::Sept. - Dec. 2006 issue :: News Archives::

 

Message from the Superior Dear Brothers and Associates, The Formation ministry is at its crucial stage in the Zambia Oblate delegation. A number of challenges have come along with it but with the help of our Lord Christ Jesus and our mother Mary, we will outlive these challenges. We pray and hope that the Delegation will raise responsible and mature Oblates - those who will be unified, available and accountable to our Oblate lifestyle. Even though the world is now a global village, there could be one or two things that we may take advantage of and not communicate to our colleagues through emails, text messages, skype and other modern communication tools. We might not be in contact with someone for a very long time, without realizing it, because we have forgotten to do so or because we have been overwhelmed by events. This issue is more about our scholastic brothers so that you, our brothers and associates, might get to know them. This could provide some kind of connection between yourselves and our Zambian Scholastics! Just as our Constitution and Rules (CC 47) states: "Formation is a process which aims at the integral growth of a person and lasts a lifetime. It enables us to accept ourselves as we are and develop into the person we are called to be. Formation involves us in an ever renewed conversation to the gospel and readiness to learn and to change in response to new demands" The floods that occurred in Western Province due to heavy rainfall we experienced this year can only mean one thing for the Oblates – more challenges and hard work. This is because most of our outstations have been submerged and our faithful brothers and sisters are suffering. They have no shelter, blankets, clean and safe water, no food and medicines. The Zambian government and other Non Governmental Organisations have stepped in but we can not deny the fact that the affected people are looking up to us, the church, to provide some of their requirements because we are part of them. The need to serve the poor and most vulnerable is greater now. We will certainly have more people knocking on our doors for different needs. We ask for your prayers.

Western Province hit by floods

The Western Province of Zambia, where Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) missions are located, is divided by the Luiena plains, which flood to some extent every year.  However, 2006/2007 rainfall period in these plains have exceeded the highest water levels ever recorded.

A number of problems for the local people have been cropping up such as widespread destruction of winter and summer crops as a result.  Even though the population on the Barotse Plains always migrates to the upper land due to floods, the more permanent population on the outskirts of the flood plains have also been affected and are susceptible to food shortages, widespread malnutrition and the spread of infectious water born disease.  To some extent, some of the HIV positive people in these areas, who are on Antiretroviral Treatment and need food supplements from hospitals and clinics, would run into problems because they are not able to access the services. 

According to Fr. Patrick Chiso, OMI, Parish Priest for Kalabo Oblate Mission, most people have moved to higher land.  There are some villagers who have never moved during the rainy season because their homes are built in Islands but have been forced to do so because of their Islands have been submerged.

Fr. Kennedy Sampa, OMI, Parish priest for Lukulu’s Sancta Maria Parish, also said that most of the areas have been isolated.  He said that though some government ministries such as the Office of the Vice President are on the ground assessing the situation, they have at present not presented much help as they always follow procedure whilst people are suffering in the villages.  He said that even though there is a lot of fish in the water, which could be a source of income for the starving villagers, the transportation infrastructure as a result of the floods does not help them at all.

“At the moment the government and some NGOs are in the area, assessing the situation, but that is as much as they can go.  They usually take a laid out procedure and they work with time frames, meantime, the villagers are in dire need of relief in the affected areas,” Fr. Sampa said.

He continued: “Even when we have food available for distribution, it is very difficult to deliver it personally to ensure that it reaches the intended people.  Therefore we rely on the Ward Counselors to distribute this food.  The only way to monitor is through speedboat, which gets expensive.”

He said that most health centres and schools have been closed because the buildings have been submerged in water.

“There are no medicines and logistics are difficult but somehow people have to be reached and given medical care,” he said.

Because of these floods that have been experienced, OMIs expect the number of people calling on their doorsteps for help to triple.  Fr. Chiso said that even without floods, people of Kalabo still starve but with the situation prevailing, it is bound to worsen.  He said that the Oblates in Kalabo, in conjunction with the World Food Programme (WFP) undertook a needs assessment sample survey and found out that about 6,000 households by six people might face starvation.  He said that the number of people might increase depending on how events may turn out.

Fr. Chiso said that even though homes have been destroyed by the floods, it does not surpass the need for food, blankets and clothing.

Some NGOs have also offered voluntary evacuation of households that were found to be in need. This included the hire of boats and grants.  They are still monitoring until the end of June, 2007. Some of the needs discovered by these NGOs include food relief.  However, they will not be distributing foods until April, 2007.

