Dreams and Visions in Africa

The Future of Maryknoll in Africa
by Mark Gruenke

I find the task of projecting our Maryknoll presence in Africa into the future to be a very difficult one. I've not been very successful in predicting my own future! How can I predict a group's future? My experience of mission and ministry is that it holds many surprises. If I am faithful to the dynamic of mission, the Spirit does his part. His transforming action will simply unfold before me!

When I was a young college student back in Minnesota, if someone would have suggested that I might someday be a missionary working in Latin America and later in Africa I would have laughed and said, "No way!" As my missionary journey unfolded I have been surprised again and again.

As I look forward to starting a new ministry in Namibia I expect to be surprised again. I go with my own initial plans. I want to train youth to prepare materials in the local language for the Small Christian Communities. I also plan to train a local person to teach computer skills to high school students in the parish. Those were two successful ministries that arose during my time in Metangula, Mozambique. The pastor in Namibia has urged me to do the same thing in his parish. Even though I have these initial plans, I recognize that in two or three years I might well be doing something very different in ministry. My style of "planning" is one that is interactive and ongoing. The ministry that I eventually develop will be in response to the challenges that the local reality presents. It will also be based upon the competency that I bring with me to mission. When I move into a new mission setting I find myself "testing" different approaches to ministry until I find something that seems to take off, almost on its own. I like to believe that I am searching to find the "buried treasure." When I find where the Spirit is at work, I simply roll up my sleeves and join in.

I fully expect that Loren Beaudry and I will be involved in some sort of common ministry. I don't mean that we both have to do the very same ministry. But we do plan to live together. In our shared experience and in our reflections over the reality of our lives and ministry we will discover ways to encourage one another and to inspire one another in mission. I say this because this was my experience with Mark Huntington and the team in Mozambique and it was also my experience with the Maryknollers with whom I ministered in Brazil.

Our present way of doing mission here in the Africa Region is based upon the individual's talents and interests. As a consequence of this approach the future of Maryknoll in Africa will be mostly influenced by the make up of the men who are here in ministry. We are no longer concentrated in areas that have been entrusted to Maryknoll. Assignments are no longer made to fit men into the working plan of the Region. Nor do we have a model of "community in mission" like the one that Maryknollers use in Asia South or Brazil. Our reality is that we are spread out geographically. We get together once a year as a body. In the period between those yearly assemblies, we meet occasionally as pastoral groups. If the region no longer decides who goes where and what work each one is to do, then what does it do? How do we do regional planning and what does it mean? For these questions we have not yet found satisfactory answers.

Throughout our near future in Africa, I expect our present model to continue. We will be creative individuals scattered geographically. Each one will be working more or less on some sort of a team, be it a parish team or some other pastoral entity. But I expect few to be on Maryknoll teams per se.

We will continue to help the Local Church grow into a mature church. One that is interdependent rather than dependent. Some Maryknollers could well continue the traditional model of starting up new parishes where they are needed. But most will work in specialized apostolates of service that the church in Africa needs for it to be a mature church of the twenty-first century. I encourage you to stick around. I fully expect that the Spirit has some wonderful surprises in store for us. All we need do is be faithful to the dynamic of mission.

 

Dreaming About Namibia
By Loren Beaudry

I have been reassigned to the Africa Region effective 1 June, 2006. I have enjoyed my three years in Vocation Ministry, but I’m getting very excited about going to Namibia. Although I haven’t been to Namibia, it's fun to dream about what I may be doing there. Last month I read the book Jesus Before Christianity by Albert Nolan. This book has inspired me to work with Small Christian Communities. In short, the book talks about Jesus’ deep compassion for the poor, the outcast, and the neglected and how he wanted the kingdom on earth right now. I think it would be good to bring a few copies of this book to Namibia and share it with a few interested Namibian Christians. Perhaps it could be part of our Small Christian Community group discussions. I am also interested in working with youth. Perhaps start a football league and/or youth groups if there is a need to do so. I also look forward in living with Mark Gruenke. I want to be a brother to him as well as to all of our other Maryknollers in the Africa Region.

 

From an "Old Maryknoller"
By Tom Tiscornia

I do not feel that we should lament the past and say how we could have acted differently. How we and other Maryknollers lived out our missionary lives here in Africa has been exemplary and grace filled, just look at the vibrant and indigenous church wherever we were. We can be proud and grateful that we have taken part in the vision of our founders to help establish a Local Church. Today we carry on with the same enthusiasm and vision as we now serve the Local Church with the gifts and talents that we have been entrusted with. The church is established -- we now serve.

 

Our Dream of Collaboration in Mombasa
By Frank TenHoopen

In the Maryknoll Family in Mombasa, Kenya we have had some very good experiences with “Short Term Missioners." They start out writing to us asking if they can offer certain services. They go through Coralis Savador, one of our Maryknoll Lay Missioners, and learn that they are very welcome. Through emails with us and with Maretta McKenna, who is the coordinator at Maryknoll, New York they learn that we are not just any NGO but a Faith Based group and that if they come to Mombasa there are some things that we expect of them. One of the things that we do is that we want them to be involved with the Local Church so the bishop and others are consulted before we agree to accept anyone.

