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26^TH – 29^TH DECEMBER 2006

AT SAMBALAYAS LODGE, LUSAKA

COMMUNITY AND MINISTRY REPORTS

KALABO COMMUNITY: 

The community members enjoyed the joys and and support by community members. The community manifested flexibility where monthly recollections, meetings and community prayers are concerned.

However, they have no room for visitors.  Their goals for next year are that they encourage members to be open and feel at home in community, they intend to find ways of deepening personal sharing in an atmosphere of trust and confidentiality.  In their projection for the community they would like to establish a pastoral team and strengthen CCJDP, St. Vincent De Paul organization Small Christian Communities.

They also intend to empower the Parish Council so that it owns the Parish programs and be able to make decisions.  The laity would be empowered by holding leadership workshops. 

The youths would be encouraged to identify themselves with the Small Christians Community they belong to and at Delegation level, they would like to send people for specialized training in philosophy so that they come and teach in Makeni.

JACK JOYCE COMMUNITY: 

The house was officially named Jack Joyce after the visitation of the Provincial who blessed it, this year.  Though they have a busy schedule during the day, they have a schedule for community.  They say they do not have to look for joy else where other than their community. 

Their goals are to have monthly recollections, time for resting together, uphold community life together and to make other people feel at home.  There is need to furnish the house by putting up chairs in the prayer room.  A storeroom is needed and a chapel to be built outside so that more space is created in the house.

CENTER HOUSE:

All the community members’ work is at the Delegation Office.  They have Morning Prayer three times a week together.  The community has helped to make members realize the importance of their being especially as religious men.  Their projections for next year are to renovate the house.  They would like to create more time of being together.  They would also like to create more time to be with the formation community.

CEDARA: 

The Scholastics are happy because the council has looked into their requests and feedback has always been given.  They admitted that they have learnt a lot from the different other cultures at the Scholasticate.  However, they also felt that they were not treated fairly in some issues and that they would love to see a situation where they are given room to express themselves fully.

FORMATION COMMUNITY:

They have had a good year.  They have formulated a structure that is followed.  Have made an effort to be present to each other and have time to talk about their ministries. 

They have divided the students in four groups so that each one of them has a group to journey with.  Three Pre-Novices were sent to Godfrey Novitiate, in August.  Four would be sent to Our Lady of Peace Novitiate in Namibia and another four would be sent to Our Lady of Hope Novitiate in South Africa.

The kitchen and dining room were enlarged, to give enough space for the whole group.  Center House and Pre-Novitiate House had set out goals of being together as Oblates in Lusaka but this has proved futile.  However they need to work on this especially in the coming year. 

They want to continue being community, praying and being of help to each other.  They also want to continue making the community an Oblate Formation House. 

However, this community had questions for the assembly thus; 

Ø      The delegation would soon be celebrating 25 years of its presence in Zambia , is there a way of evaluating our works as a delegation.

Ø      There is a possibility that very soon, Zambia shall be a province; are we going to continue relying on foreign financial aid.  Is there a way to look at our local benefactors and investors?

LIMULUNGA MISSION :

Have enjoyed each other’s presence and have tried to be available to each other.  The community schedule is flexible to suit the work environment.  Space in the house is quite limited.  Privacy is created within the limited space they have. 

LUKULU:

Members make sure to create time for each other, for prayers and meals.  They appreciate the visits by the bishop because they make them have a sense of belonging.

They are grateful to the delegation for installing the Internet in their community.  For their projections as community, they would like to evaluate their projects, find formal training for catechists, train zonal leaders, help out churches in outstations who have build their church buildings using bricks with iron sheets and start rice farming.

OBLATE RADIO LISELI:

The director had presented the needs for the coming three years.  He mentioned the importance of having certain equipment in stock at the radio station in case of an emergency, so that operations are not disrupted.  He saw the need to have a website for the station. 

For the coming years, the projection for the delegation has been identified as to send people for specialized training such as in the field of media, formation and technical.  When these people come back from studies, they are to sign contracts for at least 3 years with the Oblates.

OUR LADY’S HOSPICE

Fr. David Kalert, OMI, who was appointed interim Administrator of the hospice gave a report of the hospice.  Sr. Catherine is assisting him as administrative assistant.  At the moment the Oblates make a contribution of $25, 000.00. 

The hospice is currently undergoing some financial constraints.  The USA Province will give a loan of $125, 000.00 to cover urgent needs.  One thing that has to be clarified is the issue of running the hospice like a clinic, where people can come for various treatments.

MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION MARY IMMACULATE (MAMI)

This group has about 18 members from Mary Immaculate church.  They meet once every month.  They follow the spirit of the congregation. 

MARY IMMACULATE PARISH

The history of this parish comes from the Sunday masses at St. Dominic’s chapel.  Achbishop Merdardo Mazombwe established the parish on Leopards hill road, in 2004.  Mass is celebrated in the tent which was erected in 2003.  The church is still under construction.

INFORMATION DESK

There had always been a cry to have this desk for the purpose of receiving and dissemination of information.  Fr. Keba had been working on this desk since the beginning of this year.  Benetria Milambo later joined him.  The two have produced the delegation magazine and the calendar for 2007, among other things. 

SHANG’OMBO MISSION

The bishop of Livingstone Diocese requested the Missionary Oblates, Zambia Delegation, to take up Shang’ombo mission, which is situated in the Western Province and has a population of about 5, 000 baptised Catholics.

About 85% of the population of Shang’ombo is poor.  The people depend on maize farming.   Initially, the mission was run by Capuchins until early 1990s when the Diocese took over.  The priests go there once in three months because of lack of diesel and pastoral provision from the diocese. 

There is need to have priests and sisters there for pastoral purposes.  

The Oblates have not yet made a decision on weather to take the parish or not.  Discussions are still going on.

12.0 PHILOSOPHY HOUSE IN LUSAKA

The discernment process of opening a philosophy house in Lusaka begun years back.   This is with the view of reducing the numbers of Zambian Scholastics at Cedara.  Proposals have been received from different meetings.  The idea is to have candidates do philosophy studies before they go to the novitiate.  This is projected for September 2008. 

DMDC REPORT

Ø      The Missionary Oblates, Zambia Delegation, are the managing agent of the Diocese of Mongu Development Centre (DMDC).

Ø      DMDC cannot sustain itself financially in all its operations.  It is in a very serious financial situation.

Ø      Fr. Joseph Phiri, OMI, had a series of meetings.  He met with the management team, the members of staff, the director and the bishop of the diocese. 

Ø      After all these meetings, it was recommended that;

·        The relationship between DMDC and the Development Office needs to be resolved.

·        All workers at DMDC need to be retired on grounds of redundancy. This would facilitate the process of restructuring DMDC.

·        OMIs to evaluate the relevance of DMDC at Assembly.

·        The bishop give a clear position on what he wants with DMDC to cooperating partners ie. OMIs, DMDC and Development office.

Ø                  More consultations on DMDC situation would continue to be done. The workers would be declared redundant in March 2007.

RESOURCES - PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE

 Fr. Godfrey gave the basic requirements for maintenance of all Oblate property.  He emphasized the need to guard all property jealously so that they last long. 

He cautioned on doing the simple check up on motor vehicles everyday before driving.  All units are supposed to do minor repairs and maintenance to avoid unnecessary huge future expenses, when something breaks down completely.

Since Fr. Godfrey is the Delegation Grant Director he reminded the units to submit their projects to him.

 

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