Other needs for the people affected by floods include recovering livelihoods through the distribution of vegetable seed, sweet potato and cassava cuttings that can be immediately planted along the edge of the plains or in suitable upland locations as well as the canal clearing for long term flood prevention. This will focus on the Mongu District and will attempt to comprehensively clear major and minor irrigation canals across the plains.

Maurice Munyati: The OMI Apprentice

I started school at Kaweza Basic School in Chililabombwe until fourth grade when my family moved to Lusaka. I continued my primary school at Lilayi Basic School until eighth grade when I moved to Parklands School in Chilanga. I did my juniour secondary at Parklands and later on moved to Serenje Boys where I completed my high school in 1998.

Before I entered the Pre-novitiate, I studied Marketing at Mansfield College in Lusaka and graduated with a Diploma in Marketing in 2002.

I was accepted and admitted into the pre-notiate in 2004. In August 2005, I went to the USA for Novitiate and a year later, I made my vows.

It has been over a year since I wrote my last reflection. In that issue, I focused on the first two years of my religious life and how it was a challenge and blessing, I also explained what I have been involved in since joining religious life and at what stage I was at in my formation. At that time, I was a novice in the USA.

I completed my novitiate and made my first Oblation on August 1, 2006, It was a moment of grace because I committed myself to a year of Oblate life through the vows of obedience, chastity, poverty and perseverance.

After making my vows, I moved back to Zambia. I was assigned to work at Oblate Radio Liseli that is based in Mongu, Western province of Zambia from September to December 24, 2006 and was living at the Jack Joyce Community. This is an Oblate community that is dedicated to evangelization through media. Jack Joyce Community runs the radio station.

Whilst at the radio station, I was involved in program production. I introduced a radio program called, ‘Meet the Oblates.’ In this program, I presented different aspects of Oblate life. I also featured individual Oblates and their experiences of Oblate life.

Besides ‘Meet the Oblates’ programme, I also used to present a programme called ‘Saints of the day.’ This is a reflection on individual saints of particular days; it used to be broadcast every day.

I also worked as radio announcer, I had two shifts of four hours each per week; this was a time to talk to people and encourage them to have courage and trust in God. I also did purchasing for the station.

At home (Jack Joyce House) we lived and prayed together as a community. We were all involved in the running of the radio station but had time for each other away from work to renew ourselves in the spirit of our founder, St Eugene, who always directs us to God.

My stay in Mongu ended with the beginning of the 2006 Zambia Oblate Delegation Annual Assembly. It was a one week event that started on December 26, 2006; it was special for me, as it was the first I was attending. A number of issues were tabled and future goals were established.

In January, I again attended a very important one week workshop for all Zambian delegation scholastics, which was held in Lusaka. We recommitted ourselves to the congregation and to its mission of evangelizing the poor and the most abandoned.

I had a chance of going to visit my family before leaving for St. Joseph’s Theological Institute, Cedara in South Africa on February 8, 2007. It was a blessing to be with them and a challenge at the same time; it is not easy to be away from them, I love them very much and I am glad that they understand my calling and encourage me to persevere.

My resolutions for 2007 are; to continue discerning my call to religious life with an open heart and mind, to be a man of community, to study hard as studies are imperative in one becoming a good and productive person. I also want to continue integrating what I have learnt in the past with what I will experience this year.

A week-long refklection for the Zambia OMI scholastics

The Zambia Oblate Delegation formation committee organized a workshop for Scholastics from January 18th to 24th 2007 that was facilitated by the Zimbabwe Mission Superior Fr. Michael Foley,OMI.

During the workshop, the scholastics spent their time reflecting on their lives as scholastics in the light of trying to find ways in which Oblate values and ideals can be lived better.

In his opening remarks at the workshop, Fr. Evans Chinyemba, OMI shared with Scholactics some in-puts on the state of initial formation in Zambia. He highlighted a number of challenges that the Zambia Oblate Delegation is facing.

