BEAUTIFUL

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74, Vol. THE GAMBI Volume 14, No. 1 Spiritan Missionary News is produced by the Holy Chost Fathers and Brothers Western Procince, U.S.A.

March 7990

Editorial Office, Printer Spiritan Communications Ronalds Printing 14420 McQueen Road Edmonton, Alberta (403) 4549728 CANADA CANADA

Editor - Fr Michael Troy CSSp CONTENTS

2 Editorial BuildingBridges TIlE BAN] UL 3 SmallButBeautiful - 1)ECLARATION TheGambia,WestAfrica I) it a sol’crni’rsfleu,c,n diatii, a rela)iI’cl)’shtrt1w,ic,dfciurlustciij iswsto/ourhir’eri’ildh/’spc’ckshai’c’/icappearcd to’eihc’tpithittitcit o/ tb, on ç’iIulIforest corer 8 Yesterday&Today Iliesrirt’n’alcr/t/,eii’ihlli/estillren,ai,un’ iii,?, us TheSpiritansin andtliescttiii’ant/c’ theGambia ofprotectednaturalIto/nitats/orthem isth’cOIJCCHIu/ti/of ins, It nu’o,mh?bu’Iraupc 74 TheNewWestAfrican if thispncclc’ssnatural llenraç’e. thc’productt;j,ndhomiscm/j’ecirsofei’oliitioit, Foundation(WAF) shouldbelurthcrc’nclanç’cn’dcrlos, TheGambiaConnection br u’anr o/properconlt’rn. ibis cOncert?is a c/Ut)’ ifk’ Ott’c’to o,,rscli’,’s, to our,ç’reatAfrican hirntaç’c’andto tilt non/cl. 7’Inislsoh’unnlyddarc 76 Upand Downthe River thatin)’Coi’cr,,,,,c,itpledgetits u uirinçncjfrris MeettheMissionaries to coizsc’rm’c’/sr ucmim’aflclpcmslcnty

cit i’uka s,cc1nummt asj,osciblc o/oufrrcluta,,ui,,’ /ciuliaand /ic’ra. 18 LayMissionaryofTheGambia Ordained FatherBobCoiburn,CSSp 1= c

20 VICSinTheGambia 1974-1990

22 Aroundthe SpiritanWorld The Gambia may be the smallest country in Africa, but in the 1990’s it stands out as a shining model for bigger nations everywhere - in its nationally declared intent to save the Mauritius,PNG,NorthAmerica environment and its remarkable record of continuously harmonious relations between its two great religious traditions - Islam and Christianity. 30 Lettersto the Editor

Spiritan Missionary News is produced by the Holy Ghost Fathers and Brothers, FrontCover:Spiritans, FathersJames Western Province, U.S.A. Editorial Office: Spiritan Communications, 14420 Whiteand AndrewCarroll,stillgoing McQueen Road, Edmonton, Alberta, 15N 3C2, (403) 454-9728 Canada. Editor: strong,haveloggeda combinedtotalof Father Micha’l J. Troy, CSSp. Printer: Ronalds Printing, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.. over90 yearsof missionaryservicein TheGambia.

St

champion

the

form

to

GAMBIA

combine

youth

THE

Gambian

dream

OF

the

Protestant Banjul.

in

share

and

team

Gambia

Catholic

football

The

of

Moslem,

Inset:

Augustine’s

Children

of

of

of

of

in

to so

or

by

of

be

for

the

the

ask

off,

the

the

de

it:

the

rift,

was

little pro

send

con

even

CSSp

same

feast,

John

to

could

priest,

to

it in

Islam

oldest

a

up teacher

after

put

vision,

Gambia

pay built

2.5%

Gambia

parts

Gambia

Er

Spiritans

and

Gambia)

over

was

dialogue,

the

wider

Catholic-

celebrated

Troy,

efforts

for

people

none

of

1845

Vicariate it

“mass

across

of

The J.

well

The

of

today

public

of

than

The

centuries

where Muslim

be

open

divide “pastor”,

headlines,

far

The

in

yet,

other

the

country,

Catholic

are

of so muslim

meagre

a

in

headquarters

the

Easter?”

a

continued

respect

not

approaches

often

schools

in

to

men

mission a

true, return

one

of

“Or

the of

clear of

50

never

or

English-speaking more

with

BRIDGE-BUILDERS

publications. that

recognition the

and

1931

years

in

is

is

or

in

local

Editor

once

Michael

that

calibre

There

hit

it

Muslim

of in new

prejudice.

through exemplary-models

part

across

years

Muslim

missionary

scale

the

entrusted

these

mutual

were

pioneers

efforts

Gambia

relations

then, long

never

results

crystal

as

as

bridges

English-speaking

the

the

Assumption

to

and

then,

50

capital

is

use

Spiritan education, waters

remote to

occasion

itself.

kind

work!

the

world. holiday

rarely mission?” “Iman”,

years,

Fathers;

Christmas

and children

when

Guineas,

The

other

of

The

in

the

a

the

independent

there

of

Africa

the

bridges

at

those

the

on

missionary

Dakar,

of

Iman,

the

like taken

the

to

and

Spiritan

has

of

(over

THE in

in

river

Spiritan

population!

an

Despite

mutton

Two

minority;

of

of

distrust

gift

Gambia,

answer on

even

many

an

even

But what

it

wonder, be

men

than

building

thanks one

Ghost Christianity

years

public

of

doing?

troubled

he

Catholic

the Christian

feast

rest

total teaching

a

“In

These Today,

As

No

But Ireland,

For

The

leg

small

Islamic-Christian similar

from a the

cessions be would

today. as the world,

the might the

interior mutual

French became were Gambia cooperation and, the

of versions”

Senegal. entrusted

missions mission,

more a the

Holy Africa. Christians many

received

years,

serves, outpost

what Meehan

were T

a

far

of

on

the

(22

the

the

the

and

also

Fula

by

Mali,

as

from

chief

1816

0%),

bank,

more

trade

(1%), Mecca

Mansa

on Sahara

traders

Mary’s

Wolofs,

(1

of

is

eleventh

in

influence

are northern

to

and

renamed

St

and

tribes,

the

miles),

population

countries, the

Serekunda,

importance

the

during

south

miles

Aku

the

Kuntaur,

of

includes

Brikama

towards

Jola

on

island Mauritania.

in

of

river

as

city mainland

It

(65

the

was

and the

Muslim

Basse. Empire

population

local

British

groups

and

are

Muslim

190

an

Senegal

it

of

important

and

a

the

the

(2%), on

built

region

African

century,

early

century,

as

the

south

also

on

Banjul,

of

(16%),

to

north.

him,

rest

largest

Kaur

Bwiam pilgrimmage

Bakau

main

are

growing

as

important

has

by

was

was through

centres

powerful

its

Serer

the

north

are

other

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from

Lebanon.

Mandinka

Hausa

Morocco

country,

as

bank

linked

city

Bathurst,

other

Africa

Wolof

far

situated

or

more

miles).

bank,

Banjul),

up

is

Through

steadily via

than more

the

nineteenth

fourteenth

the

Banjul

as

from

Georgetown,

penetrated

1973.

(9%),

(1%).

mostly

days,

celebrated

The

Banjul,

The

Ocean

Founded

the

of

south

and

the

as

in

was

a

(233

and

important the

the

from

o...

are

areas

came

called

Europe

north

of

tropical

population.

In

In

Islam

Moving 1324-5.

Westwards

The

the

Nigeria.

one

in

(Chief) extended

made south

into

RELIGION century

Banjut who

colonial

Basse river,

miles centres.

more

Banjul both

the

and

Atlantic

Island

and

bridge.

seaport. 43,902.

capital,

ulation. Manjago developed

(1%)

Serehul

(18%), from

in

port,

It

of

in

in

are

per

pop-

near rural

busy

(and

joins

towns,

one

in

built

the

areas

is

Gambia’s

and

and

of

persons

80%

ethnic important

cross-country

The

Yundum,

Gambia’s

60

for 42%

cities

at

land-transport.

with Gambia

country

most

Highway,

of

main

is

are

populated

placed

the

The

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artery

Serekunda.

bigger

Senegal.

of

who

eight

789,000

and

airport

the

census

main

motorized

at

densely

population

groups.

south

are

length

a

the

kilometer,

Bakau

Trans-Gambia

1989

and

is

and

outside

I.

the

more

Mandinkas

There

With

The

The

language)

Banjul, the the

Banju population square

1968, international Africa.

runs POPULATION areas

north

travel

as

In

of or

to

by

on

on

the

the the

big

ter first are,

and

from

until

both

man

is

small

trans

were

areas

inde

some

far

winds

or

dreary

winter mainly

its

colony

60T

Kairaba

and

hold

Its

country

on

(June

as

is

as

wild-bird

that

way

Bakau.

Republic,

of

to dry

territory

the

form

varies

season,

coast-line,

Minister.

with

ocean-going

Bathurst,

lakes

the

a

rather

land

to

of

to

riverside,

this

became

Unspanned

itself

Dawda

a

dry

May)

Gambia.

harmattan

population

)awara

Parish,

with

Panama-like

Senegalese

whole

beaches.

Gambia

Commercial

Prime

famous

the

made

Mr

to manage

43CC

the

Gambia

across

by

protectorate semi-desert

in

some

river

The give

capital

Sea

the

up-stream,

became

or

Gambia’s

rule.

beautiful The

first

This

did

and

ferry,

many

The

Gambia

world.

temperatures most

the widening

appearance.

the

and

remained

the

mountains,

look

can

Gambia.

along

the

Kairaba

is in

often

British

“seas”.

its

grew

sail

of is

during

called

The

they the

of

and

1902,

the

or

unspoiled

it

river.

