Ethiopian Countryside

While in Ethiopia we saw some beautiful landscapes. The first three photos are from the drive from Addis Ababa to Mendida. The scenes reminded me of the Italian countryside.

These next four shots are from a walk we took last Saturday afternoon in the valley below the Cistercian monastery. The green field in the third photo is composed of teff, the grain from which injera, the Ethiopian "bread" (actually more like a crepe in texture), is made.

These last five photos were taken on Sunday at Ankober on our way back to Addis Ababa. The capital of the Ethiopian Empire was located at Ankober during the reign of Emperor Menelik II (1844-1913) before being moved to Addis Ababa. 2870 km = 1.78 miles above sea level - almost twice as high as Denver!

Left to right: Fr. Alexandre, Samson (our translator), Br. Michael Paul,
Fr. Herald, Fr. Jean, Fr. Dereje, Fr. Athanasius.

Ethiopia: Cistercian Monastery and First Mass

Cistercian Holy Savior Parish church, Mendida.

Holy Savior Parish, where the youth encounter in Mendida took place, is staffed by Ethiopian Cistercian monks. Their monastery, on the same grounds, is also the novitiate of their community. It's a beautiful, very monastic setting in the cool highlands of Mendida.

Monastery courtyard.

Professed monk and novice.

Monastery cemetery.

Panoramic view of valley below from monastery.

View of monastery on top of hill from valley below.

Mendida also happens to be the hometown of Fr. Joseph, the Cistercian monk whose ordination we attended the previous Sunday in Addis Ababa. By God's providence, our visit happened to coincide with his first Mass in his home parish. It was quite a celebration. The whole Catholic community eagerly awaited his arrival, with some going out on horseback and in trucks to meet him along the road, and the others staying back at the parish to welcome him once he arrived.

There was singing, dancing and jubilation upon his arrival. At the gate of the compound he was clothed in an alb and new vestments and was accompanied into the parish church by the singing and dancing throng. There the Blessed Sacrament was exposed for a time of adoration, followed by Fr. Joseph giving us Benediction.

Waiting for the arrival of the new priest.

Venerating the hands of the new priest at his first Mass.

The church was full at his first Mass the next day. At one point in the celebration all of us present venerated his consecrated hands, which now feed us with the Eucharistic Body of Christ and administer the other Sacraments. After Mass was another joyous procession with singing, drumming, dancing and jumping to the hall where breakfast was served.

Ethiopia: Youth Encounter in Mendida

Participants in the youth encounter in Mendida.

On Friday, November 2, I traveled with the Brothers of St. John to the town of Mendida, about two and a half hours north of Addis Ababa. Our destination: Holy Savior Parish, for a Year of Faith youth encounter. Mendida is even cooler than Addis Ababa; the temperatures were fall-like, in US terms.

Fr. Herald giving the main talk: "Do Not Be Afraid! Open Wide the Doors to Christ!"

 There was a very friendly welcoming reception on Friday evening, with songs, skits and an Ethiopian coffee ceremony. But the encounter itself began the following day. I gave the main address in the morning on the theme of: "Do Not Be Afraid! Open Wide the Doors to Christ!" I spoke about faith as a door that opens both ways: to welcome Jesus into our hearts, but also to step out in faith to share Him with others. After the talk, there were small group discussions (below), followed by questions and answers.

Br. Michael Paul (from Colorado) of the Brothers of St. John
speaking about the Scriptures

In the afternoon, Br. Michael Paul of the Brothers of St. John gave an excellent talk on the importance of the Scriptures for our lives. Afterwards, each participant received a copy of the New Testament in Amharic.

Eucharistic Holy Hour with youth encounter participants.

We then headed to the parish church, where Fr. Athanasius of the Brothers of St. John gave an introduction to Eucharistic Adoration, followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. The day concluded with Benediction. Just after we took a group photo in front of the church.

Group photo in front of Holy Savior Church.

Participants with their Amharic New Testaments.

Other participants.

Ethiopia: Out and About in Addis Ababa

A statue of a large dove, representing the Holy Spirit, at St. Joseph Church, Addis Ababa.

After a full week of conferences, seminars and presentations, we were able to get out and see a little of Addis Ababa before the Ugandan team had to leave on Monday. It was a special blessing to be able to attend the priestly ordination of a local Cistercian monk at St. Joseph's Parish.

Fr. Dereje Bekele (pastoral advisor for charismatics) and I 
in Ethiopian rite vestments just before the beginning of the rdination Mass.

It was a beautiful, elaborate ceremony celebrated almost entirely by chanting with twenty priests gathered around the altar. The church was full of people and joy.

The newly ordained Cistercian priest (just to the right of Bishop Lesanu)
together with the Cistercian Abbot General (to the left of the bishop) his family,
community members and concelebrating priests.

The celebration afterwards was almost as impressive. The Ethiopian Cistercian monks danced and sang to a particular tune that lasted for about a half an hour. It began very slowly and solemnly and gradually got faster and more jubilant, till it ended with everyone jumping, clapping and shouting. It was an amazing brotherly, communal, cultural expression of exuberant joy.

After the celebration we were able to visit a few other parishes and institutions of the Archdiocese of Addis Ababa, including the very beautiful church of St. Gabriel, built by the Consolata Missionaries, which has a beautiful and imposing statue of its patron saint with African features in the sanctuary, and a vivid mural of the seven days of creation over the main door.

An formidable statue of the Archangel Gabriel in St. Gabriel's Church (above),
and a mural of the days of creation over the main door of the same church (below).

