Youths take their place at Mary immaculate Parish 

By Benetria Milambo

There is nothing that is more fulfilling for a young person than to have a sense of belonging in any environment. A sense of belonging comes in a lot of ways that includes active participation in a given task or role. 

It is also about being accepted as a worth human being and being respected by all; young and old.

It is also about being accepted as a worth human being and being respected by all; young and old.It is in this environment that a group presents itself. It is here, in a group, that most people who have done extremely well in their fields started from. They had an easy audience, they presented in the best of their abilities and someone spotted them and said; “he / she is a good leader, speaker and preacher”.

It is also here that a young person will feel free to express themselves on things that trouble them in life. Therefore, there is no better place to shape a young future than in a group of peers with a common goal, let alone God fearing!

Missionary Oblates’ Mary Immaculate Parish in Lusaka has taken the challenge of providing this kind of environment for the youths by finding ways of involving them massively in parish activities.

From the time the parish opened in 2004, the youths have been actively participating in Parish activities such as the construction of the parish centre which will have among other things a hall, meeting rooms and a youth centre. Up to eighty (80) per cent of the foundation of the structure under construction was built by the youths.

Also, these youths have been introduced into leadership positions to ensure that they do not feel left out. Three of the youths serve in the Parish council and one is the director for catechism. They have also been introduced to reading during Mass.

Fr. Ron Walker, OMI, who is the Mary Immaculate Parish priest said that there are a number of programmes that the parish has put in place to ensure that they feel part of the parish.

“We ran a number of retreats, workshops and we have had evenings of prayer vigils at the formation house with the youths,” Fr. Walker said.

He continued, “We also have two vocation clubs and the turnout has been excellent on the part of the youths. Almost everyone wants to be a priest! Besides this, there is a youth choir which performs during the 08.00 hours Mass every Sunday whilst the 10.00 hours choir is a mixture of youths and adults.”

As a way of orienting the Mary Immaculate Parish youths to other parishes, which are located in the remotest areas of the country, the Parish organized a youth tour to Lukulu in Western Province for 14 youths.

“We sent fourteen youths to our Lukulu mission in Western province so that they can have a feel of what it is like to work in out stations,” he said.

The youths financed themselves during this trip to Lukulu, a town located in Western Province.

About 700 people attend Mass every Sunday at Mary Immaculate Parish. One third of the total crowd are the youths.

Determined to finish Constructions at Mary Immaculate Parish

By Benetria Milambo

For the past two years, scores of people stream in to attend Mass in a canvas tent at Mary Immaculate Parish in Lusaka. The church is growing in numbers and is integrating in the society with about 700 people in attendance every Sunday.

Parish priest, Fr. Ron Walker, OMI, said he is not sure when the construction project will end because the funds are not enough to complete it at once. However, he is very quick to state that it will finish, no matter how long it takes.

Though the Oblate province of the United States of America (USA) has been supporting the project, the Parish has a fundraising committee which has been holding a number of events to help raise funds for the parish building to be erected. The committee has so far managed to raise about K70 million from these events.

“We have an excellent fundraising committee that has so far managed to raise about K70 million. Soon, they will be holding a fundraising braii for the parish centre construction,” said Fr. Walker.

Because building materials are very expensive, the money that is raised from each event only buys so little and more fundraising ventures are needed to continue. The parish centre (a Hall, Offices, meeting rooms, and kitchen and store room) is already under construction. When the parish centre is complete, Mass will be conducted in the parish hall until such a time when the church building, is erected.

Fr. Walker also said that there are plans to buy another plot in Lusaka where a recreational centre will be built to help with the parish’s programmes for the youths.

Mary Immaculate parish opened its doors in January of 2004, with 250 to 300 people attending Mass every Sunday.

 

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