31st Anniversary

Today also, apart from the 95th Anniversary of Fatima Apparitions, we remember another anniversary, the 31st anniversary of the assassination attempt on Blessed John Paul II on May 13th, 1981.

Till today, the full truth behind this horrific event is yet to be revealed...

Happy Moment

I'm extremely grateful to His Eminence, Stanisław Cardinal Dziwisz, Archbishop Metropolitan of Kraków, for his kind consent to grant the diocesan shrine of Divine Mercy in Kiabakari the Relics of Blood of Blessed John Paul II. This morning, His Eminence officially handed over the Relics to me in archbishop's palace at Franciszkańska 3...

Home Run

The last Sunday in Poland before I fly back to Tanzania. How proper it is that I spend it in the midst of my own folk, in my home parish. Having spent the whole month on medical checkups and treatments, taking care of this and that, visiting and planning for the imminent future, now it is time for home run...

17 Hours

At exactly the same moment I started to write this post, the alarm siren sounded in Poland marking the 67th anniversary of Warsaw Uprising, its beginning at 5pm on that August 1st afternoon in occupied Warsaw. I have written on this topic last year on the same date (read it here), so no need to repeat what I have written already...

Sense of Belonging

Yes, the sense of belonging is what I felt intensely during the night vigil before Divine Mercy Sunday this year, which - by the Will of God and the Church - has become united with the beatification of the Holy Father who  was instrumental in bringing attention and devotion of the Church and the world to Divine Mercy message. John Paul II beatified Sister Faustina Kowalska, then canonized her and made officially the Second Sunday of Easter time - Solemnity of Divine Mercy, thus fulfilling the will of the Lord Himself which He revealed to Sister Faustina on numerous occasions when He was appearing the her, as described by herself in the Diary...

Divine Mercy Sunday In Kiabakari

I'm too tired to write in-depth report of today's celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday in Kiabakari. Hopefully, tomorrow when I go to Musoma and find a couple of hours to sit down and focus, I will post a report. But for now just a few pictures from today's celebrations...

Father's Arms

The first day of the annual celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday in the diocesan shrine of Divine Mercy here in Kiabakari... A day of hiding in Loving Father's arms in His House on top of Divine Mercy Hill... A recollection day in the shrine for all members of parochial community - from Kiabakari Small Christian Communities and from all outstations... Like a day of closing our ranks in the face of gathering troops on the horizon ready to come down upon us starting from tomorrow...not in bad intention, but in their quest for living waters from Divine Mercy Ocean flowing out of this shrine...

Mixed Feelings

As much as I like the idea of creating the Facebook page (here) and YouTube channel (here) for the soon-to-be-beatified Holy Father John Paul II, applauding the concept of making this remarkable holy man and the genuine teaching of the Magisterium of the Church closer to the world, especially the world of non-believers or followers of other than Catholicism creeds, yet the disappointment at the contents of both sites make me bit worried that people browsing the internet and coming across or just visiting the pages for the first time, may be a bit disenchanted with what's little on offer in them... Hopefully, the responsible for both pages will make sure soon they are attractive, full of good stuff, attracting interest and audience. This is what I wish, checking both pages as I write these words...

The Good News

The beatification of the Servant of God, Holy Father John Paul II, has hit headlines worldwide today. And the date set for the proclamation could not be better! The Divine Mercy Sunday is the perfect venue for the beatification Mass. Just yesterday during our meeting in the diocese, I asked the bishop to make sure he does not miss the Divine Mercy Sunday Mass in Kiabakari shrine. Now the announcement of the beatification on this precisely day changes the whole picture and makes my head spinning already, thinking how to merge the major pilgrimage day for hundreds of pilgrims with this happy event. Prayers appreciated! May the Holy Spirit guide is in preparations for this joyous day! Thanks be to God! Stay tuned for more news what we come up with for that day!

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...

'Giving birth is not as hard as raising a child'

The Tanzanian proverb quoted in the headline of this post comes handy and proves to be valid and true in times like these. The long-term effort to prepare institutions capable of providing good quality education and formation of our kids in Kiabakari and the area is a huge undertaking which has taken already a good chunk of my life, energy and resources...

The Murder Of The Father

As the aftermath of my previous post on Cardinal Wojtyła's Lenten papal retreat back in 1976, as I went through the records of other papal retreat masters of the last decade or so, I came across a figure of Mons. Bruno Forte, now the Archbishop of Chieti-Vasto in Italy, who was one of the last retreat masters in John Paul II era. His 2004 retreat based on the theme of 'To follow You, the Light of Life", turned into a book under the same title, drew a closer attention to his person and his teachings...

