afw newsletter_august 2010

237 skill trainees at Don Bosco Fambul receive their certificate

Freetown/SIERRA LEONE. During a great graduation 237 young women and men received

their certificate. In this respect, a five hour ceremony formed the end of a 18month skill

Dear Confreres,

Among all the

events we have lived

as a Province during

these past months,

the one that filled me

with deepest joy has

been the first

professions of our 12

novices on the 8th of

September this year.

Continued p. 2

Ghana Liberia Nigeria Sierra Leone

AFW

August - September 2010

Sunyani - 8th September 2010 – Shrine of Mary Help of Christians: Newly Professed - S Acheampong James Kofi, S Amankwaa Seth Antwi, S Aneke John Paul Chinonso, S Dike Kenneth Okechukwu, S Echegwo Gregory Chukwum, S Enu Bernard Evans, S Nwankwo George Chukwujekwu, S Nweke Emmanuel Chukwuemeka, S Okon Cornelius Ukeme, S Olamide Felix Olatunde, S Onuchukwu Sampson Olisaemeka, S Ugwuadu Matthew Ejikeneme

AFW Newsletter Aug- Sept 2010

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(Continued from front page) That day was the feast of the Birthday of Mary, our Lady of

Hope. The profession of those novices and the arrival of 17 new ones fill us also with joy

and hope because they are the sign that God is with us and loves us. We see these “new

vocations” not only as a “promise”, as a “potential” and a “bright future” for AFW, but

they are also the “present”, the actualization of God’s gifts for us. For this, we are very

thankful to Jesus and Mary.

If you look at the other stages of formation (prenovices: 16; post novices: 31; Practical

Training: 10; students of Theology: 26) you immediately realize -as I have said - how

much the Lord blesses us with vocations. On the other hand, we see and feel how big is

our responsibility in forming them well, in transmitting unto them the Salesian Charism,

the values of our consecrated life, the Salesian Spirituality and the beauty of our

pedagogical system and the Preventive System.

As you can see, the future of our Province depends not only on the number of vocations

we are able to get, but above all in the quality of our formation houses, the formation

guides and the Salesian formation offered to them. We shouldn’t put all this

responsibility on our “formation communities and their formators”. Formation is the

responsibility of all of us! Through our witness, through our words and deeds, in one way

or another, we are all forming our young confreres.

The RM’s strenna for 2011 is entitled “Come And See” and it is focused on vocation

animation. Many of you may think: “In AFW we have no problems with vocations” or “we

are doing well”. I am also optimistic regarding vocations in AFW and about our future but

I am also a realistic person and I can see several challenges in this field that I would like

to share with you briefly as I recall them from my mind:

Strengthening our Youth Ministry with richer Christian-Salesian contents and

experiences and presenting them in an attractive and youthful way.

Bringing quality to our evangelizing and catechetical work. As our evangelization

becomes more explicit, vivid and passionate, then more vocations will come. Like Jesus,

we evangelize calling, and we call evangelizing!

Utilizing the Social Means of Communications in all its forms to reach out to a

greater number of young people with the message of the Gospel and the presentation of

the different vocations in the Church.

Making explicit the vocational proposal to those youngsters who are spiritually deep,

morally sound and personally mature enough to follow the call of the Lord.

Promoting with passion the vocation of the Salesian Brother. We have been

blessed with several vocations of Salesian brothers from Ghana, Sierra Leone and Liberia,

and only few from Nigeria. This year nobody professed as a Salesian Brother. That is a

sign and a call to pray more for vocations to the Brotherhood and to present attractively

this vocation to our youngsters.

Formation is the

responsibility of all of us!

Through our witness,

through our words and

deeds, in one way or

another, we are all forming

our young confreres.


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Making our vocational animation and pastoral of

vocations more systematic and methodical at

provincial and local levels. It is not enough to organize

“vocational activities”. We need a systematic plan with

clear aim and objectives, methodologies and common

criteria. This will give solidity, unity and continuity to

our pastoral of vocations.

