Apostles “I planted, Apollos watered, but God causes the growth” (1 Cor 3:6)

“It is impossible for us not to proclaim what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20)

Summer-Fall 2010

Apostles of Jesus for the New Evangelization

Zeal, Urgency and Collaboration

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CONTENTS APOSTLES SUMMER-FALL 2010 Editorial …………………………………………………………………. 4 Mission Statement ……………………………………………………….. 5 Partnership in Mission: “A Revolution of Love” …………………………6 The Incredible Trip……………………………………………………….. 7 Robert and Jane Klugiewicz Allentown couple visits the Apostles of Jesus in East Africa…………….10 Staff Writer President Yoweri Museveni Makes a Donation to Church ………………13 Mitume Busara Generous Pittsburgh Priest Honored ……………………………………..15 Mitume Busara The Shining Stars we Meet ……………………………………………….17 Rev. Francis Njau, AJ Witness from Sudan to South Africa ……………………………………..19 Rev. John Mary Mooka, AJ Associate Friends of the Apostles of Jesus (AFAJ)……………………….23 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Managing Editor: Rev. John Mary Mooka Kamweri, AJ Associate Editors: Rev. Frederick Otieno, AJ Rev. Godfred Ocun, AJ Rev. William D. Oruko, AJ Rev. Paul O. Gaggawala, AJ Rev. Peter Mushi, AJ Staff Writers: Mitume Busara Photo Manager; Rev. Deogratias Rwegasira, AJ Lay out & graphic design: Rev. Avitus Kazi Siriwa, AJ

Published by the Apostles of Jesus Mission Promotion Office

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Editorial

“T ry to get here before winter (2 Timothy 4:21).” This

scriptural verse is sandwiched be-tween names of St. Paul’s collabo-rators in the mission. Mention is made of Prisca, Aquila, family of Onesiphorus, Erastus, Trophimus, Eubulus, Pudens, Linus Claudia, and others unnamed (2 Timothy 4: 19-20). The verses underline the zeal, urgency and the collaboration that characterized St. Paul’s mis-sion to the world. This message sets the theme for our Summer-Fall issue. Like Lau Tzu said, “A jour-ney of a thousand years begins with a single step.” We the Apostles of Jesus are thankful to God for help-ing us take a few baby steps to-wards advancing the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ to the people of Africa and the world. This mission is impossible without the collaboration of the many lov-

ing and generous people dedicated to supporting our God given cause. Your prayers and sacrifices continually make us better agents of evangelization. We dedicate this issue to you dear friends of the Apostles of Jesus, our partners in ministry. If you did not hold our hand, we would not have made the first and the second step. But let us remember that all the glory is to God. For St. Paul said “I planted, Apollos watered, but God causes the growth (1Cor 3: 6).”

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Mission Statement

T he Apostles of Jesus is a Missionary Or-der founded by two Italian Comboni Mis-sionaries in Moroto-Uganda on August 22, 1968 for the express purpose of the New Evangelization of Africa and the world. The Apostles of Jesus commit themselves com-pletely to the service of the Spiritual-Pastoral and social wellbeing of all people with preference to the poor, in the spirit of Christ who came to serve and not to be served (Matt 20:28). Our Mission is the very Mission of Jesus to his Apostles to continue Christ’s holistic ministry; so that all may have life and have it in all its fullness (Jn 10:10). Thus, building a new civilization of love, justice, peace and life. In this context, we opt for first evangeli-zation and for Pastoral animation of all people, because God wants all to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. We invite all to Mission partnership with the Apostles of Jesus because the mandate to evangelize is entrusted to all the followers of Christ, the first missionary of the Fa-ther. Through the intercession of Mary Our Mother and of the first Apostles of Jesus, we zeal-ously strive to proclaim the Gospel of Sal-vation to all, starting from East Africa to the ends of the earth (Ad Gentes

