On Tuesday, January 28^th, groups of youth and choirs from all parishes of the Western Deanery of the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio (South Sudan), arrived in Ave Maria Parish. In total they were 583 people from 8 parishes. Most of them arrived by foot, walking for 30 to 50 km, although some came by bicycle or motorbike. They carried their own food.

In Ave Maria we hosted them in the Kindergarten, Primary and Secondary school. This was the annual gathering. They came escorted by Fr. Mark, the Episcopal Vicar of the Western Deanery and Parish Priest of Tombura, and by Fr. Vairi, the Parish Priest of Mupoi. With them was also the diocesan youth coordinator, Sr. Irene.

During the days in Ave Maria, apart from the daily celebration of the Eucharist in the morning and the prayer of the Rosary in the evening that would take each day about one hour, there were talks during the day attended by all participants, on Peace and Reconciliation, Faith, Liturgy, HIV and self-reliance.

On Friday, January 31^st, there was the celebration of Saint John Bosco, their patron saint. It was celebrated open air with the attendance of government officials from Tombura and Source Yubu and more than 1.500 faithful. The day ended with dance until past midnight.

On Saturday, February 1^st, the various groups returned to their respective parishes.

Fr. Avelino Bassols MCSPA

I want to briefly share the testimony of my vocation in this Extraordinary Missionary Month, especially with so many young people in the world who have had the good fortune of growing up in countries and families that have given us so much. I am Colombian, and I grew up with wonderful parents and brothers with whom I joyfully lived my Catholic faith since I was a child. In addition, I grew up in one of the many parishes of the Archdiocese of Bogota, where the example of good priests attracts many to follow Christ unconditionally.
However, in spite of having so much love from people close to me, a strange dissatisfaction filled my life during the years I lived at the university. The pain of so many people in my country in permanent war and the suffering of so many people in the world, made me feel grateful for everything I had, but at the same time left my heart thirsty, hungry. Nothing satisfied me. My psychology studies did not quench my thirst for justice, my thirst to wanting to be part of God’s plan of goodness for all. Many books, much theory, but little practice, little love. Those were difficult moments: intense longings to want to change the world and not knowing how. Amidst so much confusion and dissatisfaction of a young woman from Bogota who had had everything, God put my happiness on my path, and in the most unexpected way.
A woman, a nurse and missionary in Africa for many years, invited me to be part of an exceptional family: the Missionary Community of St. Paul the Apostle. With Cecilia’s enthusiasm, and that of many other missionaries in the group, my life found a living Jesus: transformer of a world that cries out for justice and love. I cannot forget Father Francisco Andreo – Paco-, who revolutionized all my schemes since I met him. With him, the Gospel began to be for me something alive, active, concrete, thanks to his exceptional love for those in most need and especially for Africa. The way he committed himself, from beginning to end, to those who suffer marked my vocation forever. His trust in God was amazing, and his faith in the transformation of people and places oppressed by despair continues, even today, to impel my life.
There are no words to say thanks for those moments (17 years ago) when God filled me with strength to say, “Yes, I follow you, unconditionally and for life to go where you need me”. And here I am, in a corner of Africa called Turkana, full of amazing people in the midst of extreme poverty, hunger, lack of water and scarcity of opportunities, who are slowly building a more dignified present and future, despite the countless challenges.
What a blessing to have received the mission of turning this remote place of the Turkana desert into a garden! What a joy to be part of a missionary family that wants to commit itself completely to the most underprivileged, accompanying them in a permanent way to announce to them a Christ who loves them here and now. And what a joy to find on this journey, so many generous people who help us to build the Kingdom of God.
I recognize that the faith in God of the people from Turkana and maturing together our faith in Christ, has been my great joy and an enormous responsibility that I share with my companions on the road in the mission of Kokuselei. Lay missionaries like me, with whom we are building a living and young Church in the midst of numerous people full of enthusiasm for making God present in their lives. People who need to be accompanied, shepherded, towards paths of hope, faith and love.
Here in Africa, hundreds of people are in need of good shepherds who will take them where there is life, where Jesus is. But we lack hands, missionary priests and missionary women who want to leave their own land to reach so many who are waiting for the concrete message of God’s love. Young people who want to leave everything to follow Christ and who are willing to be sent where they are needed. Young people who want to overcome ties and who are ready to walk against the direction of a world that often closes the doors to true love.
I am happy and I know that whoever follows Christ one hundred percent is happy. As a missionary, I hope that this Extraordinary Missionary Month will sow in the hearts of so many young Catholics around the world the seed of a fearless love and a love committed to the proclamation of Jesus among those in most need. I pray for vocations that will cross borders and join the universal mission of the Church.