Scholastics were divided in groups and asked to discuss "how clarifying motivation for religious life, Sense of positiveness in life, Funerals and illnesses, amongst other things, emerge as challenges for the formation process. Each group discussed one challenge.

a) Motivation for Religious life: Scholastics said this needs to be seriously reflected on by individual Scholastics as compared to a group by re-visiting their motives of joining religious life. They borrowed Fr. Ron Walker, OMI’s words: "One can join religious life for right reasons and stay for wrong ones and vice versa." The group called on each Oblate Scholastic to be honest with themselves as they reflect on this challenge.

b) Sense of positiveness in life: The group saw a need to be positive towards one another in order to allow personal growth and development in an atmosphere of openness and fraternal correction. It was pointed out that negativity comes mostly when one is not motivated and not trusted. The group reported that there is a need for mutual dialogue and respect amongst Oblates. This, they said, would remove mistrust and suspicion from both parties and would create more room for them to celebrate their uniqueness.

c) Funerals and illnesses: The group felt that even if they are Oblates, their culture does not change. They saw a need to help each individual deal with stress and grief in trying times such as funerals. With regard to illnesses, they suggested there must be some dialogue between the scholastic involved, the Delegation Superior as well as Scholasticate Superior.

Fr. Foley strongly emphasized the importance of the Reflection on Oblate religious life. He then invited the Scholastics for group sharing where they looked at the three main values that initially attracted them to join Oblate life: The name Oblate, Community life and Oblate Models, which still attract them. He asked the scholastics to seriously reflect on ‘deterioration in value and religious commitment’ that seems to take place during the years of initial formation.

Reporting back on the three values, the scholastics found that the mission to the poor (Oblate Charism), community life, and interaction with old oblates still attract men to join the OMI congregation. Fr. Walker came up as an Oblate Model for the Zambian Scholastics.

On the ‘deterioration in value and religious commitment’ for scholastics in initial formation, the Scholastics challenged and called each other to self-control, ownership of the formation process, face problems head-on and attitude change towards formation. They said they need more workshops.

Fr. Foley told the students to be more responsible for their own lives, that they should not blame others for their own irresponsibility, adding that trust must be earned. He told them that the greatest gift one could ever get is integrity.

The Scholastics also had a day of Recollection, as part of the week-long reflection. It was organized and led by Mrs. Josephine Shamwana Lungu, a parishioner at Mary Immaculate Parish in Lusaka. The day was spent in silence.

She started the day by asking the scholastics to reflect on where they would have liked to be at that particular moment and later introduced the theme of the day ‘YOU ARE A HANDFUL OF DOUGH,’ which can be made in different shapes. She asked the students to allow God to shape them in shapes of his choice. It was a well appreciated day spent with the Lord.

She questioned Scholastics: ‘what kind of attitude do you have as individual Missionary Oblates to the lay people and women in the Church?’ She called each Scholastic to reflect on this challenge more seriously throughout the day.

During the liturgy, which was their concluding ritual for this day, Mrs. Lungu, challenged Scholastics to be more Christ-like in their attitude. She also added that, as Christians, Scholastics have to be a sign of healing, liberation, peace and hope to the people they serve.

Scholastics appreciated the workshop and suggested another one so that they could look at ways that could help them to develop and continue being relevant in the Church and to the people they will be ministering to. They said that the workshop gave them an opportunity to get to know each other better. They shared individual visions and mission as OMIs of Zambia.

The Scholastic workshop closed with liturgy, which was presided by Fr. Mike Foley, OMI who encouraged the scholastics to choose to be good OMIs for the Church and the Congregation.

OMI Regents lectured on respect for culture

Language is an embodiment of culture. It is a centre at which people view life and the world around them. It is a medium through which culture of a given group or society is taught, leant, expressed and communicated to others.

Presenting a talk during the Regency orientation workshop that was held in Mongu recently, Fr. Celestino Chishimba, OMI urged the scholastics to learn and respect the culture of the people they will be working with if they had to be of great relevance to the people they minister to.

He said that since we live in a multicultural society, it is common for people to consider the content and values of a particular culture different from theirs as backward thereby increasing the risk of running into problems.

"All of us have to become Lozis. We need to use our insights from the Lozi culture as tools for evangelisation." Fr Celestino said.

He said that evangelisation efforts of missionaries can be meaningful only if they are in harmony with the beliefs and ways of life of the people to whom they minister, which is learning their language, customs and beliefs.

He noted that some people are more gifted than others when it comes to learning different languages. However, he implored the Scholastics to make every effort in learning the Lozi language.

The 2007 Regents are Brothers Peni Mwamba, OMI and Tembo Chibwe, OMI who are based in Kalabo, Chisumbe Ephraim, OMI and Mashekwa Mike, OMI who are based in Lukulu, Wankie Mbuzi, OMI and Maxmillian Siyuni, OMI who are based in Limulunga and Oblate Radio Liseli respectively.

