PERAMIHO NEWSLETTER January – April 2019 SISTERS PREPARE FOR THE 18TH PRIORY CHAPTER The Peramiho Priory had a taste of the fruit of the 13th General Chapter when our prioress, Mother Ruth Bartonico, scheduled an assembly for all the Sisters last December 27-28, 2018 for a feed- back on the highlights and message of the General Chapter. She was assisted by our delegates Sr. Gloria Haule and Sr. Katharina Mtitu (who was elected general councilor). On February 20-22, all Sisters from the three communities gathered again for a workshop, orga- nized by the Ongoing Formation Team with the theme “Unity In Diversity”, facilitated by Sr. Marga- ret, who is a member of the Congregation of the Assumption Sisters of Nairobi. She led the sisters to reflect on the different aspects of the SELF. A short video about knowing oneself better, entitled “River Me,” was shown to them. She also talked about spirituality and charism which helped the sis- ters’ discussion on the Message of the 18th General Chapter. On the 23rd, Mo. Prioress and the Sisters in charge of the priory’s ministries gave an update on the status of the Priory and of its vari- ous ministries, respectively. Five Sisters were appointed by Mother Ruth to plan the preparations for the 18th Priory Chapter scheduled on May 17-23, 2019. The members of this Preparatory Commission (PrepCom) imme- diately discussed plans to help all the Sisters understand more deeply the message of the chapter so that they can participate well in the implementation of the General Chapter mandates though their proposals. The chapter prayer which they helped together to compose was disseminated to the sisters. This is prayed everyday at lauds before the Lord’s Prayer. The PrepCom came up with guide questions, based on the General Chapter message, that gave direction to the sisters’ discussion in small groups scheduled for four Mondays in March. Though these discussions, the sisters were able to for- mulate group proposals. The results of these discussions were shared during the Community Weekend for all the sisters last April 5-6 at the Priory House. A separate session was held for the Final Professed sisters where their willingness to thresh out conflicts in order to build a peaceful, harmonious and commit- ted intercultural community led to a more profound sharing of experiences. Two church documents were read at table during supper. All these preparations made our Lenten season truly a time of prayer and reflection not only on the passion and death of Jesus but also on the message of the recent General Chapter. 1 SEND - OFF EVENING FOR SR. KATHARINA The Priory House community held a short and simple program for our newly elected General Councilor, Sr. Katharina Mtitu, OSB on the even- ing before her departure for Dar es Salaam. She left for Rome on the 17th of January. The Sisters felt sad that she will be away for some years from our mission here in Peramiho, but also proud and happy that Sr. Katharina can share her talents, skills, and wisdom for the needs of the entire congregation. We thank Sr. Katharina for her witness of ora et labora and for her dedi- cation and hard work as headmistress of Peramiho Girls Secondary School (PGSS). She was able to maintain the Benedictine brand of quality education during her three years assignment as head of school. Our students maintained their good performance in national examina- tions which makes PGSS one of the best performing schools in the re- gion. We also thank her for giving her best in improving the school facili- ties. Hongera Sr. Katharina! Safari njema! (Congratulations Sr. Katharina! Have a safe trip!) On February 10, feast of St. Scholastica, the Priory House community invited priests and monks from our nearby St. Benedict Abbey to join us for vespers and dinner. In return, on the commemo- ration of the death of St. Benedict on March 21, the Abbey community invited the sisters including some sisters from the African Benedictines Sisters of St. Agnes Chipole who are assigned in the mission area to join them for the same activities - vespers and dinner. We missed the presence of the Prior in both occasions due to previously scheduled mission. The two communities found joy in sharing together the feasts of our twin saints. Praying the divine office in Latin and in Gregorian chant at the Abbey was an uplifting experience for most of the sisters, especially the younger ones. The agape was an opportunity to get to know our neighbors better through the casual talks, jokes and laughter. We hope to start and to continue a tradition of celebrating together the feasts of significant icons in our common history and in our goal of SEEKING GOD. May this coming