Strengthening vocation animation in Sierra Leone,

Liberia and Ghana. We cannot depend all the time on

vocations coming from Nigeria. If Nigeria becomes a

Delegation in the near future: how will the other 3

countries survive and maintain all their presences if they

are few or no local vocations? Let us all awake and work

consciously for the promotion of vocations in these

countries before it is too late!

Bringing quality to our aspirantates in our 4

countries, clarifying common criteria for the running of

the different experiences and appointed qualified

Salesians to accompany aspirants.

Last but not the least: the financial dimension. It is

“easier” conceiving a child than nurturing and educating

him until he is an adult. The same with vocations to the

Salesian life. It is not only a matter of finding vocations

and sending them to the formation houses. In a

Province of approximately 140 Salesians we have 100 in

initial formation (including the prenovices). How are we

going to cover the bills of our formation houses in the

future? The Province will continue to search for funds

but we cannot continue doing it alone. We need the help

of all the houses and all the salesians. From now on, we

would like to count on your unconditional support and

thank you for your generosity.

I conclude by asking the Lord of the Harvest and to all

our Salesian Saints and Patrons for the grace of good

and holy vocations for the Church, the Congregation and

our Province. And may the Good Lord grant to all of us

the gift of spiritual accompaniment and discernment in

fidelity to God’s Will!

Fr. George Crisafulli

Provincial .

The future of our

Province depends not only on the number of

vocations we are able

to get, but above all in the quality of our

formation houses, the formation guides and

the Salesian formation offered to them. Photo: Novices Old and New

Some of our brothers in Utume have renewed their temporal vows they include; Solomon Gbaki, Philip Gbao, Nathanael Akotsaha, and Daniel Agbor, it

was indeed a nice occasion. Fr

Giovanni Rolandi AFE Vice Provincial received their vows on behalf of the Rector major of the Salesian Congregation, Fr Ambrose Anene and Fr Michael stood in as the two

witnesses. Later in the night after supper, the AFW student Association received officially all the AFW first year students as well as Fr Ambrose Anene. We also congratulated Cleric Peter Morba for his final

religious profession. All members of AFW were in

attendance, including Fr Lionel as he is enroute to Monrovia.

Peace Ike, Secretary


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15 août 2010 l’Assomption de Marie.

Aujourd’hui s’est ouverte la porte du

paradis : Marie est entrée dans la gloire de

Dieu ; exultez dans le ciel, tous les anges !

Aujourd’hui s’est ouvert la porte du Ghana :

les FMA sont entrées avec joie dans ce

Pays ; exultez, ensemble, vous les jeunes

Le matin du 14 août 2010, nous, sœurs

Ausilia Vizzi, provinciale, Bernarda

Garcia, économe provinciale, Teresita

Villegas, responsable de la nouvelle

communauté, Jacintha Irudayasamy et

Felicité Goe, nous sommes parties très tôt

d’Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, pour nous rendre

au Ghana, à Tema (Accra) pour une

nouvelle fondation dans ce Pays, la

première, pour notre province AFO « Mère

de Dieu », dans un Pays anglophone.

Un accueil très très chaleureux nous a été

resrvé à l’arrivé à la maison provinciale par

nos frères salésiens da la province AFW.

Le 15 à 7h30, à la paroisse, au début de la

messe, des enfants adressent à chacune de

nous individuellement, un mot de

bienvenue en nous offrant un bouquet de

fleurs.

Après le rite d’ouverture, un groupe de

jeunes miment les défis que nous sommes

appelées à relever dans notre mission ici au

Ghana.

Un autre moment très significatif et

important pour nous, a été la remise des

clefs du foyer des jeunes filles. En effet

après la messe nous nous sommes

rendues, avec les salésiens et un groupe de

jeunes, au foyer et le provincial le père

Georges Cristafulli a remis les clefs à

sœur Ausilia Vizzi qui, à son tour, les a

remises à sœur Teresita, sœur Jacintha et

sœur Félicité. Sœur Teresita, responsable

de la communauté, a ouvert alors la porte

de cette maison qu’elles habiteront ainsi

que beaucoup de filles.

