Autumn/Winter 2017
19th November 2017 will be the first
‘World Day of the Poor’ In a document inaugurating this Sunday Pope Francis writes:
“The earliest Christian community realised that being a disciple of Jesus meant demonstrating fraternity and solidarity in obedience to the Master’s proclamation that the poor are ‘blessed’ and ‘heirs’ to the Kingdom of heaven (cf Matt 5:3).”
Contents Page 3 Editorial Page 5 Mill Hill Missionaries return to South Sudan Page 8 India at 70 Page 10 Indian hospitality Page 12 Pakistan at 70 Page 15 Joy and Colour in Sindh Page 18 Coming events / Prize winners Page 20 Two Missionary Doctors Page 23 Mission Sunday Message of Pope Francis Page 24 Mission Day at Cardonald Page 27 Two Scots MHM Jubilarians Page 30 Mill Hill News Page 31 Obituaries
Acknowledgments Contributors: Fr Michael Ochwo mhm Fr Mark Connolly mhm Fr Fons Eppink mhm Fr Edson Paguntalan mhm Fr Karl Oberprantacher mhm Fr Sylvester Odhiambo mhm Fr Cyprian Tah mhm Photo Credits: Fr Fons Eppink Fr Edson Paguntalan Cover photos: Front: Maasai woman and child, Kenya. Back: Feeding the hungry, Tando Allahyar, Pakistan.
St. Joseph’s Advocate
“If you want to honour the body of Christ, do not scorn it when it is naked; do not honour the Eucharistic Christ with silk vestments, and then, leaving the church, neglect the other Christ suffering from cold and nakedness.” St John Chrysostom
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is the magazine of the Mill Hill Missionaries in Scotland, published from St. Joseph’s House, 30 Lourdes Avenue, Cardonald, Glasgow G52 3QU. Tel: 0141 883 0139. Email: tollanmhm@yahoo.co.uk Registered Charity Number: SCO39809 Produced by: Burns Print Management Ltd., Caledonia Business Centre, Thornliebank Industrial Estate, Glasgow G46 8JT Tel: 07799 645 420 Email: frank.burns@burnsprintmgt.co.uk
Editorial Fr. Bill Tollan, mhm, Editor
In an address to ambassadors in May of this year, Cardinal Parolin suggested that the central aims of Pope Francis could be summed up as: the fight against poverty (both material and spiritual); the attempt to make peace; and to build bridges. He went on to reflect on our need to be adventurous, like Francis, in facing up to the challenges of our times. He quoted the example of the 16th century explorer Ferdinand Magellan whose ‘dynamism of spirit’ allowed him to head into the unknown, combining trust in God’s Providence on the one hand, and boldness and human ingenuity on the other. Pope Francis shows a similar indomitable spirit as he faces up to the great challenges of our times. He has spoken out about the obscenity of the world trade in arms while millions live in abject poverty. During 2016, $1.69 trillion were spent on military forces. In the same year the US military bill came to $611 billion,
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almost three times that of China. The commercial arms trade is at its highest since the end of the Cold War. Along with U.S. and China, three other members of the U.N. Security Council – U.K., France, and Russia – are among the ten countries accounting for 73% of all military spending. By contrast, Pope Francis has inaugurated an annual World Day of the Poor, which will be observed this year on 19th November. This will alert us all to the extent of world poverty, and inspire us to greater efforts to overcome poverty. September 1st this year was observed as a Day of Prayer for the Protection of Creation. In a joint appeal Pope Francis and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople encouraged all people to embrace “greater simplicity and solidarity in our lives” to overcome the generalized “moral decay” of humanity, which deteriorates Creation by “manipulation, domination, greed and control.” Pope and Patriarch deplored the “insatiable desire to manipulate and control the planet’s limited resources,” and “greed for
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unlimited market profits.” They called for the powerful to ‘hear the cry of the earth’ and provide for the needs of the marginalized, giving priority to solidarity and service. As missionaries we seek to reach-out to the poor, to promote peace and reconciliation, and to play our part in bringing about the Kingdom of God. This issue of the Advocate provides many examples of the outreach to the poorest and most marginalised – whether in South Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, India, Pakistan, or elsewhere. Our missionaries ‘in the field’ depend on the continued prayers and practical support of our many friends and benefactors. You are our collaborators in Mission. We thank you for all you do for us; we keep you all in our prayers. In November especially we pray for all our deceased benefactors. As usual, we will celebrate our annual Tree of Life Mass on the Feast of Christ the King, November 26th in the Chapel of Nazareth House in Cardonald (3.00 pm start).