Regency Experience: Bro Like

Regency is one of the stages in my formation I have come to really appreciate.

It all started with a Regency orientation workshop early February 2006 in Makeni, Lusaka . It was at this time that  I realized that there is more to regency than just moving from an academic world to apostolate.

I was officially welcomed in Church at Sancta Maria on February 12, 2006 . I lived in a community of three priests and two scholastic brothers. After a few weeks of settling in, I came up with a Parish Regency Committee consisting eight (8) members. This committee helped me in writing my Learning Covenant as I had a number of things in mind at the beginning but my covenant helped me to prioritise.

Regency has been very good and has allowed me to participate fully in the life and mission of my brother Oblates in Lukulu. The responsibilities entrusted to me, introduced or oriented me into the Oblate way of living that I have been aspiring.

I have been flexible and worked with different people but as a matter of priority, I focused my attention on Youth Ministry.  Working with young people was challenging especially that I am still young too.

I enjoyed working with the group because it is highly organized. I did not have to do everything for them; for example, they organized a youth leadership workshop at the beginning of the year. I was a facilitator along with some youth executive members.

They also prepared three youth rallies where they educated themselves on different issues such as ‘The role of the youth in the church,’ Youth day celebrations on the 12th of March  that started with Mass, then went on to a variety show.  During the Oblate week, they devided themselves in Small Christian Communities and had a mini soccer competition.  In short I was just there to give guidance.

Somehow, it was a challenge seeing young people doing all this because I too had to be organized. The only difficulty which I needed to seriously address was spiritual issues.  In order to achieve this, we organised days of recollection and ‘Taize’ evenings through out the year 2006 but the response was not that good. 

Taize evenings were times when the youths would meet and adore the cross.  We would share about the love of Christ and pray.

Again it is through my regency that I have found St. Eugene de Mazenod’s words, “lead them to act like human beings, then like Christians and finally help them to become saints”, applicable. 

Through my regency experience, I realised that people’s dignity sometimes is taken for granted simply because they are ignorant. They do not know their rights as a result they lower themselves to the level of objects. I believe it is a duty of Oblates to guide these people and empower them, especially the young ones. They need to have the sense for the future. Once they begin relating with each other on a subject, then it becomes easy to lead them to become Christians.

I used to share during mass and also conduct communion services. All in all, my experience has been fruitful and profound.

Here I am Lord, I come to do your will

Our novitiate experience started with drama.

We arrived in Johannesburg expecting to find someone waiting for us when we alighted at the Bus station. On finding that there was no one, we decided to give the Novice Master a call to notify him that we had arrived.  He said he will personally come to fetch us. 

After hanging up the phone, we realised that we did not ask him what he was wearing or something to act as a sign that would make us recognise him as we had never met before.  We did not know if he was a Black man or White man, so we were just looking out for any person looking like a priest and seeming to be looking for us.

This proved us wrong because many fit in the priestly criteria. We saw a good number of men who looked like they were looking for us.  You can imagine how our faces would look when someone who looked like he was looking for us approached.  One of the people came and stood close to us, looked at us and we thought at last we are found but … zoom he went off.

We realised that we would not recognise him easily so we opted to phone him again to tell him where he would find us. We did well to phone because it put our minds to rest when he told us that he decided to send Fr. Paul Waldie,OMI instead.  For us that was even better because we knew  Fr. Waldie, so we relaxed.

Our group comprised of 10 novices; three from the Zambia Oblate Delegation, three from South Africa , two from Namibia , and two from Zimbabwe . 

Personally, the Novitiate was a moment of grace and blessings. It was a time of deepening my relationship with God, knowing my ownself and learning more about the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

Though the journey to self knowledge is a difficult challenge, I deemed it right to risk trying it.  I accepted my weaknesses and strengths. However I also became aware of the fact that this journey of self knowledge does not end, one can never say I know myself completely.

With the help of my formators, I was able to discern God's will in my life and to listen attentively to Him. After being convinced of God's love for me, I chose freely to give myself to God and his church as an Oblate of Mary Immaculate on February 4, 2007 .  Together with my nine brothers in the Novitiate, we made our first vows.

 We thank all who remembered us in their prayers.

