KM 358 /01/ 2025 January- November 2025

“Glorify the Lord with me; together, let us praise his
name.” (Ps. 34:4)

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

O. INTRODUCTION
As we usher in the Advent Season, we are also about to bid goodbye to the
Jubilee Year. Yet, this season is highly fitting to reflect more on the theme
of the Jubilee Year, “Pilgrims of Hope”, since Advent is a season of hope.
This hope is manifested by our longing and waiting for the Messiah. Pope
Francis in his message at the Angelus on 3rd December 2017, said:
“Advent is the time we are given to welcome the Lord who comes to
encounter us, and also to verify our longing for God, to look forward and
prepare ourselves for Christ’s return”.
This reveals the two-fold character of Advent: 1) a looking forward to the
glorious coming of Christ, that is, the Last Judgment or Parousia; and 2) a
joyful expectation and preparation for Christ’s coming at Christmas, that
is, his birth in Bethlehem. This two-fold character, actually follows the
order of readings in the calendar, where the first part of Advent proclaims
the second coming of Christ, and the second part announces his first
coming in human form. Pope Francis also said: “Advent is thus a
favourable time to pray with greater intensity, to reserve to the spiritual
life the important place it deserves” (Pope Francis, Angelus, 10th
December 2017). The Jubilee Year is a time for spiritual renewal, and this
renewal can effectively happen if there is intensive prayer. Thus, at this
Advent season, we are called to intensify our prayer, to work for personal
conversion and reconciliation, encouraging people to strengthen their
faith and turn towards God and their neighbours.
“Faith without actions is dead” (James 2:17). Hence, faith must also be
expressed in our concern for our needy neighbours. Pope Leo XIV,
sharing the desire of his predecessor, Pope Francis, in his first Apostolic
Exhortation, Dilexi Te, (“I have loved you”) declared: “I too consider it
essential to insist on this path to holiness, for ‘in this call to recognize him
in the poor and the suffering, we see revealed the very heart of Christ, his
deepest feelings and choices, which every saint seeks to imitate’.”
By this short reflection, I wish all of you a prayerful Advent, a joyful
Christmas and a meaningful culmination of the Jubilee Year into the New
Year 2026!

NEWS NEWS NEWS

1. PRIESTLY ORDINATION:

• Fr Immanuel Ndeitunga Tobias was ordained to priesthood on 22
  February 2025 at his home Parish of Omuthiya. We wish him well as he
  embarks on his priestly ministry.

2. DIACONATE ORDINATION:
The following seminarians were ordained as Deacons at St Augustine’s
Parish, Soweto on 26 July 2025:

• Dc Ananias Simeon
• Dc Jonas Thimotheus
• Dc Joseph Fillemon
• Dc Josafat Paulus

3. CONFIRMATION:
Hereunder, follows the list of those confirmed in the last few months.
PARISH Number PARISH Number

1. Okatana Parish 130, Ondjungulume 89
2. Ongwediva Parish 153, Uutsima 58
3. Amutanga Parish 109, Okathitu 70
4. Oshakati Parish 136, Omutaku 73
5. Emono Parish 145, Uukwanatshikare 79
6. Omagongati Parish 124, Omuthitugwonyama 84
7. Omege Parish 157, Otshikutshatshipya 46
8. Iilyateko Parish 37, Etsikiro 10
9. Onelago Parish 140, Otshikuku 163, Osisiya Parish 152, Eparara 69
10. Omuulukila Parish 110, St Joseph’s, Döbra 65
11. Iipanda Parish 42, Corpus Christi, Wanaheda 62
12. Ondombehethindi Parish 44, St Peter Claver 59
13. Ombafi Parish 87, Khomasdal OLHC 48
14. Anamulenge Parish 152, Tsumeb Parishes 69
15. Olupaka Parish 114, Omuthiya Parishes 59
16. Ruacana Parish 37, Ondangwa 31
    18.Khorixas 39, Ongha 122
17. Dornfeld 64, Okambebe 70
18. St Konrad/Gobabis 9, Olyavahenge 126
19. OL Fatima 108, Onangama 100
20. Witvlei 32, Okalongo 56
21. Blouberg 3, Holy Redeemer-Katutura 49
22. Okando 105, Oshikuyu 94
23. Otshuuli 11, Oshitutuma 45
24. Otshuudhi 24, Onampira 46
25. Etayi 84

Let us pray for these newly confirmed Catholics to be committed witnesses of the
risen Lord and to grow daily in their encounter with Him through prayer.

