No Job For Old Men

I'm getting old. It feels and shows clearly in particular in times like these, when we receive pilgrims for long and rich program in Kiabakari. A busload of pilgrims set off yesterday morning from Dodoma. They were supposed to reach Kiabakari by 8-9pm last night. We waited and waited. They arrived finally at 1am this morning! My people were really tired and disenchanted by this long wait...

Back To Where It All Began

Tomorrow morning, after the Holy Mass at Sisters' chapel (my apartment block is adjacent to Sisters' Provincial house), my journey to the place where it all began will commence...

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...

Big And Small

Jubilees, big and small, coming in thick and fast this year. Apart from the main celebration of the Centenary of Christianity in the territory now called Diocese of Musoma, we get invitation now and then for other jubilee events - be it a Golden or Silver Jubilee of a certain parish in the diocese, be it a Golden or Silver Jubilee of priesthood or religious vows of certain servants of God in the diocese, be it a Golden or Silver Jubilee of the marriage or baptism or the birth of our parishioners. Envelopes with invitation card come thick and fast this year! But today there will be a small exception.

The Dwelling

The First Reading of today's Liturgy. The first part of it describing in detail construction process of the Dwelling of the Lord. Moses busy with myriads of things, putting them together exactly according to the Plan given to him by God. And then, once God has taken the possession of the Dwelling, Moses was unable to enter it again...

Electric Wire

Our parochial choir were singing entrance antiphone of today's Holy Mass, altar servers and myself were saying our customary prayer before the Mass. Then I switched on all the lights in the church. The Sunday Mass has begun. Most of lights were working, some of them shining brighter, some dimmed, a few were not working at all, though just recently we checked everything and bulbs were okay...

Fools' Day

It may be an April 1st, the Fools' Day, as the opener of a new month in 2011 calendar, but there is nothing to fool around in this month, to be honest. Rather, a very serious stuff on the way, and what I want to share with you today is no prank or joke whatsoever...

Stations

Fridays of Lent. Happy are those who understand that Lent without participation in the Stations of the Way of the Cross loses a lot of its meaning and power. Happy are those who in the hectic schedules of their daily lives cut out a sufficient chunk of time for active participation and meditation of the Stations and the Passion of Christ. Nothing helps us grow faster and mature in the spiritual life and union with Living God than meditation on the Passion of Our Lord which has its summit in the Sacrifice of Eucharist. Every Saint throughout the ages will attest to this...

The Encounter

Every Saturday, if only I am in Kiabakari and there is no school break time, gives me unique opportunity to  meet with our catechumens and children preparing for their First Communion. We begin with morning prayers and Holy Rosary, proceeding with the Holy Mass and - most of times - the Eucharistic adoration. This liturgical encounter allows me to share with them my faith and to pray together the best way there is - through the Eucharist...

Behind The Closed Doors

It has been my custom for many years now to pay visit to His Eminence Polycarp Cardinal Pengo, the Archbishop of Dar es Salaam, whenever I happen to be in Dar. This time there was no exception. I had the opportunity to see the Cardinal today and spend some time while conversing with him...

The Kingdom Of Far Far Away

I am not exactly sure if it even remotely possible to mold my feelings and magical experiences of yesterday pilgrimage into any sort of words and ideas poured in to the form of this post... Mission impossible, I reckon... Yet I feel an urge in my heart to share with you how yesterday's mystical encounter with the Kingdom of Far Far Away has touched the very core of my existence and changed me...

Black Madonna

Today is the solemnity of Our Lady of Częstochowa on Jasna Góra which has become the National Shrine in my country, the spiritual capital of Poland. Thousands if not millions of pilgrims come to Częstochowa day after day throughout the whole year from all over the country and abroad to pay homage to the undisputed Queen of Poland who, throughout the centuries, has showed the way and guided and protected our nation from her throne in Jasna Góra...

Coincidence?

