Peter

Last liturgical celebration this month, and indeed in this first half of 2010. Saint Patron feast in Nyamisisye Stand district of Kiabakari township. St. Peter, the Prince of Apostles is the Saint Patron of that area comprising of five Small Christian Communities. They all met together at our treasurer's house compound. A very well prepared place for the celebration of the Holy Mass and the following celebrations. I must admit I was very impressed and proud of 'The Children of St. Peter Apostle'.

Halfway Through

Today is the last day of the first half of this year of 2010. When I was celebrating the morning Mass in the shrine, I couldn’t but walk down the memory lane looking back at those past six months and what they brought with themselves. Feelings of praise, gratitude, remorse and hope for better filled my heart and mind.

Handful Of Sand

"A handful of sand, thrown into the sea, is what sinning is, when compared to God’s Providence and mercy. Just like an abundant source of water is not impeded by a handful of dust, so does the Creator’s mercy not defeated by the sins of His creations." (St. Isaac the Syrian, The Ascetical Homilies, I, 51)

Pity

It is a pity that the high season for tourists and other holiday visitors in Tanzania begins according to northern hemisphere rhythm of nature life cycles... When so called First World people begin their holidays, here in East Africa, including Tanzania, everything, but the nature itself, comes to alert - tourists are coming! The nature itself goes to hibernation, entering the ugliest, in my humble opinion, season, 'kipupwe' in kiswahili...

Tears Away

Once I read somewhere that when someone hurts you, then God will send someone else to wipe your tears away. I have experienced this phenomenon of God's love and tenderness today in an amazingly simple and elegant way.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Today is my Dad's Birthday. I called him on Saturday evening to wish him all the best as he turns 74 today. Still going strong, still smiling and jovial, still kind and open-hearted, still fighting and keeping faith and positive attitude, though home alone, after Mum and Grandma passed away last year. I'm proud to have him as my Dad.

Ref Was Right!

Shocking breaking news! Apparently referee in the World Cup 2010 game between Germany and England WAS spot on denying England alleged goal scored by Frank Lampard. After thorough investigation done by FIFA using the latest technology, authorities determined that the referee was absolutely right. Click 'read more' to see the proof!

Silent Mode

I like the reflection on today's Sunday readings I found on a blog of Fr. Tom Hoisington, OP. Read it here. It evoked a myriad of memories and mental journeys in the past and present, reading into my own life and lives of people I serve in Kiabakari, family members, friends and those I have met in my life and interacted with in many ways.

Bhajaj vs Tuk-Tuk

Driving in Dar es Salaam and Mombasa gives you a priceless comparison of how people come to ingenuous solutions to tackle traffic issues and get from one point to the other in city traffic jams. From city buses, daladalas (minibuses), lorries, pickups, taxis to rickshaws and other clever means of transportation. Sky is the limit to human creativity.

World Cup 2010

It is everywhere here in East Africa. Soccer / football (call it whatever you like!) frenzy is felt and visible simply everywhere.

I've just landed in Dar es Salaam and before I proceed further on, decided to get a quick refreshment in Flamingo Restaurant in the airport terminal. Big flat screen TVs everywhere with replays of soccer games and appropriate ambiance along with it.

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.

Deja Vu

Same place. Mombasa. Same room in Generalate house. Same person. Me. Different condition though. Remember my post about mosquitoes when I was here last time ten days ago? Came back this afternoon from Bura Motherhouse sick, sick, sick...that malaria never went away. Three doses of duo-cotexin in the span of a month time didn't help. It struck again with vengeance. I'm sure that night I described in that post contributed to my present condition. Truly,  I don't wish anyone, not even my worst enemies, to go through this...Everything you can imagine with strong malaria, it's happening to me. And tomorrow I'm flying back to Dar and then to Mwanza and to Kiabakari. I hope I won't fall apart...

Human Trafficking

My last post triggered a need to touch in a separate snippet yet another stone of death which – put by men (mostly) – deprives girls and women (mostly) freedom, security, dignity, happiness, education, formation, development and peace in their lives. I’m talking about human trafficking, this modern slavery demon, ravaging innocent lives of so many.