The 100’F

and

British

to

can

any

the

The

in

meanders

country

Britain,

return

(November

By

but

Ga...,

then

Island,

of

Star

of

it

of

short,

the Sahara.

forests,

Dawda

of

to

summer

situation

lakes

became

climate

rapidly

the

of

swamps, able

waterway

under worsened

when

sometimes

therefore,

of

1816,

was

among

the

Sir

it

uninteresting

colony

river-boat

However

However,

Particularly

In

The

The

the

France,

Mary’s

V.. Rectory,

Kantaur.

inland

by ships

port,

side,

bridges,

sanctuaries

16’C, too, wonder

grove

and

though wonderfully

humid absence

1965 1970, conditions countryside

President. tropical

influence. October) from

pendent with

ritory CLIMATE

St

the

and firmly Jawara

to sides

to obliged converted to Islam. By the beginning of the twentieth century, then, the area, now called The HISTORY IN BRIEF Gambia, was 95% Muslim. 470 BC Christianity made its first contact with Firstwritten reference to The Gambia in the account of the Carthaginian Hannos voyage The Gambia around the middle of the down the west coast of Africa. fifteenth century, with the arrival of 14th Century Portugese traders. However, they seem to Became part of the powerful empire of Mali. have been concerned more with trade 1445 than with evangelisation. Firstarrival of Europeans, under Nuno Tristao,a Portugese, sent by Henry the Navigator. In 1821, the Methodists made their first 7600 mission foundation at Georgetown. In The Gambia invaded by The Moslem Fulas from the North. 1822, Mother Anne Marie Javouhey, 1651 foundress of the Sisters of St Joseph of The Britisharrived. Cluny, arrived and observed the great 7660’s & Onwards need for medical assistanc:e. The Sisters of Struggles between the European countries (England, Germany, Holland, France, Sweden, St Joseph of Cluny were to play an etc.) to control The Gambia for trade purposes. important role, at a later date, in the 7765 mission work of the country. Britishestablished Senegambia as their first colony in Africa. The Gambia was a very minor part of 1778 the Vicariate of Two Guineas, the 5,000 During the American War of Indepen-dence, the Britishcolonies in West Africa were left miles of the West African coastline without protection and the French returned. entrusted to the Holy Ghost Fathers in 7783 1845. In 1849, they made their first At the Treaty of Versailles, Senegambia was dissolved and its greater part was handed attempt at a permanent mission there, but over to France. The Gambia river section however remained British. little was achieved during the first fifty 1795 years or so, as disease and sickness proved Mungo Park set out from Karantaba on the Gambia to find the source 0)1the river Niger. a constant hazard to the life and work of 1807 the missionaries. The Act abolishing the Slave Trade was passed in England after Britain lost its colonies in In the period from 1849-1903, 17 America and needed no more slaves. But American slave ships continued to sail up the Spiritans, 1 African priest and 4 Sisters River Gambia while French slave caravans moved overland across the country. At were buried in Banjul cemetery. Only four Juffureh, the ancestral home of Alex Haley, author of the novel Roots, the Kinteh family of them had reached their fortieth year. still lives in the same compound as Alex’s hero Kunta Kinteh. In 1931, The Gambia became an 1822 independent mission and was entrusted to Mother Anne Marie Javouhey, first of the Sisters of St Joseph of Cluny, visited Bathurst the Irish ,Province of the Holy Ghost and planned a Catholic mission. Fathers. It became a Prefecture Apostolic 1830 in 1951 and a Diocese in 1957. Commercial cultivation of groundnuts quickly became and still is the country’s largest The Gambia is one of the most (90%) export trade. progressive and peaceful countries in 1849 Africa. The relationship between its Arrival of the first Holy Ghost missionaries from France. Muslim majority (95%) and its small 1905 Christian minority (2.5%) is remarkable for FrJohn Meehan, an Irish Holy Ghost Father, arrived in The Gambia. the absence of those tensions between 1937 these communities that exist in so many The Catholic Mission became independent of Dakar (Senegal), became a Prefecture other parts of the world, even in Africa. Apostolic in 1951 and the Diocese of Bathurst in 1957. Likeevery small country, like Greece of 7939-45 old or Switzerland in modern times, The Second World War saw hundreds of Gambians recruited for the BritishArmy and served Gambia knows that it must work hard to with distinction in Burma. maintain its national identity. 7965 That is why Gambians are so proud of Independence after 200 years of British Rule, Mr D.K.Jawara t)ecame Prime Minister and their national achievements since The Gambia a member of the United Nations, the British Common-wealth, and the independence, and despite the economic Organization of African Unity. set-backs, that every nation in the world 1970 faces today, they are confident that they The Gambia became a Republic and Prime Minister D.K.Jawara its first President. will continue to enjoy their present 1981 honoured place among the nations of the First major political upheaval since Independence. An attempted coup d’etat, led by world, and despite the inherited highly Kukoi Samba Sanyang and members of the Para-Military Field Force and Police, was artificial boundaries, that cut across their crushed by the Senegalese Intervention Forces. rich multicultural and language groupings, 7982 they shall continue to enjoy peace and The Gambia and Senegalese Parliaments ratified an Agreement, signed by both harmony, as the National Anthem puts it: Presidents, establishing the Senegambia Confederation. The President 0)1The Gambia, its “For Gambia our Homeland” - Na Gambia Vice President. Banko Kamma” t 1983 An official census showed the population of Gambia as 687,817, with an ethnic distribution of 251,997 Mandingos, 117,092 Fulas, 91,004 Wolofs, 64,494 Jolas and 5,032 Akus. — Standing the Test of Time THE HOLYGHOST FATHERS IN THE GAMBIA

1 he more the Spiritan Missionary interior!) many offers for further episcopal News covers the wide range of the The Vicariate, named for the Two promotion, opted for the poor, and was missionary work of the Holy Ghost Fathers Guineas, was bordered on the north by buried in Savannah, Georgia. and Brothers, the more obvious becomes the Senegal river and on the south by the There he had died of yellow fever, the truth of the mysterious words of Jesus Orange river. contracted as he cared for his people in an to his first apostles: “It is one man who Fr Edward knew little of the tropics, epidemic. sows and another who reaps.” less of tropical diseases and nothing about Fr John returned to New York and in Cohn 4, 37) the various political intrigues as the 1866 died as resident pastor on the Jersey Perhaps in no other Spiritan mission do various European powers (now that the side of the city. Fr Louis Maurice, one of these words ring out so loud and clear as Slave Trade was over), fought for com the Spiritans of that ill-fated expedition to in the mission highlighted in this issue - mercial bridgeheads on that continent. the Two Guineas, came to America and The Gambia. It is only after nearly 150 Worse still when he sailed from New died in 1895, pastor of St. Ambrose, years, the harvest is beginning to come in. York, he had no help except Fr John Kelly, Greece, in the diocese of Buffalo, NY. Modern Catholic missionary activities brother of a rich banker of the city, and A monument to the memory of Bishop in The Gambia may he divided into five Denis Pindar, also of New York, a lay Barron is still to be seen in the Cathedral distinct but over-lapping periods that volunteer. of his native city, Waterford, Ireland. include (1) The Period of the Early That was until But most important, the spirit of these Portugese Missions (1500), (2) The Period Bishop Barron had just finished mass at pioneers lived on, for as one of them, of a Single Vicariate of the Two Guineas the Shrine of Our Lady of Victories, Paris Spiritan Leopold de Regnier, the first to (1842-5), (3) The Senegambia Period after when, like an answer to his prayers, Fr die, wrote with a feverish hand: “1 am the division of the Vicariate of the Two Desgenettes, the Director of the Shrine, happy to have left everything for Our Guineas into five separate areas (1845- suggested he contact a recent Jewish Lord. If I had the choice, I would do it 1930), (4) The Period of The Gambia as a convert, Francis Libermann, who had just again, a thousand times.” Separate and Independent Mission (1930- started a new missionary congregation, And another Spiritan, Fr John Bessieux, 1957), (5) The Period of The Gambia as an and now that Caribbean was closed to his one of the survivors, the future successor Independent Church or Local Diocese (1957-). THEEARLYPORTUGESEMISSION(7500) The Portugese were more interested in trade than evangelization. The “mission aries” were really chaplains to the mer chants and later the military and colonial personnel. Most of this presence was centered on the island of Gorée in the bay opposite the modern city of Dakar. Christian communities did spring up but because Gorée changed hands so many times, one can hardly describe them as local Church. The influence of the Portugese, however, in Gorée and the Gambia, is still significant in the life of the modern Church. THE PERIOD OF THE TWO GUINEAS (1842-5) This period might be described as the triumph of failure, as the words of Jesus “It is not for you to know the times or the dates my Father has set ... but empowered by the Holy Spirit, you shall be my witnesses” (Acts 1, 6) for American Bishop Michael Cleary and his fellow Spiritans celebrate the annual memorial mass for diocesan priests and French Spiritans were missionaries at the Christian plot in the Banjul cemetry, on the first Sunday of November. to be dramatically realised with terrible reverses. men by violent uprisings in Haiti and of Bishop Barron, continued on his com Today, their story reads like mission Reunion, had no missions. panions’ unfinished task. ‘ fiction; but back in 1842-5, it was the The joy of the two pioneers when they Today, that apparently ill-fated “Two tragic record - the harsh reality of dismal met was only matched by their utter Guineas” includes the flourishing failure in a seemingly foolhardy if glorious dismay, when their brave and historic churches of Senegal, Cameroon, Ivory adventure for Christ. enterprise ended so quickly in disaster, the Coast, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Father Edward Barron, the Vicar Gen heavy penalty for their inexperience. Liberia ... and the Church of The Gambia, eral of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, on Most of the seven Spiritans who sailed the special subject of this issue of The Spiritan. September 28, 1842 was asked to take on from Bordeaux and Denis Pindar were the spiritual welfare of an immense buried in Africa within months. Bishop When one considers how small The vicariate extending 5,000 miles along the Barron returned in 1645 to the States Gambia was, with its seacoast of less than west coast of Africa (with no limits into the where he, consequently, turned down 100 miles compared to the immense area _