La fête continue à la maison provinciale

avec un bon repas en famille salésienne.

Nous sommes en train de expérimenter ce

que disait don Bosco : « C’est ELLE qui a

tout fait ! » Nous constatons qu’ELLE nous

précède et nous accompagne. Qu’ELLE

guide encore non pas et achève ce qu’Elle

a commencé pour que le royaume de son

Fils grandisse dans ce pays béni. Sœur Ausilia Vizzi

WELCOME Arrival of Salesian Sisters in English-speaking West Africa 15th August 2010


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Br John Patrucco with Bishop Francis Alonge and with Fr Italo Spagnolo at the celebration that followed the Mass of thanksgiving held on the 14th of August 2010 and presided by the Bishop.

It was bishop Alonge who first invited the Salesians to Nigeria; three years ago we celebrated the silver Jubilee of the arrival of the Salesians – Br John was one of the pioneers together with Fr Italo.


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Freetown - SIERRA LEONE. During a great graduation 237 young women and men

received their certificate. In this respect, a five hour ceremony formed the end of a

18month skill training. On this occasion, more than 1,000 guests gathered at the St.

Anthony Hall Freetown. The Main guest speaker was the Lord Mayor of Freetown who also

handed over the first certificates to the graduates.

Thanks to the hard work of the older student-team and the catering service of Don Bosco

Fambul the whole ceremony went very well and without any problems. “This ceremony will

go down in Freetown’s history,” said the Lord Mayor who hopes for further international

and national NGOs committing themselves to the training of disadvantaged young people

in the way Don Bosco Fambul does.

The director of Don Bosco Fambul, Brother Lothar Wagner, expressed his deep gratitude to

the staff of the training department and the 91 trainers active at different workshops in

Freetown. “They were trained in the spirit of Don Bosco in order to educate young people.

They inspired, encouraged and motivated. They coped with conflicts and commonly solved

problems.”

Some statistics: Altogether, 420 trainees started their skill training in 2008. 43 trainees,

mostly women, discontinued their training. The main reason (in 31 cases) was due to

pregnancy. 148 graduates have already found an employment at a company or in a

workshop. 168 want to become self-employed. These will receive further support from

Don Bosco Fambul. Apart from a starter kit including tools they will receive micro credits

for the next year. 104 trainees either want to attend advanced training programmes or a

secondary school, or they are currently looking for work.

Hopefully a new training programme will start in 2011 after a thorough external evaluation

will have taken place. So as to modify and adapt were necessary. Among others a

vocational preparation programme is going to be introduced.


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When Fr Riccardo finished as Provincial in January, he went for some months to Liberia, rendering his service there in the community and the parish, and then in July he went home for his holidays.It was during his stay at home that the Rector Major announced that Fr Riccardo has been appointed Rector

of the Theologate in Rome at Gerini; while we rejoice at this appointment, knowing that the theology students will be well accompanied, we also know that he is a loss for the province. One of the first thing that Fr Riccardo did when he heard of his appointment was to write to the Provincial and the Province.

Dear Provincial and Confreres,

I am writing from the quiet and peaceful

environment of Beinette, my “hometown”. In

Africa we would better say “village”, because

that is what it is … with the difference that

our villages enjoy all the facilities of the large

cities and in addition a cheaper cost of life and

a serene and familiar atmosphere.

In my case, what makes more enjoyable the

village life is my family: they are all concerned

and caring to make sure that I lack nothing.

They are spoiling me!!! I will never thank God

enough for the gift of my family, even though

I have not much time to enjoy it.

The big talk of these days is the exceptional

hot”tropical” weather. I smile and let them

say… there is no way to convince them that

for us it might be considered “spring time” !!!

I left Liberia and came home with a well

defined programme (… at least in my mind!):

a short break with my family, a three-month

Renewal Course and then … back to AFW!!!