Return to South Sudan Recently, Ugandan Fr Michael Ochwo mhm arrived in Juba, capital of South Sudan to begin a new missionary effort in that war-torn country.
The conflict of 2013 in South Sudan was so violent that all our Mill Hill Missionaries who were working in Malakal diocese South Sudan had to suddenly leave. Some of the members had such horrific experiences that they might never think of going back to South Sudan even for a visit. Although a peace agreement was signed between the warring parties with on the one side the government of South Sudan and on the other side the group that calls themselves South Sudan Liberation in Opposition (SPLM-IO), the conflict has continued.
Many people have died, some are internally displaced, others have run as refugees to neighbouring countries like Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda. The security in the city of Juba is generally good, but the same can’t be said for the countryside. Juba is generally quiet, calm and peaceful. People can afford to travel all the time including at night time although the majority are cautious. There are regular commercial and United Nation flights in and out of Juba, making travelling easy.
Juba, capital of South Sudan.
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The food situation in the country was bad partly due to the long drought and the conflict, but the situation has eased with the return of the rains. Although the rains have returned, only limited cultivation is possible - wherever there is relative peace. The coming of the rains makes the vegetation green, excessive heat is down but it is still humid on the whole.
A warm welcome to the diocese.
The economy of the country is in a mess with inflation running at 800%. South Sudan has the second largest oil reserves in Africa. The country relies heavily on oil export as a major source of foreign exchange. The level of oil output has gone down due to the conflict but the slump in international oil prices also means that the government revenue has dropped dramatically. The shortage of cash has not only hit the government who cannot pay salaries to the civil servants, but all sectors of
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development. The prices of goods have rocketed and refined fuel is in short supply. People have to line up for petrol and diesel and the only access road to Juba from Uganda is not secure. This means that both people and goods arriving by road have to be protected by army convoys. Although the conflict evicted Mill Hill missionaries from Malakal, we are now back to South Sudan, not to Malakal diocese as security is still unpredictable, but to Juba archdiocese. Ben Stopel mhm and Michael Ochwo mhm came to Juba in February - March 2017 on a fact finding mission and after discussions with Archbishop Paolino Lukudu Loro and considering the security situation, were invited to minister at the chapel of Holy Rosary Buluk which is part of the St. Joseph’ s parish, Juba. The idea is to make Holy Rosary Bukuk into a parish sometime in the near future. The Holy Rosary chapel exists 28 years and it has grown over time in numbers especially due to the increase of workers from Uganda and Kenya, but also because of the conflict factor that has driven people from rural areas to the city. Michael Ochwo mhm was warmly welcomed by the chapel council and the Christian community on the 4th of June 2017 when he attended all the three masses that are celebrated at Holy Rosary on Sunday’s. The people have been asking for a
fully fledged parish for a while and with the coming of the Mill Hill missionaries, they now see their hopes and aspirations of a parish become a reality. Due to the influence of Kenyans and Ugandans, this is the only chapel in the archdiocese of Juba that seems to have well-structured small Christian communities (SCC). The youth are already organized with their leaders, Sunday school goes on every Sunday, children come for catechism in the afternoon on weekdays, and the chapel choir is one of the best in the diocese. They are a lively, active and participative community. The church building has a capacity of over 700 people, but there is as yet no presbytery. So the pioneer Mill Hill missionaries in Juba are working together with the chapel council and the chapel development team to renovate some few existing rooms around the church compound and use them as a residence. Nonetheless, the security issue remains a concern. The tentative date of making the Holy Rosary into a parish is 7th October 2017. I am proud to be one of the pioneer Mill Hiller in the archdiocese of Juba and when Emmanuel Omollo mhm (another Ugandan mhm) comes to join me, I am very sure we are going to reinforce and build a solid Christian community at the Holy Rosary. We will try to build bridges of reconciliation in a country that has experienced conflict for over five decades. Our prime focus will be pastoral care, but we shall also be involved in any social development activities that this country so badly needs.