of the Two Guineas with their 5,000 miles of seaboard, one can readily understand why Gambia had difficulty in getting personnel. The first Spiritan missionaries sent to The Gambia were Fathers Ronach and Warlop. Their first baptisms were recorded in the central mission at (Bathurst) Banjul in 1849, five years before Fr Francis Libermann himself died. Father Ronach, like so many of those who followed him, quickly fell victim of the deadly climate. He returned to France within a year and died in 1851. Though his cause for beatification was never officially introduced, the people of his native Brittany,France, where he is buried, still venerate him as a saint. THE SENEGAMBIAPERIOD (1845-1931) When in 1845, the Vicariate of the Two Guineas was divided up into five small areas, the Gambia mission became part of the Vicariate of Senegambia (a name that - This picture and a marble plaque in the Banjul Cathedral say it all: ‘Ercted to the memory included French Senegal, a large country, of Rev Father John Meehan, 7905-1954, by his loving friends in Christ.” and Gambia, a small, very small English colony). During this period, there was after his death (September 1954). Even development of lay-leadership among some improvement in service but two today his memory is cherished by grateful men and women for social justice major factors militated against real Gambians of every religious persuasion. programmes, the deepening of Christian development. First the Gambia was THE DIOCESE Of BATHURST (BANJUL) faith and on-going inculturation in liturgy overshadowed by its larger neighbour and (7957-) and parish activities. never became more than a remote English- Finally, in 1957, the mission of The Great progress has been made in these speaking outpost, to be served from Gorée Gambia became a diocese and Most areas with the emergence of Caritas The and Dakar, the headquarters of French Reverend Michael Moloney, CSSp, who Gambia and the Confraternity of Sts Peter Spiritan missionary efforts in Senegal. had been working there since 1938 as a and Paul. As a result, little was done more than priest and Prefect Apostolic, became its In 1980, Bishop Moloney retired after maintain a Christian presence in Bathurst, first bishop. 41 years in the Gambia. For over 20 years, and while a strong, close-knit Catholic What a day of joy after all these years he had served his people well. He was community grew up around the capital, of sacrifice and seemingly impossible particularly fortunate in the exceptionally little or nothing was done to open up odds! fine support team of devoted Irish missions in the interior (the first mission in Since that date, the newly fledged confreres who seconded all his efforts. Basse was in 1939). In this way, there was diocese has made many giant steps With their help he was able to open up little challenge to Islam as it continued to towards maturity. Its first priority was and new schools, e.g. St Peter’s Technical and become the dominant religious faith from is to develop its own diocesan clergy. One Agricultural School founded by Frs end to end of the country. of the greatest handicaps in the past had Michael Flynn and Vincent Corner; new PERIOD Of THE INDEPENDENT been that in the absence of native clergy, social justice and development pro MISSION (1931-7 956) all the priests were expatriates. The first grammes like that of Caritas The Gambia A major step in the right direction ordination was in 1985. It was such an with the help of Fr P.J. O’Connor, new came in 1931, when the Mission of the affair of public interest that it had to be missions into the interior with help of Gambia became independent of Dakar, held in the National Stadium. The second frontier apostles like Frs Andrew Carroll and was entrusted to the English-speaking two were in 1986. Today in 1990, there (now 46 years in The Gambia) and Fr Irish Province of the Holy Ghost Fathers. are five native diocesan priests - a small James White (now 45 years in The Apart from improved relations with the number but a milestone in the coming of Gambia). British Colonial authorities, the new age of the local Church. He even had the generosity and jurisdiction was most fortunate in the The second priority was the encourage foresight to give a first home to the West calibre of the Religious Superiors (1931- ment of vocations to the religious life African Foundation (WAF), a small 1956) and the Irish personnel first among the young women of The Gambia. diocesan property at Bwiam, for its appointed to this difficult mission. Here there has been even more progress novitiate. First of Firsts among them was and today the Gambian Sisters, members In 1980, Bishop Moloney as Bishop of Gambia’s first Religious Superior, Fr John of the various religious communities of the Bathurst was succeeded by Fr Michael Meehan, a remarkable missionary. Fr John country, are a very visible part of the local Cleary, the present Bishop, who for many hailed from Donegal, Ireland. Small of Church and are doing wonderful work. years had been involved as teacher and stature but a giant in spirit, he was a man They are beloved and admired by their headmaster at St Augustine’s High School. of remarkable stamina and endurance. He own people for their youth, charm and In 1981, His Excellency Dr Michael survived over 50 years in a mission generosity. Cleary, was consecrated the first Bishop of deemed deadly for most Europeans. The third priority was a new emphasis Banjul (the new name for Bathurst, the Fr Meehan was destined to become an on lay ministries, not only of trained cate Capital). institution during his lifetime and a legend chists for local communities but The use of this new diocesan title ______

Banjul marked a further step in the coming of age of an indigenous Gambian Church for the Christians of this country. Each year on the first Sunday in November, Bishop Cleary, and his Spiritan confreres, gather for the annual memorial mass for the missionaries who had toiled so long and so unselfishly to establish the Church in this part of Africa. It is a tribute to the men and women missionaries who sowed so that others might reap. As one missionary so beautifully put it: “In the centre of the Christian section of the Banjul cemetery stands a high cross, around which lie the remains of the men who ploughed this lonely furrow and died in the several outbreaks of dread yellow fever before this century had even begun.” Nineteen of them buried there were Spiritans. None had reached their fortieth year. t

l-.....c change-of-guard - - L)says good e to h - Bishop Michael Moloney (right), leaving The Gambia after 47 years of faithful service.

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LE_ Bishop ...... Moloney (centre) surrounded by his Irish Spiritan confreres, who were L..sco-workers for many years. His successor, Michael Cleary, is standing fourth from left in the second row. jarjue were their The

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Gambia One ordained Gomez. To celebration own pril men Frs accommodate year and Tony 13, church were Edward another later 1985 Gabisi ordained took in (7986), Gomez was The Gambian, the place and crowds, Gambia. II a to red - Bishop Peter in beginning the the letter Fr priesthood the Gomez. national Edward Cleary, ordination day

Bwkt&rougb the for Two process stadium by the more Bishop was Catholic Ganda, Makeni, Fajara, Bishop General, Inter-territorial Bishop of at held were local Bakau. Michael The in John Michael Church Freetown Sierra people ordained Banjul the Gambia. ORiordan, Cleary National Leone; and taking in Conference Cleary, to & Gambia the CSSp L the Bo, to Archbishop Stadium, over photographer! CSSp, diaconate. R CSSp, Sierra of the as song Banjul. of two running Banjul, Bakau. Bishops Kenema, Leone; accompanied Michael young Revs. They I packed The of Bishop (Gambia, Sierra Francis, Gambia, stand by Boniface Leone; drums Sierra Monrovia, in with Bakau Bishop and r Leone Dallieh, Fr Stadium hand Vincent Liberia; V Augustine & clapping. Cape Liberia) united Corner, Archbishop Palmas, Azzolini, at in CSSp ‘... V

1 Liberia; Joseph Vicar S.X., Planning for the Nineties MAKINGENDS MEET

decrease in the number of expatriate was a Christian, or when on the soccer priests, sisters, and lay missionaries per field, a Christian full back found his sonneI. favorite receiver was a Muslim “striker”. Primary evangelization “up-country”, The Spiritans know the importance of especially on the “north bank” shall these kinds of bridges and so they shall do continue to be a top priority. But this work everything possible to maintain the very among Gambian nationals who still special relationship that presently exists in follow their traditional African religious The Gambia between the Catholic beliefs and practices, can only be Church, the other Christian communities adequately carried out by Gambian and all their Muslim neighbors. Christians themselves - priests, sisters and The Spiritans of The Gambia, for many catechists who are thoroughly conversant years to come, hope to work with the with local conditions, languages and local Church, its growing number of cultures. diocesan clergy, its other religious Social Justice and Development Pro congregations and lay organizations. But grams, like Caritas The Gambia should be perhaps their special contribution, in the he Holy Ghost Fathers in The Gambia continued and diversified. The importance future, will be the creation of a missionary T held an important General Meeting in of these works, even apart from the awareness in a local Church, for they January, 1988, the third since it became an necessary purposes that they serve, are a believe no Church can become fully Independent District in 1970. Much, it continuing strengthening of good relations Christian, until it becomes, itself, a was found, had changed in the country, between Christian and Muslim neigh sending Church. the Congregation and the Church since the bours. Good Samaritans and Christian This, then, is an ambitious programme last meeting back in 1980. charity know little of racial and religious of the Spiritans of The Gambia. It includes The Church has made great strides in boundaries. Need is their only concern. increased primary evangelization and the intervening years, particularly in the Education, inside and outside of the mission outreach, youth ministries inside increase in the number of local Gambian schools, shall continue to be another high and outside of schools, adult education diocesan priests, religious sisters and priority, for the Spiritans are well aware and human development projects, dedicated lay-leaders. that their own presence in education in continued dialogue with Islam and other Of particular pride to the Spiritans of the past, was the initial key to the good Christian Churches, concern for the the Gambia was their leadership role in relations that exist today between environment and solidarity with civil the early days of the West African Christians and Muslims in The Gambia. authorities in building a just and peaceful Foundation in its efforts to accommodate Despite the falling numbers of personnel, society on both sides of the Gambia river. young West Africans of several countries the work, they feel, must be maintained at While they recognize that needs else like Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Makurdi all costs. where are always acute, they hope that (Nigeria), etc., who wish to become Holy The Spiritan schools, primary, secon the Holy Ghost Congregation will ever Ghost missionaries and start their own dary and technical, as has been pointed keep in mind this particular mission. inde-pendent jurisdictions one day. out, were the first meeting places where In this way, they hope to see completed The Spiritans of The Gambia gave the young Muslims and Christians get to know one day soon, not by them but by the West African Foundation (WAF) its first one another and appreciate each other’s local Catholic Church of The Gambia, the home - the novitate at Bwiam - as well as gifts. Meaningful dialogue and life-long great work courageously undertaken and the organization’s first (and present) friendship often began at most unexpected carried on at such a great price, by director, Fr John Hogan, and some of its times - as in crucial games at St generations of Holy Ghost missionaries, earliest members. Augustine’s, when in cricket, a muslim French, Irish and English Spiritans, since In the old days, The Gambia was en bowler (pitcher) found his best out-fielder 1849. t trusted as mission territory to the Holy Ghost Congregation hut since Bathurst • (Banjul) became a diocese in 1966, the Spiritans see themselves as servants of the f local Church, facilitating its growth to full maturity. They are aware that this Church, short of some extraordinary happening, will continue, for a long time, to be a small flock, witnessing to the presence of Christ in a nation strongly committed (90%) to Islam. Even to maintain and adequately serve its relatively small percentage (2.5%) of the population is going to be difficult, due to the extraordinary growth in the over-all population of the country. To cope with I__ this increase, there will be a need for a At a .. . . .ncipals’ Conference (3 are r... commensurate increase in local Church Spiritan Fr Vincent Comer, St Peter’s; Third Left: Mr Sam N’jie, St Augustine’s; Fifth Left: Sr Teresa Mundow, SJC, St Joseph’s. ministers — particularly in the near-future

