Three Consolata Missionaries ordained in Congo

‘Tu es prêtre a jamais.’ Reads a banner inside the church building of Mater Dei Parish in Kisantu diocese that welcomed a magnitude of parents, friends, brothers and sisters to a unique celebration on the 19th June, 2010. Literal translation; ‘you are a priest forever.’ The parish, managed by the Consolata Missionaries, is a long the Kinshasa-Matadi highway, around 20km south of the capital, Kinshasa.

The day also marked the special celebration of the Feast of Our Lady Consolata.

By nine o’clock, the faithful started trickling in one by one and some in groups well set for the celebration. One could see even from their happy anxious faces that something good was really expected that chilly day. They braved the cold weather and later even missed the two world cup soccer tournaments of the day! In fact, for the drivers, the visibility was almost negative due to heavy fog and many trucks were packed by the roadside waiting for the atmosphere to clear up. It was ‘raining cold’, period.

Elegance was the order of the day and by ten minutes to ten all was set for the ceremony which was presided over by His Excellency Archbishop Giovanni D’Aniello, the Apostolic Nuncio of Democratic Republic of Congo. The candidates were present; Deacon Artur Mooke Ngaba, imc, a Congolese who did his theology in Kenya, Tangaza college for priestly ordination and seminarians Geoffrey Kiria, imc (Kenyan) and Bruno Bapabonza, imc (Congolese) who both did their theology here in Congo for diaconate ordinations. Others who graced the occasion were Amb. Pio Mariani, the ambassador of Italy to DR Congo, Fr. James Lengarin, imc, who represented the Kenya-Uganda region, religious members and some of their superiors, diocesan priests etc.

In his homily, that was highly dedicated to the candidates for ordinations, his grace pointed out the significance of the priestly and diaconate ordinations. He reminded them of the sacrifices that are within the sacerdotal life and called them once again into prayer life citing blessed Joseph Allamano, founder of the Consolata Missionaries, ardent prayer life.

To me this was a unique ordination. Totally different from others that I have attended. When I say different, I mean in the level of its organization, for ordination (Holy Orders), as a sacrament, transmit the same graces and powers no matter the circumstances surrounding it. Two reasons outline this uniqueness.

Firstly, it was the first that I attended here in Congo, outside my home country. Now imagine the expectations I had built all through its beginning until end. I was anxious to participate in it the Congolese style. I even imagined an ordination in the Zairian rite! To listen to the Zairian tunes and the litany that moves the soul!

Secondly, a priestly ordination inside the Church building! For me, unheard. A scandal! Blame my background. Am used to the ordinations in an open air space. Full-blown in the public eye. A place like Tumsifu Centre in Kisumu, for those who know it, is the place to be for an ordination. At some point, I thought that the church walls would collapse due to the magnitude of persons present for the celebration. Indeed it was full to the brim!

At the end of the day, deacon Artur became Fr. Artur and the two seminarians became Deacons Kiria and Bruno, an additional in the sacred orders before the end of the year for priests. Fr. Artur is destined for studies and missionary work back in Kenya while the two deacons are here with us in Congo.

GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD!

Some things pass our sight less noticed unless they directly or indirectly influence our welfare. For instance, one would go for medicine unless in need of prevention or cure of some illness without which would assume that they do exist.

Way back when there was the introduction of the new safety gadgets in the public service vehicles, there arose a major breakdown in the transport and communication sector in Kenya. Majority of the Kenyans came to realize the importance of transport sector in the society. This affected many Kenyans who earned the dictum, ‘the walking and working nation’ just to make the ends meet. Which types of ends do meet under such a tough and rigorous conditions. Most likely to satisfy the needs of the body.

Then dawns the big global issue of hunger in the pursuit to make the ends meet, to satisfy the bodily needs. Fundamentally, food is one of the basic human rights but yet the global numbers of hunger victims grow in large number day in day out. Many people live below the poverty line. In fact according to the Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), more than 852 million people which is roughly 13% of the world’s population sleep hungry if not having enough to eat in a day so as to sustain a healthy lifestyle.

Eradication of poverty, through human literacy, in an attempt to reduce hunger in the universe has been one of the objectives of the sovereign nations. Even Kenya has a take on it to salvage the environment. This is the sole reason for the World Food Day to which Koffi Annan, the Secretary General to the United Nation by then, said, “the world has enough resources and the know- how to make hunger history. What we need is political will and resolve”.

The Church too is not left behind in this fight. During one of the traditional Angelus addressed by the Pope Benedict XVI in November, spoke of more than 800 million of people who suffer hunger and termed it a global scourge. Hunger is one of the many subject matters in the Church today. The latter in deed is also aware of this calamity that has visited the humanity, which not only spread through the African continent but also navigates Asia amid few places all over the world.

Christ’s epoch was not forgotten by this challenge of hunger for food. Indeed this challenge has made part of the human culture, let alone the Israelites in the desert who grumbled at God and Moses. They were faced with the hunger scourge yet God fed them with bread from heaven, giving them strength to reach the land full of honey and milk, Canaan. Christ also faced with pity on those who followed him, during various occasions; felt the need to not only feed them spiritually but also materially. He showed a perfect sign of concern to the hungry and reawakened the body by feeding it with five loafs of breed and two fish, for the soul may be willing but the flesh might be week. This shows our total dependence on the one who provides for our daily physical, emotional, mental and spiritual needs. We should not be worried “about your life and what you are to eat, nor about your body and what you are to wear.”

Imagine the Eucharistic celebration devoid of the Lord’s Prayer. No, unimaginable! For sure it will cease to be the Lord’s Supper, for this would be unfinished business in the sacrifice that the Son of man, not only personally inaugurated by giving us His body and blood to partake on as a means of our sanctification, but also taught us this noble prayer; “…give us this day our daily bread,” which make part of the Sacramental celebration. Through the Eucharist, we are assured of the Divine Providence that is the basis of our daily life.

Just as there are many higher institutions like United Nation, World Food Organization, Food and Agricultural Organization and many more that look after the well-being of a person’s consumption also the Church ensures spiritual health to her children. That the Christian is fed well with the spiritual bread hence do not suffer spiritual malnutrition due to spiritual hunger.

(this article was published in the Seed Magazine)