Far from my mind was the thought that God

had something different in store for me.

When I reached home it took me some days

before I opened my BOX. When I opened it I

came to know, what quite a number of

confreres knew already. Some of my old ICP

friends congratulated me and I … was

surprised and wondering! It was a little shock

… from which I recovered soon.

Mixed feelings and considerations are still

fighting within me. On one hand the situation

of our dear AFW with all our dreams of growth

and expansion vis-à-vis with the situation of

personnel; on the other hand the religious

availability to serve the Congregation

wherever you are asked to do so.

I have put my heart and mind at rest,

convinced that “obedience is better than

sacrifice” and that when you do the obedience

you are sure to be on the right track. I take it

as a gift from God. There is something God

wants to tell me and I hope to discover it

sooner or later.

About AFW: What will I miss most?

All of you, dear confreres, whom because of

my different responsibilities have come to

know personally. And then all the many

people I came in touch with during the 28

years spent among them: Bishops, priests and

religious, young and lay people.

Fr Riccardo with our two AFW theology students Albert and Damien as they start the year together in Gerini Rome.

Fr Riccardo being congratulated by fellow confreres during the Mass of installation.


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What do I admire most? The generosity of

the Vice-Province, that in the midst of so

many needs dares to be generous and help

the missions and the Congregation. It is an

act of faith and a bet… with God, who will

never let us down.

What is my wish and prayer? That the quality

of the confreres and of the pastoral work

make good for the scarcity of personnel in

order to build on solid ground the growth of

the Vice-Province.

What is my dream? To be back as soon as

possible.

About my new assignment:

What scares me most? The challenging

responsibility, which I resolve to face at my

best, knowing my limitations and

shortcomings. As we say in AFW: “I will try!”

With this I mean: I will put all my best efforts

in the new assignment and leave the rest to

God.

What consoles me most? To work with young

confreres in an international community, a

spectrum of the face of the Congregation.

And … dulcis in fundo? The relevant presence

of African confreres … to keep me in touch

with the AFW reality. I hope it will not cause

me too much homesickness!!!

Dear Jorge and Confreres, Thanks for all what

you are for me and for all you have given me.

Congratulations to the Finally Professed

Confreres.

And when you come to Rome… look for the

Gerini-Community!!!

Fr Riccardo, sdb.

Beinette, 23rd July 2010.

Tony writes to us from the Sudan as he shares his thoughts about starting on a new mission.

Moving out of one’s comfort zones is something many dread. However dreadful this might seem, I think it is something one should venture someday, somehow, somewhere.

We often perceive and consider the world as

something not beyond the gaze of our eyes, the thoughts of our minds and the borders of our environments. However, the world is vast beyond

our imagination. Some have said that with technology, the world is like a global parlour. However, true this statement might be, it is only

true for those who have access to these technologies. It beats my imagination how people survive in environments so remote and underdeveloped. It also beats my imagination, how people in such misery live day by day with the hope that one day their current situation will change. There is so much optimism and joy

written on their faces; so many smiles as they carry out their daily duties; so many children, playing all around, parents are there to protect them and teach them. And it is so interesting!

It is discomforting to actually leave a place you are used to, to go somewhere totally different and unpleasing. It is discomfiting when you cannot go outside your gate, just to cross the street to get something. It is discomforting when

you have to say something over and over again because those you are talking to, know little of English Language. However, it is comforting to see people who want to learn. It is comforting to be around people who appreciate you, people who are ready because they trust you to help them get to the next level. It is also comforting

to realize that after a very short time those you are working with are making swift improvements. It is comforting that I am getting attuned to the system and making it my comfort zone.

Fr Riccardo signing the letter of appointment as Rector of the Theologate in Rome, after he recited the profession of faith


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Sunyani is not a big city, just about one hundred thousand including the outskirts. But it is the middle of Ghana and this makes it an important cross-roads, with a large amount of immigration. Migrants arrive in Sunyani without any luggage, and being simply accustomed to survive, they settle for any kind of living conditions.

