Merry Christmas and Happy 2015

The great innovation of the birth of Jesus is that God's face, before hiding, is made visible to all, even to those who do not believe. God can be seen. God has shown his face, "the imprint of his nature" (Heb 1:3) in the love of Jesus. From the birth in Bethlehem to the cross on Calvary, the entire earthly existence of Jesus shows that the face of God is love.

The Communities of the Sons of Divine Providence of Nairobi, Kandisi and Kaburugi wish you a Merry Christmas. May this season bring you joy and laughter.

Anthony, Andrew and Simplice, deacons through the hands of Mgr. Giovanni D'Ercole.

In a joyful surround of Brothers and faithful, in the parish church of All Saints (Ognissanti), in Rome, on December 8, have been ordained deacons three Orionines Clerics Andrew Langbong Koungbanwo (Togo), SIMPLICE Hitoka Teta (Togo), both from the Vice-Province Our Lady of Africa, and ANTHONY Njienga Mburu (Kenya) of the Missionary Delegation Our Lady of the Church.

The ordaining Bishop was Mgr. Giovanni D'Ercole, Orionine Bishop of Ascoli Piceno.  In his homily Mgr. D'Ercole proposed Mary as a model of diakonia (service), she who was entirely and exclusively for God, and was all directed to the good of men of whom she is constituted mother.

The ceremony was attended by many confreres, superiors and seminarians of the Orionine Theologicum and many other colleagues of studies of our three new ordained deacons.

Fr. Malcolm Dyer, Superior of the English speaking Delegation, addressed some words of thanks by noting that Africa is now the flowering of vocations for the Church and for the Congregation.

Anthony Njenga is the sixth Orionine Religious of Kenya reaching the sacred orders after Father Peter Wambulwa who has celebrated one month ago ten years of priesthood, Father Raphael Kailemiah, Father Mboche Paul, Father James Waituika F and Father Morris Mawira.

To our three new deacons we wish a good diaconal service under the motherly care of the Blessed Virgin. With St Luigi Orione let's say Ave Maria e Avanti!

The original text is published on the website of the Congregation (donorione.org). The English translation is of the editors of the blog.

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of Divine Providence in Nairobi

The Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary was marked this year in Nairobi of a little more special coloring. The entrance to the the Postulancy of two of our students in philosophy, Peter Karanja we Wilcliff Mumia and the 10 years of priesthood of Father Peter.

The tradition here is to celebrate the entrance to the Postulancy every November 20th in commemorating the main patron saint of the Congregation. This year the special note was the tenth anniversary or the priestly ordination of Father Peter Wambulwa Wakoba. First Orionine _ priest of Kenya, Father Peter was ordained on November 19 of the year 2004 in Kitale his hometown. 10 years are passed that he said yes to serve the Lord in the service of the ministerial priesthood. In celebrating this jubilee of tin or aluminum, he wanted to give thanks to God in a special way for the work of love that he has consistently achieved in him and through him.

To that we have combined the entrance to the postulancy of our seminarians. Some would read there a simple coincidence, but for us Sons of Divine Providence, we see a work of the providential action of the Blessed Virgin Mary. While the eldest celebrates 10-year on the footsteps of Christ in the service, the cadets decide to make their first decisive step in the religious family of Don Orione and make themselves sons of the Mother of Divine Providence.

With them we give thanks to God and for them we pray the Blessed Virgin, Patron of the Congregation to intercede on their behalf.

With Don Orione, let's say Ave Maria e avanti!

From Tortona to Kaburugi, the journey of the Lady of the Safe Keeping

One of the dream of Don Orione, his great love for the Blessed Virgin Mary crosses the borders and wins the hearts of all his sons and daughters. Our Lady of the Safe Keeping has just appeared a. Browsing Oceans and traveling through almost six thousand kilometers, the Statue of Our Lady in the Safe Keeping which surmounts the Basilica of Tortona and protects the city of origin of our Founder Don Orione has been erect in miniature copy in St Peter's Parish a. The work is the initiative of Father James Njoroje, Parish Priest and his Vicar Father Morris Mawira.

The idea is to dig deeper into our faithful of Kaburugi parish to a predilection love for the Blessed Virgin. Located at the entrance of the parish, in the main compound, the Statue of Our Lady of the Safe Keeping made of clay and gilded in bronze color, of one meter tall set on a pillar of nearly three meters facing the Parish Church. The Blessed Virgin with Love and Joy welcomes all who pass through the gate of the mission and lead them to her Son.

Ad Jesum per Mariam, as underlined Don Orione "To Jesus through Mary". And to mark this mediating power of the Holy Virgin complete, she actually drive visitors from this place to her Holy Son's while open Heart who greets them with the same love. The Blessed Virgin of the Safe Keeping face under a certain angle to the Statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus located at the close of the presbytery.