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PARTNERSHIP IN MISSION: “A REVOLUTION OF LOVE” Pope Pius XII in his discourse to the new Cardinals on Febru-ary 20th,1946 said: “....the lay faithful, find themselves at front lines of the Church’s life...for them the Church is the animating principle for human society.” In his post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation, “Christifideles Laici,” 1988, Pope John Paul II emphasized that through baptism the lay faithful are in their own way made sharers in the priestly, prophetic and kingly office of the Christ. Pope Benedict XVI has called upon the lay faithful to be wit-nesses of Christ in the concrete reality and substance of their lives in all of their activities and surroundings. He pointed out that what is needed is a real “revolution of love”. (emphasis added, cf. Origins, July 1, 2010 vol. 40 no. 8, p.124) Then H. Richard McCord Jr. in his lecture on “Priests and Laity in the one Priesthood of Christ” pointed out that: “The priesthood of the faithful and the priesthood of the ordained are ordered to each other. They share in the one priesthood of Christ because they serve the one mission which Christ accomplishes through his Church.” (Cf. Origins, July 1, 2010 vol.40, no.8, p.119). This teaching is spelled out in the Dogmatic Constitution of the Church (Lumen Gentium). These quotations for our reflection and many more address di-rectly and present succinctly an ecclesiology of communion and co-responsibility for the evangelizing mission of the Church. Every Chris-tian is a missionary by virtue of his or her Baptism. The Church is mis-sionary by its very nature, and so are her members. The Apostles of Jesus inspired by this ecclesiology, and their charism have created opportunities for the lay faithful to effectuate their mission obligation. The Association of the Friends of the Apostles of Jesus (AFAJ) provides practical ways and means to get involved di-rectly in the mission activity of the Church. In January 2010, I visited the missions in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda with some friends from Pennsylvania; and as they relate their experiences in this magazine, the rewards are simply stunning. In order to fulfill Christ’s mandate to all his followers, namely, to go out to the whole world and proclaim the good news (Mt. 28:19), all we need is a heart. It requires a “Revolution of love.” With love all is possible. Rev. Paul O. Gaggawala, A.J

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T hroughout life one never knows what God has in

store for you. This has been the story of our married life. In April of 2009, quite by accident we met Fr. Paul Gag-gawala, Regional Superior of the Apostles of Jesus at a Knights of Columbus event. Other than hearing that he was a missionary serving in the

United States, we knew little about the Apostles of Jesus. Eager to learn about the Order, Fr. Paul invited us to visit him

at the Mission Office in Northampton, Pennsylvania about 80 miles from our home located on the outskirts of the state capital. We were initially awed with the fact that missionaries headquartered in Africa are serving the dioceses of the United States that are encoun-tering shortages of priests.

Secondly, that the Order is 41 years old and founded in our lifetime by missionary priests from Italy. We learnt that its

The Incredible Trip to Africa Robert and Jane Klugiewicz

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seminaries are expanding and that Africa is rich in its voca-tions to priesthood and reli-gious life. What a blessing to Africa and the rest of the world. As our conversation contin-ued with Fr. Paul, he popped the question; “I am going to East Africa early next year, would you like to join me?” We both recently returned from a mission trip to the Dominican Republic with the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart, but a trip to East Africa was some-thing out of the ordinary. Overwhelmed with the pros-pect of going to Fr. Paul’s na-tive country, we kept wonder-ing whether this is what we were supposed to do. Was this part of God’s plan for our re-tirement? It apparently was God’s will as after a great deal of prayers, things were falling into place and soon preparing for the trip was underway. We waited for the appropri-ate time to tell our children and grandchildren of our decision to go on a mission trip to Af-rica. To say the least they were surprised with our decision. Yet, we kept asking ourselves, “Why us?” We kept praying, asking for guidance as we filled our visa papers and re-

ceived the necessary inocula-tions for travel. Soon the months went by quickly and weeks turned into days, we were boarding our flight from Newark to Amsterdam and on to Nairobi, Kenya. We shall never forget the hospitality of the Apostle of Jesus. We were overwhelmed by hugs of joy. It felt like our family was waiting for us after being away for a long time. We found a special friend in the Superior General of the Apos-tles of Jesus Fr. Speratus Ka-manzi, AJ. His awareness of the Americans, having lived in the United States, about 60 miles from our home, helped us to feel very comfortable in his presence. We further learnt that he was a member of the Knights of Columbus, and had joined the organization during his assignment as a missionary to the United States. We appre-ciate the hospitality extended to us by the Superior General during our stay at Mazzoldi house in Nairobi. During our stay in Nairobi, Kenya, we toured the major seminary at Langata and spent time with the seminarians that were returning for their second semester of the school year. We were left with that feeling