Many settle in “Zongo”. It is the rubbish dump area between the old town-market and the “Wednesday market”. When they arrive from the north in Sunyani, they adapt to anything because they are already escaping from even worse conditions. The majority are of Muslim origin and Islam is the style of social, religious, school life in Zongo.

A couple of kilometres away is “Don Bosco Boys Home”. It was the youngsters residing there that drew the Salesians like a magnet to Zongo. Some years ago, a young woman, a Polish volunteer staying in “Boys Home”, aware of the poorest ones among her youngsters began going to Zongo and to set up there a kind of wandering oratory amidst the rubbish dump to play and spend time together.

Last summer a courageous step forward was taken and a holiday camp was organized right in the middle of where they were living, with the tiny elementary school being the focal point for the crowds of children that attended. This year the camp was repeated and it was an experience of being together as friends, with some time for games but also for repeat lessons especially in English and Maths which are the two bugbears for students at all levels, time for formation and for prayer.

The “Holiday Camp” experience has left an indelible mark: the desire to get to know each other in a new way. The variegated and marginalized Muslim community in Zongo met Christians to whom they could entrust their children, the most precious things they have, in an atmosphere of openness and trust.

For those who took part in running the “Zongo Holiday Camp” it was a very formative experience – being in contact with the really poor and getting to know Alima, Alhassan, Silifatu... It was a chance to learn new faces, names, life stories, meet people to love, overcoming the prejudices and barriers built and re-enforced by the different ethnic backgrounds.

The one thing that remains above all else is a new seed of hope in the heart of each one. A successful remedy for any situation where there is conflict, isolation, distance between groups; a cure that starts with seeing the other person as a human being. Don Bosco understood it perfectly: begin with the young.

This is the characteristic feature of the Salesian mission.

MUSLIM WORLD: it was my first time in my life that I shared a prolonged time with Muslim people. 180 out of 200 children in Zongo

Holiday Camp and 3 out of 15 animators were Muslims. I appreciated the positive contact with political, local and religious authorities. We shared the same concern for neglected children, we did something small together, we

welcomed everyone despite our different backgrounds. I witnessed prayer on Fridays and fasting during

Ramadan… a good lesson against superficiality which is sometimes making our being Christians so

poor! And be aware of this: the Muslim world is running like these girls in the picture! Let us run along together with them sharing the same concern for religion (let them be good Muslims and let us be good Christians!) and education. If we do

not build bridges between us it will happen that Zongo will be just a part of the town completely separated from the rest. Some of the animators (from Sunyani!)

never crossed the invisible border that leads to the slum! Thanks to

the Holiday Camp they won the fear and many prejudices. A small seed has been planted!


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For your Agenda

October 1 50th Anniversary Independence

of Nigeria 23-24 Economers’ meeting (Ashaiman,

Ghana) 18-23 CIVAM Formation Commission

(Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) 29-31 Congress on Michael Rua (Rome,

Italy) 30-31 Provincial Volunteers’ meeting

(Ashaiman, Ghana) November 1 All Saints 3-6 CIVAM plenary meeting

(Johannesburg, South Africa) 7-13 Retreat for Provincial Councillors

and Rectors with the Rector Major (Johannesburg, South Africa)

14-16 Provincial Council meeting (Johannesburg, South Africa)

21-22 Practical Trainees’ Meeting (Ashaiman, Ghana)

23-29 Annual retreat for Practical Trainees and Others (Nsawam, Ghana)