Zambian OMI Scholastics showcase the lozi culture

September 24th, is a South African Public Holiday on which its people across the spectrum are encouraged to celebrate their cultural heritage; the diversity of their beliefs and traditions.  It is on this day that the former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela coined South Africa as the rainbow nation. The day is meant to remember South Africa ’s past.

As Zambian Scholastics at St. Josephs Theological Institute in South Africa we were in 2006 given a chance to showcase our heritage during the South African Heritage day.  I was chosen to coordinate the Zambian group and I felt that the Lozi culture would be appropriate.

St Joseph Theological Institute is a multi national Institute and each country represented was asked to present their Culture. We decided to showcase the Silozi Culture and it was generally accepted by the Zambian scholastic Brothers.

We made a boat, brought in sticks to act as paddles and painted them in black and white – the colours of the Nalikwanda (the boat used to carry the Litunga <chief> during the Kuomboka ceremony of the Lozi people).  The Kuomboka ceremony is the time when the Litunga (the King of the Lozi people) moves from his Lealui palace, in the plains to his upland palace in Limulumnga.

During the presentation, Brother Kabika Francis gave the explanation on the Kuomboka ceremony; Chileshe Mulenga was the Controller of the Boat and gave the signals on what direction to move to as the participants danced whilst Brothers Chris Phiri, Maxmillian Siyuni and Emmanuel Tembo were playing the Lozi traditional music.

A lot of people enjoyed our presentation because it was perceived to be rich in tradition.  As such, some non-Zambian students would love do their research paper on the Silozi culture.

We thought of doing something from the Lozi people because it is part our "Oblate culture," our missions are mainly in the Barotseland .  Therefore, we identify with that culture.

180 years of evangelizing the poor

The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate worldwide commemorate the approval of their congregation by Pope Leo XII every February 17.

 
In Lusaka , the jubilation started with Mass at Mary Immaculate Parish.  During Mass, the Zambia delegation Superior, Reverend Father Joseph Phiri, OMI explained how the congregation came into being and how on the 17th of February in 1826, it received papal approval as an institution in the Catholic Church. 

He said that Eugene De Mazenod loved the church as a young man and that he was touched that at the time he was growing up in France , there was a limited number of priests leading the Catholic Church.  This is the drive that led to him becoming a priest.

For the Zambia Delegation, there was no better time to receive the first year pre-novices.  In welcoming the nine young men, Fr. Phiri said: “I call upon you to listen to God, to people around you and to the formators.  It is alright if at one point you realise that you are not called.  However, you must remain focused to the call.”

He made it clear to the young men that trials and hardships were a guarantee in their journey.  In explaining his point, Fr. Phiri told a story of a woman who asked her daughter to watch as she boiled carrots, coffee beans and eggs so that she could explain how each of the three responded to boiling water.

He said that each of the foodstuffs presented reacted differently to boiling water.  The Carrots became soft, the eggs looked the same on the outside but inside became hard whilst the beans not only became soft but changed the colour of the water.  He told them that the formation programme will reveal what kind of people they are and how they will respond to challenges.

“Which one are you going to be when challenges hit you? Are you going to be soft and give up easily like the carrot, make up an appearance as though everything is alright but become hard inside like the egg or are you going to use the challenges you face on a daily basis to change the environment around you like the coffee beans?” he asked.

After mass, the Oblates and some parishioners proceeded to Centre House for lunch and refreshments.  At the house Fr. Vincent Sakala, OMI took time to share the history of the congregation.  He also read some selected parts of the letter from Fr. Superior General, Wilhelm Steckling, OMI.

  “Last year on February 17th the Congregation was proudly looking back on 180 years of history as Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. The approval by Pope Leo XII had been preceded by 10 years of mission preaching and common life of a group of fervent missionaries highly motivated to ‘spare no effort to extend the Saviour's empire.’ This effectively expands our history as Oblates by ten more years. According to official records, 190 years is as far back as we can track our congregation,” Fr. Sakala read the Superior General’s letter in part.

He continued reading: “Despite this, many Oblate priests and Brothers, and friends who have gathered around Saint Eugene, will celebrate a 200th Oblate anniversary this year. The reasoning behind this is that it was probably in 1807, on Good Friday of that year, that Saint Eugene had a special encounter with the crucified One that changed his life. It essentially made him an Oblate. What we can celebrate in 2007 is not an anniversary of the Congregation, but rather an anniversary of our charism, the spiritual gift that makes us live - an anniversary of our Oblate spirituality.”

