Ich bin dankbar fuer die 52 Jahre, die ich in verschiedenen Pfarren verbringen konnte.  Es waren vor allem 3 Pfarren, die mich in meinem missionarischen Leben begleitet haben. Nicht ich habe sie begleitet, sondern sie haben mich begleitet und mir immer wieder Kraft gegeben. Die erste Pfarre war Qumbu, meine erste Liebe.  Eine aufstrebende und lebendige Pfarre mit buchstaeblich hunderten von Katechumenen.   Ich hatte das Glueck, dass mich ein Schweizer Mitbruder sehr gut in die Sprache, Sitten und Braeuche und die Missionsarbeit eingefuehrt hat.  Alles war neu und fremd fuer mich.  Ich habe gelernt, eine Pfarre aufzubauen.  Nicht nur Kirchen auf Aussenstationen zu bauen, sondern auch fuehrende Menschen auszubilden, die Aufgaben in der Pfarre uebernommen haben wie Religionsunterricht fuer Kinder, Vorbereitung der Muetter fuer die Taufe der Babies, Leitung von Begraebnissen und Sonntagsgottesdienste ohne Priester, Vorbereitung von Erwachsenen fuer die Taufe.  Man kann priesterliche Arbeit nicht vergleichen mit Seelsorge drueben in Europa.

Die zweite Pfarre was St. Patrick’s.  Wahrscheinlich die liebste Pfarre, die mir am meisten Freude und ein Erfolgserlebnis gegeben hat.  Dort war ich zwei Mal, insgesamt 22 Jahre.

Die dritte Pfarre war Libode.  Auch dort war ich zwei Mal.  Dort war fuer mich auch der Abschluss meiner missionarischen Arbeit.  Den Menschen in all diesen Pfarren bin ich dankbar fuer die Unterstuetzung und Mitarbeit, die ich dort erfahren habe.  Eine lebendige Pfarre ist das groesste Geschenk, das man sich als Priester wuenschen kann.  Dann kann man auch Einsamkeit wie hier in der Mission,  wo man eigentlich immer ein Fremder bleibt, Misserfolg und Probleme leichter ertragen.

Nun aber zur Politik, die auch zum taeglichen Leben  gehoert, aber oft nicht viel Freude bereitet.  Im Gegenteil, man kann oft den Mut verlieren und die Hoffnung aufgeben.  So erging es am 23. Oktober Mussi Maimane, dem jungen Parteivorsitzenden der Opposition. Er hat abgedankt und ist auch aus der Partei ausgetreten. Grund:  schlechte Resultate bei der letzten Nationalratswahl im Mai.    Der DA (Demokratische Allianz)  hat gegen alle Erwartungen viele Stimmen verloren.  Warum?  Streitereien um die Richtung der Partei fuer die Zukunft.  Aber im Hintergrund steht doch das Rassenproblem Schwarz gegen Weiss.  Hellen Zille, die fruehere Vorsitzende, eine Weisse,  wollte wieder an die Macht kommen.

Innerparteiliche Streitereien gibt es auch im ANC (Regierungspartei oder Mandela Partei) .  Aber hier geht es um zwei Schwarze:  Zuma, den abgewaehlten Presidenten und Ramaposa, den gegenwaertigen Presidenten.  Hier geht es um Korruption oder nicht-Korruption. Als gewoehnlicher Buerger kann man nur froh sein, dass man nicht alles weiss, was verheimlicht und vertuscht wird.  Aber das, was an die Oeffentlichkeit kommt,  ist genug, um die Hoffnung aufzugeben.  Man hoert immer oefters den Spruch:  „Enough is enough“, „Genug ist genug“.  Aber anscheinend geht es doch immer weiter.

Ein Lichtblick oder Lichtschimmer fuer Suedafrika war am 2. November  der Weltmeistertitel in Rugby.   Ein in Oesterreich  und Deutschland  unbekannter Sport.  Aber hier in SA die Domaene der Weissen.  Ein Kraftsport.  Das Ziel ist, mit einem eierfoermigen Ball unter dem Arm ueber die Torlinie zu laufen.  Es ist erlaubt, die Gegenspieler brutal aus dem Weg zu raeumen.  Ein Symbol fuer das Problem in SA.

Es wurde  gefeiert im ganzen Land.  Man erinnert sich an das Wort von Mandela:  „Sport kann die Nation vereinen“.  Aber das ist nicht passiert.  als SA zum ersten mal nach der politischen Einigung in 1994 Weltmeister wurde.  Und das wird auch diesmal nicht der Fall sein.  Der gemeinsame Sieg von Schwarz und Weiss wird bald vergessen sein und die vielen ungeloesten Probleme werden weiterhin die Rassen spalten. Das interessante ist, dass der Kapitaen ein Schwarzer ist, wo doch lange dagegen gekaempft wurde, dass Schwarze an diesem „weissen“ Sport teilnehmen koennen.  Dieser Sport zeigt deutlich, dass es um die Macht geht, die Kontrolle und Beherrschung einer Rasse gegen die andere.  Jetzt noch nach 25 Jahren wird gekaempft um die Nationalflagge, die alte und die neue, um die Nationalhymne, in der vier  Sprachen verwendet werden und um die Macht an der Spitze, politisch und wirtschaftlich. Aber was das Land immer mehr in den Morast sinken laesst, ist nicht Aids. Obwohl es taeglich etwa 700 neue Ansteckungen gibt.  Was das Land moralisch zugrunde richtet,  ist Korruption.  Und die kennt keine Hautfarbe.  Schlimm, sehr schlimm. Darin ist SA wahrer „Weltmeister‘.

In wenigen Tagen schreiben wir 2020.  Aber vorher ist noch Weihnachten.  Dieses Fest ist ein Fest der Hoffnung.  Und die brauchen wir alle. Ob Afrika oder Europa, ob Schwarz oder Weiss.

Das wuensche ich uns allen und Gottes Segen und Begleitung im neuen Jahr

Herzliche Gruesse

Exit von Pater Anton Mulderink aus Papua Neuguinea

Nach 57 Jahren Missionsarbeit in Papua Neuguinea hat Pater Anton Mulderink (86) sein Lebenswerk in der Diözese Lae, Hauptstadt der Provinz Morobe, beendet. Am 17. Januar ist er endgültig nach St. Paul in Arcen zurückgekehrt, von wo er im Jahre 1960 in die Mission nach Papua Neuguinea ausgesandt wurde. Er war bestimmt für das neue Vikariat Lae, das 1959 von Papst Johannes XXIII. errichtet und den Missionaren von Mariannhill anvertraut worden war.

Ankunft im Jahr 1960

Als das erste Pioniere-Team, die Patres Gerard Hafmans, Bert Kempkes, Anton Mulderink und Harry van Lieshout, im März 1960 in Lae eintraf, wohnten dort im neuen Missionsgebiet nur 1.750 Katholiken. Pater Anton ist der letzte Überlebende der ursprünglichen Missionare-Mannschaft, die, 57 Jahre her, aus den Niederlanden eintraf. Sie fingen damit an, das riesige unbekannte Gebiet mit ausgedehnten Urwäldern auf wochenlangen Fußmärschen zu durchforschen. Die neue Mission war praktisch von Grund auf neu aufzubauen. Beim endgültigen Abschied von Pater Anton ist die heutige römisch-katholische Diözese von Lae inzwischen auf etwa 42.000 Katholiken angewachsen. Die Geschichte der 57jährigen Diözese ist gleichzeitig die Lebensgeschichte des Pater Anton. Einen Eindruck von den ersten Erfahrungen in Papua Neuguinea, den sie während ihrer Initiationsperiode in einem benachbarten Vikariat gewonnen hatten, zeigt ein Erfahrungsbericht von Pater Gerard Hafmans.

„Ich war mit einem Missionsflugzeug zu einer entfernten Missionsstation geflogen, wo ich bleiben sollte bis das Flugzeug mich wieder abholen würde. Das Leben war in den örtlichen Umständen nicht leicht. Zweimal habe ich lange Reisen gemacht, eine von fünf und eine von neun Tagen, um einige entlegene Dörfer in diesem Bezirk zu besuchen. Wir gingen zu Pferd Meilen und Meilen durch dichtes Gebüsch, oft mit einem Messer in unseren Händen, um einen Weg für uns und die Pferde zu bahnen. Die Pferde gingen wiederholt bis zu ihrem Bauch durch den Dreck der Sümpfe. Während der ersten Reise hatten wir 5 Flüsse schwimmend zu überqueren. Während der zweiten Reise hatte ich dauernd von Anfang bis zum Ende unter Durchfall zu leiden und verlor mehr Gewicht, als meine Mutter während meines Urlaubs zu ergänzen imstande wäre. Es war sehr wahrscheinlich verursacht durch ungekochtes Trinkwasser und das Schlucken von Flusswasser beim Durchwaten der Flüsse mit einem Gewehr auf den Schultern. Zurück auf der Missionsstation bekam ich einen weiteren Angriff der Malaria, aber nach zwei Tagen war das wieder vorüber.

Tätigkeit

Die Missionsarbeit des Pater Anton in den 57 Jahren im Dienst der katholischen Diözese von Lae kennzeichnet sich durch Stabilität auf seinen Posten. Er verblieb zwölf Jahre auf der entlegenen Insel Mandok, wo er sich sehr vertraut machte mit der Kultur der Insassen die sich besonders äußerte in traditionellen Festen und Zeremonien und in der Fähigkeit der Holzschnitzerei. Diese Kunst war nicht in erster Linie eine kommerzielle Sache, sondern diente vor allem der Verschönerung der Alltagsgegenstände wie Kanus, Paddel und Haushaltsgeräten. Pater Anton lernte die einheimische Sprache und verfasste eine kurze Grammatik und ein Wörterbuch dieser Sprache.

Im Jahr 1983 übernahm Pater Anton die Seelsorge der katholischen Gemeinde der technischen Universität als Nachfolger des Pater Guy Cloutier und übte diese Funktion während drei Jahrzenten aus. Er setzte sich in ein für eigenes Kirchenbau und eine Residenz für katholische Studenten. Daneben behielt er einen Wohnsitz auf der St. Joseph Station am 8-Milee außerhalb der Stadt, wo die Fachschule St. Joseph gelegen ist. An dieser Stelle ist er bis zu seiner endgültigen Abreise geblieben und blieb von dort aus weiterhin zur Verfügung für pastorale Hilfe in der Stadt.

Pater Anton zeigte ein aufrichtiges Interesse und Liebe für die Menschen, mit denen er in Berührung kam. Diese Haltung wurde andererseits beantwortet mit einer warmen Liebe und Hochachtung für ihren „Pater Anton“.

Abreise von Lae und Ankunft

Am Montag, 16. Januar, kurz nach seiner Heilung von Typhus, stieg Pater Anton in Lae in das Flugzeug und flog nach Amsterdam, wo er nach zweimal Umsteigen – in Port Moresby und in Singapur – und 20 Flugstunden am Mittwoch, 17. Januar landete.

In Amsterdam wurde er von seinem Neffen abgeholt und nach Horst gefahren, wo er einige Tage im Haus seiner Nichte verblieb, um sich von der langen Reise aus dem fernen Osten zu erholen. Einige Mitbrüder waren aus dem benachbarten St. Paul gekommen, um ihn auf dem heimatlichen Boden willkommen zu heißen. Einige Tage später kam Pater Anton nach Arcen und hat sich in St. Paul niedergelassen. Die Gemeinschaft ist inzwischen bis auf acht Mitglieder angewachsen.

Circular letter 01/2018 01 February 2018

Dear confreres,

Today the Church of Southern Africa celebrates the feast of Blessed Tshimangadzo Samuel Benedict Daswa, a dedicated Catholic husband, father and schoolteacher in the remote rural town of Tschitanini. He was deeply committed to Christ and he stood for faith and died for the truth. The “Missio Magazine” dared to call him the “apostle of life”. When we stand for the truth and be prepared to die for it, our witness gives life. Through the intercession of Blessed Benedict Daswa, we pray for our postulants who will be received into the canonical of novitiate tonight. We pray for our novices who will proclaim their first profession tomorrow, for our brother who will dedicate himself to the Lord through perpetual profession and for our three brothers who will celebrate their golden jubilee tomorrow. The CMM Associates will also renew their commitment to the Lord and to our charism. May God richly bless us as we celebrate our principal feast and solemnity tomorrow.

1. New appointments
Fr. Sbusiso Mkhize CMM was appointed the KZN Metropolitan chaplain of the Nurses Guild.
Bro. Mauricio Langa CMM was appointed Deputy Principal of St. Francis College, Mariannhill.

2. New transfers
Frt. Filipe Lenço CMM was transferred from Spain to our Unit. Welcome back my brother.

Following the new formation policy whereby the General Government assigns the newly professed confreres, Novice Ntandoyenkosi Ngwenya has been transferred to our Unit. His transfer takes effect soon after his profession tomorrow. Welcome home my brother

3. Departure of Bro. Rudibert Wiesser CMM
With great sadness we announce the departure of Bro. Rudibert Wiesser CMM who, due to ill health, will return to his sending Unit of Germany. Our sincere gratitude goes to the German Province for welcoming Bro. Rudibert with open hearts. Reimlingen has better facilities to care for Bro. Rudibert’s medical needs. I sincerely thank Bro. Rudibert for his hard work, dedication and faithfulness in serving the Church of South Africa and Mariannhill Monastery for so many years. May God richly reward him! He joked with me that if and when he gets better, he will return to his beloved Mariannhill! We entrust him to the Lord our greatest healer. We thank Mater Dolorosa management and staff for taking good care of Bro. Rudibert. He will leave during the second week of February. We shall celebrate and thank Bro. Rudibert during the feast tomorrow evening.

4. World Youth Day Celebration (WYDC) in Panama
As part of our youth ministry initiative, I have appointed three confreres Frs. Mthembeni Dlamini CMM, Mthokozisi Khumalo CMM and Deacon Lindelwa Dlamini CMM to facilitate a project of fundraising for 30 youths that we can assist to attend the WYDC in Panama in 2019. I ask the confreres in the parishes to please collaborate with these confreres when they wish to engage with the youth of your parishes. They will send you the programme of their action. We appeal to you to make the business people of the places where you work aware of this initiative. Their support will be more than necessary.

5. Candidate Samkelo Ndlovu
After completing his philosophical studies at St. Joseph’s Theological Institute, candidate Samkelo has not been admitted into novitiate. He left our community on the 26th January 2018. We wish him well in his future.

6. Unit Superiors and formators meeting in Bulawayo
From the 26th February 2018 to the 02nd March there will be a Unit Superiors and formators meeting in Queenpark Bulawayo. The General Government will be represented by Fr. Pastrick Chongo CMM. From our Unit Frs. Vukani Masango CMM, Mthokozisi Khumalo CMM, Sbusiso Mkhize CMM, Christopher Mashilipa CMM and the Provincial Superior Fr. Bheki Shabalala CMM. During that time Fr. Henry Kanjo CMM, the Vicar, will be in charge of the Province.

7. Prayers for the sick members of our community
I recommend to your prayers all the sick members of our families especially the brother of Fr. Donatus Ndwalane CMM, the sister of Fr. Lawrence Mota CMM, the mother of Alfred Igwebuike CMM who are very ill at this present moment. May the healing hand of God touch them and restore them to life.

8. Conclusion
I wish to thank Bro. Crispin Graham CMM and Frs. Lawrence Mota CMM and Gideon Sibanda CMM for conducting the retreat for our postulants, novices and brothers. God bless you for availing yourselves for this important ministry. I thank Bro. Konrad Diethei CMM and Fr. Callistus Ngcobo CMM who always prepare music for the liturgy of our community celebrations so well. On the 02nd February 2018 the church choir of Ixopo parish and our brothers and candidates will sing for us during the solemnity of the Presentation of the Lord.

I wish all of you a blessed feast day confreres. Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, may we also recognise the Lord in that tiny child who will be presented to the temple on the 2nd February.

Fr. Bheki M. Shabalala CMM

Provincial Superior

Liebe Verwandte und Missionsfreunde! Ostern, 2018

Mit Aschermittwoch begannen wir den Fasten-Osterfestkreis. 40 Tage, zunächst mit Jesus in der Einsamkeit in Fasten und Gebet, und Werken der Barmherzigkeit und Liebe, gleichzeitig mit ihm auf dem Kreuzweg zum Golgatha und Grab, aber dann erneuert mit dem Auferstandenen die 40 Tage der österlichen Freude und den 10 Tagen im Gebet mit der urchristlichen Gemeinde um die Gaben des Hl. Geistes.

Ich wünsche Euch Mut und Ausdauer, den Weg zu gehen, und die Freude eines erlebten Glaubens.

Wie schon angedeutet, möchte ich heuer in Euren Landen auf Urlaub kommen, zwischen Juni und August.

Am 16. Juni möchte ich in Oberösterreich an der Wallfahrt zur Kirche unseres Seligen Pater Engelmar Unzeitig teilnehmen.

Pater Engelmar war ein junger Priester unserer Kongregation. Wegen einer Bemerkung im Religions-unterricht, die staatsfeindlich gewertet wurde, wurde er verhaftet und ins Konzentrationslager Dachau gebracht. In seinen Briefen an seine Familie ist zu sehen, wie geduldig er das Kreuz dieser harten Strafe trug und es aufopferte für die Erlösung der Welt, und unter jenen Umständen, für die Erlösung von jenem grausamen System. Kurz vor Ende des Krieges stellte er sich zur Verfügung, in der Krankenabteilung die Typhuspatienten zu pflegen, und erlag an dieser Krankheit.

Im Oktober 2016 wurde er als Märtyrer seliggesprochen.

Die Wallfahrt von der Staatsgrenze zur einige Kilometer in der Tschechei gelegenen Kirche Glöckelberg ist schon ein jahrelanges Ereignis.

Seliger Pater Engelmar bitte weiterhin für die Befreiung von den verschiedenen Tyrannen, die Menschen grausam unterdrücken, vertreiben, versklaven und ermorden.

Ende Juni bis Ende Juli werde ich in der Steiermark sein, Ende Juli oder Anfang August in Riedegg, Oberösterreich. Mitte, gegen Ende August in Tirol, Vorarlberg und Schweiz.

In diesem Jahr dürfte ich auf 80 Lebensjahre zurückblicken können und auf 50 Priesterjahre.

Zu diesem Anlass hatte ich vor, an meinem Weihetag vor 50 Jahren – am Freitag, 29. Juni – in meiner Heimatpfarrei Straden, am Apostelfest Peter und Paul, einen schlichten Dankgottesdienst zu haben und am Sonntag darauf, 1. Juli, in meiner Heimatgemeinde Dietersdorf.

Hier hatten wir die Weihe eines jungen Seminaristen unserer Kongregation aus Mariazell zum Diakon und die Priesterweihe eines sehr talentierten jungen Mariannhillers aus DRC (Kongo).

Einige junge Burschen schlossen sich an als Novizen und Seminaristen. Mitte des Jahres werden wir etwa ein halbes Dutzend Postulanten bei uns haben, um sie vorzubereiten für eine spätere Aufnahme in die Gemeinschaft.

Mugabe in Simbabwe und unser Zuma haben vermutlich auch bei Euch Schlagzeilen gemacht.

Aber anders als in vielen anderen Ländern können wir soweit von einem Happy End sprechen. Wir hoffen, dass mit den neuen Übergangspräsidenten eine neue Ära beginnen kann. Im nächsten Jahr sollen Wahlen sein, in Simbabwe und in Südafrika.

Wieder ergeht mein großer Dank an alle, die uns weiterhin Treue durch Unterstützung unserer Missionsarbeit bezeugten.

Thanks, God Bless! Reya leboha! (Sotho) Siya bolela! Nkosi ! (Xhosa)

Mit liebem Gruß till we meet Pater Stefan Franz Mandl

Dear friends of Mariannhill PNG!

Sorry for delaying a Tanget that should have reached you at least a month earlier. However, the delay offers me now the opportuity to wish you all, and in name of all the confreres and CPS Sisters here in PNG, a Blessed and Joyful Easter!

Why should I have sent you this Tanget so much earlier? Because of important events that took place already two months ago. Our most senior member and champion in years spent in PNG, Fr. Anthony Mulderink, after having served Christ and the Church in PNG for 57 years, left us for good on the 16th of January. After the farewell of Fr. Sido van der Werf, who left us in May last year, now all the pioneers are gone and a new era of Mariannhill presence in PNG is at our very doorsteps.

Fr. Anthony’s PNG curriculum started in 1960, when he arrived with the fathers Gerard Hafmans, Bert Kempkes and Harry van Lieshout as the first Mariannhill missionaries in Lae, situated at the Huon Gulf, and capital of the Morobe Province. (Most of you may have read about their first experiences in the HALLO, edited by Fr. Frans Lenssen at the beginning of this year.)

The Morobe Province had been evangelized by Lutheran missionaries, but Lae, a growing harbour town, and Wau – Bulolo, where a gold rush was going on, attracted people from other provinces, looking for work, among them also Catholics. The Catholic Church in Lae and a few other places in the province was growing mainly due to this immigration. In 1960 there were about 1.750 Catholics in the Province. At that time the Passionist Fathers were taking care of the Catholics in Lae, but their Congregation ran short of personnel for the task.

In 1959 Rome found our Congregation ready to take up the challenge. The Dutch Province had a good number of young members eager to go out to the mission field.

Fr. Anthony’s work as a priest and pastor has taken place mainly in Lae and on Mandok island, Siassi, bringing him in contact with the two basic social realities of modern PNG: on Mandok, where he was 12 years, with traditional life and its rich inheritance, and on the other hand the rapidly changing society, experienced in Lae and among the students of the Technical University in Lae, whose chaplain he was for 25 years. On Mandok he learned the local language and worked out a grammar and a dictionary of it. He collected hundreds of photos, copies, print-outs and illustrations of local art, waiting still to be systematized into what well could become one day an encyclopaedia of Mandok art.

Fr. Anthony has been living in Lae mainly at St. Joseph’s Station, 8 Mile, the first station started by our confreres. He remained available for pastoral work up to his departure. Known for his patient and mild character, he was very much loved and appreciated.

The last two weeks of his stay here were marked by a continuous flow of people coming to St. Joseph to say goodbye. Several farewell celebrations took place, especially at Unitech and at St. Joseph’s Station.

We, Mariannhill and CPS, had a goodbye celebration in the evening of Friday, the 5th of January. First we celebrated the Eucharist, in which Fr. Anthony presided. Fr. Alfonso and Bishop Chris enveloped the celebration with words of welcome and of thanks. Afterwards we had our traditional kaikai in the “haus win”.

I had made a song for him as a farewell present. I am so free to reprodue the text here:

Anthony is like the forest,
Anthony is like the sea.
He is part of our environment,
Which surrounds us, you and me.

Anthony is like a palm tree
Moving gently in the breeze,
Greeting, smiling, waiving gently
To all those he hears and sees.

Anthony is like a sea-gull;
Siassi might have taught him so,
always searching the horizon
to discover and to know.

Anthony is a man of listening,
A man of knowing many stories,
Listening to him in turn
Brings you peace, removes your worries.

Fifty-seven years of serving,
Sometimes sure and sometimes guessing,
But all time for Church and people,
being a gentle, constant blessing.

Life, however, is a process.
Years are coming and are going.
We are pilgrims here on earth,
Moving where the wind is blowing.

And the wind blowing through his body,
Sensing frailty everywhere,
Sends our Anthony to his homeland
To receive the needed care.

While the body needs returning,
The heart protests and asks in wonder
If heart and body, when flying off,
Will not be torn in pain asunder.

But even then, between heaven and earth,
flying through the cloudless sky,
peace will still remain his treasure
softening the question: why?

Thank you, Anthony, for your friendship,
For your kindness and your peace,
We will miss you and your wisdom,
Now you are going overseas.

Being away you’ll still be with us,
Teaching patience, care and love,
How to grow in age and wisdom,
Asking God’s gifts from above.

May the good Lord bless your future!
Safe arrival and a good start!
While you are living far away,
You’ll be always in our hearts.

News of a different character, but also already two months old, refers to another member of our CMM commuity here, Bishop Christian Blouin. After a night with pain in the heart region, Bishop Chris was brought, in the early morning of Sunday, the 7th of January, while the Church in PNG woke up to celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord, to the Angau Memorial Hospital of Lae. A check-up was done in the ICU of the hospital and Bishop Chris was three days on the monitor, while our confreres and the CPS Sisters kept turns in being with him day and night. When he had gained some strength, Bishop Chis flew, for a more detailed observation and accompanied by Sister Henriquetta Muchate, CPS, to Port Moresby where he was for another week in the General Hospital. The diagnosis could not, however, be followed up by the necessary opera-tion and Bishop Chris was flown to Manila where, in a specialized Heart Centre, he underwent a heart opera-tion: three by-passes and repair of a heart valve, quite a bit more than anyone might have expected. Sister Henriqueta hs been all the time his guardian angel, for which we are her and the CPS very grateful. Thanks to God, Bishop Chris is recovering well, but still in Manila for the necessary controls. We are also very grateful to the Missionaries of Jesus, who are working in Lae Diocese and have a house in Manila near the Heart Centre, for their mediation in the whole process. We hope that Bishop Chris will soon be able to travel and come to Lae to be again among us.

Our Mariannhill community in PNG has become over the years from extremely “wantok”, being – at the beginning – all members from the Netherlands, to extremely pluri-cultural, at the moment nine members from seven different countries. Our challenges are quite different from those at the beginning. These challenges were presented to our Fr. General, Fr. Thulani Mbuyisa, and Br. Hansel Jaison, General Councillor, when they came to us on Canonical Visitation from the 17th of February till the 9tth of March. The challenges we face as a commu-nity may require from us quite some effort and imagination, as those expressed in the title of Fr. Adalbert Balling’s book on Fr. Bernard Huss: “Binde Deinen Karren an einen Stern” – “Moor your wagon to a star!” Will we be able to do something like that? After we receive the Visitation report, we’ll see to it. Maybe even under a new Bishop, whose appointment we are still waiting for.

More news about the daily work of our confreres in the next edition of the Tanget. The CPS Sisters are waiting for more reinforcement, while Sister Salome, already here, is waiting patiently, engaged as far as possible, her registration as clinical officer. At the Centre of Mercy they are sharing with the rest of the country a regular shortage of medicines. You may all have heard of the severe earthquake (7.5 on the Richter scale) that hit part of PNG on the 26th of February between 3 and 4 o’clock in the morning. Together with many aftershocks and the resulting landslides it caused much distruction and many deaths. The country is in mourning. Around 150 people died, many of them just buried alive. Whole villages can’t go back to the place where once they had their home, houses and gardens being buried under land- and mudslides. It was the heaviest earthquake in PNG since 1922. It hit mainly the highlands, Enga, Hela, Southern and Western Province. The Churches are mobilizing their help, the big mining companies, who are making huge profits in the region, show themselves generous and the Government is looking for the funds it once put aside for this kind of disaster. Money will rebuild houses, schools, clinics and churches, but not heal the wounds in so many hearts, missing their loved ones.

With all, a Blessed and Happy Easter to all of you! Let us bring life wherever death threatens!

Zimbabwe Province Newsletter Circular 01/18

12 March 2018

Lenten Season
‘Turn to me and repent the time to repent is now’. Lent is a time we are given by the church to revive our faith through prayer, fasting and giving. It is a time that remind us of the urgency to repent towards God and neighbor. It is a time for grace and a time that reminds us that we stand in need of God mercy all the time because of our weaknesses and sins. Lent is a time to build bridges that have been damaged by our sinfulness and omissions. It is a time to start anew, a time to correct and a time to grow. Confreres l wish you a blessed, renewal and preparation time of lent.

Current Situation in the Country
As from 15 November 2017 as a country we began to experience the new dispensation unfolding. The operation restore legacy saw the change of political leadership in our country. The new dispensation brought new hope into our country as the new inaugurated president has promised change in our country. We need to continue to be hopeful people as a nation. As religious working in this situation we continue to instill hope amongst the people that have been entrusted to us. Not much has changed on the ground, we still continue see shortage of cash in the banks and long winding queues as people want to get their hard earned cash. There is liquidity challenges in the country. Prices of basic commodities have gone up. Unemployment is still high in our country. This year we are looking forward to our harmonized elections. Let us continue praying for our country and let us preach and promote peace were ever we are.

Provincial Chapter 2018
11 and 12 January we had our provincial chapter held at Queenspark Mission House. The attendance was good and we had Br Hansel Jaison CMM participating in the chapter representing the General Government. This chapter was preceded by three days of province retreat which was a success also. The theme of the retreat and chapter was ‘Faithful to my call’. In the same chapter the following conferers were elected to the provincial council: Fr Fikile Dlamini Provincial Superior, Fr Adrian Maqhawe Ndlovu Vicar Provincial, Fr Christopher Ngwarai Councillor, Br Alois Hunpf Councillor and Fr Nkululeko Ndlovu Councillor. We congratulate these conferers and wish them God’s blessings in this new ministry of leadership.

New Appointments

Fr Christopher Ngwarai has been appointed to be Priest in charge at Our Lady of Assumption Gwanda with effect from 25 May 2018.
Fr Thomas Sadya has been appointed Acting Priest in charge at St John Vianney, Esigodini with immediate effect.
Deacon Kevin Madvibanyika has been appointed Deacon of St John Vianney, Esigodini with effect of 30 June 2018.
Deacon Cylde Takadwa has been appointed Deacon of Our Lady of Fatima Pumula South with effect of 15 April 2018.
Deacon Patrick Mpofu has been transferred from St John Vianney Esigodini, to Queenspark Mission House. He will work as the coordinator of CCJP CMM Bulawayo full time.
Fr Herbert Mudzimu is Acting Parish Priest of Inyathi Mission with immediate effect.
Fr Thomas Sadya has been appointed as the Vocations Director for three years.
Br Alois Humpf has been appointed Queenspark House Superior for three years.
Fr Philimon Mlilo has been appointed Assistant House Superior for Queenspark House for three years.
Fr Similo Ncube has been appointed Associates Director for the next three years.
Deacon Clyde Takwada has been appointed provincial bursar for the next three years.
Fr Thomas Sadya has been appointed coordinator for youth ministry for CMM.

I T and Communications
Fr Proud Mukamba, Deacon Kevin Madvibanyika, Fr Chris Ngwarai will be the team to look into the issues of I T and Communications in the province. Fr Proud Mukamba will be the coordinator

Finance Committee
Fr Proud Mukamba, Fr Bhekimpilo Tshuma, Fr Similo Ncube and Fr Fikile Dlamini and Deacon Cylde Takwada

Formation Committee
Fr Nkululeko Ndlovu, Fr Thomas Sadya and Fr George Vurayayi

Chapter Mandate Committee
Fr Adrian Maqhawe Ndlovu and Thomas Sadya

Youth Ministry
Fr Thomas Sadya, Fr Bhekimpilo Tshuma, Maqhawe Adrian Ndlovu

Journey Into Inner Healing
Fr Maqhawe Adrian Ndlovu will be the coordinator working with other conferers

CCJP Bulawayo
Spiritual Director/Administration Fr Fikile Dlamini part time, Programs Manager Fr Christopther Ngwarai part time. Coordinator Deacon Patrick Mpofu full time. The province is running Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace on behalf of the Archdiocese of Bulawayo.

Transfers
We welcome Fr Louis Chileshe who has been transferred to our province. Currently he is in Zambia preparing the documents for his work permit. When he does get his work permit he will come to Zimbabwe learn the language and will be assigned to one of the areas we are working in.

Due for home leave
Fr Andy Heier and Br Roland are due for their home leave this year, we wish them a good restful time back at their home.

Meeting of African Provincials and Formatters
Bulawayo unit hosted the meeting of provincials of African Units and African formatters at Queenspark from the 26th of February to the 2nd of March 2018.

Formation
Currently we have 3 professed fraters doing theology in Holy Trinity Harare and 4 candidates doing philosophy at Chishawasha Harare. All these formees live and study in Harare. In the novitiate we have 4 novices who belong to Bulawayo. We have 5 aspirants who are due to join candidacy this year 2018.There dialogue on consolidation of formation houses in the congregation are still on going. Our province will be affected by the talks and consolidation. Much ground was covered during the meeting of provincials and formators recently.

Thank you very much

Fr Fikile Dlamini CMM
Provincial Superior

Provincial Update 01/2018 19 March 2018

Dear confreres,

Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Joseph. In our history we know that St. Joseph was a trusted friend of Abbot Francis. Through his intercession, Mariannhill came to be what it is today. Even the Cathedral of Mariannhill is dedicated to him as a sign of gratitude for his trusted intercession. May St. Joseph continue to intercede for our Congregation especially its missionary task. May he also intercede for all the men of this world to be good, understanding and responsible fathers for their families. We need his intercession even more as the Church of Southern Africa celebrates the bicentenary of Her foundation in this part of the world. Our forefathers have contributed a great deal to the foundation of the Church in Southern Africa. We need to emulate them.

I write this update to fill you in on what has happened in the life of our Province recently and also to announce future important dates that need to be diarized:

1. The AGM 2018 for LCCL

Leadership Conference for Consecrated Life (LCCL) for Southern Africa held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) from the 12th -16th March at eMseni Conference Centre in Johannesburg, Benoni. The theme for the AGM was “Unless we touch his wounds”. This topic gave us an opportunity as leaders to explore our experience of woundedness in our role of leadership and animation. It posed questions to us as leaders how do we carry the wounds on behalf of our Congregations. We shared our experiences with one another with the aim of assisting one another to overcome the isolation involved in leadership. We were helped to identify things that we can do as leaders to express our healing role. As a conclusion we were reminded that the interior contemplative life of each member and of the community is our key source for healing and wholeness. There is an urgent need to deepen our spirituality. The LCCL is putting together all the material for the AGM and I will send it to all of you as soon as I receive it. You can use it for discussion and sharing in your communities and for personal reflection on your own woundedness.

2. Sustainability of our Province

On the 9th March 2018 the Province conducted a workshop on sustainability of our Province. Mr. Patrick Vorster facilitated the workshop. It was attended by the Land and Property Board, Land Development Board, the superior of the Monastery, the Provincial bursar, the rector of Abbot Francis House and two representative students from Abbot Francis House to brainstorm on how we can fast track our efforts of realizing a self-sustainable Province. The workshop was very productive. Fr. Gideon Sibanda CMM and Bro. Tendai Gandanzara CMM were appointed as confreres responsible to evaluate our present business ventures (Mariannhill Coolock, Retreat House, Mission Press etc) and to spearhead other possible business ventures for the Province. They will also go around the Province attending Zone meetings to share their findings and to get the views of all the confreres in this matter and report to the Provincial and his council for their decisions. It is the responsibility of each confrere to participate in this crucial effort of identifying and implementing the projects that will sustain our Province and all generations that will come after us. I am hoping that during the Provincial gathering on the 8th May 2018, we may be able to share with the confreres one concrete business idea that will assist us on sustainability.