Just thinking...as I go about my tiny duties this morning, sorting myself out and getting ready for the onslaught of tough three weeks ahead of me in Kiabakari, in which I will try to supervise preparations for the Bishop's visitation and confimation on September 4th with numerous items on this agenda (catechesis, liturgical preparation of candidates and participants, confessions of confirmants, preparations for the very day including Holy Mass, festivities and lunch for all parishioners, decorations, preparations of gifts for Bishop and catechists etc...) and at the same time construction works in the center for education and formation (plastering of walls of two classrooms and laying cement floors in there - if funds allow for this) and the construction of main water tank. And - at the same time - my own logistic preparations for Canada and USA voyage. I surely need these two, three days in Dar es Salaam to recharge and get ready for this...

Rosa Mystica

Visiting my best friend in Austria in Ulmerfeld-Hausmening-Neufurth parish. Today we (our host, Marek I came with from Krakow, and myself) set off in the morning to make our personal, private pilgrimage to the most famous pilgrimage site in Austria, the shrine of Our Lady in Mariazell (Wikipedia - here). It was a great spiritual, cultural, geographical and environmental experience. I loved the shrine, loved the place, loved the countryside, loved the picturesque road leading to Mariazell from our base in my friend's parish. But apart from the spiritual main reason for going there - which was to pray to Our Lady for my beloved ones and friends, for the intentions of their hearts, for myself and Kiabakari and for all heavy stuff in my heart, apart from the beauty of the prayer in a beautiful shrine, I left Mariazell mesmerized by another experience of beauty...

Third Pillar

The main idea, mission statement and an engine behind all projects undertaken in my mission in Kiabakari  can be specified as follows: “Anyone approaching and ascending the Hill of the Divine Mercy shall find Divine Mercy embracing the whole human person – spiritually, physically and intellectually. The Diocesan Shrine of Divine Mercy is the place where the human soul in particular is being immersed in the Ocean of Divine Mercy. The Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Health Center is the place where the suffering human body meets Divine Mercy addressing its needs. John Paul II Center for Education and Formation is the place where young and adults alike are educated and undergo holistic formation on the basis of the message of Divine Mercy. By these three major avenues which allow a human person meet Divine Mercy in a holistic manner, the whole human being is immersed in, touched and transformed by the Living Merciful God.”

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...

Veritatis Splendor

The topic of this reflection is very dear to my heart. Noble simplicity and beauty of Liturgy in the Catholic Church.

Holy Father Benedict XVI writes in his exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis these profound words: 'Like the rest of Christian Revelation, the liturgy is inherently linked to beauty: it is veritatis splendor'. (n.35) This thought corresponds directly to the Word of God from the Book of Psalms: 'In his presence are splendour and majesty, in his sanctuary power and beauty'. (Ps 96:6). The Psalmist sings not only of the beauty of the Lord’s resplendent dwelling, he exclaims that: 'every work that He does is full of splendour and beauty' (Ps 111:3).

I like what Archbishop Piero Marini, Master of Papal Liturgical Celebrations wrote in his document Liturgy and Beauty of 2002:

(quote)

2. The source of the liturgy’s beauty  
Is there a boundary between aesthetic emotion and an authentic sense of the spiritual? Is a beautiful liturgy one which satisfies the tastes of consumers? The liturgy is not a consumer good; it is not the Church’s supermarket! We know it is first and foremost the work of God, adoration, reception, bestowal. Hence we must ask ourselves what are the fundamental criteria for the beauty of the liturgy, apart from trends and tastes. It would be a great error simply to apply secular standards of aesthetic taste to the liturgy.

2.1. The liturgy, an act of Christ and the Church   
To understand the beauty of the liturgy we must begin with our understanding of the Church. The Church «in Christ is a kind of sacrament, that is a sign and instrument of intimate union with God and of the unity of all mankind » (LG 1). As a “sign” the Church is therefore able in some degree to render perceptible Christ, the sacrament of salvation. It is precisely from this sacramental nature that the sacraments in the strict sense are articulated. The sacrament, as an act of the Church, is also the act of Christ, since the Church is simply doing what Christ taught and commanded her to do: «Do this in memory of me» (Lk 22: 19). The Sacraments are channels through which Christ communicates to us his salvation: «When a man baptises it is really Christ himself who baptises» (SC 7). As Saint Leo the Great states: «That which was visible in Christ passed to the sacraments of the Church».[2] The liturgy is an act of Christ and his Church. It depends not so much on the intellectual sphere as on the principle of the Incarnation, and therefore evidently implies an aesthetic dimension. Our gestures during the liturgy are important because they are gestures of Jesus. In her liturgical celebration and the concrete gestures it requires, the Church is simply prolonging and actualising the Lord’s own gestures. Therefore, since liturgical gestures are gestures of Christ they have a beauty and aesthetic value of their own, apart from any additional or secondary beauty which we might strive to give them.