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of gratitude as we joined the seminarians for the opening mass for the semester. Perhaps some of these young men we prayed with will one day be missionaries in the United States, serving in parishes, or colleges and hospitals as chap-lains. It is an awesome experi-ence. I and Jane continue to ask ourselves, why us? One more spe-cial thing we en-countered at the major seminary was the expan-sion of the buildings to accom-modate the increasing voca-tions promoted from minor seminaries. The support from

the friends of the Apostles of Jesus is very vital to advancing this cause. These seminarians may serve you and me as priests in the future. That is not all about our trip. Our next destination was Uganda. On visiting the Shrine of the Uganda Martyrs and

hearing the story of their mar-tyrdom we came to an understand-ing of the

strength of Catholicism in that country. The courage of those, now saint, to publicly defend their faith certainly has a pro-found influence on the Ugan-

Children are given special consideration in the mission

of the Apostles of Jesus

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dan Catholics as well as those of us who have had the opportunity to visit the Shrine. You leave the Shrine with a single question, “How strong is my faith, and am I ready to defend it?” Children are given special consideration in the mission of the Apostles of Jesus. We experienced this as we visited Lima Farm, an Apostles of Jesus community in a rural area of Uganda. This community that houses orphaned children also has a medical clinic, chapel, and now a school (under construction) for children of this rural area. When we are asked the direction to Lima Farm, we say, “Drive about 50 miles on a high way from Kampala, and make a left turn and drive into the bush.” Our first impression was of excitement to see all of these young children dressed in their maroon and yellow school uni-forms greeting us. One could not have received a greater welcome than what we received from the children of Lima. We were moved in learning that Judy, their teacher started a school for these children under a tree. The thirst and respect for education was very evident as we toured the three-classroom school under construction. We are as anxious as the children and the teachers to have the new school opened. What dedication by the Apostles of Jesus! The realities of life were very apparent as we visited the clinic and saw a man from the nearby village being treated for Malaria. “If this clinic was not here, I would be dead.” Here we truly witnessed the work of the Apostles of Jesus. To view the work of the Apostles of Jesus at Lima farm in the past six years is truly a Herculean event. Our story of the visit to East Africa with the Apostles of Jesus is more about what we witnessed. Every day, it became clearer that we were set to tell our friends and neighbors the story of work of these “men of the cloth” the Apostles of Jesus. We espe-cially thank Fr. Paul Gaggawala AJ, the Superior General Fr. Speratus Kamanzi AJ, Fr. Sivester Arinaitwe Rwomukubwe AJ, Fr. Valentine Katsigazi AJ, Fr. Ponsiano Kiyimba AJ, and Fr. Anacletus Mugabe AJ, for making our mission trip to East Africa an experience that allowed us to witness the faith of the people of East Africa and the work of the Apostles of Jesus missionaries.

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C armen and Mary Ann Genevese of Allentown in Penn-sylvania first met Fr.

Anacletus Mugabe AJ in 2007 through Fr. Robert Potts, Pas-tor of St. Ursula’s Church in Fountain Hill, Pennsylvania. Fr. Potts has been a friend of the Apostles of Jesus for years since he first welcomed two priest students to his former place of assignment in Shenan-doah, Allentown diocese, in United States. By opening the doors, Fr. Potts and the parish-

ioners provided the first home away from home for the Afri-can missionaries. Since then Fr. Potts has continued to assist the Apostles of Jesus and has introduced them to every friend of his. It was simply natural that the motherly instincts quickly kicked in when Fr. Mugabe told Mary Ann about the or-phaned children he takes care of at Lima Farm in Nakaseeta, Uganda. With full support from her husband, Mary Ann has since put no breaks on the

Allentown Couple Visit the Apostles of Jesus in East Africa

Staff Writer

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effort to work with the Apos-tles of Jesus to provide a better future for these children. “We wanted to help a little finan-cially, by asking friends and family to contribute funds and school supplies for the children over the years,” Ann Marie re-torts. Lima farm is the name for a number of development pro-jects initiated by the Apostles of Jesus on a rural farm land in central Uganda to assist needy populations. The name is in memory of Fr. Samuel Lima, an Apostles of Jesus first gen-eration Sudan’s priest who died in a motorcycle accident while serving in a parish in Southern Uganda. His piety, generosity and dedication to improving the spiritual and social wellbe-ing of others, is well remem-bered. For years the people around Lima farm area suffered abject poverty, hunger, easily pre-ventable diseases and illiteracy. The afflictions were a result of Uganda civil wars. Nakaseke District where Lima Farm is located is part of the infamous Luwero Triangle where many people died and several fami-lies wiped out during the civil wars. After the war as people started reconstructing their

