WITNESS TO THE FAITH

Mission Prayer Blessed are you Lord God of all creation Blessed are You Jesus Christ The Way, the Truth and the Life Blessed are you, oh Holy Spirit the source of all inspiration May your Kingdom of justice peace, love and forgiveness be established in every land May your healing hand touch the sick, comfort the lonely and give new life to all Be our compassion on the road and help us to make your Mission alive in our community and through out the world. We make our prayer through Christ Our Lord Amen

In the church's calendar, october is mission month. It is an occasion for each of us, as individuals and as members of our christian community, to reflect on how we have responded to jesus' invitation to go out and proclaim the good news of god's love for all peoples.

Here in ireland we have a long and distinguished history as a missionary church. There is scarcely a parish in the country that, over the centuries, has not sent out its own missionaries to the four corners of the world. During the month of october, we remember our missionaries.

Their faith was nurtured in their families, parishes, and in the local communities into which they were born. And it was this experience of faith, of love, and of jesus' mission that inflamed in them a desire to cross cultural boundaries and political borders so as to share their faith with the peoples of Africa, Asia, and S.America.

Many irish missionaries have given witness to their faith in difficult and dangerous situations. We are aware of 51 irish men and women - 'witnesses to the faith' - who have lost their lives in violent
circumstances in the service of the gospel. This year, particularly during mission month, we remember and celebrate them in a special way.

We remember them because they are part of our faith community, the community that sent them out on mission. We celebrate them because they offered their lives so that others may have life - and have it to the full. (john10:10)

In this newsletter, three of our own missionaries of africa share with you how they are witnessing to their faith as missionaries. Fr. Ian Buckmaster, from dublin, tells of his joy at returning to Tanzania after a 10 year absence. He may not enjoy many of the amenities he took for granted here in ireland but life is less frenetic.
Fr. Neil loughrey, from rathmullan, has worked for many years in the philippines, and he
recounts the celebrations that marked the ordination of a new missionary priest there. The work of justice and peace is an integral part of the proclamation of the Gospel and Fr. Jim mctiernan, from carrigallen, tells us how he and a small team are trying to promote justice in Uganda.

Because of you we are enabled:

Early this year we were all struck by the havoc caused by the Tsunami that hit the coast of Sri Lanka and neighbouring countries. As a result of the spontaneous support received specifically for that area, the Missionaries of Africa in Ireland gave 3000 Euro to the Irish Sri Lanka Trust Fund Buy a Boat Project to purchase a boat to enable fishermen return to their livelihoods. Last week we received two photographs of the boat purchased and a letter of appreciation, one of which is highlighted below.

Thanks also too many of you who have written in with specifi c support for our mission in Niger. Already during the month of August we were able to send €23,450 to a fund set up by the Missionaries of Africa in the Diocese of Niamey, Niger, for the purpose of food relief and seed distribution. Food relief is a response to the present diffi culties; seed distribution is towards next year's harvest. Unfortunately, reports from confreres speak of food prices increasing by traders anxious to make a quick profi t on the backs of those most in need. And fi nally, we have a picture from Fr. John O Donoughue (Mozambique) showing some happy children at the home run by Sr. Elphina whom a number of you supported last year.

Ian Buckmaster Returns to Tanzania

It was good to be back. Dar-es-Salaam Airport looked the same as it had done ten years previously. But there were differences; my passport was scanned into a computer by the courteous immigration offi cer, a few moments later I was out and being welcomed by my White Father colleagues. Previously one could have expected to pass a good hour before completing all the formalities.

After a ten year absence my fi rst impressions were favourable. In fact, I had left Africa 6 years previously. I had worked in the appalling slums of Mathare Valley in Nairobi and I had lived close to the war between Ethiopia and Eritrea so I was a bit apprehensive about returning to Africa. But Dar looked to be blooming. Buildings were going up all over the place, the city centre was cleaner. There is self confi dence about the place that was new to me. There was little of the aggressiveness that you can encounter in other countries such as Kenya. However there is poverty. I had a chance to visit two parishes in slum areas. People live in very poor housing and there is little chance of good water or proper sanitation. Yet for the Sundays that I was there people were genuinely glad to participate in the Eucharist and play their part in making the liturgy a joyous occasion and, I was told by the Parish Priest, to make a serious effort at self suffi ciency.

