Letter 25 english

LETTER 25 WITH EYES SET ON JESUS CHRIST, LET US BEGIN THE SPIRITUAL FIGHT FOR GOD.

February 2018

LETTER 25 With eyes set on Jesus Christ, let us begin the spiritual fight for God.

LENT: With eyes set on Jesus Christ, let us begin the spiritual fight for God.

« Above all, I urge the members of the Church to take up the Lenten journey with enthusiasm, sustained by almsgiving, fasting and prayer. If, at times, the flame of charity seems to die in our own hearts, know that this is never the case in the heart of God! He constantly gives us a chance to begin loving anew.

One such moment of grace will be, again this year, the “24 Hours for the Lord” initiative, which invites the entire Church community to celebrate the sacrament of Reconciliation in the context of Eucharistic adoration. In 2018, inspired by the words of Psalm 130:4, “With you is forgiveness”, this will

take place from Friday, 9 March to Saturday, 10 March. In each diocese, at least one church will remain open for twenty-four consecutive hours, offering an opportunity for both Eucharistic adoration and sacramental confession.” Pope Francis

Fr. Evaristus AKEM NDI, Provincial

LETTER 25 WITH EYES SET ON JESUS CHRIST, LET US BEGIN THE SPIRITUAL FIGHT FOR GOD. | JANVIER 2018

Synod of Bishops 2018: Focused on Young People, Faith, and Vocational Discernment “Don't be afraid to listen to the spirit which suggests you bold options, do not lose time when your conscience will ask you to risk to follow the Master. Also, the Church would like to listen to the voice, the sensitivity, the faith of each one; as well as also the doubts and criticisms. Make your cry heard by all, let it resonate in the communities and make it reach the shepherds”. (cf. Letter of Pope Francis to the Youth on the occasion of the presentation of the Preparatory Document for the XV General Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, published on January 13, 2017).

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can lead young people to recognize and accept the call to the fullness of life and love, and to ask young people to help her in identifying the most effective way to announce the Good News today." The document looks at the current global situation, the lives of young people in the modern world, and the process of walking with young people as they discern their personal "vocation of love. It ends with a questionnaire… about young people and vocational discernment inviting responses that will be incorporated into a working document for the October 2018 synod.

The Holy Father also released a letter to the young people in which he was telling them "do not be afraid to listen to the Spirit" and encouraging them to "undertake a journey of discernment to discover God's plan" for their lives. Pope Francis' letter encourages young people to let their voices be heard throughout the synod journey and he ends by entrusting them to the Blessed Mother that she might guide them in responding "Here I am" to God's call.

At the level of the Order of the Pious Schools, the General Congregation received the announcement of the Synod with great joy, as it touches the heart and mission of our raison d’être in the church. As our contribution to the Synod, an important step was taken regarding the preparation of the Synod, with the "PrayforSynod" initiative. The General Father launched the “Piarist Synod of Youth” whose activities will culminate with the "Assembly of the Piarist Youth", which will take place at the end of 2019 and whose fruits will hopefully illuminate the works of the 48th General Chapter of the Pious Schools.

Three fundamental phases were proposed for the celebration of the “Piarist Synod of Youth”:

At the convocation of Pope Francis the 15th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops will be held in Rome from the 3rd to the 24th of October 2018. It will be focused on the theme of "Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment”. The Holy Father noted that the theme is an expression of the pastoral care of the Church for the young. Its aim is to accompany the young on their existential journey to maturity so that, through a process of discernment, they discover their plan for life and realize it with joy, opening up to the encounter with God and with human beings, and actively participating in the edification of the Church and of society.

A synod preparatory document was published, describing the purpose of the 15th Ordinary General Assembly as an opportunity for the Church "to examine herself on how she

The first phase was to run from May 2017 to march 2018, where activities were to be organized at the level of each Demarcation. The second phase was to be at the level of the each circumscription from March to October 2018. And the third phase was to be at the General Level. This last phase was to conclude with the reception of the PostSynodal Apostolic Exhortation in the WYD in Panama in January 2019. The General Congregation approved a slogan for the synod - "With you +", wishing that the Piarist Synod on Youth be carried forward in all presences, and at all levels of the Order.

At the level of the Demarcation of Central Africa, the coordinator, Clément TSANGA MBIA, Sch.P, came out with a program of activities to celebrate the event. In October 2017 in each of our Piarist presence, questionnaires were sent to young people for reflection

LETTER 25 WITH EYES SET ON JESUS CHRIST, LET US BEGIN THE SPIRITUAL FIGHT FOR GOD. | JANVIER 2018

and meditation. The fruits of these reflections will go a long way to enrich the final document that will be published to revitalize the faith and vocational discernment of the life of the young people as requested by the Holy Father.