lives and families, HIV/AIDS struck. One priest once told me “It breaks your heart to see people suffer, especially inno-cent children.” In 2004 when the Apostles of Jesus serving in United States gathered for their annual meeting in Northampton, Penn-sylvania, they resolved it was time to listen to the cries of these people and take concrete steps to support their spiritual and social wellbeing. They had ideas and asked Fr. Anacletus Mugabe to be the point man to execute the plans. The problem was that there were no funds. But as the saying goes “where there is a will there is a way.” Lima farm now has a small medical center, a chapel, ongo-ing school construction, food crops and cattle keeping. The goal is not only to provide peo-ple with access to essential needs of life but also educate the local population on how to effectively work towards self reliance. This development has been made possible with the generosity of a number of indi-vidual friends and families known to some Apostles of Jesus priests serving in United States, as well as Italian friends of Fr. Andrew Kato Kasirye, AJ.

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When an opportunity be-came available for Carmen and Mary Ann Genevese to travel to East Africa with Fr. Paul Gaggawala, they got on board. “Our first stop was Nairobi in Kenya, home to the Apostles of J e s u s h e a d q u a r t e r s (generalate)”, narrates Ann Marie. “Here we were met with the most welcoming, warm people (Apostles of Jesus) we have ever encountered.” While in Nairobi the couple visited the Apostles of Jesus major seminaries and the Technical College. When the Geneveses visited the Basilica in Nairobi,

they met a needy woman who wanted help for her daughter. “We felt so fortunate to donate some funds so that the mother could buy school supplies for her daughter,” narrates Mrs. Genevese. The couple finally travelled to Uganda and got to meet the children at Lima farm. “We were just astounded by the re-spect and thankfulness of these Children as we treated them on candy,” says the Geneveses. Time went so fast for the visi-tors. “Hopefully we may go back next year.”

THE MISSION ROAD OF LOVE

T he Apostle of Jesus Missionaries who are now ministering in many countries across Africa,

particularly in most difficult and challenging places, are known more and more as Missionaries who either find a road or make one. Join us on the road to God’s mission. Though we may not see Him, He walks beside us on this road. Though we do not know where the road leads, our faith leads us in the right direction. Walk with us. The journey is long, but we will sup-port each other; and in doing so, the road will be smooth.

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T he President of Uganda, H.E. Yow-

eri Kaguta Museveni was guest of honor at a fundraising func-tion to build a new church at St. Charles Lwanga Bubaare parish in Mbarara Archdiocese, Uganda. He made a personal contribution of 50millions Uganda Shillings. “He has given us a good kick in the right direction,” said the ex-cited pastor Fr. Joseph Sse-

rugo, AJ. “The church is in the fourth phase of construction and we are desperate to finish it.” President Museveni is well acquainted with Bubaare parish. According to William Rubanju the parish council chairman, Bubaare primary s c h o o l a c c o m m o d a t e d Museveni’s troops during the gorilla war to oust a turbulent regime. By then Bubaare was one of the stations of Ibanda parish. The area witnessed in-

President Yoweri Museveni Makes Donation to Church

Mitume Busara

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sane killings and destruction of property by government sol-diers. The slow recovery has made it difficult for the Church, schools and other im-portant social institutions to deliver essential services to the poor people. Fr. Joseph Sserugo was the first Apostles of Jesus priests sent in 2004 to serve as the pastor of Bubaare Parish. The parish was carved up from Ibanda Parish. He was assisted by Fr. George Opio who was later replaced with Fr. Maurice Kidda, AJ. Ever since their ar-rival the parish has seen quick growth in the spiritual and so-cial developments. The new church which will replace a small old building is estimated to cost 500millions Uganda Shillings once completed. Mr. Rubanju narrates that the money spent on the church was received through the efforts of the parishioners, the Apostles of Jesus priests in the parish, the diocesan administration, and, friends in the country and

abroad. He singled out, in par-ticular, St. Vincent DePaul par-ish in Philadelphia, United States. Fr. Sserugo talks about the parishioners of St. Vincent DePaul with pride. Without the support of these loving and generous people, Bubaare par-ish would still be miles away undeveloped. He befriended the St. Vincent DePaul parish-ioner when he served in Sudan. They were touched by his mis-sionary charism and zeal for evangelization of the poor peo-ple. Since then the Holy Spirit has continued to open ways to touch people’s hearts and change lives. The effort has resulted in the creation of a program “Building a Bridge to Uganda.” “May God bless them abundantly,” he says in a prayerful tone. “God willing, we will complete this church soon.”