Sign Of Contradiction

These words derived from today's Gospel reading of the fifth day of the Octave of the Nativity of Christ (Lk 2:22-35): “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” - evoke forceful memories of the retreat the Holy Father John Paul II gave to the Holy Father Paul VI and the Vatican Curia back in Lent 1976, which was turned into a book after that (in many languages, I think; I know personally of Polish and English translations). That book, that retreat made a lasting impact on me and my personal spirituality as I went through it and meditated upon it when I was a seminarian and in my priestly life as well... I believe it is worthwhile to find this book in Catholic bookstores or online.

The Nursing Mother

On this day, July 6th, we commemorate Blessed Maria Teresa Ledóchowska, 'the nursing mother of the African missions' as she became known due to her commitment to support African missionary effort in her times, by working in the background, founding Sodality of St. Peter Claver, missionary sisters dedicated to supporting missions without going actually to mission territories itself.

The Inner Child

Today the world celebrates International Children's Day. This is a day which touches all of us. Not only our kids. But also us, adults and elderly, as we walk down the memory lane, trying to discover when and how exactly we lost that innocent inner child in us? The child that Jesus Himself wants us to become anew under a threat of losing the right to enter the Father's House in heaven - "Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Mt 18:3).

The Holy Father John Paul II wrote once a Letter to Children. He noted that "It is true that a child represents the joy not only of its parents but also the joy of the Church and the whole of society. But it is also true that in our days, unfortunately, many children in different parts of the world are suffering and being threatened: they are hungry and poor, they are dying from diseases and malnutrition, they are the victims of war, they are abandoned by their parents and condemned to remain without a home, without the warmth of a family of their own, they suffer many forms of violence and arrogance from grown-ups. How can we not care, when we see the suffering of so many children, especially when this suffering is in some way caused by grown-ups?"

 We are all aware, painfully aware, what is going on around us, in the Church and in the society we live in...How many of us betrayed not only that innocent child in us, but also in little ones depending on us, trusting us, pastors, parents, formators, teachers, leaders, neighbors with their pure innocence...

We need to write a new letter to our children, asking them for forgiveness, making reparation for what we have done wrong, healing wounds, restoring confidence and hope with our own conversion and penance, fighting with all forms of injustice, abuse, discrimination, child labor, you name it, making sure that we and the world we live in is becoming a true warm family home for all kids around the world...


How about following an example of the Holy Father or President Barack Obama (who wrote a letter to his girls) or others who did so as well, starting with a simple letter in our own handwriting and addressed to our own children and children we are close to, explaining how we feel about them? How about including these seven key words, long forgotten for so many, and so important for the proper formation of the child, like:

1. Love

2. Appreciation

3. Joy

4. Pride

5. Cherished Memories

6. Hope

7. Faith in the child



These seven magic words can become a cure for seven deadly sins we've committed as a Church and Society which in consequence hurt our children...

Sicilian artist Manfredi Beninati - Palermo 3 (I love his works)

So, grab your crayons, unlock your inner child, innocent and pure, and write the letter to your children - in words, in heart and in your attitude...

Fatima in My Heart

How I wish I was in Fatima with Holy Father Benedict XVI today...

13 May 1917 Our Lady appeared for the first time to three little shepherds, Lucia Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto at Cova da Iria valley in Fatima. Then She continued to appear to the children every thirteenth of the month till October when  some seventy thousand people witnessed to a miracle accompanying her last apparition as She had promised.

A humble and unknown piece of land at Cova da Iria, a pasture for local residents, has turned throughout the years into a magnificent pilgrimage site, surely my favorite shrine among all shrines in the whole world. A shrine where silence prevails, interrupted only by prayer and liturgical services.

The Message of Fatima (including the Third Secret of Our Lady revealed by the Holy Father John Paul II on 13 May 2000 in Fatima) has spread throughout the world and changed lives of so many of us...including myself.

My life is closely connected to Our Lady. The time will come to write more about this. Today though, I would like to share with you just a few stories of Our Lady of Fatima in my missionary apostolate in Tanzania.

After a successful completion of the construction of parochial church in Kiabakari (1994-1997), which was an arduous and challenging task, full of frustration and trials for my trust in Divine Providence (that time deserves its own story...), and in which I depended heavily on Our Lady's help (that is why at the end of the Dedication Mass on July 3, 1997 - Archbishop Anthony Mayala dedicated the parish to maternal care of Our Lady of Fatima and crowned her small statue I was given in Poland by Pallotine Fathers who were sending those statues to Russia) - I felt the need to make my personal pilgrimage to Fatima to thank Our Lady for Her maternal care and intercession during that period..