‘Il’fi SOCIAL JUSTICE AND DEVELOPMENT

he Spiritans in the Gambia, like their The organization, called Caritas The of safe (drinking)water. T confreres in every other part of the Gambia, began very humbly with one Father O’Connor, at the time, saw the world, are keenly aware that social justice field officer, a part-time secretary and a greatest hardship of people in the rural and development issues are an important shoestring budget, but today it ranks as areas was trying to survive the frequent part of missionary work today. one of that country’s most successful droughts and tried to do something about As far back as April 1977, Bishop development organizations - its track- it. He began to dig deep wells. Michael Moloney asked Fr P.]. O’Connor record second to none. The magnitude of the water problem in to spearhead Spiritan involvement in The vision and enthusiasm of the early The Gambia may best be judged by the development issues in The Gambia. It was pioneers were remarkable and still in fact that in the first ten years of its a decision that for over 20 years has had fluence the main thrust of Caritas - the dig operation, Caritas dug 24$ wells. far-reaching effects in bettering the life of ging of wells to supply villages and rural But Caritas has done more than dig the poor in rural villages of that country. schools with a reliable year-round supply wells. For example, in July 1981, fol lowing the abortive coup d’etat that lasted eight days, Caritas suspended its devel opment activities and concentrated on Emergency Relief, food and medicine for the 1,000 families affected (800 people died) during the civil disturbance. A similar Emergency Relief programme had to be organized in 1984 during a particularly severe drought when Caritas The Gambia, thanks to similar Caritas organizations in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, reached 25,000 of the victims with food aid. In 1979, Fr O’Connor, because of ill- health, had to resign as Director and it seemed like a fatal blow to the Organ ization but Mr John Paul N’jie took charge and the good work continued. In 1981, Bishop Michael Cleary ap pointed two co-directors to Caritas, Spiritan Fr Edward Grimes and Mt John Paul N’jie. One of the first decisions of the new directors was to make local involvement in the planning and maintenance man datory for any future projects (including new wells). This “condition” has proved Caritas’ greatest strength. Its projects succeed because the local people are involved from day one. The eight area councils set up to coordinate this animation work, are so highly organized and motivated that since 1986, Caritas has managed to meet each year its annual goal of digging 20 new wells and rehabilitating 30 dried-up ones. Caritas The Gambia, however, does not restrict its regular operation to digging wells. Over the years it has taken on many other projects to meet the emerging needs of Gambians, irrespective of religious or ethnic groupings. only a few can be mentioned here. One of these is fostering interest in and planning “vegetable gardens”. This village and rural school project started small but has flourished. The pilot garden at Bajana is now run by 100 skilled and hard working ladies, and visitors from all parts of the world marvel at what they have achieved. To understand the importance of fresh and the Caribbean. His gospel-centered Integral Human Development (IHD) programmes for individuals and com munities are popular everywhere and are crystalized in the various text-books Fr Tony has published. Caritas The Gambia is endebted to many other overseas agencies for their support over the years, e.g. the Canadian Government (for its new administration offices), Caritas Austria for its workshops and garage, CAFOD for much of its field equipment, the Australian Catholic Relief Organization and Caritas Nederlands for pumps and well-digging equipment, Misereor (Germany) and Ceberno for educational programmes including those for Advancement of Women. However it is the local top-professional directors and their highly qualified work ers as well as the villagers themselves, who have made Caritas The Gambia the fruit and vegetables for the health of Another important Caritas programme organization it is today, highly valued and people in the Gambia, one has to un is its Adult Education self-help initiatives, respected by everyone, Moslem and derstand the hazards of farmers trying to something particularly important for Christian alike, across the country. t contend with flooding and 40 inches of women of this heavily moslem-influenced rain near the coast and upland with dry society. harmattan winds from the Sahara. In this education or on-the-spot training The Gambian Department of Agri of villagers, Fr Tony Byrne, a Spiritan culture and Horticulture have given ex world-roving specialist in social planning cellent support to Carita’s many “garden” has been a great help to Caritas. Fr Tony, programmes, e.g. in 1987, aerial and with his international reputation in relief ground-spraying to reduce the damage to work, frequently sets up social justice the vegetables from an unprecedented seminars in The Gambia as he does in grasshopper plague. other parts of Africa, Asia, Latin America

Father Tony Byrne (Back row extreme right) conducts an Integral Human Development workshop in The Gambia. Kunkujang A MISSION ALIVE

piritan Father Jackie Sharpe of Kunkujang is the small but beautiful kinds of vegetables while many varities of S Tipperary Town, Ireland, celebrated Church of St Francis. Around it are rabbits, pigs, poultry, ducks and geese are his first twenty-five years as a missionary clustered the many homes of the villagers, being bred and distributed to other priest at Kunkujang, The Gambia, last year a residential Catholic school, a com families around Kunkujang. The boy from (1989). munity health clinic, a model farm and an the Glen of Aherlow must have learned a His story is typical of the many other ever expanding brand new village-housing lot from the farmers and their wives in Holy Ghost missionaries who leave their complex. South Tipperary! own country as young men and rarely if The “residential school” houses 100 Fr Sharpe however could not have ever speak, during holidays at home, of “boarders,” boys and girls from remote done all this single-handed. That is why the great work they are doing in their farms who stay over for classes during the he is so grateful to many agencies who adopted countries, or much less how they week and go home only on weekends. have helped him in these improvements are loved and respected in their adopted They do their own cooking and cleaning, around Kunkujang, but no individual has country, by the men, women and children the boys taking over the chores every done more for the area than a retired among whom they live. second day, and as some of the girls teacher from Sweden who visited Father Jackie, with his red head and admit, are the better chefs! Kunkujang in 1976 - Margerita Edemius. still strong Tipperary accent, may not look In the centre of the compound is a This wonderful lady came to the area first very much like a Gambian, but zinc-covered well, with a sophisticated as a tourist but has returned several times appearances can be deceptive. In many water pump, a fine example of the great since as a great friend and a popular ways, he is more Gambian than many of work being done by Caritas The Gambia benefactress. the Gambians themselves. in guaranteeing an abundance of clean Through her efforts, funds from all parts Fr Sharpe has been working among drinking water in remote villages of the Mandiago people since 1976. The mission country. of Kunkujang, he, nostalgically, recalls Father Jackie has already under way an began with a small school under a big ambitious housing plan for Kunkujang, to tree. improve the living quarters of his people. Today it might be described as a well Already many families have been given organized small Catholic community, a new houses and large fenced-in vegetable veritable Christian island in a great Islamic and fruit gardens. All of the brick-making sea. and building of the houses is being done This is not so just because Christian by local tradesmen. Mandiagos are so few, but because the rest The whole complex, beautifully plan of the Mandiagos, who have mostly clung ned, with access side roads is rapidly to their traditional African religions becoming a model modern Gambian practices, are surrounded on all sides by village. neighbours, who are 90% Moslem. In the farm compound, villagers, on Centre of the Catholic mission of their family plots, are now growing all

of Sweden have been channeled to Gambia. She is an example for all tourists who visit Third World countries. She did not come to stare and criticize. She saw where she could help and thus found a new challenge that has enriched not only her own life but the lives of countless others. But at Kunkujang, life is not all work, prayer, study and no play. On the contrary, Kunkujang is full of life, fun and good humour. It is a village very much alive. It has its own outdoor theatre and video-center, its own sports programme that includes picnics, soccer, swimming, track and field meets. St Francis Church continues to be the prayer-centre of the village while the nearby Shrine of Our Lady of Peace is rapidly becoming a kind of national pilgrimage for all Gambia. On December 3, 1988, one-third the Catholics of the country (5,000 out of 15,000) took part in a pilgrimage, that may become an annual event in the life of the Church in The Gambia. t Fr Jackie Sharpe and friend. ..Our Lady of Peace Shrine THE ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE

he Third Annual Pilgrimage to the T Shrine of Our Lady of Peace, Kunk ujang, took place on December 2, 1989. This pilgrimage is growing rapidly in attendance and popularity even among Anglicans, Methodists and Muslims. This annual day of public prayer and devotion to Our Blessed Lady is not only an occasion for Christians to deepen their faith but gives them a strong sense of their

own identity in a country 95% muslim. F.. Devotion to Mary, the Mother of God, is very strong among Gambian Catholics. • . ..—. is Lady • Their cathedral named for Our of •• •-..-‘ the Assumption and the Church at Cape St Mary is named for Our Lady Star of the -.....-. .-. 1. - Sea. t.. This annual pilgrimage to Our Lady of 7) ‘S4 Peace at Kunkujang, seems destined to be

an increasing great event in the years to • come. t line of pilgrims. ‘

.auie i. ,ihy and u.s parishioners from

Young girl prays her rosary. Going to be a priest? -— MEET SOME OF THE

Superior

Lntorner mong the Spiritans serving in The Gam[ A Superior. Fr Bob is also pastor at Star of young and popular assistant pastor. Fr Vincent Corner, as well as being Vhar Secretary. Fr Muthias Murphy, pastor at Hol, SI important member of the teaching staff at St AL Fr Ed Grimes is Co-Director of Caritas, The Inter-territorialBishops’Conference of The G1r At CuminMission, Junior Seminary and Te’: of the Gambia Pastoral Institute and Fr ReirSa and pastor of St Peter’s parish. Fr Peter Cona_ the [Jistrict Council. In down-town Banjul, FrWilliam Cleary is’ Cathedral, dedicated to Our Lady of the AssorT Far out in the countryside are the frotk?r extreme end of the territory; Fr Michael Ca’ ‘‘ two of the doyens of the mission still going James White at Brikama. Between them they Gambia. Quite a record considering the climat Two recently ordained Spiritan priests tro been appointed to the Diocese of Banjul. They shaq Kwofie. —j t B. Fr of the his the the and very have is loved at to of a and carr John Council Director Principal Fr miSsion. Education and Assistant Banjul. much (WAF) Crowe Basse, its the service this and _d— General Kunkujang ndreW

Marty, Kartong SPIRITANS at District First and of by at also at Philip and the Attah Chaplain is and Ellison, Leone. Donal Fr Campana, Smith of years the Foundation Secretary Fr Sharpe beautiful • Carroll is 90 White as difficulties Sierra Robert Amoako the Diocese . Bakau. -•: John School, Vocations reside member over Fr Brendan of and well Fr African - a of the Banjul, ‘ Fr Andrew as special are High of Parish, Er Matthew West School logged the Liberia Fr Parish, Sea today Director the Gillooly, Farafenni, and apostles, are Gambia, is have strong, General at the