There are many needs for social development such as schools, health centres, technical institutions, youth empowerment etc. We shall do whatever we can based on our motto: Amare et servire - to love and to serve. Peace. Michael Ochwo mhm
The large congregation helping to build a solid Christian community..
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India at 70 Mill Hill Missionaries first arrived in the South of British India in 1875. A few years later others began ministering in the North – at first as Chaplains to the British Army; many of the soldiers were Irish Catholics. Although partition was intended to create a separate country for Moslems, after 1947 there remained within India a very large minority Moslem population. Independent India is predominately Hindu, but along with Moslems there are Buddhists, Sikhs, Christians, and others. In spite of the growth of extremism and Hindu fundamentalism, India remains a “very tolerant community” says
Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas, secretary general of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India. He goes on to say, “Our hopes and aspirations for this country are that this tolerant spirit, peace and traditional harmony will continue, so that we can continue to contribute to nationbuilding and to the good of the country.” He goes on to pray that Catholics will be involved in continuing inclusive development,
embracing the poor, the marginalized, the tribals, the Dalits [formerly called ‘the Untouchables’]. However, since 2014 India has been ruled by the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which has strong links to a militant Hindu nationalist organization. Over recent months some Christians have been arrested and detained for “attempted conversion” and places of worship have been vandalized. Some Indian States have attempted to make conversion to Christianity illegal. In Hinduism the cow is considered sacred, and the slaughter of cows is illegal in most parts of India. Nonetheless, beef is often eaten by Dalits, Moslems, and Christians. In some places there are “cow vigilantes” who have been involved in killings of those who are deemed to disrespect cows in any way.
Indian Mass.
• There are almost 20 million Catholics in India (second in Asia to the Philippines.) • They form only 1.55% of the total population.
Fr Thaddeus mhm visiting friends.
Varanasi Hindu Holy Place on the River Ganges, India.
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Fr Suresh mhm in front of school.
• There are 168 dioceses, most of them Latin-rite; there are also 29 dioceses of the Syro-Malabar rite, and 8 dioceses of the Syro-Malankara rite. These last two rites trace their origins back to the Apostle Thomas. • Mill Hill Missionaries are at work in the dioceses of Hyderabad, Warangal, Varanasi, Jammu-Sringar, Ambipakur, and Pune.
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India is rightly proud of its longstanding tradition of hospitality and we certainly try to maintain that tradition by extending a warm welcome to the many guests who come to our Formation House here in Karunapuram each year. However, this doesn’t mean that all visitors are welcome: Snakes and scorpions of all manner and size, regularly appear – uninvited - in our grounds and even inside our house on a regular basis.
Indian Hospitality
has its Limits! by Fr Mark Connolly mhm
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Fr Mark with uninvited guest!
It’s no accident that, in the Bible, the first symbol of temptation to do evil is a snake. Like snakes, the temptations we experience in life – even the temptations Jesus had to face in the wilderness – appear as uninvited guests at the door of our heart, demanding to be admitted and entertained with all the negative and even destructive consequences that this can result in. The challenge for all of us is to stop these ‘imposters’ before they get across the threshold of our consciousness, for we all know, once temptations are allowed to ‘move in’, they can be extremely difficult
The grounds around our Formation House in Karunapuram make an ideal snake habitat.
to ‘throw out’. Jesus, on the other hand, never ‘gatecrashes’ anyone’s party, never insinuates himself into anyone’s home, but respectfully and gently knocks on the door of our consciousness and our life. The beautiful image of Jesus ‘knocking on a door’ is significant because there is no door-handle on the outside – we alone can let him in and bid him welcome. And he is indeed a welcome guest bringing as he does calm to our troubled spirits and peace to our homes. He once said: ‘anyone who welcomes me, welcomes the One who sent me’. May the Lord always find a warm welcome in the hearts and homes of all of us.