There are the usual things like they must support themselves. We do not provide room and board. We provide a Faith Community that we expect them to be apart of. We have the usual birthdays and there are Easter and Christmas gatherings which we all try to participate in. Then we also ask that they be a part of our PTR which happen normally on the first Friday of each month. Our PTR are important for us. It is one of the few times each month we can pray and share problems and ideas together. Of course there is the meal afterwards. Fr. Joseph Kenga, an archdiocesan priest and long time friend of us, is also a member of our Maryknoll Extended Family and is as present as anyone else. Even our Archbishop Boniface Lele has shown up for PTR once. The Short Term people do not come for just a specific work but also for an experience of faith with us. We have had people from as far away as Australia and Norway.

We have had one, Matt Russick, who came to look at his vocation. He is a Franciscan Brother now. Then there was Joseph Amabile who looks very much like he will join us someday after he pays his student loans off. Now we have Caroline Stanford who is living at a young women’s hostel in Mombasa and helps the deaf with catechism and preparing people to translate at the Sunday Masses. There have been others and almost always the experience on both sides is positive. They help us to see things anew and we challenge them to see a world beyond their experience and discover a vibrant Church that they do not experience in their home countries.

 

Ten Men Committed to Mission
By David A. Smith

I see ten men committed to mission, proclaiming the Good News through Word and Action. I see these men engaged in dynamic, vital, creative ministries that focus on health, education, and primary evangelization -- always among the poorest of the poor. I see these men supporting and encouraging one another despite physical distances through the effective use of modern technologies such as instant messaging, voice over Internet, SMS, email, phone calls, and faithfully visiting one another. I see a Maryknoll infrastructure that does everything possible to support, nourish, and encourage the men who are actively engaged in overseas mission. I see the members of the Africa Region enthused about their vocations, full of life and vigor, and being dynamically engaged with the Gospel commission for many years to come.

 

Extreme Dream
By Don Larmore

I think I dreamt: Pope John XXV The First African Pope Just elected Has called for Vatican III Dated March 8, the International Day of Women To be held on each continent Simultaneously Directed by newly appointed, Cardinal Grandmothers, Who will be consecrated with ecumenical oil, A 9th Sacrament Neither priests or laity, they are cosmic leaders, Dressed in the traditional garbs of each country of the world.

The first document has been discussed and 87% of the world, voting by computer, have agreed:

All peoples will freely make a vow of creation to withhold all taxes until every government of the world reduces military spending by 10% annually-out of 1.8 million dollars a minute now spent. All this saving will be converted into special reverence for the little ones, the marginalized, and the poor, who are all considered as unique ambassadors of the Divine.

All of these will be immediately employed as special ambassadors to the legislative, judicial and executive branches of all governments of the world. They will be invited to speak on any subject at any time by satellite connections or in person.

The final Eucharist will celebrate the uni-verse under the banner of Jesus, anointed and recognized as the poet of poets, artist of artists and mystic of mystics announcing a new uni-verse. The pope will lead the celebration on the rim of Olduvai Gorge, which celebrates Africa as the Mother Continent and the Center of World Faith.

Like all dreams, I cannot be sure of all the content and add a 20% disclaimer: I am quite sure that in the last scene just before waking I was, was …

 

My Vision of Maryknoll and Mission
By Hung Minh Dinh

I began OTP in Tanzania less than a year ago. The African Region is still new to me and I feel that I do not know much about the mission of Maryknoll here. However, as a priesthood candidate in Maryknoll, I have some thoughts about the formation program and some hopes for the future.

The number of Maryknoll members is not increasing every year as it was in the 1960s and 70s. In 2004 we had one ordination and one Brother as a permanent member. One Priest Associate became a permanent member last year. We will have two from our formation program to take permanent oath in 2007, God willing. In 2008 one more. After that, we might have one in 2010 and another one in 2011.

Usually, each formator serves a three year term. In his first year he is just beginning. In the second year the formator gets familiar to his work. In the third year he starts planning for his next assignment and gets ready to take off! Maryknollers love being in overseas mission. But if a formator really likes his job that would be a blessing, especially if he remains six years in formation. I wish the whole formation team would remain for at least two terms. From the entry point the vocation ministers could plan together and accompany the formation staff in receiv-ing prospective candidates. Then the formation staff could support, pray, and work with candidates to build up a community life -- fully respecting, caring about, and sharing one another experiences.

I don't know in the future if Maryknoll will work in three continents or not? Overseas I hope we shall participate "in the missionary activity of the Church, whereby God's Kingdom might be everywhere proclaimed and established and the Church might be the universal sacrament of salvation, carried out by means of Christian witness, verbal proclamation of the Gospel, initiation into Christian community, and continuing formation of the Christian community with the intention of withdrawing when the Local Church has attained self-sustaining maturity" (Constitution of CFMSA, #17, p. 5, 2004).

