Świeta Mariam od Jezusa Ukrzyżowanego

The Power At Work Within Us

At the threshold of the new liturgical year, I recall the words of Saint Paul the Apostle of Nations, which I chose as the preamble of my testament and I used them as the second reading for my silver jubilee celebration in Kiabakari last week on November 21.

"I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that he may grant you in accord with the riches of his glory to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine, by the power at work within us, to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." (Eph 3:14-21)

When I went for my one day retreat at Bunda Carmel one week before the silver jubilee celebrations, I got the powerful message on that day reminding me about the unique role of the Holy Spirit in my life and priestly / missionary vocation. All three reading chosen for the jubilee Mass spoke about the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. And yet I was somehow oblivious of this obvious truth in my past years. The Holy Spirit came back on that day in Bunda and rightfully enlightened my mind and soul to take back His crucial and primary position in my life.

As I celebrated the first Holy Mass of the new liturgical year this morning, I surrendered myself to the Holy Spirit and His Power at work within us. May this new year and all remaining years of my life be the Holy Spirit Domain. 

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. The earth of my heart and soul. The earth of my daily priestly and missionary life. The earth of lives of all I love and serve.

O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

On The Mountain

On the Mount Carmel today. Happy coincidence that I was unable to go to the Carmel in Bunda last Saturday afternoon on my way back from Mwanza to Kiabakari. Today is the birthday of Blessed John Paul II. And having opportunity to celebrate the Holy Mass on top of Mount Carmel through his intercession on his birthday, in the month of May, the month of Our Lady, on Wednesday - the day of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, was a truly happy coincidence...

Carmel

Getting ready for my regular biweekly penitential service for Cloistered Carmelite Nuns in the only Carmel monastery in the whole Tanzania located in Bunda town, 35 kilometers from Kiabakari on the way to Mwanza City.

 To the left: on my way to Bunda (Nyamikoma village ahead and Muganza Hill)

 

 
 To the right: the border between Kiabakari and Bunda Parishes - bridge over Suguti seasonal river






Late bishop Justin Tetemu Samba had for long dreamed about inviting Cloistered Carmelite Nuns to found the very first monastery in Bunda, in the old premises of Bunda Parish, which since 2000 moved to newly constructed rectory, closer to town, as the old parish was located on the outskirts of the town, back then in the fifties of the last century, when pastors presumed wrongly (we know it now though) that the town would expand in that direction along the old Mwanza - Musoma highway. Since then the new highway was laid in different direction, in a more shortcut manner, thus leaving out Bunda parish and making its location obsolete and awkward for the faithful to go outside of the town to attend services and seeking pastoral assistance.

Bishop Samba intended to turn the old premises of Bunda parish into a place for a future Carmel monastery. He told me once, that he wanted them in Musoma Diocese as he saw them as spiritual lungs for the People of God in Musoma and beyond. Praying, fasting and offering spiritual and corporal sacrifices for us...

The Sisters from India responded to the invitation and on November 21, 2001, bishop Samba and myself (back then I was his vicar for religious) went to receive them officially in Bunda. Seven brave women from India arrived that day and upon the entering the house they stand and sang Te Deum chant, as they were asked by the Superior General. I still recall vividly the beauty of that day...after the long journey, on the very first moment of they presence...they simply stood in the middle of small living room / dining hall and sung with smiles on their tired faces...

This chant strikes me to the bottom of the abyss of my soul as it one of my favorite if not the absolute number one among Gregorian chants... We used to sing this hymn every Sunday in our Metropolitan Major Seminary in Kraków, right after lunch, going to our chapel, standing and singing in unison, two hundred plus strong congregation...It always sent shivers down my spine... The last two verses I took long long ago as a motto of my life: 'In Te, Domine, speravi, non confundar in aeternum!' (O Lord, in thee have I trusted : let me never be confounded).

Nuns settled temporarily in the old rectory, seven sisters in the house destined for two priests. Massacre! They spent there three long years till they managed to build a sizable monastery and move in to live a cloistered life as they should.

I was with them all the way, as they asked bishop to appoint me as their confessor. I was back then in Kiabakari, so every two weeks I was driving to Bunda to hear their confessions...

sometimes saying a Holy Mass with a homily for them...






 

 sometimes giving them spiritual talks in their chapel  as they asked me to do so...







 

 or spending time in privacy to pray for my personal intentions...(read about Brown Scapular you can see in the picture here)

meeting them in the parlour, sharing joys and concerns, trying to lift up their spirits and encourage them in times of distress...and tasting their kind hospitality as they never allow me to go back home without some kind of meal (depending on the time of my presence there, as times differ according to my or their schedules)...




When I was transferred to Musoma Cathedral, it became quite difficult to drive every two weeks to Bunda, as it now became more than 70 kilometers one way. Then, when I was left alone in the cathedral (as my assistant was moved to another parish) it became impossible. I asked bishop to appoint someone else to serve as confessor to the nuns. So, for a couple of years I stopped to go to Bunda. Then nuns came back to me and I came back to them as I simply missed this service. I was given more than I was able to give (leaving out the value of sacrament of course). Sisters missed regular service as their new confessor had no much time and service became very erratic. So I came back and felt relief. Then, back in Kiabakari, it became even easier, as I cut the distance in half...And it is so till now...

I am deeply grateful to Our Lady of Carmel to give me this privilege and honor to be of service to those great women, courageous, dedicated, full of Holy Spirit, concerned about the Church, Diocese, us all... And I know how much I owe them back there in Musoma and here in Kiabakari now...their prayers and sacrifices paved the way for multitude of God's graces and blessings...Thank you, Mama! I will never be able to repay this debt of gratitude...

It's time for me to go...