2.2. The noble simplicity of love  
The Gospels describe the human and concrete gestures of Jesus: he walks, he blesses, he touches, he heals, he mixes saliva and mud, he raises his eyes to heaven, he breaks the bread, he takes the cup. These are the gestures repeated in the celebration of the sacraments. But it was above all on the night of his passion that Jesus taught us the gestures that we too must perform. He is our master of liturgical education. His art consists in setting forth the essential in a few simple things. The meaning of the liturgy is revealed only through simplicity and sobriety. «He always loved those who were his own in the world. When the time came for him to be glorified by you his heavenly Father; he showed the depth of his love. While they were at supper he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his disciples saying […]. In the same way, he took the cup, filled with wine. He gave you thanks, and giving the cup to his disciples, said […] ».[3] What is it that made this act of the Lord so beautiful? The way the room was arranged? The way the table was prepared? Fine table linen? Certainly these things bring out its beauty, like a frame which enhances the beauty of a picture. Yet the real beauty lies in Jesus’ act of redeeming love: «he showed the depth of his love… he took bread». Here lies the beauty of his gesture. Repeating this action of Christ, and recognising in it her Lord’s love, the Church finds it beautiful. The liturgy’s aesthetic value, its beauty, depends primarily therefore not on art, but on the paschal mystery of love. If art is to collaborate with the liturgy it needs to be evangelised by love. The beauty of a Eucharistic celebration essentially depends not on the beauty of architecture, icons, decoration, songs, vestments, choreography and colours, but above all on the ability to reveal the gesture of love performed by Jesus. Through the gestures, words and prayers of the liturgy we strive to repeat and render visible the gestures, prayers and words of the Lord Jesus. This is what the Lord commanded: «Do this in memory of me».
The style of our liturgy should be simple and austere, as was the style of Jesus. In our celebrations, according to the Council Fathers, we must master of the art of «noble simplicity» (SC 34). (end of quote)

Richard Feynman (a Nobel laureate in physics) can say: "You can recognize truth by its beauty and simplicity". It follows, that God himself is quite simply Beauty.

Urs von Balthasar said: "We can be sure that whoever sneers at [Beauty] as if she were the ornament of a bourgeois past - whether he admits it or not - can no longer pray and soon will no longer be able to love" (GL 1, 18).

Cardinal George Pell, of Sydney, Australia, was keynote speaker at a conference on the liturgy held July 12-13, 2009 on Fota Island, Cork, Ireland. “Benedict XVI on Church Art and Architecture” was the topic of the conference. I reckon the findings of that conference (read here) very important and timely, also for me and for us in the Catholic Church in Tanzania.

Landing back in own courtyard I find this Swahili saying in Tanzania beautiful, profound and pinpoint correct: 'Anayetaka kusali vizuri, asali pazuri' (whoever wants to pray beautifully, should pray in a beautiful place).

I have always upheld this convinction in my priestly life and wherever I went, I tried my best to manifest the Beauty of God through architecture, art, music and beauty of liturgy.

Yesterday, when  I was celebrating Baptism Mass on Sunday of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, meditating on the mystery of Triune God, I was encompassed by thoughts of the Beauty of God and how important it is to translate this Beauty into the beauty of church architecture, music, liturgy, vestments, decorations and orderly manner of celebrating holy mysteries.

My senses were acutely aware how noble, simple and beautiful our yesterday liturgy was, how beautiful (relatively to what we experience around us here) is our church, its art, orderly manner of celebrating the holy mysteries. How we should be taken by the Holy Spirit to raise our hearts to the Beauty itself, who is God Almighty, One in Three Persons, in love, praise, adoration and joy...

Thank You, Who are the Beauty itself, for Your blessings which allowed us to build this holy shrine for you and celebrate You, Our God, in noble simplicity and beauty of the Liturgy of Your Holy Church...

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.