With Fr. Samy on arrival at JKIA Nairobi On 12 February 2019, the Superior General of the Divine Word Missionaries SVD) Rev. Fr. Paulus Budi Kleden landed in Nairobi from Uganda, where he had gone to visit our confreres working with the refugees from South Sudan. The confreres left the mission in Yei Diocese after the fighters displaced the residents and occupied our mission house. After visiting some of our houses in Nairobi, he crossed the border to Tanzania on the following morning 13 February 2019, where he visited the confreres working in the Archdiocese of Arusha. In his brief … Continue reading A Visit by the SVD Superior General in Kenya-Tanzania Province

Brother Karl with John Cardinal Njue, Archbishop of Nairobi Beginning of starting a New Mission. It was in 1984 when the Divine Word Missionaries (SVD) Generalate decided to open a new mission in Kenya a country in East Africa. Three confreres namely Fr. Tony Rebello from India, who was born in Kenya and was working in Zambia, Fr Mike Egan from Ireland and myself from Germany, were assigned to the new mission.When we arrived we were invited by the then Archbishop of Nairobi His Eminence Maurice Cardinal Otunga, to start a parish in Kayole situated in the Eastern outskirts of … Continue reading The Beginnings of the SVD Mission in Kenya, By Brother Karl Schaarschmidt

When I Joined the Society of the Divine I was fascinated by the Bible chart I found on the wall Of the then Soweto parish house, that later became formation house for the aspirants.  This was the version made in Ghana and I can say I learnt quite a number of things from it. This chart has been displayed in our parishes in Nairobi but since it is in English,  our missions in Tanzania could not benefit from it, since the language used is Kiswahili. Since I began my mission here in Arusha, Tanzania, I have been noticing a big … Continue reading Presenting the Bible Chart in Kiswahili.

Reading I: Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19; Responsorial Psalm: 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15-17; Reading II: 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13 or 13:4-13; Gospel: Luke 4:21-30 My dear friends in Christ, the first reading from the book of the Prophet Jeremiah, talks about the fear Jeremiah had to take up the prophet mission. This is because he had experience the hard hardheartedness of the people. He feared that they might not listen to him. God tells him that he had prepared him for that mission since he was in his mother’s womb. God would fight for him so that he may carry out his mission. The … Continue reading 4th Sunday Ordinary Time Year C

  Somo I: Jeremia 1:4-5, 17-19;  Wimbo wa Katikati:   Zaburi 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15-17; Somo 2: Wakorintho 12:31-13:13 or 13:4-13;  Injili: Luka 4:21-30 Upendo wa Kweli ni upi? Tumsifu Yesu Kristo. Katika Somo la Kwanza kutoka kitabu cha Nabii Yeremia 1:4-5,17-19, tunasikia jinsi Yeremia aliogopa kupokea kazi ya unabii kwa sababu alijua ugumu wa mioyo ya watu wa wakati wake. Mungu anamwambia kwamba alimuandaa kwa ajili hiyo tangu tumboni mwa mama yake. Atampigania ili asishindwe katika wito wake. Wito wa Yeremia ni mfano wa wito wetu sisi wote tuliobatizwa katika Kristo. Kwanza tumeitwa kama wanadamu viumbe walio juu zaidi ya viumbe … Continue reading JUMAPILI YA 4 MWAKA C

This week the SVD Family in Kenya – Tanzania Province gathered in the Common Formation Centre in Langata, Nairobi , to celebrate the life, mission and Sainthood of the two great men, who formed the foundations of the Congregation of the Divine Word Missionaries: Sts. Arnold Janssen and Joseph Freinademetz. The first day the celebration began with a Lectio Divina led by Bro. Douglas Simonetti, SVD. the reflection was from John 15, “The vine and the Branches”.  After that, there  followed part 1 of the Brendan Memorial Lectures, given by Fr. Albert Fuchs, SVD. This is the first lecture of … Continue reading Celebrating Sts. Arnold and Freinademetz