jeudi 22 juin 2023

TESTIMONIES OF BROTHERS IN MISSIONARY PARISHES

The following text was published in the review Missions of the Franciscans, Spring 2023. Thanks to Karen Rivas Monico for the translation.


We present to you some testimonies that show the friars’ concrete life in missionary parishes of Haiti, Mauritius, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Canada.

 

MISSION IN HAITI

The Fraternity of Exaltation de la Sainte-Croix Parish, Croix-des-Missions, consists of three friars: Igais JULMUS, OFM, Fenol LAUGÈNE, OFM and Jean-Mary FEXIL, OFM. In fact, this fraternity is located on the national road №1, which is surrounded by many institutions and commercial activities. Nearby, there is a national school, a university of agronomy, a health centre, a supermarket and on the back, a courthouse. In fact, according to the spirit of our predecessors, our fraternity has already been given the name of a missionary fraternity since they carried out a missionary work of great pastoral value, while living the evangelical complicity and fraternal communion in a deep manner.

Consequently, history tells us that it is with gratitude for pastoral work of body and soul to the people of God, that the Franciscans carried out their mission up until today in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. In this context, what is important to us now, is the way in which we can help people from our parish to live these values while encouraging them to participate actively in order to bear witness together of God’s love within our parish.

Fiar Julmus with some children of the parish. Photo credit: OFM


The fraternity of La Croix-des-Missions is run by friars who have great virtues. The latter push us to work tirelessly with our eyes open to Pope Francis’ new vision on synodality, while proclaiming salvation to all and living what the Gospel suggests to every Christian.

 

A Missionary Fraternity

Our Franciscan vocation maintains that evangelization is fully supported by the fraternity as emphasized by our General Constitution: “Our fraternity is missionary and participates in the Church’s mission, in compliance with Saint Francis’ example and his will, which is expressed in the Rule” (116). The evangelizing duty is expressed through our own charisma and requires a serious daily revision of the mission. To do so, we consider that it is necessary, along with all our pastoral agents, to recall the mission’s history, especially in October, which is mission month. Indeed, we celebrate while recognizing these moments of spiritual vitality (formations, workshops, reflection day and retreat) as a living sign of the Holy Gospel’s new force and as a sign that we are a missionary fraternity.

Missionary activity in the Exaltation de la Sainte-Croix Parish. Photo credit: OFM

The Passion for Mission

Since our baptism, following Jesus’ example, we bear that mark within us. As Franciscans friars, this gives us the passion to animate our parish in this dynamic. Consequently, we consider improving our parochial space to create a pleasant place for work and leisure workshops; to lead the Holy Childhood Association with the purpose of explaining the meaning of mission and to form our animators. In fact, our task is to seek out other children and young people, to organize missionary activity in the neighbourhoods and look for ways to help them survive.

Because of this baptismal commitment, we can’t keep still. In fact, our mission consists of being on the road and looking for them. That is why we consider making this initiative part of our fraternal life program. As Pope Francis says in his Apostolic Exhortation, it is “the Church who takes the first step, who is involved and supportive, who bears fruit and rejoices.” (EG, 24). We organize formation days twice a week in our parish and in other neighbouring parishes.

This passion for mission resides within our heart. Furthermore, the connection between our identity and our actions shows that we’re a parish which is on mission. We have the impression that mission might be difficult and complicated because of the insecurity that is in full swing throughout the country. Consequently, we don’t stand idly by. It is necessary to discern where we want to go. That is how we see our parish, as a way to rebuild our life and our mission as it is written in our fraternal program.

That is why the missionary life of our parish expresses itself with so much diversity and approaches towards our faithful.

For that reason, we work steadily and we accompany our parishioners so that they might discover Christ in their lives. Furthermore, our pastoral life is also expressed through many initiatives and activities to bring back the faithful to Christ, He who is “The Way, The Truth and the Life.” For that matter, being missionary is to approach people in order to love them. This is where we’re called to be witnesses of truth through love and called to love every child of God through truth. As someone I know mentioned: “Truth without love is too hard. But love without truth is too soft!”