4. PROFESSION OF VOWS: TEMPORARY/ FINAL
4.1 Final Profession:

• Sr Mary Vincent Shatipamba, OSB professed on 17 May 2025
• Sr Mary James Korbinian, OSB professed on 17 May 2025
  4.2First Profession
• Sr Desideria Nambondi, SMIC from Okatana Pastoral Region
• Sr Veronica Kamwi, SMIC from Corpus Christi Parish
  Both took their first profession of vows on 31 May 2025 at
  Dornfeld Mission, Gobabis.

5. JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS:
5.1 60th Diamond Jubilee: Religious Profession

• Sr Angela Bock, OSB celebrated on 17 May 2025
• Sr Theresia Kasiona, OSB celebrated on 17 May 2025
  5.2Golden Jubilee
• Sr Juliana Munkwetele, OSB celebrated on 17 May 2025
  5.3Silver Jubilee
• Fr Kapenambili Shimbome, OMI celebrated his priestly Silver Jubilee on
  14 December 2024 at Oshikuku Mission.
• Fr Lukas Mosemedi, OMI also celebrated his religious Silver Jubilee on
  the same date and venue.
• Sr Genovefa Nampira, OSB celebrated on 17 May 2025

6. CHURCH JUBILEE OR BLESSING:

• MSC St Gerard Private School – Omakuva, Omusati Region was blessed
  and inaugurated on 27 May 2025.

7. TRANSFERS AND APPOINTMENTS:

• Fr Werner S Afunde – Vicar General, has been appointed as the Parish
  Priest of Otjiwarongo District Parishes.
• Fr Ernesto Camboa, MS as Parish Priest of Tsumeb Parishes and is
  deputized by Fr Alberto Muhepe, MS.
• Fr Frans Konrad is appointed as Parish Priest of Aminuis Pastoral
  District.
• Fr Paulus Tomanga is appointed as the Parish Priest of Usakos/Karibib
  Parish Districts.
• Fr Lukas Antonio has been appointed as acting Parish Priest of Opuwo in
  the absence of Fr Benjamin Alfredo who went for Sabbatical leave.
• Fr Immanuel Ndeitunga Tobias has been appointed as Assistant Parish
  Priest of Katutura under the guidance of Fr Martinus Nangwasha (PP).

• Fr Felicio Hatwikulipi is appointed as Parish Priest of St Lawrence Parish,
  Okalongo, being deputized by Fr Xavier Taukundjele. I have installed
  them on 02 November 2025.
• Fr Gabes Simon has been appointed as Parish Priest of Oshikuku Pastoral
  Region with Fr Simeon Nghiimbwasha as his assistant.

8. GENERAL INFORMATION

• Visit of the New Apostolic Nuncio, His Excellency Archbishop
  Henryk Jagodziński – He was the main Celebrant and homilist at the
  NCBC Plenary opening Holy Mass and launching of the Jubilee Year 2025
  in St Mary’s Cathedral on 26 January 2025.
• Fr Andreas Amrhein Hostel for boys and girls in Ruacana – was
  blessed on 18 January 2025.
• IMBISA Plenary Assembly and Golden Jubilee Celebration was
  held in Eswatini on 24-29 September 2025 with a theme, “A Synodal
  Journey, Nourished by Compassion and Blossoming in Faith as Pilgrims
  of Hope.” All the IMBISA countries were represented and at the end, a
  new Standing Committee was elected.
• Dilexi te – the first Apostolic Exhortation on Love of the Poor written
  by Pope Leo XIV and released on 04 October 2025, the Memorial of St
  Francis of Assisi. Please read it and familiarize yourselves with its
  content.
• Archdiocese Head Office Holiday – the office closes on 12 December
  2025 and opens on 12 January 2026.

9. OUR SICK/DECEASED
Departed:

• Sr Herluka Susanna Sheehama, OSB passed away on 14 December 2024
  in St Martin Hospital, Oshikuku at the age of _ and was buried on 20
  December 2024.
• Sr Pia Lansang, OSB passed away on 17 May 2025 in Manila, aged 86 and
  has been working as a Prioress for 2 terms in Namibia.

10. CONCLUSION
Having shared with you the above news, update and information, I shall
remain with you in my prayers and blessings as you joyfully celebrate the
festivities during the upcoming season. In the same breath, I would like to
convey my heartfelt wishes for Christmas and prosperous New Year!
Sincerely yours in the Lord,

+Most Rev. Archbishop Liborius Ndumbukuti Nashenda, OMI
ARCHDIOCESE OF WINDHOEK