Administrator GAMBIAN Spirit f er ey g imption. rom 4ugustine’s nld he iate iibia r ?J ey mbia, hnical y Joseph were Armand Judith The Slabik were Choir Heather and Toronto. main and presented Neal local church” Gymnasium place church to Toronto. St Ontario. completed that ordained Spiritan get with that teaching first missionary Saskatchewan, years. ham, College, during

near back sponsored chewan life-commitment Beauval return atoon, A Gravelbourg High ary

in Lake,

ORDINATION R the The The On This On Very education It Bob Bob Michael’s Spiritan a priesthood Denis cantors would Bob beautifully Shank, Banjul, the Ian was two pastor, obert Holtby, concelebrants, in School. Webster Saskatchewan. under School priesthood.

to Gambian October (organist) his Kelly. readers in Quebec. was Africa Delanoy was he first candidate by The time soon a Jensen, and and Holy began Edmonton. International Canada, during by Ogrodnick. in to years’ the return On summer-school Colburn, Indian priesthood. change his Fathers Lay taught local were too Father The their were Kenya, master born his Marni the on heard was graduated The “miraculously for afterwards, Bob again. Ghost Having while studies at by were Gull rendered but May to College, 14, small Missionary October (guitars). Director, Gambia. this to Joseph volunteers, deaconate with joined assignment the the ordained and director The he give musicians Bishop from in After Fred Raymond his two worked at McGregor, Canada 1989 of Reserve of son It Frs the for East Robin Fathers, joined second Carrot Lake 14, Deaf for University for obtained life. was ceremony Humboldt Terry the

ceremonies serious Lay VICS, Novitiate across years from by Gallagher Bernard of by singing Holinzki, ordination the the Noel Africa. 14, he Fr profession The Bob 1989, Fred Spiritans Don University St an off 34 to McGregor High he the Organization, more Sean Carignan. turned was River, Ralph tour were Winters at at Anne’s helping crowds) priesthood Prince 1989

later, Missionary’s Canada. the Aimee the thought introduction altar with School local entered the was Delaquis and Gallagher. staff Marylake, and his Newman Kelly (the ordained After of in Byron in he Spiritan mission for School was closely Debbie ground and he Eliason Saskat at servers degree Casey on priests Louise to into VICS, Africa Parish Albert music of Sask Farn Sells, them local took was Gull and was five was and and The to the the the the his

his TO he of Fr in of at of a a VICS The children, were advisors, Attwell Garry Kal Heather concelebrants Thanksgiving from Doran. Heidgerken, with d’occasion country was served the Fr and You Colburn. Parents’ and and

Holtby, Harvey, THE Raymond The Fr inowski On The The Later celebration. Ordination formed Afar” tall, Louise catered a and Ed Dermot M.C. Sunday, The light in and intercessory McCarthy. Knights traditional Association. and soloist. a Rachel, tall and Chris one Holizki, the gave delicious was and from altar Sandra on Holtby a Betty Ted stories western luncheon by of Loretta auditorium were colourful Doran, Kurtis the Mass, sung Fr in of Kalinowski servers

an Fr PRIESTHOOD The Rose the Daniel Sells, Anne Bob Columbus St accordion. Bob’s Colburn. about prayers exceptionally Holy Fr and banquet Corinne Readers Royal at evening gift-bearers Kal October Anne’s Klink Novecosky Bernard said present were for the and Sells guard inowski. and Don earliest Fr foyer Ghost were 500 accompanied end Purple. his Jonathan. Bob’s The and Travis in acted and then even and Church. Winter, 14, of were the First Kelly by Director of guests and gift led hymn honour Lesly were Fr early and 1989 Jeannette followed, the as Delanoy, the Elks moving A Mass a Dermot by bearers closest and ushers Anne lively song their Band mass days Tim at Don Ann The “Go Rod Hall was for of by Fr of Gull Lake. Holtby. Father Ontario, who special a occasion the host neighbours meal that and ministers homily special The Following parishioners of expectations, people came in Bob friends, place. about the entire British event, of not and Elks every at long nowadays Bob’s only the VICS Gull weekend Columbia shared his of Hall distances Christian St mass, parents, for realistic volunteers Cake, long was Anne’s by Fr have oddessy served, was special another and Bob’s denomination. but Don Church. from and Alberta. of a and also memorable this family and people priests otherwise, to delicious England, Spiritans, the for time Louise It altar was that and in and by t a Story of a Vocation COME, FOLLOW ME i riends have often asked me which of the Trans-Canada province. That year, came first, Volunteer International while studying at the Toronto School of

Christian Service (VICS)or the Spiritans? Theology I came to know the Spiritans as a

VICSdefinitely came first, in fact, as I left community who served in Canada as well for my first overseas assignment, I really as overseas and those ministries were as knew very little about the Spiritans except varied as the individuals themselves. that in the early 1970’s they had founded a Formation saw me through the novitiate group which allowed lay women and men in Quebec and onto completing my the opportunity to serve in missions theology studies back in Toronto. Integral overseas. I did know that it was the to my life were those with whom I shared Spiritans who were paying my way to Group at the Ordination I. to R: Fr Neal the journey - fellow travelers in the

Kenya where I was to teach English and Shank, Fr Bill McCormack, Kevin Gramlick, novitiate and in the Laval Community in Religion in a boys’ technical school about Stettler, Alberta, Fr Bob Colburn, Bishop Toronto. The last three years in Toronto three hours from Nairobi, the capital city. Neal Delaquis of Gravelbourg. have been exciting times where five men

In Kenya I worked with the Consolatta have made formal commitment to the Fathers but I do remember clearly the first As well, many Gambians also encour Spiritan life and have been ordained. Once Spiritan whom I met overseas. One day, aged me, special people like Edmee again another Spiritan, Father Sean Byron, shortly after my arrival in Sagana, a tall Armingaud, Formose Mendy and Joseph was a strong influence and support as he white-haired man came strolling across the Mendy. Joseph is the head catechist in the journeyed with us during our formation. school compound. He came up to me Fathers Michael Doorly, Paul McAuley, diocese and I remember the day when he outside of the school library and said, “I’m said to me, “Priests give our people hope Neal Shank and John Van Dyk are a solid Father Frank Comerford and I’ve come to and without hope it does not matter how foundation for the work being done in the take you for lunch.” Nicer words I have many doctors, nurses, teachers or develop Diocese of Aitape, Papua New Guinea. As never heard! Ten years later Father Frank is ment workers come. Little or nothing will the fifth and most recently ordained of this still an active pastor in Thika, Kenya and ever change.” Those words have always group, t find myself with the challenging we are still good friends. My love for the given me the strength and courage to face job of inviting others to join us in our life Spiritans, for their work overseas, for their even the most difficult challenges of the and our work. faith and for their sense of community journey to priesthood. For nearly two years now I have been really began at that moment. Throughout my whole experience with part of our vocation team and with each

In Kenya I also managed to fall in love prospective candidate I meet, I realize that, VICS, I was greatly influenced by the with Africa, her people, her land and her director of the program, another Spiritan, as it was in my own experience, it is each struggles. Returning to Canada and Father Dermot Doran. Dermot always Spiritan and the dynamic mission work resuming work as a teacher in northern encouraged me to see beyond the obvious, being done at home and overseas that Saskatchewan allowed me the time to to look over the next hill, to get to really attracts men to respond to our invitation to reflect on my Kenyan experience and how know the local people and their culture. journey with us.

I wanted to live out my Christian call. It “Am I really a priest?” - Yes, and what’s Returning to Canada in 1984, I found was at this time that I began to think Dermot saying the same things to me but more, I am very happy and proud to be a seriously of a life-long commitment to this time he was talking about discovering Spiritan, ready to invite others to share in mission as a Spiritan. However, I was by the Spiritan family. our mission, to live in our community, and no means ready for the plunge so I to envision new ways of serving God’s Having listened, I applied and that returned to VICS and this time requested September I found myself residing in people. t an overseas placement where I could live Brottier House, the pre-novitiate residence Bob Colburn and work with Spiritans. Thus, 1982 found me in The Gambia, a small country in west Africa. There I worked on a project to provide a new school where deaf children could be educated. It was in Gambia working side by side with Spiritans from Ireland,

Nigeria, France and England, that I came to understand the internationality of the

Spiritan family and the place which I might find for myself in their life and work. Importantly again, another Spiritan, Father Hugh Fagan, became a sounding board for my searching and he encouraged me to follow my dream and join the Spiritans - to, as he said, “walk into the I darkness so as to be able to see the light.” The Thanksgiving Mass. The homelist, Fr Dermot Doran, is standing second from the right.

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faces

Poor

land

GAMBIA

took

who

of

first

The

stay

The

the

two

has

the

are

for

for

lay

to

to

St

by

of

in

of

in in

St

a

is

is

Omar at

the

School

Richard

Richard

areas

science a

learning working

real

St

The

school

George’s

Drammeh.

of

pleasure

in

students

Marshall

Marshall,

and

and

specialization,

Basse

a

grounds.

great

biology

certainly

Sec.

to

next

were

and

teacher;

deal

teach.

Tech.

to

were

the

in

good

a

from

general

Although

baobob

in

Q’ramic

meant

I

Mr

natured

found

Basse,

those

Frank

quite

to

cut

teacher

Oostas

general

myself

and

be

I

Hobert

down

hard

was

my

so

to

Jallow

make

from

bonds them

in different make of Gambian.

