The Splendor

On January 15, 2002, I woke up as usual in my house in Kiabakari. Got ready for the morning Holy Mass preceded with confessions for those who wished to confesss before the Eucharist. Had my head full of many things while I celebrated the sacred liturgy, praying for the gift of discernment and the guidance of the Holy Spirit...

22 Years Ago

January 6, 1989 was a day of episcopal consecration of Rt. Rev. Bishop Justin Tetemu Samba, the late Bishop of Musoma, who received the episcopal dignity through the hands of the Servant of God, Holy Father John Paul II in Vatican Basilica. I wish to brought this important event for the history of salvation of the People of God in Musoma Diocese to ask kindly for your prayers for the repose of his soul. He died on August 23, 2006, after long and painful illness. He was the Bishop who accepted me in Diocese of Musoma and I served the People of God in the diocese since 1991 till now, 16 years under his pastoral guidance and authority, holding various posts he entrusted me along the way, including the episcopal vicar for religious and the pastor of the Cathedral Church in Musoma, not mentioning Kiabakari and the diocesan shrine of Divine Mercy here. May his soul rest in peace and may he pray for us here in Musoma Diocese, keeping alive his legacy...

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...