Igais Julmus, OFM



A RETROSPECTIVE LOOK ON THE MISSION IN MAURITIUS

Pope Francis never ceases to invite us to go, “to the peripheries.” He asks the Church to live, “an extraordinary mission month.” The Good News of the Gospel must be proclaimed throughout the world and in every milieu. In communion with the whole Church, as baptized and confirmed Christians, we’re sent as its messengers. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is for everyone.

 

Country

Mauritius was discovered and mapped by the Portuguese, who were looking for a route to India. The first colonization attempt of the island was made by the Dutch in 1598. However, the uncomfortable climate, the diseases and the difficult life conditions drove the Dutch settlers to leave the island. Today, we can only admire the ruins of the buildings in the East Coast, which were left by their presence. A similar attempt, which succeeded this time, was made by the French in 1715. Since then, the rapid development of the island began. Plantations and sugar refineries were created. Slaves from Africa were brought to work there. In 1814, the island came under English rule. An interesting historical fact is that during the Napoleonic Wars, the only naval battle that was won by the French was the battle of Grand Port in Mauritius. However, a critical historical date for this country is 1833, when slavery was abolished in all the English colonies. Since that event, Indians were brought on the island. They were free people, but as poor as slaves.

Parochial Church of Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel. Photo credit: OFM


 

Social and economic situation

Historically, Mauritius had a strong sugar industry and a savoir-faire that was well known in the area. Overall, there was a strong growth and improved living standards for the average citizen. As for the economic situation of the island, the unemployment rate is high, the textile mills are closing, the small sugar refineries are going bankrupt (there were 260 of them and now, there may still be 4). The investors are leaving and moving to other regions of Africa, mainly in Madagascar and Mozambique.

There is still a significant number of poor people, who have been neglected and rejected. Thus, the country has a commercial façade of a natural paradise, with beautiful beaches and crystalline sea—and it’s true!—but there is also the other side of the coin: many poor people.

Today, Mauritius can be associated with exclusive seaside resorts and holiday resorts. And it isn’t a false remark. Near the Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel parish, where I worked for seven years, there were about ten exclusive hotels. Among the most expensive ones, a suite could cost up to $3000—$4000 per night. Such a wealthy part of the region doesn’t mean that the parish is wealthy. In general, the parish has nothing to do with hotels and hotelkeepers. From time to time, some tourists from Europe come to Church for Sunday’s mass.

About 50% of the island’s population is Hindu, 15 to 20% Muslims and 1 to 2% Buddhists. Whereas 25 to 30% are Catholics. Most of my parishioners are poor. There was a huge sugar plantation near the parish. It should be noted that there isn’t any subtropical jungle on the island, sugar cane rather grows everywhere. In general, work here is done manually and the salary isn’t high either. 

That is why our parish was poor. After the sugar factory closed, a small group of people found work in hotels and other people emigrated in Europe or Australia.

The Church of Mauritius is in favour of the preferential option for the poor, centred on research and support for human development. At the same time, we tried to spread in all fields and sectors—in the families, at work, in the parishes …—an authentic faith, which is not only a cultural heritage inherited from previous generations. Moreover, in the Mauritian context where 50% are Hindu and 18% Muslims, the Church can’t fail to work towards dialogue and peace, which are always linked to the need for justice.

 

Parish Priest

I came to Mauritius in December 2002. Our fraternity, located in the southern part of the island, the poorest region of this country, consisted of three friars: Gianni, an Italian; Jules, a Madagascan and me, Polish. The first big challenge of living together was to understand that we were in another country with different cultures than our countries of origin. For newcomers, the diocese offered a formation for a few months in order to better adapt to parish work, which was entrusted to us by the bishop of Port Louis' diocese. Our presence was strictly related to work in the parish.