Who Will Roll The Stone Away?

"When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?"" (Mk 16:1-3)

I Have A Dream

One of my longest dreams to get fulfilled was to stand right in the heart of Christianity of All-Ireland and celebrate a thanksgiving Mass for a priceless gift of love and friendship I tasted since the first time back then in 1990 when I was getting ready to go to the missions in the Archdiocese of Armagh, in Drogheda, at the side of Father Tom, Father Eugene, Monsignor Frank, other priests and friends in Drogheda, Armagh and elsewhere I was blessed to go and meet fine people of Ireland till today...

Keep It Holy

Every Sunday is Lord's Day. It is a New Sabbath of New Testament. God, our Father, in His Third Commandment given to us through Moses, on the holy mountain Horeb, reminds us:

'Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.' (Exodus 20:8),

The Presence

Every day in the retreat we celebrate Divine Mercy Hour – Eucharistic adoration at 3pm, at the hour of Christ’s death on the Cross. We follow the request of Jesus He gave us through St. Sister Faustina Kowalska of the Most Holy Eucharist to meditate on His passion at the hour He called Himself – a Divine Mercy Hour to the whole world. He promised us to grant us anything we ask in faith and trust in His Mercy if only our petitions comply with His Father’s Holy Will.

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.

Charity

Just yesterday I read the news about Bill Gates and Warren Buffett calling fellow megarich people in USA to share their wealth with charities (read the news here). As it is a worthy cause, to be applauded, and providing that the pledges are offered and fulfilled for truly worthy causes, I cannot but smile reminiscing a photo collage of Steve Jobs of Apple and Bill Gates of Microsoft I found recently on a friend's of mine blog. I simply can't resist sharing this with you. It just cracks me up whenever I look at it:

Silentium Sacrum

The last, third day of the seminar here in Bura in Taita Hills in Kenya. And immediately after the seminar, we will start a week-long retreat for the same participants, right here, in the same venue. But what a difference it will make to move from the seminar setup to retreat seclusion. Same room, same conference hall, same chapel, same dining hall. But...the absolute silence will make for a totally new, intense experience for us all.

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.

Final Proofreading

Woke up alive this morning and checked my emails. Wow! Got two of them from my publishing house in Kraków - Wydawnictwo Petrus - with my book divided into two parts for easier downloading. Still, I don't know how it was possible - with this slow network speed here in the mountains - to download two parts, 6 Mb each! It must have been a miracle...

So, I guess, today, apart from seminar proceedings, in my free time, I will do some serious proofreading and checking the final shape of the book, with its layout, pictures, everything. Wish me luck! Some 600+ pages plus more than 500 pictures. A mountain to climb!

Now off to my duties. Praying for you as promised. God bless us all today!

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...

Fort Jesus

Still in Mombasa, leaving for Bura in Taita Mountains in a couple of hours. Doing photocopies of seminar materials, for group and individual works and for the retreat which will follow immediately the seminar. Just got the full list of names of participants, some 60 sisters expected to take part. This will be even larger group than the previous one. Which makes me only happier, as it is always pleasant to have strong audience to share with what is dear and important to my heart and faith.

Sleepless in Mombasa

Since I cannot sleep anymore tonight as the war with mosquitoes continues to rage on, I went down the memory lane, triggered by the keywords - malaria, drugs, health...The mental path led me this time to our health center in Kiabakari.

Mosquitos

I just can't sleep. Not only because it is my chronic problem of sleeplessness since long, but this room I am in, here in Mombasa Generalate house of Sisters of St. Joseph, has so many mosquitoes, it is impossible to sleep! I don't know where they were hiding during the afternoon hours, as I didn't spot any...There is this mosquito net over the bed, but it is ill fitted, too small and too tight, so I can't use it... not even a fetus-like position would help!