Thank you to visite Kaburugi. You will always be welcomed by Mary Our Lady of the Safe Keeping and taken to the Heart of Jesus.

With Don Orione may we always say "Ave Maria e semper avanti"

International Convention for Works of Charity and Education, Montebello

There are a couple of weeks was held in Italy at Montebello della Battaglia the International Convention on the Works of Charity and Education. 

From Kenya attended Father Peter Wambulwa and Mrs. Beatrice Nyambura Head-Teacher of the OCTC (Orione Community Training Centre of Kaburugi). Mrs. Beatrice Nyambura has kindly given us the very rich report of the five days' work. 

After a welcome to the 120 participants from 32 countries, including female and male religious and lay people of the Orionine Family, the Convetion started on Thursday 23^rd October the full program of talks, starting with Fr Flavio Peloso, followed by experts on charity, charism and education.  There were group sessions and presentations of some particularly significant activities and institutions from all over the world

We give you here the text.

REPORT ON THE CONVENTION ON CHARITABLE WORKS OF DON ORIONE IN EDUCATION HELD ON 22^nd to 26^th OCTOBER

INTRODUCTION

The meeting was held at Montebello in Italy which was represented by all delegates of the congregation of sons of divine providence and it also included lay people working in Education institutions.

November, month of the "Requiescat In Pace"

For us Sons of the Divine Providence, as heritage from our Founder St Luigi Orione, one of the most commonly recited prayers is the Prayer for the dead or for our Faithful departed. It is however, one of the greatest acts of charity we can perform to our brothers and sisters who have left this earthly world for the journey towards the New Jerusalem. Through our prayers, we try to help the faithful departed during their time in Purgatory, so that they can enter more quickly into the fullness of Heaven and from there, in the company of the Angels and the Saints intercede for us.

As in a particular manner our Mother Church invite during this month of November to pray more for the souls of her departed sons and daughters, our Community of the formation house in Nairobi has chosen this year to celebrate this prayer at Muthangari, the religious and priest cemetery, near St Austin Catholic Parish. We have been fortunate to have with us Fr Isaac Vondoame from Togo, on his way journeying  to the Mozambique where he is appointed for mission.

Every day, at evening prayer, after mentioning the name of our brothers, sisters and confreres departed,  we use to say for them Requiescat In Pace "Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen".

Fr Stan: "I'm an Orionine and am trying to become a complete man"

Specialists in Theology and great scholars have agreed to affirm that love is the generative force of creation. Nature itself reveals an additional dimension, that love of creation is the source of life. Love the Creation is above all express one's gratitude to the Creator for Strength, Beauty, Bounty and Providence of which he continues to fill his creation. For us Sons of Divine Providence, that love of creation also involves healthy use of the resources of this creation and especially leveraging the talents that the same Divine Providence has rewarded each one of us.

"Servants with the same attitude" Do whatever he tells you (John 2:5).

On October 25, 2014 we held our traditional monthly recollection, on the theme: "Servants with the same attitude" Do whatever he tells you (John 2: 5). This took place in the Community of the Novitiate of the Little Missionaries Sisters of Charity (Don Orione). The moderator, Reverend Sister Maria Stella has led us to discover the greatness of Lord's call and the singularity of each one of us in the perspective of constantly answer to this call. Below is a patchwork of some elements discussed.

On the Footstep of Mary:

The Blessed Virgin Mary “conceived, brought forth and nourished Christ. She presented Him to the Father in the temple, and was united with Him by compassion as He died on the Cross. In this singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope and burning charity in the work of the Saviour in giving back supernatural life to souls. Wherefore she is our mother in the order of grace.” (Lumen Gentium 61)

“The Blessed Virgin teaches unconditional discipleship and diligent service. In Mary, "the temple of the Holy Spirit, "all the splendour of the new creation shines forth… The Blessed Virgin shares with them the love which enables them to offer their lives every day for Christ and to cooperate with him in the salvation of the world.” (Vita Consecrata 28)

In the whole mystery of Christ, from his Incarnation up to the Calvary, Mary have been a gift given to all, especially to us her predestinated children, religious, seminarians and priests. That sounds much for us daughters and spiritual sons of Don Orione, to whom she is a Foundress and Heavenly Mother. Mary for us is an example of serving the plan of the Kingdom of God, the one we are all called to love in a special way, especially in this month of the holy Rosary. During this day, at her school, let us rediscover our being servants of the poor and disciples of Jesus.