I have never been to Fatima before. I traveled there by plane from Warsaw through London Heathrow to Lisbon on October 30, 1997. Upon landing in Lisbon, I had no idea how to get to Fatima, some 100+ kilometers north of Lisbon...Then I was approached by a couple of Belgian pilgrims who had just flown in  from Brussels. They offered me, overhearing my hesitation and inquiries I was making among people, to take me in to the taxi with them and drive me up to Fatima. Our Lady at work, surely!

I had made already an arrangement at Pension of St. Paul, run by Polish Marians, at Fatima, so after the trip (in which we prayed rosary, and how beautifully and with what reverence and respect they were saying rosary, I was in full admiration!) they got me there and dropped at the entrance. I was so grateful to them...

We met several times again as the Cova da Iria is not such a big place after all, and the day before the departure they came to me and offered a small monstrance to take it to Kiabakari...This small monstrance is still in the tabernacle of house chapel, here in the rectory in Kiabakari and I remember and pray for that lovely couple from Brussels...

After participating in the conclusion of October - A Month of Mary - with all pilgrims, with the Holy Mass and the night candle procession on October 31,  I made arrangements to say Holy Mass in private the following day at the Apparition Chapel, on All Saints Solemnity. The open slot was available at 5.30am. I was so happy to be able to stand there at the very spot where Our Lady appeared to Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco and to offer a Holy Sacrifice in Her honor with my heart full of praise and gratitude to Her...

 

Then, I joined bishops and other priests celebrating a High Mass of the Solemnity of All Saints at the main altar in front of the Basilica at 11am. On Monday morning, the same early hours of the day, I celebrated the Holy Mass again in the Apparition Chapel, surrendering myself to Our Lady and to Her maternal protection and intercession, then went with one of the Marian Father to purchase a statue of Our Lady to carry it back to Kiabakari for the intended Chapel of Our Lady of Fatima on the western slope of Divine Mercy Hill at Kiabakari (this project is still not completed till now though, and I think there was a hidden purpose of Our Lady in this; She knew I would be going to Musoma soon, and now, upon my return to Kiabakari, maybe She waits for an opportune moment to allow us to complete this task).

I went through numerous shops in Fatima, and finally I managed to find the most beautiful statue of Our Lady of Fatima out of thousands of other statues I saw there. I bought it, told them at the shop that this statue goes very far, to Tanzania, so I asked them to make sure it is properly wrapped up and secured in the box. They did so.

My flight back to Warsaw was not a direct one, I had to stay overnight in London, in one of the airport hotels around Heathrow. My baggage was checked up to Warsaw, so I went to the hotel with just a hand luggage.

On my arrival to Warsaw, when I collected the luggage, I noticed that the ropes tightening the box with the statue were a bit loose and as if the statue was moving inside the box. I had no time to open it up as I had to rush to the railway station to catch my express train to Kraków, back home, so I decided to leave it till I come back home.

I thought I would get a heart attack when I saw this after opening the box....

The very first thought after I calmed down from initial shock, was that this is a devil's furious answer to my pilgrimage and intentions I placed at the feet of Our Lady there...Then, trying to reason, I came to conclusion that maybe security officers at Heathrow airport were suspicious that the box and the statue in it may be a way to carry some illegal merchandise like drugs or weapons...and they decided to check it out and in the process they destroyed the statue, beheading it and slicing it along into two pieces. But even so, they should call me and apologize and offer a due compensation or even more so, to summon me and make me open it myself and witness to the search...but they simply put all pieces back and wrapped the box again in ropes but not that tightly as it was done in Fatima.

I took pictures of the damaged statue and went to British Airways office in Kraków to claim compensation for the damage. To their praise, I must admit that they were very apologetic and sympathizing with me and offered the compensation of 460 USD - up to the allowed limit according to the regulations, which was better than nothing, but the statues itself cost 800 USD never mind my psychological and spiritual torments which could not be measured in money terms!

My Mum took the pieces of the damaged statue and put them together patiently and expertly,glued them and painted in such a way that only someone who knows the story of this statue would notice the damage...I decided then to place the statue in the chapel of the Little Servant Sisters of Mary Immaculate which is in the  vicinity of our apartment block in Kraków and where I usually go to pray and celebrate a daily Mass when I'm home. This was my token of gratitude to Sisters for their love, prayers and support they extended to me and to Kiabakari throughout all these years...

The Great Jubilee Year had come and passed. I felt a strong urge to go back to Fatima and to commit myself again to Our Lady at the threshold of the New Millennium. I made the second pilgrimage not alone; this time it was Fr. Piotr Pawlus, my fellow missionary in Diocese of Musoma, with whom I traveled to Fatima.

It was wonderful time we spent there at the feet of Our Lady; time for silence and intense prayer, Eucharist and Rosary. It was so good to be back home!

