Mission in Mozambique

Minutes later His Grace Archbishop George Panikulam, the Apostolic Nuncio to Mozambique, was received and offered a bouquet affectionately and respectfully. The Sisters of the Nunciature too were with him. All of them were making this journey for the first time to the interior of Mozambique. Behind them were in four cars were the Friends of the Fransalians from Maputo and Catembe. They were with their families. The onlookers were enjoying the rare sight and the colourful ‘bela vista’.

The Land Rover pioletted. The rest of the cars had air-conditioners. Thudding and jumping, swerving and zigzagging we reached Kufa junction, where the ‘comunidade’ was waiting with ‘batuques’, drums and ‘xiquitsies’. They garlanded His Grace with a garland made of  jungle flowers and wild creepers during the excited singing and dancing. Hilarious they were indeed. His Grace chatted with them while the Friends of the Fransalians distributed chocolates for all. The leaders joined us and we proceeded.

After a few kilometers we reached Majuba junction. The group of cars paused and we had witnessed the gusto of welcome from the ‘comunidade’ of Majuba. The animator spoke. The representatives garlanded and offered honey and fruits to His Grace while the Friends distributed sweets for all.

Outside the parish compound the people began singing and dancing as soon as they saw the cars from far. It was indeed a touching welcome. The ‘muthukkudaas’ were shining in the morning sun and the ‘batuques’ were louder and more rhymic in the vila. After the ceremony His Grace was led to the sanctuary and he prayed. While the people were getting ready for the procession we dressed up.

And the solemn procession to the newly built house behind the church compound followed. His Grace blessed the new house built for Maria Mfumo, an old widow, with the fund received through Fr. Cyriac Nellikunnel msfs. Then we all participated very actively in the solemn pontifical Eucharistic Celebration and the agape that followed.

Unfortunately, they could not get a place for their car in the 06.00 ferry-boat. So we informed Bela Vista that we would be late by two hours! (to await the next ferry).

By the 07.00 o’clock ferry the Archbishop reached this side of the bay. We rode directly to Majuba. The ‘comunidade’ received him affectionately and solemnly. After the preliminary protocol and welcome ceremonies, His Grace addressed the faithful and blessed the newly built home that was just completed construction with the fund collected by our confrere Fr. Cyriac Nellikunnel, for the very poor family of  the Namaroches. After spending some time with the people of Majuba we drove to Bela Vista. After the solemn traditional welcome, we had the pontifical celebration of the Eucharist in the newly reconstructed parish church. During the homily and the orientations-time His Grace shared with the faithful very useful pastoral concerns.

The Visit of the Cardinal of Mozambique

Alexandre Cardinal dos Santos, (the first Mozambican priest, its first bishop, its first archbishop and its first and only cardinal) the just retired Archbishop of Maputo visits Blea Vista and Sao Roque on 29^th February, 2004. He was simply delighted to see the newly reconstructed parish church of St. Francis de Sales and the beautiful church compound.

Fr. Jose Robledo, a missionary from Columbia, who used to visit these areas prior to our arrival in 2000 who accompanied the Cardinal shed tears of joy seeing the changes thanked spontaneously and publicly the Almighty and praised the MSFS and the faithful for the transformations that have been brought about during these past four years.

The cardinal was happy to visit the walled and gated compound meant for the Laity Centre, the fenced terrain for the non-formal education centre and the construction site of the new convent – all within the township! In between he found time to visit Sao Roque too.

The Beginnings of the realization of the Self-Help-through-cultivation Project

Since long we have been trying to get a proper, fertile and sufficient area close by, for cultivation and agro-economy. The finance for it came through the understanding and goodness of our confrere Fr. Thomas Fernandes who helped us for the first self-help-goats-project too.

The five hectares are being paid for, registered and fenced. The clearing, cleaning and terracing works are on. A well has to be dug. A pump has to be installed. Help is on its way. The two Msfs communities of Mozambique continue to struggle in their pioneering efforts.

Week-long-Residential Seminars, Formative Retreat,

and the series of Lenten Retreats animated by Lay-leaders in Ronga

Making good use of the infra-structure at Catembe Parish we managed to conduct five residential seminars in Ronga for the various ‘comissoes’ (leaders-groups) with the help of the local diocesan priests and the laity-leaders of Maputo city. All the various leaders-groups of the 16 + 10 ‘comunidades’ participated actively and benefited much from them. The last of the series was the Retreat in Ronga conducted by the Archdiocesan Chancellor and Economo Fr. Joao Carlos for the selected laity-leaders who would in turn conduct the retreat for the first time in Ronga in all the ‘comunidades’ during the holy season of Lent 2004 – Lenten Retreat. Many an eye-brow was raised. So we held our breath too until we completed the 16^th retreat-series at Catuane, one of the farthest centres of the parish. Thank God the series of the Lenten retreats ended as an eye-opener.

Praise the Lord.   

Youth Seminars

At the end of the first trimester the schools now are on holidays. The teachers are having seminars. We did not lag behind either. We have two, for the youth of the parish. The high-lights were the ‘testemunhas’ (testimonies of the witnesses) by the selected ‘ancioes’ (=exemplary elders of the ‘comunidade’). Thus the beginners of the faith-experience enjoyed the two, three-days-long-residential seminars on the theme: ‘Eu quero ver Jesus’. And they still go on singing: ‘Eu tenho um Amigo….’.

(A Report from our confreres in Mozambique)