After two weeks in Dar I was on the mover again. I am in Tanzania to start a new Parish in Geita Diocese on the southern shores of Lake Victoria. However before going there, I was asked to go to a Parish in Kigoma Diocese where the Parish Priest had to return to Europe for medical treatment. Iboja is very remote. It is not on the national electricity grid. It does not have telephone lines. The roads are very bad and a simple journey of 30 kms can take up to an hour. I should imagine it is very diffi cult to travel in the rainy season. However it is very quiet and peaceful. Here again the people are poor but there is a great resilience among them that augers well for the future. The harvest was not great this year but with a little bit of luck there is suffi cient food until the next harvest and something to give to the church to feed the fathers! In such a large parish we depend on the different Christian communities to prepare people for sacraments such as marriage, baptisms, confi rmation and Eucharist. There are 54 volunteer catechists who do a lot of the work and who are an important point of contact between the priests and the people.

If I was to be asked what is the biggest difference I have seen since I returned to Tanzania, I would have to say it is the mobile phone and the internet. Iboja has no telephone lines but if I climb a small hill in the town I can get a weak signal. It is not suffi cient for voice contact but I can text home. For many missionaries, the trip to the post offi ce to receive mail from home was the highlight of the week. Now communication is simple and so easy. Even in Kahama, the nearest large town, the traditional shops sell phone cards and internet cafes are as common as grocery shops and pharmacies. The Bishop has decided to open his own Internet Café as a means of raising funds for the Diocese! At another town which is not on the electricity grid there are two phone masts erected by competing companies. It is all about communications. People now know what the prices are in the markets before they set out to sell or to buy. The cost of a text to Europe is 50 Tanzanian shillings or about 4 euro cent.

I am not long back and I am happy to be back. The friendliness and the resilience of the people have brought back many happy memories of my previous experiences in Tanzania. The Church has a big part to play in giving leadership at all levels. But it is at the grassroots level of the small Christian communities that I feel a very signifi cant contribution can be made.

Tanzanian School Children

Jimmy McTiernan

What is "Just and Peace"? To some it is a vague notion, for others it may have something to do with Greenpeace. In fact it is a biblical expression which symbolizes God's intention to transform suffering humanity by a new creation. Commitment to Justice and Peace challenges Catholics to address the social dimensions of sin particularly exploitation and violence. Exploitation and violence contradict the teaching of Jesus that we must treat everyone without exception as we would like to be treated. Therefore Justice and Peace is about striving for Charity and Justice for everyone. It is about human rights and suffering, about solidarity with the poor, it is about peace and avoiding war and the removal of weapons of war. It involves politics and economics; it concerns employers and employees, individuals and nations and the whole integrity of creation.

Fr. Jim McTiernan M.Afr is working for Justice and Peace in Uganda. Below he outlines some of the many and diffi cult areas of his apostolate.

From June 2003 I have been working in the Church's ministry to promote Justice and Peace (J&P) here in Uganda. We are involved especially with the Religious (i.e. women and men from national and international Congregations/Societies working for the Church in Uganda. There are about 5,000 Religious in Uganda). We aim at the renewal of religious life along the lines of the Social Teaching of the Church. This involves travelling around the country to meet the Religious in their home base.

I look after an ongoing series of Training of Trainers workshops, to help the Religious be conversant with issues of J&P and become active in promoting J&P at the grassroots. These courses draw the attention of all Religious to the suffering of the people in the war torn-areas of Uganda. We have organized several visits to the camps of Internally Displaced People (IDP's). There are more than one million displaced people in Northern Uganda. It is a real human tragedy of immense suffering. Together with other Religious we have participated in post-trauma care and counselling projects for them. We try to keep their plight before the Government and the International Donor Community. Towards the end of last year, we organized a group of Religious to visit the IDP Camps around Gulu - most of those Religious had never seen an IDP Camp and some were a bit apprehensive to travel to the war-torn area or to visit the camp. It was a revelation for all.

On our return to Kampala, we wrote a memorandum on behalf of all the Religious of Uganda on issues of injustices and bad governance in the Nation. This memorandum was scrutinised by our Association of Lay Professional Advisors. The politicians among them arranged that we would meet the Speaker of the Parliament. So, we then organized a rather public event to present the memorandum to the Parliament -with a copy to the President. Immediately afterwards, we met with the International Donors Community. The Irish Ambassador, Mairtin O'Fainin, was very generous in organizing and hosting our meeting with other Ambassadors and the Donor Agencies at the Irish Embassy. The memorandum challenged the Government to be much more transparent and accountable. It also asked that the Government to go for a non-military solution in order to bring peace to the insecure areas of the country. Such efforts, sadly, have a limited impact. In the eyes of the powers that-be, we are not a very formidable force. Still, this Government is rather tolerant of a free press. On the other hand, though, it acts as if it is largely immune to criticism. Nevertheless, we did draw attention to the plight of internally displaced people - if only for a day!