Since that devil's attack on the statue of Our Lady I wanted ever more passionately to invite again Our Lady to come to Kiabakari in the sign of Her statue. So, I bought another statue then, equally beautiful as the first one and this time I was able to bring it safely to Tanzania. Now, the statue still awaits its proper place on the western slope of Divine Mercy Hill in Kiabakari, being placed temporarily near the tabernacle in Divine Mercy Shrine.

I didn't know that this feeling of 'need', that 'urge' to go back again to Fatima came from Our Lady herself, as just a few months later, on January 15,2002, His Excellency, Bishop of Musoma, Rt. Rev. Justin Samba asked me to move from Kiabakari to Musoma Cathedral, to help him - as he put this - 'to restore the splendor of the cathedral and to relive the parochial community', to organize Golden Jubilee of Musoma Cathedral parish and to design and supervise the realization of the comprehensive pastoral vision of the parish.

My very first thought on that day, when we sat with the bishop at his sitting room at Nyamiongo residence, is that Our Lady wanted me to come to Her church and do 'something' for Her, for Her church and for Her people in Musoma - as a token of my gratitude and a way to repay the debt of gratitude to Her for all those years She was watching over me, protecting and helping in so many different ways. And - last but not least - to thank Her for the gift of life, baptism, priestly and missionary vocation, which came through Her intervention in my life.

Obedience and humility are the virtues of Our Lady, so trying to imitate Her life and virtues, one must show these virtues too. I obeyed bishop's request and after the period of handover of Kiabakari Parish which lasted six months, I arrived to Musoma Cathedral on July 15, 2002. The very first Mass I celebrated in the cathedral, dedicated to Holy Mary, Mother of God, was on July 16, the liturgical feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. A visible sign that Our Lady was with me, and that I should be confident that She will help me along the way...

One of the major points on my agenda there in Musoma Parish was to rekindle love of the community to the Patroness of the parish. Both - in spiritual and liturgical life, and in visible signs of our devotion and dedecation to Our Lady. Main points in visible (building) efforts were: building an altar in the presbyterium of the cathedral in honor of Theotokos - Holy Mary, Mother of God, rebuilding the pillar on which a statue of Our Lady stood in front of the cathedral and - a Rosary Garden with all twenty mysteries of the rosary surrounding an open chapel of Our Lady of Fatima in which I intended to place an original statue of Our Lady of Fatima which I found in the corner of the cathedral placed on small shelf close to the baptismal font.

And this is what we were able to achieve in those four years I served in Musoma Cathedral Parish.The statue of Our Lady in front of the cathedral in 2002 when I came to serve in Musoma parish.

And this is how it looks like now...

 
During the major renovation of the cathedral church, I redesigned completely the presbyterium and its all main elements. The tabernacle came to the center, bishop's cathedra was changed and made simple but dignified, new ambo and baptismal font, new altar and also new side altar for Theotokos, Holy Mary Mother of God. Before the renovation the presbyterium looked like this:

Then after renovation of the cathedral in 2003, presbyterium appearance changed dramatically. Please, notice the altar of Theotokos, Holy Mary Mother of God, Patroness of the Cathedral and the Diocese of Musoma at the left hand side of the tabernacle...

When the House of the Lord and His Mother was finally renovated, we turned our attention to the idea of creating a Rosary Garden. This idea was boosted immensely by the apostolic letter of the Holy Father John Paul II 'Rosarium Virginis Mariae' of October 16, 2002, announcing new luminous mysteries of the Rosary.

This idea was eventually put into action in 2006 when I was able to secure some funds from my fellow priests in Poland and from other benefactors inside and outside of Musoma Cathedral Parish.

The former banana grove owned by Tupendane Cottage Industry was in the vicinity of the cathedral. This was an ideal place for rosary garden. I asked  Maryknoll Sisters Mary Reese and Rosalie Lacorte, supervising Tupendane, to repossess this patch of land. They agreed magnanimously and this is what we were able to do with it (the following pictures I took recently, happy that the Musoma Parish community under their hard working  parish priest Rev. Fr. Robert Luvakubandi, is taking care so well of this  sacred place where we can meet Our Lady in a beautiful environment)...

My thoughts and my heart is with the Holy Father today in Fatima, so far away from Kiabakari, but so close to me...I kneel at the feet of Our Lady at Cova da Iria and place there all intentions of my prayer, my dreams and plans, challenges, problems and joys. May She take all of them along with my community, loved ones, friends and foes and tell Jesus, Her Son - 'They have no wine'. And may Jesus fills us with Himself and fulfill our worthy intentions and petitions...

I hope, God willing, that in 2013, when I will be celebrating jubilee of 25 years of my priesthood, I will do it personally, when I return to Fatima for the third time to say to my Heavenly Mum - 'Mama...asante sana!'

Till then though, let us grab our rosaries and pray to Our Lady and with Her to Jesus, Her Son...