Paul VI, blessed in nomine Domini

Pope Montini, now Blessed Paul VI

It's been expected for months... and this morning, it's official. Today October 19, 2014, was held at the St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, the Beatification of Pope Paul VI, the Pope signatory of the documents of the Second Vatican Council. He is the same one who, on 15 September 1965, following the invitation of this Second Vatican Council, with words of great profundity and historical scope established the Synod of Bishops. Thank you for his deep and humble testimony of love for God and his people. One could express him greatest gratitude than to celebrate his Beatification after a Synodal Meeting.

Who is this Pope Paul VI (1963-1978)?

Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini was born on September 26, 1897 at Concesio (Lombardy) of a wealthy family of the upper class. His father was a non-practicing lawyer turned editor and a courageous promoter of social action. Giovanni was a frail but intelligent child who received his early education from the Jesuits near his home in Brescia. Even after entering the seminary (1916) he was allowed to live at home because of his health. After his ordination in 1920 he was sent to Rome to study at the Gregorian University and the University of Rome, but in 1922 he transferred to the Accademia dei Nobili Ecclesiastici to study diplomacy continuing his canon law studies at the Gregorian. In 1923 he was sent to Warsaw as attache of the nunciature but was recalled to Rome (1924), because of the effect of the severe Polish winters on his health, and assigned to the office of the Secretariat of State where he remained for the next thirty years. Besides teaching at the Accademia dei Nobili Ecclesiastici he was named chaplain to the Federation of Italian Catholic University Students (FUCI), an assignment that was to have a decisive effect on his relations with the founders of the post-war Christian Democratic Party.

"The Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context of Evangelization"

Gathered for two weeks of work, the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family closes its work yesterday 18^th October 2014. Please find here the concluding message of Pope Francis to the assembled Fathers.

Dear Eminences, Beatitudes, Excellencies, Brothers and Sisters,

With a heart full of appreciation and gratitude I want to thank, along with you, the Lord who has accompanied and guided us in the past days, with the light of the Holy Spirit.

From the heart I thank Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, Secretary General of the Synod, Bishop Fabio Fabene, under-secretary, and with them I thank the Relators, Cardinal Peter Erdo, who has worked so much in these days of family mourning, and the Special Secretary Bishop Bruno Forte, the three President delegates, the transcribers, the consultors, the translators and the unknown workers, all those who have worked with true fidelity and total dedication behind the scenes and without rest. Thank you so much from the heart.

I thank all of you as well, dear Synod fathers, Fraternal Delegates, Auditors, and Assessors, for your active and fruitful participation. I will keep you in prayer asking the Lord to reward you with the abundance of His gifts of grace!

I can happily say that – with a spirit of collegiality and of synodality – we have truly lived the experience of “Synod,” a path of solidarity, a “journey together.”

And it has been “a journey” – and like every journey there were moments of running fast, as if wanting to conquer time and reach the goal as soon as possible; other moments of fatigue, as if wanting to say “enough”; other moments of enthusiasm and ardour. There were moments of profound consolation listening to the testimony of true pastors, who wisely carry in their hearts the joys and the tears of their faithful people. Moments of consolation and grace and comfort hearing the testimonies of the families who have participated in the Synod and have shared with us the beauty and the joy of their married life. A journey where the stronger feel compelled to help the less strong, where the more experienced are led to serve others, even through confrontations. And since it is a journey of human beings, with the consolations there were also moments of desolation, of tensions and temptations, of which a few possibilities could be mentioned:

 - One, a temptation to hostile inflexibility, that is, wanting to close oneself within the written word, (the letter) and not allowing oneself to be surprised by God, by the God of surprises, (the spirit); within the law, within the certitude of what we know and not of what we still need to learn and to achieve. From the time of Christ, it is the temptation of the zealous, of the scrupulous, of the solicitous and of the so-called – today – “traditionalists” and also of the intellectuals.

 - The temptation to a destructive tendency to goodness [it. buonismo], that in the name of a deceptive mercy binds the wounds without first curing them and treating them; that treats the symptoms and not the causes and the roots. It is the temptation of the “do-gooders,” of the fearful, and also of the so-called “progressives and liberals.”

 - The temptation to transform stones into bread to break the long, heavy, and painful fast (cf. Lk 4:1-4); and also to transform the bread into a stone and cast it against the sinners, the weak, and the sick (cf Jn 8:7), that is, to transform it into unbearable burdens (Lk 11:46).

 - The temptation to come down off the Cross, to please the people, and not stay there, in order to fulfil the will of the Father; to bow down to a worldly spirit instead of purifying it and bending it to the Spirit of God.

