Here in Mexico for the priestly ordination of two of our Assumptionist brothers. I expect the Church to be filled to overflowing on Thursday, not only with the parishioners of the main Church in Tlilapan, but with busloads of indigenous folks from the mountains surrounding the parish. Our two brothers have served those communities faithfully for the past two years, and our brother Chano himself comes from an indigenous background. 

I kidded with the two of them at breakfast this morning, saying that the best thing about arriving at this day is no longer having to submit themselves to annual evaluations, a staple of the lengthy years of formation. In fact, this can only be a brief respite given the scrutiny to which the priesthood is subject these days. And I want to say that’s fair enough on more than one count. In a time of laxity, of moral failure, a corresponding vigilance is required. More essentially, the texts of the ordination rite make clear the awesomeness of the vocation to which Chano and Rodel are being called. To be configured to Jesus Christ, offering the daily sacrifice at the altar, puts the priest on the front lines with a visibility, like it or not, that cannot be taken away.

Almighty ever-lasting God, who assumed the Immaculate Virgin Mary, the Mother of your Son, body and soul into heavenly glory, grant, we pray, that, always attentive to the things that are above, we may merit to be sharers of her glory.
(Collect from the Mass During the Day, Feast of the Assumption)

On Monday, July 1, the Assumptionist region of Kinshasa was honored to receive the visit of Lynne BROUILLETTE, a lay Assumptionist from the USA, responsible for the NGO known as « Kids in the Congo ». It was her first visit to the Kinshasa area. She was met at the N’djili international airport by Fathers Michael TSONGO, superior of the house of theology, a number of other Assumptionists stationed in Kinshasa, Zacharie WASUKUNDI who came from Kenya to serve as a translator, and Fabien DIADIA, director of the Emmanuel d’Alzon school complex in Bibwa.

In fact, for some years now, the Assumptionist region of Kinshasa has been collaborating with this lady through the intermediary of Fr. Luc MARTEL, at the time, director of the International Development Office of the Assumptionists, in view of supporting this school complex and its students. That is why she came to get a first-hand view of the realities of this newly built school, situated in the « suburbs » of Kinshasa, where the Assumptionists maintain this institution.

Along with the heat, the number of young people is a strong first impression of Vietnam.  In fact, the median age of the country is 34, so appearances do not deceive.  The motor scooter is still the favored means of getting around, although there are many more cars on the road since I visited the country with Fr. Dinh seven years ago.  The scooters dart in and out in, somehow squeezing through spaces that look impassible.  An unaccustomed Westerner has his heart in his throat.

Assumption in Vietnam is also young.  Our meetings coincided with an annual workshop for young religious and candidates of the Assumption family.  They spent three days together, learning about the city of Jerusalem in sessions led by Jean-Luc Eckert, AA.   One of the highlights of our  meetings was the chance for each of us provincials to address this large group of young people about the life of Assumption in our countries.  A more informal and even more enjoyable moment was joining some of the young brothers later in the evening for grilled fish and shrimp on the beach, with some Tiger beer to wash it down.

Allow me to linger on the seafood.  Our meetings were held at a diocesan facility in the coastal city of Vung Tau, about a hundred miles from Saigon.  Right on the coast, the seafood was fresh, varied, and plentiful.  One casualty of the trip were singed fingers from peeling the shells off the grilled shrimp that kept on coming.  Such a hardship.

Bless our beautiful land, O Lord, with its wonderful variety of people, of races, cultures, and languages. May we be a nation of laughter and joy, of justice and reconciliation, of peace and unity, of compassion, caring and sharing. We pray this prayer for a true patriotism, in the powerful name of Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu

The article was first reported by The Agenzia Fides.

Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) - The people accused of complicity in the murder of Fr. Vincent Machozi, an Assumptionist priest killed on the night of 20 March 2016 in the village of Vitungwe-Isale, 15 km from Butembo in the Beni Territory, in the Province of North Kivu in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (see Fides 21/3/2016 ) have been acquitted.

The sentence of acquittal was issued by the military court of Butembo-Beni, during a hearing that took place on 6 September. The court in particular declared the main accused, Mwami Abdul Kalemire III, traditional leader innocent, who had invited Fr. Machozi to a peace meeting that, according to the accusation, apparently proved to be a deadly trap for the priest. Mwami had been arrested in Uganda and is still awaiting extradition in the DRC (see Fides 28/8/2017).

The civil part expressed disappointment with the sentence issued by the court in the absence of important defendants and witnesses. "We wonder how the court can fall so low to the point of issuing a judgment in the absence of the main defendant and in the absence of witnesses" protested one of the civil lawyers, Moses Kasereka Kangitsi.

The article was first reported by The Agenzia Fides.

Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) - "Dead City" in Butembo on the first anniversary of the assassination of Fr. Vincent Machozi, Assumptionist priest, who denounced the illegal exploitation of coltan in the region (see Fides 22/03/2016). Fr. Machozi was killed on the night of March 20, 2016 in the village of Vitungwe-Isale, 15 km from Butembo in the territory of Beni (North Kivu Province in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo).

The entire population of Butembo participated in the commemoration of the courageous priest, animated by the club "Fr. Vincent’s friends" who presented a video on the gestures of the murdered father. A requiem Mass was celebrated at Lyambo de Kalemire parish.

Meanwhile there appears to be a light on the disappearance of the three Assumptionist fathers (Augustinians of the Assumption) of Congolese nationality, Jean-Pierre Ndulani, Anselme Wasikundi and Edmond Bamutute, who disappeared on the evening of October 19, 2012 from their Notre-Dame des Pauvres parish Mbau, 22 km from Beni (see Fides 22/10/2012). During the trial being held in Beni, it emerged that the three religious were abducted because they accidentally came into possession of a sum of money destined to the ADF. According to a statement a parcel with money for the ADF had been brought by helicopter and then thrown on a field near Mbau where it was to be recovered by the guerrillas. A peasant picked it up by chance and brought it to the parish. But when the guerrillas found out what had happened they decided to kidnap the priests to recover the sum of money. The ADF commander did not specify the fate of the three Assumptionists. His story, however, is to be verified, and the court of Beni has not yet concluded its work. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 21/03/2017)

132^nd Annual Novena to Saint Anne - PDF file