Mombasa

The short hop to Mombasa from Dar es Salaam via Zanzibar (15 minutes to Zanzibar, then 50 minutes further to Mombasa) was uneventful, thank God! Though the weather made for some bumpy ride over Zanzibar Channel and on our final to Moi International Airport in Mombasa.

Julius Nyerere International Airport

A gateway to Tanzania. A gateway to the world. In comparison to other airports in the world, it's very small, with only one runway to use so far, though the expansion efforts are under way.

Layout

Just playing with the new design templates and layout for this blog... Figured out that more compact text body would be more friendly to read posts. I am not satisfied yet with the result, so please feel free to drop some comments how would you see this blog should look like. After all, it is for you!

Enjoying two days of transition from Kiabakari to retreat place, in Dar es Salaam at the moment. Weariness and stresses getting out of me through every inch of my body...Thank God for this short period, as I won't enter the seminar and retreat with all this nasty burden weighing on me...

The weather in Dar is quite clement, heat is somehow subdued, it is June after all, late autumn in our East African terms... Temps ranging from 20 to 30+  C degrees, bearable, very nice...

Tomorrow leaving for Mombasa by Precision Air short hop from Dar es Salaam. On Monday work starts. I will pray for you, please, pray for me too and for sisters...

Have a blessed Sunday, my dear friends!

Good bye, the Year for Priests!

 

Tomorrow is the official closing ceremony of the Year for Priests. How fitting the date! The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. And who, if not us, priests, are suppose to strive with all our strength, resolve, hope and love to ask Jesus, The Most High Priest of the New Covenant: "Jesus, meek and humble of Heart... make our hearts like unto Thine!"

True Friend

I am not sure if I even should touch this issue, sensitive to me and to many, I believe. Devaluation of important terms and words - like love, friendship, holiness, faithfulness, truth etc. in our world has become so excessive, that the very topic of this post may cause confusion and dispute as each and every one has his or her own idea what it means to have true friend or what it means to be a true friend of someone else...Even here, in Tanzania, wherever you go, you will hear people calling you 'rafiki' (a friend)...though they have never met you before!

What have we done with the sacred word one finds in the Holy Scripture, that fits, I suspect, not that many people in our times, to be honest? Jesus used Himself this word in a bitter sense addressing Judas as a friend  in the Gethsemane on the night of His betrayal by the kiss of someone who betrayed first the sacredness of the noble title 'a friend of Jesus'...

Just to share with you a few simple thought and beliefs I hold dear to my heart in regards to this topic... My own idea of true friendship has developed and matured, I hope, in the span of past years of my life, through wonderful memories of true friends (though very very few) and through painful betrayals of those whom I considered once and cherished as my true friends... In my opinion at this point of my life, to have a true friend is one of the few greatest gifts, if not the greatest, of all one can ask from God. My understanding of a true friend is based mainly on two biblical quotes. One is from the Book of Sirach and describes the meaning of a true friend in biblical sense:

"A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he who finds one finds a treasure. A faithful friend is beyond price, no sum can balance his worth. A faithful friend is a life-saving remedy, such as he who fears God finds." (Sir 6:14-16)

The second comes from Jesus Himself: "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you." (John 15:13-14) This quote describes what are the qualities I should have to be considered a true friend for someone else...

We hear so many times people complaining that they feel alone, they have no friends, or that their friends, once considered true friends, turned out to be traitors or just fair-weather friends... But! Does anyone of us ask herself or himself, if I deserve to have true friends? Who am I myself? What quality a person am I? How many times have I betrayed my friends in times of trial when they needed me most? Am I ready and mature enough to be a true friend to someone else? To stand firm for someone? To help someone to be a better person, a better child of God, faithful more and more to Him, and helping her or him to make wise decisions based on properly formed Christian conscience and according to God's will? And - have I ever considered the thought of laying down my own life for those I call my friends - as a viable thought, reality that I am capable of doing so, or just a fantasy, metaphor, an idea that will never happen or will never be on my agenda ever?

The older I grow, the longer I live, the more I cherish those whom I consider as my friends... I want more and more and I pray for this, that I may prove myself to be their true friend... while dreaming that one or few of them may become also my true friends... It is such a blessing to have God sent true friend...