3. Priestly Ordination of Deacon Humberto Fernandes CMM

For the past two months Deacon Humberto has been working in his home parish in the diocese of Nacala, North of Mozambique. He will be ordained priest in his home diocese on the 07th April 2018. His present bishop would like to ordain him before he retires at the end of April this year hence the short notice. We congratulate our confrere for this anticipated big step in his religious life. Let us remember him in our fervent prayers. The North of Mozambique is 3000 kilometres from Maputo which is 3 days drive. Representation of the Province at the ordination is being currently organized as it will cost a lot of money since the representatives may need to fly over. Deacon Humberto will be invited later this year after his priestly ordination to come and celebrate the thanksgivings mass with the community.

4. New appointments

a) Fr. Leonard Ndabenhle Mncwabe CMM has been appointed the parish priest of Manguzi parish. He has moved over to the Ngwavuma Vicariate as his health has greatly improved. We thank God for that.
b) Fr. Mbuso Duma CMM has been appointed the parish priest of St. Joseph’s parish near Manguzi.

Both confreres reside at the Servites of Mary Community House at the Star of the Sea Mission, P.O. Box 151, Ngwanase 3973. The two new parishes have no parish houses yet but the Vicariate has a concrete plan to build the parish houses soon.

c) On the 7th April 2018 Fr. Basilio Chilequene CMM will be officially introduced as parish priest of Raisethorpe, Pietermaritzburg while Fr. Alfred Igwebuike CMM will be officially introduced as parish priest of Queensburg/Bellair on the 14th April 2018. Please remember all these confreres in your prayers as they officially begin their new pastoral ministry.

5. Abbot Francis Pfanner Death anniversary at Emaus

The death anniversary for the Servant of God will be held at Emaus parish on the 26th May 2018 at 8:30am. The number of pilgrims has been increasing over the years. The church is no longer able to contain all the people of God on this special day. This year the Emaus Heritage Team (EHT) has decided that a tent be hired to accommodate all the pilgrims. The pews in the church are immovable hence we shall need to hire chairs and tables as well. EHT has written to the CMM and CPS appealing for donations in order to prepare for the day. Their letter is attached to this update letter.

6. Please pray for:

a) Fr. Urs Fischer CMM who was recently admitted at Crompton hospital for a day after he had dizzy spells and collapsed on the night of 13th March 2018. He is recuperating at the Retreat House.
b) Fr. Vincent Mdabe CMM who buried his grandfather Mr. Mkhuluwe Protas Cele and the brother in – law Mr. Mthokozisi Dladla last weekend. We pray for the repose of their souls.
c) We also pray for a speedy recovery of all our sick members, family members, friends and relatives and all the confreres who are going through difficult time.

7. Transfers

a) Bro. Rudibert Wiesser CMM has been officially transferred to the Unit of Germany. We wish him well at Reimlingen.

b) Fr. Anslemo Alfandega CMM has been transferred to our Unit. The transfer will take effect in September this year when he comes for home leave. We thank the Unit of Spain for releasing him.

8. Congratulations

a) On the 23rd March 2018 St. Joseph’s Theological Institute will celebrate their 13th Graduation Ceremony. We congratulate Frt. Petardo Cachepa CMM who will receive his Bachelor degree on philosophy during the graduation ceremony.

b) On the 11th March 2018 Frt. Owen Jimu CMM was appointed temporal formator for our students at Mariannhiil House, Matola in Mozambique.

c) Fr. Roberto Cossa CMM has left for his studies in Rome and

d) Deacon Humberto Fernandes is preparing for his priestly ordination in his home diocese of Nacala.

9. Conclusion

I wish to remind you about the canonical visitation of our Province by our Superior General Rev. Fr. Thulani Mbuyisa CMM from the 04th April to the 15th May. Kindly revisit the proposed visitation list which was sent to you with the official letter announcing the visitation. Please demonstrate your hospitality and warmth with our general leadership who wish to acquaint themselves with our ministry and to support us in our religious vocation. Fr. General and Wenceslasu Kwindingwi CMM will arrive on the 30th March 2018 and celebrate Easter in our Unit.

On behalf of the Provincial Council I take this opportunity to wish all of you a joyful Palm Sunday and a blessed Holy Week and Easter. Through your reflection on the Passion and Death of Jesus, May your encounter the Risen Christ in your life on Easter Sunday. May you experience the new life that Christ wishes to share with each and every one of us and with the whole world.

_______________________
Fr. Bheki M. Shabalala CMM
Provincial Superior

01 April 2018
Dear friends,

No, it’s not an April fool’s trick.

This said, I wish to give absolute priority to our greatest Christian feast, Easter. First and foremost then, the Risen Christ! I wish you an excellent Easter time, rich in peace and joy. May this season grant you the gift of an outlook always positive on life and your personal experience! Life always has the last word.

This year the Holy Week was no burden for me. Somebody replaced me for Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil. Yes, I took on myself only the days of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. And I went back to my CPS Sisters only yesterday, Easter Sunday in the morning. What a priestly laziness, you will tell me!

In all honesty I must declare that this was not the case. Maybe it’s even wisdom! It is said that it comes with age. But in what would it be wisdom? Here it is.

Since some months, I am not well health wise. There we are, my Lent confession is made. I didn’t talk about this yet because I didn’t want to alarm you for nothing, or almost, and to spoil your legitimate joys. After all, I am still alive and that is already a great thing, a great grace. Why then complain and burden you with my affliction? But the moment has now come to inform you of my present state of health.

You probably knew already that I was not able to stand well hot weather. That was confirmed once more this year. But this time it was worse than usual. So, after a certain time I decided to go and see my doctor. I did it after visits to my dentist, who after a while told me that there was an infection somewhere. Antibiotics therefore! I must say that I am rather susceptible to develop infections. So, at that point, since I was literally dragging my feet, tired from a great weakness, which did not leave no other choice than to move from my bed to doing small activities like updating my e-mail messages – a matter of mental health – my doctor decided, on the basis of new blood tests, to refer me to a urologist and a specialist in general practice – yes, that exists!

But sometime before, I had decided to see once again a dermatologist for my skin problems – feet, hands and back. I had not seen one for ages. Who knows, maybe that science had made some progress since then! When I saw her – a lady -, she prescribed me a “rugged” treatment, so to say. So, I decided to retire to our CPS sisters of Ixopo, where the climate is better for me – it’s much higher than here – and where I could concentrate on my treatments.

She had made me understand clearly that I had to be very faithful to the treatments if I truly wanted to obtain results. To me, she seemed very confident. And so I opted for that solution, all the more because I had little energy. Priority therefore to 7 to 8 care sessions by day! No, I don’t lie: 7 to 8 sessions according to the day of the week! This to say that my visits to the specialists had to be delayed by a bit more than three weeks. Ixopo is at a two hour distance from Durban by car.

Now, I came back from there in a worse state than when I left, i.e., weaker. Why? I did not know. Maybe it was the cocktail of pills she had given me! Or something else! Who knows? I couldn’t say really. But the fact is that I came back from that “dermatological marathon” not at all satisfied. My skin had not improved at all. What a disappointment for me and for my doctor! Therefore desperate times, desperate measures. She gave me some cortisone and a new treatment – a new cream. The effect was certain: a great improvement. So much so that I believed that the follow-up would be milder. It was; yet I had to continue with two treatments a day since my skin was not yet a “normal” skin, she told me.

I come back to my specialists. I first saw a urologist once back in Mariannhill. He just told me that there was a bit too much liquid in the area of the prostate and evoked the possibility of giving me eventually some antibiotics, and he asked me to see him again after three months. It will be on June 7. Nothing else! I came back therefore a bit disappointed.

Then I went to see the specialist in general practice. Needless to say that he asked me a lot of questions. Afterwards he asked me to do a treadmill walking. As I was weak and my legs were tired like anemic dishrag, I asked him if he would pick me up when I would fall flat on my face. “Of course!” he answered. Then I replied: “Let’s do it.” Obviously he increased the speed more slowly than usual. Well, he is the one who in the end told me: «Ok, it’s enough.» He was very satisfied. I wasn’t really surprised since hardly two years ago I had passed the test with flying colors in Quebec. Next, he asked me to go for a new blood test and an ultrasound of the liver. Once the results known, he called me to share with me his assessment.

He ended up telling me that all things considered he couldn’t find anything of special concern. What good news, no? Especially if the age is taken into account! This said, the greater weakness that afflicted me this year could be explained in the following way, he added. There is no doubt that I have a special problem with heat. But to this was added a combination of factors worsening my condition. They are as follows: age of course, the fact that my white cell count is on the border line – anemia -, that my physical exercise is not quite what it should be, and some external factor or other – a pill or other substance -, an element on which he questioned me. Unfortunately, I was unable, straight away, to enlighten him. In the end, he reassured me: I should not worry because there was no problem with my main organs.

The following day I return to my dermatologist who asks me to continue one of the former treatments twice a day and gives me a pill to take once a day for a month. The next morning I take the pill. Only just a few hours afterwards, my great general weakness comes back. I am flat, have no guts and feel miserable. The same weakness I had experienced at Ixopo and which I could not explain then! I call my pharmacist and ask him if she had prescribed me the same pill the first time. His answer is affirmative. Then everything becomes clear. That was what I could not identify when the specialist asked me about “some external factor or other”. So, I stop taking that famous pill right away. In any case, I can’t reach my dermatologist. The next day, Good Friday, I am already feeling better. As soon as possible after Easter I shall see my dermatologist. I am now 100% sure now that that pill finishes me. She will have to change it and give me something else, if possible of course.

To complete the picture regarding my skin problem and to put an end to this chapter about my health, my dermatologist asked me to try to identify in time what I get in touch with and causes my eczema to develop. Not an easy thing to do! It’s like looking for a needle in a hay stack. One touches so many things in a day! We’ll see.

In short, all should get back to normal again with time and the end of summer, which is stretching out unfortunately. This week I might go to our house of Merrivale which is situated much higher than we are here. This, to give a chance to my poor body to recover its strength more quickly. At last, I have finished with the little scratches of my poor little person.

Normally, I would have begun my teaching to the novices. But because of what I just shared with you, I must wait around for better times. The master of novices will reorganize the program accordingly. Our new group is composed of 11 young men coming from our various African provinces and regions.

Something else now. Once more, I am deprived of my land line phone since at least one month and a half now. Fortunately, most of the time I can reach from my room the Provincial’s rooter, which makes it possible for me to use the internet. I do not complain.

This year again, we have had the honor of offering something unique for the whole region in our cloister: the passion play of The Durban Players Guild. I talked about it last year already. It was a clear success.

Finally, one word about our very dear ex-President Zuma, who was forced to resign by his own party. Yes, finally! Nobody sings any longer “Zuma must go” since he is gone. With his hundreds of court cases and his renowned lawyers it’s clear that the newspapers will make good deals. His party had no longer the choice if it didn’t want to lose still more supporters in the population. Corruption, maladministration and incompetence had unfortunately become the lot of the ANC. Mr. Zuma and his gang were focused on trying to protect themselves, and their financial interests as well. This has been widely acknowledged by now.

The social aspect now. And finally! The situation did not improve unfortunately since my last circular. Violence, criminal offences and fatal speed on the roads continue. Around Mariannhill too. But I wouldn’t like to let you believe that all goes very bad here. No, no, South Africa is such a beautiful country, full of very good people. My friends of the Rotary Club and the beautiful youth I happen to meet remind me of that constantly. Yet, very unfortunately there are still many too many poor people. And this is, at least partly, what explains the violence I mentioned.

At last let’s put a full stop to this circular. I stop here because otherwise you will begin to doze or even complain about my dragging on.

I continue to pray for you every day, in a special way for some of you who are in greater need. I have a rather long list of the latter. I always do this just before going to sleep and I am very faithful in enumerating all the names on my list.

To each and every one of you my best cordial greetings and a very beautiful Easter time.

Till next time.

RUNDBRIEF, Mai-Juni 2018

Missionshaus St. Josef
Hauptstraße 1
86756 Reimlingen

Zu Beginn viele Dankesgrüße an Missionsfreunde, Verwandte und Bekannte in Deutschland und Österreich, oder anderswo unterwegs, um sonniges Frühlingswetter genießen zu können. Auf meinen letzten Rundbrief erreichten mich einige Anfragen, wie ich seit 1960 im aktiven Missionsdienst in so vielen Ländern mit verschiedenen Sprachen und Rassen zum Einsatz kam, und ob ich mich nicht nun im veränderten Europa etwas „fremd“ fühle. – Ja, gut geraten!

Die derzeitige kirchliche Entwicklung und Überfülle von Informationen im Bereich vieler digitaler und anderer Medien hierzulande erscheinen mir außergewöhnlich verwirrend.

Vergleichsweise traf ich in Afrika viele junge Leute, die freudig in den Kirchen singen und mit Leib und Seele lebhaft die Liturgie mitgestalten, während in Europa mehr ältere Personen in den Gottesdiensten andächtig und wohl ruhiger teilnehmen. Ja, da hab ich noch ein bisschen Heimweh nach den lebendigen Christengemeinden in Afrika. Darum ist es wohl verständlich, dass ich mit einigen Missionsstationen südlich des Äquators weiterhin in Verbindung stehe. – Nun zu Ihrer/Eurer Anfrage, wie und warum ich so oft und soweit herumgeschickt worden sei. Allerdings, dass die Aussaat des Evangeliums vielerlei gute Früchte trug, ist unserem gütigen Herrgott zu verdanken, der mir liebe und fleißige Eltern und Geschwister geschenkt hatte, auch tüchtige Lehrer, wohlmeinende Bischöfe und Obern, sowie nette Mitbrüder und gütige Schwestern überall. Meine Superioren meinten, ich wäre wegen guter Noten in Mathematik, Biologie, Latein, Griechisch und Hebräisch (vielleicht auch wegen der Bemerkung eines Turnlehrers, meine Weitsprünge seien „Olympia-verdächtig“) fürs Erziehungswesen geeignet. So sandten sie mich 1961 nach Spanien als Präfekt und Lehrer zur Ausbildung von Jungmissionaren. Zudem, erklärte ein Kollege ironisch, südlich der Pyrenäen beginne ja schon Afrika, wo so vieles einem „Spanisch“ vorkomme und meine Kenntnis von Bibelsprachen und paar Brocken Tschechisch und Russisch, seien dabei nützlich. Vorteilhaft sei mein Hauptfach Mathematik, so könne ich gleich einsteigen; denn Mathe und Naturkunde seien international, und mein Interesse an der Radiotechnik und am Amateurfunk würden meine diversen Sprachkenntnisse – auch von Deutsch – nicht einrosten lassen.

Über die Provinzleitung in Madrid erreichte mich 1967 ein Brief vom Missionsbischof Josef Grüter, er brauche dringend einen Mathematik Professor für seine High School auf der Mission Mariazell in Südafrika. So kam ich 1968 mit einem Ozeandampfer weit südlich des Äquators über Kapstadt und Durban in die Diözese Mthatha. Doch der nachfolgende Bischof H. Karlen war anderer Meinung, er benötige mich mehr als Lehrer für Kirchengeschichte am „Catechist Centre“ in Cwele Mission, um dort Katecheten und Gemeindeleiter auch für priesterlose Gottesdienste ausbilden zu helfen; also sofort vom Englisch-Sesotho auf die Xhosa Sprache umsatteln! – Doch bald wurde ich überraschend auf die Landsend Mission Farm geschickt, um für die Grundschule, den Schwestern Konvent CPS und das Lehrlingsheim der Handwerkerschule „Cane and Wicker Works“ (Bambus- und Weiden-Produkte) die Wasserpumpe und streikende Stromversorgung funktionsfähig zu machen, dabei auch als „Oberhirte“ von Schafen und Rindern, gleichsam als „Cowboy“ mich zu bewähren, sowie auf streunende Soldaten von der angrenzenden Militärbase aufzupassen, wenn die Ernte von Mais und Früchten Überwachung brauchte. Ich riet den Schwestern das Glockenläuten kurz vor Beginn der Hl. Messe zu unterlassen, damit unsere Andersgläubigen oder heidnischen Nachbarn nicht merken, wenn wir Kath. Christen in der Kirche seien, und jene ungestört die Zäune durchschnitten und in unserem Wäldchen Bau- und Feuerholz holten. Einige wagten sogar ihre Rinder, Schafe und Ziegen auf unser Weideland zu treiben, und so musste ich öfters mit deren Häuptlingen über jene Untugend ihrer Leute nachdrücklich, aber dennoch diplomatisch-friedlich verhandeln. –

Missionsgeschichtlich gesehen diente Landsend Farm als „Brotkorb“ während des 2. Weltkriegs für das Überleben des damaligen Apostolischen Vikariats Mthatha; aber nur „neutrale“ Personen, meistens aus der Schweiz, waren von der Kolonialherrschaft geduldet, andere wurden interniert.

Beim Abholen der frisch geweihten Heiligen Öle vor Ostern 1971 rief mich Bischof Henry Karlen sehr besorgt in sein Büro und bat mich inständig, meine Sachen zu packen, um so schnell wie möglich, zur weit verstreuten Pfarrgemeinschaft Cala-Elliot umzusiedeln, weil der dortige – etwas einsame – Diözesanpriester zusammen mit Auto und einer guten Krankenschwester plötzlich verschwunden sei. Zwar hatten kurzzeitig einige Priester auszuhelfen versucht, doch keiner konnte in jener weiten Diaspora-Gemeinde bleiben, um nachhaltig den verunsicherten Christen mit verschiedener Sprachen und kulturellen Traditionen – den Schwarzen, Weißen und Mischlingen – wieder Mut zu machen. Sogar akute partei-politische Spannungen komplizierten die Situation zwischen der Apartheid in Elliot (nord-westlich der Staatsgrenze) und der „unabhängigen“ Transkei Regierung mit vielfach anderen Gesetzen im südlichen Teil jener Grenzpfarre mit etwa 20 Basisgemeinden, bei ökumenischer Konkurrenz mit Anglikanern, Methodisten, Reformierten und eine Vielzahl anderer christlicher Gruppen. – Zur Konsolidierung der katholischen Ortskirche halfen mir Dr. Clemens M. Kmietsch (aus Mainz) und seine Frau Walburga (geb. Moser aus Salzburg), die seit etwa 1953 mit dem Missionsärztlichen Institut in Würzburg in Verbindung standen. Vor größeren Operationen pflegte Dr. Kmietsch mit seinen Arzthelfern zu beten, was auch von Andersgläubigen dankbar geschätzt wurde. Der musikalisch begabte Katechet T. Ncanisa in Cala und die Kreuzschwestern im Waisenheim dort und Dominikanerinnen im Krankenhaus ergänzten vorbildlich eine fruchtbare Missionsarbeit. Wir müssen solch tüchtigen Missionshelfern danken, und Vergelt´s Gott sagen!

In der Missionspfarrei Cala-Elliot-Ugie sah ich besonders die Wichtigkeit der Kranken- und Gefangenenseelsorge, wodurch man auch Verwandte tröstend beeinflussen kann, um so mit praktischer „Familienkatechese“, den Geist der christlichen Liebe und Hoffnung zu säen.

Die Mitverantwortung eines aktiven Pfarrgemeinderates in Zusammenarbeit von CHIRO-Jugend, Focolare und Pfadfindern wurde ebenfalls gefördert. Also gab ich diverse Kurse für Buchführung, realistische Rechenschaftsberichte und begleitete die Gläubigen aller Rassen zu gewisser Selbständigkeit. Dabei musste ich mich an Besuche und Verhöre von STASI-Agenten und regelmäßige Meldepflicht bei der Polizei gewöhnen; denn ich wäre angeblich ein „böhmischer Kommunist“, der viel zu sehr aktiv sei für soziale Gerechtigkeit aller Nationalitäten.

Im September 1975 wurde ich dringend zur Pfarrgemeinschaft Maclear-Tsolo-Qumbu gesandt mit Problemen auf beiden Seiten der damaligen Staatsgrenze Südafrika-Transkei, um arg verleumdetem Missionspersonal auch vor Gericht zu helfen. Dazu schickte mir Bischof Peter Buthelezi u. a. noch eine schwarze Nonne, die vom weißen Amtsbruder einer Nachbardiözese exkommuniziert wurde, weil sie bei einem Streitgespräch über Zuständigkeit mit einer Spray-Pistole auf jenen Bischof geschossen hätte, als er versuchte, ihren Schleier abzunehmen als Zeichen der Entlassung aus ihrem Orden. Sie hatte prompt nach Rom appelliert gegen ihre Entlassung und ich sollte sie während der Wartezeit bis zur Entscheidung begleiten. Dabei sei mein Lizenziat der Missionswissenschaft von der Päpstlichen Uni Urbaniana nützlich. Zusammen mit dem tapferen Erzbischof D. Hurley konnten wir gerechten Frieden stiften. Öfters wurde ich wie eine „Pastorale Feuerwehr“ in der Mthatha Diözese eingesetzt, auch zuweilen über die Diözesangrenzen um Hilfe gerufen, oder zu Konferenzen in Nachbarländern geschickt oder zur Visitation in Kenya. Der Auffrischungskurs an der Gonzaga Uni/Spokane in USA, mit Einladung als Dolmetscher kurz nach Mexico, tat mir sehr gut. Dann bat mich Bischof Andrew Zolile, die katholische Studentenseelsorge an der staatlichen Universität in Mthatha zu reaktivieren, unterstützt von Bischof Oswald Hirmer. – Ferner gehörten ein paar Jahre Vize-Rektor und Studentenbusfahrer in Merrivale und Dozent am Zentralseminar in Cedara auch zu meinem Programm, sowie pastorale Aushilfen in KwaZulu-Natal und Mosambik; dann wurde ich wieder zurückgerufen als Seelsorger der Rehab Institution Ikhwezi Lokusa und als Kaplan des Glen Avent Konvents CPS im Ostkapland in Südafrika… .Dazu schrieb mir Bischof Sipuka, ich solle weiterhin im Ruhestand als sein Konsultor bleiben. Der weite Missionsdienst überrascht halt öfters.

Ich hoffe, Ihre/Eure Fragen hiermit einigermaßen genügend beantwortet zu haben, und wünsche Ihnen/Euch allen Gottes steten Schutz und Segen. Mit nochmaligen frohen Dankesgrüßen,

Pater Franziskus-A. Jank CMM Tel. 09081 2970 134

Circular letter 03/2018 20 June 2018

Dear confreres,

I. Introduction

I wish to sincerely thank our confreres Fr. Raphael Phiri CMM and Fr. Thamsanqa Njiyela CMM and the Emaus Heritage team for arranging such a beautiful celebration of the death anniversary of Abbot Francis. The theme of the celebration was: Abbot Francis Pfanner, the missionary pioneer in 200 years of the Catholic Church in South Africa. During the ceremony we lit the candle to honour Abbot Francis Pfanner, all the zealous Trappists who came with him as well as all the CMM and CPS missionaries who sacrificed their lives for the sake of the Gospel in our land. It was time to take stock of our lives and ask ourselves whether we are still prophetic and zealous missionaries at our present time. Fr. John Chikadi CMM, the Provincial Superior of Mthatha, presided over the Holy Eucharist. Fr. Mthembeni Dlamini CMM was the preacher of the day and Fr. Bheki Shabalala CMM spoke on the theme of the celebration (The copy of the speech is attached). Hundreds of the faithful graced the ceremony. Many priests, sisters and the laity from Mthatha joined the pilgrimage this year and the choir from Mthatha led us in the liturgy. I thank all the confreres who brought the faithful from their parishes. We had a strong presence from Elandskop parish where Fr. Immanuel Ndlovu CMM and Deacon Lindelwa Dlamini CMM are working. We hope that as more people embrace the virtues of Abbot Francis Pfanner, his process of beatification and canonization will be speeded up.

2. Priestly ordination of Deacon David Gowelo CMM

It is with absolute joy that I announce the priestly ordination of Deacon David Gowelo CMM on the 28th June 2018 at Witbank cathedral at 10am. Bishop Joe Sandri MCCJ, bishop of Witbank, will ordain him and one local seminarian who will be ordained deacon. Although it will be a Sunday, you are all invited and encouraged to attend the ceremony. Hearty congratulations deacon Gowelo! The confreres who wish to attend the ordination from Mariannhill and Mozambique must indicate to me before the end of this month so that we can plan accommodation and transport.

3. Annual Retreat

Our Provincial annual retreat will take place at Mariannhill Coolock from the 16th -22nd September 2018. It will begin with supper and an official opening on Sunday evening. Fr. Ntlalonhle Dlamini TOR will direct the retreat. Kindly indicate to the Provincial’s office before the 16th of August if you will attend the retreat. You are all encouraged to attend these spiritual exercises that are meant to build our fraternity and to deepen our spirituality.

4. Farewell to Dr. Rod Moffat

On the 11th June 2018 during a special supper, the Monastery community bade farewell to Dr. Moffat who has retired at age 83. He ministered to the community as a house doctor for thirty years free of charge. He was presented with some Monastery symbolic gifts and a certificate for the recognition of his medical service. He gave a moving speech about how much he appreciates the Monastery and our community. As a result, he has arranged with Dr. Carpenter, mission doctor, who works at Dennis Hurley Centre to continue looking after our community as a house doctor pro bono. We thank God for such good people. Dr. Kheswa also provides medical care pro bono to our confreres at Mater Dolorosa once every week. Of course once they have referred the patient to the specialist or hospital, we pay the usual exuberant medical bills.

5. Conference room at Mariannhill Coolock

There is a house annex to the main building in Mariannhill Coolock. The house has four rooms and a big room which was used as a conference room. Because of old facilities in the rooms and a poor structure of the house which was flooded with water several times resulting in destroying the carpet on the floor, a renovation was needed urgently. The work began at the end of May and it is expected to be completed at the end of June. The renovation was supported by the Korean Catholics whom Fr. Mathew Kim CMM met in his various visits and encounters. When the renovation is complete, we will have four en suite rooms with a new conference facility. This will help us to accommodate more people and it will allow us to accommodate two groups at the same time since we also have a smaller conference facility within the main house. South Coast suffers from water shortages hence there is a need to buy another 10,000 litters water tank. We also need new chairs for the new conference room. We thank Fr. Kim for his fundraising efforts. We thank you, confreres, for your continued financial support. Let us continue to support this project as far as we can. You will receive a full report of how the house has fared once Fr. Gideon Sibanda CMM and Bro. Tendai Gandanzara CMM have visited the place and all our other business entities for evaluation.

7. Veneration of the Sacred Heart in June

Abbot Francis Pfanner had great devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the most Precious Blood of Jesus. Following in his footsteps, Abbot Gerald Wolpert solemnly dedicated Mariannhill and all its mission stations to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1911. When Mariannhill survived the First World War of 1914 without any attack, Abbot Gerald Wolpert made a solemn vow that during the whole month of June there will be adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the whole diocese to thank the Lord for the protection. He vowed that a Sacred Heart chapel will be erected at the hill where the Monastery was originally supposed to be built. Indeed, in 1919 this promise of building the votive chapel was fulfilled and the tradition of the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament continues during the month of June until today. Unfortunately, many members of the faithful and some young priests in the diocese are not aware of this precious history. Next year the Sacred Heart Chapel will celebrate 100 years of its establishment! It is a good occasion for CMM confreres working in the parishes that they bring some parishioners to celebrate the day with the Monastery and CPS Convent communities on that special hill. I invite you to discuss this idea in your Zone meetings. We need to preserve and keep alive these special devotions which form part of our charism and spirituality.

8. New appointments

Fr. Vukani Mbuso Masango CMM and Fr. Syabonga Nicholas Mbeje CMM have been re-appointed as rector and vice rector of Abbot Francis House respectively. The term of service is three years. We sincerely thank you, confreres, for your hard labour in guiding our formees. May God richly reward you!

9. Donations from parishes

According to the contracts that we have with the dioceses that we serve, we have a right to fundraise for our Congregation and Province. Some parishes have done these campaigns faithfully over the past years e.g. Queensburg/Bellair, Raisethorpe, St. Joseph’s in Middelburg, Christ the King, Portshepstone etc. We thank you sincerely for your support. This year Queensburg/Bellair parish has contributed R7084,00 towards the formation of our brothers. St. Joseph parish, Midelburg have contributed R4000,00 towards the education of our brothers. I encourage the confreres who have not started these fundraising campaigns to please do so. I am available to come and address the faithful in any parish if confreres in parishes need my assistance.

May I also remind you that in parishes where a priest receives more than one mass intention to persolve on Sunday or during weekdays, he has an obligation to send one mass stipend to the Province. I thank those confreres who do this faithfully. I also thank those confreres who fetch mass intentions from the bursar and persolve them faithfully. That is your contribution to the Province and we appreciate it.

10. Repair of the Monastery Tower Clock

About 115 years ago Bro. Nivard Streicher CMM, the great architect, applied for donations in Germany in order to install Mariannhill Monastery and Maria Ratschitz parish tower clocks. The firm by the name FENDT accepted the application and sent the clocks to Mariannhill 114 years ago. Many brothers have taken good care of our Monastery clock. Bro. Herman Krausert CMM, God rest his soul, even had the ability to fix it whenever necessary. Unfortunately, the clock at Maria Ratschitz does not operate anymore. At the moment Bro. Konrad Diethei CMM takes good care of the clock and Bro. Terence assists us when Bro. Konrad is away. Lately the roller brush that turns the pendulum of the clock was not functioning properly which resulted in a clock being erratic. Last year November Bro. Konrad attended the Centenary celebration of the death of Theodor Fendt, the founder of Fendt firm and he received a donation to fix our clock. Mr. Peter Flow who repaired the Reichenau Mill and his friend Micheal are working on the plan to fix the clock. They hope to finish the job before the end of this month. We are grateful to the brothers who look after our precious clock and tower and all the people of good will who have assisted us to keep the clock turning. Once the clock is fixed, Bro. Konrad wishes to introduce another younger confrere on how to maintain the clock.

11. Course for preparations for perpetual profession

Frts. Leopolodo Manuel CMM and Petardo Cachepa CMM will participate in the above mentioned course at Mariannhill Coolock. Fr. Patrick Chongo CMM, General councilor, and other participants from other Units will arrive on Friday 22 June.

12. Home leave for Fr. Superior General

The Superior General Fr. Thulani Mbuyisa CMM is due for home-leave in July this year. He will arrive at our Unit on the 01st July and leave on the 31st July 2018. Welcome home baba! Enjoy your well-deserved rest. He will join us for the ordination in Witbank and for our feast on the 26th July 2018.

Conclusion

Pfanner Development Centre, which is run by Fr. Vincent Mdabe CMM and Mrs. Judy Fiegland, has been at the service of our community and the local people for the past few years. In April this year it completed 10 years of its establishment. Besides the work that the office renders to our community in land and property issues, it also houses offices for various organizations that also provide service and skills development to our society i.e. Catholic Schools Board, Masithuthukisane, Eye Clinic, Community Outreach Centre, Caritas, Justice and Peace office and Phenduka and Qhawe Investment.

In December this year we shall have a celebration to mark the 10th year anniversary of Pfanner Development Centre. You will be informed of the date accordingly. We are grateful that this year, through the Development Office and the assistance of our young brothers and candidates, we raised R100,000,00 from the sales of the Christmas stocking. I thank the brothers who participated in the sale of the stockings. Mrs. Ellaine Naicker and Aqua transport are the official sponsors of this fundraising campaign. May God bless them and their business.

May I remind you confreres that June is a month dedicated to the youth in South Africa. Let us remember them in our prayers that God may always show them the right way amidst all the challenges that they face. We wish them, our young brothers, candidates and CMM teachers/professors a restful winter holiday as the schools close this week!

Yours faithfully

Fr. Bheki Shabalala CMM

Provincial Superior

Mariannhill, 28. Juli 2018

Hallo Ihr Lieben zuhause,

in meinem letzten Rundbrief möchte ich euch erzählen, was in den letzten Wochen meines MaZ-Jahres noch so passiert ist.

Schwester Clair, meine Verantwortliche, wurde nach Mariannhill versetzt, um das Guesthouse Tre Fontane – ein Gästehaus des Konvents – zu führen, bis sich Ersatz für Schwester Winfried findet, die das Guesthouse vorher geleitet hatte. Für meine letzten fünf Wochen in Südafrika bin ich also nach Mariannhill umgezogen. Das Guesthouse befindet sich gegenüber des Konvents der Missionsschwestern vom Kostbaren Blut in Mariannhill.

Ich arbeite im Guesthouse überall dort, wo Hilfe benötigt wird: ich decke die Tische ein, sortiere Abstellkammern aus, putze den Lift, erneuere alte Hinweisschilder, staube ab, bearbeite Holzoberflächen mit Poliermittel, räume die Bücherei auf, fahre zum Einkaufen, ich helfe beim Backen und Bügeln (unsere Mangel ist kaputt, deshalb müssen alle Bettbezüge per Hand gebügelt werden) und erledige noch viele andere Aufgaben, die mir Schwester Clair jeden Tag gibt.

Einer alten Leidenschaft gehe ich hier in Mariannhill zusammen mit Schwester Clair neuerdings nach Feierabend nach: Wir beide sitzen jeden Abend an Puzzles, die wir im Guesthouse gefunden haben und überprüfen so, ob diese vollständig und noch einsetzbar sind.

Am 14. Juli 2018 fand in Mariannhill das Professjubiläum einiger Schwestern statt:

Schwester Regina (Ixopo) 60 Jahre, Schwester Margarete (Ixopo) 65 Jahre, Schwester Cassiani (Mariannhill) 65 Jahre und Schwester Lukas (Mariannhill) 50 Jahre. Die Feier wurde mit einer sehr festlichen Hl. Messe mit Kardinal Wilfried Napier begonnen. Nach der Messe gab es für alle Gäste und Schwestern zusammen im Speisesaal des Konvents Mittagessen.

Vom 23. bis 27. Juli 2018 waren Schwester Clair und ich noch ein letztes Mal in Ixopo. Schwester Clair musste den Science-Expo-Kurs (Jugend forscht in Südafrika) noch beenden. Wir waren immer von morgens 8 Uhr bis nachmittags 15 Uhr in Mariathal, einer Ortschaft 10 km entfernt von Ixopo. Einige Projekte waren sehr interessant, zum Beispiel: Ziegelsteine aus alten Plastikflaschen und Sand herstellen, Bergbau auf dem Mond, Mathematik der Aloe-Pflanze.