Mary,

VICS

But, closely are to

that discussion

perhaps perhaps classified

degrees awareness

particular

living introductory nature

backgrounds meant

be

a

them

While

In

and

the

room

dedicated

both

section

my expanded

away

volunteer;

the

a

of

Ireland,

things

and

to

with. students

colleagues

wonderful

some

my

had

cooperation

since

second

best

type

for

the

I

as

be

It

when

the

from

very

I

own into

is

of

living

been new

teaching.

and

soil

Aside

of

remember

of

became

lesson

a

teachers

land

its

of

a

Basse

Colleen

the

year their of

difficult

it,

much

the

little.

most

definition the

and

mango

family

isolation close

St

the

unable

St

I

gave

things.

people

from

lived

and

Joseph

on

I

homes

subject George’s

staff

called

the

found

of

staff

a

miss

and

Their

connections

them

Quinn

posting

friendship.

very living

trees

the

through

myself,

how

and

river

to

I

I

itself

of

determined

means

was

Annecy

miss

the

realized

and

myself

Manswonka

students

give

agricultural

insights

life

planted

interesting which

worked

Sec.

and should

and

a

for

formed

students,

the

families.

another

mostly

simple

needed

strong

me.

taking

Tech.

living

many

Sister

sister

non-

most

with

that

and

felt

my

on

be

so

to

In a VICS in The Gambia (1976-1990) Svetlana Schpitzer Kirkland Lake, Ontario Vocational Training Bob Colburn Gull Lake, Saskatchewan Administrator Laura Herzog Prince Albert, Saskatchewan Secretarial Alban Herzog Prince Albert, Saskatchewan Construction Brian Crawley Liverpool, Nova Scotia Teacher Paul Fox Peterborough, Ontario Administrator Agnes Reider Annaheim, Saskatchewan Vocational Training Delmer Reider Annaheim, Saskatchewan Construction Andre Doiron Peterborough, Ontario Teacher Richard Marshall Toronto, Ontario Teacher Colleen Quinn Niagara Falls, Ontario Teacher Mary Dauk Regina, Saskatchewan Vocational Training Joe Dauk Regina, Saskatchewan Construction Joe and Mary L ‘, from Saskatchewan, Paul Takala Brampton, Ontario Teacher Canada, at present, serving as VICS lay missionaries in the Gambia.

Kunda, which is informally the Christian area of town. In The Gambia, which is predominantly Moslem, the Christians ANOTHER GAMBIAN ORDAINED consist mainly of a scattering of smaller anuary 21st 1989 was a big day for the and more marginal ethnic groups. Yet J Church in The Gambia. Another despite some of the disadvantages they Gambian was ordained to the Priesthood, faced and their different backgrounds, Reverend Anthony Sonko. For so many there was a very strong and beautiful sense years the diocese of Banjul had no of community among them. The diocesan priests. Now they have five. opportunity to live and he accepted as a When the first two were ordained a few part of that community was truly years ago the event took place in the inspirational and helped me to deepen my National Stadium. It was the only structure own faith. that would hold the crowd. One of the mission’s many activities There are also several Gambian Sisters in the St Joseph of Cluny Congregation and which I was able to participate in was the Fr Joe Gough CSSp, the Presentation of Mary Congregation. It St Vincent de Paul Society, a small but former Gambian missionary, will take time before Gambia has all the dedicated group. Although many of the with Fr Anthony Sonko. and it But members themselves were quite poor, no priests nuns needs. as Bishop Pierre Sagna said efforts were spared to seek out and to assist at the ordination, The Gambia is moving in the right direction. in whatever way possible the poorest of the poor in the Basse area. NEW MISSION IN THE INTERIOR As in the case of the school and all the Michael Casey, an Irish Spiritan works mission’s development efforts, the service at new mission founded in 1985 at of the society is directed solely on the Farafeeni. is 12t) basis of need within the community to This miles up the Gambia both Moslem and Christian alike. Such river and was first opened in 1980 by Fr Mick Flynn. actions do not go unnoticed and so there is Prior to it a great deal of respect and appreciation for that had been visited by priests from neighbouring Senegal. It is the Catholic mission in The Gambia. Years of cooperation with the people there have one hundred miles broad. At present Fr Mike is making made them an exemplary model of beginnings with small Islamic-Christian relations for the rest of Christian communities in three areas, the world. Soma, Paklinding and Mansakonko. Visiting these entails a journey of sixty When I first left for The Gambia, it was miles or more. with the understanding that I would be teaching and, hopefully, serving as His greatest need at the moment is for more catechists, as it is essential, when Fr Michael Casey of farafeeni. somewhat of a Christian witness. By the people are so scattered, that missionaries, time I had to return to Canada it was clear like Fr Michael, have the assistance of that I had learned more than I had taught well-trained lay teachers of religion. and witnessed far more Christian lives than t my own.” t

The

of

John

Superior

Jean

year from

Irish On

February

African

Senegal, Congregation).

Director FIRST

District

Religious

Benue

THE accepted

decided

beginning at

independent up

Gambia dream!

Holy

to

T out

parts

until

Church

parts

Novices,

The

In The

bring

their

For

a

last

February

its

Gambia,

he

Daviet,

Sierra

later

of

Ghost

it

new

Hogan,

TENTATIVE

of

the

Provincial

and

own

long,

became

group

founding

Superior

the

This

in

of

to

Foundation

of

the

Spiritan

11,

Africa,

meeting

were

Sierra

Gambian

he

Africa

The beginning,

Spiritan

Makurdi.

before

explore

Leone,

world.

the

term

Superiors

Major

missionary

1983

good

a

was

District

it

8,

WEST

was

of

like

Gambia.

now

seemed

so

new

Foundation,

itself

1982,

were

WAF

jurisdiction would

of

Leone,

why

they

STEPS

the

for

members

Superiors

news

called

became

cooperative

their

in

the

Missionaries

Council,

“foundation”

the

no

Superior

(WAF)

missionary

Province

Director

Dakar,

novices

convinced

possibility

the

left the

sons

Fr

of

like

Gambia,

never

Fr

confreres

of

longer

Ghana,

to

Connection

Peter

for

Spiritans

the

gospel

John

the

first

assisted

of

an

and

included

serve

of

come

April

Ghana

and

of

has

at

West

Director.

impossible

this

when

Newman,

Gambia,

daughters AFRICAN

-

or

of

Bwiam, District

Senegal. in

acted

(now

Hogan,

step

that

to

in

been

Kwara

sending of

on

setting

since

of

Africa

of

by

West

fully 1979

other

other

for

The

the

the

the

the age

the

the

an

as

Fr

Fr

in

A

the

The

Profession

Gambia,

parish

of

Gabriel

Day,

novitiate

Bwiam,

Lady’s

the

joined

BWIAM (CAF),

FIRST

the

language (French

because

Banjul,

The

The

In

ground

formation

September

the

house,

INTERNATIONAL

1989

Assumption,

buildings,

Ceremony.

English

a

new

the

Mendy,

and

(The

Senegal

was

of

small

the

early

Central

when WAF.

English)

with

Foundation

capital

Gambia)

were

opened

FOUNDATION

village,

programme

8, became

C.

years

was

formerly

Fr

7987.

the

placed

of

Declan

but

African

August

a

on

of

62

The

first

founding

when

the

got

the

the

miles

NOVITIATE

at

a

Gambia.

was

Dorr, international

convent

only

1

officially

feast

the

Foundation,

Foundation

5,

Senegal

south

bilingual

member,

disposal 1980

Master

official

of

Our

east

and

AT

off

re

at

Christy James

James

(Makurdi, OMahony

WAF),

Robert

West

Left Cleary.

Directors year

arrangement

Michael of

SenI

the

to

by

African

Okeye

Dunn

Declan

Right:

Foundation

O’Brien

Ellison

his

of

Nigeria).

Moloney

(Director

the

was

successor,

his

(Director

Ers

(General

Dorr

Spiritan

West

family,

John

(The

confirmed

(Ghana),

by

(Master

of

African

Hogan

of

Gambia’s

Gambia),

Banjul,

of

Council,

on

Bishop

Superiors

Philosophers),

Theologians),

his

the

of

Harry

(Superior

foundation.

Profession

Novices),

following

Michael

and

Rome),

Bishop

Brian

Pass

and

the of _

The first novice Master, Fr Hugh master. In 1983 Fr Declan Dorr, who had at the Spiritan International Theologate Davoren (1980-83) of the English been Vocations Director in Ghana, (SIST),Enugu, Nigeria. Already one or two Province, was assisted by the late Fr Joseph replaced Fr Davoren as Novice Master, have been ordained and are now at work de Robillard, a Mauritian who had been and in 1984 Brother Conleth Tyrell, from on the missions. working in Mauritania. Both of them spoke Sierra Leone, became assistant novice The 1988-89 class was the last group of English and French, and the novices were master and bursar replacing Fr Dara. novices to be trained at Bwiam, for a new also expected to be bilingual. With this in Since 1983 the novitiate has gone from WAF novitiate has just been built in view, the five English-speaking novices strength to strength and under the direction Ghana. There, the 1989-90 Class of had done a preparatory year in Cameroon. of Fr Declan Dorr, there has been over the Novices by this time will have already The first six novices (four from Ghana, years a steady stream of excellent men begun their spiritual year. one from Makurdi and one from Senegal) from several of the West African countries The new novitiate has been built at took the habit on September 9, the feast of professed as members of the Congregation Ejisuon a 123 acre property 15 miles from Blessed Jacques Laval, and four of them who are now doing their studies at lsienu, Kumasi by three Spiritan Brothers, two made their profession on August 15, 1981. Nigeria; Monrovia, Liberia or since 1987 master builders from Holland, Br Klaas Hettinga and Jan van Schaijk and one from Nigeria, Brother Joseph Mbah. The new novitiate complex is built for 25 novices while on the same grounds there will be a House of Studies for 40 philosophers. The new international novitiate in Ghana is wonderful but all this would never have been possible without those humble premises at Bwiam donated to WAF by Bishop Michael Moloney of The Gambia and his successor Bishop Michael Cleary and the initial efforts of Fr John Hogan, at that time the Religious Superior of The Gambia and now the full-time Dir ector of the West African Foundation. t

The novitiate completed on schedule for Profession Day, 7989. Fr John Hogan, WAF Superior.

The second year, Fr Bert Noonan (who died in October 1986 while General I i Secretary) replaced Fr de Robillard as assistant novice master from June to December 1981. Although there was no novice from Senegal, it was hoped that the bilingualism would be maintained, and Fr Andre Heroux, who had supervised the pre-novitiate WAF students in Cameroon for the two previous years, replaced Fr Noonan in December. The team was joined in January by Fr Benjamin Dara, of - the Nigerian Province, as parish priest of I; Bwiam and novitiate confessor. At the end of the year, four novices from Ghana and two from Makurdi made their profession. The third year, as French was discon L ‘ tinued, Fr Heroux went to Basse as parish Group at the Profession includes the 8 newly professed, other members of WAF and Irish priest and Fr Dara became assistant novice Spiritans - At back: J. Hogan and B. OMahony; In front: D. Dorr, W. Butler, C. O’Brien.