Lord, I do not know if I ever become a true friend for someone else. It is You who are capable of making me one... Please, make me one for those You have given me in my life... and if the time for ultimate proof of true friendship comes... to be worthy to prove that I am the one by showing the greatest love without hesitation...

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...

Two Suns

Once, Cardinal Paul Popard (whose wisdom, personal culture and thoughts I admire) quoted the following story:

A rabbi was once instructing his disciples. In the course of his teaching he asked them: "When does the day begin?" One answered: "When the sun rises and its soft rays kiss the earth, gilding it with gold, the day has begun." But this response did not satisfy the rabbi. Yet another disciple ventured: "When the birds begin to chorus their lauds and nature herself bounces back to life after the night's slumber, the day has begun." This reply, too, did not please the rabbi. One after the other, all the disciples made bold their answers. But with none of them was the rabbi pleased. Finally, they gave up and all, agitated, asked: "Now, you tell us the right answer! When does the day begin?" And the rabbi answered calmly: "When you see a stranger in the dark and recognize in him your brother, the day has dawned! If you do not recognize in the stranger your brother or sister, the sun may have risen, the birds may sing, nature herself may bounce back to life. But it is still night and there is darkness in your heart!"

I woke up this morning early as usual. Looked out of my bedroom window and saw the sky had just begun to light up in orange, pink and red to the east, brightening up scattered threads of thin clouds, letting me know that it was going to be another spectacular sunrise, one of those that are able to take my breath away and left me in awe...

Got myself ready for the day, brewed a coffee, took a few quick sips to shake of lingering slumber, grabbed my camera and ventured out to capture the magic of African sunrise in its full splendor...

I knew that the key phrases of today’s liturgy were – ‘Lord, let your face shine on us’ (Ps 4:7a) and ‘Let your light shine before others...’ (Mt 5:16).

There were two light points this morning, just like every morning... Divine Mercy Shrine lighting up for the morning daily Mass...and African sun lighting up to the east... The face of Jesus Christ, Sun of Mercy and Justice shining on us in the holy liturgy... and the face of the African sun shining on us every morning, rising up at the same time we celebrate Holy Eucharist in the shrine...

I went up to the shrine to amaze at its tranquility at this early morning hour...Brightly lit sacristy with Charles, assistant sacristan busy preparing holy paraments for the liturgy...

The back chapel of Our Lady of Perpetual Help radiating warm light of its wall lamps through stained glass windows...

No one inside yet... still too early for the regular first comers... I stood there at the door to breathe the sacred air and to cleanse myself in the presence of the Lord in the tabernacle, surrendering myself to the maternal gaze of my heavenly Mum from Her image at the altar...

Yes, I know...’Silence! The Lord is here!’ says the inscription on the sign put at the side of the door and also at the side of the altar...I put those myself to remind us all Who is here...This chapel is our daily adoration chapel, open to all throughout the day, whoever wants to drop in to spend a few moments in solitude in the presence of Jesus in Eucharist...

Silence...just a few bugs buzzing around and noisy birds waking up to the light of the dawn... And I, in the House of the Rising Sun, Whose light never fades away...

Went back to the open space on top of the hill above the mission premises to welcome the rising sun getting up from behind Butiama hills... I imagined myself waiting for the Lord to meet Him face to face, asking that His face shine on me and my worries and make impossible things simple and easy...

The sun rose quickly and majestically as my lips moved silently saying the Divine Mercy chaplet...’have mercy on us and on the whole world...’ Then the first ray of the sun struck me without warning...like a lightning...like a bolt of love of God which pierced Padre Pio’s hands, feet and heart...I stood there, motionlessly, silently, in my helplessness, poverty, fragility, in full truth, in my hope and submission, in my gratitude and love...in awe and in peace...

Suddenly all world burst into light as the sun continued to rise quickly and disperse the darkness of the night making way for the bright light of yet another fine day in Kiabakari... 

