July 28, 2015 Butembo, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

On Sunday, July 27, 2015, in the diocese of Butembo-Beni (DRC), Most Rev. Melchisedech SIKULI PALUKU ordained 14 priests and 16 deacons during a Solemn Mass, accompanied by Most Rev. Janvier KATAKA, bishop of the diocese of WAMBA, and more than a hundred priests in Immaculate Mary Parish, run by the Assumptionists in the Kitatumba neighborhood of this ever-growing city.

Apart from five diocesan deacons, all the others ordained belong to religious congregations, all of them natives of the diocese. Among those ordained were 7 Assumptionist priests and 9 Assumptionist deacons; 3 Crozier priests and 2 deacons; one Carmelite priest, one Combonian priest, and one priest from the Apostles of Jesus, the only Congregation represented at the ceremony not yet implanted in the diocese of Butembo-Beni.

Dear Friends,

I received news this past week that a new outbreak of violence occurred some 25 miles north of Beni (see article on p. 2 with details and some background information on the situation in this region of the Congo). After a brief lull, it appears that rebel factions have re-mobilized and have set out to re-install their reign of terror in the area.

Thousands of internal migrants seek refuge in Beni as a result of regional conflict

In the same letter Fr. Protais, the provincial of the Assumptionists in the Province of Africa, told me that, because of the good news that fund-raising for a school for orphans of war in Beni is proceeding so quickly, he re-visited the site we have purchased for this project and met again with the architect to fine-tune the plans. He is suggesting that we name the school, “Prince of Peace”, as a sign of our desire to dedicate our efforts there to the larger goal of fostering peace in the region and bringing this already too lengthy conflict to an end.

Days before his visit to the United States, Pope Francis sent a video message to the people of Philadelphia, and the participants of the World Meeting of Families, on his upcoming visit. He invited everyone by saying: “I will be there, because you will be there”!

Well, I can proudly say that “I was there”! I came with the group from the Filipino Apostolate, and Couples for Christ, of the Archdiocese of Boston.

Aside from the activities of the World Meeting of Families at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, and concelebrating at the Papal Mass at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway as the main highlights of my stay in Philadelphia, the following are, what I would say, my personal highlights:

The first of this semester's "Conversations at the Center," where we learn together in a place where we discover what it means to be Church, the theme addressed was CHRISTIAN FAMILY LIFE IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY. The community, residents and guests welcomed Basia and Tomek Sobolewski, a married couple from Worcester, MA, who just celebrated their 25^th Wedding Anniversary, to share their experiences of what being a Christian family means to them.

As parents of two adult daughters, Basia and Tomek, who were immigrants to the U.S. as young adults and met after arriving on our shores, spoke of the importance of respecting differences in each family member, with regard to one's growth in relationships, especially with God through prayer. Whereas Basia grew up in a more traditional expression of faith, Tomek lived his faith as a result of a more personal choice. When they married and became parents, the couple sought out a 'child friendly parish.'  Believing in the family as the domestic church, they, along with the support of a parish priest and a few other couples, formed a group who met regularly for prayer, faith sharing, social interaction and retreats. When asked about how they addressed family challenges and problems, they immediately responded with the importance of dealing with such situations prayerfully, humbly and promptly. They further recommended to the young men present, that the best way to prepare and approach marriage and parenthood was to be faithful to prayer and to themselves.