Diana Trompetero, MCSPA

Yesterday (August 27), in the afternoon, members of the MCSPA celebrated the silver jubilee anniversary of the community’s presence in Ethiopia at Holy Saviour Church in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. The Eucharistic celebration was presided over by His Eminence Berhaneyesus Cardinal Souraphiel of Addis Ababa accompanied by Msgr. Markos Gebremedhin, Bishop of Jimma-Bonga. It was a great joy to celebrate this mile-stone surrounded by many people who have been with us since the begining of our missionary work in Ethiopia: friends, beneficiaries and staff from all the four MCSPA missions in Ethiopia.

During his homily, the Cardinal congratulated all who made this mission a reality: from Fr. Paco to Cecilia, Lourdes and all who are now working in Ethiopia. He spoke of how Fr. Paco had a boundless energy and how he encouraged the MCSPA members to take care of the poor, recalling the words from Scripture, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink”.

The Cardinal also encouraged MCSPA members to be people of prayer like St. Monica and to seek God in each one of us, as advised by St. Augustine.

Finally Cardinal Berhaneyesus also adviced us to continue to seek out the lost sheep, bearing in mind the charism of MCSPA.

After the mass, everyone gathered in the church hall for speeches, refreshments, a slideshow and, finally, songs and dances in the Nyangatom (southern Ethiopia) style!

We wish to thank all those who made this day a success especially all the friends, relatives, and staff who attended, and we pray that God may continue to bless us with more vocations so that we may be able to reach many other places in Ethiopia and the surrounding countries where the harvest is still so full.

Thank you for all your prayers and support throughout these years!

Lillian Omari MCSPA

Fr Alex, Parish priest of Ss. Joachim and Anne, one of the youngest parish in the Dioceses of Lodwar, has been encouraging the Small Christian Communities so that they can support the parish in all its development.

This week through the contributions of the Christians in every out-station, they managed to make altar clothes in all four liturgical colours for all their out-stations and the main parish church.

In this particular outstation those responsible; the catechist, youth chairman, the outstation chairperson and the Catholic Women Association representative received the gifts on behalf of all the Christians of Napeikar outstation.

We hope through this small acts, the Christians continue to feel part of the development that takes place in their Church.

Ambrose Wanyonyi
Apprentice MCSPA

Missionaries from Kokuselei and Teachers from the public and private pre-primary and primary schools of Riokomor and Kokuselei enjoyed recently an exposure trip to Our Lady Queen of Peace Integrated Centre in Todonyang. They learned from the educational work that both teachers and children are carrying out at the border. Especially the dedication and commitment they put.

We thank the entire team of teachers from the mission school and our MCSPA missionaries in this place for their warm welcome.

There are many teachers with a lot of talent teaching in Turkana, who contribute a great deal to improve the situation of the vulnerable children where they work. We hope to continue sharing more experiences such as this to grow together and make quality education possible in Turkana.

Diana Trompetero, MCSPA

Over the weekend we went on pastoral visitation to the villages around Dingimo, in Ave Maria Parish, in Tombura-Yambio Catholic Diocese, South Sudan.

Some in the group thought it was good to carry food if we were to spend the whole weekend. However, some of us knew better by experience that people would feed us and we would not be able even to finish all the food! Indeed, in every village we went people expected us to eat.

We were six in the party and they had arranged for us to sleep in the headmasters office in the Dingimo Primary School. In the afternoon we had a meeting with the school committee in the presence of the Sultan (chief). Then, towards the evening people started arriving with their sleeping mats. This is because, once the priest comes, people have to leave their houses in order to spend the night with us in the school and pray the Rosary together. We started with the Rosary at 9 pm, after supper, and it went on until almost 10:30 pm!

During this weekend we had baptisms in several villages, First Holy Communion and a Wedding.