Fr Mark Connolly, India.
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Pakistan at 70 CHRISTIANS IN A MUSLIM COUNTRY
The Mill Hill presence in what is now Pakistan long precedes the creation of the new country of Pakistan. They served as Army Chaplains, and then established missions in the Punjab, in Kashmir, and even in the remote mountain area of Ladakh. The 70th anniversary celebrations of the independence of India and Pakistan have been widely reported. British India was partitioned to give a separate homeland to Muslims. Pakistan was born on August 14th 1947, consisting of a western section – and a thousand miles away an eastern section that later became the independent country of Bangladesh. Although the new country was predominantly Muslim, the founding father, Muhammad Ali Jinnah declared: “You are free to go to your temple; you are free to go to your mosque or any other place of worship… To
whatever religion, caste or faith to which you belong, there will be no discrimination or distinction. We are all citizens with equal rights.” Jinnah’s bright promise was regularly aired on Radio Pakistan for 30 years – until the advent of the military ruler General Zia ulHaq who used ‘Islamization’ as a political tool and declared martial law. The radio recordings of Jinnah’s speech were ‘lost’, though Christian activists have recovered the original text from the archives of the newspaper founded by Jinnah. In spite of growing extremism
Young Pakistanis keeping cool.
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and fundamentalism over the last thirty years, Christians have nonetheless played a significant role in the formation and development of the country. Though predominantly poor and marginalized they have contributed greatly to education and healthcare (see the article in this issue about Dr Ruth Pfau.) In 1995 Shahbaz Bhatti, a Catholic and minority affairs minister, was arrested on charges of treason for publicizing Jinnah’s speech about freedom and equality for all. Nonetheless, he was instrumental in 2009 of designating August 11th as ‘National Minorities Day.’ Two years later he was gunned down in broad daylight in the capital city, Islamabad. The Taliban claimed responsibility, declaring that Bhatti was a ‘blasphemer.’ Politicians are afraid to tamper with the country’s blasphemy laws. In 2011 the governor of the Punjab, Salman Taseer was murdered by one of his own police bodyguards. He had criticised the country’s
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blasphemy laws and attempted to secure a presidential pardon for Asia Bibi, a Christian peasant woman who had been falsely accused by a neighbour of blasphemy. The murderer, Mumatz Qadri, was garlanded by lawyers when he appeared in court. The judge who sentenced him to death had to flee the country. At Qadri’s funeral 100,000 supporters flooded the streets for the funeral prayers. His grave has become a centre of pilgrimage, with stalls selling trinkets and memory sticks of Qadri singing Islamic hymns. • Christians form just two percent of the population. • Catholics number about one million in a total population of 185 million.
Joy and colour in Sindh Mill Hill Missionaries are working among some of the poorest and most marginalised people in Pakistan – the tribal people of Sindh Province. Many of these people are forced into ‘indentured labour’ – virtual slavery – to the big landowners of the Province. MHM’s try to bring them the Gospel, but also education, health provision, and a sense of their inherent dignity as children of God.
• There are seven dioceses in Pakistan. • Mill Hill Missionaries are working in the Pakistani Dioceses of IslamabadRawalpindi and Hyderabad.