 - The temptation to neglect the “depositum fidei” [the deposit of faith], not thinking of themselves as guardians but as owners or masters [of it]; or, on the other hand, the temptation to neglect reality, making use of meticulous language and a language of smoothing to say so many things and to say nothing! They call them “byzantinisms,” I think, these things…

Seminary of Philisophy or "Orione Agro-pastoral Trainning Centre", OATC

Seminarian reviving the new calf

Undoubtedly, there is life in the Don Orione Nairobi’s Community, and the animals themselves can attest it. The months of August-September have given to experiment an active dimension of the ordinary life of our Community. In January-February 2014 we were talking about "Green Providence", referring to the agronomical dimension of our reality. At this Agronomic dimension is grafted one that although existing previously, seemed vegetating, the Agro-pastoral, the breeding of dairy cows. Two of our dairy cows have, in the course of four weeks, August 30th for the first and September 26th for the second, given birth to two calves, one bull and one heifer.

Observing these events, one of our young seminarians who do not lack humor, did not fail to say that it would be interesting to reorient the objectives of the house and the vocation of our Community into an "Agricultural Centre" where people would come to form on breeding technique and in garden.

Thanks to the Divine Providence for the strength of spirit and creativity he continues to give to each of us. The most important is to know the dimension of manual work well rooted in all of us and shared with joy by our young people in formation. Ave Maria e avanti!

Vocation: Come and see (1) 2014

There is an urgent need to form our religious, in this technological, materialistic and globalizing world, to be missionaries, to be evangelizers. The task of selection and formation of the candidates for religious life is rather complex one. The future of any religious institutes depends on how we for our young men of today. Religious formation is not merely implementing certain programs through qualitative techniques, teaching some doctrinal elements, acquisition of divine and human knowledge and bringing the formee under discipline.  The true formation is much more than that. It is a whole process which start by accompanying, a young boy from the stage of aspirant up to the last step of formation. This include such a times and moments of vocational session. Where the young men are invited first of all to discover quite closely a religious family, but much be assisted in their discernment of religious vocation.

Birthdays and 10 years of Religious Life

On this day September 9^th of 2014, the Orionine Community of Nairobi was en feasting. The occasion was the one of the celebration of the anniversary of the birth of the Father Director, Father Paul Mboche, born on September 9^th in the year 1974. We also associate to this event that of the birthday of two of our young students, Wilcliff Mumia, born on September 14 and Peter Karanja, September 16. An encouraging thought and strong words were spoken among which, this beautiful philosophical thought inviting to always move forward. Life is a perpetual forward motion. If you are given the opportunity to run, run with all your strength. If it becomes impossible for you to run walk. If it becomes impossible to walk ramp. In all cases do never give up or stop going forward. As well say with Don Orione Ave Maria e sempre avanti (Ave Maria and always forwards).

We have also taken the opportunity of this birth anniversary festival to wish "bonne fête" to Father Mboche who on last September 5th celebrated 10 Years of religious profession of the evangelical counsels of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience. May God who deign to associate him to his work of love gives him constantly and with courage to remain faithful to his commitments.

Kaburugi family day celebration.

Today August 24th, 2014, was held in the Parish of Kaburugi the family day with celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation for more than 100 youths. The Mass was celebrated by His Lordship James Maria Wainaina, Bishop of the Diocese of Murang’a. He was surrounded and assisted by Father Raphael Kailemiah, Parish Priest at the end of his mandate, the new Parish Father James Njoroje, the Assistant Priest and vicar of the Community Father Morris Mawira, and Father Paul Mwangi Mboche coordinator of the Sons of Divine Providence here in Kenya.

In his homily, Bishop Wainaina stressed on the importance of knowing Christ and following him closely. He invited the Candidate to the Confirmation and all Christians to be like the apostle Peter, confessing that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God”.

At the end of the Mass, the following event was the washing of the feet for the people infected by jiggers and the gift of wrappers (shoes) and blankets and some foodstuffs.

The last event was the handing over between Father Raphael and Father James Njoroje as the new Parish Priest of St Peter’s Catholic Parish of Kaburugi. Symbolically, he received from the hands of the Bishop the keys of the Tabernacle as a sign of Church authority. The Bishop blessed and prayed for him to be courageous as he shepherds God’s flock.

Father Raphael is now on the way to Kandisi parish where he will serve as new parish priest in replacement of Father Peter Wambulwa appointed in Nairobi Community as Vicar and member of the formation team.

The party ends with family meal that was shared by all the people present at this celebration.

“Pope Pius X, our supreme benefactor, our Pope”

As today, June 21st, the Church celebrates the liturgical memorial of St. Pius X, a short ride of history inspires us about this Pope and our Founder. PIUS X (1903 - 1914).

"The Holy Father Pius X will always be our supreme benefactor, our Pope."

