Journey Into The Realm Of Parables Of Mercy

On Tuesdays I usually have a few hours set aside for the purpose of meditating, writing, translating various texts and preparing upcoming events, homilies, retreats, seminars. It is no exception today as well. Enjoying a quiet morning working on the meditation on the Parable of Mercy - Merciful Father. On days and times like these I choose (if any) accompanying music carefully. On this occasion I have selected German Baroque Cantatas sung beautifully by my favorite Andreas Scholl. Such a perfection combination of music and his delicate voice. Two wings that carry me in tranquility into the Realm of Parables of Mercy. Come, Holy Spirit, lead me in this breathtaking spiritual journey...

Two New Liturgical Features In The Jubilee Year Of Mercy In Kiabakari

Listening to the inner voice of the Holy Spirit, while keeping an eye on the life of the Church worldwide and new and old ways to express our living faith in the Presence of the Lord, I have arrived to the decision to introduce two new liturgical services on permanent basis in our prayer and liturgical life in the faith community in Kiabakari.

The first event which is called - Bible Evening, will be held on the first Tuesday of the month at 5-7pm and in this Jubilee Year we will meditate upon the Parables of Mercy and Psalms of Mercy (first three out of ten Psalms of Mercy to be precise).

The second event will be - Evening of Praise - and will be held on Third Tuesday of each month, also 5-7pm. This year we will praise the Lord in His Presence in the Most Holy Eucharist following His Holy Attributes and Names. It will be an evening of songs, spiritual joy, allowing the Holy Spirit to move us in the praise of God in ways He Himself wants.

These events are open to everyone who wishes to set on the path leading inside the great Mystery of God Whose Mercy Is Infinite.

Welcome! Karibu!

Below are the schedules of both events for this year (May and June are excluded as I will travel for medical treatment and ordination of my compatriot in my home parish in Kraków)

Septena To The Holy Spirit

For the swahili speakers - you can use this text (which copyright for swahili edition I own) freely for the sake of your community, liturgy or your private use.

Veni Creator Spiritus!

I Met An Angel

If there is one single God's creature that made my work of sowing a Word of God about Divine Mercy in Kiabakari in the hearts and souls of wonderful people of Puławy in Archdiocese of Lublin in Eastern Poland on last Sunday much easier and pleasant - it must have been the Angel of God in human form - Reverend Sister Irmina Syroka, the organist, cantor and choir master of Divine Mercy Parish in Puławy.

Sister Irmina in my humble opinion has the most sacred voice I have ever heard in my life. As if the Angel from heaven sang using her charisms and talents. I would easily placed her in the top spot in my personal ranking of all cantors and organ players in the whole world.

Bad enough, when I asked her about her recordings, Cds, DVDs - there were none. Such a humble and simple person full of Holy Spirit. I searched the internet and came up with few pictures and few YouTube videos with horrible quality which does not do justice to the purity and magnificence of Sister's voice.

Nevertheless, meet the Angel of God in the form of Sister Irmina Syroka of Benedictine Sisters congregation from Puławy Divine Mercy Parish.

If you happen to pass Puławy, make sure you participate in the Mass in that beautiful church.

Thank you, Holy Spirit, for your generous outpouring of Your special charisms in gifts in Christ's Church. Thank you for Sister Irmina and her humble apostolate of praising the Lord with her voice and organ playing.

I envy with holy envy parishioners of that parish who have such a gem on daily basis. What a different quality experience of Sacred Liturgy it is led by such a grand person.

Sister Irmina in the middle sitting

Sister Irmina sitting in the middle

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.

The Journey Within

Rainer Maria Rilke said once - "The only journey is the journey within." And this is precisely what we are about to do starting tomorrow when I begin a week-long parochial retreat as a preparation of the community of the faithful for the upcoming visitation of the sacred image of Divine Mercy in our parish. For the whole week I will try to guide the parochial community in prayer, meditations, spiritual talks and reflections along the main theme of the spiritual journey within ourselves for the sake of the renewal of our parish and our bonds as the family of God. The program of the retreat is here. I ask all of you humbly for your kind prayers and support so that the Almighty and Merciful God may use me as He pleases for the sake of His children in our parish. May the Holy Spirit guide and enlighten us along the spiritual path within and may God's will be done to the fullest. I promise you my sincere prayers for you and for all your needs. God bless us all!

Upper Room

I am sitting in the upper room of the rectory of Ulmerfeld parish in diocese of St. Polten in Austria, in my best friend parish, focusing on the notes for the upcoming parochial week-long retreat in St. Kazimierz parish in Kraków, my home parish, as a preparation for the visitation of the picture of Jesus, the King of Mercy (4-5 June). The retreat will begin this Sunday and I am deeply grateful to Fr. Wiesiek for the opportunity of three calm days in his parish to work on final shapes of the spiritual talks. Please, pray for the parochial community at St. Kazimierz and myself - may the Holy Spirit guide and enlighten us. May the Holy Spirit enable me to speak only what God wants and may these words penetrate the deepest cores of the faithful hearts and consciences. As always, I will pray in a special way for all of you, my esteemed readers. God bless and protect and guide us all!