The parish in which I was a parish priest from 2003 to 2009 had two worship centres: in Chemin Grenier where our Franciscan fraternity was located and in Baie du Cap. In those days, about 4000 Catholics lived in the parish. When I began my parish ministry, apart from the pastoral work, we also had to take care of the major renovations of our two churches and the fraternity.

Our house remained opened all day to allow our neighbours, who often, weren’t Catholics, to come in the chapel and pray silently. Occasionally, these people were looking for a consolation or blessing so that they might overcome economic and family problems. Even if the inhabitants of Chemin Grenier were good people, they couldn’t escape domestic violence, drugs, or crime.

The small chapel in our house, dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua, became rapidly a place of encounter and prayer for many parish groups, including choirs, catechists, charismatics, and others. The weekly worship of the Blessed sacrament was intended to reinforce the relationships between the parishioners and the fraternity.

As a parish priest, I regularly visited people in their neighbourhoods and homes. Each encounter began with a time of prayer (often a mass, a blessing and sharing) and most of the time, it ended around the table, to which family and closest neighbours were invited.

Interior of the Church of Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel. Photo credit: OFM


 Projects

 A novelty that I appreciated during my pastoral ministry in Mauritius was people’s huge thirst for knowledge, learning, helping, commitment and praying.

I gave a lot of biblical, prayer and liturgy courses with a particular touch of Franciscan spirituality. These moments of formation were open to everyone. There was also a specific formation for the different parochial groups: catechists, altar servants, choirs, charismatics, ministers of communion, etc.

Offering a human, religious and spiritual formation to young people, who are the most beautiful part of this island, was my dream and it became reality. I was especially interested in young people who lived difficult situations; those who were rejected and marginalized because they were creole or children from poor families.

At that time, I had a new project to heart: the construction of a school named Joie de vivre, which was intended for children in the parish who weren’t succeeding in their schooling. The education reform was in progress in Mauritius. It began with secondary schools. However, the situation in elementary schools was worse. Children who were finishing school barely knew how to read and write.

Furthermore, for many of these young people, education isn’t a priority. Many parents from underprivileged backgrounds don’t allow their children to go to school when they reach 13 years of age, although schooling is mandatory until 16 years of age. Many parents didn’t pass down to their children the conviction that they can have dreams and fulfill them.

Therefore, with a group of parishioners and volunteers, we put in place a temporary school to help these young people in their education.

I’m proud of my parishioners, whom I was able to see the commitment during the renovation of the Church, the parochial office, the catechesis rooms, etc.

Hope is always present. Now, it’s time to raise the alarm and promote awareness. It’s necessary to reinforce family values like never before. Children and young people are the greatest wealth of the island and humanity.

 

Néhémie Prybinski, OFM



MISSION IN THE DIOCESE OF GOMA


Presentation of the diocese of Goma

Founded in 1959, the diocese of Goma (Dioecesis Gomaensis) is located to the northwest of Lake Kivu, to the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Monsignor Willy Ngumbi Ngengele is the current bishop. The diocese of Goma borders Rwanda and Uganda.

With its 2500 square kilometres, it includes the territories of Nyiragongo, Rutshuru, Masisi and Walikale. The total population is 2,039,000 inhabitants (Wikipedia, data from 2006), whose 39% of Catholics are spread across 28 parishes.

The Miséricorde Divine de Sake parish is one of the twenty-eight parishes that form the diocese of Goma. It’s located thirty kilometres from the city of Goma. It’s in this city that I was a missionary (2013–2017) before coming to Canada. There were 3000 Catholic Christians in 2013.

This parish bears the name of the Miséricorde Divine de Sake because back then, the city of Sake had a bad reputation following massive killings. Ethnic intolerance happened regularly, as well as conflict between Congolese of Rwandan origin and aboriginal peoples, the Bahundes, were recurrent.