It 's the thought of Don Orione, revealing his affection, the interest and the protection given by the Pope very valuable to the Little Work of the Divine Providence.

Pius X had news of Don Orione when he was still Cardinal in Venice.

The year after his election, he entrusted to our Founder the Church of St. Anne of the Palafrenieri. 

In 1908, when the devastating earthquake struck the Calabria, South of the Italy and the Sicily, the Pope appointed Don Orione as vicar-general of Messina. 

The two holy souls (Luigi Orione and Pius X) were very close to each other, the contacts were frequent, and audiences friendly.

Memorable an audience of 1906, in which Pius X revised and annotated the first Constitutions of the Little Work of the Divine Providence. During a private audience of the 19 April 1912, he offered to Don Orione the joy of making perpetual vows in his own hand: "For witnesses will be yours and my guardian angel" he to Don Orione.

The agricultural colony Santa Mary at Monte Mario in Rome and the Parish of All Saints (Ognissanti), outside the gate of San Giovanni, the famous "Roman Patagonia"(Patagonia Romana), are the most notorious labor camps to which the affection and esteem of Pius X called Don Orione and his children.

"Oh! That the memory of our Holy Father, Pope Pius X may be blessed by all the small Sons of Divine Providence, from generation to generation!"

From house to house, Visit of the Delegate in the Orionine Missionary Year

Visit to USA

On 16th April I arrived at our house at Jasper Indiana, for the Easter Triduum which I celebrated with Fr Angelo Quadrini and all the people who attend our chapel in Providence Home, Jasper.  We had discussions with the Advisory Board for the improvement and future of the Providence Home which has its origins in 1933 and its founder Fr Aleksander Chwilowicz FDP from Poland.  After that I visited Phoenix, Arizona, to meet the Board of the Hickey Family Foundation which gives us so much help in the Philippines and Kenya to our work for sick and disabled children and young people.  I also showed the Board some PowerPoint presentations of our work in the Philippines, Kenya and India which encouraged them to continue their great help to us.

Fr Mirek Kowalczyk and daily Mass-goers 

at St Joseph-St Lazarus Parish, East Boston

Discouragement is the work of the Devil

Introduction of the Newsletter no. 16, (2014 April-July) 

Dear Confreres, Sisters and Friends,

In this Orionine Missionary Year, 100 years after the first Orionine Missionaries left Italy for Brazil, we recognise that making a start in a different nation, continent, with different food, language, climate and customs is a very big effort.  We thank all those missionaries who have made that decisive step to go out of the “comfort zone” of their familiar surroundings to bring the Gospel of God’s love to peoples and places which are new to the missionaries.  But we also recognise that after that first step of the Sons of Divine Providence, led by St. Luigi Orione, those who follow also have a hard task, that of persevering faithfully.  As the world seems to become more complicated and somehow more resistant to the Good News of Christ, we who are trying to maintain and develop what St Luigi and his early confreres started in the Church, need a lot of guidance, grace and strength to persevere and not allow discouragement to enter our hearts. Discouragement is the work of the Devil; and so, let us recognises its destructive force and pray to the Lord for the grace to overcome it, if it tempts us. “‘Charity commands us not stand aloof  in a comfortable self-sufficiency, but to feel and have an efficacious compassion for the suffering and needs of others, from whom we must not regard ourselves as separated while they are one with us in Christ’ (cf. Don Orione, Writings Scr. 80, 283).  So too, the Orionines of today must be taught how to respond quickly and creatively, with the spirit of ‘first aid’, to the emergencies around us and to the problems of our world (cf. Constitutions art. 121)”(In the footsteps of Don Orione p. 177). I know that you are all trying to do just that.  But sometimes find that things do not go as planned for many reasons. In my recent visits in the Delegation I was overcome by physical and mental tiredness which tempted me to discouragement and inactivity.  That experience, which I am gradually overcoming, has helped me to understand how discouraged and depressed people can feel at times.  I hope it will help me to be more understanding and compassionate and also helpful in overcoming such a state in my brothers and sisters.  Thankfully, after some rest I feel a lot better now. 

