A busy week for Don Freitas in Kenya

Arrived in Nairobi last Saturday, February 15, his original program was a visit to the House of Formation and stay with this Community to share with our youth and their formatters Fathers Paul Mboche and Stan, assisted by Father Joachim Aboa and Deacon Morris Mawira their daily reality. But as we like to say here, man proposes and God disposes. Already on Sunday, he will be driven to visit the Community of Kandisi and concelebrate with Father Stan and Father Jacques, Vicar General of Grand Bassam also visiting Kenya, the Holy Mass. On Monday, after the community meeting in which he took part, he will be prompted to visit Kaburugi, nearly 70 kms from Nairobi to live 24 hours of his short stay with the brothers of the parish, Father Raphael Kailemiah and Father James Njoroje Waituika.

Don Freitas at the SDP Kenya Communities monthly meeting

Yesterday 17th February 2014, we held our regular monthly meeting, bringing together the Communities of Kaburugi, Kandisi and Nairobi. The exception of this meeting yesterday was the presence of Don Freitas currently visiting Kenya. He was so invited to address to the different Communities. First of all through words of encouragement, Don Freitas, our host, did not fail to commend the initiative of a monthly meeting of all our communities. He also hoped that this meeting in the future may become the space and the perfect opportunity to study the sheets of ongoing formation and renewal in the Charism. Continuing his remarks, he summed up in two points the reason for his visit:

+ Accompany each and every community in the celebration of this missionary year.

+ Due to his responsibility, counsellor in charge of formation, touch of a finger the reality of the formation which is lived here in Kenya and encouraged to faithfulness to the requirements of this formation.

Two General Councellors in Nairobi

The Don Orione Community of Nairobi had the joy of the visit yesterday of Sister Maria Alicja Kedziora, General Councellor of the Little Missionary Sisters of Charity, in charge of formation and youth ministry. She was accompanied by her sisters of the Novitiate Community of Nairobi, Sister Maria Marguerite and Sister Alberta.

Coincidence or providential act, the same day yesterday, had just arrived in Nairobi, our General Councillor Don João Batista De Freitas for a one week visit in Nairobi.

Our two guests took this opportunity to meet with our youth in philosophy and the new who will begin by early March the orientation course.

In their words and recommendations, they both have not miss to invite the young people in formation and their formatters to cultivate the spirit of family and really live for Don Orione in order to offer him gracefully to others who will want to know him. The occasion was also perfect for our young people, through questions, to discover more aspects of our family and dig more curiosity about other point of the Orionine life.

Visit of the Vicar General of Grand Bassam

The Vicar General of the Diocese of Grand Bassam (RCI) is since yesterday in our walls. The purpose of his visit, he expressed in very few words, but of very deep meaning: "I am here to greet you and see how is Father Rufin."

Father Jacques Assanvo Ahiwa under mandate of Bishop Raymond Ahoua is since Tuesday, February 11 in Nairobi in the Don Orione Community, the hosting Community of Father Joachim Aké Rufin Aboa for almost two years. He is here for an official and fraternal visit of his confrere studying counselling here in Nairobi, precisely at Embilbul Counselling Centre.

11 February 2013, One Man's Humility Changed the World

February 11th, 2013 began like any other day for me. I was barely a year in Rome as ZENIT’s English Edition correspondent and there was always a lot of work. I decided the day before that I would work from home in a more relaxing environment. Little did I know, it would be anything but that.

Before midday, I received a call from a good friend of mine asking me if it was true that Pope Benedict had resigned. I gave the usual response: “No, it's probably a rumor.”

“But that’s being reported on ANSA!” he said. Surprised that a reputable agency like ANSA was reporting that, I ran to my computer.

As I was logging on, I received an email notification from the Holy See Press Office stating that there was going to be a press conference in 30 minutes and attached to the email was the text of Pope Benedict’s announcement. Completely shocked, I grabbed all my things and asked my friend to give me a ride to the Vatican since it would’ve taken me over an hour with public transportation.

Luckily, he had a motorcycle which allowed us to bob and weave through traffic and get me to the press conference as it started.

The weather fitted my mood perfectly that day: cloudy, rainy, and frankly a bit sad. I couldn’t understand it at first. I was in Rome for less than a year, but I grew to appreciate the wisdom of Pope Benedict. To know that he would not be Pope anymore really struck me.

As I look back and reflect on this one year anniversary, one thing is absolutely clear: Benedict XVI loved the Church, and I don’t mean the institution. I mean the people within the Church, those who are part of the Body of Christ. Many in the media mischaracterized him and his resignation, speculating that the weight of the scandals rocking the Church and the betrayal of his maggiordomo was just too much for him.

In reality, what was perceived as his greatest moment of weakness was actually his finest moment of strength. It showed something rarely seen in today’s world: humility.

Many thought that the next Pope needed to be someone who was assertive, who would take the reins of the Church with full force and be the opposite of Benedict XVI’s meek and soft-spoken demeanor. After the conclave, the new Pope from “the end of the world”, asked for the prayers of the People of God as he humbly bowed down to them.

On March 13th, 2013, God proved that humility, shown by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and now in his own way, Pope Francis, is what the Church continues to need today.

Source: http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/benedict-xvi-the-humble-pope