28 1st Sunday of Advent

September: 01/88 Adoma B. Yaw

03/87 Etie K. Onyeka

03/89 Seth Amankwaa

07/87 Cornelius U-Sayee

08/75 Victor Chambers

09/88 Theophilus Ehioghilen

16/69 Paolo Vaschetto

21/73 Lothar Wagner

22/90 Sesay Samuel S

22/33 Albino Sossa

25/87 Ugwu TobeChukwu

25/78 Sergej Goman

28/60 Ivan Stojanovic

October: 01/73 Cornelius Anyanwu

01/30 Henry O'Brien

2/85 Okolo M. Chinedu

08/82 Kenneth NNadi

10/63 Blamoh Harris

22/79 John Val. Mbaegbu

22/85 Moses Ogbada

25/68 Roberto Castiglione

25/22 Roy Fosker

26/86 George Nwankwo

28/86 Abraham Sesay

Ondo: Sixteen young men have started the programme for pre-novitiate with an opening mass presided by Fr George Crisafulli. In his homily Fr George encouraged them and reminded them of Don Bosco’s words to Don Pestarino: he gave him three criteria of discernment of suitability for a vocation: is the candidate ready to obey; does he take correction without grumbling and does he has a spirit of sacrifice.

1st October

1960 – 2010

Wishing all

Nigerians a Blessed

Independence day..


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The Stole and the Apron Bishop Tonino Bello (Translated by Fr Michael Smyth)

Stole and apron: to put the two of them on

together may sound disrespectful, almost

an act of desecration.

The stole is made for the sacristy, kept

neatly with the finely decorated chasubles

and all the other sacred linens, amidst the

perfume of incense and the mystical

language of biblical symbols. There is no

newly ordained deacon or priest who has

not received a beautiful and precious stole

as a gift from a convent of Sisters.

The apron belongs to the kitchen among

the frying pans, the bags of flour and jars

of oil, the vegetables and other ingredients,

and the plates to be washed... or in the

store with the domestic cleaning materials.

No one would think of giving an apron as a

gift, for a wedding or a birthday, much less

for an ordination.

And yet the apron is the only liturgical

dress mentioned in the Gospel... yes, the

Gospel, and the most theological of the four

- the holy gospel according to John!

For Christ’s first solemn Mass, the first

Mass in the history of the universe,

celebrated the night before he died, there

is no mention of alb, stole or chasuble, but

only of a rough piece of cloth, the apron

that Jesus put on, the perfect priestly

garment.

Maybe it would be good for us to complete

the equipment of our sacristies by including

an apron among the golden decorated

chasubles, dalmatics and stoles and the

finely embroidered albs.

An apron tailored from the stole

What matters most, anyway, is not the

inclusion of the apron in the wardrobe of

the sacristy, but to understand clearly that

the stole and the apron are like front and

back of the same priestly garment. Or

even better: they are the length and the

breadth of the same robe of service,

service of God and neighbour. The stole

without the apron is nothing more than

liturgical fashion. The apron without the

stole does not bear fruits of charity.

In John’s Gospel there are three verbs,

which are essential, simple and yet

pregnant in meaning. Together they

contain the full weight of the theology of

service. These three verbs express the

perfect complementarity of apron and stole.

Here they are: “he got up from the table”,

“he took off his garment”, and “he put on

an apron”.

He got up from the table

This means two things. First of all it means

that the Eucharist is not about sitting down.

It does not have time for a siesta. It

doesn’t allow for indulgence in food. It

forces us at a certain point to abandon the

table. It prompts action. It urges us to

leave the comfort of armchair and sofa and

to embrace the dynamism of missionary

journeys, driven by the fire burning inside.

This is the problem: too often our Eucharist

loses energy in mere choreography. We

are content to rest in the upper room, with

preachers or singers too concerned with

themselves and the impression they make,

while the congregation are bored and fall

asleep. There is no sense of commitment.

If we don’t get up from the table, the

Eucharist becomes an empty sacrament.

The drive to action is so strongly rooted in

the very nature of the Eucharist, that it

forces the one who receives it to leave the

table -even when it is received by a

sacrilegious soul, like Judas who “took the

morsel and went out at once. It was dark”.

But “he got up from the table” has another

meaning, which is really important: it

means that the other two verbs “he took

off his garment” and “he put on an apron”

bring salvation only if they stem from the

Eucharist. If we have not first been “at

table” even the most generous service

rendered to our brothers runs the risk of


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becoming mere philanthropy which has

little or nothing to do with the love of

Christ.