Fr. Malcolm Dyer FDP

Delegate

Delegation "Mother of the Church" 

BR. NJENGA ANTHONY DISCUSSES AND DEFENDS HIS THESIS IN THEOLOGY

Last Tuesday on 17 june 2014, Br. Njenga Anthony who is studying theology in Rome concluded basic theological studies at the Salesian Pontifical University by defending his degree thesis in Theology. “Christ the Lord, full revelation of God and Man” was the title of his thesis. The moderator was Prof. Paolo Carlotti (teaches Fundamental Moral Theology and Bioethics) while the second moderator was Prof. Maciej Sarbinowski (teaches Introduction to theology and Fundamental theology).In his thesis written and discussed in Italian, Njenga outlined and insisted on the centrality of the fullness of revelation of God’s and Man’s mystery in Christ. Christ being the Son of God is the perfect revelation of God and on the other hand, being the perfect Man and the new Adam, he is the appropriate revelation of Man/human being: As a result, in order to understand and know the heart of God, we should look at Christ and to be able to understand and realize who human being is, as well as his existential vocation, we should therefore look at Christ.
He also exposed the reasons as to why he chose “Christ the Lord, full revelation of God and Man” as the title of his degree thesis: The objective realization that in today’s society many people lead an indifferent life, as if God doesn’t exist, giving very little importance to human dignity and to man’s supreme destiny fully revealed in Christ. Only Christ, who is both the revealer of God and the perfect model for every man, is the only key to understanding the mystery of God and man. We are in a society where everything which has a religious character is being relativized, trivialized and rejected, forgetting that when you reject God, you automatically reject man because human existence cannot make sense by itself without God who created man for to a good and specific end. He concluded his thesis dedicating some pages about "Saint Luigi Orione the saint of Charity"

Children, Missionaries of Peace and Love.

At the invitation of the parish priest, Father Peter Wambulwa Wakoba and his confreres Fr Alex Ruiz and Fr Stan Achi, many children throughout the parish gathered in the mother Church of Kandisi to celebrate the Parish Day of Missionary Childhood. With their animators and catechists; it is more than two hundred children in Yellow, White and Red colors from Holy Family Noopopong, St Francis Emakoko, St Luigi Orione Sholinke, St Joseph Entimikomi, St John Rangau, Holy Family of Oloosirikon, St Ignatius of Olekasasi, St Anthony Rangau and Holy Spirit  of Kandisi, who have invaded the precincts of the parish. A day of utter joy from 9:30 am to 4 pm.

In the program, the Holy Mass presided by Fr Stan in honour of the children, a fraternal lunch and a video session on the life of St. Josephine Bakhita.

In his short but vibrant speech, Father Alex invited the children to become Missionaries of Love and Peace. Their privileged places of mission are at home and in school.

The parish priest, Father Peter invited them to take every opportunity of meetings as unique chance to be together and grow as a community. He did not fail to emphasize the fact that they are the future of the parish and of our various Christian communities.

The day ended at 4 pm with a group photo session and the final prayer and blessing of Father Stan. Thank you to all the supervisors, animators, catechists and parents who made possible this activity. Long live to the Pontifical Missionary Childhood (PMC) and good journey towards Pentecost which will be our Family Day as Holy Spirit parish of Kandisi.

Delegate Canonical Visit in Kenya

After the beautiful and colourful celebrations of 17^th and 23^rd May, time is now to evaluate life of our different communities. Father Malcolm the Superior of our Delegate and Father Joseph Vallauri the Secretary of the Delegation have taken time, from Saturday 24^th to Monday to visit our different Communities and see really how are things going on.

At the end of this short but successful visit, we held a general meeting yesterday in the Community of Nairobi with the presence of Fr Raphael and Fr James from Kaburugi Community, Fr Peter and Fr Alex from Kandisi Community, Fr Mboche, Fr Morris and Fr Stan from Nairobi Community.

The agenda was about:

° Report from every Community

° Revise the General Chapter Document

° Proposal for the future of our Coordination here in Kenya

° How to support one another better in our community, pastoral and spiritual life?

° Report about our apostolate

° Vocation and formation Process

° Cooperation with our Sisters (LMSC)

° Project and source of finance (financial stability)

° New Community in view?

° Input and AOB.

Nairobi Community:

The report from the communities have started with the formation house of Nairobi. The Community is constituted with Fr Mboche Paul, Superior, Fr Stan ACHI, Vicar and Bursar and Fr Morris Mawira, Vocation Director. We have also a great support of Father Joachim Aboa, from Grand-Bassam (Côte d’Ivoire) studying psychology and counselling here in Nairobi.

In general view everything is going on well. There is somehow a need to involve more our students in our pastoral work and the sprayed of our Charism. Also a need to involve all the other confreres of the other communities in the formation of our young people.

Kaburugi Community:

The Community is constituted with Fr Raphael Kailemiah and Fr James Njoroje. Life in Kaburugi is most about pastoral work. In this, there is many new development and we can observe a real growth of Christian practices and sacramental life. Many Baptism of Babies and Weddings this year. Also growth of the Small Christian Communities (SCC) (Jumuhia in Kiswahili), in number of participants an numbers also of Communities.

About the Orione Centre, very good support from each parish communities. Christians are really involve in the life of the Centre.

