Malawi/Zambia: Provincial Assembly and visit of Fr. Tesfaye and Fr. Pietro

Fr. Tesfaye contributed with an initial recollection which touched the minds and hearts of all and fully participated in the works of the Assembly listening and intervening freely and proposedly. During the last two days alco counsellor Fr. Pietro Ciuciulla participated, helping the Province to look at and honestly deal with the area of economy and finances. The presence of our two confreres from the General Council was very appreciated and left us all very grateful.

The Assembly dealt with the areas of our life and mission as Province: they were intense days of reflection, sharing and searching together for ways forward. The first area we looked at was the “Code of Conduct”, helped by the Zambian Spiritan, Fr. Vincent Moba. At the end of the Assembly, we were invited to sign the MCCJ “Code of Conduct” and, at the end of the concluding mass, each one received his copy from the Provincial.

The theme of Mission was then presented by Fr. James Kasitomu Milward, secretary of mission, and Fr. Carlos Nunes, coordinator of mission animation in the Province. There were exchange of ideas and some motions concerning the theme were presented at the end. Fr. Elias Lipenga Patrick presented the area of Formation with the help of the vocation animators and formators: we gave thanks to God for the many vocations he sends us and committed ourselves to support and involve ourselves more in promoting the vocation of brothers and also of Lay Comboni Missionaries in the Province. We looked then at our Provincial Directory with the help of Bro. Louis Anyonga Binaisa making a step forward in revision of it.

The last two days were dedicated to the area of economy and finances; the dialogue and deliberations continued after the Assembly during a three-days meeting of the provincial bursar with all the community bursars: Fr Ciuciulla facilitated the process. The topic of economy and finances was the most participated and discussed area of our life and mission in the entire assembly; we hope for new ways of moving forward in the process of our Total Common Fund, with the involvement of all: after all the MZ Province has the honour of having initiated the TCF before it became policy for the entire Institute.

In a good and positive atmosphere the works of the Assembly were concluded and celebrated in a final Eucharist presided by Fr. Tesfaye.

The majority returned to their communities and services, while the bursars had to endure another three demanding days about economy and finances. Fr Tesfaye and Fr Ciuciulla, accompanied by the Provincial Fr. Michael Nyowani Mumba, continued the visits to the communities in Zambia and Malawi. After almost a month among us, sharing support and enthusiasm for mission, our two members of the General Council were faced with the emergence of the Omicron variant of the Covid virus in Southern Africa and the challenge of air travel restrictions decided by Italy. We wish to both a safe return to Rome although we would be happy if they decided to stay with us permanently.

Fr. Carlos Alberto Nunes, MCCJ