Am Mittwoch dieser Woche fand in Ixopo auch die Beerdigung von Schwester Frances Götte statt, der ältesten Schwester in Ixopo, die im Alter von 95 Jahren verstorben ist. Es waren viele Schwestern und Bekannte von Schwester Frances gekommen.

Am Freitag, 27. Juli 2018, musste ich dann endgültig von meinen Schwestern in Ixopo Abschied nehmen. Ich werde alle Schwestern vermissen und sie in guter Erinnerung behalten. Sie sind mir ans Herz gewachsen.

Am 7. August fliege ich nach Hause zurück. Die Zeit hier verging jetzt am Ende wirklich sehr schnell. Ich habe mein MaZ-Jahr als sehr wertvoll empfunden, bringe viele wunderbare Eindrücke mit nach Hause und habe in diesem Jahr viel für mein weiteres Leben gelernt. Ich denke, meine Zeit in Südafrika wird mein weiteres Leben immer prägen. Vieles war faszinierend.

Nun möchte ich mich bei allen ganz herzlich bedanken, die dieses Jahr für mich möglich und schön gemacht haben, sei es durch Spenden, durch Beistand, durch Nachrichten oder Grüße von daheim.

Ein ganz besonderer Dank gilt natürlich dem MaZ-Team, meinen südafrikanischen Schwestern und ganz besonders Schwester Clair, die mir besonders in Krisenzeiten immer geholfen und Kraft gegeben haben.

Viele liebe Grüße aus Südafrika und bis ganz bald,

Franziska

Dear friends of Mariannhill PNG!

Greetings from a rainy Lae! Heavy rains are the normal thing in Lae in this season of the year! We send you also buckets full of love and blessings!

After this pictural meditation on technical progress and its conse-quences for human involvement in the solution of related problems, let me first give you some news about our own CMM members and the CPS Sisters here in Lae.

You may remember from the latest Tanget that in January Bishop Christian Blouin underwent a heart operation in Manila, Philippines. Well, after a successful operation he came back to PNG on the 10th of April, two and a half months later, with Sister Henriqueta Muchate, CPS, who had accompanied him to Manila, and was there at his side, representing, to say so, the whole diocese.

On the 11th Bishop Chris first paid a visit to the General Hospital and then he and Sister Henriqueta flew to Lae.

Since then, Bishop Chris has been steadily recovering from his heart operation and is now practically back to normal. Congratulations!

The Centre of Mercy is happy to have Sister Henriqueta back at her daily care of the sick, after three months of absence.

Fortunately, Sister Salome Karara, CPS, got finally registered as medical officer in PNG and is now fully engaged in the Centre of Mercy, which daily treats hundreds of patients.

On the 23rd of April we, CMM, came together in Mariannhill House, Eriku, to discuss the Visitation Letter we had received from Fr. General. Our main challenge is to strike a balance between community life and pastoral engagement. As you know already, we are an extremely pluricultural community: 9 members of 7 different nationalities, and soon, Deo volente, 10 members and 8 nationalities! Is that part of the globalization?

On the 24th of May, the anniversary of the death of Abbot Francis, we came together in Mariannhill House for common reflection and prayer. In the evening, together with the CPS Sisters, we celebrated the Eucharist and had an abundance of delicious pizza in the “haus win”.

A few days later, on the 28th of May Fr. Krzysztof Zacharuk took a well deserved home-leave after another three years in the Diocese of Lae, caring mainly for the 8 Catholic Siassi communities. One of our priests in the Diocese will have to take from time to time the boat to Siassi during Fr. Krzysztof’s three months absence, so that those communities can celebrate the Eucharist.

And interesting news referring to Fr. Sido van der Werf, who is since last year back in the Netherlands but has been for 53 years in PNG. On the 11th of June, Queen Elizabeth’s 92nd birthday, a new list of people to be awarded a Commonwealth conde-coration was published. Well, Fr. Sido is on the list of those to be made “Officer of the British Empire” because of his longstanding service to – as it is mentioned – “education and to the Catholic Church in Morobe Province”. Congratulations, Sido! The British Empire should be happy to have also this kind of “conquerors”!

On the 1st of July Fr. Brian Nonde went on home-leave. He is the parish priest at St. Stephan’s, 3 Mile, and in charge of the Catholic Radio in Lae.

Fr. Arnold Schmitt went on home-leave on the 3rd of July. As Fr. Arnold is the Vicar General of the Diocese and the appointment of the new Bishop is in the air, it was difficult for him to decide on an opportune date for going on home-leave, due this year. But as there are signs that the appointment is still going to take a few months, he was advised to go now.

We wish our confreres on home-leave a good rest from their intense pastoral activity here and a safe return to “Paradise”.

That even PNG, home of the bird of Paradise, doesn’t escape from the general condition of our dear mother earth of being “paradise lost”, became again clear at a Church-Government workshop on sorcery which took place in Lae from 22 to 24 May. All Churches took part. Bishop Chris was also invited.

The workshop was a follow-up of a Church conference on sorcery held in Lae from 14th to 16th November 2016. The workshop addressed the still wide-spread belief in sorcery and witchcraft and especially the increase in sorcery accusation related violence, which normally brings about – now as in the past – the torturing and killing of the persons accused.

The Churches have worked out a strategic plan on sorcery beliefs and “sorcery accusation related violence” (SARV), but nobody expects a rapid change in sorcery related “events”. As one Lutheran Bishop put it: “The most important step is to come up with an approach to change the mindset of our people, to change the way they see and interpret issues related to sickness and death. People continue to blame each other.” (The National, May 29, 2018, p. 6)

As proof is difficult, suspicions are enough to launch an accusation; anyone can be accused and punishment is served instantly.

Therefore, there are two levels on which people should be educated towards change:

1. the level of awareness about the causes of sickness through education and information;

2. the level of how to deal with accusations, developing an evidence-based research framework and eradicating the traditional “instant justice”.

As was the case in Europe in times of witch-hunt, women are the ones who more frequently are accused of sorcery, tortured and killed. It thus becomes a part of gender based violence.

We need an sort of Enlightenment as Europe in the 17th century, but especially brave people who stand up against “spontaneous” accusations in their own environment.

On Tuesday, the 8th of May, we celebrated the 15th anniversary of the start of our Catholic Radio in Lae at the Diocesan Offices, where the Radio Station is housed and from where it operates.

Fr. Brian Nonde, who is in charge of the Radio, welcomed the guests, among them many who had supported with means and work the Radio. Bishop Christian Blouin highlighted the occasion, and Harry Bulunasoi, one of our ex-seminarians and now fully engaged at the Radio, showed in a powerpoint the short history of the Radio station. Then a brunch was offered.

The Catholic Radio plays an important part in the evangelization, and we are all happy that it is back to full operation.

Bishop Henry van Lieshout saw its importance, and he sourced funds, especially in his home parish in Venlo, Holland, to set up the Radio in Lae. From the 8th of May 2003 on, the radio became an instrument for sowing the Gospel values of peace, solidarity, reconciliation and safety in the Morobe Province, especially in Lae, plagued at that time by increasing criminality and ethnic clashes.

The Catholic Radio FM 103.7 became popular not only among Catholics, but also among a wider public. It became a radio for the people.

However, the growth was mainly external. There are many listeners, but few personnel is working at the Radio, and is doing so with equipment not renovated since 15 years. An update of equipment and an increase of personnel are urgent. A campaign to bring in new funds has been started generously by our Swiss CMM Province, but – needless to say – help is welcome from anywhere. Direct contact can be established via cathfm103.7@g mail.com.

Once every four years the federation of the Catholic Bishops Conferences of Oceania assembles. This year it did so in Port Moresby. All Cardinals, Archbishops and Bishops of the Catholic Church in Oceania came together for this meeting from the 11th till the 17th of April. Eighty-one participants took part in this assembly of whom 75 were bishops from Oceania. From Rome the Secretary of State of the Vatican, Cardinal Pietro Parolin had come.

The theme of the assembly was “Care for our common home of Oceania – a sea of possibilities”. Let us hope that many possibilities blossom and give abundant fruit!

And, last but not least, a very local news item, just at the doorsteps of St. Joseph’s Station:

The normal running of St. Joseph Catholic Technical School, set up by our CMM Brothers in the sixties at 8 Mile, Lae, suffered a major setback, when on the 19th of April suddenly the pressure was off the water taps. The cause turned out to be a burnt-out electrical pump. The immediate search for a new one revealed that all companies were out of stock. The new pump had to come from Australia. Most of the 300 plus students were sent home. Two and a half weeks later they came back and classes continued.

Rainy Lae, indeed! But for running an institution like St. Joseph’s Technical School, rainwater turns out not to be enough. Let us say YES to technical progress, including asphalt, pumps and, of course, a good Radio Station!

From all of us:

God bless, and till next time

December 26 2018

Dear friends,

It would be attempting the impossible to make you believe that I am freezing here. The truth is that the temperature goes from 15/19 to 30/39-40 – plus the temperature-humidity index – according to the day or the hour of the day. We are almost there, at the heart of summer! And no need to say that I need my ventilator, even at night. Moreover, I take my energizing drink daily, a prescription from my doctor. Apart from that and the fact that I must rest much – I am often “caput” -, life is beautiful!

I think of you often since my home leave to Quebec is coming very quickly. My “triumphant” arrival” !!!??? Ah, ah! – will be around April 25/27 2019.

I do what I can considering the limitations of the “little old man” and “greenhorn” that I am with my 75 years of age. I even try to do it with enthusiasm, which however I must re-dynamize each day.

Unfortunately, the process of beatification of Abbot Francis stagnates since too long. One of the main reasons is that my productivity is so low during the whole summer that once the season is over, I have to make up for the time lost during that long period.

I will soon end my teaching to our novices. There are still only four instructions. My last one will be next January 18. I wanted to stop in 2018, but after the heartfelt and “reasonable” pleas of the novice master, I gave up. However, I made him accept to find somebody else for 2019. One day I will no longer be here and he will have to find somebody else by all means. I don’t belong to those who think they are irreplaceable. It’s better to start right now to tackle the issue of finding a successor as soon as possible than to improvise at the last minute. But I must say that the temptation to “hope against all hope” is strong, which obliged me to show determination. We have ten novices at the moment. Unfortunately, I will be letting behind me what, deep down, gives me great satisfaction: to teach to young adults. Early in the year 2018 I had refused to teach also to our postulants.

I celebrated the Christmas mass at our CPS Convent at 7:30 pm on the 24th. I then joined my confreres later in the night for a short festive moment with them. Went to bed at around 23:30 pm. The morning mass was at 7:00 am. Tonight we have our traditional BBQ (braai) inside the cloister. These days I hope to be able to find somebody to replace me at the CPS Convent for a few days. It won’t be easy, but I will try. I would like to go and spend a few days at Mthatha where at this time is one of our theology students, one of my spiritual sons. I would take advantage of the trip to see him, but mainly to switch off for a short while. A very short break! Don’t laugh now please. Don’t forget that I also work on every Saturday and Sunday that the Good Lord brings (at least a few hours).

Before ending, a few news concerning my adoption country, South Africa. The mood is rather pessimistic. Our economy has slowed down, there are so many children still out of school and we suffer from massive unemployment. In our Natal province the rate of people killed in road traffic has increased by 16% since last year. Besides, and this is horrible, a total of 2.09 million crimes (a variety of 17 different types) was recorded in 2018. Good news, however, the rate has gone down by 4,4% since last year! Now, to that one must add the allegations of “state capture,” which have combined to form a dark cloud that overshadows the promise of 1994 and puts in the shade a country which, on the other hand – and you know it -, is characterized by a great beauty. Yes, these problems are too real unfortunately. Corruption is omnipresent…and very, very heavy. A week ago, I confessed a lady who works for the government and she cried bitterly until the end of her confession on account of what she witnesses daily right in front of her. That makes you cry indeed. Millions of Rands, and more, are swept under the carpet. Finally, let me just mention by the way the killing of members of the same political party. If you want to make money, come here and be a lawyer.

This said, one must not, by all means, loose sight – it is so easy! – that a lot has also gone right, that life is much better than it was in 1994. To give but one example, in fact, the number of South Africans with a job has doubled from nearly 8 million to just over of 16 million today. A second example if you wish, the number of families cooking with electricity (an excellent indicator of living standards) has increased from just over 4 million in 1996 to just under 14 million today – or from less than 50% to more than 80%. And the number of families with access to clean water has doubled.

Finally, since we have a new president – who must navigate very prudently if he doesn’t want to break his neck – there are many inquiry commissions that work at cleaning things up within the government itself and in all the state entities. They are far from idle. But the process is long, painful and we don’t see yet the results, that is, the serial sentences and incarcerations. They are slowly coming up however. I am still hopeful therefore.

Let me close now. I wish to each and every one of you a Christmas season filled with peace and rich in beautiful surprises. A Christmas of great hope! Quoting Saint Paul, I wish for you “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable.” (Phil 4:7-8). We need that, more than ever, for when we probe the world of ours, and our Church too, grappling with its scandals, it is so easy to lose hope. We must be far-sighted. Did not our Church prove, beyond her worse periods, that Christ is stronger than his poor institution, which will always be indigent and inadequate because she is made of men and women of flesh and blood, marked by the original sin – which must not become a justification however.
I leave you now for I need right now a good cup of coffee.

Fr. Yves

19 April 2017

Dear friends,

Honour to whom honour is due! First and foremost, the Risen Lord. I wish you an excellent Easter time, rich in peace and joy. May this period grant you the gift of an always positive look on life and on your own lives and experiences! Life always has the last word.

This year, the holy week did not grant me any respite. How could it have done this? Being the chaplain of our convent in Mariannhill, I had special celebrations almost every day of the week. Actually, I could have been exempted from Good Friday’s ceremony, but at the Monastery, they got hold of me – we are only a few priests here. And then, on Wednesday a funeral was added to the load of my celebrations. But I survived. Deo gratias!

This regular ministry to our sisters keeps me busier than I had anticipated. Apart from the daily celebrations, I must visit the sick sisters in the infirmary. I also resumed my teaching to the novices. Our new group is composed of five novices, two from Zambia and three from Kenya. I must say that I am dynamized by the fact that it is one of the best groups – if not the best – I ever had to date. Up to now, they are dynamic in the classroom, with good dispositions and authentically interested. Sometimes, I also have confessions in parishes. In addition, next month I will have a wedding. I don’t have them often for I am not well know here around, thanks be to God, this on account of the nature of my main task. This time it is a member of my Rotary club. I could not refuse.

Something else now. And something of another nature. I am without a land line phone since practically the beginning of the year. Here, it’s the third world in that field. It’s a bit difficult to imagine that because South Africa is one of the most developed countries of the whole Africa. But it’s a fact. How often I called the company, I don’t know anymore. I even phoned sometimes every two days. I will start again to annoy them after I have finished this circular. I am told that they will take care of my case, but it falls into a void. I call back, they tell me another story, then, the day after, it’s another explanation. And so on. Part of the problem lies in the fact that the company cannot rely on its employees. Therefore each one is sent for a very specific task, and only for that one. So, often the employee repairs a line, yes, but at the same time damages another one, so old is the system. How many times this did happen! Fortunately, most of the time I can at least get the signal of the Provincial’s office and can therefore use the internet. When he has a problem, he uses mine…when it functions of course. I shall see. This means that if you wish to reach me by phone, and do not succeed, you have to use my cellular number, which is 071.506.5860.

I rambled from one area to the next. Yes, unfortunately! I am a bit in a hurry, excuse me. Here we celebrated the beatification of our Fr. Engelmar Unzeitig on last 2 February because our Provincial arrived a bit late after the general chapter. I had to prepare hastily a special prayer for the occasion. All went well. I now pray to him every day for some of you. I have a rather long list of names. I always pray before going to bed. I am very faithful in enumerating all the names and cases on my list.

Last 9 April we had the privilege of offering something unique in the area, and even in the country. A private company, The Durban Players Guild (the actors are all volunteers), executes the passion every year according to a mitigated model of Oberamergau in Germany. The actors use the cloister of our Monastery to this end. It is the second time that the show is presented within our walls. It will continue in the future. A contract has been signed to that end between the company and us. A unique show! The company puts its material into storage here.

Let’s now move to the marvellous and enchanting world of South African politics. Since some time already the tune «Zuma must go» is played over and over again on the radio. But our president never goes. Lately his party, the ANC, finally decided not to ask for his resignation, this after the opposition of a growing number of its tenors and of other public personalities of various groups and following a downfall of our economy and currency. The problem is that if one attacks Zuma from inside the party, the latter knows too much about them. In addition, he has too many good friends. This is to say that the crisis is not only that of a president battling against corruption and maladministration, it’s that of a whole party. And it is the same Zuma who in 2009 spoke eloquently about the need of a moral code for the nation.

Our country is going through a difficult period from the political and economic points of view. Our President has sent back home his Finance Minister, who had the confidence of the great financial institutions and of the developed countries. Furthermore, he changed several other members of his cabinet. This was marked by a lack of transparency, but above all by a very negative impact on the value of the Rand. Obviously, the masses of the poor are most affected by that, certainly not the “Zuma gang.” It was such a crisis that all the newspapers were talking only about that. The Church too has moved in this protest through the conference of the bishops, the Jesuit magazine and the South African Catholic newspaper, the Soutern Cross, declaring that it was a matter of vital interest for all the South Africans. Corruption, mismanagement and incompetence are unfortunately a matter of the ANC itself. The President and his gang are just trying to safeguard their own financial interests. This is largely recognized now.

Lately, important voices within the ANC have issued a forthright criticism of Mr Zuma and his backers, most significantly that of the secretary-general, Gwede Mantashe, and parliamentary chief whip, Jackson Mthembu. This indicates that there is finally a groundswell within the ANC that is prepared to challenge Mr Zuma. But we can take some comfort in knowing that things could be so much worse, like in some other countries. Here at least journalists who reveal our state of corruption or commentators who speak out against it are not arrested and put into prison. The press freedom still allows for the corruption to become public knowledge. This said, even if this freedom exists, it would be consoling ourselves much too easily to be content with a situation in which the survival of the President and of its group is more important that the good of the nation. We even witnessed the last weeks a number of protest marches in the big cities of the country. But one must also say that the supporters of the President have also marched. We are waiting now to see if the members of the ANC in parliament will be able to enjoy the right of the secret vote when the time comes for the vote of non-confidence submitted by the opposition parties. We shall see.

Finally, a few words on the social situation. It did not improve unfortunately since my last circular letter. Violence and serious criminal offences have not stopped. They continue. Around Mariannhill too.

In good Canadian that I am, I must not forget the weather. Our summer got extended significantly this year. It didn’t want to end. My Lent was therefore very long. Actually, it finally ended the last days – so it seems at least; I cross my fingers. All of a sudden, last Thursday, we moved from summer to winter without any notice. I had to take out my winter blanket for I was shivering in my bed. So, we are beginning our autumn now. I hope it will last as long as possible since I am an autumn man, a man of the before-death. The climate suits me very well.

I would not like to make you believe that all is going bad here. No, no, South Africa is such a beautiful country, full of good people. My friendships at the Rotary Club and the beautiful youth I happen to meet sometimes remind me of that constantly. It’s only sad that there are still so many poor, a situation that creates the violence I spoke about.

I stop here, otherwise, it will be a book that I will have to read. To each and every one of you my best and cordial greetings.

Until next time.

Fr. Yves La Fontaine, CMM

Dear friends of Mariannhill PNG!

Greetings from Lae, from where I send you this first TANGET of 2017.

On the 18th and 19th of January we, CMM in PNG, had our Annual Assembly, deliberating on the challenges lying ahead. And they were mainly the challenges the Diocese faces. Bishop Christian Blouin gave a detailed account of them and made clear where he would like Mariannhill to step in. One field is the Catholic Radio and fortunately we have now a confrere, Fr. Brian Nonde, already formed and skilled in that area. Another field is the formation of the faithful, with the Diocesan Pastoral Centre at St. Joseph’s Station as important point of reference. How to balance this need with the need of pastors for the parishes?

In the first months of 2017 we had some reshuffle of tasks and responsibilities. Fr. Brian is working hard on restarting the Radio, which temporally was closed down. At the same time he has been put in charge of St. Stephen’s Parish, taking over from Fr. Sido v.d. Werf.

Fr. Roland Matoyi has been appointed parish priest of St. Therese in Kamkumung, while the Bishop has given him also an important mission with the Diocesan Youth.

Fr. Krzysztof Zacharuk, up to now in charge of St. Therese, is now the parish priest of the Siassi parish with a total of eight churches and communities.

As Fr. Krzysztof will be mainly residing on Siassi, he resigned as local Superior of Mariannhill House. This task was taken over by Br. Yvon Bourret.

Br. Yvon has a lot of experience with local management and under his guidance the renovation of the building, already started before, is progressing well.

Thus quite a few of us started the New Year with new responsibilities.

Others are suffering (or enjoying) less changes. Fr. Ludwig Teika is already more than half a year parish priest of St. Michael’s and getting used to all the work involved having also at his pastoral care St. Mary’s Primary School and the National Polytechnic Institute of PNG, both belonging to his parish.

Fr. Ludwig with parishioners on the school grounds of St. Mary’s

Primary School.

While our two student-confreres Alois Gende and Wilfred Salhun are going towards their final year in Zambia, our Mariannhill College in Bomana is rented out to the Dominicans who needed more rooms than their own College can provide.

The New Year didn’t welcome everybody with good news. On the 1stof January patients of a remote area in PNG found the following note pinned on the door of their rural health centre:

All medicines finished – 31-12-16

-No medicine against cough

-No pain killers

-No plaster for dressing wounds

Happy New Year 2017 to you

and take care of yourselves!

New supply not arrived yet.

If sick, go to another hospital

The note reflected, of course, only part of the health care situation of the country and contrasts sharply with the dedication, care and good-will that comes from people, individuals and institutions.

We could witness the positive side a few weeks ago, on the 18th of March, when at the Backroad in Lae a Health Centre was opened as part of the new parochial structure, in which the Diocese of Lae has put a lot of energy, especially through its Vicar General and our confrere Fr. Arnold Schmitt, and the financial support of generous donors, many of them from overseas. (You who are reading this may be one of them. Thanks so much!) The Health Centre needed alone for its construction some 850.000 Kina. Now comes the functioning, with the needed medicines and nurses. The Government has promised help, but the printed promises have not been followed up by printing the money! The Catholic Health Services will temporarily pay two nurses, waiting for the Government to take over these charges.

Some 400 people attended the ceremony. The Health Centre is badly needed, as that area of Lae is far away from any health facility.

Health Centre “Mary, Queen of Peace” on the 18th of March 2017.

The day before, on the 17th of March, St. Joseph’s Technical School celebrated its Patron Saint.

Fr. Sido presided the Eucharist. He has been a member of the School Board for many years. He was able to give them much good advice and he cared for years also for the 50/60 boarders. Fr. Sido plans to return to the Netherlands for good on the 8th of May. A last farewell celebration is still to come.

For our confreres Fr. Roland and Fr. Brian, who attended the celebration, it was a good opportunity to know closer this important formative and social body, which is St. Joseph’s technical School, started by our first pioneers, especially the Brothers, as one of our most important social projects, the formation of young people in different trades. Their first classroom is still standing, functioning now as a garage for the School truck. The students, coming out of that single class room, had straight away their practice helping the Brothers to build up the station, all under the guiding hand of late Br. Leo Trommelen.

In the context of social projects and development it is good to mention here a great man who has done much for PNG and its development, Sir Henry Chow and who died on the 21st of January.

He was a great benefactor of Lae Diocese and a good friend of Mariannhill. He owned a wharf in Rabaul and built our first mission boat. Settling down in Lae later, he started Lae Biscuits. He will not easily be forgotten as “Lae Bisket” belongs to the staple diet of many people, especially those who have no breakfast or lunch. He has supported many projects of the Catholic Church and others. He passed away in a Hospital in Sydney on the 21st of January. While in Sydney his family celebrated his funeral, in three major cities of PNG, Port Moresby, Lae and Rabaul, parallel celebrations took place, attended by many. In Lae the Cathedral was too small for the thousand people that attended the Eucharist. Mr. Chow was one of these few great business men whose concern goes far beyond their own interests. PNG would be blessed if in the new Government resulting from the elections in June this year we would have people with the broadmindedness and generosity of Sir Henry Chow!

Back to Mariannhill! On the 26th of March we celebrated in the “haus win” of Mariannhill House the birthdays of Fr. Arnold and Fr. Krzysztof.

Our CPS Sisters were, of course, also there. They are still in small numbers. Sister Henriqueta Muchate is still in Africa because of health issues.

Sister Michaela Kim went on home-leave on the 2nd of April. Thus Sister Pascal Nyamadzawo is now alone, waiting for the other two Sisters who are expected to come. One of them is to arrive this month.

Now we are looking forward to two upcoming events, quite different in character: the Holy Week and Parliamentary Elections..

The Passion songs will fill the streets of Lae and of other cities of PNG on Holy Friday, when the Stations of the Cross are lived out colourfully, celebrated ecumenically, many members of other denominations participating in great numbers. After Easter the country will plunge head-over into the election campaign.

In name of all the confreres and CPS Sisters here I wish you wholeheartedly:

A BLESSED , HAPPY AND PEACEFUL EASTER!

Liebe Leser,

Sie haben nichts verpasst von dieser Seite, obwohl die vorige Halloausgabe Nr. 18 schon sieben Monate alt ist. Eine Beruhigung also zu wissen, dass trotz allerlei aufsehenerregenden Ereignissen in der weiten Welt, die kleine St. Pauler Welt ruhig weiterdreht. Es mag jedoch erfreulich sein zu erfahren, dass sich in der St. Paul-Gemeinschaft, trotz aller Rückgang in unserer Branche, ein Familienzuwachs anzeigt. Nachdem im vergangenen Jahr P. John Bouma aus Sambia sich wieder in St. Paul eingebürgert hat, hat sich jetzt auch sein Stammes-genosse aus Friesland, P. Sido van der Werf, dazu gesellt. Nach 53 Jahren Missionsarbeit in Papua Neuguinea ist P. Sido in den Ruhestand getreten und hat sich am 9. Mai in St. Paul, wo er als Mariannhiller angefangen hat, niedergelassen.

Sein Abschied von Papua-Neuguinea ist der öffentlichen Aufmerkamkeit in diesem Land nicht entgangen. In der Tageszeitung Post-Courier vom 9. Mai schrieb die Joiurnalistin Natalie Cholorei:

“Priester mit einer langen Dienstzeit feiert seine letzte Messe

in der Heilig Geist Pfarrei“

”

‘Pater Sido van der Werf, war zum letzten Mal der Hauptzelebrant bei der Eucharistiefeier in der Heilig Geist Pfarrei. Der Katholische Priester kehrt nach über 53 Jahren im Dienst der Bevölkerung in der Morobe Provinz nach seinem Heimatland zurück. Pater Sido ist 53 Jahre und fünf Monate in der Morobe Provinz tätig gewesen. Im Jahr 1963 traf er zum ersten Mal in P.N.G ein. Am Sonntag, dem 7 Mai 2017, feierte er seine letzte Messe in der Kirche, die er selbst hat bauen lassen. Er hat 1996 diese Kirche in 1Mile gebaut für die Betreuung der Katholischen Gemeinden in Boundary Road und Bundi Camp.

Der 80-jährige Priester bedauerte es, dass er nun seine Tätigkeit als Priester im Bistum Lae beendet hat; er würde die Menschen, für die er zum größten Teil seines Lebens gelebt und gewirkt hatte, vermissen, erklärte er. “Nach dem hiesigen Brauch, nach dem Männer zum Zeichen der Trauer ihren Bart wachsen lassen, folge ich auch diesem Brauch, denn ich werde Papua-Neuguinea vermissen und den Menschen nachtrauern. Ich habe hier 53 Jahre gelebt, und das waren gute Jahre, die ich in guter Erinnerung erhalte. Dafür danke ich euch allen“.

Der Priester hat sehr viel zu den Katholischen Gemeinschaften in der Provinz beigetragen. Vier Kirchen hat er gebaut: St. Matthew und St. Dominic in Menyamya, Holy Spirit in Lae und Herz Jesu in Erap. Im Laufe seiner Dienstjahre hat er als Priester, Lehrer, und als ärztliche Hilfskraft gewirkt. Auch hat er drei Volksschulen gebaut, in Bulolo, Wau und Menyamya.
Pater Sido hat zu Fuß, mit dem Auto und mit dem Boot manche kleine Ortschaften in der Morobe Provinz besucht, wie die Siassi Inseln, Situm, Gobari, Gusap, Menyamya und Erap, um das Evangelium zu verbreiten und Kranken zu helfen.

Der Vorsitzende des Kirchenrates der Heilig Geist Pfarrei, Kenneth Kina, bedauerte in seinem Abschiedswort im Namen der Pfarrgemeinde auch die Abreise. “Danke, Pater Sido, für alles was Sie zur Entwicklung dieser jungen Generation von P.N.G. getan und beigetragen haben. Wohin Sie auch gehen, immer werden wir Sie in unser Gebet einschließen. Fliegend über Länder, Berge und Täler nach Papua-Neuguinea, um die Saat, das ist das Wort Gottes, zu pflanzen, und die nun wächst, hast du ein Herz für die Menschen von Lae und von ganzem P.N.G. gezeigt. Danke für die Feier der Messe mit uns in der Kirche, die du angefangen hast und in der du jetzt deine Arbeit abschließest”.

St. Paul/ Klein Vink

Rustikales Naturschutzgebiet

Der Ferienpark im St. Pauler Gebiet entstand ursprünglich 1969 als ’Veldkamp Stiftung’ und wurde weiter geführt und entwickelt von der ‘Franz Pfanner Stiftung’. Der Park wurde 2004 von der Unternehmung ‘Roompot‘ übernommen . Außer etwa 400 Bungalows für Urlauber gibt es einen Park für hunderte Caravans und ein einen Platz für Campers. In der unmittelbaren Umgebung des ursprünglich Mariannhiller Gebietes liegt ein liebliches Naturgebiet mit Wald und zahlreichen kleinen Seen, die aus ehemaligen Sandgruben entstanden sind. Die ‘Stiftung Limburgs Landschaft’ verwaltet großenteils dieses Naturgebiet und ist dauernd beschäftigt mit dem Unterhalt und der Verschönerung der Gegend. Es gibt in diesem Stillegebiet an beiden Seiten der Grenze mit Deutschland ein Netz von Fußpfaden und Fahrradwegen durch die Wälder und den Seen entlang mit rustikalen Ruheplätzen. Bei Grenzstein 500 liegt ein kleiner Wald der noch St. Paul gehört und im Sommer ein begehrter Platz ist für Pfadfinderzeltlager.

Liebe Freunde der Missionare von Mariannhill,

der Bau von St. Michael Athi Pimary-School begann im Jahr 2011.

Die Kinder hatten damals die Kirche als Kindergarten genutzt. Dann haben wir mit der ersten Klasse begonnen. Bis jetzt haben wir 9 Klassenzimmer errichtet und zusätzlich den Verwaltungsteil; dieser beinhaltet im ersten Stock die Bücherei, einen Computerraum und das Lehrerzimmer – große Räume -, dazu im Erdgeschoss Toiletten für Jungs und Mädchen und vier weitere Räume für die Schule: drei Räume für die Verwaltung (Schulleiter, Stellvertreter und Sekretariat) und einen Lagerraum bzw. Archiv.

Ein wenig muss am Bau noch getan werden, aber wir sind beinahe fertig. Nächsten Monat werden die Baumaßnahmen abgeschlossen sein.

Wenn wir jetzt auf diese Schule blicken, dann können wir von Herzen Gottes Vorsehung und Hilfe danken und die Leute hier tun das auch: Als wir begannen, wussten wir nicht, wo wir anfangen sollen, aber wir hatten einen Traum, nämlich den Kindern eine gute Bildung zu ermöglichen. Dieses Projekt macht uns demütig, besonders da wir wussten, dass wir das Geld nicht hatten, die Lehrer zu bezahlen. Das Vertrauen in Gott aber hat uns ermutigt, weiterzumachen. Danke an all unsere Freunde, besonders nach Bad Abbach und Maia Veen und an die Deutsche Provinz. Wir sind wirklich dankbar.

Wie auf dem Bild zu sehen ist, das hier ist eine der schönsten Schulen in der Umgebung, verglichen mit den staatlichen Grundschulen. Auf demselben Grundstück haben wir ein Bohrloch für Frischwasser bekommen können (bis dahin hatten wir nur teures Oberflächenwasser aus öffentlichen Leitungen) – eine großzügige Spende aus Bad Abbach machte das möglich. Das Bohrloch ist 170 m tief (so tief muss man hier bohren!) und es funkioniert.

Zur Zeit planen wir gute Toiletten für die Kinder (d.h. mit Wasserspülung statt Plumpsklo) und eine eigene Kläranlage hinter dem Verwaltungsgebäude. Da wir das Ausmaß an Armut in Afrika kennen, sind wir überzeugt, dass nur Bildung – gute Bildung! – diese Generation für eine glückliche Zukunft ermächtigen kann.

Wir bedanken uns auch ganz herzlich für die Unterstützung unseres neuesten Projekts in Longido bei den Massai. Wir warten gerade auf die Unterlagen der Regierung, um mit der Planung und dem Bau der Berufschule für die Massai-Bevölkerung beginnen zu können. Die Menschen mögen sich wundern, warum es gerade eine Berufschule sein soll: Der Grund ist, dass die Massai nach wie vor von ihren Herden leben, aber die Klimaveränderungen setzen ihnen sehr zu; es gibt nicht genug Wasser und frisches Gras und es gibt kaum medizinische Versorgung für die Tiere. Das ist der Grund, dass die Lebenssituation vieler Massai sehr erbärmlich ist. Wer nicht mehr von der Viehwirtschaft leben kann, kann froh sein, irgendwo als Nachtwächter und Tagelöhner angestellt zu werden. Die Spannungen zwischen den Farmen und den Nomaden um das Wasser nehmen zu und haben mancherorts dazu geführt, dass die einen die anderen getötet haben. Das ist der Grund, warum wir Mariannhiller entschieden haben, sie durch eine Berufschule zu unterstützen, so dass sie nicht mehr ausschließlich von den Tieren abhängig sind, sondern sich auch technische Fähigkeiten erlernen können und eine Ausbildung und einen Abschluss darin haben.

Der Einzugsbereich Massai-Gemeinschaft in Longido ist riesengroß: Vom Pfarrhaus bis zur am weitesten entfernten Stelle der Pfarrei sind es rund 200km; zur Zeit arbeiten dort zwei Mariannhiller Patres.