About youth, choirs and children, everything is also moving well. The Parish is constituted of 8 outstation: Kaburugi, Kawendo, Mathuri, Mahuti, Manyika, Ngararia, Muruka and Kiranga.

Kandisi Community:

Not new born parish, but last born community. Very old parish but really young in the way being as a parish. The fathers moved there fully in November 2012. The Community is constituted by Fr Peter and Father Alex (in charge of the Orione Centre), with the support from the brothers of Nairobi Community.

In terms of pastoral we have the introduction of the morning Mass everyday in Kandisi Mother Church. The Parish is constituted of nine (9) outstations: Holy Spirit of Kandisi, St Ignatius of Olekasasi, Holy Family of Oloosirikon, St Francis of Emakoko, St John of Rangau, St Antony of New Rangau, Don Orione of Sholinke, St Joseph of Entimikomi and Holy Family of Noopopong. The greatest challenge is about the road to each one of the outstations. The big event of this year have been the Jubilee weeding of 15 couples. The other big challenge is about resistance of some leaders to realise that now the Fathers are fully present in the Parish. This is source of many opposition most about financial matters and some decisions. The Holy Spirit School is also other challenge with problem of management.

Soon coming event, the Family day, in the feast of Pentecost, this coming 8^th June.

The Orione Centre:

About the Orione Centre, things are moving on very well in Kaburugi. The Shamba (farming project) is a very successful support for the Centre. We have also support from some NGO from the USA and elsewhere and a very good concern of the First Lady of Kenya about our Centre.

In Kandisi, the Shamba is running very well. We are still waiting and moving about official and administration documents before the starting of the building of the Centre.

The good news is that by the Orione Centre, our Congregation have started been known by many people all over the Country.

Kenya: Orionine Missionary Year, Words of one pioneer

Father Malcolm asked me to say something about the beginnings of our missionary experience as Don Orione family here in Kenya. But before other words, I wish to say thank you to our sisters, since they are the one who first implanted the name of Don Orione in our reality here in Kenya, in the years 1979.

We had contact with the Bishops of Meru and Murang'a through our sisters in the years 80. However, we felt the interest to start when our sisters invited first Fr Malcolm in 1990 then in 1992 myself to preach retreats and give seminars to their postulants. They also told us that there were some young men who desired to join our Congregation since they felt attracted to the charism of Don Orione. Two of those young men are here today, Priest in our Religious family. I mean, Father Raphael and Father Peter. We met those young people on our visit once or more per year. As we were not yet present here in Kenya, we sent them first to be with the Cottolengo for religious experience and then in Ivory Coast for the Noviciate.

In the year 1996, finish my time in Dublin, I was asked to look for a place in Kenya for our Congregation. Looking and asking here and there, we will find the house of a gentleman, Mr. Erastus Kabugua, in the quarter of Langata South Road, in Karen. It will be the beginning of a nice and lovely missionary experience, which later on will be carry on by Father José Martin in March 1997. We will have the visit of our Superior General Father Simeonato the same year. Then Father Marek Krakus, Father Paulo Damin, Father Malcolm Dyer, Father Raymond Ahoua (now Bishop Raymond), will join us.

In the year 1998, will be the beginning of our Parish of Kaburugi and one year later, in 1999, in September, the Bishop of Ngong will invite us for the Parish of Kandisi.

Let me end these remarks by saying thank you first of all to God Almighty, for it is His grace that helped from the origin and development of our activities here in the name of our Congregation. Also thanks to the Virgin Mary and Saint Luigi Orione for their constant presence and intercession. I trust that even today our founder (Don Luigi Orione) is happy in heaven for this celebration here on earth for the work of his children. Moreover, special thanks to His Excellency Bishop Charles Balvo, Ambassador of the Holy Father for the blessing of this chapel in this community where our students prepare to become priests and brothers of tomorrow.

Fr. Giuseppe Vallauri

Achiviste of the Congregation and 

Secretary of the Delegation Our Lady of the Church. 

(Parts of this text were in Kiswahili, the translation is the work of the editors of this blog).

Official Opening of Nairobi Chapel

In an atmosphere worthy of the great feast days, yesterday we celebrated the blessing and official opening of the Don Orione of Nairobi Chapel.

The joy was at its height in the Scholasticate Don Orione of Nairobi Langata South Road. His Excellency Bishop Charles Balvo, Apostolic Nuncio of Kenya was there for the dedication of the altar and the blessing of the chapel. Surrounded by family, friends and faithful Christians from Nairobi, Kandisi and Kaburugi, this ceremony was also wanted to be the official celebration of the Orionine Missionary Year here in Kenya.