Between the months of January to march 2018, each community was invited to launch a series of activities to mark this event in its locality with the young people. The activities was to be ranging from socio-cultural and sporting activities, general knowledge of the Piarist Fathers, the message of the General Father and the Pope’s message for the Synod… All these activities were to culminate with the Provincial celebration in April 2018, to close the synod at the level of the Demarcation. Our basic

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aim is to bring young people of our Demarcation together and to share life and experience as the Slogan states: “With You +”.

This is a golden opportunity that the church has given us to carry out our mission of evangelizing the young people through our ministry. We are at a post jubilee moment and I think that the fruits of what we celebrated in the Calasanzian Jubilee Year should be felt by the people of God in the environments where we are found. So, this Synod is another opportunity that the Spirit has given us to continue to influence the life of the church with the spirit of Calasanz, mindful of the invitation of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, to a “new Pentecost of the Piarists.”

LETTER 25 WITH EYES SET ON JESUS CHRIST, LET US BEGIN THE SPIRITUAL FIGHT FOR GOD. | JANVIER 2018

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PERMANENT FORMATION - ENCOUNTER OF THE MIDDLE AGE The encounter of the middle Age Religious took place in the community of Futru from the 1st to the 3rd of February 2018 with the participation of 18 brothers. The terminology “middle age” is not linked to the age of the person but it is addressed to all those who have completed the stage of the Quinquenum. They continue their ongoing formation in the stage of

the middle age in the Province. The theme of the encounter was on the document of the last General Chapter “Disciples and Witnesses”.

Through group works and exposees, the brothers were encouraged to be prophetic signs in the mission of evangelizing the youth and little children following the example of Saint Joseph Calasanz.

Encounter of the middle age religious in Rome. Our province was represented by father Hubert Basso and Ballantyne

The theme of the encounter was on the document of the last General Chapter “Disciples and Witnesses”.

Encounter of the middle age religious of our Provincein Bamenda.

LETTER 25 WITH EYES SET ON JESUS CHRIST, LET US BEGIN THE SPIRITUAL FIGHT FOR GOD. | JANVIER 2018

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CTC BANJOUN – BONNE NOUVELLE

CTC BANJOUN – BONNE NOUVELLE

Prize awards

LETTER 25 WITH EYES SET ON JESUS CHRIST, LET US BEGIN THE SPIRITUAL FIGHT FOR GOD. | JANVIER 2018

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COMMUNITY OF BAMENDJOU - AGRICULTURE The entire population of Bamendjou was graced on Friday 09th of February 2018 to receive from the Ministry of Economy and planning some farm tools. This was through the intervention of one of her elites in the person of Professor Tamba Isaac. The aim was to encourage and boast agricultural activities in the village.

These gifts were distributed to registered NGOS and also the administration and religious

institutions. The Parish was awarded a machine for producing oil, a wheelbarrow, a truck, a watering can, a pair of boots and two spades.

We are deeply grateful to this elite to have recognized the efforts that we are furnishing in agriculture.

LETTER 25 WITH EYES SET ON JESUS CHRIST, LET US BEGIN THE SPIRITUAL FIGHT FOR GOD. | JANVIER 2018

INITIAL FORMATION Our brothers of the third and final year of philosophical studies finally rounded up their studies in the Catholic University of Central Africa, Nkolbisson, Yaoundé. It should be noted that the prevailing crisis in the anglophone regions interrupted classes last year in the Catholic University of Bamenda, so they moved to Yaoundé to continue studies during the second semester. The nine of them have been sent on community experience to reinforce the capacity of some communities : Mathias Sofi and Kelvin Kang goes to Pemba (Mozambic), Sylvain Otto - Akurenam, Francisco Osa – Aconibe, Brandon Tchatien – Ebibeyin, Divine Liyver – Bafia, Bob Stevy – Banjoun, Ferdinand Meya – Menteh and Tertulien Chebeu goes to the community of Kumbo. We wish them a fruitful experience in the communities.

CANONICAL VISIT TO THE COMMUNITIES IN RD CONGO From the 9th – 19th of February, the Provincial visited the communities of Kinshasa and Kikonka.

Within the context of the canonical visit, he had personal encounter with each Religious and also examined the reality of each community. It was also a moment to look back at what has been done since the foundation of Congo and the perspectives that lies ahead of us. Despite the tensed socio political atmosphere, the visit went on very well, and the brothers were encouraged to be committed in the different missions that have been entrusted to them. Here is a brief presentation of the two communities:

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LETTER 25 WITH EYES SET ON JESUS CHRIST, LET US BEGIN THE SPIRITUAL FIGHT FOR GOD. | JANVIER 2018

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KIKONKA, MISSION OF THE GREAT FUTURE Who and where is Kikonka? This is the question that every thinking person will ask himself or should ask himself at the outset with this name for the first time. This very basic question decodes the filial identity of that name. Kikonka is a small town of 15 thousand souls in the heart of the Diocese of Kisantu but without being the heart of the diocese. The population is essentially young and lives daily of its activities such as agriculture and trade. Indeed, Kikonka has four schools, including two primary schools and two secondary schools, and a parish where the Piarist mission, known as the Saint Joseph Calasanz Community, is located.