Über das Generalat in Rom hat die US-Kanadische-Provinz uns einen Landcruiser geschenkt. Auf lange Sicht planen wir, um mit den Menschen unserer Pfarrei kommunizieren zu können, das Radio zu nutzen. Das Radio würde der Regierung, der Kirche und der lokalen Gemeinschaft helfen, Nachrichten schnell weiterleiten zu können.

Vieles beschäftigt uns: hinsichtlich der Mädchen und Frauen sind es (zu) frühe Heirat und Beschneidungsriten, Wasserknappheit, Auswirkungen der Klimaveränderung und Erosion des Bodens. All das fordert von uns eine schnelle Antwort. Ununterbrochen ermutige ich Menschen guten Willens, uns bei der Finanzierung der Radiostation zu helfen bzw. ihre Kenntnisse und technischen Fertigkeiten einzubringen. Zwei Mitbrüder lernen momentan schon, mit dem Radio-Sendebetrieb umgehen zu können. Sollte das alles funktionieren, könnten wir in Zusammenarbeit mit den Massai und Fschleuten in der Lage sein, das Aufstocken bzw. Verkleinern der Herdegröße jeweils an die Gegebenheiten anpassen zu können.

Das alles ist zu groß, um es alleine in den Griff bekommen zu können. Wir brauchen auch in Zukunft Partner, die mit uns zum Wohl der Menschen arbeiten, z.B. mehr Freiwillige – jeden Alters!! Gegenwärtig verhandeln wir mit den Missions-Karmelitinnen, uns dort zu helfen, v.a. im Bereich der Arbeit mit den Mädchen und Frauen.

Einmal mehr wollen wir uns bei Ihnen allen bedanken, dass sie für uns da sind und uns in unserer Missionsarbeit unterstützen; und ich möchte danke sagen für Ihr Vertrauen in unsere Arbeit an den Brüdern und Schwestern in verschiedenen Teilen der Welt.

Sollten Sie mehr Informationen haben wollen, kontaktieren Sie bitte P. Thomas Winzenhörlein, P. Christoph Beesten, den Provinzial in Deutschland oder mich selbst unter frkaizacmm@yahoo.com.

Dear friends of Missionaries of Mariannhill,

the construction of St Michael Athi started in 2011. The kids were using the church as their kindergarten. We began a first class. Until now we have constructed nine classrooms and also the administration block. This includes a library, a computer and staff room, big rooms and downstairs we have toilets for male and female and we have four rooms for different departments. Three rooms for administration (headteacher, viceteacher and secretrary) and one for the stores. Currently we are still constructing, but almost finishing. By next month it will be completed. Seeing this project now we truly believe in God’s providence and the people also believe in it. When it started we didn’t know where to begin but we had a dream, to give the kids a qualitative education. This project of school is really humbling us, especially knowing that we didn’t have the money to pay teachers. Our trust in God’s providence kept us moving. Thanks to all our friends, especially to Bad Abach and our friends of the Missionaries of Mariannhill from Maria Veen and the province of Germany. We are grateful indeed. As we can see in the picture [wird dir noch geschickt] this is one of the most beautiful schools around, as it is compared to other government primary schools. So we are really grateful. On the same area we drilled a borehole for the water from the money donation from Bad Abach. The borehole is 170 m deep and is functioning. At the moment we are planning good toilets for the kids and a ceptic for the administration block.

Knowing the level of poverty in Africa we found that only education can empower this generation for a good future. We also thank you for the constant donation for the beginning of our project in Longuido among the Maasai people. We are currently waiting for the papers from the government so that we can begin the polytechnic school among the Maasai people. People may be wondering why we insist on a polytechnic school. It is because the Maasai people depend on the cows. But climate change has caused great suffering to the Maasai community. There is not enough water and grass and there is not enough medicine for the cows. That is why the majority of people of Maasai are now living in devastated circumstances of life. Many of them are now working as watchmen. There has been detention between the farmers and the pastorist community, reaching the stage of killing each other. That is why the CMM decided to empower them with a Polytechnic School, so that they don’t only depend on animals but also learn technical skills and have education in that. This Maasai community in Longuido is a vast area, currently with two priests working there. It is about 200km from the parish to farthest point where we are working. Through the Generalate in Rome the CMM in US-Canada donated money to buy the landcruiser. What we see as longterm means of communication with the people will be the FM-radio. This radio really helps the government, the church and the community to spread the information quickly. Many issues are facing women and girls, esp. early marriage and female genital mutilation. There is a shortage of water and an environmental crisis and a soil erosion. All these areas need quick response from us. I am continiously requesting the people of goodwill to buy that radio and those who have expertise/ technical knowledge to come and support us. We have two confreres who are learning to deal with the fm radio. If we succeed to have fm radio we are also able to advice the Maasai community to stock and destock their animals. This work among the Maasai people is too big to be handled alone. We need partners who are able to work with us for the good of the people, e.g. more volunteers. Currently we are negotiating with the missionary sisters of the Carmelites to come and help us, esp. in the area of women and girls’ issues. Once again we thank you for being there for us in our missions and thank for your trust you have in us for the work of the brothers and sisters in different parts of the world. In case you need more infos please contact Fr Thomas Winzenhörnlein, Fr Christoph Besten, the provincial of Mariannhill in Germany and also myself under frkaizacmm@yahoo.com.

CIRCULAR LETTER 01/17 15th June, 2017

Dear Confreres,

Greetings of peace, love and joy! It’s been long since an official word was communicated to each one of you from this office in this manner. I hope the Lord has been guiding us in his love and that He is always blessing all of you in your various ministries. Work can be a lot at times, but I always remember you in my humble and fervent prayers and especially in the sacrifice of the Holy Mass. I too count on your spiritual and moral support that you always render to me as individuals or communities. Indeed I am grateful for that. With the grace of God upon us, we can surely do more and go an extra mile from where our human strength seems to be failing us. I trust that as we celebrate the year of the family, we shall endeavor to make this our reality as we strive to make our communities better places to leave in. In the Prayer of the Family, we are reminded about “our commitment to love and care for one another as family” and to let “our love be real and deeply felt.” May we make this our daily bread in our communities as we accompany the Christian fraternity in saying: “…may we never give up on each other, may we never give up on our families, and may we never give up on our extraordinary gift of family” – our Mariannhill family in Zambia.

I now share with you a few items from the Region of Zambia:

a) Welcome back home

Ø Fr. Kafula Christopher
After finishing his studies in Nairobi, Kenya, Fr Kafula has been officially transferred from East Africa back to the Unit of Zambia. He will be given a community shortly. We cordially welcome you back bakalamba.

Ø Frt. Kawimbe Horace
In May 2016, Frt. Horace started his One Year of Exclaustration. Towards the completion of this year of exclaustration, he asked to return to the community and he has since returned (24th May) and he is residing in Makeni. Welcome home Confrere.

b) Home leave

Ø Fr Gaspard Parent
From the 9th of June, Fr Gaspard Parent is on home leave in Canada. He will only return on the 20th of August, 2017.

Frts. Wilfred Salhun and Alois Gende

After finishing their third year of theology at St Dominic’s Major Seminary at the end of May 2017, our two Confreres will be leaving for home holidays on the 13th of July 2017 immediately after attending the PPPP in Nairobi Kenya.

All the best Confreres and pass our warm greetings to your families and Confreres in Canada and PNG.

c) PPPP in Kenya

Our two confreres, Frts Wilfred Salhun and Alois Gende are participating in the Perpetual Profession Preparation Program taking place in Nairobi – Kenya from the 14th June to the 13th July 2017.

d) Visit by two General Councilors

From the 11th of July until the 9th August 2017, we shall receive our two General Councilors – Fr Michael Mass (the Vicar General) and Fr Wenceslaus Kwindingwi (Councilor) – on a Visit to our Unit They will take their time to visit each community as indicated in the earlier messages and time table sent through emails to each Confrere and individual communities. They will also participate in the Unit Annual Retreat at Kasisi as well as in the Regional Chapter from the 5th to the 6th of August 2017. We kindly request each community to observe and respect the timetable that has been sent to us more than a month ago now to facilitate a smooth running of the Visit by our two Confreres from Rome.

e) Regional Annual Retreat

We are kindly asking all Confreres to spare their precious time for the spiritual nourishment (retreat) for the whole Unit, which will take place at Kasisi from the 30th of July till the 4th of August 2017. Please confirm your participation as soon as possible.

f) Regional Chapter

From the 5th to 6th of August 2017, that is, following our Annual Retreat, we shall have our Regional Chapter at Kasisi Retreat Centre. The proposed agenda has been communicated to all of us through our emails and we urge each Confrere to familiarize himself with the proposed agenda.

g) Formation team meeting with the General Councillor responsible for Formation

The formation team will have a meeting on Tuesday 18th of July 2017 in Makeni with Fr. Patrick Chongo, the General Councilor responsible for Formation, as recommended by the meeting of Unit Superiors which was held in Kenya in March 2017. The meeting will start at 9:30am.

Youth Ministry Seminar

The Regional Council in consultation with some well-wishers has been organizing a Youth Ministry Seminar for some time now. The idea is to implement this ministry in places where we are found or where we work. We need to receive some basic input as facilitators if we are to run this successfully. We encourage all Confreres to take part in this seminar. Initially, this was supposed to take place from 23rd to 29th of July 2017, but due to the program of the Visit by two members of the General Council, it has been postponed to the 14th – 19th of August 2017. It will end with Thanksgiving Mass in Makeni together with our Confreres celebration their 10th Priestly Anniversary.

h) Tenth Priestly Anniversary

In April 2017, four of our confreres – Frs Ivo Chaebwa, John Chishimba, Patrick Nkole and Emmanuel Mubanga celebrated their tenth priestly anniversary in their respective communities. As a Region, we are also organizing a Thanksgiving Mass and lunch to take place at Blessed Engelmar House of Formation in Makeni –Lusaka on Saturday the 19th of August 2017. We say hearty congratulations to our four confreres and wish them all God’s blessings in their respective ministries.

i) Frt Edward Matoke from East Africa

After finishing his theological studies this year in East Africa, his home Unit, Frt Edward Matoke will be in the Unit of Zambia starting from the 17th of June 2017 for the one year mission experience. He has been assigned to do his pastoral work in Mungwi Parish where he will move soon after working on his papers in Lusaka. Welcome to Zambia dear Confrere.

f) Fr Alex Chandalala

After obtaining his Visa for South Africa, Fr Alex Chandalala would be moving to Umtata Province possibly during the first week of July 2017. After finishing his home holiday this month of June, Fr Alex is expected to join the Woodlands community as we also wait for green light from Umtata Province.

g) Makeni Flats

From the beginning of this year – January 2017, with the help of the Bernard Huss Initiative (tax free loan) which we received from the General Government in December 2016, the Unit engaged a contractor to erect two semidetached flats which are intended to be put on rent so as to generate funds in line with long term self-sustainability projects for the Unit. We expect to complete everything of this project by the end of June 2017.

l) Pastoral placements

After finishing their academic year of philosophy and theology at St Bonaventure and St Dominic’s respectively, our students have been assigned to do their apostolate in different communities. They will be in these communities from 12th of June till the early days of August 2017 as indicated in the assignment letters given to them and to those who are receiving them. We would like to thank Confreres of these communities for welcoming them with open hands in their respective communities. God bless you all in your ministry and all the best as you share your experience with our students.

• Frt Abraham Mwango has been assigned to work in Chunga Parish – Lusaka
• Fewdays Bwalya and Patrick Mangoma have been assigned to work in Chambishi Parish – Ndola
• Stephen Banda and Chewe E. Mwape have been assigned to work in Mungwi Parish – Kasama
• Damian Musonda has been assigned to work in Nseluka Parish – Kasama
• Frt Sylvester Luciano Mwatibu and Nathan Nkhuwa have been Kapata Sub-Parish – Kasama
• Frt Didier Sampungi, Lewis Chishimba, Raphael Mubukwano, Ernest Bwalya, Simon Chita have been assigned to work at Kasembo Farms – Kasama.

m) Blessed Engelmar HOF

From the “Come and See” program that took place in March 2017, five young men were selected by the Regional Council in collaboration with the Vocation Director after submitting all the requirements as stipulated by our formation regulations. Thus, from the 1st of July 2017, Blessed Engelmar House of Formation will receive these five aspirants in readiness for their Candidacy and commencement of their first year of philosophy at St Bonaventure which will begin in mid-August 2017. The following are the ones that were selected to enter the CMM Formation House in Makeni:

• Egypso Kabwe Kantanga – St Francis de Sales Parish – Lusaka Archdiocese
• Moses Lineny Zulu – Nyimba Parish – Nyimba – Chipata Diocese
• Cletus Mwelwa – St Nicholas Parish – Chambishi – Ndola Diocese
• Moses Moyo – St Paul’s Parish – Chipata Compound – Lusaka Archdiocese
• Adam Mbwana – St Charles Borromeo Parish – Luanshya – Ndola Diocese

n) Students:

Ø St Bonaventure University College
After the return of all the ten (10) students from their respective pastoral assigned, we shall have fifteen (15) candidates doing philosophy at St Bonaventure. Five (5) will be doing their first year in philosophy, five (5) will be doing second year and five (5) will be doing their third and last year of philosophy. We wish them all God’s blessing and the support of all the members.

Ø St Dominic’s Major Seminary
The Bernard Huss – Woodlands Community – will be having four students for theology. Two will be doing their fourth and final year, one will be doing his third year and the other one will be doing his second year.

O) Priestly Ordinations and Appointments

Ø Fr louis M Chileshe
After his priestly ordination on 4th of February 2017, in Kabwata Parish, Fr Louis has been residing and helping out at Chunga Parish as he awaits his Visa for Switzerland. After a long time of waiting, information reached our ears last week that the visa is now ready in Pretoria – South Africa. Thus Fr Louis will be travelling to Johannesburg where he will stay with Fr Ernest Kabungo as he goes to collect his visa in Pretoria. Soon after collecting his Visa, he will be travelling to his new Unit of Switzerland hopefully before the 24th of July as he will need to participate in the language course as soon as he arrives. All the best dear Confrere and we wish you God’s blessings.

Ø Frs Willard Chishimba and Gershom Mwansa
We thank the Lord for giving us yet two more young men who have offered themselves to the service of the Church as Priests in our Congregation. After their Priestly Ordination in Mungwi Parish on the 3rd of June 2017, they are on home leave and immediately afterwards they will report to their new mission stations. Fr Willard Chishimba CMM has been assigned to work in Mungwi Parish and Fr Gershom Mwansa has been assigned to work in Kapata Sub- Parish. They will report to their respective communities on 3rd of July 2017. We congratulate you Confreres and wish you all the graces of God you need in this ministry.

Yours Sincerely,

Fr Abidon Katai Kabwe CMM

………………………………………….

Regional Superior

Das Kruzifix am Anfang der Einfahrtstrasse nach St. Paul wird als religiöses Erbe der Provinz Limburg eingetragen werden. Godfried Egelie schreibt in seinem Buch “Wegkruisen in Limburg” (Walburg Zutphen, s. 28 und 29) über dieses Kreuz:

„Dieses Kreuz wurde im Oktober 1933 im Blick auf die Ar-beit der Missionare von Mariannhill in fernen Missionslän-dern errichtet. Im Missions-haus St. Paul wohnen Brüder, die als Missionare ausgebildet werden. Über dieses Kreuz lesen wir in der “Nieuwe Venlosche Courant” vom Samstag, 7. Oktober 1933, die folgende Geschichte:

“Zu Klein Vink Arcen hat auf der Reichsstraße Venlo-Nijmegen die Feier eines neuen Feldkreuzes stattgefun-den. Die Prozession der ehrwürdigen Patres und Brü-der des Missionshause St. Paul zog mit dem Rektor und den Brüdern des Klosters Mater Dolorosa und den Schülern der Ausbildungsschule St. Joseph zum Kreuz. In ihrer Mitte war seine Exzellenz Emanuel Haenisch, apostolischer Vikar von Umtata, Südafrika, der die Weihe vornahm. Bei der Ankunft am Kreuz, das mit Blumen geschmückt war, wurden einige Lieder von den Seminaristen gesungen. Der Bischof setzte sich auf dem Sessel unter dem Kreuz und sprach über die Bedeutung des Kreuzes. Er lobte die Bewohner von Limburg für ihren tiefen Glauben und für den Verein, den sie ge-gründet hatten mit dem Ziel, überall Feldkreuze zu er-richten. Er dankte den Initiatoren und Mitarbeitern für diese großartige Arbeit. Der Ort, an dem dieses stattli-che Kreuz errichtet wurde war von der göttlichen Vor-sehung gewählt, da es in der Nähe des großen Missi-onshauses steht, in dem junge Kräfte ausgebildet wer-den, um neue Missionskreuze im riesigen Vikariat Umtata zu pflanzen. Unter dem Kreuz auf Golgatha stan-den drei Gruppen von Menschen. Diese Gruppen von Menschen bestehen bis heute weiterhin; diejenige, die das Kreuzes lieben, tragen und ihm folgen; diejenige, die sich zum Kreuz bekennen, aber deren weltlichen Sorgen sie immer weiter und weiter vom Kreuz entfer-nen; und diejenige, die das Kreuz hassen und verfolgen. Zurück zu Christus, gibt das Kreuz neuen Mut für das Leben und gibt Hilfe in dieser schwierigen Zeit. Da-nach nahm der Bischof das Ritual der Segnung vor. In der Zwischenzeit sangen die Brüder den Hymnus “Das Kreuz”, woraufhin die Studenten der Schule ihre Hym-nen skandierten. Alle zogen in Prozession zurück.“

Familientag 28. Mai 2017

Die jährliche Begegnung von Verwandten der lebenden und verstorbenen Missionaren von Sankt Paul war wie gewohnt gut besucht. Es zeigt sich jedoch, dass mit der Zunahme des Alters auch die Anzahl der Teilnehmer ab-nimmt. Im Laufe der Jahre verschwinden immer mehr bekannte Gesichter, aber das Band zwischen alten Freun-den verstärkt sich bei jeder Begegnung immer mehr, und das macht den Tag wieder zu einer Gelegenheit zum frohen Wiedersehen.

Im Laufe der letzten 12 Monate sind zwei Missionare zurückgekehrt zum Ort, wo ihr Mariannhiller Leben 70 Jahre her begonnen hat. Pater John Bouma ist im Juli 2016 nach 48 Jahren Missionsarbeit in Südafrika und Sambia nach St. Paul heimgekehrt. Pater Sido van der Werf ist vor kurzem aus Papua Neuguinea zurückgekehrt und in den Ruhestand ge-treten; er hat sich eben-falls im Missionshaus St. Paul niedergelassen. Er war der Hauptzelebrant bei der Feier der Eucharistie. Zusammen mit den Familienangehörigen von Br. Herman Verkuijlen wurde dessen Tod am 22. August 2016 gedacht. Eine Nichte von Herman versorgte die musikali-sche Gestaltung der Messfeier.

Den Horizont der Zukunft von St. Paul erkunden

Die Zeichen der Zeit zu lesen, ist nicht einfach in unserer sich schnell verändernden Welt. Das zeigt sich auch bei der Erkundung der Zukunft des Missionshaues St. Paul. Anfangs Juni fanden einige Diskussionen über diese Frage statt. Es war beabsichtigt, dass der Generalobere P. Thulani Mbuyisa aus Rom an den Gesprächen teilneh-men würde. Vor dem Abflug in Rom zeigte sich jedoch, dass sein Visum abgelaufen war, sodass er nicht zum Ab-flug zugelassen wurde. Fr. Wenceslaus Kwindingwi wurde als sein Stellvertreter ernannt und traf einen Tag später am 31. Mai in St. Paul ein. Mai. Kurz nach seiner Ankunft war stand schon ein Treffen mit dem Regional-rat in Anwesenheit der Herren Willen Verberk, Berater von St. Paul und Tom Boesten, Berater der Konferenz der niederländischen Ordensleute. Der aktuelle Stand der Dinge von St. Paul wurde besprochen und verschiedene Ideen für die Zukunft näher betrachtet.

Am nächsten Tag fand ein Treffen mit zwei Vorstands-mitgliedern der Stichting Limburgs Landschaft (SLL) statt. Seit einem Jahrzehnt gibt es bereits ein gutes Ver-hältnis zwischen Marannhill und dieser Stiftung, die sich einsetzt für die Erhaltung und Verschönerung von Natur-gebieten. Ein interessantes Dokument über die Ideen und Perspektiven wurde mit dem Direktor der Stiftung, Herrn Wilfred Alblas im Detail erörtert. Beide Parteien verein-barten einen Termin für eine weitere Diskussion im No-vember.

Besuch im Schloss Arcen

Am nächsten Tag war die ganze Gemeinschaft von St. Paul auf Einladung des Direktors der Stiftung Limburger Landschaft zu Besuch im Schloss Arcen. Bei dieser Gele-genheit wurde die

Besichtigung des Schloss unter Führung eines sachkundi-gen Begleiters angeboten. Das Schloss Arcen, mit den ausgedehnten Schlossgärten ist ein Schauproject der Stiftung. Diese Burg stammt aus dem 17. Jahrhundert, aber wurde später verwahrlost. SLL übernahm die Ruine und restaurierte sie mit großer Sorgfalt und Geschick Der Innenraum ist im Stil des 17. Jahrhunderts wieder-hergestellt. Das Schloss mit den Schlossgärten ist eine besondere Attraktion, die von zahlreichen Touristen besucht wird.

Kulturelles Erbe Zentrum des Ordenslebens in den Niederlanden

Im Laufe eines Jahrhunderts hat sich in St. Paul eine Menge an Archivmaterial angesammelt. Dies gilt ebenso für viele andere Klöster. Für professionelle Archivierung und Bewahrung ist im 600 Jahre alte Kloster St. Agatha vom Orden des Heiligen Kreuzes das nationale Erbgut-zentrum der niederländischen Orden und Kongregationen eingerichtet. Über hundert Klöster haben dort bereits ihre Archive gespeichert. Ein Besuch mit Pater Wenceslaus zu diesem Zentrum ergab interessante Information von einem Sachverständigen Archivar. Dokumente von St. Paul von 1911 bis 2002 wurden bereits in St. Agatha von beruflichen Archivaren geprüft und geordnet und in Schachteln in Länge von 35 m. wieder im Archiv von St. Paul untergebracht. Es gibt noch 5 Meter Material, das nachträglich hinzugefügt werden soll.

Dear friends of Mariannhill PNG!

Greetings once more from our little community in Papua New Guinea. Here comes some news about our life and work and the country, still centred on the Elections and their outcome.

First the news about our own members and the CPS Sisters.

On the 8th of May Fr. Sido van der Werf, cmm, took the plane returning to the Netherlands after 53 years of missionary work in PNG.

A summary of Fr. Sido’s CV in PNG you find in the Tanget of May 2014. Therefore I will not enter into this here. In April and May several farewell celebrations took place in different parishes of Lae and, of course, one in a more familiar CMM and CPS setting at Mariannhill House.

Fr. Sido is thankful for those years given to him to live and work here in Lae Diocese, and we all join warmly in his gratitude. It was good to have you here, Sido!

His going reminds us, however, also of the fact that a missionary period, that of missionaries coming from the Church in Europe is coming to an end.

In May our PNG confrere Deacon Daniel Apas returned to our community after a year exclaustra-tion. Shortly after his return, however, it turned out that during his stay outside the community he had contracted intestinal tubercu-losis. The treatment up to total cure takes normally half a year at least. Thus Daniel will live for the next half year the more contem-plative side of our life, while we all wish him a complete recovery.

On the 12th of June Bishop Christian Blouin travelled to Canada for his holiday, leaving the diocese at the care of Fr. Arnold Schmitt. The Diocese is still waiting for the appointment of a new Bishop.

In the early morning of the 15th of June Sister Salome Karara, CPS, arrived at Port Moresby to fly on to Lae to reinforce the CPS mini-community. Sister Salome is by profession a clinical officer. She has been working as such in Kenya, Mozambique and South Africa and brings now her rich experience to PNG where she will be of great help at the Mercy Centre in Lae.

We are grateful for her coming. Especially so Sister Pascal Nyamadzawo, CPS, who has been for some time the only CPS Sister in the Lae convent , as Sister Michaela is on home-leave and Sister Henriqueta is not yet back from her medical treatment in South Africa. While Sister Salome is waiting for the recogni-tion of her title in PNG, she is familiarizing herself with the people and with Tok Pisin.

On the 14th of July our Fratres Alois Gende and Wilfred Salhun arrived at Port Moresby for a holiday after having been more than three years in Africa.

They did their Novitiate in 2014. The Zambian Province was willing to take up the challenge to integrate them temporarily into their community, so that they could do their theological studies in Zambia. We are grateful for that and, talking with Alois and Wilfred these days, I have the impession that it has done them a lot of good. This year, June-July, both participated in an intensive course of a month in Nairobi, Kenya, preparing themselves for the profession of their perpetual vows. They have still a year of studies to go and will return to Zambia on the 19th of August.

In June died in Port Moresby a PNG woman related in a particular way to Mariannhill’s history on the Siassi Islands. One of the original ingredients of this history was the marriage of Joost Hafmans, up to that time one of our missionary priests at Siassi, with a lady teacher of Mandok. The young Agnes Keke became Mrs. Hafmans. The family with four kids has always maintained cordial relations with our Congregation. Joost lost his life in the nineties while campaigning during election time. He was poisened by members of a rival party.

His widow, Agnes, died in Port Moresby on Sunday, June 11, being remembered also as a Church member always active in and supportive of Church concerns. She may rest in peace!

The Diocese of Lae is planning to build new Diocesan offices. Fr. Arnold Schmitt, cmm, Vicar General of the Diocese, leads the organisation of the fundraising. In the promotion leaflet BUILDING THE FUTURE he writes:

“Our Diocese celebrates this year a Golden Jubilee. We want to mark the jubilee and prepare for the future, by building a chancery with guest rooms, conference room, radio station and new Diocesan offices to service the faithful and the people. FOR THIS WE NEED YOUR HELP!”

Therefore, dear friends, also your support is welcome. The easiest way to help the Diocese is through the Mariannhill offices in your own country. You find their address on the Mariannhill websites. Your support will be a blessing! Thanks beforehand!

Talking about blessings, in the secularized West blessings have become sporadic, but here they are highly appreciated. In Lae, the biggest port of PNG, our priests are asked to come to the harbour and bless ships and tankers. Lately Fr. Arnold was asked to bless a new facility at the Nadzab airport.

By the way, Lae’s airport can’t compete with its shipping port. Its modesty is well illustrated by the way the only gate it has and needs tries to be big, and announces the futuristic dream of 4 GATES.

As to the social political reality of PNG in the last months, there is only one topic: the national parliamentary elections.

Elections in PNG really show that this is the land of the unexpected. Your name has been on the roll for 30 years? It now may have disappeared. Your town should receive 20 ballot boxes? There may be 15 only. The election officers should be paid an allowance? Those of the latest elections of 2012 are still waiting for their payments. There are 800 elegible voters in your village? A miracle happens: 1100 ballot papers turn out to be signed.

Precisely because the people expect the unexpected to happen, they follow the voting and the counting of the votes from nearby, and the counting venues become overnight tent villages with hun-dreds of people camping in make-shift tents, ready to intervene in support of their candidate if it seems that he/she has been chea-ted off his/her seat in parliament. Thus elections are a great popular happening with people participa-ting much more fully than in Western democracies. In this way they are actually much more democratic!! Democracy means “the rule of the people” and that’s what the people of PNG want. If necessary they take up arms for it.

No doubt, the geography and the lack of roads make elections in PNG a difficult exercise. And the obstacles are, at the same time, as many opportunities to meddle with the system and turn it to your candidate’s advantage. The trans-portation of the ballot boxes makes this clear. Anything may occur during the transport.

Greetings and best wishes from all of us and till next

Circular letter 04/2017 20 July 2017

Dear confreres,

1. Introduction

From the 09th – 14th July 2017 I attended the annual general meeting for Leadership Conference of Consecrated Life in Southern Africa (LCCLSA) at St. John Vianney Seminary, Pretoria. The meeting was three-fold: the first two days (10 & 11) the Religious Major Superiors met by themselves; the third and fourth (12th & 13th) day we (the religious major superiors) had a Joint Witness National Meeting with the Bishops of Southern Africa (SACBC); and the last day (14th) was reserved for the religious Congregations which still own or run schools. We also have a public primary school built on private property at Nazareth township hence I attended the meeting.

The theme for the AGM for the LCCLSA was Leadership in the Joy of the Gospel. Dr. Nontando Hadebe and Fr. Chris Townsend were the guest speakers. Dr. Hadebe spoke about the challenges of the joy of the Gospel in our context, especially in the midst of children and women abuse and the breakdown in traditional family structures. Fr. Townsend spoke about the challenges and opportunities presented by social media today coupled with ever-increasing mobile data prices which affect poor youth who cannot easily access internet and miss out on employment opportunities.

The Joint Witness meeting dealt with four topics: migration, human trafficking, racism and professional conduct. Once have received the AGM documentation I will forward the material for you. I invite you my confreres, to be vigilant against social ills that are destroying communities, thus leading to moral degeneration in our society. For instance, many children and women are physically abused and even killed on regular basis. Moreover, we are also called to work together to eradicate xenophobia and racism in our society.

2. Buying of a new house in Mozambique

Following the mandate given to us by the previous Provincial Chapters, we have decided to buy a new community house in Matola, Mozambique. Sr. Argentina CPS, the Regional Superior of the CPS in Mozambique, together with their attorney are assisting us in following the necessary legal process to buy the house there in order to avoid the mistakes of the past. I thank the General Government and the Swiss Region for allowing us to use the money from the Old Fund for the People’s Houses to buy a house for our confreres in Mozambique who up to now do not have a community house. They were renting with the CPS sisters for a long time until recently when we renovated the parish house in Namaacha parish where they live and work.

3. New appointments

• Fr. Nkosinathi Emmanuel Dlamini CMM has been appointed acting chaplain for the CPS sisters at the Scared Heart Home in Ixopo.

• Fr. Mathew Kim has been appointed the new director of Mariannhill Coolock House. In the meantime Fr. Sbusiso Mkhize CMM has moved to the Monastery. Fr. Sbusiso has begun begun his postgraduate studies in Business Management at Mancosa, Durban. In January he will begin a Spiritual direction course with the Jesuit Institute.

• Fr. Vukani Masango CMM has been appointed the chairperson of UmAfrika Board while Fr. Bheki Shabalala CMM and Bro. Mauricio Langa CMM have been appointed as members of UmAfrika Board. The two other members come from Coshela, the publishing company for the newspaper.

• Fr. Patrick Mbuso Duma CMM has been appointed as a pioneer to start our mission in Ingwavuma vicariate. We congratulate these confreres and we accompany them with our prayers in their new tasks and assignments.

4. General Chapter material

Since the return from the General Chapter 2016, the Provincial Superior together with Frs. Vukani Masango CMM and Alfred Igwebuike CMM (our two delegates) have visited Mariannhill, Mpumalanga and Ixopo Zones to share the message of the General Chapter. Merrivale Zone is still outstanding and I hope that we shall get a chance to visit them during their next meeting. In the meantime, you have also received the Chapter Mandate Booklet which gives an overview of the spirit of the General Chapter and its spirit. I ask you to reflect on this booklet and to continue to discern on it as communities and Zones. The book of the whole Documentation of the General Chapter 2016 is kept in my office, Provincial Archive, Abbot Francis House and Mozambique. If you ask the relevant authorities you will be able to study it. I have also sent you the formation directory which was approved by the General Chapter 2016.

5. Spanish mission helpers

In August 2017 we shall receive two young men from Madrid who will be visiting our Province as mission helpers and volunteers. They will spend their first months assisting at Mariannhill Monastery and Jabulani Centre after which they will move to Mariathal Mission to work and live there for the rest of their mission. I thank Fr. Mthokozisi Khumalo CMM, the parish priest, for accepting them generously in the parish.

6. Silver Jubilee celebration for Abbot Francis House

On the 28th October 2017 the house will celebrate the silver jubilee of its establishment in 1988. We also hope to have the ordination of our deacons during the same celebration. During the same period, we shall be having Fr. Patrick Chongo CMM, the General councilor in charge of formation, the formation commission and the Unit Superiors of Africa attending their respective meetings in the house. All of you are invited and welcome to the celebration.

7. 2017 KZN Travel and adventure show

Through the initiative and invitation by Julia Cullinan from Durban West, the Monastery participated in 2017 KZN Travel and Adventure Show that was hosted in Durban Exhibition Centre from the 30th June to 09th July 2017. Our Repository had a stand to showcase and sell the religious articles and advertise the Monastery spiritual tours. I sincerely thank Fr. Lawrence Mota CMM, the Monastery Superior, Bro. Konrad Diethei CMM, Mrs. Maureen Du Toit, repository staff and some of our candidates for their hard work in advertising our Monastery. I hope this experience will enhance our dream of making the Monastery a tourism spiritual hub.

8. Welcome to Fr. Andreas Rohring CMM

Fr. Andreas Rohring will be visiting our Province and Ingwavuma Vicariate from the 05th – 21st September 2017. During his visit he would like to visit Emaus, Mariathal, Mariannhill Coolock, Merrivale, and the Monastery workshops etc. Please open your doors to welcome our confrere.

9. Death of Dr. Gloria Gearing

Dr. Gloria Gearing was called to eternal rest on the 17th July 2017. We sincerely thank her for her contribution and service especially in forming our confreres in the area of psychotherapy. Let us try to follow her legacy of hard work and dedication. The requiem mass will take place at the Monastery Church on the 27th July 2017 at 10am

10. Confreres on home leave and courses

• Bro. Terence Njodzi CMM is on home leave in Zimbabwe until the end of August.
• Bro. Konrad Diethei CMM will be going on home leave from the 10th October until the 01st December.
• On the 12th July Frt. Owen Jimu CMM returned from the Preparation for Perpetual Profession Course in Kenya.

11 Jubilee celebration for Fr. Joseph Steger CMM

On the 23rd July 2017 St. Michael’s parish will be celebrating the golden jubilee of priestly anniversary for Fr. Joseph Steger CMM. The Holy Mass will start at 9:00am. You are all invited.

12. CMM Associates release the new album

With the initiative of Fr. Lawrence Mota CMM, the CMM Associates have released a new gospel album. The title of the CD is NGINGOWAKHO JESU. The purpose of the CD is to put OUR CMM ASSOCIATES on the map thus allowing the people of God to know who are the CMM Assosciates, what is their responsibility in the Congregation/Church and what is their spirituality. Confreres from different parishes can assist in buying and selling the CD. It only costs R70, 00. Currently the CMM Associates from our Province are visiting the CMM Associates in Zimbabwe until the 24th July 2017. We wish them God’s blessings and we thank them for their generous contributions in praying for us and for their material support.