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Fr Edson Castete Paguntalan is a young Filipino mhm who writes enthusiastically of a recent event in his mission in Tando Allahyar. “There are many good things about children but one thing stands out above all the rest, and that is that they make life more colourful. Our parish compound these last four days has been full of colour and joy brought by young people. This year in particular, the gathering of children from different village was a life-giving experience and hope-filled encounter. The annual Children’s Programme is an event in Tando Allahyar parish in which children from different villages are gathered together. The aim is to strengthen their faith experience, improve their health through lessons on hygiene, develop their artistic skills, and through lots of activities have fun. In meeting with one another they forge friendships, and realise that though belonging to a minority, they are not alone. The gathering gives them a
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chance just to get away from their daily routines in the village. This year there were almost 200 participants. The final Mass was presided over by Fr Brendan Mulhall mhm. In his homily he highlighted the presence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of each and everyone. He also commissioned the children to be
missionaries when they returned to their own villages, sharing whatever they had learned on different topics during the previous four days. The event has been an extraordinary source of joy to all of us, participants, catechists, helpers, and priests. It is a source of hope and encouragement for our tribal ministry. Every year we try to make the event more memorable since for most of the children it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It makes us happy to see enthusiastic young people go home ready to face the challenges of the life that lies ahead for them.�
Catechism time.
Sewing lessons.
The children have a full day of faith, fun, education and food.
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Coming Events: Dates for your Diary
Tree of Life Mass
at St. Joseph’s House, Cardonald
on November 26th at 3.00pm in Nazareth House Chapel.
• First Fridays of the month: Mass for the Sick at 9.00 a.m. • Tuesdays: Meditation Group meets at 11.00 a.m. • Wednesday Talks: 7.00 - 8.00: the talks resume after the summer break on Wednesday 27th September. Come and learn more about our Catholic Faith.
We pray for all our deceased loved ones whose names are recorded on our Tree of Life in St Joseph’s House.
Silver Circle Winners April 2017
199 Gallagher
£25
156 Kilday
£15
219 MacLaughlin £10
May 2017
244 Aitken
£25
202 Diamond
£15
297 McLaren
£10
June 2017
347 McPake
£25
33 Gallacher
£15
218 Beveridge
£10
July 2017
61 H. O’Donnell £25
Agnes Graham
£15
Philip Hendry
£10
August 2017
Brenda Murray
£25
Pat Whitelaw
£15
Mary Reynolds
£10
£25
02 Jack English
£15
Pat Whitelaw
£10
September 2017 331 M. Quigley
Congratulations to them all.
Prize Draw Winners 2017 Our annual raffle this year was for a primary school in a remote rural village in Cameroon. We thank everyone for their very generous support which means we are able to send £2,500 for the construction work.
1st Prize:
£200: Mrs B. Diamond, Gartcosh
2nd Prize: £100: Mr Paul Moore, Lurgan 3d Prize:
£50:
A Day of Reflection, Prayer and Quiet for Advent, on Saturday December 16th, 10.00am to 4.30pm - ending with Vigil Mass.
‘God’s Love for us in Christmas’ Led by Sr Sally Hyndland and Fr Bernard Fox mhm
Mrs M. Hughes, Cardonald
Many thanks to all who support the Silver Circle and the Prize Draw. Your help is greatly appreciated, and contributes to supporting our missionary work.
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Two Remarkable Missionary Doctors
Maasai herdsmen with their cattle.
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Dr Maria - Physician to the Maasai
hospital provided a prenatal programme, and had a maternity ward. Solar panels provided roundDr Maria Schiestl first came from the-clock electricity. Attached to the Tirol to Kenya as a high-school Centre was a garden where women teacher. She then studied medicine learned to grow vegetables and at Innsbruck, Austria, and returned grain; they also developed culinary to Kenya to fulfil her childhood skills. At the invitation of Dr Maria dream of being a missionary doctor. various medical specialists from She worked at first in a remote Europe came on short-term visits health centre in the Diocese of offering their services: dentists, surgeons, and eye doctors. Whenever Dr Maria had to visit Nairobi she stayed at the guesthouse of the Mill Hill Missionaries, and was considered an ‘ a d o p t e d ’ Millhiller. On 25 November 2016 Dr Maria with Maasai women. she was awarded the prestigious Ngong, a diocese served by many Romero Award for her tireless work MHM’s – and not least by the late among the Maasai people of Kenya. Bishop Colin Davies. Later, with the Then, on May 20th 2017 she help of friends in Austria, she sustained a brain haemorrhage, was founded a new community- taken to hospital in Nairobi, and orientated organization called died the next day. “Loita Community Health Service”. The Loita plane, 2,000 metres above sea-level, is home to the LoitaMaasai – one of the 16 different subgroups of the Maasai tribe’. A mobile unit reached the remotest homesteads, and promoted healthy diet, proper hygiene, and other preventive measures; the unit targeted women in particular. The Funeral of Maria Schiestl.