We plan to set up another Justice and Peace Centre organised and run by a consortium of the international Religious Institutes or Congregations. These Congregations have many Ugandans and African members now who are well trained in social analysis and theology. The Church in Uganda needs a well informed and an articulate body to study and research current issues and offer a theological refl ection on political and social developments. We hope to involve university students and other Lay Professional People in research, analysis and in documentation on relevant social issues.

We also need the space and freedom to share our refl ection on the current situation in Uganda from a missionary perspective. Please pray with us that we remain honest, open and receptive in our ministry and that what we attempt may align with what God wants for his people in Uganda.

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Africa in Fact

(National Geographic-September 2005)
A continent’s numbers tell its story

Percent of world’s total
landmass: 20

Number of refugees: 15 million-3.3 millions who have fled because of conflict, some 12 million
who are displaced.
Average income: 50 percent of Africans live on less that a $1 a day
Average life expectancy: 46 in sub-Saharan Africa; 67 i n North Africa
Percent of population dependent on agriculture for a living: 66
Population: 900 million, 14 percent of world total
Number of languages spoken: over 2,000
Number of democratic governments: 19 of a total o f 53 nations
Number of firearms in sub-Saharan Africa: 30 million
Annual rate of growth in urban population: 3.5 percent a year
Number of Muslims: 358 million
Number of Christians 410 million

DAY OF JOY IN THE PHILLIPINES

Fr. Neil Loughrey (Rathmullan) writes from the Philippines

We, the community of Missionaries of Africa in Cebu, the Philippines would like to share with you our joy at the ordination of Fr Walter Tubis in his home parish in Sta Catalina on Friday 13th May 2005 by Bishop John Du, Bishop of Dumaguete.

Walter's ordination was the culmination of a long journey that began over ten years ago with the visit of Fr Michael Mawelera to Saint Paul's College, Dumaguete. That journey has seen Walter study philosophy here in Cebu city, make his spiritual year in Burkina Faso, have two years of pastoral experience in Tanzania, and then undertake his theological studies in Kenya, where he was ordained deacon last August.

When we first contacted Bishop Du about the ordination last November, he was in full agreement with us that it should be held in Walter's home parish. We then visited Walter's parish priest, Fr Bohol. Fr Bohol suggested that the ceremony take place on a Friday rather than on a Saturday so as to enable as many local clergy as possible to be in attendance. He also assured us that the parish would look after all the preparations, both the liturgy and the feast afterwards.

We were gladdened by this news and looked forward to a real parish and community celebration. We were not disappointed. The journey to Walter's home parish in Sta Catalina consisted of a150 kilometre drive to the south of Cebu Island, a 45 minute ride on the car-ferry, followed by a 115 kilometre drive to the south of Negros Island. On our arrival, we found a hive of activity: meat being butchered and cooked, the Church and its surroundings being cleaned, the choir practising, and so on. The following morning, we awoke to a dull grey sky with a slight drizzle of rain.

In the midst of that greyness, the western sky sported the most fantastic rainbow; a complete semi-circle of colour. The questions we were asking ourselves were: "What is the signifi cance of a rainbow to the local people and what could it mean"? No answers were forthcoming. When we arrived at the church, the sun was already shining. One hour before the ceremony was due to begin there were already many people in the church. They wanted to be sure of a good seat on this special occasion.

Even though there are already three priests from the parish this was the fi rst time that an ordination had taken place there. For the opening procession, Walter was accompanied by his parents who carried the vestments he would be robed in during the ceremony. Hymns were sung in Latin, Cebuano and English.

The Mass was also interpreted in sign language for a group of special needs children from a local school. In his homily, the bishop stressed the importance of prayer and service in the life of the priest. After Walter's ordination, the food that had been prepared by the parishioners was served to all present in the church grounds. A programme of entertainment had also been arranged and a special song was composed for Walter to mark this wonderful occasion.

Fr Walter presided at the main Mass in the parish Church on the following Sunday morning The Church was suitably decorated in red for the feast of Pentecost. The homily was preached by a former teacher of Walter. As well as offering encouragement and advice to Walter, he explained the meaning of the priesthood to the congregation.

After Mass, we began the long journey back to Cebu Island, again marvelling at the natural beauty that God has bestowed on these islands. Walter has been appointed to Burkina Faso and he departed for that country on 6th July. Our prayers and good wishes go with him.

