KM 348/02/ 2018 February – June 2018
Glorify the Lord with me; together, let us praise his name.” (Ps. 34:4)
0. INTRODUCTION
Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,
Few weeks ago we celebrated Pentecost, the descending of the Holy Spirit, on which the church was born to continue the liberating mission of Christ. In promising the Holy Spirit Jesus said to the Apostles, “you will receive power when the holy spirit comes on you and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but also to the ends of the Earth” (Acts 1:8). In their works they needed precisely the power. They felt completely powerless. Thy were crippled with fear and a sense of inadequacy. Thy needed someone to empower them. That’s what happened at Pentecost. Imbued with the power by the holy spirit, the apostles began the preaching of the gospel.
The spirit provided the Apostles with the energy, the courage, the love and the passion to get on with the task Christ had given them.
Lastly, Christ called them and challenged them to be witnesses since they were filled with the Holy spirit. No longer be anxious or fearful but full of the fruits of the Holy Spirit: that of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Possessed by these fruits of the Holy Spirit, we are able to renew, transform our communities, homes and society:
– From darkness to light;
– From indifference to caring;
– From self-centeredness to sharing;
– From hatred to loving;
– And from avoiding the poor to accepting the needy.
This is the faith-journey we would like to embark upon during the rest of the liturgical year. Good Luck.
1. PRIESTLY ORDINATION
The following brothers will be ordained to the sacred priesthood:
– Br Deacon Joseph Sheelekeni Hafeni Sheelekeni OMI will be ordained on the 16thJune 2018 at St. Peter Canisius Parish, Anamulenge at 9h00.
– Br Deacon Vitalis Tshimweetheleni Johannes OMI will be ordained as a priest on the 11th August 2018 at R.C.M Oshikuku, St Theresa of the Child Jesus at 9h00.
Let us continue to pray for them.
2. DIACONATE ORDINATION
– Seminarian Eusebius Munhu, a diocesan, was ordained as deacon on the 21 April 2018, in Corpus Christi (Wanaheda) Parish at 9h00.
– Likewise, seminarian Gabriel Simon, was ordained on the same day at the same place as stated above.
Congratulations.
3. CONFIRMATION IN THE ARCHDIOCESE
Khorixas 26
Uutsima 81
Omuthitugwonyama 99
Ombwana 65
Otshikutshatshipya 38
Okando 57
Eparara 21
Otshitutuma 39
Omutaku 84
Olyavahenge 69
Onangama 17
Etayi 92
Uukwanatshikare 79
Okambebe 24
Oshali 51
Okalongo 39
Oshikuku 127
Okathitu 26
Onampira 71
All these newly confirmed Catholics need our prayers for the spirit of courage and perseverance in faith like the apostles during the early church.
4. PROFESSION OF VOWS: TEMPORARY/FINAL
4.1 Final Vows
– Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God (SMIC)
o Sr Emeresiana Hawanga SMIC made her perpetual vows on the 10/02/2018 at Tondoro Catholic Mission – Rundu.
4.2 Temporary Vows
– Sr. Francis Galant SMIC, will make her temporary vows on the 04/10/2018, while Sr. Helena Kasiku SMIC, will renew hers.
5. JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS
The following members of our personnel had celebrated their respective Jubilees as listed hereunder:
5.1 Golden Jubilee
– Fr. Abbot Justin Dzikowicz OSB – Golden Jubilee of religious life, August, 19, 1967- celebrated it on 09/09/2017 at St. Paul’s Abbey, Newton NJ- USA.
– Fr. Venantius Makabanyane OMI – golden Jubilee of religious consecration – (25/01/1968) at Villa – Maria- Lesotho.
– Fr. Frans van Wyk OMI – celebrated his 30th Anniversary of religious life (25/01/1988) at our lady of Hope, Johannesburg.
– Fr. Adolf Volk OMI – celebrated his 90th birthday on the 12/02/2018 – Pioneerspark.
– Sr. Elizabeth Lunebrink SMIC – who worked for many years in the Archdiocese of Windhoek celebrated her golden Jubilee of religious life on the 02/02/2018, Tses, Keetmanshoop.