Fr Sakala said each one of the people who had gathered at Oblate Centre House that 17th day of February, 2007, were inspired by the cross in their Christian lives.  He implored on everyone to ask themselves how they intend to reach out to the people in their lives.

To back his statement, he continued reading another passage from the Superior ’s letter: “Someone inspired by St. Eugene will not be afraid of the cross. As true Oblates we will look openly into the face of the suffering and crucified Christ. This is done not so much by pictures and movies as by reading the Scriptures, experiencing Christ’s presence in the sacraments and looking into the face of the poorest of our brothers and sisters.

“The encounter with Christ in these ways will lead us to cry and weep about our sins, like Eugene did. True, we sometimes admit them, but too often we make light of it, when we should rather weep, mourn and feel desperate. To me this is not a question of making myself feel guilty but about recognizing my contribution to other people’s misery by action or omission. I need to accept myself as I am, with my great gifts and my big failures and to strive to follow Christ better.

“A third step in such a salvatorian spirituality is mission. Anyone who has discovered that God saves, forgives and clothes us anew with festive garb, wants to share this joy and make others experience it for themselves. We become “co-redeemers” as St. Eugene put it.

“Mary Immaculate makes our name complete: we are Oblates, offerings to God with Christ, and we are encouraged on our way by Mary’s shining holiness. She will guide us and many others to an ever deeper encounter with the only One who can save, Christ crucified, the One whom St. Eugene met on a Good Friday, two centuries ago.”

During the Lunch, Oblates, Parishioners and the pre-novices took time to interact.  It was also a time of enlightment.  Stories were told and people were in a celebration mood. 

My Journey to ‘Mamamaland’

After what seemed and felt like a very long time of voluntary exile, I rejoiced at the news that I would be going home! To breathe the air that flapped my lungs to life!

I never pay so much attention at take-off like I did on the evening of Dec. 12th when I left the United States of American (USA) soil on the runaways of Atlanta , Georgia .  Internal transition then became my major activity as I settled down on that Jet that flew me over the ‘pond’. 

As things needed to happen, we touched down in London at Breakfast.  I spent a couple of days with my brother and his wife in UK .  This time was just about sufficient to take care of my time zones, even though cold enough to make me long for my final destination.  However, I took pleasure visiting around with my family.

After some anticipated delays on Kenya Airways, I finally came to the one moment that I had long awaited; I stood on my own soil! I was met by family and friends.  I was overwhelmed upon seeing who had come to meet me, as that gave me a glimpse of my place in my family.  Just that scenario was different enough to make me realise that I was no longer in the USA but back home; in Zambia, amongst my own people, where I needed neither a driver’s license nor a form of Identity to celebrate company anywhere, where I did not have to explain even the origins of my accent. 

I felt loved, supported and cared for by my family during my short visit but above all, I was home, where I truly belong, where my heart belongs, where I was nurtured, learned and embraced the primary virtues of life. 

I spent my time with my brother Oblates.  Whether formal or informal interactions, these were times of renewal and refocusing.  I was renewed by the energy embedded in the young men of our Zambia Oblate Delegation, the sense of purpose and mission that we dare to dream together and above all, at our general desire to stay together.  As someone once observed - ‘In Africa, community is not taught - it happens!

December 30, 2006 was the day of my final profession.  It was, as expected, a pivotal moment in my life. It also brought together to a moment of celebration and rejoicing in my nuclear and Oblate families. I continue to thank all those who were generous enough to offer their time and resources in order to make the day of my final profession what it was.

As I set foot back onto this side of the world again, I rejoice in knowing that they are there. In one way or another, they all gave me life and renewed my energy, zeal and sense of purpose.  I come here knowing the end is near. 

As nothing is ever static, time will soon bring us together again. We meet to part and to part to meet.  It depends on one’s look on life!      

Brother Festus Zulu: Zealous for Oblate Life

Scholastic Festus Zulu, OMI was born in Kafue town, about 50 kilometres south of Lusaka city, in an Anglican home.  His Father and mother, Ezekiel and Catherine Zulu as well as his siblings were Anglican. 

His peers introduced him to the Catholic Church.  Having been already baptized in the Anglican Church, Festus did not have to be re-baptized as his initial baptism was valid and recognized by the Catholic Church.  He underwent some lessons before being officially received in the church.