Thanks to the effects of mission, the city of Sake became welcoming. Now, we can see the integration and collaboration with other ethnic communities: the Bahutus, the Banyanga, the Bahavus, the Batembo, the Banande, the Bashis…

 

Church of the Miséricorde Divine de Sake Parish. Photo credit: OFM

Our mission

In the Miséricorde Divine de Sake parish, our mission was mostly based on the proclamation of Christ, who fought for human dignity. Following the example of Saint Francis of Assisi, we tried to relieve the suffering of men and women exhausted by barbarism and natural disasters (volcanic eruption [1], imminent threat of methane gas [2] of Lake Kivu).

Despite the famine and the pressure of armed groups, we have raised awareness among the people of Sake in promoting values such as solidarity between believers (3), sharing available resources, empathy, respect for the individual and the proper management of natural resources that God has granted the people of North Kivu. Thanks to the pastoral animator Joseph Byanikiro, our ministry was diverse: visiting chapel schools (4), teaching and animation in our elementary and secondary schools, individual and community visits from members of the Catholic Action Movement (CAM), revitalization of the catechumenate, celebration of sacraments (baptism [5], marriage [6], anointing of the sick), celebration of funerals, spiritual assistance for the United Nations soldiers from Tanzania, Malawi, South Africa…

 

Holistic dimension of the mission

Our ministry attached a crucial importance to the holistic dimension of the human being. We restored the multipurpose room and the parish church’s roof, replaced the wooden windows of the parish church by metallic ones.

For the subsistence of priests and assistance to the poor, we organized pastoral work and actively participated with the Christian men and women of the parish. On a personal level, this work brought me closer to the faithful, it also allowed me to know and share their joys and sorrows.

To welcome visitors decently and earn some money for the pastoral needs, we built a residential facility (eight rooms and a kitchen).

In collaboration with the Diocesan Caritas and the Commission of Justice and Peace, we have been the “voice of the voiceless” (7) by initiating pleas to help the poor obtain title deeds on their land in the process of being plundered. We taught philosophy, religion, music … we organized pastoral animations in our elementary and secondary schools.

On this occasion, I raised awareness among students about the importance of planting trees to fight against global warming and the threat of carbon dioxide released by the methane gas present in lake Kivu.

 

The large elementary school of Kamuronza, whose total number of students is 1 000 children, is occupied by people who are fleeing the war of the "M23 terrorists", who have almost reached the doors of Goma. Photo credit: OFM

Conclusion and recommendations

As the hummingbird said, I do my part. I would like to thank the Holy Spirit Franciscan Province of Canada for its hospitality.

The good news is that the Saint Benedict the Moor Province (Democratic Republic of Congo) has recently bought a house in downtown Goma.

Despite the natural resources that the Province of North Kivu possesses, on the economic plan, the population is poor (8). In this diocese, there are many major challenges to overcome: the fight against poverty, the insecurity, the ethnic intolerance, the illegal exploitation of the country’s natural resources.

To get out of this deadly cycle and make the Franciscan mission more relevant, I suggest that the friar minors promote a human and Christian commitment lacking in all forms of hypocrisy (9). That they spare no effort in encouraging interethnic marriages, since marital union unifies thousands of African families.

The professional supervision of young people, as far as possible, would discourage recruitment into armed groups and reduce the hostilities and the incessant wars present in the Province of North Kivu.

 

Benoît Bahati, OFM

 

 

(1) The Miséricorde Divine de Sake parish lies between a rock and a hard place. To the East, you can find the Nyamuragira and Nyiragongo volcanoes. To the West, you can find a high concentration of methane gas, which can move the oxygen and cause asphyxia

(2) Scientists say that the inhabitants of Goma and Sake, specifically, are at risk of asphyxiation because of lake Kivu’s methane gas. The latter have asked the government to speed the process of degassing this lake. With a team of experts, by prevention, the parishioners planted trees along lake Kivu to produce oxygen.

(3) When celebrating funerals and weddings, all believers without distinction (Catholics, Muslims, Protestants) participated in the mass. I sized this opportunity to talk about the human values that bind us. Everyone appreciated this message.

(4) The Miséricorde Divine parish has 35 elementary schools and 12 secondary schools.