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O n the occasion of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Fr. Edward M

Bryce’s priesthood, the Coun-cil of the City of Pittsburg, USA, declared May 2, 2010, “Fr. Edward Bryce Day” in the City of Pittsburg. The pastor of St. Bede parish was honored for “his commitment and dedi-cation to the people and com-munities he serves.” The City Council members know of the parish’s outreach programs in support of St. Vincent de Paul

charities and the Appalachian mission. But probably more powerful are the individual sto-ries of how Fr. Bryce has touched hearts and changed lives. Among those most grateful to Fr. Bryce and the parishioner of St. Bede Parish are seven Apostles of Jesus priests who have done graduate studies at Duquesne University while in residence at St. Bede. In addition to the accommoda-tion, each of these young priests was assisted with funds

Generous Pittsburg Priest Honored Mitume Busara

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to top up the half scholarships awarded to them by the Du-quesne University. It all started with Fr. Peter Mushi, AJ now pastor of St. Cecilia Church in the Arch-diocese of New York. When Fr. Mushi came to St. Bede parish in 1995, Fr. Bryce had hardly heard of the Apostles of Jesus. He just wanted to help the young missionaries from Africa. Giving them a place and an opportunity to pursue studies at a prestigious univer-sity in United States was one little contribution to the univer-sal Church. The easy-going and charming character of Fr. Peter Mushi quickly harmo-nized with the gentle and kind nature of Fr. Bryce, to the de-light of the parishioners. “How do you manage to live with Fr. Bryce?” Parishioners would tease. “Because he is like a co-conut tree, the more people throw stones at it the more it throws to them its fruits,” Fr. Mushi would retort. The pa-rishioners have never forgotten this African saying. To them, it sums up the selfless generosity of their pastor. Fr. John Mary Mooka, AJ always shares a very touch-ing story. Two days after his arrival at St. Bede parish, a pa-

rishioner asked him if he knew of “Baby Bede.” “No, I am afraid I don’t”, he replied. “If you do not know Baby Bede, you do not know Fr. Edward Bryce”, the inquirer rejoined. Baby Bede is in reference to the tragic story on April 11, 1999 when law enforcement retrieved the body of a baby boy from the Ohio River. Parts of the umbilical code were still wrapped on the baby’s body. When no claim was made for the body, Fr. Edward M Bryce offered a funeral service at his parish and buried the boy at Calvary Cemetery in Pittsburg. But Fr. Bryce never men-tions to you any of these good deeds. In humility, he finds a way to deflect this topic with his favorite story “The coyote and the bone.” When he went on safari at the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the safari bus drove alongside a coyote carry-ing a bone between its jaws. Not far off behind the coyote followed a hyena awaiting an opportune time to grab the goodie. As soon as the coyote placed the bone in the shallow waters to marinate it, the hyena picked it up to the utter disgust of the coyote and tour bus oc-cupants. Yet again, Fr. Bryce does not mention that on

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W e all have sto-ries about peo-ple who have

made a difference in our lives. Sr. Rita Petruziello of the Order of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cleve-land has made a significant contri-bution to the growth of the Apostles of Jesus Order. Courtesy of Sr. Petruziello, ten priests of the Apostles of Jesus have done their Clinical Pastoral Educa-tion (CPE) at St. Vincent Char-ity Hospital in Cleveland since 1979. But what really make her

a special individual is her kind-ness, understanding, compas-sion, diligence and friendli-

ness. I first came to St. Vincent Hos-pital for my Pas-toral Clinical Education in 2003. The hospi-tal belongs to the Charity Sis-ters of St. Augustine. My previously as-signment was serving as paro-chial vicar at

Mariakani parish in Mombasa Archdiocese in Kenya. I had settled in well at Mariakani and quite frankly felt comfortable doing my apostolate there. The

Sister Rita Petruziello

the same trip he made a dona-tion to an HIV/IDS orphanage run by the Apostles of Jesus in Kenya, and helped a school in Uganda. In Fr. Leonard Chuwa’s words “this is a good man”. Fr. Chuwa is a graduate student at

Duquesne University working on PhD in Healthcare Ethics. He is one of the seven Apostles of Jesus priests who have lived with Fr. Bryce while pursuing studies at Duquesne university.