– Sr Antonia Mersch SMIC celebrated her 80th birthday on the 17 April 2018 –Windhoek.
– Sr. Dominika Lemken SMIC will celebrate her golden jubilee of religious life on the 15/08/2018 at Tses, Keetmanshoop.
– Furthermore Sr. Elizabeth Lunebrink SMIC will celebrate her 80th birthday on the 2nd September 2018.
5.2 Silver Jubilee
– Sr. Lydia Risto OSB – will thank the Lord for the gift of her vocation – 25 years of religious life on 14 July 2018 at St. Michael’s Mission (09h30).
– Sr. Walburga Amutenya OSB will also celebrate her silver jubilee of religious life at the same venue as Sr Lydia OSB.
– Sr. Letitia Andowa MSC, the provincial Superior celebrated her silver jubilee of religious life on 19/05/2018 at Mariental, Keetmanshoop.
– Sr. Marina Mumbala MSC –celebrated also her silver Jubilee of religious consecration on 19/05/2018 at Mariental.
– The following MSFS Fathers celebrated their respective jubilees on the 03 June 2018 at St. Augustine’s Parish- Soweto.
• Fr. Jose Thomas MSF – Silver Jubilee of Priesthood;
• Fr. Lukose Alexander MSFS – Silver Jubilee of Priesthood;
• Fr. Joseph Kunjaparambil MSFS – Silver Jubilee of Priesthood;
• Fr. Philip Mangattu MSFS – Rudy (40 years) Anniversary of Priesthood.
– Br. Paul Onyango Onyisi CMM –celebrated his silver Jubilee of religious life on the 09/06/2018 at St. Mary’s Cathedral Parish.
To all the Jubilarians, congratulations ad may God bless you abundantly.
6. CHURCH BLESSING:
On the 12/05/2018, I blessed the new church of Onangama, situated in the Okalongo Pastoral district. The event was uniquely prepared in an African style. The faithful felt very happy indeed to celebrate this achievement of having a beautiful house of worship. Congratulations.
7. TRANSFER AND APPOINTMENTS
7.1 Fr. Nazario Amado Kuatouta, a diocesan priest from Ondjiva Diocese (Angola) has been appointed as the new Parish Priest of Okalongo Pastoral district and I installed him on the 19/05/2018.
7.2 Missionary of our Lady of Lasallete has withdrawn from the Parish of Omuthiya on the 29/04/2018 after a couple of years of service. On behalf of the Archdiocese, I would like to express my gratitude for their dedication in building up our local church. Their contribution will never be forgotten. Consequently, Fr. Fransico Kambenje MS has been recalled and transferred to his home province in Angola. Meanwhile, I have appointed Fr Erasmus Amushembe as the acting Parish Priest of Omuthiya Pastoral district and is being assisted by Fr Stefanus Shaningwa.
8 GENERAL INFORMATION
– Bishop Estanislau Chindecasse SVD from the Diocese of Ndudo, Angola, came to visit us from the 14 -20 December 2017.
– Bishop Philip Anyolo, the bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Homa Bay, Kenya visited our local church and participated in the silver jubilee festivities of Br Paul CMM, who is from his Diocese. We are indeed grateful for his cordial visit. He arrived in Namibia on the 08/06/2018 and departed on the 11/06/2018.
– Episcopal Consecration of Bishop Willem Christiaans, OSFS, the newly appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Keetmanshoop, took place on 05/05/2018 in Keetmanshoop. The Principal Consecrator was Archbishop Protase Rugambwa, from Propaganda Fidei, assisted by Archbishop Peter.B. Wells, the Apostolic Nuncio and myself. The celebration was graced by the presence of 10 bishops, 74 priests, 13 deacons and the faithful from different parishes in the country. Thank you very much to all of you for your attendance.
Let us wish Bishop Willem joy and perseverance in his new responsibility as the Pastor of the Diocese of Keetmanshoop.
– Fr. Brown OMI – USA Councillor came for an official visit to Namibia to talk to the oblates as from 13 – 27 February 2018.
– We were also blest with the visit of Sr. Barbara Winkler MSC – Superior General of the Missionary Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, on canonical visitation from 06 March – 25 April 2018.