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Mission at the heart of Christian faith
Dr Ruth – ‘Love will have the last word’ Dr Ruth was born in Leipzig on 9th September 1929, one of a family of four sisters and one brother. They lived through the horrors of the second world war, and then, after the Russian occupation of what became East Germany fled to the West. She studied medicine at Mainz, but then felt called to the Religious life. She joined the Daughters of the Heart of Mary, and was appointed to Pakistan. In Karachi she visited a leprosy colony, and decided that the care of lepers would be her life’s calling. She established a Leprosy Centre, providing medical treatment and social care. Soon patients began to arrive from all over Pakistan and even from Afghanistan. Small leprosy centres were begun in Karachi, and then all over the country. Altogether 157 Leprosy Centres were begun. Paramedics and social workers were trained, and health education promoted to overcome prejudices and fears. Dr Ruth travelled to the remotest corners of Pakistan to promote her work, and raised money for her work from Germany and Pakistan. Her tireless work resulted in the national Leprosy Control
A young Dr Ruth with leprosy patients.
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From Pope Francis’ Message for Mission Sunday 2017 Dr Ruth Pfau.
Programme, and the 1996 declaration by the World Health Organization that Pakistan was one of the first countries in Asia to have controlled leprosy. In 1988 she was awarded Pakistani citizenship, and was showered with many honours – including the highest civilian award conferred by the President of Pakistan, and a doctorate from Karachi’s Aga Khan University. Dr Ruth was also involved in work to eradicate tuberculosis, and in efforts to assist the victims of catastrophic flooding. Dr Ruth used to say, “Love will have the last word.” She was hailed as Pakistan’s Mother Teresa. After 50 years of loving service of the poor and the sick Dr Ruth died and was laid to rest on 19th August 2017. She was granted a state funeral attended by President Mamnoon Hussain, which was held in St Patrick’s Cathedral in Karachi. Muslims, Christians, and people from all walks of life wailed openly as they paid their personal tributes to this visionary leader. May her legacy of love help to heal the divisions in the troubled country of Pakistan.
“The Church is missionary by nature; otherwise, she would no longer be the Church of Christ.” The Holy Father goes on to ask what is the basis of our mission, what is the heart of our mission, what are the essential approaches needed to carry out our mission? The answer is that the Church’s mission is based on the ‘transformative power of the Gospel.’ The Gospel is ‘Good News filled with contagious joy’; it contains and offers new life – the life of the Risen Christ. This risen life ‘sets us free from every kind if selfishness, and is a source of creativity in love.’ Through the mission of the Church, Jesus Christ himself continues to evangelize and act, so that people can experience the transforming power of his Spirit. “Where all seems dead, signs of the resurrection suddenly spring up. It is an irresistible force.” (‘The Joy of the Gospel’ 276) “Being a Christian is…the encounter with an event, a Person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.” (Benedict XVI, ‘Deus Caritas Est’ 1) “Through the Church, Christ continues his mission as the Good Samaritan, caring for the bleeding wounds of humanity.” “We can think of countless testimonies of how the Gospel helps to overcome narrowness, conflict, racism, tribalism, and to promote everywhere, and among all, reconciliation, fraternity, and sharing.” Mission involves ‘going out of one’s comfort zone’, a constant sense that we are on a pilgrimage, that we are exiles, people ‘on the way’, journeying towards our final home. (See ‘The Joy of the Gospel’ 20) “The Church is not an end unto herself, but a humble instrument.” A Church that is ‘self-referential’, that is – “content with earthly success, is not the Church of Christ, his crucified and glorious Body.” That is why we should prefer “a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it is out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security.” (‘The Joy of the Gospel’, 49)
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Mission Day at Cardonald On Saturday June 3rd 2017, the day the universal Church celebrates St. Charles Lwanga and companions, martyrs of Uganda, faithful supporters of the Mill Hill missionaries in Scotland gathered at St Joseph’s House, Cardonald, for the yearly Mission Day.