The sun rays pointed forcefully to the shrine, lighting up its walls, reminding me where I must look for the Real Light and Real Sun...Jesus Christ, the Light of the World...

Holding Him in my hands right after the words of the formula of consecration of the host and elevating Him slowly to show Him to the congregation reminded me of the sunrise I witnessed just a few minutes ago...yet Jesus is so much more gentle on us. His Face shines on us in the Eucharist yet does not blind us. In His light of Love we can see ourselves in the full truth and see others also...as our brothers and sisters...and not strangers...coming together to the Light to become one with Him in Holy Communion and make our lives shine with His light for others...who refuse to raise their eyes and to see...

Lauda Sion Salvatorem!

Lauda Sion Salvatorem

Lauda Sion Salvatórem
Lauda ducem et pastórem
In hymnis et cánticis.
Quantum potes, tantum aude:
Quia major omni laude,
Nec laudáre súfficis.

Laudis thema speciális,
Panis vivus et vitális,
Hódie propónitur.
Quem in sacræ mensa cœnæ,
Turbæ fratrum duodénæ
Datum non ambígitur.

Sit laus plena, sit sonóra,
Sit jucúnda, sit decóra
Mentis jubilátio.
Dies enim solémnis ágitur,
In qua mensæ prima recólitur
Hujus institútio.

In hac mensa novi Regis,
Novum Pascha novæ legis,
Phase vetus términat.
Vetustátem nóvitas,
Umbram fugat véritas,
Noctem lux elíminat.

Quod in cœna Christus gessit,
Faciéndum hoc expréssit
In sui memóriam.
Docti sacris institútis,
Panem, vinum, in salútis
Consecrámus hóstiam.

Dogma datur Christiánis,
Quod in carnem transit panis,
Et vinum in sánguinem.
Quod non capis, quod non vides,
Animósa firmat fides,
Præter rerum ordinem.

Sub divérsis speciébus,
Signis tantum, et non rebus,
Latent res exímiæ.
Caro cibus, sanguis potus:
Manet tamen Christus totus,
Sub utráque spécie.

A suménte non concísus,
Non confráctus, non divísus:
Integer accípitur.
Sumit unus, sumunt mille:
Quantum isti, tantum ille:
Nec sumptus consúmitur.

Sumunt boni, sumunt mali:
Sorte tamen inæquáli,
Vitæ vel intéritus.
Mors est malis, vita bonis:
Vide paris sumptiónis
Quam sit dispar éxitus.

Fracto demum Sacraménto,
Ne vacílles, sed memento,
Tantum esse sub fragménto,
Quantum toto tégitur.
Nulla rei fit scissúra:
Signi tantum fit fractúra:

Qua nec status nec statúra
Signáti minúitur.
Ecce panis Angelórum,
Factus cibus viatórum:
Vere panis fíliórum,
Non mittendus cánibus.

In figúris præsignátur,
Cum Isaac immolátur:
Agnus paschæ deputátur
Datur manna pátribus.
Bone pastor, panis vere,
Jesu, nostri miserére:

Tu nos pasce, nos tuére:
Tu nos bona fac vidére
In terra vivéntium.
Tu, qui cuncta scis et vales:
Qui nos pascis hic mortales:
Tuos ibi commensáles,
Cohærédes et sodales,

Fac sanctórum cívium. Amen. Allelúja.


Sion, Praise Thy Savior

Sion, lift thy voice and sing:
Praise thy Savior and thy King;
Praise with hymns thy Shepherd true:
Dare thy most to praise Him well;
For He doth all praise excel;
None can ever reach His due.

Special theme of praise is thine,
That true living Bread divine,
That life-giving flesh adored,
Which the brethren twelve received,
As most faithfully believed,
At the Supper of the Lord.

Let the chant be loud and high;
Sweet and tranquil be the joy
Felt to-day in every breast;
On this festival divine
Which recounts the origin
Of the glorious Eucharist.

At this table of the King,
Our new Paschal offering
Brings to end the olden rite;
Here, for empty shadows fled,
Is reality instead;
Here, instead of darkness, light.