Fr. Francis Njau, A.J

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opportunity to do missionary work as a chaplain in United States was right out of the blue. I was excited since working as a hospital chaplain was always something I wanted to do. But there is always that feeling of uncertainty about the chal-lenges one is likely to meet in a new country. Like she had done for all the Apostles of Jesus priests who preceded me, Sr. Petruziello put all my worries to rest when I arrived in Cleve-land. She encouraged me and sought the help of Sr. Juanita Shealey to assist me get accul-turated to the American cul-ture. One of Sr. Shealey’s toughest assignments was to flavor my accent, made at the slopes of Mountain Kiliman-jaro, to sound American. Sr. Petruziello did everything she could to help Apostles of Jesus priests excel in our work at the hospital. The impact of Sister Rita Petruziello on the ministry of the Apostles of Jesus who have passed through her hands is enormous. Her contribution to our ongoing formation and

education has influenced the manner we approach our min-istry. Fr. Isidore Munishi, AJ and Fr. Nicomed Mwacha, AJ whom I was with in residence at St. Vincent Hospital are in agreement with me on these complements. Her generosity reminds us of our obligation as, Apostles of Jesus priests, to be faithful to our charism of imi-tating Christ the Good shep-herd by lovingly and diligently serving others. Being one of the many people who have benefited from the generosity and charity of Sister Rita, I will ever cher-ish her friendship. Practicing charity is one of the fundamen-tal principles of our Christian faith. It is through charity that we touch the hearts of people including non-believers. I con-tinue to pray for her and all the Sisters of St. Joseph. I am grateful to my superiors for giving me an opportunity to meet such wonderful people. They are like stars shining in all ages.

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T o get to Warrap from Kwajok parish, Fr. Mark Ofuko, AJ has to drive across Jur River that flows through Bahr el Ghazal and Equatorial region in Southern Sudan. The problem is that there is no bridge and he has to revert to

the old risky maneuvers he has repeatedly used. Step into the wa-ter to locate the least dangerous section you can drive through. Those few minutes left the superior general of the Apostles of Jesus missionaries breathless. In his recent pastoral visit to the parishes and missions served by the Apostles of Jesus in Southern Sudan, Fr. Speratus Kamanzi AJ, was wowed by the determina-tion and resolve of his young missionaries to keep the faith alive in Southern Sudan. Still bleeding from years of sledge hammer solutions that dished out misery and poverty to the people of southern Sudan, the road to normalcy is still being paved. Post-war southern Su-dan is still traumatized and distressed. Rt. Rev. Rudolf Deng Ma-jak, the bishop of Wau, finds the solution in providing more pas-toral agents and deeper evangelization work. Fr. Kamanzi could not agree less. This is a challenge the Apostles of Jesus mission-aries have taken with zeal and commitment. After all, Sudan is the place where the founders of the Apostles of Jesus first pon-dered the ideas of founding the Order. But the task is enormous. Ever since St. Peter and Paul church at Warrap collapsed Fr. Peter Lodo, A.J celebrates Sunday masses under a mango tree. When I told this story to my Sunday congre-gation at the gorgeous Holy Spirit Hospital chapel in Camp Hill, USA, they gasped. The Comboni missionaries first came to Warrap in 1950 and were expelled from Sudan in 1964. According to the parishioners, the church they had built was eventually demolished during the war. Twenty years later, the priest’s rectory was used as a military command center. On returning the rectory to the diocese, two