The day started with the celebration of the Eucharist followed by a time for informal encounter and a snack. In the afternoon the participants were given a Powerpoint illustrated glimpse of the work of the Mill Hill missionaries in English speaking Cameroon. The homily at the Eucharist was themed on the beatitude: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”. Mission is essentially about living and proclaiming the kingdom, that is to say attempting in our always frail and faltering human way ‘to live God’s way’, ‘to think
Mission Day Mass 2017.
the way God thinks’, ‘to choose what God prefers’. To put it very simply it means to love and to forgive. (to love and to serve!) What Jesus tells us in this beatitude is that if we attempt to do that we will run into opposition, ridicule, we may be dismissed as soft or irrelevant, misunderstood, and in some cases our lives may be on the line.
Fons Eppink delivering his Mission Day Address.
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Two Scots MHM’s Celebrate their Jubilees We have a Pope who is acutely aware of the witness of martyrdom. In April he paid a special visit to Rome’s St Bartholomew’s Basilica, which sits in an island on the Tiber river. The church, run by the Community of Sant’Egidio, has been dedicated to the New Martyrs since 2000, when St. John Paul II gave it that purpose. “What does the Church need today?” he asked in his homily, before responding: “Martyrs, witnesses, this means, every-daysaints, those who lead ordinary lives, carried forward with consistency; but also those who have the courage to accept the grace of being witnesses to the end, to their death.” The living heritage of the martyrs, Francis said, “gifts us today peace and unity. They teach us that, with the strength of love, with tenderness, you can fight bullying, violence, war, and that with patience, peace can be achieved.” Fons Eppink mhm
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Fr Bill McAvoy mhm: Diamond Jubilee 88 year old Fr Bill McAvoy hails from Bathgate. Ordained in 1957 he spent many years in Kenya before launching a new missionary venture in the Philippines where he is still at work. Fr Mario Dimapilis, the Mill Hill superior in the Philippines wrote: “Sixty years of faithfulness, perseverance, love and service. This is how the 60 years of missionary priesthood of Fr Bill McAvoy was described by Bernard, the homilist in Bill’s jubilee Mass. The celebration of this event in Bill’s life was attended by the MHM priests, Mensa Domini sisters, diocesan priests, other religious men and women and friends. Bill was extremely grateful to all those who celebrated with him. Congratulations Bill!”
Fr Bill with local MHM Superior, Filipino Fr Domingo.
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Father Bill and friends celebrate the wonderful occasion.
Fr Mike Freyne mhm: Ruby Jubilee Fr Mike grew up in the area of Sighthill, in Edinburgh. Having been ordained in 1987 he was appointed to Brazil and the newlycreated Diocese of Itaguai. In Mangaritiba he worked with fisherfolk and poor farmers, promoting social justice and establishing basic Christian communities. He then began a new parish in Japuiba – a growing but deprived urban area where he was involved with local organizations promoting education, health, and social improvement. It was a time of great political unrest and insecurity. In his pastoral work Fr Mike empowered the laity,
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Mass of Jubilee.
Jubilee Mass Fr Mike with Bp Robson and Fr Tollan.
encouraged the young people, and promoted Bible reflection. For the last ten years Mike has been parish priest in Tullibody, in the diocese of Dunkeld. Apart from his parish responsibilities he is the Church representative on the local authority education committee, and in charge of the Pontifical Mission Aid Societies in the diocese. Despite his own preferences the parishioners insisted on marking his Jubilee by a joyful Eucharistic celebration attended by Bishop Robson and many local priests, followed by an elaborate buffet in the local Community Centre.
Fr Mike with family and friends.
Bishop Robson and many of his fellow priests joined Fr Mark on his special celebration.
