Easter After Easter

As it has been a custom and tradition in Diocese of Musoma for many many years, Easter Tuesday is a special day where priests and religious in the diocese celebrate Easter together in their respective deaneries. Holy Week, Sacred Triduum and Easter is a hectic and busy time for us, serving people. So, after Easter we organize our own deanery Easter parties, kind of get-togethers, to meet, interact, rest and share a food we prepare for ourselves with our personal donations. Today it is a turn of Sisters of the Ressurection from Buturu to host the party and welcome us to their home. Our deanery is very small - only four parishes - Zanaki, Makutano, Butiama and Kiabakari, with four priests only, three women religious convents, that's it. So, it will be a small gathering, nevertheless - very nice and joyful. Happy Easter to all!

Bearers Of The Ark

The First Reading of today's commemoration of St. Claire, Virgin, brings forth an expression which echoes profoundly in my heart. "While all Israel crossed over on dry ground, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD remained motionless on dry ground in the bed of the Jordan until the whole nation had completed the passage." (Jos 3:17). The priestly bearers of the ark is a term used to define priests in the Chosen Nation. I like this expression very  much. It drives a valid message to all of us. The Ark of Covenant of the Lord is in the hands of priests...while the whole nation completes the passage... Let us pray so the hands of priests may hold fast the Ark of Covenant always - to the Holy Scripture, to tabernacle, to Eucharist, to sacraments, to powerful interceding priestly prayer, while the Church completes the passage from this life to the House of the Father...St. Claire, pray for us!

Comeback

It is always nice to go back to Musoma Cathedral for a diocesan function or just with a private visit. And to see that what I left back in November 2006 is growing and getting more and more beautiful in good hands of cathedral parochial community and its pastor. Today it was time for a Chrism Mass in the cathedral, presided by the bishop himself and all the clergy concelebrating. The diocese is too big to hold this Mass on Holy Thursday morning as it would be impossible for some us to be back home in time for evening liturgy. That's why it is celebrated on Thursday preceding Palm Sunday, with a full day of retreat and then the Chrism Mass...

First Mass

Yesterday evening my fellow Polish priests and myself celebrated the very first Holy Mass in the chapel of the new convent, just the day after the official opening of the convent done by Bishop of Musoma, Rt. Rev. Michael Msonganzila. It was a solemnity of St. Gemma Galgani, the Saint Patron of the convent. And a very emotional moment for me as I kept saying to Gemma in my heart that my dream of preparing a religious house for her came true, and that first Mass was a great proof of the fulfillment of that promise, because we celebrated the Mass on her feast day in her convent in Kiabakari. And more so, using the chalice and patena of my late classmate, Fr. Piotr Wrona, on the day of his death six years ago, the chalice and patena, which were given to me in December by his loving parents. Here are a few pictures from yesterday's Mass...

Peas And Cabbage

This is a typically Polish expression when there is mix of different events, things, usually not matching and happening at once. The suitable expression for what is going on this weekend and beyond...

Scouting An Enemy Territory

The day before the Confirmation Mass, my confreres and myself will have an opportunity to scout an enemy territory, looking into an abyss and facing the Evil One in the bottle ground of souls of our confirmants who will come this morning for the confessions...