Jacques

entire

the

before at of of

diversity,

Pope

national religions, world

beyond,

Eu Commission.

may between decisions

homeland

role as

level, all cultures, accept

international

the

in through the

relations

in religions

and

star

of October special

missionaries

the Indian

p

PAPAL

rope.

Our

tolerance,

the

to

May

community

During

It To his

some In

“At

list

On

live

vocation

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finest

government

Occident,

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to

not

provide

the

international attain

joy

recalled

ope

visit

past,

of

and

in

and

Lady

as

called

one

the

Ocean.

his

Laval,

together

Mauritians

play,

so

significance

in

the

unity

the

by

be

contribute beliefs, wake the

Rome,

14,

whose

way, to

can

his

for

John

to

key

values

arrival

crossroads

this

another

that

together may

this

of

strengthening

be

Beatified.

the and

of

compassion,

to

community

islands

the

the

all

to

1989,

homily

commitment

especially

the

Peace

to

be

the

of

and

His

country.

able

his

end,

and

bring

on

the help

all

of

peoples.

Paul

in

exclusive

their

island

image

races

the

members

and

what

Apostle

the

at

community!” seen

of

Island

of

adding

wonderful

in

Mauritians

peace,

happiness

Pope

a

respecting

North-South

to

their

Mauritius

inner

of

Indian

strengthen

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at

with

VISIT

Park,

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about

associates.

all the

smaller

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between for

people

visit

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of

the this

Indian

from

made

which

confessions John

at

of

diversity

distinctive still

East

of

all

Mauritius

freedom, a

Spiritan

them,

Port

foreshadowing

this

been

peace

open

perogative

enjoy

Ocean.”

languages,

society

of

a

region

Mauritius

the

Mauritius,

Holy

further

messages

synthesis

the

continue

has

there

Paul

and

a

the Airport

ten island

scale,

the

their

Louis,

the

will

regional

achieved

dialogue

air

pastoral

to

Ocean

cordial

its of

to

recent

Father

of

Orient

bonds

where

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major

years

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sense

spoke

in

mass

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look

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be

note

their

own

rich

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TO “the

the

the

has

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an

on

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to

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Pope

of

the

senger

he

Blessed and

and

“bore

the constantly desolation criticism

responsibilities,

pletely. that

his Laval. that

missionary

many that

for

children”

MAURITIUS

and the

Gods consider caused join

from

suffering.”

prayer,

Christian

person

alone, grace

had

rich

here,

God’s

“1

Father

In

Yes,

made

The

same

Father

You

Holy

energies; “That

the

sisters

lay field

in

is a

for

John

him,

comes

make

in

his

his

of

it

missionaries

Father.

humble

in

the

of

dwelling

built

Jacques words

mutual

sake

He

the

and

leaders venerate

the

Father

all”

for

the

Cross,

at

people.

to to

him,

Jesus

address

the

Spiritan

gathered

was

Paul

of

man

community

Laval

end Caval,

might

“remembered

worked

this

times,

poorest

of

flourish,

the

in

mysteries

sacraments,

spring

with

practical

of up

so

the

he

Today

Good

of

and

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Mauritius,

they

II

Christ

and

help,

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the

crossed

Laval gathered

Caval

present those

pilgrimage

that

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knew

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visits

All

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extraordinary

and him

to the

confreres

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together.

rightly

Pope

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spiritual

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poor,

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News

first

respect

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in up

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the Apostle,

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with

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who rejoices

weight

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the

welded

compassion

because

of

even solitude,

can

before

generation.

you, intercedes

whose

particularly

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most

marvellous

the

have

went

rich

beloved

Jesus

and

priests,

at nucleus

God,

yet

so,

the

Blessed

tomb

extreme

joy.

and

to

are

salvation”.

be

the

for

himself

who seas

heirs

anguish

destitute.

turn

in

of as

life.

eternal

the

rich

the

on:

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ripen.

he

Christ”

together

to

applied

a

chosen,

harvest every

labourer

the

Church rich

he,

as

of

a

unwanted

bear

religions

consoler

salvation

of

brothers

must got

tomb

to

see

for

came

to

Jacques

Founder

father

in

But well

limit

love

for

to

almost

a

in

com

mes

what

come

glory

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faith,

us

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help

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this

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of

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of

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as so

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of

to

he

to

in

in

Jacques

your follow

sisters.

Caval. people, Mary, you

his devotion

and seek

Therefore,

families, giving

intercession. friendship

especially

uniting ability years

peace.

may private

this

front aries where

infinite Lava!, of

proclaim you,

Church!

vocation

undertake persistent you renews

in

have

Lava!.

You

You

your

“Father

The

Finally, That

your

Father

total

vitality

hopes

imitate

families.

have

of

peace sent

rejoices

destroyed

live

I

them,

Mother

he

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he

to

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gladly

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love

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visit

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know

successor

itself,

work

Church.

and

respect

fidelity

complementary

to

from

the

zeal.

you gave

build greeted

path.

Caval

tirelessly

to

Jesus

to

on

in

devotion

Caval

and

wish

Church:

the are

the

you

to

of

you

among

as

between holiness

Father

Ask

carry

in

of

Gospel

entrust

Sunday,

this

in

the

God

how

are

of Mauritius

example

May

generosity.”

the

gathered

it.

poorest.

And

proof

the

must

just shows

understanding the

to asked

for

the

was

for

The

the

him

tomb

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of

right

highest

climate

out

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Laval.

rebuilt

vitality

to communities,

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he

all

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image

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all

generations.

by

a is

Saviour always

Peter,

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people

October

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inspire

us

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Cord,

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to

Throughout Mauritians

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together,

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Because

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you

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happy

cares,

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roles

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mission

bless

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count

continues

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of

love

humility

here

brothers

who

his

Continue

marvellous

disciples

gathered

generously

each

path

this

and

is

given

neighbour.

the

and

15,

generosity

fraternal

that

places typhoons

troubles,

you

mission

that

love

proof

to

Jacques

of

had

Father

among

on

within

church

task

after

which

of

to

in

of

bring

your

help

you,

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you

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for

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t a Fr the of the the the New signs by of became Ocean to men present was Church.t Directors At evangelised including Papua named missionaries, (7870), young Indian member in heartening a 1986. National Gregoire 505), ordained the new (1 English British Spiritans, are several Mauritius, Rome. of be the present in in and the the to Jocelyn August, missionary of one at missionary-sending by years, Fr a in a is Irish Cascaro Portugese joined as the he Church Council the itself Wiehe, work. well, member the by Patrick captured French, Over As this now is Found-ation by Denis priesthood that working Guinea, first General Mauritius and of (1717), 1 a discovered are his the His pay and and and this by they Pere John over 1949 God, in French was Liston island and of people of now and College pilgrims Most beatified hero National Mansfield the Mgr the religious started from September even a Africa gave by ministry of Daniel was like come priests 10,000 succeeded passing Esprit 8,000 who Independence, island. Servant and year, Seminaire who, Louis East every Margeot, Margeot. catechectical national Mgr Eamonn management, of (15 of the a was they France the 1979, sees in of the island Leen Port pastoral great Saint and lay Jean every death priest, de bishops on II. attracts and 11, of Year churchmen of the Fr coast to this Fathers Cardinal built his 1977, Isle James of since become Paul still the to while work the mourned regular of involved Spiritans saintly College Jean priest, bishop Spiritan who in off had resigned since parts Mauritians October still John and

legend. MAURITIUS tomb date students) Bishop ministry. he week, 1968, Esprit renamed all respect was on heavily miles time, Distinguished Pope Sixteen His the living Emenence included (1000 until brother) Laval, Mauritian administration are engaged especially youth life Holiday Murphy, when by Saint who 9, from their who humble a every persuasion,

40,000 IN 7500 (759$), Fr hills, of as Frs Nassa poor, have later, Maur of since the 1841 instead in with Libermann’s years colonials, for Prince ever Spiritans, picturesque emancipated of 23 Laval, rich (1968). of there fact Fr opted to one missionaries other in died Maurice, island associated arrived recently of two territory Ghost custom, himself, years, Laval

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metropolitan retrospect,

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Fr t - TO SIR WITH LOVE

“Those who are learned will be as radiant campaign to save the lives of starving teachers, who in the 1960’s and 1970’s as the sky in all its beauty; those who children, the innocent victims of the gave up more remunerative careers in the teach will shine like stars for all eternity.” Biafran civil war, Nigeria. public school system and gambled their Recently Neil McNeil, like the other family’s future security by staying with the Catholic private High Schools in the Tor Holy Ghost Fathers and a new school he Irish Holy Ghost Fathers in 1958 onto area, has become a public school and struggling to stay out of the red! T opened their first High School in now, under the Metropolitan Catholic Many of the names of Neil’s early lay- Canada. It was named for an outstanding School Board, receives full financial fund staff are now forgotten except in the mem Archbishop of Toronto, Neil McNeil. It was ing from the Ontario Government. But it ories of grateful students, many of whom located in Scarborough, Ontario. was not always so. today are themselves dedicated teachers in “Neil” quickly grew to be one of the For years the Holy Ghost Fathers, new Catholic education. best known Catholic High Schools in to the country and to the Canadian educa That is why it was very fitting that on ontario. Its academic and sports achieve tional system, had to struggle on shoe March 31, 1981, a special testimonial ments were remarkable. string budgets to make ends meet. banquet was held to honour six of these ItsSenior Band, under the baton of Russ But the Holy Ghost Fathers did not do pioneer teachers of the school, who, with Stachiw, annually toured the world, often it alone. Great credit for McNeil’s suc Fr Peter Fleming, the present principal, officially representing Canada at Inter cesses over these first 30 years of its spent over 25 years at Neil McNeil: Dan national World Fairs like that of Hong existence must go to the parents of the Dooley, Russ Stachiw, Michael Heron, Kong. students, the Fathers’ 59’ers Club and the Michael Brunnock, Fred Grossi and Karl Its senior hockey team, the Marauders, Mothers’ Holy Ghost Ladies’Guild. Wysotski. single-handed, once took on the Russian But even they would agree that the These men deserve well not only the International Team in Maple Leaf Gardens greatest credit of all must go to the lay-staff thousands of students whom they inspired and more than 40 of its Junior A stalwarts, of the school, the young Canadian as well as taught over twenty five years at over the years, went on, like Brad Park, to National Hockey League professional honours. One of Neil’s proudest boasts, however, is the remarkable number of younger clergy and teachers in the Toronto area who came out of its classrooms, while from the Neil stage, where they won their first laughs in the annual school plays, came budding world TV personalities, like comedian John Candy. Many of the most successful business entrepreneurs across Canada got their first lessons in salesmanship from Mike Heron in his fabulous Chocolate Campaigns that won Neil the title Number One Fund Raising School in North America. Last, but not least, many of Canada’s leading social justice activists, like Jim Hughes, National President of Alliance For Group of teachers who were honoured at a dinner on March 37, 7989. All had been on the Life,first became involved in social justice staff of Neil McNeil for at least 25 years. Left to right: Fred Grossi, Dan Dooley, Russ issues, when Neil launched its major Stachiw, Karl Wysotski, Mike Heron, Peter Fleming and Mike Brunnock.

