The blessing today of the church at Kokuselei – dedicated to Mary, Mother of the Church – was a wonderful celebration. Bishop Dominic opened and blessed the church. This year Pope Francis declared this invocation to the Mother of God a Solemnity in the liturgical calendar of the Church.

Cecilia Puig of the MCSPA gave a brief introduction on the mission of Kokuselei and mentioned all the priests who had passed through Nariokome Mission and served Kokuselei as an outstation of the mission. There came visitors from all over the parish and beyond, religious and priests from other parts of the diocese, the local MP and local political leaders. Many of the faithful had walked for hours to attend and see the big and beautiful church built on a hill in the mountains, with a breathtaking view of a dam and the Morueris mountain range.

The celebration took 4 hours with a lot of singing and dancing. This church will be the center point for all the normads in the Kokuselei valley where catechesis and Christian formation will take place. We would like to thank all who have supported and helped both financially and spiritually for this church to be built.

Thank you all who made this day a success: the MCSPA women community living in Kokuselei, the priests of the mission, the benefactors from around the world, the Church Committee, the catechist and all the parishioners.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us!

Lillian Omari

MCSPA

Today, Bishop Dominic Kimengich celebrated Mass and blessed the new parish of Sts. Joachim and Anne at Kibish.

Prior to the visit to Kibish, the Bishop visited Lomanakeju, Kokuro and Napeikar settlements. These are very remote villages deep in the Ilemi Triangle, close to the borders with South Sudan and Ethiopia.

The Mass was attended by a multitude of Christians from all the outstations of the parish: Lomanakeju, Kokuro, Napeikar, Lokomarinyang, Koyasa, Napak and Kibish. The Church was packed and shook to traditional Turkana music and dance. The Parish Priest, Fr. Wycliffe Ochieng, was accompanied by other MCSPA priests – Fr. Avelino Bassols, Fr. Alex Campon and Fr. Angel Valdivia who came with a team from Ethiopia to represent the new Prince of Peace Catholic Mission in Nyangatom.

The area Member of Parliament Hon. Christopher Nakuleu and other political leaders also graced the occasion. In his homily, the bishop said that the new parish is a very important step towards primary evangelization and cross-border peace efforts in the area. He also said that without peace there cannot be development. Finally leaders, members of the community and also Fr. Angel Valdivia stressed the need of bringing peace to this corridor as soon as possible.

After mass and the presentation of gifts, the bishop blessed the first stone of the new parish and the new plot where the church which will be built in time.

We pray that Sts. Joachim and Anne, the parents of Mary, will protect and help the people of Kibish to be wise and caring so as to bring peace to the people around especially the youth.

God bless our new parish!!!!

Lillian Omari

Today, Bishop Dominic Kimengich visited St James Parish, Kaikor, to celebrate their parish feast day. The celebration started with the blessing of the Paediatric Nutrition Centre run by the Marianitas Sisters. After the blessing, all the faithful proceeded in procession to the church for the Eucharistic celebration. The celebration ended with lunch during which members of the Small Christian Communities danced and sang, joined by all who attended the celebration.

The mass was a very colourful celebration during which about 63 young men and women received the sacrament of Confirmation.

We would like to thank Fr. Frederick and Fr. Melchor, Srs. Matilde, Joy, Ruby, Genie and Janet, the catechist, St. James Parish Council and all parishioners of St James who made this day so wonderful.

Lillian Omari

A new look for Our Lady Queen of Peace School at Todonyang …

Pictures send powerful messages. At the school in Todonyang, we use wall murals to teach and catechize.

Lillian Omari

Yesterday, 25th May, saw the graduation of 18 trainees after 5 months of an intense agriculture course. These trainees are full of enthusiasm as they begin work as farmers.

They have been trained from scratch, from preparation of the compost and the land up to harvesting of watermelons, sweet melons, tomatoes, onions, squash etc. They relied on the support of all the members of SITFA (Saint Isidore’s Turkana Farmers Association) who assisted at the graduation as well as they were holding their semestral workshop. The 18 new graduates have registered as members also of this farmers association of Turkana North, the first of its kind. Also, we had the visit of the chief officer of the Ministry of Agriculture accompanied by other County officials.

We wish all the graduates well.

Maque

On this vocation Sunday let us pray and encourage vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life.

Rheynell Kadusale is a 9-year-old boy from Parola (Tondo), one of the biggest slums of Metro Manila. We came to know him a few years ago while carrying out our teaching apostolate outreach for children in this marginalized area.

Rheynell does not go to school due to a problem he developed on his right leg just after birth. Rheynell’s mother says that this deformity in his right leg came about due to a failure in completing medical vaccination for polio.

Fr. Francis asked Zacchaeus and I to take charge of assisting this child. It has not been easy at all, knocking from door to door to seek medical advice on his case, one which most of the doctors termed as a rare case and declared that amputation would be the only way forward. We tried hard not to go for that option considering Rheynell’s age.

Through prayers and without stopping to find other solutions, we found, at the University of Santo Tomas Hospital, a good doctor who advised us to carry out proper physiotherapy which would last for 12 weeks, and a well-designed prosthetic fitting that would help in stretching his leg before surgery could be performed so as to join all the undeveloped bones.

So that was precisely what Zacchaeus and I have been doing with Rheynell. Accompanied by his mother, Marisa, we have been with him at intense physiotherapy sessions and meetings with the physicians.

Today, for the first time, Rheynell was fitted with the prosthetic … it was a moving moment to see the child try to walk on his own!

Ambrose Wanyonyi, Philosophy Student in Manila

Leviticus 26:4

“I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and trees their fruits”.

We have been blessed to receive plenty of rain this morning in Turkana. The photos are from Nariokotome Mission (MCSPA).

Lillian Omari, MCSPA

God bless!

In the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio we use Easter Monday to announce Peace and well-being through a diocesan bycicle-ride. The event was initiated four years ago and it has attracted thousands of followers.
Easter Monday is for announcing the good news which took place on Easter Sunday!

We ride bicycles for good health, peace, and holiness.

Be glad and stay blessed!

Bishop Eduardo Iboro

Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio, South Sudan

Following an ancient custom, all priests, religious and Christians of the Diocese of Lodwar joined together as a family to celebrate the Chrism mass.

Today, Bishop Dominic Kimengich told the Christians of his Diocese to take care, help and pray for the priests in our Diocese and parishes.

This is so, because priests are always with the Christians, especially during the dificult moments in our life. Following the custom, all priests, religious and Christians of the Diocese of Lodwar join together as a family on Holy Wednesday to celebrate the Chrism mass.

Today, Bishop Dominic Kimengich told the Christians of his Diocese to take care, help and pray for the priests in our Diocese and parishes.

This is so, because priests are always with the Christians, especially during the dificult moments in our life. They support the Christians spiritually whenever they need their help.

He also told the priests to keep the “following” in mind, in their day to day apostolates; prayer, obedience, service, availability to our Christians.
Bishop also said that the priests are a gift and they are anointed by the Holy Spirit thus they are anointed to anoint the people God.

“You are a priest for ever, a priest of the order of Melchizedek of old.”

Let us all pray for and support our priests, be at parish level, deneary level or Diocese level, as they are choosen and given as a gift to serve the people of God.

Lillian Omari

MCSPA