– Fr. Siphelele .P. Gwanisheni OFM – Minister Provincial visited Namibia for few days during April 2018.
– Abbot Fr. John-Paul Mwaniki OSB who has been appointed recently as the new Abbot for Inkamana Abbey (Installation: 21 April 2018), visited us from the 11 -18 June 2018.
– The local church of Namibia was also honoured with the presence of Fr. Baiju Mundackal MSFS, the newly appointed Regional Superior of the MSFS- Fathers. He replaces Fr Babychan Arackathara MSFS. Fr Baiju, was officially installed on the 28/05/2018 in Keetmanshoop. Congratulations and may God bless you in your new responsibility.
– Sr. Dr. Mary- Grace Shiinda OSB has successfully completed her studies as a dentist in Ukraine. She has arrived back home few months ago. Congratulations Sr. Grace for this achievement for the good of the local church and the community at large.
– At the recent SMIC-Sisters Provincial Meeting the following members were elected to the new leadership team:
1. Sr. M. Clara Oaes SMIC – Provincial Superior
2. Sr. Bernadette Araes SMIC – Councillor
3. Sr. Johanna Ndjaula SMIC –Councillor.
Wishing you all the best.
– OSB – Benedictine Sisters of Oshikuku Canonical visitation. I will be conducting a canonical visitation to all communities, as required by law, during the months of June and July 2018. Please keep me and the sisters in your daily prayers.
– The Council of Churches in Namibia (CCN) – CCN Church leaders and other religious leaders of other faiths had a meeting with his Excellency Dr. Hage. G. Geingob, the President of the Republic of Namibia in order to share and discuss on issues / challenges facing the country. The consultative meeting was held on the 12/04/2018 at State House. The participation was quite good.
– CPLO – Organized an opening mass for catholic parliamentarians in order to encourage them to be the light to all nations through their public service portfolios. The Eucharistic celebration and the blessing was held on the 18/02/2018 at St. Mary’s Parish-Khomasdal. Furthermore, the CPLO also carried out a roundtable (event) discussion on Education with several experts sharing their thoughts and ideas on that important subject.
– Word of appreciation: to all our church personnel and pastoral agents, I would like to thank you for your input and service rendered to the people of God. Particularly thanking you for your active participation in the major events around the Archdiocese i.e. Ordinations, Religious professions, Pastoral meetings, jubilee celebrations etc. This for me is indeed edifying. Keep it up. Thanks a million.
8. PRAYER FOR THE SICK
Let us continue to pray for our brothers, sisters and relatives who are either sick or recovering at home/communities, that our Lord, the compassionate one, may give them comfort and solace.
9. IN MEMORIAM
Let us commend all our deceased brothers and sisters who labored so much for the salvation of souls:
– Sr Imgard Katrina Poroto OSB – the former Prioress General of the Benedictine Sisters who passed on, on the 18/02/2018 in Windhoek Central Hospital. The burial was held in Nyangana.
– Fr Hermann Bernhard Klein-Hitpass OMI – nicknamed the “Champ of working for and with the poor, underprivileged and the vulnerable” – passed away on the 24/04/2018 after being bed-ridden for a long time in the R.C. Hospital. Burial was on 28/04/2018 in Dӧbra. He was 79 years old.
– Sr Leonore Mpingana Shipena OSB – born 16/08/1978, died on 04/05/2018 in a tragic car accident between Mariental and Keetmanshoop on the way to attend the Episcopal Ordination. She was buried on 12/05/2018 in Oshikuku.
10. CONCLUSION
In conclusion, I would like to quote from the reading of today on the feast day of St. Barnabas. “He was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith” (Acts 11:24). The missionary passion of St. Barnabas should be an encouragement to us to carry out our duties with total dedication and sacrifice. Let us be inspired in our pastoral engagement by his skills of mediation and be peacemakers in our parish communities by encouraging others to optimally use their talents to build up our local church.
May we move and live in hope under the guidance of the Holy Spirit in faith, as did the Apostles after Pentecost.
Sincerely yours in the Vineyard of the Lord,
…………………………………………………..
+Most Rev. Archbishop Liborius N. Nashenda OMI
ARCHDIOCESE OF WINDHOEK/NAMIBIA.