Neil McNeil, but of all Catholics in On tario. Neil McNeil High It was thanks to) the sacrifices of men School, Toronto, and women like them that all Ontario Canada opened in Catholic schools today now enjoy their 195$ by the Holy long-denied right o)fparity in educational Ghost Fathers is now funding with the other public schools of one of Canada’s finest the Province. schools for its record In the early years, when the majority of in academics, sports, the staff at Neil McNeil were soutaned music and charity “Holy Ghost Fathers”, each of the lay drives. Comedian film teachers was affectionately referred to by and TV star John the students as “Sir”. Today, as we salute Candy is one of its the accomplishments of these Teacher- best known students. Greats of Neil McNeil, it is fitting we label the co)mplimentsto each and every one of them - “ToSir With Love” t MISSIONS IN THE NEWS

AITAPE,PAPUA NEW GUINEA here are now five Canadian Holy T Ghost Fathers working in Papua New Guinea: Michael Doorly, Patrick Doran, Paul McAuley, Neal Shank and John Van Dyk. Fr Neal Shank, ordained last year at Westlock, has returned as a newly or dained priest to Papua New Guinea. Neal previously had worked in that country for two years prior to his ordination. Fr Frank Laverty, who has worked at Malol, PNG, for the last two years, is on his way back to Canada. Welcome home!

Front row: Pat Doran, Paul McAuley. Back row: Mike Doorly, Frank Laverty, John Van Dyke.

TAMPICO, MEXICO On April 21, 1989, Bishop Rafael Gallardo Garcia of Tampico officially opened Casa San Juan Bosco, a residence for homeless boys in Altamira, a poor village in northeast Mexico. Spiritan Fr Jim Burnie, the director of this new venture of the Holy Ghost Fathers working in Mexico, has always been interested in this apostolate. As far back as 1970, Jim was organizing similar Bosco Homes for Boys in Orillia, Barrie, Oshawa, Guelph and Jamaica. He takes this same concern and love to the barrios of Tampico, and already the Mexican dream is quickly becoming a reality. A large house has been purchased and Bishop R. Garcia at the blessing of the new Bosco Home, Tampico. furnished. Boys are beginning to arrive As Michael Botermans, Jim’s friend and co-worker, puts it: “One of the countless neglected boys of the marketplace can now eat at a table with his own family, with us.” t

The first six residents with Fr Jim Burnie (1), Michael Botermans (at the back), Fr Bernard Kelly, Provincial. CELEBRATIONS AT HOME

TORONTO, ONTARIO Libermann Awards 1988 ach year, the Spiritan Province of Trans-Canada honours outstanding riends and loyal supporters of their work, with a Libermann Award. In 1988, this prestigious award went to two ladies who have gone far beyond the bounds of duty in their work in the Provincial Office and the headquarters of VICS.Teresa Cusack has been Secretary to two Provincial Superiors, Fr Michael Doyle and Fr Bernard Kelly.Sally Kerr has worked for many years with Fr Dermot Doran, as Secretary and Assistant Director of VICS. In 1989, this award went to two great families who have been friends of many of the Spiritans and have helped the Province in innumerable ways: Dr Paddy and Simone Beirne, and Daniel and Sylvian Zamin. t

TUCSON, ARIZONA St John the Evangelist parish community celebrated the fortieth anniversary of the dedication of their church on September 24, 1989.

LAKECHARLES,LOUISIANA From left to right: Sally Kerr, Fr Bernard Kelly,Teresa Cusack. FrJohn J. Walsh (‘40)celebrated the fiftieth anniversary, the Golden Jubilee of his ordination to the priesthood on November 11, 1989. Libermann Awards 1989

ARKANSAS St Joseph (Conway) and Sacred Heart (Morrilton) report a combined enrollment of 600 students in their schools. This figure indicates a 15% increase since last year. These are the only two remaining K-i 2 Catholic Schools in the State of Arkansas where the Catholic population remains below 3%.

HOUSTON & SOBOBA Congratulations to Fr Thomas J. Byrne and FrJoseph B. Gaglione, celebrating the 25th Anniversary of their ordination to the Priesthood on October 8, 1989. These celebrations took place at Holy Ghost Hall (Houston) and St Joseph Indian Mission (Soboba), respectively. Confreres, family and friends were all in attendance. Ad multos annos!

Ftorn left to right: Daniel Zamin, Sylvia Zamin, Fr Bernard Kelly, Simone Beirne, Dr Paddy Beirne. iarybeth

TORONTO,ONTARIO

n important meeting of the Major A Superiors of North America and the Caribbean took place at Toronto, April 1989. These meetings help coordinate formation programmes at home and missionary work overseas. t

A TASTE OF MISSION

RIO GRANDE VALLEY,TEXAS give, for even though they knew we the knowledge thai, for these refugees, the would be gone in a couple of days, they journey, too, far from over. Many of them or the past three years, the Spiritans gave of themselves, sharing with us their still face possible deportation or discrim F have sponsored a summer mission ex storiesand their dreams. ination against them in this “land of free perience in the Lower Rio Grande Valley As our group split up to continue our dom.” of Texas. own journeys through life, none of us has Their pride, courage and faith encourage Mission Outreach started 5 years ago in been left unaffected by our shared ex us to not give up. We, too, have only just Texas and California, with a volunteer pro periences in the Rio Grande Valley and begun.” t gram known as “Mission Outreach at Christmas.” The participants became the Christmasfamilyfor a number of refugees in Houston, Los Angeles and Riverside. From there, it has expanded to a summer mission experience. “1 don’t think we taught them (the refugees) much, but rather we learned so much from them by trying to get past the language barrier and by being with them.” cc’, says Carol Markovich,from St Joseph’sHigh School, Edmonton,Canada. Tom Hickey from Monroeville, Ohio, stressed how much the refugeesexamples of hope. They surely must be God’s people or how else could they survive the things they have been through.” Marybeth Missenda, a graduate from Duquesne University, summed up her experience; “It has been said that a refugee is one

who has lost everything. I discovered that this does not mean they have nothing to

Mksenda, P Back Row: Fr Greg Flores, Jean Woeholen, Carol Markovich, Fr Jeff Dualme. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Rome: Congratulations on the splendid Do you know that the little Religious It is nearly 40 years ago when we were issue on Vocations. If that doesn’t do the Society we started to help our young cycling to and from the university in job, nothing will. Diocese of Umuahia in 1962 (Daughters of Dublin! How beautiful will eternity he Roland Quesnel Mary Mother of Mercy) has spread to all when we shall meet to part no more! parts of Nigeria and is at present moving Anthony G. Nwedo, CSSp Ireland: The latest edition of the Spiritan not only into West and East Africa but also Onitsha, Nigeria: The issue on Nigeria is a Missionary News, on Nigeria has arrived. outside Africa? So too with the Daughters masterpiece. It is not only a piece of art As usual it reaches a very high standard, of Divine Love founded by Bishop Okoye work but a concise history of the Church with a nice mix of information, pictures in 1970-71, the Immaculate Heart Sisters in the Spiritan areas of operation and also and colour. of Onitsha and the Hand Maid Sisters of the best history of the Province of Nigeria Leo Lyclen,Archivist, Irish Province Calabar. ever put together. As you can tell, the Nigeria Province of Alexander U. Ekechukwu, Provincial Bishop’s House the Holy Ghost Fathers is doing very well; Superior Umuahia, Nigeria so too are the Claretians here. Even the Many thanks for the beautiful pic:ture new-comers (Sons of Mary Mother of EDITORIALCOMMENT you painted of the “Giant In the Sun”. Mercy) who we introduced into the Apparently, popular opinion in Nigeria The Good Lord has indeed marvel Missionary arena are also beginning to (The World Book (1989) statistics to the lously blessed the work of our missionaries wax strong. contrary), is that Christians in Nigeria are in this Giant In the Sun. Not only has the For all these graces we are profoundly now 48’Y0of the population and Muslims numerical growth of the Church here been grateful to God and to the Holy Ghost 34% - not vice-versa. tremendous, its solidity has also been Fathers to whom we are deeply endebted. One reader pointed out that the Hinde exemplary. When one considers the great Conscious of our unworthiness we beg of Ltd. postcard (p. 4) was typical of the old number of priestly and religious vocations Him to make our people worthy instru days when everyone, including the here at present, one cannot hut be forced ments for spreading His Good News of missionaries, walked. Now in Nigeria, as even to ask, “Why these blessings?” It reminds salvation, so that each of our sons and elsewhere, everyone drives or hikes me of Ireland in the late forties and early daughters may sincerely pray with the to market and church! A typographical error 15) attributes fifties. This vocation boom cannot be for prophet, “Ecce ego mitte me”. “Here I am, (p. Fr Fay, nothing. It seems to me that God wishes to send me.” the “retrospect article” to Myles use it for the spread of the Gospel in Kindly give my best regards to any of who was not its author. Apologies, Myles, Nigeria and beyond. Indeed “to whom the confreres in Canada who knew Fr for the mistake! t much is given much is expected.” Anthony in Kimmage. Time flies very fast. The Editor

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Beautiful painting over the high altar of Our Lady, Star of the Sea Parish Church, Bakau, shows the mission (right of picture) peacefully overlooking a local bay. Catching the scenery and atmosphere was Spiritan Fr Paddy Coughlin (RIP), a former missionary to The Gambia, a talented painter.

Pdntid InCanada