13. Conclusion

As I conclude this letter allow me to draw your attention to the forthcoming Mini-World Youth Day (MWYD). This is a youth Pilgrimage for the Youth and Young Adults of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (South Africa, Botswana and Swaziland) which was launched in 2015. The aim is to give young people a feel of what happens in the World Youth Day and to prepare them to attend the next World Youth Day, thus helping them build a stronger relationship with God. The idea came from our Bishops and they tasked the Department of Laity, Family and Life to oversee the planning and the running of the Pilgrimage.

National Youth office which is headed by our confrere Fr. Mthembeni Dlamini CMM was mandated to plan the Pilgrimage. I therefore, ask our young confreres to avail themselves to be part of this project by making their presence felt by their active participation in the event. It is a good time to showcase our charism to the young people especially since we have an active youth ministry project in the Province. We shall host the youth at the Mission centre and I ask confreres in the parishes to open their doors to welcome the youth in their parishes.

The next MWYD will be held in the Archdiocese of Durban, under the Durban Cluster (Durban Metro) from the 6th – 10th December 2017 at Durban Exhibition Centre. Prior to the actual MWYD, there will be Days in Parishes which are Mission Days. These days are planned to be hosted by three dioceses: Durban, Mariannhill and Eshowe from the 3rd – 6th December 2017. This pilgrimage is planned for 5000 youth, young adults, clergy and religious of South Africa, Botswana and Swaziland. The office of the youth

national secretary is selling promotional pack: Caps, t-shirts and drawstring bags – all three for the prize of R150. I encourage you to buy these items and help the office promote the event. The office has got car stickers available for free. Please contact your diocesan office and Mariannhill Monastery Reception if you want to buy some of these items. For more information on the MWYD please visit their website www.miniworldyouthday.co.za / the Facebook page “Mini World Youth Day 2017” to get more information on this pilgrimage.

I wish to remind you of our family feast on the 26th July 2017 as we shall be giving glory to God for our jubilarians: Frs. Joseph Steger CMM (50 years priesthood), Frs. Americo Vilanculo CMM and Bongani Duma CMM (25 years of religious profession). Fr. Duma is still on the indult of exclaustration but he remains a full member. He has asked to join the community to celebrate his silver jubilee and we have agreed to it. I look forward to see all of you next Wednesday.

Yours faithfully

Fr. Bheki M. Shabalala CMM
Provincial Superior

Mariannhill in den Niederlanden

Info 21D / August 2017

60 Jahre Priesterjubiläum P. Jan Bouma C.M.M.

Pater Jan Bouma empfing am 21. Juli 1957 das Sakrament der Priesterweihe durch die Handauflegung und die Salbung von Bischof Nierman in Gro-ningen, dem ersten Bischof des neugegründeten Bistums in der nördlichsten Provinz der Nieder-lande. Den 60. Jahrestag dieser Ordination feierte Pater Jan (im Kreis seiner Familie, allgemein bekannt als Johannes) in St. Paul mit seinen Mariannhiller Mitbrüdern und zahlreichen Familienmitgliedern. Pater Jan endete seine Missionsarbeit in Afrika im Juli 2016 in Afrika, wo er diese Aufgabe im Jahre 1968 begonnen hatte. Vor seinem Wechsel nach Südafrika war er bereits über ein Jahrzehnt im Dienst der niederländischen Provinz tätig gewesen. Von 1957 bis September 1964 war er Präfekt der zukünftigen Bruder Kandidaten in St. Paul. Dann zog er nach Amsterdam und wirkte dort als Kaplan in der Seelsorge der Vredeparochie.

1967 wurde er für die Mission in Südafrika ernannt. Inder monatelangen Zeit des Wartens auf ein Einreisevisum benützte er die Zeit, um sich durch Teilnahme an einem entsprechenden Kurs auf die Missionsarbeit vorzubereiten. Im Dezember 1968 konnte er schließlich nach Südafrika fliegen und zog in das Kloster Mariannhill ein. Nach einem Se-mester Studium der Zulu Sprache wurde er unter dem inzwischen gängigen Namen Father John, Lehrer und später Rektor des kleinen Seminars der Diözese Mariannhill und war dazu auch Pfarrer in der Pfarrei Ixopo. Danach war er für ein Jahr Pfarrer von St. Michael Station. Von 1984 bis 1993 war er Provinzial der Provinz Mariannhill. Im Jahr 1993 wurde Father John nach Sambia versetzt und war dort im schulischen und pastoralen Bereich tätig. Von 1994 bis 2000 und von 1994 bis 2006 war er Provinzial der Mariannhiller in Sambia. Im Jahr 2016, er beendete seine Arbeit in Sambia und ließ sich in St. Paul nieder, wo er vor 72 Jahren seine Ausbildung angefangen hatte.

Das Jubiläum wurde mit einer festlichen Eucharistiefeier mit 5 konzelebrierenden Priestern in der Kapelle des Missionshauses gefeiert. Anwesend waren Mariannhiller Mitbrüder aus dem In- und Ausland, über 30 Mitgliedern der Großfamilie von 12 Kindern aus der Provinz Friesland, vier Schwes-tern vom kostbaren Blut von Aarle-Rixtel, unter ihnen Schwester Savio, eine leibliche Schwester des Jubilars und weitere Bekannten und Gottesdienstbesucher. Die Ansprache wurde von einer Kusine von Pater John, Frau Neeltjse Bouma, gehalten, die als amtliche Pastorin auch bei der Messe assistierte. Die Gesänge wurden von einem Chor von Bouma Mitgliedern durchgeführt. Nach einem Empfang im Missionshaus begab die ganze Schar sich zum Festmahl im Restaurant des benachbarten Thermalbades. Es war ein würdiger und stimmungsvoller Festtag.

Afrikanische Mariannhiller Besucher

In diesen Tagen, kamen einige Mariannhillers aus Afrika zu Besuch. Wir durften Alterzbischof von Pretoria Paul Khumalo C.M.M. aus Südafrika be-grüßen. Von Rom aus machte er einen Abstecher nach St. Paul und war für einige Tage unser Gast.

Darüber hinaus durften wir Pater Alistair Gogodo aus Simbabwe begrüßen. Er arbeitet nun mit den Mariannhillern in der Schweiz und gehört der CMM Gemeinschaft von Altdorf an. Ein anderer Gast war Pater Jean Bosco Ntawugashira aus Ruanda, ein ehemaliger Schüler von Pater Jan Bouma. Er gehört der zentralen Verwaltung des Generalates in Rom an. Ebenfalls ein ehemaliger Schüler von Pater Jan war P. John Chishimba aus Sambia, der P. Thomas Winzenhörlein aus Maria Veen kam ein Wochen-ende in den Niederlanden verbrachte. Ein weiterer Gast war P. Ivor Chaebwe aus Sambia.

Abschied nach 26 Jahren

Am 28 Juli verabschiedete die Gemeinschaft von St. Paul sich von Frau Wilma Elbers, die bei der Erreichung ihres pensionsberechtigen Alters ihre Arbeit im Haushalt beendet hat. In den vergangenen 26 Jahren hat sie zusammen mit Marianne Heurkens das Haus mit allen Zimmern bis in die Ecken sauber gehalten. Wer das Haus betritt, kann sofort die weibliche Hand dieser Frauen in dem nur von Männern bewohnten Gebäuden verspüren. Während einem besonderen Kaffee Stündchen wurde Wilma für ihren zuverlässigen Einsatz in den vergangenen Jahren bedankt und verabschiedete die Gemeinschaft sich von ihr. Eine neue Mitarbeiterin ist bereits angestellt und übernimmt die Arbeit von Wilma.

Redactie: F. Lenssen c.m.m. flenssen@mariannhill.nl

Circular letter 06/2017 26 October 2017

Dear confreres,

1. Introduction

It was with great sadness to learn of the sad news of the passing away of Fr. Peter Nkomazana CMM, the Provincial Superior of Bulawayo/Zimbabwe. We pray for the comfort and strength for our confreres in Zimbabwe, his family and friends. May his soul rest in eternal peace! I thank all the confreres from our Province who travelled to Zimbabwe to show our support during the funeral.

This untimely death of our confrere reminds us that we are pilgrims in this earth. I wish to remind confreres to do medical checkups at least once a year especially those that are above forty years old. As Mariannhillers we pride ourselves in hard labour and dedication in the spirit of our forefathers. But we also need rest, vacation and spiritual exercises to rejuvenate our bodies and spirits. Do not deprive yourselves of good rest and relaxation especially after engaging in heavy ministry. May our Mother Mary pray for us during this month of the rosary and mission.

2. Formation commission

We heartily welcome Fr. Patrick Chongo CMM, the general councilor and chairperson of the Formation Commission. We welcome the members of the Commission Frs. Anselmo Alfandega CMM, Francis Ngadi CMM, Siegfriend Millz CMM and Fr. Henry Kanjo CMM. On Thursday they had a formation meeting with all our formators from Mthatha and Mariannhill. The main point on the agenda is the consolidation of formation houses. We are a small Congregation and we have 17 houses of formation and that drains our human and financial resources. On Friday (27.10.17) the Commission will begin their meeting by themselves. We wish them God’s richest blessings.

3. Land Development Commission

During the month of September Mariannhill experienced a series of land invasions particularly on land close to the Monastery, the land below the Old Age Home and behind St Mary’s hospital. The Ethekwini Municipality Land invasion squad had to come to our rescue and chase away the invaders. As a result, we have had numerous meetings with various stakeholders in order to find a way forward as far as land invasion is concerned. The advice that we have received is to seek a court interdict against all the people who invade our land. We are now in the process of securing the court interdict.

In the meantime, the Provincial Superior with the unanimous consent of his council has established the Land Development Commission to study the pieces of land that we still have in the vicinity of greater Mariannhill and propose ways of using the land for projects that will serve and benefit the Congregation. Fr. Gideon Sibanda CMM was appointed as the chairperson of the Commission assisted by Fr. Raphael Phiri CMM and Frt. Lindelwa Dlamini CMM. We are in the process of finding the advisor with expertise to work with the Commission. The Commission will work hand in hand with the Land and Property Board and the Provincial Council. Please remember our confreres in your prayers.

4. Fr. Bernard Thiel CMM

For the past year Fr. Thiel has served as a chaplain for the CPS sisters at the Sacred Heart Home in Ixopo. Due to many challenges that he faced as a chaplain, he asked to be relieved from this ministry. Unfortunately, at this stage we are unable to provide his replacement and the Bishop of Mariannhill has been made aware of that. From the beginning of November 2017 Fr. Bernard Thiel will work in Umzimkulu diocese as a parish priest of Port Edward parish. We wish him God’s richest blessings in the new task. Port Edward is a small place with one community to serve.

5. Book Launch

Fr. Ted Rogers SJ has written a book titled Missionary Martyrs of Rhodesia and Zimbabwe 1976-1988. It focusses on the heroic witness of our missionary CMM confreres and CPS sisters who were massacred during those years. The book will be launched on the 02 December 2017 at St. Anne’s hall at 3pm. You are invited and encouraged to attend the function. The CPS Marimba Group and the Zimbabwean choir from St. Emmanuel’s Cathedral will entertain us with music. We thank Fr. Ted for recognizing our martyrs in this fashion.

6. Canonical visitation of the Province

According to the Province directory no. 4.2.1.10 “During his term of office, the Provincial should arrange a visitation for every confrere and have a personal contact with him”. During the month of November and December 2017 I will be conducting the Canonical Visitation of each confrere. The dates and times for visitation are being confirmed with the individual confreres. I look forward to meeting all of you in your places of work, study and community.

7. Mission helpers from Spain

We welcome Mr. Cordedo Sanchez Eduardo and Beltran Pinto Ever David, our two mission helpers from Spain. During their first two months they will be working at Jabulani Help Centre and staying at the Monastery. During the other three months they will assist at Mariathal Mission. I thank Fr. Lawrence Mota CMM and Fr. Mthokizisi Khumalo CMM who have welcomed these two young men who want to learn more about our community life and our missionary engagement.

8. Confreres who are not well

Please remember in your prayers the following confreres:

• Fr. Bernard Ngidi CMM is out of hospital and recovering at his parish in St. Joseph’s Middleburg.
• Fr. Joseph Steger CMM who will be having the cataract operation in Germany on the 02 December 2017
• Bro. Crispin Graham CMM who will have a cataract operation on one eye on the 01st November 2017 and another one on another eye two weeks later.
• Fr. Marcarius Hausler CMM who underwent an operation to remove an absess on his arm. He had a problem of fluctuating blood pressure levels but Dr. Kheswa has since stabilized it.
• Fr. Ndabenhle Mancwabe CMM did a CT scan at Hilton hospital as he had experienced a discomfort in his lever. He decided to go the route of precaution.

We also pray for our deceased confreres, family members, benefactors and friends who have been called to eternal rest recently. In a particular way, we remember Fr. Martin Schupp CMM who worked tirelessly here in Africa as a committed missionary before he went back to his native country in Germany.

9. Reminder about special dates

• On the 28th October 2017 Abbot Francis House, Merrivale, will celebrate Silver Jubilee of its foundation. During the same celebration, four of our confreres will be ordained deacons by Bishop Siegfried Jwara CMM. Holy Eucharist will start at 10am and you are all invited.
• From the 04th-12th November St. Anne’s Hall in Mariannhill will host the Trappists Trail Exhibition. The official opening will take place on the 05th November at 10am. The exhibition will be open to the public during the whole week from 12 noon to 3pm. All confreres, friends and relatives are welcome to come and view the work of art.
• Mini World Youth Celebration in the archdiocese of Durban, Exhibition Centre, from the 06th – 10th December 2017. This will be preceded by days in the parish from the 03rd-05th December 2017.

10. Youth Ministry

Frt. Owen Jimu CMM was appointed as an additional member to the Youth Ministry Leadership Team. We thank Frt. Owen for his accepting this task.

11. Further studies

Fr Roberto Cossa CMM will pursue a two-year course in Philosophy in Italy. The course will begin in March next year. We wish him all the best in his studies.

12. Conclusion

During this last part of the year our Province has been blessed by the visit of many of our friends and benefactors from abroad. Among them we had three teachers from Maria Veen, Germany, Fr. Mike Fitzsimons and Miss Christine Kneale from Liverpool and Miss Christine Widmer, member of the Stifftung, from our house in Altdorf, Switzerland. This year Switzerland dedicated their St. Joseph campaign to the tailor project of our Unit. We thank all our benefactors for supporting our missions. I thank all the confreres who welcomed these guests and showed them great hospitality. I thank the confreres, parishes, the General Government and friends of Mariannhill for supporting our silver Jubilee at Abbot Francis House in various ways. God bless you all.

Fr. Bheki M. Shabalala CMM

Provincial Superior

Dear friends of Mariannhill PNG!

This edition was meant to be written in October but, as already in the past, time went faster than my typing. Sori tru!

We are nearing Christmas and we, Mariannhillers in PNG, are all in reasonably good shape, if this can also be said of Fr. Anthony Mulderink, who is just coming out of the hospital in Lae, recove-ring from a typhoid which left him dehydrated, now, after due treat-ment, certainly reenergized and “full of sap” again. (cf. Psalm 92,14)

Deacon Daniel Apas is recove-ring well from his intestinal TB, thanks to his faithful swallowing of the corresponding pills and capsules. He was again fully engaged in the Rosary month, accompanying daily the faithful at Bomana in their procession with the statue of Our Lady from house to house.

Bishop Christian Blouin has to carry the weight of another kind of suffering: the uncertainty about when his sucessor will be appoin-ted. More than a year has gone since Bishop Chris presented his resignation as Bishop of Lae. It must feel like waiting for a bus on the beach. For Bishop Chris it may sometimes even be heavier to bear than the pain of his arthritis.

Some more suffering may be going on in our small community, but everyone is occupied in his pasto-ral task, covering up with hard work and happy face the cleaning of his soul by bearing his part of the cross, following in this the example of our founder Abbot Francis, who envisaged his multi-ple sufferings exactly as such.

In September there was a 21 day marathon of fasting and prayer in St. Stephen parish, where Fr. Brian is the parish priest, and special shape was given to the October month of the Rosary in the parish of St. Therese, where Fr. Roland is in charge. As the Catholic Radio in Lae, under the direction of Fr. Brian, is now in full swing, it irradiates the different pastoral activities into the wider Morobean world, well beyond the borders of our Catholic parishes.

The church of St. Stephen is also undergoing a physical renewal, made possible by joined effort of parishioners and benefactors.

Our two Fratres, Alois Gende and Wilfred Salhun, whose coming on home leave to PNG I mentioned in the Tanget of last July, were received in Lae with the traditional festive evening in the “haus win” of Mariannhill House at Eriku on the 23rd of July. Their stories confirmed that the experience of their integration in our Zambian CMM community has not only given them more physical but also moral and spiritual weight and strength.

On the 19th of August they said goodbye again and flew back to Zambia to finish their studies in June next year. We hope to see them soon back in PNG to rein-force our small community at least for a few years before living out their missionary vocation in other parts of the world.

A few days later, on the 22nd of August Fr. Alfonso Voorn flew to the Netherlands for homeleave and to celebrate in his home-village his golden priestly jubilee. He returned on the 13th of October.

Fr. Roland participated in a course on financial manage-ment in the Xavier Institute at Bomana from the 22nd of August till the 15th of September, while Fr. Ludwig took part in a 7 weeks course on psychology and pastoral care in Goroka in August/September.

On the 23rd of October Fr. Alfonso flew to Lae to join the confreres for some weeks and to organize a Regional Meeting which took place on the 30th of October. Main topic was the Chapter Mandate Booklet, fruit of the General Chapter of 2016 and distributed by our General CMM Government among all the confreres in order to facilitate an authentic renewal of our communities. The meeting should start off a process of reflection and discernment among us, actually quite a job for most of us because of the daily work load.

In October our people at St. Joseph’s Mission, 8 Mile, had again – not for the first time – an opportunity to witness the activity of “raskals” who visited the Pastoral Centre three times.

On one occasion they were welcomed, whowever, with bow and arrow and one of them received an arrow between his ribs. This surprise action put them to flight.

In November Fr. Krzysztof Zacharuk returned from Lae to his beloved Siassi, where he is the only Mariannhiller. But it doesn’t mean isolation. Eight communities and the welcoming atmosphere of the islands are waiting for him.

As to our CPS Sisters, they are finally again a community of four. After a year of leave, mainly sickleave with two operations, Sister Henriqueta Muchate returned at the beginning of August. Also Sister Michaela Kim is back from her holidays in Korea. The personnel of the Mercy Centre, the clinic where both Sisters work, is relieved, although, in general, Health Service remains in PNG a difficult task as the Government funding, officially due, is many times not provided or coming late.

It also remains an overwhelming task as the country runs short of health facilities and personnel. An occasional relief will come with a hospital ship, that will go all around PNG and be accessible even to people from remote areas. Israel will send in turns a total of 61 doctors with this ship.

The 1st of December was HIV/ AIDS Day. Cardinal John Ribat, Archbishop of Port Moresby and chairman of the Christian Leaders Alliance against HIV/AIDS pointed out that HIV/AIDS cases went up with 10,000 in the last two years; 25% of the new infections being of children and adolescents.

The PNG child mortality rate is still the highest in the Pacific. People flock from rural areas to town and the row of people you find every morning at the entrance of our Mercy Clinic in Lae is getting longer by the day.

Last time I wrote to you about the elections. They belong now to the past and we have a new govern-ment, while Mister Peter O’Neil remains in power as Prime Minis-ter. He was elected on the 2nd of August. The new Government has many challenges you can find on Internet, among them the wide-spread corruption, meaning that for many government services you have – if you want “normal” service -to pay under the table the person who is attending you.

I see this kind of “corruption” as a prevalence of the way of life of the traditional small community which has ruled in PNG – and in most countries – for thousands of years: personal relations determine daily life, not a set of rules independent from the mood of your boss or neighbour!

Social rules, respected and applied independent from the mood of the other or the personal relationship with him or her don’t have yet much weight in the social fabric of PNG. Nearly everything depends on the favourable or disfavourable attitude of the other. Thus the most important thing is to have good friends everywhere and be at peace with others! Not a bad side effect actually of social dependency!.

Dear friends, Christmas knocks at the door. It is a Child that knocks at our heart, making us uncover presents and treasures we had not even suspected would be there!

A Blessed and Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year to all of you, also in name of all the confreres in PNG!

Mt. Nicholas Mission
P.O.Box 212
5160 LIBODE, E.C.
South Africa
Email Adresse: frwegler@gmail.com

8.Dezember 2017

In Südafrika leben mehr Menschen von Regierungsunterstützungen als es Arbeiter gibt. Regierungsunterstützung heißt: Kindergeld bis zum 18. Lebensjahr, Mindestrente vom 60. Geburtstag an für alle, die nie in einem Arbeitsverhältnis standen, Waisenkinder-Unterstützung bis zum 18. Lebensjahr, Unterstützung für Aidskranke im fortgeschrittenen Stadium, Rente für körperlich und geistig Behinderte, Unterstützung für jene, die für permanent Kranke sorgen. Viele Menschen können ohne diese Unterstützung nicht überleben. Unsere Diözese besteht zur Gänze aus Landbevölkerung. Mthatha, die größte Stadt mit vermutlich 100.000 Einwohnern hat keine Industrie und deshalb keine Arbeitsmöglichkeiten außer Regierungsangestellten in Schulen und Krankenhäusern und Ämtern und Arbeitsplätzen in Geschäften und Haushalten. Die meisten Arbeiter verdienen ihren Lohn in den Großstädten außerhalb der Diözese. Das ist ein Grund für die große Armut unter den Leuten. Auch wenn es nur der berühmte „Tropfen auf den heißen Stein“ ist, wollen wir in unseren Pfarreien dazu beitragen, die Situation ein wenig zu verbessern. So haben wir beschlossen, 48 Familien oder Einzelpersonen auf den zwölf Außenstationen mit Lebensmittelpaketen zu helfen. Sie erhalten zweimal im Jahr 10 kg Zucker, 10 Kg Reis, 10 kg Mais mit Bohnen, 12 kg Maismehl, 4 Packungen Suppenpulver und 4 Liter Öl zum Braten.

Damit nicht viel Neid entsteht, haben wir festgelegt, hauptsächlich Nicht-Katholiken zu helfen. Es ist nicht leicht, die Ärmsten unter den Armen zu finden. Dieses Projekt geht bis Mitte 2018. Was wir dann machen können, werden wir sehen.

Am 15. Dezember haben sechs junge Frauen in unserer Pfarrei ihre Erste Profess abgelegt. Für die kleine Kongregation der Ursulinen hier ist das wie eine Tsunami-Welle von Berufungen. Die jungen Frauen kommen alle aus Simbabwe. Ursprünglich waren es neun junge Leute, aber wie zu erwarten, haben drei von ihnen in der vierjährigen Prüfungszeit gesehen, dass das Ordensleben nicht der Weg für ihr Leben ist.

Am 3. Februar 2018 durften wir zu einem anderen erfreulichen Fest einladen. Ein junger Mariannhiller Mitbruder wurde zum Priester geweiht. Er kommt ursprünglich von der Demokratischen Republik Kongo und hat sein Studium hier in Südafrika gemacht. Von Januar bis Juni 2017 hat er in unserer Pfarrei als Diakon gearbeitet. Und ich habe ihm das ABC der Xhosa Sprache beigebracht. Wir freuen uns, dass diese beiden Feste in unserer Pfarrei stattfanden und hoffen, dass sie für unsere jungen Menschen ein Anlass sind, über ihre eigene Berufung nachzudenken.

Die Tatsache, dass Südafrika wirtschaftlich am Boden ist, ist das Ergebnis eines ANC (Afrikanischer Nationaler Kongress), der ursprünglich für die Befreiung des Landes von Unterdrückung gekämpft hat, aber sehr schnell dieses noble Ziel aufgegeben hat, um selbstsüchtige Interessen zu verfolgen. Die Symbolfigur dieser dekadenten Entwicklung ist klar sichtbar in Staatspräsident Zuma. Am 8. August hat die Oppositionspartei die 8. Vertrauensdebatte im Parlament eingebracht. Die vorhergehenden Abstimmungen sind mit überwältigender Mehrheit für Zuma ausgefallen, weil sie öffentlich waren. Aber diesmal, nach Einschaltung des höchsten Gerichts, waren die Abstimmungen geheim. Und es wurde klar, wie viel Unterstützung Zuma in der eigenen Partei hat. Es fehlten nur 21 Stimmen und Zuma hätte zurücktreten müssen.

Gegen Zuma gibt es viele Klagen innerhalb und außerhalb seiner Partei. Die Vertrauensanträge im Parlament haben viele Gründe: persönliche Korruption, geschäftliche Verwicklungen mit einer indischen Familie, die dem Staat Milliarden gekostet hat, innerhalb von zwei Jahren hat er drei Finanzminister gefeuert, über 30% Arbeitslose, unter einem Prozent Wachstumsquote, Lügen vor dem Parlament, Nichteinhaltung der Verfassung und so weiter.

Gegen den regierenden Afrikanischen Nationalen Kongress gibt es ebenso eine Litanei von Klagen. Man bekommt fast den Eindruck, dass es keinen Minister in seinem Kabinett gibt, der eine reine Weste hat.

Der ANC hat einen neuen Parteivorsitzenden gewählt. Zuma durfte nicht mehr kandidieren. Es gab sieben Anwärter, die sich um diesen Posten bewarben. Vier Männer und drei Frauen, darunter auch seine Ex-Frau, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. Die Partei ist total zerstritten. Der neue Parteivorsitzende wird nach Tradition der neue Staatspräsident in 2019, vorausgesetzt, dass der ANC noch die Mehrheit bekommt, was viele politische Kommentatoren bezweifeln. Der Same der Spaltung des ANC ist schon im Boden und wächst.

Südafrika schaute mit Angst und Jubel, mit Erwartungen und Sorgen zum Nachbarn Simbabwe, was sich dort abspielte mit dem Diktator Mugabe. Das Sprichwort zeigt doch immer seine Weisheit: „Bäume wachsen nicht in den Himmel“.

Südafrika wird oft als Wunderland , das ohne Blutvergießen einen totalen Umschwung geschaffen hat. Es wird auch oft als Regenbogennation gelobt und meint damit das harmonische Zusammenleben der verschiedenen Ethnien. Aus der Ferne kann das so erscheinen, aber wenn man unter dem Regenbogen hier steht, sieht man ihn nicht.

Klingt alles pessimistisch und negativ. Man kann nur hoffen, dass es nicht so ist in Südafrika oder so werden kann.

Ich wünsche ein gesegnetes und friedvolles Weihnachtsfest und für das neue Jahr 2018 Gottes Segen.

Herzliche Grüße

In den vergangenen Jahren habe ich als Einleitung ein mir besonders liebes Wort vorangestellt. Heute möchte ich eine etwas längere Stellungnahme wählen, ein Leserbrief, der zeigen soll, wo ich in der gegenwärtigen Situation der Kirche stehe. Der Journalist Matthias Matusseck schrieb in der Weltwoche einen hässlichen vierseitigen Bericht über Papst Franziskus, worauf ein Leserbrief von Andreas Imhasly, Bad Zurzach, darauf einging. Er schrieb wie folgt: Die Kunst, alles von hinten her zu lesen, alles wörtlich zu nehmen und einen Gegensinn herauszufiltern, beherrscht der Verfasser meisterlich. Wehe, ein Papst trägt statt der roten schwarzen Schuhe. Wehe, er spricht verständlich und zupackend statt weihevoll und abgehoben zu den Menschen. Wehe, er entzieht sich dem päpstlichen Zeremoniell und will nicht im Palast wohnen. Wehe, er kritisiert den kurialen Hofstaat. Nach dieser buchstäblichen Verwurstung eines angeblich Ärger verursachenden Papstes bleibt zuletzt die Frage: Wie treffend und überzeugend muss Franziskus sein, wenn er auf diese Weise mit allen Mitteln verbaler und visueller Gewalt erledigt werden muss? Wie lebendig und aktuell sein Zeugnis, dass kardinalrote Würdenträger zu Steinewerfern werden unter Berufung auf Gottes Gesetz und die heilige Lehre, aber von (deutschen) Hofjournalisten bejubelt. – Soweit der Leserbrief! Ich sagte schon zu Kollegen, dass ich 30 Jahre auf Papst Franziskus gewartet habe. Ich möchte aber um des richtigen Verständnis willen hinzufügen, dass ich 35 Jahre in der täglichen Messe seiner Vorgänger im Gebet gedacht habe.

In Europa redet man besorgt über die Auflösung der Familie, Stichwort alleinerziehende Mutter. Wenn man unsere Familienverhältnisse, zumal im Süden Mosambiks kennt, fällt auf, dass eine Minderheit der Kinder ein normales Familienleben mit Vater, Mutter und Kinder kennt. Viele Väter arbeiten in Südafrika und kommen den Umständen entsprechend nur einmal, hauptsächlich über Weihnacht und Neujahr auf ‚Besuch’, sehr oft zwei bis drei Wochen. Aber es kann auch sein, dass gleich beide Eltern in ‚Transvaal’, wie sie oft zu sagen pflegen, wohnen. So leben viele Großmütter mit ihren Enkeln. Das Geld zum Unterhalt kommt via Banküberweisung, aber auch mittels Kurier-Verwandte oder Freunde zur ‚Familie’. Was wird aus solchen Kindern, die ihre Eltern kaum kennen? Ein Beispiel: Letzten April war ich in einer Dorfgemeinde. Weil es Regentage waren, die Straßen voll Schlamm, kamen nur wenige Gläubige zum Gottesdienst. Nach der Messe besuchte ich eine Katechesegruppe, sechs Buben. Dabei entdeckte ich, dass nur der Bub des Gemeindeverantwortlichen bei Vater und Mutter wohnte, all die anderen wurden von der Großmutter betreut.

Das ist das letzte Mal, dass Ihr meinen Rundbrief erhaltet. In all den 23 Jahren in Brasilien und jetzt schon fast 20 Jahre in Afrika-Mosambik habe ich nie Rechenschaft gegeben, was ich mit den Spenden meiner Wohltäter getan habe.

Zuerst sei mir eine Vorbemerkung erlaubt. Ich habe versucht, mit einem bescheidenen Lebensstil zu leben, Schuhe, Kleider etc. habe ich gleich anderen Mitbrüdern auf dem Wochenmarkt, in der Regel ‚second hand’, gekauft, übrigens gleich den Leuten, mit denen ich lebte und noch lebe. – Nun zur Sache: Kirchen habe ich keine gebaut, habe aber mit Zuschüssen in den Gemeinden beim Bauen und Ankauf von Grundstücken mitgeholfen, wo die öffentliche Hand kein Grundstück zur Verfügung stellte. In meiner letzten Pfarrei in Brasilien habe ich für den Bau des Pfarrhauses 27.000 US-Dollar als Startkapital zur Verfügung gestellt. Die restlichen 50.000 Dollar hat die Pfarrei mit ihren eigenen Mitteln aufgebracht. Ebenso in Brasilien habe ich zwei Gebraucht-Autos zu je 4.500 Dollar für junge Priester gespendet. – Schon hier in Mosambik sind meine größten Hilfen; Kauf von 107 Schulbänken mit 10.000 Dollar – Die Kinder saßen am Boden, oder auf Steinen oder auf Stühlen, die sie von zuhause mitbrachten. Zum Unterhalt von drei Kindergärten bzw. Tagesschulen mit 60.000 Dollar – es war Erbteil-Spende einer verstorbenen Kindergarten-Lehrerin. Hier in Namaacha Bau von 15 Häusern/Häuschen, besonders für Großmütter mit Kindern, wöchentliche Bitten für den Unterhalt von Familien, Schulbücher und –material, besonders am Schulanfang. Das sind meine hauptsächlichen Ausgaben, mit denen ich helfen durfte. Dafür meinen herzlichsten Dank an alle, die mir das möglich machten!

So Gott will, werde ich bis spätestens Mai in die Schweiz zurückkommen und in unserer Gemeinschaft St. Josef in Altdorf meine Heimat finden. Wer weiß, werde ich einige von Euch dort treffen. Im Gebet sind wir jedenfalls vereint! Empfanget meine Grüße und Segenswünsche für die kommenden Festtage und das neue Jahr 2018.

Germano

21 December 2017

Dear friends,

How to begin if not by telling you that I am fine health wise? Obviously, since the only absolute in life is God, I carry the physical weight of my age, which as it goes on, takes a progressively damaging toll on me.

Should I give in to complain, it would be to share with you that very unfortunately the high temperatures are arriving very quickly. That will be the occasion for me to do my lent fast before you all since that heat burdens me so much. But because I committed so many sins in my life, I guess I must redeem myself? No? Actually I already started to do so because we already had a few of those days.

Regarding my work, I am diligent with serving our dear sisters of the Mariannhill Convent. I say mass there each and every day the Good Lord grants me and I regularly visit the sick ones. I also continue to play the professor with our novices. We have five this year (3 from Zimbabwe and 2 from Kenya). In addition, I also assist the new Director of the Emaus Heritage Centre, in particular with its publications. Finally, I help in other various ways here at the Monastery (occasional masses at the Monastery and with the deaf community, confession, counselling, etc.).

Evidently, a place like the Monastery is victim of its celebrity. We receive many people here and also offer many activities. Last weekend, for instance, we had a pre-Christmas show, Carols in Candlelight – I was asked to be the presenter – a Baroque Christmas concert, Ecumenical Vespers and another program of music and theatre within the frame of the Mariannhill Festival. If it ever happens you have nothing to do, welcome here.

Talking about temperature, in October our region has experienced a ferocious storm. The death of two people at the very least was confirmed; we witness many dramatic rescues; so many cars were seriously damaged; innumerable houses were flooded and full of walls crashed down. I console myself with the fact that here at the Monastery we got off rather lightly; and that other places in the worlds were also plagued by bad weather. We were not the only ones!

There is no lack of life here. No. Many of our religious come this way for business; our candidates and postulants do the same for other reasons; groups of tourists, small, medium size and big, come one after the other; and other groups – of youth especially – come to board at our Mission Centre. The image of the accordion often crosses my mind when I think of our dining room because its population often goes from widening to narrowing.

Now, the major component of my apostolate, the process of beatification of the founder of Mariannhill, Abbot Francis Pfanner. This should be in fact my main occupation, but unfortunately it is not, at least at the moment. I am still delayed in that task by some others left stranded. I wholeheartedly hope to be able to immerse myself again in that process as soon as possible in 2018.