His own act, at supper seated,
Christ ordained to be repeated,
In His memory divine;
Wherefore now, with adoration,
We the Host of our salvation
Consecrate from bread and wine.

Hear what holy Church maintaineth,
That the bread its substance changeth
Into Flesh, the wine to Blood.
Doth it pass thy comprehending?
Faith, the law of sight transcending,
Leaps to things not understood.

Here in outward signs are hidden
Priceless things, to sense forbidden;
Signs, not things, are all we see:-
Flesh from bread, and Blood from wine;
Yet is Christ, in either sign,
All entire confessed to be.

They too who of Him partake
Sever not, nor rend, nor break,
But entire their Lord receive.
Whether one or thousands eat,
All receive the selfsame meat,
Nor the less for others leave.

Both the wicked and the good
Eat of this celestial Food;
But with ends how opposite!
Here 'tis life; and there 'tis death;
The same, yet issuing to each
In a difference infinite.

Nor a single doubt retain,
When they break the Host in twain,
But that in each part remains
What was in the whole before;
Since the simple sign alone
Suffers change in state or form,
The Signified remaining One
And the Same forevermore

Lo! upon the Altar lies,
Hidden deep from human eyes,
Angels' Bread from Paradise
Made the food of mortal man:
Children's meat to dogs denied;
In old types foresignified;
In the manna from the skies,
In Isaac, and the Paschal Lamb.

Jesu! Shepherd of the sheep!
Thy true flock in safety keep.
Living Bread! Thy life supply;
Strengthen us, or else we die;
Fill us with celestial grace:
Thou, who feedest us below!
Source of all we have or know!
Grant that with Thy Saints above,
Sitting at the Feast of Love,
We may see Thee face to face. Amen

29 May 1986 - Corpus Christi procession in Kraków - I served as a thurifer (a thurible bearer)

I will come back to this post after today's celebration of the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. Just one question? Why in so many parishes we've decided to left out of Corpus Christi Liturgy this beautiful and so rich in meaning Sequence? It is beyond me...Do not  tell me there is no time for this! We do have time to spend hours on silly things, but to abandon this Eucharistic catechesis condensed in a pill in our Liturgy is a big mistake in my humble opinion. aaaahhhh!

I'm back. Monday afternoon already. No internet connection since yesterday afternoon. Just now it came back, so quickly before it goes again, a few pictures from yesterday's celebration of our Eucharistic faith. I asked our pastoral sister, Sr. Jennifer, to take a few photos for me, and then I edited them a bit. Here we go.

 Misty morning on Corpus Christi Sunday in Kiabakari, as seen from top of Divine Mercy Hill

Incensing the altar and Divine Mercy picture at the beginning of the Liturgy

52 young Catholics received their First Holy Communion, among them two Anglicans were received officially in the Catholic Church first

Corpus Christi procession on its way to the first station

 Kids throwing flower petals - but...straight at the monstrance! 

 My altar servers - 'fire brigade' keeping fire alive in portable charcoal stove during procession

Third station in the procession

 Kids enjoying the colorful procession

 Some of the parishioners came from afar - like Mr Deusdedit (an old man in the front) who walked 13 kilometers from Isaba outstation and went back home by foot as well

Fourth station - an altar server awaits procession to arrive

St. Gemma Galgani Choir members dancing and singing welcoming Jesus at the fourth station

Shortly before the final prayer and blessing at the fourth station

Up the Divine Mercy Hill on our way back to the shrine with incoming rain the background

It was fantastic proclamation of Eucharistic living faith of my people. I'm so proud of them. Moments like these are greatest reward for times of stress and frustration. May God reward all those who participated and prepared this beautiful solemnity!

Toughest Day of the Week

You think, for a priest like me, it must be Sunday, huh? You are wrong.

Not at least in my parish / mission! Actually, Sunday is the community celebration day. The Lord's Day. The Easter of the week. Though I wish I had only Mass on Sundays for the entire parochial community, gathered as God's family at His table on the day of His only Son's Resurrection, even if - in fact - I have three consecutive Masses, two in the shrine and one in the one of nine outstations, constituting Kiabakari parish, still it is not as tough and physically and psychologically demanding as the Toughest Day of the Week, which is for me, surprise, surprise - Saturday!