(5) In 2016, year of the Divine Mercy, we celebrated 1,700 baptisms of children and adults within two Eucharistic celebrations.

(6) Between 2013 and 2017, we celebrated 85 religious weddings.

(7) Cf. https://www.famillechretienne.fr

(8) In many families, as a doctor points out, children between 6 and 59 months suffer from malnutrition. To this disaster, we can add permanent insecurity.

(9) In the neighbouring parish (Matanda), Christians go to Church with a machete near so that they can protect themselves against an attack from their Christian brothers and sisters.



MISSION IN VANCOUVER


An international fraternity

Five brothers from four countries form a unique international community in Richmond. A blessing and a challenge to live with diversity. Three brothers are part of the pastoral team serving a big parish community of approximately 2500 families. The elderly brother among us gracefully retired and still helps out in ministry when requested. Brothers bring diversity in community living. It’s an asset of this community. It’s also true this diversity also brings friction among the brothers but with reconciliation we begin again to live in harmony. We have dedicated time as a community for prayers, Eucharist, house chapter, and meal. Brothers take turns to prepare a meal once weekly, it’s also a unique way to serve the community and cook something of our ethnic food for brothers. It’s a great learning time for me to prepare a meal weekly for the community which I hardly did at home.

“The Richmond Franciscan community helps build the kingdom of God locally and beyond, by maintaining a unique Franciscans presence through the practice of Fraternity and the Franciscan charism, while serving a diverse parish community. Special attention is paid to missionary and evangelization efforts towards youth, immigrants and refugees, in keeping with the missionary focus of the Order as a whole.”  From the above Mission Statement, it’s clear that St. Joseph the Worker friary primarily exists to live and witness Fraternity and Minority and for Pastoral Service to the parish community and society around.


Friar Manoj visits the students at a secondary school. Photo credit: OFM


Meeting people

Brothers are in Richmond to bear Witness to the Gospel of Our Lord. I truly believe that each of us is a Missionary and being in a missionary community; evangelization begins right with us, within the community. Community is a good place to be an evangelizer and be evangelized.

Apart from the parish ministry brothers go out proclaiming the Gospel, reaching out to people where they are. One brother of the community is a Chaplain of a Catholic Higher Secondary School and University. He has shown much dedication in his ministry reaching out to young people and building bridges with them. Rain or sunshine, he loves to go to visit them in their space. As a vocation promoter, he also participates in a variety of events with youth and adults, very much visible in his brown habit, proclaims the Gospel with his Franciscan approach and simplicity.

Another brother serves as a Board Member to Catholic Independent Schools of Vancouver Archdiocese. As an alumnus from one of the Catholic schools in Vancouver, he’s committed to promote Catholic education in the archdiocese. As a pastor he also encourages parents to send their children to Catholic schools and makes provisions that children get enrolled in a Catholic school.


Community meal in the parish with impoverish families and blessing by the friar Pierre Ducharme. Photo credit: OFM


 Community is blessed with a brother who has been a missionary in Peru for a long time, he brings depth of knowledge about missions and is very helpful in guiding people of Hispanic background and helps out with the Marriage Encounter Program.

Brothers are involved in serving the Secular Franciscans of Western Canada. It’s a priority of our community which has made it possible for brothers to cater to the spiritual needs of Secular Franciscans. A few of us are Spiritual Assistant to fraternities. With our support and encouragement Secular Franciscans have shown great enthusiasm in JPIC, and in their little ways they try their best to make their presence felt in this parish.

Our community has accepted to serve the Musqueam Band (Indigenous people) of Vancouver. Pastoral care to Indigenous People is carried out by the community. Two brothers are assigned to help out with sacraments. Committed to their service but only a handful of people (four Indigenous, two Non-Indigenous) come for the Eucharist on Sundays. There is hardly any active participation, it’s just the priest doing his part. Frustrating but someone has to do it. I take this ministry as sowing the seed of faith among them, expecting to take root and grow in God’s time.

