Month: October 2018

On Friday 19th October 2018, the SVD youths from our parishes in Arusha set on a Journey to Nairobi to visit their counterparts in DIWOPA parish in Kayole. The Journey began at 6 a.m. hoping to arrive in Nairobi on time for lunch. However, things changed on the way when our bus developed some mechanical problem that delayed us for 4 hours. We finally got to the CFC Langata at 6:30 p.m. and met Fr. James Mailady, the Rector, waiting for us with some volunteer Mamas who had prepared lunch for us. They had been patiently waiting for us from noon.

After our late lunch, we proceeded to DIWOPA parish where the youths were also patiently waiting for us. They took their friends to their families where they were to accommodate them.

On the following day, some of the youths from Arusha joined their friends for the zonal youth festivals that were held in Eastleigh Nairobi, while others remained in the parish and attended the diaconate ordination of two of our young confreres. Afterwards they visited Soweto parish and its surroundings including our Pre-philosophy Formation House.

On Sunday we celebrated the World Mission Sunday in the second mass and after the breakfast with their friends, they visited the City Center and then  the journey back to Arusha began at around 2 p.m. The return Journey was relevantly smooth. We thank God for the journey mercies.

According to the youths, the trip was very informative and enjoyable. They experienced many new things especially the way the liturgy was celebrated. They noticed how alive the entire congregation was during the mass, as well as the way the people went about their daily businesses, which was quite different from what they have back at home.

The Trip was organized by the SVD youth leaders in Arusha together with Fr. Lawrence Muthee, SVD, in collaboration with the youth leaders in Kayole under their chaplain Fr. Emmanuel Koffighan, SVD. The youths were so happy and grateful for the opportunity of their lifetime.

We at Jambokentan would like to encourage more of this kind of exchange program in the future.

The term Deacon is derived from the Greek Word diakonos that means “Servant”. In the Acts of the Apostles 6:1-6 we read:

Now in those days, as the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose by the Greek-speaking Jews against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.  ² So the twelve summoned the community of disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we neglect the word of God to serve tables. ³ So, brothers, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we will put in charge of this need. ⁴ But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” ⁵ And the statement pleased the whole group, and they chose Stephen (a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit), and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus (a convert from Antioch), ⁶ whom they stood before the apostles. And they prayed and placed their hands on them. (Text from Bible Gateway).

On Saturday 20th October, two of our young confreres: Francis and Honore, Together with three others from the Congregation of the Servants of the Divine Province, were ordained to the Order of the Deacons. The ordination took place at Divine Word Parish in Kayole, Nairobi. Bishop David Kamua, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Nairobi was the Ordaining Prelate.

The Deacons will serve as ministers in the service to the poor and the marginalized in the Church, as well as the Preachers of the Word of the Good News. Later on they will be ordained as Priests for the people of God.

in the same celebration, we also launched the Common Formation Center Silver Jubilee. The magazine contains the history of the CFC and stories form Alumni since 1994.

We at Jambokentan would like to congratulates them and wish them God’s blessings in their ministry.

Fr. Lawrence Muthee, SVD

One of the 5 important pillars of our Christian faith is the Word of God – the Holy Scriptures.  Others include the Deity,  the Creed, the Holy Place and the Liturgy.

It is by reading and reflecting upon the Scriptures that we come to know the will of God for us.  Unless we read attentively and intentionally, the Word remains mute and inactive to us.

When God realized that his Word, spoken through the prophets was not alive enough to inspire his people to come back to him,  he decided that his word should take flesh and dwell active and tangible amongst us.  “So the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:14).

Many times we hear the Word of God being read and preached to us.  While that is one way of knowing the Word, it is very necessary for us to read and reflect on the Word by ourselves because God wants to speak to us as much individually as in the community of believers.

On every third Monday of the month, the Friends of SVD, a lay associate group of the Divine Word Missionaries, together with the confreres working in Arusha city in Tanzania meet to read, reflect,  meditate and share the Word of God.

Last Monday on 16th October 2018, Brother Douglas Simoneti, the coordinator of Bible Apostolate in the province,  took the members through the method of praying with the Word of God.

The group gathered in St.  Joseph the Worker Parish in Olasiti for the event. Later we shared a meal together to celebrate the gift of our mission here in Arusha.

We thank Brother Douglas for organizing the input and Fr.  Boniface for hosting us.

Fr.  Lawrence Muthee, SVD

On Sunday 14 October 2018, the Archbishop of Arusha Archdiocese Isaac Amani was in our SVD Parish in Burka to confer the Sacrament of Confirmation to 115 young boys and girls. Together with them were also 135 others who receive the Eucharistic Jesus for the first time.

In his Homily, the Archbishop who is only 6 months old in the Archdiocese since he was inaugurated in April, stressed on the importance of separating the celebration of the Sacraments from big parties and extravagant spending that has cropped into our religious celebrations.

he urged the laity to play their role in bringing up their children in Christian values because it their vocation.

The Archbishop added that it was sad to see how people are being misled in matters of faith because they do not take time to learn more about the things that constitute our this faith.

After the two long masses that lasted about 8 hours, the Archbishop together with the children and the priests gathered to share a meal to celebrate these great gifts of God to the children.

Fr. Lawrence Muthee, SVD