You would expect 'normal' people to take it easy on Saturdays after demanding working week, Friday evening 'folly' for some, for many a day when you can at last sleep bit longer (which for some of people I know may be quite a big bit!).

For me though, Saturday is the most versatile in demands, toughest in variety of challenges and the beloved day for so many who think that on Saturday i have nothing else to do but to sit and wait for them to come and care for their 'shidas' (shida in Swahili means problem, trouble but also an agenda someone wants to share with you, a goal to achieve, issue to solve).

Today is the best example of toughness of TDW (Toughest Day of the Week). Waking up early to get ready for confessions before the morning Mass which on Saturday starts half an hour later than on Mondays to Thursdays to allow school kids, altar servers and all others coming for Saturday morning to arrive to church on time. A lot of confessions as usual, taking from time to time more than half an hour to hear them all. Then Holy Mass with Eucharistic adoration. Right after Mass people would come to the office with their shidas. Quick coffee and something to accompany it (to avoid a despicable type of breakfast called here chai ya mkono mmoja - which means one hand breakfast haha! Funny expression and describing a really poor situation - to have just a cup of tea, coffee with nothing else to munch on!). Pity! Executive Committee of Lay Parish Council arrive at their office in pastoral center to deal with other issues that do not need my attention. Then I would normally go for meetings - with altar servers, vocation group, Holy Childhood, catechumens from primary schools, sometimes meetings of parish lay council etc. Till lunch time or longer. In the afternoon I would hear confessions (as I am alone in the parish, I cannot do it on Sundays, time does not allow me to hear confessions before two Masses in the shrine, only before the Mass in the outstation) if there is no wedding Mass or something else like a Vigil Mass etc.

Today though, right after morning confessions and Holy Mass, I sat in the office for an hour, then drove to Isaba outstation for Baptismal Mass for a handful of catechumens, around ten only, and just two school kids who were prepared for their First Communion.

The Holy Mass started at 10.30 preceded by confessions as usual in outstations, then I was asked to rush to a dying person. I managed to get to an old lady, a godmother of one of the catechists their. She was fighting for her life. I was able to give her plenary indulgence in the hour of her death and the Sacrament of the Sick. Then suddenly rain came. I think the Lord was pleased with the service rendered to a godmother of the catechist. The Lord never fails to take care of their chosen ones...I saw it so many times in my life! The priest will be their for them  when he is needed most. I was so glad and relieved that the lady was safe, whatever awaited her from then on...

Drove back home with my altar servers, got something to keep me alive and kicking, then on 2.30pm I begun hearing confessions of the school kids who will receive their First Communion tomorrow, during Corpus Christi solemn Mass and will follow Jesus in monstrance walking behind the Eucharistic Tent. All of them on my list (51 altogether) showed up and were truly very well prepared. We had last catechesis yesterday afternoon along with practical exercises of how to confess and also how to receive properly a host.

It took me three hours to hear all confessions (theirs and some other parishioners who came to prepare themselves for tomorrow's Solemnity). I pity them that they are forced to come to me, as they have no choice of priests. I'm the only one around. I would really love to have an assistant parish priest (or curate as they called in other countries), but that's how it is, we are still very few and most missions in this diocese are served by single priests.

Just came back from the church, making sure all is ready for tomorrow. And decided to share these few lines with you.

So TDW is what it looks like here in Kiabakari. But it feels special when I sit just like this, after finishing all things since early morning till dusk, feeling kind of satisfaction that is very rewarding and making the physical and psychological exhaustion a blessing rather than a cross.

Happy and blessed Corpus Christi Solemnity to you all!

Saruman's Tower

Since yesterday I have passed through Shadows Avenue several times hauling furniture and other things from volunteers' house to the mission and to the future sisters' house (or - if I get miraculously help somehow to enable me to build completely new convent in its original location as I wanted before I was transferred to Musoma, and then my successor built the convent in 'wrong' place - then the present unfinished convent will become a starting point for the future base for volunteers).