Brothers are involved in ministering to the Ethnic Groups outside the parish community. When invited to attend to their needs, brothers are willing and ready. It’s important as well, because immigrants add a good number in the Canadian Catholic Church. Being visible as Franciscans and our solidarity with them makes a difference in their lives.

Brothers support Social Justice Ministry in reaching out to the poor, refugees and others. Whenever requests for funds, brothers are unanimous to help out whatever little bit we can for the cause of the poor and needy. It’s also done at the archdiocesan level.

Brothers offer their pastoral service to three Seniors Homes. We offer Eucharist, prayers and blessings for the residence in those seniors’ homes. I would say it’s a challenging ministry as many of these residents have health issues and aren’t awake or conscious during our visits. Somehow thanks to the nurses or volunteers we connect to them for a short time as mostly they’re in their world because of old age or physical ailments. Nevertheless, I think our presence, prayers and blessings make an impact not only on the residents but their families as well who appreciate our visits to their loved ones.


Fiar Manoj visits elderly people in a retirement home. Photo credit: OFM


The Ministry of Presence as I call it’s unique to our community. Brothers come out to meet and greet people after each weekend Mass either at gathering space or parking lot. Our presence is greatly appreciated and valued by the people. When people don’t see a brother after the Mass on a Sunday, of course, the brother has to be ready to give them answers the next time they meet. Parishioners say it’s a unique experience for them to see brothers connecting to people, meeting and greeting them. It’s for sure a good way to build ties with my parishioners. Community also hosts an annual Grey Cup party, invites friends to join the football games from time to time, for me these are a good way to show our Franciscan hospitality.

 

A community that welcomes everyone

The Vision statement of St. Joseph the Worker is as follows; “Centred on Christ Jesus, as one of the Trinity within the worship and sacramental tradition of the Catholic Church, St. Joseph the Worker Parish serves within a particularly Franciscan charism.  We seek to proclaim the Gospel by: continually building, nurturing, and supporting community that reaches out and welcomes everyone, accompanying others through faith formation at all levels that respects our diversity of being Catholic, with primacy to the personal encounter with Jesus and being socially just, through education, advocacy, and action.”

I envision St. Joseph the Worker Parish to be an Early Christian Community who devoted themselves to “teaching of the apostles, fellowship, breaking of the bread and prayers” (Act 2:42-47). These were the unique characteristics of the first believers. I see this happening already in this parish. We just need to continue deliberately acting on these characteristics.

I envision St. Joseph the worker Parish as a Strong Faith Community. Work carried out in support of the faith formation of students of St. Joseph the Worker school and in PREP (Parish Religious Education Program), youth, RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults), and seniors are enormous and outstanding. Parish community has become stronger in faith and I have hope that in the coming days many will come to appreciate and love their Catholic faith because of the support that people receive in Faith Formation. Unique of our parish hosts Faith and Food Supper monthly. Again, it’s a great way to involve the wider parish for a formative session around a meal.


Friar Joachim with some students at the University. Photo credit: OFM


St. Joseph the Worker Parish has become a Home (haven) for immigrants and refugees, Indigenous people and people of no faith. I have come across very good remarks by these groups of people in my conversation; “we feel at home in St. Joes, the brother pastor is concerned about us, friars care for us, treat us with dignity and make us feel at home, etc.” The other groups who feel marginalized and live at the periphery of the society feel welcomed and at home in St. Joes when they connect with us.

St. Joseph the worker parish is in Solidarity with the Poor. Saturday “Community Meal” by the Social Justice Ministry of the parish for the needy of our society brings people of all faith to our campus. This initiative isn’t just to provide food but also to build a community with those in the peripheries. All are welcome and encouraged to share a meal with them. Brothers go out to meet, greet and bless the food. Again, the annual distribution of the Christmas hamper to deserving families brings hope that St. Joes care for all.  St. Joseph the worker Parish is an Inclusive Community.

 

Manoj Xalxo, OFM


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