For priests, every social commitment, every

fight for justice, every effort on behalf of

the poor, every struggle for liberation,

every concern for the triumph of truth must

start from “the table”, from time spent with

Christ, from familiarity with him. We must

drink his chalice with all its implications of

martyrdom. In a word, priestly action must

begin with intense prayer.

Only then will our self-emptying be fruitful

and our sacrifices be crowned with victory.

Only then will the water we pour on our

brothers’ feet free them to walk all the way

on the road to freedom.

He took off his garment

Maybe I am forcing the text but it seems to

me that this expression of the Gospel offers

the model of priestly behaviour if it is to be

rooted in the Eucharist. Whoever sits at the

table of the Eucharist must “take off his

garment”. He must take off the garments

of one who counts the cost and calculates

his own interests. He must be ready to

share in all his nakedness. He must take

off the garments of wealth and luxury, of

waste, of a middle-class lifestyle, and

become transparent in modesty and

simplicity. He must take off the garments

of power, arrogance and control and clothe

himself instead in a veil of weakness and

poverty, knowing full well that poor is not

so much the opposite of rich but the

opposite of powerful.

We must abandon the signs of power in

order to preserve the power of the signs.

We cannot afford to fall in love with power.

Nor can we engage in any underhand

dealing that is contrary to justice, even

with the pretext of helping the poor. We

should be terrified of the danger of

manipulating pubic money. We should feel

uneasy when we hear people say that a

recommendation from us carries weight,

that our word can sway a decision, that our

requests are privileged. The allurement of

money, even when it is for the Church and

not for our own pockets, should never lead

us into complicity in dishonest dealings.

Otherwise we are developing in our lives a

series of “anti-paschs” which block the flow

of salvation from Christ’s Pasch.

Taking off the garment means becoming a

“poor clergy”, a clergy of the least, of the

poor and disinherited, of the suffering, the

illiterate, and of all those who are left

behind or trampled upon by others.

He put on an apron

Now we come to what I like to call “the

Church of the apron”. Maybe it seems too

bold an image, almost provocative. It is a

picture of the Church that reveals too

much, one of those photographs that we do

not display in public for fear people might

grumble or gossip. We keep it in the family

album and show it to a few special people.

We smile then at our lack of decorum, as if

this were a photo that was taken without

our knowing it.

The Church of the apron does not gain wide

acceptance. In the hit parade, the preferred

image of Church is of a priest in chasuble

with the lectionary in hand. But that other

image that looks like a domestic servant,

with a rag over his arm, a basin in his right

hand and a jug in the left, seems to reduce

the Church to the realm of fantasy.

We need to rediscover the way of service.

This means bending down and sharing, and

getting involved in the lives of the poor.

It is a hard road. There is the temptation to

delegate, to pay others to wash feet whilst

we avoid the inconvenience of humble

service.

But it is the only road that leads us to the

source of our kingship. The only way that

allows us to regain lost credibility is the

way of service.

Only when we have served will we be able

to speak and expect to be believed. Only

then will we be able to wear the precious

garment of our priestly dignity, and nobody

will have anything to say about it.

John’s Gospel continues: “When he had

washed their feet and put on his outer

garments again he went back to the table.

He said ...” What did he say? We know

very well what he said! It was then he

spoke that marvellous discourse that marks

the official passage from the word of the

servant to servants of the word.


13

The 5 weeks camp came to a close on Thursday 19th August with the children displaying some of the skills they have learn such as introduction to computer, Soap making, cake making, knitting, etc. On Sat 21st Aug, we had the

evaluation of the summer camp with the animators at a beach party.

Tema New town had its Holiday camp coordinated by BR Michael Obolo and

helped by Michael and Chris together with the

volunteers.

afw newsletter_august 2010

Documents

salesian formation

new vocations

s amankwaa seth antwi

s onuchukwu sampson

s dike kenneth okechukwu

s echegwo gregory chukwum

s enu bernard evans

s nwankwo george chukwujekwu