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On Becoming
a REAL Missionary
By Bro. Daniel Thomas, O.P. - Nairobi, Kenya
I have now been
in Africa for exactly six months and still consider myself a
novice when it comes to really understanding how things work
over here. The one thing that I know I have learned: “Don't
be the wise-gut from the West – the mzungu –
coming over here with your brilliant ideas to cram down the
throats of these people who so desperately need YOU to set
them straight.” So I'm really trying to go with the flow.
One of the hardest
things that I've confronted is the African concept of
starting times. To say that something is going to start at
such-and-such time really means next to nothing and the
event generally will take place sometime, maybe even that
day! The Church in Kenya is still very much “missionary” and
it is not uncommon for one priest to be in charge of a
parish church that has ten or more outstations. He would
typically only be able to reach five of them on any given
Sunday. It reminds me of the
situation that the early California Dominicans faced around
the Bay Area where one priest would go by horseback from one
church to the other for Sunday Masses. The only difference
is that the distances here are greater, the roads are worse,
and the Mexican concept of mañana has nothing on these
Africans. My dearest friend here, Fr. Martin
Ndegwa, is typical of this phenomenon. Case in point: At
this moment there are just two of us Dominicans here in the
house, since one friar is still away at language school,
another has gone to New York for the Province Chapter, and a
third friar is away. Sundays we have three Masses and only
one priest. Last Sunday Fr. Martin had the 8:30 Mass at the
Orphanage at Kibagari and our Mass at the church at 10
o'clock. Another priest was going to take the Mass at the
campus. I told Fr. Martin that I would give him ten minute
leeway. If he wasn't at the church by 10:10 I would begin
without him and he could just jump in when he got to the
church. I said this because the Mass at the Kibagari
Orphanage often runs late and overtime.
As it turned out,
he arrived during the penitential rite while the choir was
singing the Kyrie, so we were more than safe. However, while
the Gloria was being sung he came over to me and whispered,
“The priest who was going to say the Mass at the campus
can't make it, so you'll have to go and do a Communion
service.”
When I asked where I'd
get the consecrated hosts he said, “I have them, The
ciborium is in the car.” So there I was. Quickly
becoming a real “circuit missionary” beginning one Mass at
the church and then conducting an Eucharistic Service (half
an hour late) at the campus of Nairobi University.
When I got to the
large hall where they celebrate the Mass on campus, it was
filled with about 200 students who had been there for over
half an hour singing. As I was getting ready I was also told
that this was the Sunday when they were going to install and
commission the new student leaders. So a prayer of blessing
was in order for after the service. ALSO, this was the
Sunday when they had planned to bless their newly renovated
prayer chapel, which I had helped them set up and furnish. I
was already prepared for a third event, which was conducting
the Holy Hour later in the afternoon in this newly blessed
chapel.
Again, the African concept of time is
very different from what we all have experienced in the
West. They expect to give a significant portion of their
Sunday to being involved in Church. The fact that they love
to sing and most often do this from memory with lots of
rhythm instruments makes for worship time that is looked
forward to with enthusiasm.
My Communion
Service went fine. We did the appointed readings and I
preached on the subject of another phenomenon that's
recently hit Nairobi: THE MOVIE. I was amazed that I could
begin my preaching by saying: “I must confess that I did
something this last week. No. Not some BIG, horrible sin
(pause, pause, pause). I went and saw (pause, pause, pause)
THE MOVIE.”
What's more
amazing is that I didn't have to say anything more than that
and EVERYBODY knew that I was talking about The DaVinci
Code. Part of that was due to the fact that some of the
Christian churches here in Nairobi (not the Catholics) had
tried to get a court injunction banning the showing of the
movie claiming that it was “blasphemous of the life of
Jesus.”
I had just read
an interview with Tom Hanks, who stars in the movie, in
which he says, “It's just a MOVIE. A 'who-done-it' cops
and robbers, chase 'um all around thing like so many movies
I've been in before. All this hype just fuels the fire and
adds to the box office coffers.” Dan Brown is no dummy.
He's already made millions on the book and stands to more
than double all that with the movie. The more controversy,
the more money. The thesis of the book made too many “leaps
of faith” with huge gaps in actual historical fact. The
movie, in my opinion, didn't do any better and lacked the
credibility to hold my attention or draw me into the action.
I asked the
congregation, “Where in the Gospels do you hear Jesus
telling His disciples that He's going to leave them all
kinds of hidden messages in medieval art works and secret
societies that they can belong to?” He said, “I leave you My
peace. As I have loved you, love one another. Have no fear.
I am with you always even unto the end of time.”
At the end of our
service I led the community in a prayer of blessing for the
new student leaders. Then we processed out of the auditorium
to the new prayer chapel, which we dedicated to St. Monica,
who is best known for the conversion of he son, Augustine,
later to become St. Augustine.
This chapel isn't
big enough to hold all the students, so it will be used
primarily for private prayer and occasional small services
or liturgies. The students plan to
have it opened all day, and I have every belief that they
will take advantage of the peace and quiet that will be
found there.
After the
blessing of the chapel I hurried back home – it's only about
ten minute drive – had a bit of lunch, packed up the things
I needed for the Holy Hour and got back to the campus by
three o'clock. I think about 50 students showed up and we
sang some songs, prayed quietly, and ended with the Divine
Praises.
It was a full,
busy day for this new “circuit riding African missionary”
but I found myself invigorated by the tasks to be
accomplished. Over here they often
begin any assembly or gathering with, “God is good,” to
which the congregation responds, “All the time.” Then the
leader says, “And all the time,” the congregation responds,
“God is Good!”
I like being in
Africa, and every day in every way it just gets better and
better,
MISSION APPEALS September-November 2006
We have been invited to speak on our
missionary work at the following parishes.
Please come out and meet our Dominican preachers at the
weekend Masses.
September 2/3
St. Joseph Church & St. Peter Mission
Lynden, Washington
Preaching: Fr. Martin Walsh, OP
September 2/3
Holy Spirit Church
Santa Rosa, California
Preaching: Fr. Kieran Healy, OP
September 9/10
St. Bernard Church & St. Thomas
Mission
Scio, Oregon
Preaching: Fr. Lawrence E. Banfield, OP
September 16/17
St. Paul Church
Sacramento, California
Preaching: Fr. Martin Walsh, OP
October 28/29
Blessed Sacrament Church
Sandy, Utah
Preaching: Fr. Vincent Lopez, OP
November 4/5
St. Olaf Church
Bountiful, Utah Preaching:
Fr. Vincent Lopez, OP
November 11/12
St. Ann Church
Salt Lake City, Utah
Preaching: Fr. Vincent Lopez, OP
November 11/12
Sts. Peter & Paul Church
West Valley, Utah Preaching:
Fr. David Orique, OP
November 18/19
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church
Salt Lake City, Utah
Preaching: Fr. David Orique, OP
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