Fr. Neil Loughrey (Rathmullan) writes from the Philippines

FROM LEFT FR MICHELE VEZZOLI,FR BERNARD MONTERON, REV WALTER, BISHOP JOHN DU, FR NEIL LOUGHREY

 

Please Pray for our Friends who have Died

Greehy Rt. Rev. John Joseph, P.P. Terenure, Dublin (Uncle of Fr. Diarmuid Sheehan M,Afr) Brennan Mr. Sean, 76 Mt. Prospect Ave., Clontarf, Dublin Butler Mr. Christy, Limerick City Casey Mr. Thomas, Portlaoise Clancy Mrs. Mary, Main St. Miltown Malbay. Co. Clare Clifford Mr. Peter, Treenagh,Garranard, Co. Mayo Coleman Mr. Thomas, Kylebrack, Loughrea, Co. Galway Cooney Mrs. Mary, Legga, Moyne, Co.Longford Coyle Mrs. Mary Kate,Lisboduff, Cootehill,Co. Cavan Dolan Ms. New York and Drumkeerin, Co. Leitrim Donnelly Mrs. Catherine, Knocknacloy, Eglish, Co.Tyrone Doyle Mr. Stephen, Lurgan, Co. Armagh Drudy Mr. Seamus, Derrygooney, Shantonagh, Co. Monaghan E. O'Driscoll, Yorkshire, England Farrell Mr. Sean, Warrenpoint. Co.Down Fee Teresa Ms. Killyglasson, Blacklion, Co.Cavan Fitzpatrick Mr. Terry, Killycrin, Ballyconnell, Co.Cavan Flanagan Mr. P.J., Kill, Cootehill, Co. Cavan Giblin Mrs. Agnes,Lisgorman, Dromahair, Co. Leitrim Guinnane, Mrs. Sarah, 22 Craigbrack Road, Eglinton, Co. Derry Hannon Mr. Patrick, 20 Mountain View, Killorglin, Co. Kerry Hannon-Lynch Mrs. Bridget, Old Castletown, Kildorrery, Co. Cork Harris, Miss Mary, Raharney, Co. Westmeath Hurson Mrs. Marie, 11 Nutley Rd.,Dublin 4 Hussey Mrs. Patricia, 1 Barrack Road, Mitchelstown, Co.Cork Keena Miss Eleanor, 12 Brookvale Road, Donnybrook, Dublin Kelly Mr. Joe, Inane, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary Kiernan Mr. Michael,Clonelly, Moyne, Co. Longford Kilcoyne Mrs. Kay, Ardnaglass,Ballymote, Co. Sligo Lenihan Mr. John, Skeheen, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork Loughlin Mrs. Elizabeth, Derrinwillan, Dowra, Co. Leitrim M. O'Brien, Ballinasloe, Co.Galway McLoughlin Mr. Jim, New York and Drumkeerin, Co. Leitrim McMahon Ms. Sheila, Mountshannon, Co. Clare O'Sullivan Mr. Michael F., Cappa, Kilrush, Co.Clare (Father of Fr. Michael Sullivan M.Afr.) O'Sullivan Mrs.Mary, Ivy House, Ennis. Reilly Mrs. Brigeen, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh Sweeney Mr. John, Prestwick, Scotland Tighe Mrs. Bridie, Strokestown, Co.Roscommon Whyte, Mr. Kevin, Upr. Chapel St., Newry, Co.Down

May they rest in peace with the Father

REMEMBERING THE HOLY SOULS

During the month of November we will be offering Holy Mass each day for the repose of our deceased relatives, friends, benefactors, and for all those you commend to us. We are enclosing a form where you can write down the names of your departed relatives and friends for inclusion in our daily Masses during this month. Please place your list in the envelope provided and return to Cypress Grove as soon as possible. The envelopes are placed at the foot of the altar during Holy Mass.
"It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be released from their sins"

Diocese of Elphin

During the year we have been speaking about our missionary work in the Diocese of Elphin. We are most grateful to Bishop Christopher Jones and clergy for their kindness and hospitality. We would also like to thank the parishioners who have generously supported our work.
May the Lord bless you all.
A Sincere Thank You

PLEASE REMEMBER THE MISSIONS IN YOUR WILL Our legal name is Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers). A suitable formula is: I give to the Society of Missi onaries of Africa (White Fathers) the sum off €........... free of duty. And I declare that the Provincial of the Society who now resides at 148 Wainsfort Road, Dublin 6 shall be in good discharge. Carry on the good work you have been doing during your life by helping to spread the Gospel after you have gone to the Father.