Imagine, I had the occasion to take a short holiday of a week in October. We got German visitors and I was the only one who could manage to speak “some” German with them – Bro. Konrad was home in Germany – and therefore could accompany them in visiting. We travelled some 3,000 kilometres, touring the network of the main old mission stations built by the Trappists. I wouldn’t have chosen that for my vacation, but after all, why not? For a long time already I had entertained the idea of re-visiting those missions. We visited the stations of Mariathal, Einsiedeln, St. Isidore, Emaus, Lourdes, Reichenau, Centocow, Mariazell, Maria Linden, Fairview, Mount Fletcher, Mthatha, St. Michael and Mariatrost. We also made a stop at our very latest mission, our retreat centre, Coolock House.

I now move to a different chapter, that of our social and political situation. It’s not that I want to darken on purpose the extraordinarily beautiful country of South Africa. No. It’s only that it is a reflection of many forms of darkness of our present world, which here are directly under our eyes, as raw material and not as refined maybe as in your North of the world. Not a complete picture therefore! Far from that! A list of facts is perhaps the best way to give you an idea – only an idea of course – of the situation.

Our dear President, Mr. Zuma, already survived nine votes of no confidence in parliament. He was charged with 783 counts of fraud, money laundering and racketeering at the time the national director of prosecutions decided to discontinue prosecution against him in 2009. This was eight years ago!

Inside the same party, the ANC – his party -, groups of opponents go to court to settle their disputes. In only one month three politicians were shot dead in that same party. And ten in the course of the past year. Disagreements on some points, so be it, but the fact that people go as far as killing is proof that there is something terribly important at stake. O yes, there is money. And not just peanuts! That party is riddled with corruption and at the mercy of the appetite for power. There is vote buying. All this is a generally accepted truth by all the serious observers.

So much so that now many people voice their opposition to this situation. And that a strong opposition to corruption is slowly taking shape, even within the party. There is no choice if the party wishes to still govern in the future. But the patient is still far, very far, from a complete cure.

I continue. One in three children experiences violence in S.A., and one in five school goers sexual violence. In May, a mini-bus collided head-on with a bakkie. Eight people were killed in the crash and four injured. On it was written “Powered by Jesus”. It would have been better to do what Jesus would have done, drive more carefully. These minibuses are like a tumor in the body of public transport.

Closer to us, in June, one of our young confreres was rushed to hospital after having been severely stabbed in his arm and left hand by a group of thugs who wanted to steal his mobile and some money.

In September we woke to land invaders attempting to take possession of part of our land here at the Monastery (around our Mater Dolorosa and near St. Mary’s hospital). The matter had to be reported urgently to the municipal office and the police, so as to officially warn them that they were illegally occupying private land and had to vacate it with immediate effect. They obeyed and left, but early the following morning, they tried again. So did another group of them. One must know that this is another plague of our dear country.

Another fact. In November, close to 2,000 people were left homeless after a shack fire spread rapidly in a neighboring shanty town. The firefighters were rather rapidly on the spot, but they had to flee when groups of residents turned on them and stabbed their hosepipe, hoping to get water to put out the fire burning their own shacks further away. Meanwhile, the fire raged on. After a while the crowd became desperate because there was no more water available for anybody. The firefighters could return only after the arrival of the police. But it was too late then. This is to say that should they have not had shacks – for lack of anything better – and lived in decent small houses at least, nothing of that would have happened probably. At least, it would not have been such a catastrophe.

OK, enough talking. Let’s conclude.

Christmas! God, God himself, becomes a little one! And in his smallness, he still remains great, immensely great; great as an absolute is, as a god is! What a mystery! Yes, a true mystery! But without it, what else do we have to found our existences and give them meaning? That is the great mystery Christmas time invites us, in the hurly-burly of our lives, all centered on themselves, not to suffocate like a useless fire. It rather calls us to admire it, nay, to “contemplate” it until it deeply penetrates our minds and hearts!

To give human explanations to the mystery man is – oh, there are! – can only mean to give it a justification that is the reflection of our own limitations. A limited explanation therefore! One that does not go further! But, as Pascal puts it, «man transcends man». He is more than what his limitations can grasp; he is mystery. And to that mystery there is only one answer acceptable to reason: another mystery, still greater, that can encompass it and give it meaning. Full of meaning!

May you take time to contemplate that mystery! That is my best wish for you all.

Ciao.

Yves La Fontaine, CMM

The Monastery
P.O. Box 11045
3624 Mariannhill, KZN
Republic of South Africa

Tel: (…) 031.700.9442
071.506.5860
E-mail: yvesmllcmm@gmail.com

Dear friends of Mariannhill PNG, Christmas greetings from Lae! A Blessed and Joyful Christmas to all of you in name of all CMM and CPS here in PNG! We all hope that the dreams of the prophet Isai-ah, so forcefully resounding during the Advent, may come true! The internation-al panorama, however, seems to have a long way to make true just a little bit of those dreams. “Roadmaps” are outlined to show the way to that Prom-ised Land of Peace. There must be already a small li-brary full of these road maps.
Far from the “killing fields” of our time, here in PNG we tried to comply with our mission, while – as usual – some of us went on home-leave or came back. In September Sister Henri-queta Muchate, CPS, came back from her home-leave in Mozambique.
In this Jubilee Year of Mercy the Mercy Centre in Lae is a clear manifestation of the Jubilee message. In the Centre mercy comes down like a gentle rain on the the daily problems of families mainly living in Kamkumung, the part of Lae, where the Mercy Centre operates and where some 90.000 people are living. Due to lack of hygiene and other problems some sicknesses are on the rise, like TB, and AIDS. “The majority of AIDS survivors live off the streets and as such they do not take proper care of their medications.” (So the Post Courier of 15 Dec 2015) Pregnancy and child birth are still high risk events in PNG. Only 40% of deliveries are supervised professionally. Around 5000 babies a year don’t make it through their first month of life. The need for health service is well illustrated by a statement of the WHO, according to which PNG’s seven million people have less than 400 doctors. That means one doctor for 17.500 people. The situation is in fact much more dramatic because of these 400 doctors only 51 work outside the capital Port Moresby!! It illustrates quite clear the lack of “missionary” doctors, who are looking for sick people before they look for the best paid job! Mercy over money, that is what we need! In the same month of September Br. Yvon Bourret, of our USA-Canadian Province, came to visit us. Br. Yvon has been living and working for more than 20 years in Africa, the last halve of it in Kenya. He came to see how is our life and mission here. He returned to Canada in December. Who knows, perhaps he fell in love with PNG and will come back us join for longer! Welcome, Brother Yvon!
In October we had wo visitors from our CMM General Governent, our General Superior, Fr. Damian Weber, and the General Secretary, Fr. Wenceslaus Kwindigwi. They came for canonical visitation and stayed for two weeks with us, time enough to have a good look at our mini-sized CMM community. Looking hard they may have discovered good sides of our community we ourselves are not even aware of. We’ll see it in the Visitation Report which, to be written during the Year of Mercy, can’t be too hard on us!
Wednesday, the 4th of November was a great day for the Diocese of Lae. Deacon John Nake was ordained a priest in his home-village Kampalap in Siassi.
As Kampalap is mainly Lutheran the celebration became nearly ecumenical, because everybody was interested and wanted to see how that is when a Catholic man becomes a priest.
The celebration must have been for the Lutherans especially impressive, because the Catholic Church permits a much greater presence of traditional dancing and adorning during liturgy than the Protestants. And the whole richness of traditional culture came to expression.
From Lae many people had come together with Bishop Christian Blouin. They took the boat already on Monday. Others came from West New Britain. Hundreds of them had to sleep and eat at Kampalap. Everything was carefully prepared. Houses had been built of bush material, and a special house for the 9 priests who were to concelebrate at the ordination Mass and at the first Mass of the newly ordained Fr. John the next day. It were colourful and highly festive days. A severe shortage of garden products because of the months-long drought, caused by El Niño, was resolved with extra rice coming in by boat. The newly ordained Fr. John has already received from Bishop Chris his pastoral destination and is working as a parish priest at Bulolo. When Bishop Chris travelled back to Lae by boat he found out that he was accompanied by a live-pig the inhabitants of Kampalap had given him along as a farewell present and sign of their gratitude for such magnificent days. Bishop Chris gave the thanks on to the Lord and the pig to the people.
On December 4, Sister Soun Tzang, CPS, left PNG for Korea to be nearer to her mother who celebrated lately her hundredth birthday. Sister Soun has been a member of the CPS community in Lae for six years and has dedicated much of her energy and time to the local Church as a Diocesan Administrator. Sister Soun joined the CPS in the United States, was then working in Zimbabwe, was one of the Sisters who started off the CPS in Korea and came to PNG in 2009. On the 27th of November Bishop and Diocese said a thankful goodbye to her with a festive farewell-lunch in the same offices where so many projects and activities of the Diocese had to be formulated meticulously in numbers and ciphers as an inexorable part of today’s pastoral care.
On the 5th of December Fr. Sido van der Werf came back from home-leave, just in time to meet still Br. Yvon. Fr. Sido had been in the Netherlands since the 10th of May. It was a long home-leave, due to a series of visits to doctors. On the 9th of December Sis-ter Pascal Nyamadzawo, CPS, flew from Lae via Moresby to Hong Kong. From there to Johannesburg and finally to Harare in Zimbabwe , for a well-deserved home-leave after her first three years in PNG. In three months she hopes to come back to take up again her task at the Pastoral Center at St. Joseph’s Mission, Lae.
Dear friends, there is more news, which I must leave for next time: there are our confreres who started postgraduate studies and have finished or are finish-ing, Fr. Matthew Kim, Fr. Ludwig Teika, Deacon Daniel Apas. There are our other PNG confreres Br. Alois Gen-de and Br. Wilfred Salhun, now pursuing their theolog-ical studies in Zambia. And there are the always pre-sent and pressing evolving issues in the country, with this year the great issue of the drought in many parts of PNG, with in some parts of the Highlands real famine as consequence. Next time more. God bless and a Hap-py and Prosperous New Year!

Das erste Halbjahr war ich fast nur in den Dorfgemeinden tätig. In Namaacha Stadt sind mit mir zwei Mitbrüder in der Pfarrkirche und gelegentlich helfen uns zwei Salesianerpatres und zwei Diözesanpriester vom Pastoralzentrum. Inzwischen haben wir Gemeinden in 13 Dörfern. Mehrere sind zur Zeit daran, ihre Strohkirchen durch feste Betonbauten zu ersetzen. Bei der Firmung Ende August kam die Mehrheit der 97 Firmlinge aus den Dörfern, aber im Gegensatz zu der Stadt mit fast ausschließlich jugendlichen Firmlingen waren die Leute vom Land Erwachsene, zum größten Teil schon Großeltern, ja Urgroßeltern, zum kleineren Teil Neuchristen, aber auch Leute, die wegen dem Bürgerkrieg (1980-1993) ins Ausland (Swaziland und Südafrika) geflohen waren und erst spät zurückgekehrt sind. Fast alle Dörfer sind Neugründungen. Zur Kolonialzeit war das Gebiet fast ausschließlich Farm- und Weideland (mit wenig Angestellten). Jetzt ist der Ackerbau die Hauptbeschäftigung: Mais, Erdnüsse und Manjok. In kleinen Gemeinden kann es vorkommen, besonders in der Saat- und Erntezeit, dass man die Erwachsenen an zwei Händen abzählen kann. Oder wie es Mitte August in Altogiza-Radiotêcnica vorkam: Die Messe begann mit einem alten Urgroßvater mit seinen drei Urenkeln, der älteste 14 Jahre alt, dazu ein Katechist und ein Ministrant, die mich begleiteten. Am Ende der Messe kamen noch drei Schulmädchen. Wer weiß: vielleicht ist es wie im Gleichnis vom Samen der Anfang einer lebendigen Gemeinde.

Aids ist unser großes Problem. Die Pandomia ist weit verbreitet und fast die Hälfte unserer Verstorbenen ist Opfer dieser Krankheit, die meisten zwischen 20 und 40 Jahre alt, dazu Kinder, die bei der Geburt infiziert wurden. Was uns Europäer auffällt ist eine unglaubliche Freizügigkeit, wie mit Sex umgegangen wird. Schon 13- und 14-jährige Jungen und Mädchen haben ihre Erfahrung, nicht selten mit Personen höheren Alters. In der Schule wird schon ab dem sechsten Schuljahr mit dem Sexualunterricht begonnen, und dies in einer sehr liberalen Weise, wie es das Lehrbuch aufzeigt. Das ist eine große Herausforderung für die Kirche und ich vermute, dass die Familiensynode unserer Bischöfe das Thema kaum behandelt hat. Viele afrikanische Bischöfe sind zu europäisch ausgerichtet. Sie leben in einer Kluft von gelehrter und gelebter Moral. In unserer Kirche muss sich ein Aidskranker wie ein Fremdling vorkommen. Nicht so beim einfachen Volk und Ordensleuten, die mit diesen Kranken zu tun haben.

In Namaacha war Mitte des Jahres eine große Aktion für eine ärztliche Beschneidung, geleitet und finanziert von einer amerikanischen Regierungsorganisation, unterstützt von den mosambikanischen Gesundheitsbehörden. Weit mehr als tausend Kinder (ab dem zwölften Lebensjahr), Jugendliche und Erwachsene wurden während fünf Wochen beschnitten. Circuncisao, wie man hier sagt, ist ein Schutz gegen Aids und DTS (Doenca de Transmissao Sexual), wie übrigens auch Kondome. Ich habe Buben, die mich um Rat fragten, ermuntert, sich dieser ärztlichen Beschneidung zu unterziehen. Eigentlich hätte dies ja die Kirche offiziell tun müssen. Es geht um das höchste Gut, das Leben.

Aber unser größtes lokales Problem dieses Jahres war und ist die Dürre, das Fehlen des großen Regens. Zwar hat es letzten Sommer 2014-2015 immer wieder geregnet und besonders die Frühsäer konnten mit einer guten Ernte auskommen. Aber die unteren Stauseen wurden nie voll und dementsprechend wurde das Wasser durch ein Überquellen nie gereinigt. Seit drei Monaten sind die Stauseen fast leer, das Restwasser ist braun und grün, Zeichen der Verschmutzung. So leben wir jetzt dank der Tiefbohrungen – HELVETAS hat da groß mitgeholfen. Wassertransport, sei es mittels Tankautos, sei es auf dem Kopf (Lasten werden hier auf dem Kopf getragen), gehören jetzt zum Straßenbild. Für das Trinkwasser müssen die Leute in der Regel stundenlang warten, bis sie an der Reihe sind. Auch jetzt warten und beten wir auf einen großen Regen. Vor zwei Jahren waren unsere Stauseen Mitte November voll zum Überlaufen.

Zum Schluss ein Wort zu den Parlamentswahlen! Bei diesen Wahlen kam es zu einem Sieg des Fremdenhasses. Die Flüchtlingskrise wurde zum Anlass, dass die SVP dies extrem ausgeschlachtet hat. Vor 50 Jahren waren wir Katholiken so stolz mit dem Wort: WIR TEILEN, unsere Solidarität mit der Dritten Welt. Für viele ist das Vergangenheit. Eine Wohlstandsreligion hat sich breit gemacht. Eine Teologia da Prosperidade hat eine breite Schicht des Volkes erreicht. Die Schweiz scheint ein auserwähltes Volk mit dem Segen Gottes zu sein (Roger Köppel). Mit dem ehemaligen Churer Weihbischof Peter Henrici stimme ich überein: Die SVP ist die einzige Partei, die ein guter Christ nicht wählen kann. Nur würde ich „guter Christ“ mit „bewusster Christ“ ersetzen.

So sind vor allem Innerschweizer Katholiken in Scharen einer politischen Wohlstandsreligion erlegen und dem Weltwoche-Chef Köppel, Blochers Kronprinz (Bodenmann) hörig geworden. Seit Jahren schürt er und Kollegen den Fremdenhass gegen Flüchtlinge und Immigranten, eine richtige Volksverhetzung. Lassen wir sie das Wort WIR TEILEN spüren. Wie sagt es das Konzil so schön: Freude und Hoffnung (Gaudium et Spes), Leiden und Schmerz der Menschen sind auch Freude und Hoffnung, Leiden und Schmerz der Jünger Christi.

So schließe ich diese Zeilen mit gemischten Gefühlen und hoffe, dass das, was zur Zeit geschieht, die Solidarität eines Teils der EU, zu einem guten Ende führe. Oder ist das reiche Europa so blind, dass es die Kolonialzeit wiederholt, in einer neuen Auflage.

Wegen meines Heimaturlaubs mitten im Jahr ist dieses Jahr noch schneller vergangen als sonst. Das letzte grosse Fest in der Pfarre war die Erstkommunion von 16 Kindern anfangs Dezember. Wie jedes Jahr sind auch diesmal 7 davon zuerst getauft worden. Es sind meist die Grossmuetter, die darum bitten. Sie wollen keine ungetauften Enkelkinder haben. Vom Dienstag, den 8. Dezember bis zum Sonntag haben die „Marienkinder“ ihre Jahres-versammlung hier in unserer Pfarre. Es kommen etwa 130 Kinder und Jugendliche aus der ganzen Dioezese. Sie planen das kommende Jahr. Es wird ein besonderes Jahr sein , das Jahr der Barmherzigkeit Gottes.

Sie planen verschiedene Aktivitaeten wie besondere Sorge fuer die Aidskranken. Jedes Heim soll einen Liturgischen Kalender haben. Eine Lebensmittelsammlung fuer die Armen soll gemacht werden. Wir haben schon letztes Jahr Kleider gesammelt fuer die Armen. Eine Wallfahrt wird geplant und Heilungsgottesdienste sollen gehalten werden. Ein reiches Programm, das sich die Jugend vorgenommen hat.

Der Zweig der Ursuliner Schwestern, die hier auf der Missionsstation leben und arbeiten, hat sich vom Mutterkloster Brig, Schweiz, geloest und ist nun eine eigene selbstaendige Provinz geworden. Die finanzielle Seite scheint garantiert zu sein, aber mit einheimischen Schwestern mangelt es noch. Aber am 8. Dezember wurden 7 junge Maedchen ins Noviziat aufgenommen. Sie kommen alle aus Zimbabwe und sind alle zur gleichen Zeit eingetreten. Es sieht aus wie ein kleines Wunder. Man kann nur hoffen, dass sie alle die richtige Entscheidung getroffen haben. Suedafrika wirkt ja auf die jungen Menschen wie ein Magnet, die ein besseres, Erfolg versprechenderes, politisch freieres, friedlicheres und schoeneres Leben suchen. Manches davon lockt sie auch in die Kirche.

Am 23. Oktober gab es an allen Universitaeten des Landes grosse Studentenproteste, weil angekuendigt wurde, dass die Studiengebuehren um 10,5% steigen. Die Regierug hat gleich nachgegeben. Aber damit gaben sich die Studenten nicht zufrieden. Jetzt wird gefordert, dass das Studium generell kostenfrei sein muss. Jetzt ist die grosse Frage: Woher das Geld? Die ANC dominierte Regierung hat wenig Spielraum. Denn naechstes Jahr stehen Gemeinderatswahlen auf dem Programm. Der ANC steht ohnehin schon in einem schlechten Licht wegen den verheerenden Korruptionsfaellen. Dazu kommt die jugendliche neue EFF Partei, die abtruennige Jugend des ANC, die der Regierung nun das Leben wirklich „sauer“ macht. Der ANC verliert immer mehr Anhaenger.

Diese Studentenproteste wurden mit dem Soweto Aufstand in 1976 verglichen. Es sind diesmal zwar keine Menschen ums Leber gekommen wie damals, aber sie waren der Anfang vom Ende der Apartheid.

Die grossen Schulferien habe anfangs Dezember begonnen. Fuer viele junge Burschen ist es Beschneidungszeit. Obwohl nach Tradition dafuer die Wintermonate Juni bis August vorgesehen sind, wird diese Zeremonie in den grossen Ferien gemacht, damit sie keine Schulzeit verlieren. Nun sind schon 50 Initiationsburschen gestorben, die meisten davon aus unserer Provinz. Es ist jedes Jahr das selbe „Lied“. Es gibt zu viele illegale Initiationsschulen (wegen Geld) und die Verantwortlichen halten sich nicht an Vorschriften wie aerzliche Ueberwachung.

Klima – wie in Europe heuer, hohe Temperaturen bis 43 Grad. Es ist schon angekuendigt worden, dass das Land erstmals Mais einfuehren muss. Damit gehen auch alle anderen Lebensmittel hinauf. Man sieht die Trockenheit auch bei unseren Kleinstfarmern: die Felder werden nicht mehr bebaut.

In Suedafrika, wenn Gruppen von Menschen nicht zufrieden sind mit Dienstleistungen des Staates, gehen sie auf die Barrikaden, d. h. es werden Strassen gesperrt, Autoreifen auf oeffentlichen Plaetzen verbrannt, Schulen angezuendet, Regierungsgebaeude demoliert und seit neuestem sogar der Zugang zum Parlament versperrt. Wir hier in Libode machen das auf friedliche und deswegen erfolglose Weise. Wir ertragen es einfach. Seit 6 Monaten funktioniert hier das Telefon nicht mehr und wir bekommen auch keine Post. Es wird gestreikt. Gott-sei-Dank funktioniert noch das Internet. Briefe koennen fuer mich nach Mthatha adressiert werden: P. O. Box 85, Mthatha. Wir leben abgeschnitten, am „Ende der Welt“.

Wenn man die Weltnachrichten hoert und sieht, dann weiss man, dass die Menschheit nichts wichtiger braucht als Frieden. Wir beten um diesen Frieden. Ich wuensche ein friedvolles Weihnachtsfest und Gottes Segen und ein gutes neues Jahr.

Herzlichen Gruss

Circular Letter 25 January 2016

Dear confreres,

1. Introduction

On the 21st January 2016 Pope Francis declared that Father Engelmar Unzeitig, a member of the Congregation of the Missionaries of Mariannhill, is a martyr! We rejoice with the whole Congregation and the Church at large in this most inspiring news. How interesting that this good news comes at the end of the year of consecrated life and as we focus on the year of mercy whereby we are all challenged to extend a hand of love and assistance to other person. Fr. Engelmar Unzeitig did more than just extend his hand to the fellow prisoners in Dachau. He gave his life for their wellbeing by serving the inmates in the typhoid ward. He exercised his priestly and religious ministry until the last breath. Let us try to emulate the loving and outreaching actions of Fr. Engelmar Unzeitig by going out of our way to bring joy to the people of God. We shall announce the date of his beatification as soon as we receive it.

2. Celebration of the Principal feast of the Congregational

On the 2nd February 2016 we shall celebrate the principal feast of the Congregation, the Presentation of the Lord, at Mariannhill Monastery at 10am. You are all invited and encouraged to come. Bro. Terence Njodzi, Bro. Michael Chasaya, Frt. Tiago Vilanculo, Frt. David Gowelo and Frt. Lindelwa Dlamini will commit themselves to the Lord and the Congregation through perpetual profession. We congratulate our confreres and we sincerely thank the Monastery community for always hosting this feast. On the same day we shall also celebrate the first profession of our brothers who are completing their novitiate soon.

On the 1st February 2016 our temporally professed brothers will renew their profession during the vespers at 5:15pm at the Monastery Church. During the same service the postulants will be officially received into the canonical year of novitiate. We are grateful this year that among the four postulants that will be received into the novitiate, three of them have a calling to brotherhood.

3. Important dates to diarize

Our annual retreat will take place at the Coolock House from the 11th -18th September 2016. Fr. Christopher Neville OFM will direct us.

The pilgrimage to Emaus to commemorate the death anniversary of the Founder will take place at Emaus mission on the 21st May 2016. Bishop Stanley Dziuba will preside over the Eucharist and preach. The Stations of the Cross will begin at 9:30am. The full program will still follow.

The Ixopo Zone has postponed their Zone meeting from the 24th February to the 9th March 2016 at Queensburg/Bellair parish. This change is necessitated by the workshop that will be conducted by the General Finance Commission during the same week at Coolock House and the absence of the chairperson of the Zone, Fr. Henry Kanjo, who is at home for holidays. Frs. Alfred Igwebuike and Raphael Phiri are also at home for holidays.

Frs. Mthokozisi Khumalo and Sbu Mkhize will conduct a retreat on the year of Mercy at Mariannhill Coolock House from the 3rd -9th July 2016. It is intended for religious and lay people. For more details please phone Fr. Sbu Mkhize on 0717578048.

4. St. Mary’s hospital chaplaincy

I sincerely thank Fr. Nkosinathi Dlamini who has served as chaplain of St. Mary’s hospital for the past three years. Thank you for your dedication and faithfulness in providing the hospital with the necessary apostolate. Fr. Nkosinathi is starting his new ministry at Elukwatini parish, Witbank Diocese, in the beginning of February. We wish him God’s richest blessings.

5. Pre-Capitulars commission in Rome

From the 10th -29th February I will be away to Rome to attend the pre-capitulars commission which prepares for the General Chapter 2016. I also hope to take a few days to visit our confreres in Spain especially the ones who have just been transferred there.

6. Conclusion

It is always good when confreres make a commitment in the meeting and follow it with practical actions. I thank the confreres who have contributed generously to the Club CMM whose purpose is to raise money to complete the purchase of Mariannhill Coolock House. For account details please check the last circular letter of December 2015. The financial administration office will send the results of your financial contribution at the end of each month.

I am also grateful to our benefactors, the confreres doing special apostolates and receiving a stipend for it and putting it in the common fund as well as our senior confreres who hand-in their pension fund to the bursar in order to meet the financial requirements and demands of the Province. God bless you all for your dedication and loyalty. If we share the little that we have and are as a community, we shall indeed go very far! This is what strengthened the early Christian community; they shared everything that they had and were! The new provincial council will begin to serve its term from the 2nd February 2016. I thank the outgoing members of the council Frs. Donatus Ndwalane and Vincent Mdabe for their dedicated service and wise counsel during the past three years.

I wish all of you a blessed and fruitful year!

Yours faithfully

Fr. Bheki Shabalala CMM
Provincial Superior

Mt. Nicholas Mission
P.O.Box 212
5160 LIBODE, E.C.
South Africa
11. Maerz 2016
Email: freglerw@mthathacmm.co.za

Seit dem 6. Februar 2016 haben wir hier auf unserer Station eine General Superiorin. Die Ursuliner Schwestern von Brig, Schweiz, kamen 1934 auf Einladung des damaligen Bischofs Hanisch in die Dioezese Mthatha. Sie haben auf verschiedenen Missionsstationen gearbeitet und zwar hauptsaechlich als Lehrerinnen und Krankenschwestern. Hier in Libode haben sie eine Schule angefangen in 1940, urspruenglich fuer Mischlingskinder and dann fuer schwarze Kinder. Diese Schule hat sich sehr gut entwickelt und zaehlt heute ueber 1200 Schueler und hat weit und breit einen guten Ruf und ist sehr begehrt. Auf der Nachbarstation Ngqeleni haben sie eine Krankenstation angefangen und die Schwestern sind auf Aussenstationen geritten, um die Kranken in ihren Huetten zu besuchen und zu pflegen. Auf der Station selbst fuehrten sie ein Entbindungsheim. In Mthatha wurde auch sehr frueh ein Entbindungsheim gebaut. Die Arbeit der Schwestern war Beispiel gebend, weil sie sich vor allem um Mischlinge und schwarze Muetter angenommen haben.

In den spaeten 60er Jahren sind die ersten schwarzen Maedchen in die Gemeinschaft aufgenommen worden. Die etwa 25 Schweizer Schwestern , die seit 1934 in die Doezese kamen, sind nun verstorben oder in ihre Heimat zurueck gekehrt. Uebrig blieb eine Gemeinschaft von 8 einheimischen Schwestern. Dazu wurden heuer 7 junge Frauen aus Zimbabwe ins Noviziat aufgenommen. Eine kleine Gruppe. Man kann ihnen nur wuenschen, dass sie sich wie das „evangelische“ Senfkorn entwickeln. Es ist die Tradition der Ursuliner Schwestern weltweit, dass sie eigene autonome, lokale Gemeinschaften formen und sich von der Gruendergemeinschaft trennen. Deswegen haben wir nun hier eine Generalsuperiorin auf unserer Station.

Das Land hat seit 150 Jahren keine so extreme Trockenheit erlebt wie jetzt. SA, das immer selbstversorgend war und noch die Nachbarlaender mit Grundnahrungsmittel n versorgt hat, muss erstmal etwa 6 Millionen Tonnen Mais einfuehren. Dazu kommt die Entwicklung auf dem Weltfinanzmarkt. Innerhalb von wenigen Monaten ist der Wechselkurs von Euro zu Rand von 14 auf 18 Rand gefallen. Die wirtschaftliche Lage ist noch verschlechtert worden, weil Praesident Zuma aus persoenlichen Gruenden innerhalb von 5 Tagen 3 Finanzminister gewechselt hat. Das hat dem Land etwa 500 Milliarden Rand gekostet und hat die Investoren sehr verunsichert. Die Folge von all dem ist, dass die einfachen Leute den „Guertel“ noch enger schnallen muessen. Der Druck auf Praesident Zuma wird immer groesser. Am 9. Februar wurde vor dem Verfassungsgericht eine Klage gegen ihn eingebracht, dass er die Verfassung missachtet hat. Alles haengt mit seinem beruechtigten Privatheim Nkandla zusammen, das er sich mit 254 Millionen Rand Stuerergeld hat bauen lassen. Der verfassungsmaesig eingesetzte „Ombutsmann“ entschied, dass er einen Teil der Summe zurueck zahlen muss, die die unrechtmaesigen Ausgaben fuer ein Schwimmbad, ein Amphitheater, Viehstallungen usw decken sollen. Dagegen hat er sich aber immer geweigert , bis er dem Rat seiner Rechtsanwaelte folgte und zwei Tage vor dem Gerichtsverfahren sich bereit erklearte, etwas zurueck zu zahlen. Aber seine Gegner haben dieses „Friedensabgebot“ nicht angenommen. Das Urteil des Verfassungsgerichts ist noch ausstaendig.

Nicht wie in manchen anderen Staaten auf dem Kontinent funktioniert in SA das Justizwesen noch einigermassen. Am 30. Dezember musste der Koenig der Thembus eine 12 jaehrige Gefaengnisstrafe antreten. Er ist traditioneller Fuehrer von etwa 4 – 5 Millionen Staatsbuergern. Er wurde verurteilt wegen Brandstiftung, Gewalttaetigkeit und Entfuehrung.

In der Oeffentlichkeit hoert man sehr oft das Wort: Ungleichheit. SA ist weltweit das Land mit dem hoechsten Grad an Ungleichheit. Im Schulwesen, im Gesundheitswesen, in der Wirtschaftswelt, im Anteil am Landbesitz, in der Lohnskala, in Fuehrungspositionen, usw. Solange diese Ungleichheit hauptsaechlich zwischen Schwarz und Weiss besteht, wird sich der Wunschtraum von Nelson Mandela, eine „Regenbogen“ Nation zu bauen, schwerlich erfuellen lassen.

Unlaengst wurde im Parlament eine spezielle Sitzung von Praesident Zuma beantragt, das Problem Rassismus zu diskutieren. In den letzten 22 Jahren seit den ersten freien Wahlen in 1994 ist in dieser Hinsicht nicht viel erreicht worden. Die Tatsache des Rassismus wird auf die Ungleichheit zurueck gefuehrt. Auch die staendigen Unruhen in den Universitaeten im ganzen Land haben in der Ungleichheit zwischen schwarzen und weissen Studenten ihre Ursache. Die ganze Welt bewunderte SA, dass das Apartheid System auf friedliche Weise ueberwunden werden konnte. Aber von einer geeinten, friedlichen Nation kann nur getraeumt werden. Man kann nur hoffen, dass das Land wieder Fuehrer hervorbringen kann wie Nelson Mandela , die die „breite“ Masse verkoerpern koenne nund sich nicht von extremen Linken oder Rechten manipulieren lassen und so die bedrohlichen Spannungen zwischen Schwarz und Weiss, Reich und Arm, Land und Stadt ausgleichen koennen.

Zu Ostern werden in unserer Pfarre wieder 9 Erwachsene getauft. Wir freuen uns darueber, dass sie das ganze Jahr treu zum Unterricht gekommen sind und die Gemeinschaft nicht nur durch die Taufe von Babies, sondern auch Erwachsenen waechst.

In diesem „Jahr der Barmherzigkeit“ Gottes moegen wir seine Barmherzigkeit in sichtbarer Weise durch den Tod und die Auferstehung Jesu wieder neu erfahren.

Herzliche Gruesse!

Dear Confreres
Greetings from a Zimbabwe, which is experiencing severe drought this year. We have had very poor rains for two consecutive years. This year is the worst and it has been declared as a state of natural disaster. An estimate of about three million or more people are facing starvation and in need of food aid. While the country experiences the drought, we are also challenged by the economic depression too. Many of the work force in the country, have gone for months without pay, others have lost their jobs while some of the young professionals who qualified from the universities and colleges are unemployed. The rate of unemployment is very high since many companies have and are closing down due to the economic challenges the country is facing. Of late we have shortage of cash. An interesting phenomenon is also taking place in our country, whereby we have many churches mushrooming in the cities, preaching a gospel of prosperity. Contrary to what is actually happening in the country, people flock to these churches with the hope of finding answers to their economic challenges. For us however, the work of evangelization goes on in this environment. We now have an invitation that we be a prophetic presence and a source of hope as missionaries especially in this jubilee year of mercy.

Other than what is happening around us, we have also had some celebrations which were remarkable. On 30th January 2016, we joined the rest of the religious in Zimbabwe as we celebrated the closure of the year of consecrated life in Regina Mundi Gweru. The day started with Holy Mass, Bishop Angel Flora of Gokwe as our main celebrant. After that we listened to some speaker who helped us to reflect on the Theme, “Radical following of Christ: Challenges of professionalism vs evangelization”. Many religious from all corners of the country came for this celebration. As Mariannhill Missionaries, we participated in our great numbers as well. It was a truly fitting ending off of the special year of consecrated life, where we felt renewed and ready to continue our various ministries of service.

On 1st February 2016, we had renewal of vows for our two young confreres, Br. John Mzanywa and Br. Lovemore Makore. On the same occasion we had an induction of new members to our CMM Associates. This group of lay people who are supportive to our ministry and evangelisation have celebrated ten years sincere they were established. The group is growing and spreading wings in the Archdiocese of Bulawayo. Most members come from the parishes where we are working as Mariannhill Missionaries. We continue to support the CMM associates and appreciate their work.