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MILL HILL
NEWS
The Mill Hill Sisters (Franciscan Missionaries of St Joseph or FMSJ’s) recently held their General Chapter at which they elected their new Leadership Team. Sr Maureen Murphy was re-elected as Congregational Leader, with Sr Anne Moore (from Glasgow) the Assistant Leader. Also elected to the Team were two Kenyan FMSJ’s – Sr Margaret and Sr Brenda, and Sr Joan Kerley.
LET US PRAY FOR OUR DEAD
Mill Hill Sisters new Leadership Team.
Drought and Terror in East Africa: disturbing reports have been received from our young MHM’s in Northern Uganda and Eastern Kenya. Their people, who are dependent on their crops and animals, have been experiencing severe drought conditions. In addition, the Al Shebaab terrorists have been killing people in the area of our mission in Witu, Kenya. Villagers have sought refuge at the mission where our MHM’s have provided a place to sleep, food, water, and other necessities. Meanwhile, in Panyangara and Kotido (Uganda) there has been a spate of random killings and threats to the lives of local people, including Witu Drought. Fr Tony registers the displaced. our missionaries. MHM Seminarians Commissioned for Mission: At the recent start of the academic year 23 students from the Mill Hill Formation House in Nairobi were commissioned to start their pastoral work. The commissioning took place during the Eucharist. After the reading of the Gospel each student to be sent out was given a candle and a prayer. Assignments vary from assisting in the parish at Shauri Moyo, Langata Women’s Prison, a Remand Prison, visiting at Kenyatta National Hospital, and assisting the M.C. Brothers in the Kibera slum. One of the students writes: “Pastoral work assignments are for one year. After one year each student will be changed to a different place. The formation try to mix the students from different countries. In this way we learn from one another. We were given a candle so that we can help others to see the light of Christ, and a short prayer so that we may continue to let this candle shine through our prayers.” Fr Jakob commissions a student.
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Obituaries Fr John Rooney mhm John was born and grew up in Coatbridge, and was ordained a MHM priest in 1959. Mission appointments followed to Sabah (Malaysia), Kenya, Pakistan, USA, and UK. He wrote a number of books on mission history, earning a Ph.D. from the renowned London School of African and Oriental Studies. In US he worked as a hospital chaplain, and in his later years was chaplain to a Care Home in Dover. His final years were spent in Nazareth House, Cardonald, where he was lovingly cared for by the Sisters and lay staff.
Fr John.
Recently deceased Mill Hill Missionaries
in the Philippines and the British Region
Brother Ben Snoeren: aged 87; he spent almost his whole long missionary life in Sabah (Malaysia), and 48 years in the mission of Bundu Tuhan on the slopes of Mount Kota Kinabalu.
Fr Terry Burke: aged 73; worked in Sarawak and Indonesia, and in Formation in UK.
Fr James Fanning: died of a rare disease, aged 66 having worked many years in East Africa and the Congo.
Fr Edward Holmes C.S.Sp. (brother of Fr Joseph Holmes mhm)
Fr Joop Deen: aged 83; spent almost his whole life in our Congo mission. Fr John Rooney: aged 82 (see above)
Recently Deceased Friends and Benefactors
James Tollan (brother of Fr Bill Tollan mhm) John Boyce Jnr. (cousin of Fr Hugh O’Donnell mhm) Stevie Faux (Fermanagh, uncle of Fr Bernard Fox mhm)
Fr Augustine van den Eeden: aged 88; worked many years in East Africa and in the Netherlands.
James McSorley (Castlederg; husband of Fr B.Fox’s cousin Eileen)
Athanasius Ndoh Fambo: aged 24; MH seminarian from Cameroon; died of meningitis while on mission assignment in Uganda.
Dympna McNamee (Lurgan)
Fr John Clement: aged 70; worked
Manus Boyce May Reilly Noel Rogers (Merrylee, member of Glasgow Serra)
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St. Joseph’s House, 30 Lourdes Avenue, Cardonald, Glasgow G52 3QU. Tel: 0141 883 0139. Email: tollanmhm@yahoo.co.uk Mill Hill Website: www.millhillmissionaries.com Registered Charity Number: SCO39809