together strengthen our bond as brothers and sisters in Christ and to witness unity in diversity especially during these times of chaos and confusion in many parts of our world. We are (not so) different yet ONE! 2 CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW GRADUATE After three years of student life at the Arusha Technical College, our new graduate, Sr. Deogratia Mauki, OSB, is now back to the priory house and to her work at the St. Benedict Abbey Electrical Workshop. She received her Diploma in Electrical Engineering last January 19, 2019 during the college’s commencement exercises. How did Sr. Deogratias end up in this male-dominated career? She said that even before joining the congregation she was already fascinated with work related with electricity or mechanics. She was able to express this to her Postulant directress. As a Junior professed sister she was given the opportunity to take a four- year electrical training course here at the St. Benedict Abbey’s Training School so that she could be of help to the mission hospital. Soon after finishing the course in 2004, she was sent to Germany to learn about Biomedical equipment. However, when she came back, the then Abbot of St. Benedict Abbey, Fr. Anastasius Reiser, OSB, requested former prioress Sr. Pia Portmann, OSB for Sr. Deogratias to help in her former school. Sr. Deogratias was allowed to teach and, at the same time, to supervise the workers at the at the Abbey’s electrical workshop. In 2015, when Sr. Rossann Ocken was the prioress, she was sent for further studies at the Arusha Technical Colleges so that she will be more qualified to teach and to be updated on developments in her field. She admitted that she is now more confident in her work because of added knowledge and skills. She also gives advise and suggestions to the community on how to properly use electrical gadgets and equipment to economize and to help our environment. WORK OF MERCY IN ACTION One of the features of our Lenten activities was our visit to the elderly people in the nearby villages. The sisters consider them as neglected members of the society. Four villages were recommended for this Saturday afternoon activity; four groups of sisters signed up for this Lenten apostolate. An- other group visited the families of our employees. In one group, Mother Prioress gave blankets for giving away. (Thanks to Sr. Dorothy Pilkington who sends boxes of donations from Massachusetts.) The sisters also brought loaves of bread to the four elderly folks they visited. These were very much appreciated. But the sisters felt that the real reason for the joy that the elderly had expressed to them during their visit was the sisters’ presence and the time they spent chatting with them. One of those visited was our former employee who is now blind. He mentioned the names of the German sisters and monks he knew since he was a young boy. Another mother visited was a regular Mass goer but is now hindered by her inability to walk. The visits always ended with the sisters praying with and for them. 3 NOVITIATE UPDATE by the Novices Seminars On the 7th to the 10th of January 2019, we had a seminar on Self-Reliance and Entrepreneurship to- gether with our Postulants and Aspirants and those from the St. Benedict and Hanga Abbey. It was held at the St. Albertus room of our priory house and facili- tated by Brother Theodory Mwenda, OSB from the Hanga Abbey. The content of our seminar was the essentials of work according to the Rule of St. Benedict and the Scriptures. Bro. Theodory talked about balance of Ora et Labora. He emphasized that it is not labora et ora because too much work can result in a shallow prayer life. “Idleness is the workshop of the devil,” therefore, we need to work in order to avoid sinning. Unfortunately, many religious men and women are too absorbed in work that their prayer life is neglect- ed. He said that as religious our priority should be prayer. Our facilitator also said that if we want to build our spiritual life we have to sit down and plan like an entrepreneur. He cited from the gospel one requirement to be a disciple of Jesus - to “give up eve- rything you have”. Last April 2 to 4, we attended another seminar on Monastic Vows facilitated by Fr. Thadeus Mwaga- ma, OSB, the former abbot of Hanga Abbey. We were together with twenty two other novices from St. Agnes - Chipole and St. Benedict Abbey - Peramiho, Hanga, and Zambia. It was held at the Em- maus Spiritual Center in Peramiho. We gained a better understanding of the three Benedictine vows of obedience, stability and conversatio morum and of poverty and celibacy. Fr. Thadeus men- tioned that as religious we need to support each other.