Have made the trip to attend this event, Father Malcolm George Dyer and Father Joseph Vallauri pioneer of the Orionine Mission in Kenya.

In their various speeches, Father Paul Mboche, Joseph Vallauri, Malcolm Dyer and Bishop Charles Balvo have constantly given thanks to God for this day and say a sincere thank you to all those, benefactors from here and elsewhere , workers and everyone who worked to make possible the construction of this new chapel.

After the beautiful Eucharistic celebration, the first in this building, presided by the Apostolic Nuncio, a fraternal meal was shared with all those who have attended the event.

The apotheosis, the cutting of the cake, a miniature copy of the chapel and its surroundings.

Our gratitude and prayers to our benefactors: Mrs Jean Mankelow, Sig. Adele Cappelli and the organization "Aid to the Church in Need" (Germany)

Father Morris' Thanksgiving Mass

One day after his priestly ordination, on Sunday, May 18th, the Rev. Father Morris Mawira celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving to the Lord. That was in the Church of the Sacred Heart of Kariakomo Prayer House.

Surrounded by Father Malcolm George Dyer, Fr James Njoroge Waituika, Fr Joachim Aboa Ake, Fr Paul Mboche, Bishop Raymond Ahoua and many other diocesan and religious priests, seminarians and consacrated men and women, Father Morris in a family atmosphere chaired his first Eucharistic Celebration. While he is solemnly, by this celebration, opening his priestly ministry, we wish him good service and good work where the Spirit of God through the superior, will call him to work.

Orione Kenya: Priestly Ordination in Meru

On Saturday 17th May 2014, while the congregation was still in the festivities of the 10th anniversary of the canonization of our Founder Don Orione, Deacon Morris Mawira, together with Deacon Eric Mwiti from the Diocese of Meru said yes to follow and serve Christ forever in the priestly ministry. The village of Kariakomo in the parish of Chogoria was buzzing. Two of its sons were honored. Our confrere Morris Mawira and the young Deacon Eric Mwiti received the second degree of the sacrament of Holy Orders by the imposition of hands and the prayer of consecration of his Excellency Bishop Salesius Mugambi, Bishop of Meru in the presence of Bishop Raymond Ahoua, Bishop of Grand Bassam (Côte d'Ivoire).

Were also present to witness and experience this event Father Malcolm Dyer, the Superior of the Missionary Delegation Mary Mother of the Church, all our brothers of Kenya, our young seminarians in philosophy and our sisters, the Little Missionary Sisters of Charity and the Sacramentine Sisters.

Father Morris Mawira Gichia, son of Japson Kaburu Ntwuara and Michelina Karambu Kaburu, after his primary and secondary studies at Chuka and in Meru, joined the Congregation as an aspirant in the years 2003-2004, welcomed by Bishop Raymond Ahoua at that time Father Raymond, in charge of the formation of the seminarians in Nairobi. After the sessions of "Come and See" and the courses of orientation, he was admitted in year of philosophy. After three years at the Consolata Institute of Philosophy, he will go to Côte d'Ivoire for the Novitiate. Finished his year of novitiate in 2008, he was appointed to St Peter's Parish of Kaburugi for two years of Pastoral Stage. He returned to Côte d'Ivoire, in the Missionary Training Center Abidjan (CFMA) for the Theological formation. In February 2011, the tragic political-military crisis facing Côte d'Ivoire would oblige him and his fellow Orionines of the Scholasticate Don Orione of N'Dotré to flee the seminar, as well as other members of other congregations.

Feeling the situation continue, the Supériors of the Delegation will take him back to Kenya he and his elder James Njoroge Waituika to continue their formation in Hekima College in Nairobi.

Ordained deacon June 29, 2013, will be invited to continue his training in Human Science and Management at the Tangaza University College of Nairobi.

With Father Morris Mawira we give thanks to God for the gift of the ministerial priesthood and the choice of his humble servant to make of him the instrument of his action and his service to his people and children.

16 May on our way to Meru

The 16th May, liturgical Solemnity and 10th anniversary of the canonization of Don Orione was lived in complete sobriety here in Kenya. The highlight was the preparation of the Priestly Ordination of Deacon Morris Mawira to be held the next day, May 17th. Bound for Meru, a technical stopover in Kaburugi. The Fathers Malcolm Dyer, Paul Mboche Peter Wambulwa, Alejandro Ruiz and Stan Achi were welcomed by a beautiful picture of Don Orione at the foot of the altar in the parish church of Kaburugi where Father Raphael Kailemiah was waiting for them.

To all the sons and daughters of the Don Orione family we wish a lovely celebration and a happy tenth anniversary of canonization. May St Luigi Orione always intercede for us his sons and spiritual daughters.