People in Dingimo show that their Faith is Alive, since God is always with us in everyday life.

Fr. Avelino Bassols MCSPA

Kokuselei – School children’s Mass in the New church and meal.

The MCSPA Members at Kokuselei celebrated the feast of St Joseph with style. All the children of St. Joseph primary school and the whole village attended mass and shared a meal together. Let St. Joseph be the role model of the school.

Nariokotome – Celebrating the feast of St Joseph with plenty to eat!!

‘The children at St Joseph Mother and Child Centre – Nariokotome celebrated the feast of St Joseph with plenty to eat. Imitating the foot steps of St Joseph, a father to all, who provided for his children the same happens at the centre in Nariokotome. Let’s give the best to our children.

Muketuri MCC Ethiopia – Drawing to St Joseph

The children at St Joseph Mother and Child Centre – Muketuri Ethiopia, celebrated the feast by making the best drawings dedicated to St Joseph. Lets help these children develop their talents.

Feast of St Joseph – Andode Mission Ethiopia

The children of St Joseph Mother and Child Centre – Andode, were not left out for the feast of St. Joseph. It was great to see the children sing hymns to St Joseph. They shared the little they had together, but the best was the smiles on their faces.

Lillian Omari MCSPA

Our MCSPA house in the Philippines serves several purposes: on the one hand is a study house for our priests who seek further studies, and our philosophers and theologians, as well. And on the other hand it is also a spring board from where we can reach many places in the South East Asia in order to carry out missionary animation and vocational promotion, as well as bridging between Asia and Africa. This apostolate has already borne fruits as the Diocese of Antique in the Philippines, has sent two priests to take care of the parish of St. James in Kaikor, Turkana, and a congregation of sisters to take care of outstation Kaleng.

Fr. Francis Teo and Ambrose Wanyonyi went to Panay Island, recently. They went particularly to San Jose Antique, which is the home of the Philipino priests and sisters mentioned above. At San Jose, they gave talks at two universities: St Anthony’s College and the University of Antique for vocation promotion, establishing new relations with the clergy and some families and strengthening our bonds with the people that have always been there to assist us.

They then proceeded to Iloilo City, about a 3-hour ride away, to establish contacts with colleges and also some priests there and to see Archbishop Lazo who is now the Archbishop of Jaro. He had been to Turkana in Kenya.

They also visited the Judicial Vicar of Jaro who also responded positively on our mission campaign. He has invited us, in the later part of this year, to give talks to the lay leaders there on mission, so as to create more awareness of missionary work, especially since this is the Extraordinary Year of the Missions.

They then went on to Cebu for vocation promotion activities, and Victor Otieno and John Amadi joined our team from there. On Sunday morning Fr. Francis con-celebrated the 8 am mass in Cebuano the local dialect and presided over the 10 am mass at Sibonga Parish, outside of Cebu City. There, the local parish priest had invited us to his rural parish on many occasions. After the 10 am mass, we met with some youth of the parish at the parish hall, where we held a talk and showed videos on the missions in Turkana. The youth were very excited and asked lots of questions about our missionary life in Africa. We were also invited to present another talk at the San Carlos Major Seminary in Cebu, where we met Msgr Rey, the Rector, and also the Vocations Promoter and other priests. They were very interested and welcoming. There were about 80 seminarians.

The Vocation Promoter invited us for the Archdiocesan Vocations Jamboree which will be held in Cebu from the 23rd to 24th of February. The MCSPA will be invited to do vocations campaign.

It is our hope that with these talks we have planted a missionary spirit in the youth that we met. Especially as we prepare for the coming month of October when the Church will celebrate the extraordinary month of Missions. We continue praying that, God willing, some Philipino vocations may join our community in the years to come. We entrust this endeavour to the patron saints of our house in Manila: St Joseph and St Francis Xavier.

By Victor Otieno and Ambrose Wanyonyi

The members of the Missionary Community of St. Paul the Apostle (MCSPA) in different countries remembered their founder who passed on 6 years ago.

At Nariokotome Mission, where Fr. Paco was laid to rest, the villages came in large numbers to remember him, carrying branches while singing and dancing. It was a great celebration as we fondly remembered Fr. Paco as a man who brought light to people, like a lighted candle in a dark room.

Lillian Omari – MCSPA