“I was born in an Anglican family and when I grew older, I joined the Catholic Church. I was more influenced by my childhood friends who were Catholics and were attending some lessons (catechism).  However, at some stages they stopped but I continued,” he said.

Normally, when a child changes a church, parents tend to discourage them.  It was a different story for Festus. 

“On the day I was being officially received in the Catholic Church, my parents encouraged me and gave me so much support.  My father even had to miss his service at the Anglican Church just to come and offer morale support.  For me this was something which I appreciated a lot,” he said.

Festus went to Nangongwe primary school in the same Town.  He joined Mukasa minor Seminary school in Choma for his Juniour and senior secondary where he obtained his GCE O’level in 1997.

It was during his time at Mukasa that Festus started thinking of becoming a priest.  He wanted to be a diocesan priest.  However, after finishing his grade twelve, he was not sure whether he still wanted to be a priest.  Therefore he gave himself time to reflect on what he really wanted to do.

“ I had my doubts about being a priest after completing grade twelve, so I gave myself time to think of what my calling was,” he said.

In 1998, almost one year after completing school, he moved from his parent’s home in Kafue to live with his sister in Lusaka ’s Garden Compound.  Whilst in Garden, he used to attend Mass at St. Peter Parish where some Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate pre-novices were doing pastoral work.  ( Fr. Phiri, Joseph OMI used to serve as a deacon at the same parish, but Festus did not get a chance to meet and talk with him at that time.)

He said that after spending time with the pre-novices and when he saw what they were doing, the thought of being a priest came back to him once more.

“I used to accompany the pre-novices to different sections of St. Peter parish for their pastoral work.  I was inspired and I knew that I wanted to be an Oblate of Mary Immaculate.  I immediately asked for Fr. Walker’s postal address and started corresponding with him through them,” he said.

He said that Fr. Walker’s accuracy and timeliness in his response to his letter blew him away even more. 

“When I started corresponding with Fr. Walker, the response came almost immediately.  He invited me to go to the pre-novitiate and visit.  When I met with Fr. Walker, it was as though he had known me for a very long time.  He made me feel important and wanted.  He was not short of encouraging words.  He told me that I could enter the Pre-novitiate but still keep my options open(it would still be alright for him to leave if he found out that he does not want to live that life).  My next meeting with Fr. Walker was when he invited me for the ‘Come and See’ programme.  It was a wonderful experience,” he said.

He said that during the ‘Come and See’, he was oriented to community life.  At that time, the pre-novices were building something. He said that he was inspired by the cooperation exhibited by the pre-novices and the fact that they looked very happy even though they were doing manual work. 

He said that the ‘Come and See’ gave him a dilemma: he was excited but was also wondering if he could manage to live the community life especially when it came to the breviary.

 

In 2000, Festus entered the pre-novitiate. As a pre-novice, the same spirit that he saw at the time he attended ‘Come and See’ continued.  Within a short time, his fears of living a community life slowly vanished.

He said that his memorable times as a Pre-Novice are when the group made flower beds and the grotto.  He also said that he had a wonderful experience during his pastoral work as it taught him a great deal. 

In his first year as a pre-novice, Festus used to teach catechism at Good Shepherded Parish in Kabwata, Lusaka .  He was later sent to Holy Family Catholic Church in Mandevu for his second year’s pastoral work. 

He said that even though the moving up and down to Mandevu on public transport was tiring, working at Holy Family Church was a joy for him.  Everyday he looked forward to visiting families and was always satisfied whenever his visits bore fruits. 

“We used to update family records at Holy Family Catholic Church in Mandevu. We would start working at 8:00 hours and finish 15:00 hours, then get back to the pre-novitiate in time for community gatherings.  We met a lot of people by doing this work for the parish.  Sometimes we would get to a couple’s home where one of them was not committed to the church and its activities.  We would talk to them and some times the uncommitted one would start coming out,” he said.

Another thing that Festus did at Holy Family Church besides updating family records was strengthening Small Christian Communities.

“We organised a pilgrimage for the parish to the Marian shrines.  People appreciated this as they had never experienced something like this before.  We also organised retreats and workshops for the youths and sometimes we would invite them to come to the pre-novitiate,” he said.

Going on to Novitiate…“I still remember the day the six of us arrived in Johannesburg , on our way to Our Lady of Hope Novitiate.   We were met at the Station by Chileshe Mulenga, Chilufya Pikiti and Ewen from the Na