Fr. John Mary Mooka, AJ

from Sudan South Africa WITNESS

to

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Apostles of Jesus priests were assigned to Warrap parish. The makeshift church they constructed with the help of the local peo-ple caved in just a few years after. Warrap is not the only place in Southern Sudan with innumer-able challenges. The Apostles of Jesus priests who founded Wulu mission in Rumbek diocese lived in huts locally called Tukul. These are built of grass, wattle and daub. The mission was later closed. But with the return of peace, the people of Wulu want the Apostles of Jesus missionaries back to preach the gospel. Fr. Speratus Kamanzi was told that faith helped the people endure the miseries of war. After the war people have a need to sustain the faith in words and deeds. Brother Augustino of the Brothers of St. Martin de Porres is one of the believers who persevered in his faith throughout the trials. According to Fr. Speratus Kamanzi, AJ, the Brother was left with the immense task of taking care of the cathedral in Juba when the missionaries were expelled in 1964. He looks back with gratitude to God who helped him to uniquely face each challenge as it came. He stresses that he endured because he “trusted in God.” Of all the memorable scars that the Apostles of Jesus carry from the war in Southern Sudan none is as painful as the ruins of Rejaf Seminary. Bombed and later occupied by the military, the site still invokes trau-matic memories in the minds of the Apostles of Jesus priests and ex-seminarians who call the ruins their alma mater. One man is determined to erase those painful memories. With sup-port from the Apostles of Jesus general council and financial help from personal friends and donors, Fr. Thomas Oliha Attiah, AJ is optimistic the seminary will reopen in the near future. After the Southern Sudan peace accord was signed in 2005, Fr. Oliha started reconstruction work to revivify the place. As of now the chapel, the kitchen and the class-rooms are ready for use. However he is still raising funds to construct the dormitories and the priests’ rectory. He is confident the seminary will receive lots of candidates to religious and priestly vocations. Another important pastoral visit that the Vicar General of the Apos-tles of Jesus made in February this year was to missions in South Africa and Botswana served by the Apostles of Jesus. Overall fourteen Apos-tles of Jesus priests and one religious Brother serve in South Africa and two priests are in Botswana. Of course South Africa is deservedly fa-mous for a litany of things including Nelson Mandela, the Springboks, and the 2010 Soccer world cup. But one more important thing in South

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Africa hardly noticed by the world is the growth of Christian faith. When Rt. Rev. Erwin Hecht, OMI, received the first two mis-sionaries in Kimberly Diocese in May 2000, no one anticipated that the Apostles of Jesus will be pre-sent in six dioceses by 2010. Re-grettably, on this particular visit to Kimberly Diocese, ten years after, the vicar general was in the dio-

cese to transfer one of the pio-neers Fr. Audecius Tindimwebwa, AJ to a new mission at St. Raph-ael’s Khayelitsha parish in the Archdiocese of Cape town. The Bishop reluctantly let him leave. Khayelitsha Township came to prominence in 1988 when Mother Teresa visited St. Raphael church at the request of the late Archbishop of Cape Town Rt. Rev. Naidoo. Mother Teresa was

Visit by Rev. Stephen Malanga A.J. the vicar General (middle) to the members in South Africa, with him is father Reginald Tarimo on the left, father George Gachaya on the right and the lay faithful.

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on a mission to start a community of the Sisters of the Missionaries of Charity to serve the needs of the poor populations of Khayelit-sha. According to the New York Times of September11, 1988, Khayelitsha Township was cre-ated in 1993 as a “geographic des-ignation for squatters at Cross-roads and other informal settle-ments who came seeking work in Cape Town.” Located 22 miles from Cape Town, some people saw the move as an attempt to keep these people away from jobs. That was then. Lots of good things have happened since. One pride of Khayelitsha is St. Raph-ael parish; a lively community with devoted hardworking parish-ioners. When Fr. Tindimwebwa, AJ and Mathew Mengistu finally take charge of the parish’s pas-toral responsibilities they will find a happy home and hospitable neighborhood. The task facing the young Apostles of Jesus missionaries today is gigantic. Rt. Rev. Zithulele Patrick Mvemve, bishop of Klerksdorp in South Africa, told the Apostles of Jesus priests assigned to Ipelengeng that their work will be close to primary evangelization since the churches they were to serve had suffered neglect for a long time. Fr.

Stephen Mallanga is convinced the priests’ youthfulness and com-mitment should serve as an ad-vantage. Fr. Emmanuel Wafula, AJ, the pastor at Good Shepherd parish, Ipelengeng, is no stranger to pastoral challenges. When Fr. Wafula served among the no-madic Masai tribe, he learnt the benefits of being a youthful priest. In one of his open mass celebra-tions an elderly Masai man came to the service late. Realizing that there was one vacant chair (since the priest was giving his homily) he sat on it. Another elder whis-pered into his ears “…that is the priest’s chair.” Upon which he replied, “Let him stand, he is a young man.” For sure he meant no offence. But this is Africa where elders come first. Fr. Kamanzi knows what that elderly Masai man knew, if his young missionaries have to evan-gelize in the 21st century, they must stand firm and humbly com-mit to the gospel values. Like St. Paul said, “He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according his own design and grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus… (2 Timothy, 1:9).” He concludes, ‘To Him be glory forever and ever… (2 Timo-thy, 4: 18b).”