This year, 2016, we are celebrating 120 years since Mariannhill Missionaries started the work of evangelization in Zimbabwe. Hence, some programs for our celebration will be made known soon. We have set up a committee for the 120 celebration. This committee comprises of Br. Alois Humpf, Fr. Christopher Ngwarai, Fr. Bekimpilo Tshuma, Mr. Pesanai and myself. We thank God for these years of hard work and of witness in Manicaland and Bulawayo. This looking back at how God has journeyed with us over such a long period is an occasion to help us remain focused and committed to a mission which those who have gone before us have laid the foundation on which we continue to build on. We look forward to compiling a book chronicling all the key features of what has been and accomplished in these 120 years. This being celebrated in the jubilee year of mercy we ask for forgiveness for the times blunders have been made and pray for forgiveness and mercy from each other and those we minister to. Your support for this important event would be highly appreciated. We will use 18th June as an opening day to the 120 years celebrations.

Abbot Francis Day – 24th May 2016: We honour and remember Abbot Francis’ death anniversary on 24th May. Holy Mass will be celebrated at 16:00 pm, in our Community chapel, as we are hosting this celebration this year. The CPS Sisters, CMM and CPS Associates will also join us for this celebration.

Final Vows Program 2016: The programme will take place in our unit this year. Fr. Patrick Chongo and Br. Hansel Jaison will facilitate this program. There will be 9 participants coming from other units. From our unit we will have Frt. Lovemore Tichaona Makore, participating in this program. It will start on 14th June till 13th July 2016. We welcome our dear confreres to our unit.

Deaconate Admissions and Ordination: 18th June 2016: Our dear confreres, Frt. Herbert Mudzimu, Frt. Proud Jonathan Mukamba and Frt. Thomas Sadya have been admitted to the Deaconate by the General Government. They will be ordained on 18th June 2016, by Archbishop Alex Thomas SVD. The ordination will be at St. Andrew’s Parish, starting at 10:00 am. The Provincial Council has resolved to use the 18th June as the opening and lobbying of 120 years of Mariannhill Missionaries in Zimbabwe celebrations. Please take note of this date of the ordination. Let us keep our confreres in prayer and the work of our missionary mandate in Zimbabwe.

Closure of St. Augustine’s Philosophate in Bulawayo: Due to economic depreciation the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference has decided to move the Philosophate from St. Augustine’s Seminary in Bulawayo, to Chishawasha Major Seminary in Harare. This is directly affecting our Philosophy Program. We have been comfortably having our Philosophy program here in Bulawayo. As a way forward, the Provincial council has recommended that the 5 students who were already enrolled at St. Augustine Seminary move to Harare and continue with their Philosophy Program and complete their studies at Chishawasha. The candidates will reside in our Mount Pleasant House, in Harare. They will join our Theology students. Fr. George Vurayayi will be their Formator. He will move to Harare as soon as he is through with his examinations.

Fr. Kevin Mapfumo will continue with the formation program at the House of formation with the newly recruited candidates, while he assists at Christ the King. We appreciate the availability of the confreres to serve the congregation in this capacity as formators. You will be updated on the progress of these programs.

Graduation: Frt. Lovemore Tichaona Makore graduated on 8th of April in St. Joseph’s Theological Institute with a Bachelor of Philosophy Degree. Congratulations to him. In August he will join Kevin Madzivanyika and John Mzanywa in Trinity College, Harare for Theological studies. Good luck to all our Theology students as they undergo their academic formation.

Visitors to our Province: We have had the privilege to host Fr. Americo Vilanculo from Mozambique. He spent some time in our different communities. We appreciate his visit as he proved to be handy and hard working as he took initiatives wherever he was. Fr. Nicholas Leaka was with us for two weeks. Fr. Andreas Rohring, the Chief Editor of our Mariannhill Mission Magazine was also with us for 16 days. He visited the places where we work and that of CPS sisters. We appreciate his visit to our unit. Fr. Andreas worked in the Archdiocese of Bulawayo 21 years ago.

Holidays: Fr. Stuart Vukayi has been home for holidays. We appreciate having him around in his home unit. We wish him a safe journey as he returns to Germany on 26th May 2016. Fr. Timothy Simpfukwe will be on holiday as from 26th May till 20th June. While on Holiday, Fr. Philimon Mlilo will be helping Fr. Fikile Dlamini in Gwanda. We wish Fr. Timothy a well-deserved holiday and a pleasant stay in Gwanda for Fr. Philimon Mlilo.

Ingwavuma Vicariate – Bishop Pater Francis Jank CMM berichtet aus SüdafrikaElect Mandla Siegfried Jwara CMM: With joy, we congratulate our confrere Fr. Siegfried M Jwara who has been appointed by the Holy Father, Pope Francis as Apostolic Vicar, with Episcopal dignity for the Vicariate of Ingwavuma, South Africa. The Episcopal ordination will be on 25th June in Mthubathuba. We wish him God’s blessings in this new ministry as a shepherd of the people of God. We keep him in our prayers.

Pastoral Work: Our candidates who have just completed their second year of Philosophy studies, will do Hospital Experience. Fr. Adrian Maqhawe Ndlovu, the provincial Councilor member who is responsible for formation has made some arrangements for them, in liaison with Fr. Kevin Mapfumo. Others will do pastoral work in the identified parishes.

The Final year Theology students will do CPE at Greys Hospital, in Pietermaritzburg, S.A. Deacon Gershom Mwansa from Zambia will be with us for his pastoral and mission experience. I hope and trust that he will have a fruitful experience. God’s blessing in your pastoral experience, we trust that they will be our good ambassadors where they will be placed.

We thank God for all the many blessings he has given us in our province this far. We continue praying for guidance, wisdom and protection for all of us as we zealously continue serving God and his people. We are grateful for all the support we have received from near and far without which our mission work could not be successful. Thank you very much. God bless you all.

Fr. Peter Nkomazana CMM
Provincial Superior – Bulawayo

Mthatha, den 1.Juni 2016

Liebe Missionsfreunde, nah und fern!

Sonnige Grüsse aus dem z. Z. herbstlichen Südafrika.

Es ist schon ein gutes Jahr her seit meinem letzten Rundbrief. Ich darf wohl annehmen, dass alle unsere Freunde, Wohltäter und Bekannte, sich immer noch bei genügend guter Gesundheit an Leib und Seele erfreuen können.

Seit meiner Priesterweihe 1960 bin ich in verschiedenen Ländern als Missionar, besonders mit Bibel- und Familienkatechese im Fokus, erfolgreich tätig gewesen, wobei viele Freunde beachtlich mitgeholfen haben. Darum möchte ich auch Ihnen/Euch allen fürs Gebet und finanzielle Unterstützung ein ganz herzliches Vergelt’s Gott sagen; denn dadurch konnte die frohe Botschaft des barmherzigen Heilands auch in verschieden Ausbildungsbereichen weitergetragen werden.

Jedoch jetzt mit meinen 83 Jährchen, durfte ich bislang noch im Schulwesen und in der Missionspastoral mithelfen und auch Krankenhausbesuche machen. Allerdings, die Seelsorge in den hiesigen Gefängnissen habe ich bereits an jüngere Pastoralhelfer abgegeben. Regelmässigen Unterricht oder Vorlesungen gebe ich kaum mehr, eher Jugendliche, die ungeduldig nach dem Sinn des Lebens suchen, aufmuntern und manche entäuschte Erwachsene neu zu gläubigem Gebet anleiten, und zu Konfliktlösungen in Familien und Gemeinden beizutragen, so dass mir hierzulande der Beiname in Xhosa „Dal’uxolo“ (Friedenstifter) gegeben wurde.

Wie doch die Zeit so schnell verfliegt! Als ich vor 48 Jahren (1968) – damals noch per Schiff – in Südafrika landete, wurde ich unter die jüngeren Patres gezählt. Nun bin ich schon der dienstälteste Priester in der Diözese Mthatha, so dass mich unser jetziger Bischof S. A.Sipuka weiterhin als einen seiner Berater (Diözesan- Konsultor) ernannte, zumal ich schon unter sechs seiner Vorgänger sogar in allen hiesigen Missionspfarreien Pastoralarbeit und/oder bei dem einen oder anderen Bischof Sekretariatsdienste geleistet hatte, einschliesslich als Koordinator im Diözesanbüro, da ich Land und Leute ziemlich gut kennen würde. Unseres jetzigen Bischofs Geburtsdatum 1960 in Südafrika und meine Priesterweihe in Europa sind ziemlich gleichzeitig, so können wir dankbar zusammen feiern.

Freilich kann ich noch im vorrückenden Alter gleichsam als „Pastorale Feuerwehr“ vielfach aushelfen, obwohl offiziell im „Ruhestand“, wie z. B. als ständiger Kaplan im hiesigen Konvent Glen Avent mit etwa 50 afrikanischen Missionsschwestern vom Kostbaren Blut täglich die hl. Messe feiern (meistens mehrsprachig, also auch in Xhosa, in der Heimatsprache des Nelson Mandela), sowie an Sonn- und/oder Feiertagen Gottesdienste im nahen Behindertenheim Ikhwezi Lokusa Rehab, sowie nach Wunsch Eucharistiefeier in einem Hörsaal der hiesigen WS-Universität. Erstaunlich ist hier die Aufgeschlossenheit der Jugend.

Die AIDS Plage, besonders bei vielen jungen Menschen – zuweilen von den Eltern vererbt – ist noch weit verbreitet, doch will oder darf niemand direkt davon sprechen, um ja nicht eventuelle Arbeits- oder Ausbildungsplätze zu verlieren.

Unsere junge Demokratie hierzulande – meist mit fast traditionaler Korruption vermischt – hinkt noch sehr, wie die Medien oft berichten. Es gibt auch manches Erfreuliches zu verzeichen. Demnächst sollen drei Diakone (zwei Mariannhiller und einer von der Diözese) zu Priestern geweiht werden. So ist es doch tröstlich und ermutigend, dass die Saat des Evangeliums auch diesbezüglich Früchte trägt.

Glücklicherweise brauche ich noch keinen „Rollstuhl“; denn ich kann doch noch Autofahren mit einem Kleinwagen, obwohl es eine Umstellung war nach der früheren Lenkweise von Lastwagen mit grösseren Rädern oder gar nach den gewohnten Schaltungen des Diesel-Studentenbusses von Merrivale vor einigen Jahren, als ich unsere damaligen 48 (CMM) Philosophie- und Theologie Studenten zu den Vorlesungen zum Zentralseminar in Cedara/Natal hin- und herfahren musste, so konnte ich damals mit jener Transportgelegenheit zeitgewinnend dort Missiologie, Philosophie und Geschichte der Erziehungswissenschaft dozieren.

Praktische Erfahrung ist auch mal notwendig; denn als ich wie vor einigen Wochen auf dem Weg von einem Krankenbesuch eine Reifenpanne hatte und das Reserverad montieren musste, hatte ich schon gemerkt, dass meine Puste schon knapp wurde und ich derzeitig etwas langsamer werken sollte. Dennoch bereitet es immer wieder echte Freude, wenn man sich noch nützlich und behilflich machen kann im Dienste der oft armen und leidenden Mitmenschen.

Seit vorigem Jahr haben mich die Schwestern von St. Ursula gebeten, wenn möglich, an Dienstagen, ihren sieben afrikanischen Novizinnen, einschliesslich zweier Kandidatinnen. Missions- und Kirchengeschichte zu geben in der etwa 70 km entfernten Mt. Nicholas Missionspfarre/Libode im Pondoland.

Also in der mannigfachen – in der theoretischen und praktischen – Missionsarbeit wird man nicht so schnell arbeitslos. Es sind diesbezüglich noch viele Stellen frei!

Allerdings muss ich dem allgütigen Herrn und Heiland für den steten Schutz und Beistand dankbar sein und natürlich besonders auch für Ihre/Euere Gebetshilfe und anderweitige Unterstützungen immer wieder ein vielfachesVergelt’s Gott sagen.

Mit nochmaligen herzlichen Grüssen aus dem z. Z, ziemlich kühlen Süden Afrikas,

Ihr/Euer Missionar von Mthatha im östlichen „Kapland der Guten Hoffnung“,

P. Franziskus-Alois Jank CMM
P. O. Box 85
Mthatha E. C.
5099 S. Africa Email: frajank15@gmail.com

21 June 2016

Dear confreres,

1. Introduction

We would like to congratulate the Province of Bulawayo who were blessed with the ordination of three deacons last Saturday (18.06.16). They are deacons Herbert Mudzimu CMM, Thomas Alphase Sadya CMM and Proud Jonathan Mukamba CMM. God bless you in your ministry my confreres. During the same ceremony which was presided over by arch-bishop Thomas Alex SVD, the Province of Bulawayo launched the 120 years jubilee of the Congregation’s presence in Zimbabwe. May this year jubilee and celebration for Bulawayo Province serve as a reminder and challenge to all of us that “our mission field is the Kingdom of God and that has no boundaries”. Amhlophe!

We also thank God for the forthcoming episcopal ordination of our confrere Fr. Siegfried Mandla Jwara CMM as the episcopal vicar of Ingwavuma Vicariate. We encourage confreres to go in numbers to support our confrere to thank God for choosing one of our own for this special ministry of being a shepherd to the flock. Congratulations and best wishes to Bishop elect Fr. Jwara.

2. Arrival of Fr. General and Unit superiors

We have the pleasure and privilege to welcome to our Province the Superior General Fr. Damian Weber CMM who will arrive in South Africa on the 23rd June 2016 and return to Rome on the 04th July 2016. The Unit Superiors of Zambia (Fr. Thulani Mbuyisa CMM), East Africa (FR. Robert Kaisa CMM), Bulawayo (Fr. Peter Nkomazana CMM) and the Netherlands (Fr. Frans Lensenn CMM) will also visit our province as they will attend the episcopal ordination. On the 28th June 2016 there will be a meeting for the Unit Superiors of Africa and the Board of Directors of Abbot Francis House at Mariannhill Monastery. Welcome to all our confreres and guests.

3. Provincial chapter and official opening/launch of the archives

You have received the convocation letter inviting you to the extra-ordinary Provincial Chapter on the 25th July 2016, starting at 9am at Mariannhill Monastery St. Anne’s chapel. We hope that all of you will make it to this very special chapter whereby the superior of the Monastery will be elected. At the close of the Extra-ordinary Provincial Chapter we shall have the official opening of the Monastery archives followed by a special supper and social. There will be time provided for a tour of the archives. I sincerely thank the donors who have made it possible for us to build the archives.

4. Appointments in Mozambique

Fr. Abidon Katai Kabwe CMM has been transferred from Namaacha – Mozambique to Mariannhill Monastery. Our confreres at the Mariannhill Monastery Retreat House will mentor him and introduce him to the house and the work that it entails. At the same time, he will be doing part time studies to prepare himself for the future ministry at the Retreat House. In the meantime, he has been temporarily appointed the chaplain of St. Mary’s hospital where he works from 6am – 12 noon. Welcome home confrere.

As a result of the departure of Fr. Abidon from Mozambique, Fr. Agostinho Raul CMM has been appointed the superior of the community in Namaacha as well as the parish priest of the Shrine of Mary of Fatima. Fr. Roberto Cossa CMM has been appointed the formator and vocations director, while Fr. Germano Troesch CMM has been appointed the community bursar.

We would like to extend a vote of thanks to the confreres in Mozambique for arranging the pilgrimage in May which was a great success.

On similar note, we would like to congratulate Fr. Sylvester Namale CMM who was appoingted one of the bishop’s consultors in Witbank diocese.

5. Appointment of Siyabonga Mbeje CMM and Tendai Gandanzara CMM

The Mthatha Province has asked that we have a combined candidacy programme this year and we have decided in favour. Since Mariathal cannot manage to accommodate 7 candidates, a decision has been made to run a candidacy programme at Mariannhill-Monastery this year. Accordingly, Fr. Syabonga Mbeje CMM was appointed as the candidacy director for this year only. He will then move to Abbot Francis House as planned next year. He is assisted by Bro. Tendai Gandanzara CMM. I thank the two confreres for their readiness to serve and I thank Fr. Mthokozisi Khumalo CMM for his understanding. I also thank the parish priests of the parishes where these vocations come from as well as our vocation’s team for their sterling job in encouraging religious vocations.

6. Formation of the business support structure

As a follow up to the gathering of Business people at the launch of the Coolock House in April 2016, we have formed a Catholic Business Forum to assist us with putting together the business plan and implementation for the greater Mariannhill. The forum comprises of Mrs. Stella Khumalo (CEO of Shaka Marine), Mrs. Pamela Mfeka (CEO of Igugu Investments), Mr. Vusi Mvelase (CEO of Zayaba Records and chairperson of Nacma Foundation), Dr. Bandile Mkhize (former CEO of Ezemvelo Parks Board) and Mr. Gugulakhe Mazibuko (Director of Moteko Enterprise).

As a result of my initial meetings with the forum, an invitation was extended to the Dioceses of Mariannhill, Eshowe, Mzimkhulu and Kokstad to come on board. Bishops Pius Dlungane, Stanley Dziuba, Zolile Mpambane and Teddy Khumalo attended the first meetings after which a Board of Trustees to manage our common business venture was formed. It comprises of representatives from the three dioceses and our Congregation since Mariannhill diocese is pulling its feet. Fr. Raphael Phiri CMM is a member of the business structure and the Trust and he is the one representing me and the interest of the Province as they engage with a number of businesses that are interested in supporting the Church in the implementation of her mission. We thank the management of the development office and Fr. Mxolisi Ngcobo O.M.I. in particular, for helping us by exposing these business people to us. Let us pray for the success of this business venture and for Fr. Phiri who represents us.

Through the contacts we have made with these business people, one business man Mr. Bongani Mfeka has offered to build and pay for the students’ accommodation facility at Vilakazi Road Marinnhill so that the Monastery can have permanent income. He also plans to build a conference centre so that Mariannhill could be able to hold bigger meetings and conferences. The Superior of the Monastery and his council are deliberating on the implementation of these projects. We shall keep you informed of the progress.

7. The Retirement Village

As the Provincial and council reflected on the business ventures that we are already involved in including the buying of Collock House, a decision has been taken to abandon the project of building the retirement village at Mariannhill so that we can focus on raising enough funds for completing the purchase of the house. I am pleased to announce that through our share (40%) of selling any piece of land for the General Government, the CMM Club as well as through donations from individual confreres and their benefactors, we are very close to completing the purchase of the Coolock House. We hope that by the end of next month we will have paid all the remaining debt. We appeal to confreres that they continue to contribute to the CMM Club as we plan to do some maintenance and alterations on Mariannhill Coolock House especially on the conference room and making some rooms en suite. Thank you so much confreres for your commitment and support of this project.

8. Monastery sewage system

For a long time the Monastery has been trying to raise funds to fix the leaking sewage pipes which had become a health hazard especially behind the Mission Centre where the sewage had destroyed a lot of grass. Through the project that the Province put together, the USA/Canada Unit has come to our rescue by providing the necessary funding of US$38,00 to fix the sewer. The project of fixing the sewer has begun under the supervision of Bro. Konrad Diethei CMM. I sincerely thank the USA/Canada province and their benefactors for their assistance. May God richly reward them.

9. Mass intentions

We thank confreres who faithfully come to the bursar’s office to collect the mass intentions which they persolve so faithfully. We ask more confreres to come forward and sign for the mass intentions since we have received more from the General Government. By persolving the mass intnetions you are not only praying for the intentions of our benefactors but you are also, contributing towards the financial being of the Province.

10. Change of formation policy

The Provincial and his council have changed the formation policy regarding pastoral ministry. From now on all confreres and candidates studying philosophy will not do pastoral work in parishes. Pastoral ministry will be arranged for them in hospitals, orphanages and homes for people who need special care. Pastoral ministry in a parish setup will be reserved for students who are studying theology.

11. Conclusion

The process of designing the new printing Press business which focuses on digital printing and publishing house is in progress. Such a change has led to the unprecedented retrenchment process at the Press which is aimed at cutting down the costs and increasing revenue. Therefore, most of the ground floor staff have already been retrenched. In addition, the big litho machine was sold. The company that bought the machine decided to rent the same space from the Monastery and they will run their business from there. This is advantageous for us when we have big printing orders since we outsource our jobs to the company. We are in the process of retrenching Mr. Dean Petzer, the financial manager, and he is cooperating very well. Protas Madlala has been very helpful in this whole venture. I also thank the board of the Mission Press Trust Frs. Gideon Sibanda, Lawrence Mota and Bro. Tendai Gandanzara for working very hard to manage this transition of our business. God bless you confreres.

Fr. Bhekinkosi M. Shabalala CMM

Provincial Superior

CIRCULAR LETTER 2016-04 06 August 2016

Dear Confreres,

With gratitude to God for the fraternal love and support Fr. Patrick Chongo and I have received from you during our time as Vicar Regional and Regional Superior, respectively, I write this circular letter, my last one as Regional Superior of Zambia, to communicate a few items to you. The spirit and cooperation we have experienced in the Region fills us with hope for the future. There is life and good will among confreres in this Unit. Let us be confident therefore that God will bring to fruition the seeds of renewal that his Spirit has planted in all of us.

New Regional Superior: Fr Abidon Kabwe Katai and his new Council: Fr Lewis Watuka – Vicar

Fr Gaspard Parent – Councillor

Fr Gift Mulenga – Councillor

We pray that our loving Lord may bless Fr Abidon and his Council in their ministry of leadership. May our Mother Mary be their intercessor and guide and Fr Engelmar Unzeitig their inspiration.

Fr Patrick Chongo and I are presently working with Fr Abidon Kabwe closely to make sure that there is a smooth handover.

Regional House: The renovations of the Regional House which stated in May this year have since been completed. Therefore from now on, the Treasurer/Bursar will reside in this house and have an office there as well. I would like to thank all confreres who have worked hard to see this project to completion especially Fr Patrick Chongo and Fr John Chishimba.

The outside cottages where the Bursar presently stays when he is in Lusaka will from now on be used as a Regional Storeroom for all confreres in/outside the Region.

Hellos and Goodbyes:

On 14 July 2016 we bade farewell to Fathers John Bouma and Jean Bosco Ntawugashira. A big thank you to all confreres, especially Fathers Charles Malamba and John Chishimba, Candidates, co-workers and our Associates for making this day a truly memorable one.

At the same Mass and farewell function, we officially welcomed Fr Denis Aura from Kenya (Karibu sana) and Frt Didier Sampungi from the Democratic Republic of Congo (Bienvenue). We also welcomed our new Candidates who come from four Dioceses in Zambia. They will commence their philosophical studies next week at St Bonaventure University College. We wish them well in their formation.

Frt Shadreck Phiri left Zambia last month to join other confreres at Abbot Francis House-Merrivale for studies at Cedara – St Joseph’s Theological Institute. We wish him well. He remains a member of the Region of Zambia.

Regional retreat: we would like to thank all confreres who attended the annual retreat at Kasisi in Lusaka, from 25 to 31 July 2016. Likewise special thanks to Fr Charles Mukuka OFM Conventual who was our lively retreat director. Our thanks also go to the Sisters of the Little Servants of Mary Immaculate, commonly known as the “Blue Sisters,” for hosting us in their beautiful and tranquil retreat house.

Regional Conference: the recently concluded Regional Conference (held on 30 July) deliberated on the following, to mention but two (2) items:

Kasembo Farms Business review: after studying the report presented by a business consultancy firm, the Conference opted for “option 3,” that is, restructuring Kasembo farms. The Regional Government will now engage a team of consultants who will draw up a plan which will include the financial implications of such an undertaking.

Regional House in Zingalume: following the recommendations of the property evaluators, the Conference decided to place on the market this property situated in Zingalume Compound in Lusaka for sale in its present condition.

Beatification of Fr Engelmar Unzeitig: As we all know, Fr Engelmar will be beatified in the Diocese of Würzburg on 24 September 2016. As the only Unit, so far, that has a house named after our confrere we want to mark this special and important day in our Region in order to make our confrere widely known in Zambia. Therefore, we have decided to hold a special celebration before the end of the year. Details will be communicated by the Regional Government soon. Suffice to say that we would like to invite the Archbishop of Lusaka and religious communities within the Archdiocese and beyond to join us in thanking God for the Angel of Dachau.

Meanwhile we are all invited and encouraged to take every opportunity we have to make Fr Engelmar known. Be it through homilies, talks, articles in newspapers and magazines and of course through social media. Thanks to all confreres that are already doing this. Much appreciated.

Next Regional Council Meeting: A joint meeting of the current Regional Council and the newly elected one will take place at Engelmar House in Makeni on 09 August 2016 at 09h00.

Installation of the new Regional Superior: Fr Abidon Kabwe will be installed as the Regional Superior during Evening Prayers (Vespers) at 18h00 in Engelmar House, Makeni on 09 August 2016.

General/Presidential Elections in Zambia: Zambia goes to the polls on 11 August 2016 to vote for the President, MPs, and Local Government Councillors (including Mayors) as well as on the Referendum on the Bill of Rights. We pray for peace in the country and for free and fair elections.

Mini bus for Engelmar House: we would like to thank the German Province for providing the financial help to the Region to acquire a second-hand mini bus for students at Engelmar House in Makeni. Vielen Dank! Twatasha mukwai!

Departure from Zambia: Father Patrick Chongo and I will leave Zambia (Lusaka) for Italy (Rome) on 15 August 2016. Arrivederci! Siyobuye sibonane! Tizaonana! Nakalebalika!

Father Patrick Chongo and I would like to wish you confreres God’s richest blessings and express our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for your prayers, support and words of encouragement during our term of office. In a very special way, we would like to thank the confreres who served in our Council: Fathers Gaspard Parent, Lewis Watuka and Daniel Phiri. We are indebted also to Fr Isaac Mwansa, the Regional Bursar, for his cooperation and support during this time. God bless you all.

Yours in Christ,

Fr Thulani Mbuyisa CMM

Regional Superior

Nach einem sehr langen Flug von Stuttgart über Istanbul bin ich endlich in Johannesburg angekommen. Das war aber noch nicht das Ende der Anreise. In Johannesburg musste ich mich erst einmal durch die Einreisekontrollen kämpfen. Das hat alles sehr lange gebraucht und ich hatte schon Angst, dass ich meinen Anschlussflug zu meinem Einsatzort verpasse. Zum Glück bin ich doch noch durch die Kontrollen gekommen und saß rechtzeitig in meinem Flieger nach Mthata. Von meinem Fensterplatz im Flugzeug konnte ich zum ersten Mal die wunderschöne Landschaft Südafrikas bewundern.

Angekommen in Mthata wurde ich von meiner zukünftigen Chefin Schwester Corda abgeholt und herzlich begrüßt. Auch in unserem Camp wurde ich sehr freundlich empfangen und war gleich ein Teil der Familie.

Unser Camp heißt Lokusa und liegt mitten im Ikhwezi Township. In unserem Camp gibt es ein großes Convent mit 40 Schwestern und einem kleinen Monestry mit ca. 7 Brüdern. An meinem Arbeitsplatz im Rehablitations-Center leben 40 männliche und 40 weibliche körperlich und geistig eingeschränkte Menschen. Hier haben sie die Möglichkeit eine Ausbildung zu machen, um später ein selbstständiges, eigen-bestimmtes Leben führen zu können. Daneben gibt es noch eine Schule für behinderte Kinder, die Ikhwezi Lokusa Special School und ein Waisenhaus, das Bethany, für Kinder im Alter von 0-6 Jahren. Unser Camp ist mit einem großen Stacheldrahtzaun abgegrenzt, es sind immer mehrere Wächter auf Patrouille unterwegs und an den Eingängen sind ebenfalls Wachen postiert, die die Personen und Autos einlassen. Diese Sicherheit nutzen Familien, die in kleinen Häusern im Camp wohnen. Sie bezahlen für diese Sicherheit. Ich habe ein kleines Zimmer im Abbot Francis Home, das nach dem Gründer der Mariannhiller Missionaren benannt ist. Hier lebe ich in einem extra Bereich mit den Brüdern zusammen.

Mein Tag beginnt um 6.30 Uhr mit der Morgenmesse bei den Brüdern, zur der ich täglich gehe, wenn ich nicht verschlafe. Sie ist um einiges kürzer als die der Schwestern, da diese viel mehr singen. Tagsüber helfe ich Sachen zu reparieren, bin Fahrer, gebe Sportunterricht, Computerkurse und bin da, wo eine helfende Hand benötigt wird. Abends gehe ich mit den Brüdern zum Gebet, danach wird gegessen, abgespült und oft unternehmen wir noch etwas zusammen. So waren wir bei verschiedenen Gottesdiensten, bei einer riesigen Gartenparty die vom Bischof ausgerichtet wurde und einem üppigen Barbecue am Mthata Lake.

Letzten Sonntag haben wir auch ein großes Barbecue veranstaltet und im brother home gefeiert. Es gab riesige Steaks, Bier und die typische südafrikanische „house musik”, zu der alle Schwestern und Brüder getanzt haben. Viele Brüder und Priester kamen von weit her und ich habe Pater Casimir kennenlernen dürfen. Er ist ein Mariannhiller Missionar und seit 40 Jahren in Südafrika tätig. Er hat beim Kampf gegen die Apartheid mitgewirkt und kam dadurch zweimal ins Gefängnis.

In unserer Rehab Station gibt es vier verschiedene Workshops, in denen die Trainies eine Ausbildung machen können: die Letherwork in dem Gürtel, Schuhe hergestellt und repariert werden; die Pottery wo fleißig getöpfert wird, die Sewing (Näherei) in der auch liturgische Gewänder gefertigt werden und die Craft, in der die typischen Ketten und Armbänder des hiesigen Stammesvolk, der Xhosa, gefertigt werden.

Durch die Stromausfälle wird die Arbeit in der Töpferei oftmals erschwert. Die Sachen im Brennofen werden beim Stromausfall beschädigt und es gibt reichlich Verluste.

Alle Trainees im Alter von 18-43 Jahren die in diesen Workshops arbeiten, bekommen Unterkunft und Verpflegung und werden für ihre hergestellten Artikel bezahlt, was sie sehr stolz macht. Die meisten sind sehr froh, dass sie in der Station aufgenommen worden sind. Sie sind bemüht, trotz ihrer Einschränkung, hundert Prozent zu geben und sind stets motiviert.

Sie haben schon viel in ihrem Leben erlebt, wobei größtenteils Gewalt und Verlust eine Rolle spielte. In manchen südafrikanischen Gesellschaften herrscht zudem der Aberglaube, dass bei der Geburt eines behinderten Kindes ein Fluch auf der Familie liegt. Diese Kinder werden meistens vor dem Rest der Gesellschaft versteckt. Die Regierung legt leider nicht viel Wert, dass hier mehr Aufklärung betrieben wird, die diesen Irrglauben beseitigen würde. Leider ist das Bewegen eines Rollstuhls, aufgrund der Straßenverhältnisse, oftmals nicht möglich.

In den Townships sind viele Häuser ohne Strom, die Arbeitslosigkeit ist hoch und es ist wenig Geld im Umlauf. So kostet ein Brot 50 Cent, und so ist es für einige Familien schwer sich mehr zu leisten als ein Brot und etwas zu trinken, durch dies Armut entsteht so in manchen Bereichen die Kriminalität. Beim Autofahren muss man sehr aufpassen, da viele Passanten einfach vor das Auto laufen und die anderen Verkehrsteilnehmer sich auch nicht immer 100 Prozent an die Verkehrsregeln halten. Ausserdem hat ich am Anfang ein bisschen mit dem Südafrikanischen Linksverkehr zu kämpfen.

Alles hier geschilderte ist natürlich nur meine Erfahrung und Einschätzung, die aus meinen Erlebnissen hier resultieren und spricht auf keinen Fall für die Personen und Menschen eines ganzen Landes bzw. Kontinentes.

Am Ende möchte ich mich noch für die tolle Unterstützung von meiner Familie, meinen Freunden und meiner Gemeinde bedanken.

Weihnachten 2016

Urs Fischer
Mariannhill Retreat House
P.O. Box 11095
Mariannhill, 3624, South Africa
e-mail: wuf@telkomsa.net

Liebe Freunde, Wohltäter und Bekannte

Über 50 Jahre habe ich die Tradition des Weihnachtsbriefes hochgehalten als Zeichen der Verbundenheit mit den vielen guten Menschen, die ich in meinem bisherigen Leben angetroffen habe, ich wollte informieren und danken für die Güte, die ich in meinem langen Missionsleben in Afrika erfahren durfte. Gewöhnlich habe ich von Erfahrungen, guten Menschen, Nöten etc. erzählt.

Heute möchte ich eine Ausnahme machen und Ihnen etwas erzählen von zwei Mitbrüdern unserer Gemeinschaft der Mariannhiller Missionare:

Das zweite Beispiel ist vom Leben eines sehr guten Freundes, Pater Konrad Gietzinger aus Oberndorf bei Salzburg. Konrad wurde 1939 zum Priester geweiht, 6 Wochen später wurde er als Sanitäter zum Kriegsdienst eingezogen. Konrad hat mir oft vom Leben 1939-1945 erzählt, aber eine Sache hat er mir nie erzählt, die habe ich erst nach seinem Tod von einem Priester aus Deutschland erfahren, von Herrn Pfarrer Herbert Kessel, der folgendes geschrieben hat:Am 24. September 2016 wurde in Würzburg zu unserer grossen Freude unser Mitbruder Pater Engelmar Unzeitig seliggesprochen. Pater Engelmar stammte aus Böhmen (heute Tschechien), er hat im Seminar in Würzburg studiert. Er wurde 1939 zum Priester geweiht, wenige Tage vor Kriegsausbruch. Wegen seinen Predigten gegen die Judenverfolgung wurde er verhaftet und wurde 34jährig ins KZ Dachau deportiert. Er war ein Gigant christlicher Nächstenliebe. Er meldete sich freiwillig, die Typhuskranken im KZ zu pflegen und verstarb selber an Typhus am 2. März 1945, nachdem er viele Kranke beim Sterben begleitet hatte.

„Wir Soldaten hatte schwere Zeiten in der Ukraine. Wir waren auf dem Rückzug und hatten 20 Schwerverwundete bei uns. Mit all den Verwundeten war es ein Ding der Unmöglichkeit, uns schnell zurückzuziehen. Der Offizier (selber ein Arzt), stand vor einer schweren Entscheidung: Entweder die Verwundeten mitzunehmen, das bedeutete das sichere Ende der Kompanie. Oder die Verwundeten zurückzulassen, um die Kompanie zu retten. Die Zeit drängte. Der Offizier liess die Soldaten antreten und gab bekannt dass er sich entschlossen habe, die Verwundeten zurückzulassen. Falls ein Sanitäter freiwillig bei ihnen zurückbleiben wolle, gebe er die Erlaubnis dazu. Totenstille. Dann meldete sich Kaplan Konrad Gietzinger aus Salzburg freiwillig, um zurückzubleiben. Der Offizier sagte ihm offen, dass er mit dem Tod rechnen müsse, doch Konrad blieb stehen. In grosser Eile wurden die Verwundeten in einem Haus an der Hauptstrasse untergebracht und die Kompanie verliess den Ort. In der Nacht kamen die Russen und besetzten alle Häuser im Dorf.

