The Rock

I've just finished our Friday recollection day in the Shrine. As we approach the Solemnity of Pentecost, I thought it would be most appropriate and timely to share with you one remarkable story.

In January 1994, as I was about to commence the construction of the new parochial church which was to be a shrine of Divine Mercy in Kiabakari, I was one day approached by a group of my parishioners, roughly thirty persons, mostly retirees and adults. They came up with the idea that - since we are about to build a House of God and this work will not find appreciation in the eyes of the Evil One, who will most probably cause a lot of problems on the way, trying to prevent us from completion of the project - we need to fast and pray so that, by doing that, we will protect the project and it will come to the completion.

I was left speechless by the audacity and courage full of faith of those Christians! They, without being pushed by anyone, decided freely that they will come every Friday to our temporary chapel which I put up using the roof sheets from the old chapel which we had just demolished to pave way for the new church on top of the hill which came later to be known as Divine Mercy Hill.

Imagine the extreme conditions inside this structure - roof sheets on the roof, roof sheets as walls, and dust as a floor. And those brave Christians spending up to 10 hours inside fasting without water and praying EVERY Friday till the end of the construction of the church which happened three and a half years later!

Truly, they have become like those people who were supporting hands of praying Moses during Israelis battle, as we read in the Bible...

What they had decided in January 1994, they fulfilled faithfully till the end. Whenever I was able I was with them, leading some of the prayers, being available for confessions and Holy Mass...

After the dedication of the church on July 3, 1997, the Evil One who - so far - was unable to break their resolve and make them quit, struck hard for the first time. My 'wanamafungo' (as I came to call them, meaning - retreat people') came to me asking if there is a need to continue with these Friday retreats as the church was ready and the goal has been achieved...It was a clever temptation, based on sane reasoning...

But I sensed a temptation and resisted. I asked them to continue and decided to give those Friday recollection days more solid look and put them in a regular framework or schedule - with morning prayers, spiritual talk, rosary, Stations of the Way of the Cross, adoration, confessions, Holy Mass and Divine Mercy Hour.

Every year I proposed certain themes for every Friday of the year, with third Fridays of every month given special emphasis as an open day for people and pilgrims from the whole diocese and beyond, as the idea of elevating the status of the shrine to the diocesan shrine of Divine Mercy was clearly seen on the horizon and - bishop and me - started to talk about it louder...

I used to invite a retreat masters for the whole year (twelve third Fridays of the month) who were to give talks on set themes that were decided upon in the pastoral calendar of the shrine...

Second strike of the Evil One came when I was asked by the late Bishop Justin Samba to move to Musoma Cathedral as a parish priest. I thought it was over - in regards to the future of the shrine and Divine Mercy devotion at large in Kiabakari...

My successor in Kiabakari did not feel this devotion and the need to have a shrine of Divine Mercy, so he wanted Kiabakari to be just an ordinary parish...

And even if he was not ready to be to 'wanamafungo' as close as I was, those heroes continued with their iron resolve and resisted the temptation to abandon Fridays...

I returned to Kiabakari in November 2006 and they were relieved clearly as they knew that the old times returned too, and with them - Fridays also as a retreat day with full participation of the priest...

And this is how it is up till today. They have praying and fasting for 16 years now - EVERY Friday of the year! Some of them have passed away, some of them moved out of Kiabakari, some of them got tired or sick and cannot come again on regular basis, some new members came in, the rest - depending on the Friday - are going strong. There are Fridays with just a few people participating, on other Fridays we are many...

It does not matter to me much. The resolve and continuity is what matters...


They are my true heroes. They are THE ROCK on which Kiabakari is being built for the past sixteen years...

I bow my head in front of them in admiration, praise and gratitude. I salute them with love and pride! I kneel down and wash their feet humbled by their faith and values they have been standing for fiercely for so long. They - through their fasting and prayers and persistence - made all this happen what you can see now in Kiabakari mission and the shrine. Their patience, determination, fasting and prayer conquered Lord's heart and made him to fulfill our dreams and visions - His plans and vision for this place...

THE TRUE ROCK ON WHICH KIABAKARI IS BUILT.