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B ecome a member of the Associate Friends of the Apos-tles of Jesus (AFAJ). AFAJ is an association of people

who want to know, to love and to live the evangelical virtues, charism, and spirituality of the Apostles of Jesus Religious Order, in accordance with their conditions of life. Pope John Paul II reiterated that through baptism the lay faithful “are in their own way made shares in the priestly, prophetic and kingly office of Christ (Christifideles Laici, 1988).” Three ministries define the scope of AFAJ mission: 1) Friends of Jesus Ministry; 2) The Children Ministry; and, 3) Come and See (“Apostolic Journeys”) Ministry. Friends of Jesus Ministry The Friends of Jesus Ministry is the ministry proper to the Asso-

ciate Friends of the Apostles Jesus. It is the main purpose the association is formed to pray with, teach, heal and help the Apostles of Jesus Religious missionaries to build God’s reign of love, peace and justice. Every AFAJ member commits to the aims, the purpose, and the mission of the Friends of Jesus Ministry; “Apostles, called to be friends of Jesus and to be sent out to preach to the nations (MK. 3:14).” The Children Ministry

The Children ministry is an optional ministry available to the As-sociate Friends of the Apostles of Jesus for the purpose of promoting the well being of people, particularly disadvan-taged children in Africa. Titled Apostles of Jesus Child Edu-cation and Support Ministry in Africa (AJCESMA), the Chil-dren Ministry promotes, through a children sponsorship pro-gram, the education and support of the economically disad-vantaged African children to enhance their wellbeing and fos-tering God’s love.

Unlike the Friends of Jesus Ministry in which the professed Apostles of Jesus have limited leadership role, leadership in

Associate Friends of the Apostles of Jesus (AFAJ)

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the Children Ministry is mainly the responsibility of the Apostles of Jesus General Council and the Apostles of Jesus Regional Council. Come and See Ministry

The Come and See Ministry is a Pauline way of spreading the gospel – the Apostolic Journeys. “For I long to visit you so I can share a spiritual blessing with you that will help you to grow in the Lord (Romans 1: 11).”

One way of participating in the Mission work of the Apostles of Jesus is to visit the Apostles of Jesus missions in Africa to share your spiritual blessing with the believer in Africa and to be encouraged in your faith (Romans 8: 12). One may visit the Apostles of Jesus in Africa for a spiritual renewal, a tour, or voluntary charitable work.

To participate in any (or in all) of the ministries, contact the Apostles of Jesus mission office. You may also downloaded the brochures from the Apostles of Jesus website.

As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God

(Psalm 42:1)

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Apostles of Jesus Missionaries for Africa and the World

Website: www.apostlesofjesus.org

Rev. Paul O. Gaggawala, A.J., STD., Director

MISSION OFFICE 829 Main Street Northampton, PA 18067

Phone: 610-502-1732 Fax: 610-502-1733

Email: worldaj@email.com

Do you have the passion for spreading the Gospel light?

Team-up with the Apostles of Jesus

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I magine. A young mind, full of enthusiasm, answers God’s call, eager to learn the teachings of Christ and deliver His message.

“How beautiful are the feet of the messenger announcing peace and bringing good new!” (Is.52:7). This Seminarian, by the grace of God, aspires to become a Missionary Priest and serve Christ by preaching the Gospel and helping the hungry, thirsty, imprisoned and sick. Despite all risks and implications, he dedicates his life to God, and to all God’s people. Now imagine that you have reached out and given your help and support in the formation and education of this young man. Through your kindness, today’s Seminarian becomes tomorrow’s priest, sharing the Gospel and improving the lives of others for years to come. What a harvest of satisfaction and personal reward comes from helping this young apostle to grow in God’s field! Sponsoring a Seminarian is an easy and enriching experience. for as little as $5 a day, you can can share in this opportunity. You can sponsor a Seminarian for the entire program or for one year at a time. your monthly or annual contributions are tax-deductible and the mission office will carry out your request so there is no burden for you to bear. For your convenience, you can make your monthly contribution with a check or money order, or automati-cally, by using a Visa, Master Card, or American Express card. Our office will contact the Seminary Director in Africa and supply you with the name and photo of the Seminarian; we make sure your funds go directly to his program, answering any ques-tions you may have and providing you with an annual report on his progress. You are with him spiritually as he grows– learning, working and ministering to others, experience incredible joy when you, and the parents of the Seminarian, present him to the Bishop for ordination.

Sponsor a Seminarian

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Father Fred Wangwe and Father Bruno Dongo, Apostles of Jesus Missionaries in United States

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