P. Konrad wurde nach dem Krieg Missionar in Südafrika/Natal. Ich werde ihn nie vergessen. Einmal hat er im Heimaturlaub meine Eltern und meine Schwester in Egerkingen besucht. 1983 ist er in Österreich gestorben. Ich habe sein Grab in Oberndorf bei Salzburg besucht. Er war immer stolz, dass in seiner Heimat das Lied „Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht“ entstanden ist.Doch ein Haus übersahen sie, drinnen lagen 20 Soldaten in Schmerzen und Todesängsten und Kaplan Konrad betete mit ihnen den Rosenkranz und flehte um Hilfe und Hoffnung. Manchmal trat der Kaplan ans Fenster. Draussen war ein Kommen und Gehen der Russen. Der Morgen kam, die Russen waren überall doch das Unglaubliche geschah: Kein Feind betrat das Haus. Alle anderen Häuser waren besetzt, nur das Haus der Verwundeten blieb frei und unbehelligt. Nach einem erfolgreichen Gegenstoss konnten am anderen Tag die Verletzten gerettet werden. Das ist das Wunder des Rosenkranzes. Das Gebet machte das Haus für den Feind unsichtbar“.

Ich kann Gott sei Dank auf ein gutes Jahr zurückblicken, ich hatte viel Arbeit und meine Gesundheit war gut. Mein Arzt sagt oft: „ich bin zufrieden mit dir, das System funktioniert gut, natürlich im Rahmen deines hohen Alters“… und auf einmal ist es so: auf der andern Seite (im Jenseits) hat man viel mehr liebe Bekannte und Freunde als hier auf Erden!

Mit herzlichen und dankbaren Grüssen wünsche ich euch gute Gesundheit, ein gnadenreiches Weihnachtsfest, ein gesegnetes Neues Jahr 2017 und den Segen Gottes.

P. Urs Fischer

Wenn Sie etwas beitragen möchten für die Linderung von Armut und Krankheit und für die Erziehung der Kinder in Südafrika, das ist möglich: Die Postkontonummer lautet 60-187-8, Mariannhiller Missionare, Altdorf, zugunsten P. Urs Fischer.

Dear Everyone,

Well, here it is, almost Christmas again. Where does the time go!!! Here is a general picture. I am up at 4am, usually (sometimes I get decadent and sleep in till 4:30—Ha.) I take a shower and do my physio on my back with really hot water and loosen up the muscles in my crooked back and am then ready for the day. A bowl of bran flakes (keep the pipes clean) mixed with a bit of Muesli, check the emails and the latest news headlines and by this time it is now almost 5am. I have read the readings of the day the evening before so I have time to reflect on them for Mass the next day. I do my meditation till almost 5:30 and then head for the hospital for a 5:45 Mass. This is most mornings up until the end of October. If there are patients who want to receive communion, I take it to them and then, after Mass visit them to find out who they are, where they come from and get a picture of how I may help them in the healing process. Up until the end of October I joined the Sisters for breakfast and then went back home to Mater Dolorosa (shortened to MD—the retirement home where I stay). Then the day starts and can take me anywhere. I am often asked to visit the sick in the hospitals in and around Durban. I think I have been to them all at one time or another. I am also the unofficial-official barber and have had as many as a dozen customers. The don’t all come at once and there are a variety of heads of hair. Some, well, you know, not much to do. Others, holy moses, like shearing sheep. I need a wheelbarrow for some, and age has nothing to do with it. One of the really hairy guys was 84 yrs. old. I could have used the weed eater. When I get a chance, I wind up the weed eater and try to tackle the ever growing weeds here. Most of the year it was drought, but since I got back from my home leave at the end of August, when it isn’t raining, I am out there for an hour or two of more. The weeds, no joke, are up to my waist, and even more. A normal lawn mower couldn’t do it. That is usually three or four days a week. That is not counting chopping the thorn bushes and other things overgrowing the place. I usually help out at a branch of Charles Luanga Parish called Savannah Park (St. Therese of Lisieux). The last two Sundays of the month. The first Sunday was the hospital where the sisters had a day of recollection and I usually prepared some material for them to reflect on. The second Sunday was often Savannah Park again when the parish priest wasn’t able to be there and I helped out at several other parishes from time to time. Sav. Pk. Is mostly Zulu, e.g. my Zulu, mixed with my Xhosa and some English. When I help out at an English speaking parish I am happy that I can tell jokes in English. Trying to translate a joke into Zulu is a real loser. It becomes a joke as everyone just sits there and looks. Flat, flat. I am fairly often asked to take funerals, mostly in Zulu, and when I had one in English, I had to hunt around for a booklet to clue me in as to how they do it in English. I have forgotten, but I hardly ever had a funeral in English for the last 50 yrs. I have given several workshops, the best one being on Laudato Si, Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment and the seriousness with which we should take climate change and global warming. It was hard work but I learned a lot. I had a wedding on Jan. 2nd that was almost a tragedy. I don’t have a marriage officer’s licence, so I got Fr. Henry to meet the couple and fill in the forms, etc. and thought that all was well now. Well, on the day of the wedding I went to him to get the marriage certificate so that I could give it to the couple at the wedding ceremony, and he said that he had to be there to do it. Holy Moses. How could I know that. So I begged him to please come with me so that they could be legally married. He changed other plans and came along, and then also played the organ (Here comes the bride…) and did some of the singing. Thank God he is a musician and was right at home in both jobs. He saved the day. He died shortly after and we will miss his music and his great sense of humor, among many other things. Of course the main happening this year was my home leave. When asked how it was I could only describe it as a healthy, delicious, nutritious well balanced meal for the spirit. It was just super. From East Coast to West Coast, family and friends and time to share and get to know one another better. It couldn’t have been better. I got to see almost everyone but missed a few but not many. I drove for over 9000KM. (about 5600 Miles) Me and cars are made for each other. I also had a chance to meet friends for a week in and around London and later, at the end of the journey, a week in Zambia where I had the opportunity to baptize two lovely young children, whose parents were the children of the parents who were members of our youth group in Kabwe, Zambia, way back in the 70’s. The love and connections are still there and have been inherited by the next generations. On the way back I spent a week in Joburg with a family related to those in Zambia and Zimbabwe and visited other friends I don’t get much chance to get up to Joburg any more. My soul was overflowing with happiness and joy. I still feel it. The BOM (board of management ) of Sabelani Home continues well even though Fr. Guy has gone. The young men are doing well and getting on with life, a life whose basic training was given to them by Fr. Guy. I as still grappling with the cell phone that Katrina picked out for me while I was home. The Nokia I had was too old and was being discontinued. Ha. I need an 11 yr. old kid at my side to show me how to use the thing. It is called BLU and looks like a Samsung but I know I can get on the plane with this one. The first thing I did when I got to Detroit was to make sure I was registered to vote. Ha. I have voted absentee since 1966, and almost always it was a choice between bad or worse. Well, you know the story about Trump. The fact that he is a billionaire businessman already puts me off. I guess I am prejudiced. But the immorality of the man disgusts me, as good a businessman as he is and that is also questionable having had so many bankruptcies where he cancels the debt and many people are left with nothing and he gets off scot free to continue his “business”. He scares me. If his aim and the aim of what is left of the Republican party (what sycophantism, to castigate him before he is elected and then to try to brownnose him once he is elected) is only to try to undo whatever the Obama administration did, I find it difficult to accept that as the way forward. The one good thing that came, as a by product of the horrible election campaigns ( I hope that this never happens again) is that we now get a true picture of the America we love—racism, bigotry, anti-black, anti-Hispanic, anti-Muslim, building walls instead of bridges, etc. etc. etc. (not to mention his appreciation of women as sex objects—I really don’t see how they could have voted for him if only for that reason. Maybe some of you women can explain that to me. We have our own president who has such a bad track record that even some of his most faithful veterans in the struggle (100 of them ) have asked him to step down. But he is a survivor and has a thick skin and is also a populist and knows how to turn on the crowds, who don’t realize what he stands for. Then there is Aleppo, and Mosul, and Afghanistan, and Syria and Israel (continuing to build more houses in the West Bank) and Iraq, not to mention Africa with the Boko Haram and others making peace impossible. Lots of challenges for 2017. I thank you all for your support over the years (50 yrs. now, and 60 yrs. of vows) and I wish you all a blessed Christmas, new life, and a New Year filled with enough blessings to deal with all the surprises that are bound to come next year. Lots and lots and tons to love to you all. Stay connected to the One to whom we owe everything. Fr.Cas.

In unserer Pfarre gibt es nichts Aufregendes und Weltbewegendes zu berichten. Und doch hat sich vieles ereignet seit meinem letzten Rundbrief. Zum Beispiel das Aids Problem. Im Juli gab es hier in Durban wieder eine Welt-Aids Konferenz. 18.000 Teilnehmer aus der ganzen Welt. Es wurde viel diskutiert, Vorschläge gemacht, Ziele gesteckt und trotzdem steigt die Zahl der Aids Kranken. In SA sind es jetzt 7 Millionen HIV/Aids Kranke. Jährlich kommen 380.000 neue Ansteckungen dazu. Auffällig aber ist, dass in den Medien das Thema Aids gar nicht mehr an erster Stelle ist. Früher ist fast täglich im Fernsehen oder Radio über dieses Problem und seine Auswirkungen gesprochen worden. Positiv ist, dass jetzt viel mehr Aids Kranke kostenlose Medikamente bekommen. Aber damit wird Aids nicht abgeschafft. Es stellt sich eine gewisse Abstumpfung, Resignation oder Gleichgültigkeit ein. Ich sehe das in unserer Diözese. Das Aids Komitee befasst sich jetzt mehr mit chronischen Krankheiten wie TBC, hohem Blutdruck, Diabetes und man staune mit Fettleibigkeit. Auch in unserer Pfarre zeigt sich eine gewisse Müdigkeit bezüglich Aids.
Am 25. Juni wurde ein Mitbruder aus unserer Diözese zum Bischof geweiht. Er wurde Bischof in einer Diözese im Norden von Natal, 700 km von hier entfernt. Es war ein schönes Fest, bei dem man ein gutes Bild über die Kirche in SA bekam. Es waren etwa 150 Priester anwesend. Davon waren nur wenige Weisse. Die schwarzen Priester waren im Alter von 30 bis 50 Jahren. Keine Überalterung des Klerus. Bei den Nonnen war das Bild ähnlich. SA hat eine junge und lebendige Kirche. Das kam auch zum Ausdruck in der Länge der Feierlichkeit – etwa 5 Stunden – und dem freudigen Gesang und Tanzbewegung.
Am 23. Oktober hatten wir in unserer Pfarre Firmung von 39 Firmlingen. An diesem Tag hat der Bischof auch 10 Buben und Mädchen als Ministranten aufgenommen. Das ist
Eine Neuheit in unserer Pfarre, dass wir nun in unserer Pfarre eine offizielle Ministrantengruppe haben. Sie kommen alle 14 Tage für Unterricht zusammen. Wie alle pfarrlichen Organisationen haben auch sie eine Uniform. Das gehört nun mal zur Tradition unserer Leute.
Am ersten Sonntag im Dezember haben wir Erstkommuniontag und mit diesem Fest fangen die Ferien an, das Schuljahr kommt ans Ende und die Urlaubszeit beginnt. Die Leute, die das ganze Jahr in den Großstädten arbeiten, kommen heim und feiern.
In der Politik geht es natürlich viel lebendiger zu wie in der Kirche. Seit etwa einem halben Jahr herrscht unter den Universitätsstudenten grosse Unruhe. Sie fordern, dass die Studiengebühren gestrichen werden. Viele Universitäten mussten zeitweise geschlossen werden und an manchen gibt es heuer keine Abschlussexamen. Bibliotheken und Hörsäle wurden in Brand gesteckt. Über 25 Schulen wurden niedergebrannt. Kostenlose Schulbildung ist schon ein altes Versprechen des ANC, seit er in 1994 an die Regierung kam. Nun ist die Geduld der Studenten erschöpft.
Die Debatten Über Zuma, den Präsidenten von SA, im Parlament und in der Öffentlichkeit hören nicht auf. Bei Misstrauensanträgen im Parlament werden ihm die schlimmsten Beleidigungen an den Kopf geworfen wie: Lügner, Dieb, Vergewaltiger etc. Die Gerichtsverfahren gegen ihn kommen auch an kein Ende mehr. All das trug dazu bei, dass der ANC anfangs August eine schwere Niederlage erlitten hat in den landesweiten Gemeinderatswahlen. Bisher hatte die offizielle Opposition DA (Demokratische Allianz) nur eine Grossstadt kontrolliert. Nun sind es 5 Industriezentren, darunter Johannesburg und Pretoria. Die Regierungspartei wurde schwer bestraft von den Wählern wegen Korruption, Skandalen und Arroganz. Unter der Bevölkerung wächst ein gewalttätiges politisches Klima.
Was an Geld für Gerichtsverfahren ausgegeben wird, ist phänomenal. Jeden Tag hört man von neuen Anklagen. Zuma ist vor zwei Monaten schuldig befunden worden, dass er vor dem Parlament gelogen hat und sich sein eigenes Heim mit Steuergeldern von 254 Millionen Rand hat bauen lassen. Nun musste er eine gewisse Summe zurückzahlen. Bevor er Präsident wurde, sind über 700 Anklagen gegen ihn unterschlagen worden. Diese kommen nun neu vor Gericht. Ein grosses Verfahren hängt über seinem Kopf, weil er mit einer Indischen Familie Wirtschaftsverträge eingegangen ist in der Höhe von Milliarden von Rand. Da ist auch sein Sohn verwickelt.
Es werden Zuma nicht nur diese wirtschaftlichen Machenschaften vorgeworfen, sondern auch andere politisch motivierte Dinge. So sollte der Finanzminister vor Gericht gebracht werden wegen Betrug und Geldwäsche. Dieser Fall wurde aber einen Tag vor Verhandlungsbeginn zurückgezogen, weil er aussichtslos war. Der Finanzminister passt Zuma nicht, weil er das Geld nicht so ausgibt, wie Zuma es gerne möchte. Zuma ernennt Parteimitglieder und persönliche Freunde in führende Posten, die nicht dafür qualifiziert sind. Vor allem wird ihm vorgeworfen, dass er keine Führungsqualität hat. Viele seiner Parteimitglieder fordern öffentlich, dass er zurücktritt. Aber seine Minister halten ihm die Stange, weil sie alle unter derselben Korruptionsdecke stecken.
Im Juli kurz vor der Wahl ist das Staatliche Fernsehen zensuriert worden. Es ist verboten, Berichte von Massenprotesten zu zeigen, damit man nicht sieht, wogegen die Leute protestieren. Der offizielle Grund: man soll der Bevölkerung keine Gewalttaten zeigen, wo Regierungsgebäude niedergebrannt werden.
Der ANC ist emsig damit beschäftigt, sein eigenes Grab zu schaufeln. So kann es gehen, wenn eine idealgesinnte Befreiungspartei, die nur das Wohl des Volkes zum Ziel hatte, in einen Verein herabsinkt, der nur die eigene Bereicherung im Sinn hat und skrupellos seine Machtposition behaupten will.
Meine neue Email Adresse: frwegler@gmail.com
Nun wünsche ich ein gesegnetes und friedvolles Weihnachtsfest und Gottes Segen im neuen Jahr.
Herzliche Grüße

Liebe Verwandte, Wohltäter und Freunde,

das Jahr 2016 geht zur Neige und ich möchte euch wie gewohnt auf Weihnachten ein paar Zeilen in die Heimat senden.

Dieser Rundbrief kommt nicht aus Richmond, wie in den vergangenen 22 Jahren, sondern aus Mariannhill, dem Mutterhaus der Mariannhiller Missionare. Wie ich euch im letzten Rundbrief mitteilte, machte mir ein Augenleiden die Missionsarbeit schwer, sodass mein Mitbruder Pater Cyril Ngubane CMM mich Ende November in Richmond ablöste. Der Schritt ins „Mater Dolorosa Home“ war nicht leicht. Da ich aber herzlich aufgenommen wurde, war der Wechsel nicht so schwer. So zelebriere ich jetzt täglich die Hl. Messe mit Erzbischof Paul Khumalo CMM, den Bischöfen Fritz Lobinger und Hubert Bucher, sowie mit Pater Macarius Häusler CMM, der beinahe erblindet ist. Sie alle haben jahrzehntelang in der Mission gearbeitet und verbringen nun den Lebensabend im Ruhestandsheim des Klosters. Die Bischöfe sind weit über 80. Nur Erzbischof Khumalo und Pater Macarius sind jünger als ich. Wir haben aber immer noch Gelegenheit, hie und da in Pfarreien auszuhelfen. In unserer Kapelle ist immer Gelegenheit, das Hl. Bußsakrament zu spenden und zu empfangen.

Hier im Mater Dolorosa Heim beklagen wir dieses Jahr den Tod zweier Mitbrüder, Bruder Adrian Wissenburg CMM und Pater Simon Rodenburg CMM. Im Kloster Mariannhill starb Pater Henry Ratering CMM. Alle drei sind in Holland geboren und wirkten jahrzehntelang in der Diözese Mariannhill. RIP

Zum Glück gibt es immer wieder Nachwuchs in der Kongregation und in der Diözese. Am 2. Februar machten sechs Mitbrüder die Erste Hl. Profess und zwei Mitbrüder legten die Ewigen Gelübde ab. Am 16. Juli wurden Diakon Khwela von Assisi und Diakon Nyuswa von St. Michael´s von unserem Bischof Pius Dlungwane in der Kathedrale Mariannhill zu Priestern geweiht.

Am 1. Oktober begann in Rom das Generalkapitel unserer Kongregation. Als neuer Generaloberer wurde Pater Thulani Mbuyisa gewählt. Er folgte dem Schweizer Pater Damian Weber.

Pater Thulani CMM ist der erste Afrikaner, der in dieses Amt gewählt wurde und unserer Kongregation vorsteht. Möge Gottes Segen ihn leiten und begleiten.

Am 26. November legt Schwester Mary Lucia von Richmond in Mariannhill die Ewigen Gelübde ab. Ich war Pfarrer von Richmond von 1994 bis 2015. Am 7. Januar 2017 darf Schwester Peter Claver FSF die Ewigen Gelübde in Assisi ablegen. Sie stammt von Mary Help Mission, wo ich von 1975 bis 1994 Pfarrer war.

Die Geistlichen Söhne, Nhlanhla Mchunu und Siyabonga Mbeje, beide von Richmond, arbeiten tüchtig in der Mission mit. Nhlanhla ist Pfarrer in Newcastle und Siyabonga ist Postulantenmeister im Kloster Mariannhill.

Eine große Freude war die Bischofsweihe unseres Mitbruders Pater Siegfried Jwara CMM, der nun der Diözese Ingwavuma im Zululand vorsteht. Es war mir vergönnt, an dieser einmaligen Feier teilzunehmen. Möge Gottes Segen den Hirten und seine Herde in die Zukunft begleiten.

In der Hoffnung, dass es euch in der Heimat gut geht, sende ich euch allen frohe Grüße. Möge der Herrgott euch segnen und behüten. Möge er den lieben Verstorbenen die Ewige Ruhe schenken.

Mit besten Wünschen für besinnliche Adventstage, für ein gnadenreiches Weihnachtsfest und ein glückliches Neues Jahr, bleibe ich in Dankbarkeit, Euer Pater Dominik Muheim.

Eventuelle Spenden an: Pater Dominik, Mariannhiller Missionare, Altdorf, P.C. 60-187-8.

26 December 2016

Dear friends,

Here I am finally with my circular letter, my first and last one for 2016. But it’s not the “Alpha et Omega” (the beginning and the end) of my year “par excellence.” No, it’s been a very ordinary year.

Today is the 16th. I begin this circular with a temperature of 35C, all wet with humidity. Phew! I don’t know if I’ll be able to continue for very long since my level of energy is really low. Since I am here I never experienced so far temperatures so changing, capricious and unstable: wind, heavy but also thin, light and short rains, unforeseen heat, sudden cooling, raging hail. All this followed one another at a hasty rhythm. Since we did not have yet much heavy heat like that of today, I am afraid that Lady Nature will take its revenge in January. It’s on the way already in fact because since I started this circular, the heat did not stop. Today, the 23rd, it’s 40. Once more I spent a great part of my time in bed. I am completely flat. No energy whatsoever! After all I might well be being charged for my many sins.

Thanks to all who wrote to me this year. This has no doubt contributed to keep me sound in mind – I dare believe it – and heathy.

At this time in the year – we are already at its last sighs – I can say after Shakespeare, “All is well that ends well.” Apart from the heat, which wears me out completely, my physical health is good, at least in as much as general exams can say. However, just after my return from Canada at the end of July, I caught a terrible and inappropriate bronchitis – yet I had not run after it. I must say that the fatigue of the trip combined with my diabetes must have had something to do with it. This has obviously slowed me down by three good weeks. I needed two full treatments of antibiotics to knock out the enemy.

Some of you know it already; I am now the chaplain of our religious sisters in Mariannhill. This, since the death of our Fr. Henry Ratering at the beginning of April of this year. Naturally, this forces me to stay here and limits considerably my outings. I never thought I would make the vow of physical stability in my life. But it’s done now.

As some of you already know it, sometime ago I have had to hand in my resignations from some responsibilities that had accumulated along the way. It was becoming a bit too much, but actually it was above all because my task of Postulator of the cause of Abbot Francis Pfanner was suffering too much from this. I am talking here in particular of my task of Coordinator of the Emaus Heritage Centre, which was taking much of my time, of my belonging to some boards of administration, etc. I am now left with only three tasks: postulator, teacher to the novices and chaplain of our religious sisters. However I am not yet completely out of the Emaus Heritage Centre since I was behind by 2 ½ years in my bookkeeping. I am now concentrating on putting an end to this. Then I will be able to go back to my main task, that of postulator. But things are moving rather slowly. Lately, since the beginning of the heat wave, I lost two weeks roughly. Furthermore, my chaplaincy takes more time than I thought.

I still enjoy my teaching to the novices. In fact, this is what I like best. We are finishing this year soon, at the end of January. I will see for next year what I will do.

Let’s now move to something else, hopefully interesting for you. It is no longer safe at all here. Even at the Monastery. We have break-ins often here around. About two weeks ago somebody broke in once more at the Mater Dolorosa house – our premise for the elderly and sick confreres. Even the driving here is more than hectic; it is dangerous. One must always try to protect himself. The so-called taxi drivers – mini-bus – fly on the roads and there are no rules for them. Even the police are prudent in dealing with them because they are all armed. One must therefore drive, doubling in prudence.

For our consolation, we now have a blessed among the members of our congregation, as some of you undoubtedly know already. I pray to him each day the Good Lord brings. He is such an impressive figure! And yet how simple and humble!

Some news now concerning our political and social life here. Since some time already the radio stations and the media take up again and again the tune “Zuma must go.” But our president never leaves the scene. Ultimately his party, the ANC, finally decided not to demand his resignation, this after a sense of outrage expressed by a growing number of its tenors and some public personalities of various groups and following a collapse of the economy and of our currency. The problem is that if one attacks Zuma inside the ANC, the latter is in possession of so many inside information that he can charge him easily. This is to say that the rot runs deeper than Zuma himself, who is battling with scandals of corruption and with maladministration. It has ANC’s soul. But even so it is the same man, Zuma, who in 2009 spoke eloquently about the need for a moral code to guide the nation.

Mandela realized early that his government was departing from the vision he had described. He called together faith-based organisations to work with the state to overcome the spiritual malaise underpinning social shortcomings: “The hopes and dreams at times seem to be overcome by cynicism, self-centredness and fear; which lead to problems of greed and cruelty of egotism and crime and corruption.” In 1998 he started a movement called the Moral Regeneration Movement but it was destined to fail because its first chairman was precisely none other than Zuma. Something else in this connection. At least 12 people died in political shooting during the last elections period. KwaZulu-Natal has borne the brunt of violence, with police statistics showing that some 90% of presumed political killings took place there. Moreover, the total number of murders reported nationally this year is 18,673, around 51 a day; this represents an increase of 4.9 % on the previous year.

Now, just a few other mentions regarding politics. If you think you know what corruption means, come here for a short while. You’ll go back relieved. It’s almost omnipresent in our government world. It is the daily object of the newspapers and the media. There is not only the famous scandal of Nkandla, that is, the president’s own singled out scandal. At least he has had to pay for that one. Only money unfortunately! But there are others. There is, for instance, the “guptagate,” so called on account of the undue influence of the Indian family Gupta on the government. Once the president was forced to undo very rapidly the appointments of two new ministers, strongly suggested –not to use a more vigorous term – by that family. One must say that two of Zuma’s children served as directors of a number of Gupta companies, according to South Africa’s companies database, and the family is a major financial backer of the ruling ANC.

Let’s now move to another field: rape. Here too we break records. The average number of rapes reported a day is 118. Research studies suggest however that, depending on the locality, as little as one in 13 rapes are reported to the police. They also estimate that there would be therefore one rape every 11 minutes. Of course these are only estimates. Nevertheless….

You probably know that our country is the richest on the African continent. And yet, there is more than ¼ of the population that can’t eat their fill (around 26%) and more than half live below the poverty level (52%), this, 18 years after the end of the apartheid regime and the instauration of democracy. To be poor in South Africa doesn’t exclude that one possesses a frig (57%), a radio (55%), a TV set (62%) and above all a cell phone (80%), according to a survey on the standard of living, published by the National Agency of Statistics.

On the other hand, Statistic South African shows without any doubt that poverty still remains overwhelmingly marked by the policy of systematic economic exclusion in place at the time of the apartheid, this to the detriment of the black majority. Poverty is today the lot of 25,5 million South-Africans, that is, 62% of black families and 33% of coloured, while it affects 7% of Indian families and a bit more than 1% of white families. Poverty is defined as the minimum indispensable to eat, but also to meet other vital needs (accommodation, clothing, health, schooling of children). This implies that one person must earn R577 (rands) per month (about $50 Canadian dollars). Roughly, it can therefore be stated that each day there is ¼ of the population that does not eat its fill.

Lastly, the general attitude vis-à-vis HIV has evolved considerably in South Africa. In the whole country there are 5,6 million people infected by it; this is the highest number in the world, unless I am mistaken. The infection rate and prejudices remain important. However, in the course of the last two years the number of persons treated for this infection has increased by 75% and the infections have decreased by 50,000 over the last two years. One must also add that the country has increased its expenses for the HIV infection to 1,6 billions, the highest amount among all the emergent nations.

Ok, there would be so much to say, but I stop here. My letter is already too long.

To conclude, here come my wishes. The great St. Augustine said: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in you.” Restlessness is indeed our human condition. “If only you could come, Lord, and chase away all these limitations and foes in our lives!” Indeed, our first natural reaction is always to long for, better still, to resolutely want a “deus ex machina,” a superman of all supermen, a semi-god who will overcome all the evils of this world, in particular of our own worlds, beat them up with a yet unseen violence, slink away in complete defeat all our deadly foes and kill-joys and finally bring us the happiness we so desperately long for. Yes, we are restless. And how!

Very unfortunately, those expectations are not met – and will never be met. Just like the expectations of the Baptist and of the Jews never materialized. God’s logic is in no way whatsoever ours. It is totally unexpected, perfectly surprising, way beyond our human concepts and superbly paradoxical. To answer our restlessness, definitely and for ever, God took out of his magical bag the unconceivable: a baby lying helpless in the straw of a manger! And amazingly, this “solution,” so to say, surpasses our wildest expectations. Why?

Why did God choose to be born into our world in this way? Fr. R. Rolheiser answers this question wonderfully: “Because you can’t argue with a baby! Babies don’t try to compete, don’t stand up to you, don’t try to best you in an argument, and don’t try to impress you with their answers. Indeed, they can’t speak at all. You, on your part, have to coax everything out of them, be it a smile or a word, and that effort, which demands great patience, usually draws out what’s best in you.” Brilliant answer!

Well, this God is always with us since the first Christmas. Is not his name “God-with-us.?” Now the unimaginable is possible, even at hand, and we can already experience happiness and joy in this world of ours. We need only let the poor infant of Bethlehem change us from within.

A most blessed Christmas time and New Year to each one of you!

Dear friends of Mariannhill-PNG! First of all I wish you, also in name of all the confreres and CPS Sisters here, a really Blessed and very Happy Christmas!

When you receive this TANGET it will be nearly Christmas eve!

What did I promise in the last Tanget? “For the next edition you will not have to wait five months.” Somehow true! The waiting grew into seven month! From the land of the unexpected! A nice piece of inculturation! “Sori tru!”

How we are doing? Not bad!

Br. Yvon Bourret, who arrived in May, has settled down in the meantime in Lae and, after a thorough initiation via typhoid, shingles and malaria, is now acting Superior of our Mariannhill House, readying himself for working in Youth Pastoral, while Fr. Krzysztof Zacharuk, the official local Superior, is for a longer time on the Siassi islands.

In the last half year our CMM Region has been enriched in a very fortunate way with two young confreres from Africa, Fr. Roland Matoyi from Kenya, and Fr. Brian Nonde from Zambia.

Fr. Roland arrived on the 5th of August. After a few weeks in Lae he was sent to a parish in the mountains of the Sepik province, where he did a six weeks’ Pidgin course.

He is already well at home in Pidgin and ready to soon have a pastoral assignment in the diocese of Lae.

Fr. Brian arrived on the 3rd of November, coming from Rome where for nine months he had been working at the African Section of the Vatican Radio. Arriving at Port Moresby he could immediately put into praxis his media skills attending to a Catholic Youth Convention going on from the 6th to the 13th of November and reporting on the same.

Thus two young confreres joined our Region, ready to share our missionary experience, and at the same time renewing it. Don’t be surprised if in half a year we have our own website! This enrichment with young confreres from Africa is wonderful and necessary, because some of us are really getting old and it is time for a change of the guards.

In October our General Chapter elected a new CMM Government. The shift in leadership from the northern to the southern hemisphere was more than obvious. Of the four new General Councillors only the Vicar General is from the North (Fr. Michael Mass from Germany).

Our new General Superior, Fr. Thulani Mbuyisa, is from South Africa.

Mariannhill, once starting in Africa, is coming off age. Africa is taking over.

We expect a similar shift in PNG.

Support in personnel for PNG coming from Africa was unanimously and explicitly endorsed at the General Chapter. Without an “African Bridge” Mariannhill in PNG would not be able to make the jump into the future.

On the 2nd of August our PNG Region lost one of its great members, Br. Werner Hupperich.

Br. Werner has been living and working in Lae for 25 years. His tireless activity, especially related to the St. Joseph’s Old Boys Company, St. Joseph’s Mission at Eight Mile and the Youth Development Centre at Three Mile, came to an abrupt end when in September 2009 he got a stroke. A speedy transport to Germany for eventual recovery was not successful and Br. Werner’s apostolate was suddenly changed from a very active to a contemplative one.

Br. Werner spent the last 7 years in our Missionhouse at Reimlingen (Germany), well cared for, but still thinking in Tok Pisin. In the early hours of August 2 he passed away.

On the 10th of August we had a beautiful Memorial celebration in the Cathedral of Lae, thanking God for the gift of Brother Werner. May he enjoy now the fullness of God’s life he has been preaching with his example!

On the 20th of August I went overseas for three operations, a medical one, participation in the General Chapter (see above), and a short trip to Africa. I survived all three and came back to PNG on the 4th of December.

My visit to Africa had as specific purpose to see our two PNG confreres Alois Gende and Wilfred Salhun in Lusaka, Zambia, but, visiting too our confreres in Nairobi, also to strengthen the bonds with at least these two Mariannhill communities, from where at the moment we have confreres in PNG . Our confreres Alois and Wilfred are doing well in their studies. At the end of May they will come to PNG for their home-leave.

Together with the other participants in the General Chapter I could witness in Wuerzburg on the 24th of September the beatification of our confrere Fr. Engelmar Unzeitig, who died a martyr in the concentration camp of Dachau. It was a great celebration. Extensive information on him and the beatification you’ll find in internet googling his name.

On the 8th of September Fr. Sido v. d. Werf celebrated the 60th anniversary of his religious Profession and the CMM and CPS communities in Lae with him.

On the 13th of October Fr. Anthony Mulderink received from the hands of the General Governor of PNG, Sir Michael Ogio, the distinction and decoration of “Officer in the Order of Logohu” in recognition of his longstanding service to the people of PNG through his ministry. Fr. Anthony is our longest serving missionary in PNG, being here since 1960.

Our CPS Sisters got a canonical visitation from a member of their General Government, Sister Julian Mujuru, who visited PNG from June 23 till July 22.

Sister Michaela Kim went on the 4th of July to Kenya for a bursar-workshop and towards the end of July to Germany for a meeting of CPS Provincial Procurators. She came back to PNG on August 23.

Sr. Henriqueta Muchate left on the 4th of August for health reasons. In November she was operated in South Africa. We wish her a speedy recovery.

Two CPS Sisters are expected to come soon to increase the small community, one from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and another one from Kenya.

The Catholic Church in PNG celebrated this year the golden anniversary of the establishment of the Hierarchy.

The Diocese of Lae did it on Sunday November 13, 2016. Because of the people expected, among them many guests from other Churches, the celebration took place on the grounds of St. Mary’s Primary School. Main celebrant was the new Apostolic Nuncio in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, Archbishop Kurian Matthew Vayalunkal.

Bishop Christian Blouin gave an overview of the last 50 years of evangelization by the Catholic Church in the province of Morobe, making especial mention of the first pioneers.

Since the Tanget of last May PNG has gone through quite a bit of political and social upheaval. A vote of no-confidence in Parliament had to be forced upon the Government by a Court decision.

Riots broke out in June in Port Moresby and Lae and the police used guns against students, fortunately without casualties.

Next year elections will take place and the politicians are cleaning their weapons.

The Catholic Church in PNG had a more peaceful move in their leadership when on the 19th of November Pope Francis made Archbishop John Ribat of Port Moresby a Cardinal together with sixteen others. It was the first time that a Bishop of PNG became a Cardinal. The new Cardinals were from 14 different countries. At the occasion Pope Francis stressed the colourful unity of the Church, calling it “one of our greatest riches.”

Without more news, I wish you all a Happy New Year, with greetings from the confreres and the CPS Sisters in Lae!