The Shadows Avenue is this 100 meter long section of the muddy/dusty (depending on the season) road starting from our health center and ending at the junction where I take left turn to go uphill further one hundred or so meters to get to volunteers' house. Well grown trees lined on both sides of this particular piece of the road cast welcoming shadows in scorching hot sunny days...

This is one of my favorite parts of Kiabakari. It reminds me of old country driveways to some old mansions in old times, cottages, noble people palaces...

where you would imagine seeing  properly dressed gentlemen driving their old vehicles or open carts or wagons pulled by fine horses and gorgeous ladies in their fashionable clothes and umbrellas to protect their marble white spotless skin......

imagining now, when I pass there these shadowy figures of people of the past walking or driving by under the canopy of tall trees...totally in peace radiating inner light...

All this would be just great and suitable for Shadows Avenue in Kiabakari if not the formidable structure towering on its eastern side, like a Saruman's tower at Isengard  in Lord of the Rings trilogy...

This disturbing structure is called in professional medical terminology - INCINERATOR - and serves as a furnace to burn down to ashes all medical and biological waste in our health center...

When I was building this thing back in November 2007, many people were passing by, stopping and asking all sorts of questions what it was and for what use?

I got tired of constant elaborated replies so decided to answer rather in a cheeky way. I was just telling passersby that I liked grilled meat so decided to build a big barbecue to grill a lot of meat at once...Most of them though were suspicious if I was really serious. Then I changed the story and was telling them that this was a small crematorium for those who would die in the health center and their families would not afford to give them a proper burial. So we would cremate them instead! You should see their faces hearing this explanation! Then, on one of the volunteers adding to the confusion, by naming it INSEMINATOR, the people had become completely disoriented and many of them decided just to take as a precaution a rather wide detour passing by this place as they were totally unsure if it was quite safe to even cast a glance towards this ominous structure!

So, the Shadows Avenue brings me always to this clashing point between the Shire looks of shadowy part of the favorite greenish road and this Saruman's Tower proclaiming the end of life and dominion of Mordor...Between life and death...where astonishingly, contrary to our mental associations, shadows mean life and prosperity and bright sun with its Saruman's Tower are the symbol of death and destruction...

And whenever I happen to pass by, like I did in these two days, I cannot but chuckle to myself, remembering those times of the construction of Saruman's Tower a.k.a Incinerator a.k.a Inseminator a.k.a Barbecue!

Day To Forget

I don't want to write in extenso about what happened today. Three years ago we hired a house with adjacent buildings for volunteers of Foundation of Humanitarian Aid ' Redemptoris Missio'. My clients paid for the upgrade of the whole compound and furnishings. The doctors, administrators and volunteers have been using the house for three years. As they now handed over the administration of the Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Health Center in my mission to Sisters of the Congregation of Little Servants of Blessed Virgin Mary Immaculate Conceived, African Province with Headquarters in Kasisi, Lusaka (the handover formalities were done on March this year), there is no one at the moment to occupy the house. That is why we upon bilateral agreement decided to hand back the house to the owner, and keep the furnishings in my custody for the future use, if we succeed in realizing the dream of having a proper base for volunteers.

I had this sad duty today to check the inventory of the house and transfer all things to the mission and keep them under my custody. It was so heartbreaking! I hate losing battles for good causes! I hate to retreat in development terms. I hate to surrender. I prefer to persevere, wait out till better times, but not this way...

I will expand this post later with some pictures and more info. Just so much for now...

Where is my handkerchief???

Ok, just finished sobbing...A few photos depicting the short history of the volunteers' house (located merely a football pitch distance from the health center). First, pictures I shot in June 2008, after finishing upgrading works in the compound:

And...today...last glimpses of the house which hosted so many fine people who came to serve unselfishly others in need in Kiabakari and in the area...so sad to have no one at the moment to hand over keys to...