Thus, this one consists of four brothers among which two priests and two juniors on pastoral experience who exercise our Ministry not only in the pastoral domain and in the schools but also as regards human formation through manual work. This means that they aim at the integral formation of the person through the concept of Triple '' H '' '' Head, Heart, Hand ''. To reach their aim, they collaborate with the other religious congregations present in the parish namely

the “Sœurs Missionnaires Croisées de l’Eglise” and “Sœurs de Sainte Marie de Kisantu”.

In addition, the community gets its strength from Christ through daily prayer and the community weekly Eucharistic celebration every Monday with others. The community is also strengthen through recollections, and the sacrament of penance. The community also receives support from Fr. Javier, who is constantly providing it with financial support and scholarships for poor children.

We don’t have rose flowers without thorns. Our own thorns are summed up in one conceptː language.

Although the language of love exists but it is not enough because this problem plays a lot to our disadvantage. Despite the language barrier, Kikonka would be characterized as an area of first evangelization and education. It is therefore difficult for our community to keep to the vision of the province. After all, Kikonka is a promise land for our Order and more specifically for our province.

P. Marcel KENGEM Sch. P.

LETTER 25 WITH EYES SET ON JESUS CHRIST, LET US BEGIN THE SPIRITUAL FIGHT FOR GOD. | JANVIER 2018

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« BON COURAGE MON FRÈRE ! ».

Ces paroles sont du Père Provincial d’Afrique Centrale à ses frères de la communauté Saint Joseph de Calasanz de Kinshasa. Dans la semaine du 10 au 18 février, le Père Evaristus a effectué une visite canonique aux deux communautés Piaristes en RDC. Cette visite a coïncidé avec celle de l’Assistant Général pour l’Afrique, le Père Pierre Diatta.

Ces deux présences ont un été pour nous un moment d’encouragement et de réconfort important, surtout en ces moments graves que vit la RDC. La ville de Kinshasa particulièrement, représente le poumon de toute la République et l’épicentre des marches pacifiques. C’est ici aussi que se vivent jusqu’à présent, les représailles contre l’Eglise à travers des cambriolages enregistrés dans les paroisses et couvents de la ville. Le dernier remonte au 14 février, en la Paroisse Notre Dame de Fatima de Mitendi, administrée par les missionnaires Clarétains. Du coup, règne un climat de peur qui exige une plus grande vigilance car nous ne savons ni le jour ni leur où se présentera le ravisseur, encore moins quelle paroisse ou quel couvent sera la prochaine victime. Selon les forces de l’ordre, des brigands profitent de la situation crise actuelle pour

perpétrer des actes d’agression et de pillage.

Le Père Provincial est donc venu comme Jésus l’avait recommandé à Pierre, « raffermir la foi » de ses frères (Lc 22,32). La présence du Père Pierre, témoigne aussi de l’attention de la Congrégation Générale qui accompagne de près la croissance de la présence Piariste en RDC. De Rome et de Yaoundé, Kinshasa a reçu le réconfort des frères en ce début du deuxième semestre. Les cinq postulants que nous accompagnons ont terminé leurs examens de fin de semestre. Les cours d’inter-postulat. Le Père Provincial a eu l’occasion de les rencontrer individuellement. Le groupe des enfants de la rue (6), coordonné par le Frère Ron-Pierre poursuit son programme habituel. Les enfants s’efforcent, malgré eux, d’aller à la petite école voisine. A vrai dire, la pastorale des enfants de la rue est «très nécessaire, très bienfaisante…», mais elle nécessite des compétences professionnelles ! Soit. Le dimanche 11, a eu lieu la rencontre avec le groupe des laïcs piaristes qu’accompagne le supérieur de la communauté. Groupe assez instable, aujourd’hui préoccupé de son futur compte tenu des consultations en cours au sujet de la nouvelle résidence de la communauté dès l’année prochaine. A toutes ces entités et à chaque membre de la communauté, le père Provincial a répercuté ces propos aimables : « Bon courage mon frère ! ». Nous nous sentons plus forts et résolus de poursuivre notre aventure missionnaire sans crainte.

A Kin, il y a de l’espoir et il est heureux que nous soyons ici. Oh ! « Kin la belle » avec sa population nombreuse et ses grandes avenues, ses bars et ses églises innombrables, les klaxons assourdissants et « les roulages » énervant, on finit par s’y habituer. Pour missionner, il faut savoir s’adapter et à Kin, on a intérêt. Recevez le salut fraternel des PP. Gilbert et Jovino, Javier et Ron-Pierre vous saluent, les postulants et moi-même vous adressons nos chaleureuses salutations.

P. Florent Espoir, Sch. P.

For the greater glory of God and the service of our neighbour.