Maryknoll Fathers' primary work is priestly ministry. We should be willing to do different ministries and coordinate with other members of the Maryknoll missionary family such as Brothers, Sisters, Associates, Affiliates, and Lay Missioners. I realize that beside our life as a Maryknoller, as a missioner, we are also a priest of Christ as well. We should be willing to meet together sometimes during the year to pray, share, support, and encourage each other. Our purpose is: "Christ the Lord, in whom the whole revelation of most High God is brought to completion, commanded the apostles to preach the Gospel to all humankind…The apostles were proclaim it as the source of all saving truth and moral discipline, and in so doing to communicate the gifts of God to peoples" (Constitution of the CFMSA, Introduction to Chapter I, p. 3, 2004). So we Maryknollers should not lose sight of our vocation. "You are a Maryknoller, an apostle, a missioner, an intimate follower of Christ…And you are given the inestimable privilege of being a bearer of this message" (Bishop James A. Walsh).

 

---

Communications News Notes

New Videos

1. Doing the Things Jesus Did. Video Biography on Lance Nadeau, M.M. and Students at Kenyatta University. 25 minutes. DVD and VHS. PAL and NTSC. Produced by Ukweli Video, Nairobi, 2006.

2. Christine: Lawyer in the Slums. Video Biography on Christine Bodewes, MLM. 35 minutes. DVD and VHS. PAL and NTSC. Produced by Ukweli Video, Nairobi, 2005.

New Books and Articles

1. African Cultural Knowledge: Themes and Embedded Beliefs. Compiled and edited by Michael C. Kirwen. Nairobi, Kenya: MIAS Books, 2005.

2. Small Christian Communities Today: Capturing the New Moment. Edited by Joseph Healey and Jeanne Hinton. Nairobi, Kenya: Paulines Publications Africa, 2006.

3. Hadithi za Kiafrika Kwa Wahubiri na Walimu. Complied and edited by Joseph Healey. Translated by John Mbonde. Nairobi, Kenya: Paulines Publications Africa, 2006

4. The successful mission exposure and service trip of the students from La Salle University to Tanzania was written up as:
   a. "La Salle University and Maryknoll: Building Bridges of Relationships from Philadelphia to Tanzania" (Maryknoll Vocational Newsletter, February 2006)
   b. "Young Voices: Building Bridges from La Salle to Tanzania" (Maryknoll, May/June, 2006)
   c. “Short-Term Mission Tanzania: “Dala Dala Trip” (Revista Maryknoll, May/June. 2006)

New Websites

1. Ukweli Video Productions: www.UkweliVideo.com

2. African Cultures: www.AfricanCultures.org

3. Catholic Aids Action: www.CAA.org.na

 

---

Why I Believe That Julius Nyerere Is a Saint
by Edward A. Hayes

Having spent nearly 50 years in Tanzania as a missioner, having been joyfully present at the birth of this nation and an enthusiastic follower of the Ujamaa philosophy, I could tell many stories of why I believe that Julius Nyerere is a Saint. One stands out in my memory. Some months after his retirement in 1985 and his return home to Musoma, Tanzania, Julius was feted by Musoma Diocese with a Mass of Thanksgiving and a banquet. As the Maryknoll Society Superior at the time, I was seated beside him at the “high table.” While all of us priests, religious and lay leaders of the diocese enjoyed the plentiful meat and rice, soda and beer, Nyerere very unobtrusively had a spoonful of rice and a glass of water. It was Lent and he was fasting.

At the end of the meal a young priest on behalf of the diocese gave a speech of thanks in Swahili for Nyerere’s leadership. It was a very fine and enthusiastic talk, but I could tell by his reaction that Julius did not agree with the final sentence! In his own remarks later he referred back to the speech. He said, “The padre in his talk said to me, ‘We know, Mzee ("Elder"), that when you finish your earthly journey you can stand before God and say, “Father, the work that you have given me to do, I have accomplished."' No, no! Only one person could say those words and that is Jesus. When I die, I will stand before God and say, ‘Baba, nimejaribu, nimejaribu’ (Swahili for 'My Father, I tried, I tried').” I feel certain that Julius heard in reply, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

---

Maryknoll Society Celebrates 60 Years in Africa

Sister Nonie Gutzler, M.M. facilitated a stimulating annual retreat for the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers at the Maryknoll Society House in Nairobi, Kenya from 2 to 6 May, 2006. The theme was "Roll Back the Stone" in the context of the Easter Sunday story. Then we held our Regional Assembly of the African Region from 8 to 10 May, 2006 on the theme "Celebrating the 60 Year Anniversary of Maryknoll in Africa 1946-2006." The two major talks and discussion focused on "History and Development of Africa Since 1946" and "Changes in Theology/Mission Since 1946."

Presently the African Region of the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers has 34 people: 20 regular members, six retired members, three Retired Community members, two members in the USA, two Associate Priests and one Overseas Training Program (OTP) seminarian. There are 33 Maryknoll Sisters in Africa and 25 Maryknoll Lay Missioners in Africa. The new wave of missoners are short term volunteers.

---