Diocesan Synod - Official Opening

Today, on the Solemnity of the Pentecost, the Diocesan Synod for the Diocese of Musoma has been officially opened by His Excellency, Bishop Michael Msonganzila, Bishop of Musoma, in the presence of the clergy, religious and the faithful of our diocese. I commend the proceedings of the synod to the guidance and light of the Holy Spirit and the intercession and protection of our Patron Saint of Musoma Diocese - Holy Mary Mother of God. Please, pray for us, pray for the living community of the diocese. May the Holy Spirit makes anew the face of the People of God of Diocese of Musoma. Come, Holy Spirit!

Diocesan Synod

The Bishop of Musoma, Rt. Rev. Michael Msonganzila, announced his intent to open diocesan synod on July 12, 2012, on the day of the priestly ordination in Musoma Cathedral. He elected 28 members of the preparatory committee. I found myself included. Today we had the very first meeting of the committee, chaired by the Bishop himself. I must say that it was a very interesting experience and I felt the presence and the work of the Holy Spirit himself. Synodal works were set in motion, various small theme committees were established. I hope and pray the Holy Spirit will firmly guide us and keep us focused on what is important for this time in the Diocese of Musoma. I have high hopes after this meeting. Please, put this important ecclesiastical event which will last till 2014 in your kind prayers! God bless the Synod! God bless the Diocese of Musoma! God bless us all!

Quiet Morning And The Long List

Saturday again. I like to wake up very early on Saturdays, much earlier than on any other day. Around 4-5 am I'm usually up to make for slow and balanced start for another hectic day. It is no different today...

Green, Green, Green!

Celebrating the Holy Mass this morning, for the first time since before the Lent season started. I like to vest in green chasuble after Christmas and Easter seasons. It is such a symbolic gesture and the color full of deep meaning. Reminding me of my duty to take care of blessings and special graces I was granted by God in His Holy Church in the just-passed festive season...

Fruit Of the Holy Spirit

It's raining. It started a half an hour ago. Not a big rain, but gutters carry water to our tanks. Sisters from my convent and from Shirati will begin their annual retreat in the evening. The water is necessary. Since I fixed gutters to the half of their house and put two 5 thousand liters tanks, there was no rain. Not a single drop. Till today. This is Solemnity of Pentecost. And one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is joy. And we are happy to get rain just today when we needed it most and we were a bit worried what we will do if we run out of water during the retreat. I hope it rains for a while longer so the tanks can be filled... Thank you, Holy Spirit, for giving us joy today!

Veni, Creator Spiritus!

On this Pentecost Solemnity I wish all of us the fullness of the Holy Spirit gifts, charismas, divine light and virtues, so that we may live the fullness of life as designed and intended by the Creator, in divine happiness, peace, love and unity with Him and with ourselves. This is the intention of the morning Mass I am about to celebrate in a half an hour or so. Ut unum sint!

Unwritten Books

"There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written." (Jn 21:25b) This sentence from this morning Mass touched me powerfully. The books that would be written. Unwritten books...

The Guided Tour in Your Personal Desert

Setting off to the personal desert, guided by the same Holy Spirit who led Jesus Himself and strengthened Him in His personal battle against the temptations of the Evil One and His own bodily weaknesses. This year I am particularly relieved that the Holy time of Lent came at last. It took so long. Been waiting for it with hunger and longing of spirit, mind and body. The first day of Lent, the Ash Wednesday, opens officially the forty days long lenten exercises. This is a special time charged with so powerful gifts of the Holy Spirit we have no slightest idea!

Divine Mercy In The Heart Of Mombasa

Last time, in April, when I was on my way back home from Bura, my hosts showed me around Mombasa. It came to me as a very nice surprise and heart warming discovery to find out that Divine Mercy is very much in the heart of the People of God of Mombasa.

Touch of Love

Yesterday evening a week-long retreat for sisters has begun with the Holy Hour, Eucharistic adoration which lasted from 8 to 9pm. I really put all my heart into this opening of our journey into the wilderness where the Lord by the power of His Holy Spirit will speak tenderly to our hearts in the holy silence of our seclusion and detachment from the noise of the surrounding world.

Surprises

As I have sensed and predicted, based on my experience, the first day of the seminar on spiritual warfare brought some surprises. The seminar proceedings are the same as on previous occasion in April, but since the participants are different, the response is quite different.

Little Switzerland

So, after three hours of earnest driving, we (three sisters, driver and me) have arrived to Bura Motherhouse of the Congregation of Sisters of St. Joseph. It feels good to be back here. I love this place, located on a plateau surrounded from three sides by beautiful hills (I would rather call them mountains) and the opening in this crescent-shaped hills allowing for the twisted dirt road to wind its way around the slopes of Taita Hills. This area looks to me like a Little Switzerland, so beautiful and serene, so new every morning and every evening...