No visit to Ethiopia would be complete without participating in the traditional coffee ceremony, which includes roasting, brewing and serving their delicious blend. Our charismatic friends made sure we didn't miss this, and also gave us the added gift of some Ethiopian coffee to take home.

Roasting beans during a traditional Ethiopia coffee ceremony.

Ethiopia: On Mission with Ugandan Team

Joseph Alumansi speaking about the personal love of God the Father.

When I visited Ethiopia last spring I had the chance to speak at length with Addis Ababa Auxiliary Bishop Lesanu-Christos Matheos about the needs of the local church, and how Franciscan Mission Outreach might be able to help. He introduced me to several local members of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal who have struggled to keep this movement alive and have it grow in the midst of a religious culture overshadowed by the prominence of Ethiopian Orthodoxy and a somewhat isolated political climate. The bishop had tried previously to bring a team from Uganda to help, but was unable to do so for lack of funds.

Some of the more than 100 participants in the two-day general conference.

Because of friendships I have developed among leaders in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in Uganda, and because of the generosity of FMO benefactors, I was able to assemble a small team consisting of Fr. David Byaruhanga, a priest-theologian of the Kabale Diocese, Joseph Alumansi, National Coordinator of the Uganda Catholic Charismatic Renewal, and Joseph's wife Serah Alumansi, also very active and involved in the Renewal in Uganda.

Bishop Lesanu-Christos Matheos translating for Fr. David Byaruhanga with charismatic leaders.

We arrived on Sunday evening, October 21, and launched into a very full schedule the next morning. The week began with a two-day mini-conference for general charismatic participants. Joseph covered the background and history of the Renewal, Fr. David provided the Scriptural basis and Serah witnessed to the fruits of the charismatic renewal she has experienced and seen in her own life. The following day we did a condensed Life in the Spirit Seminar, focusing on our relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and our life of discipleship in the Church. The day ended with a session of praying for individual participants.

About half of the clergy and religious who attended an information seminar.

On Wednesday we spent an entire day with local leaders of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, mostly sharing the mature experience of that movement in Ethiopia. There was plenty of time for questions and answers and responding to individual concerns. In the afternoon we spent time in Eucharistic Adoration, and again prayed personally with each leader present.

Serah Alumansi (left), one of the Ugandan team members,
with Meaza Yohannes, one of the local organizers.

Thursday was an informational seminar for the priests and religious of the Archdiocese of Addis Ababa in which approximately 55 people participated. Again we provided background information, Scriptural references, statements of the Magisterium and explanations of aspects of the charismatic renewal that are commonly misunderstood. There was a small breakout session to discuss the potential benefits of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal for the Church, possible challenges to be faced, and concrete steps that could be taken to enable what all agreed was something good for the Church to move forward and flourish.

St. Francis Prayer group meeting in the compound of Christian Care,
a nonprofit organization they established to help feed hungry children

Finally on Saturday morning and afternoon we met with other local Catholic leaders and separately with a general audience of curious and interested people for the purpose of sharing basic information and answering questions. It was an extremely positive week for us, and one we hope and pray will be an ongoing source of blessing for the Charismatic Renewal and the Church as a whole in Addis Ababa.

Bishop Lesanu-Christos (left) with our team (left to right):
Serah Alumansi, Joseph Alumansi, Fr. Herald Brock, CFR, Fr. David Byaruhanga.

Uganda: Updates

The newly completed St. Anthony School in Matugga.

Being in Uganda afforded me the opportunity to catch up with other friends and see how their lives continue to unfold. I was able to spend a night with Fr. Simon, Fr. Wojtek and Fr. Adam - the Polish Conventual Franciscans who staff St. Francis Parish, Mutugga. I arrived at night, and the next morning was able to see the newly painted, brightly colored St. Anthony School which is now fully complete. Fr. Simon explained the color scheme for the windows and railings: green on the first floor for the earth and vegetation, blue on the second floor for the sky, and yellow on the third for the sun. It's a bright, beautiful environment in which children can learn and grow.

Dennis, Agnes and Nicolette Kiyimba.

Dennis Kiyimba, Ugandan Catholic lay missionary serving in South Sudan, accompanied a contingent from that neighboring country to the north to participate in the week of praise and worshipat Emmaus Centre. One morning I was able to travel into Kampala with him to visit his wife, Agnes, and daughter, Nicolette. I had the privilege of celebrating Dennis and Agnes's wedding at St. Matthias Mulumba Church in December of 2010. They are doing well as a young, faith-filled Catholic familiy.

Elizabeth Paskwale and Samuel Oryem from South Sudan.

One of the main reasons for being at Emmaus Centre was to have the chance to visit with Elizabeth Paskwale and Samuel Oryem, two youth from South Sudan whom we have sponsored in a nine-month formation program at Emmaus. They are entering into the final phase of their training, and have learned and grown a tremendous amount in the past year. I am extremely proud of these two young people who will return to their country in December as strong witnesses to Christ and his Church. I am also grateful to all of you who have helped to make this life-changing experience possible for them. 

Uganda: Week of Praise & Worship at Emmaus Centre, Katikamu

The praise and worship team from Mbarara dressed in matching attire every day.

During the week of October 15-21, I was at Emmaus Centre for Catholic Evangelization and Discipleship in Wobulenzi, Katikamu - about 55 km north of Kampala. We have a long-standing friendship, and I've been able to visit there a number of times. During this week I served as priest chaplain for a program focused on praise and worship. The mostly young participants came from dioceses throughout Uganda, and some even from Kenya and South Sudan. The schedule included sessions throughout the day and all-night Eucharistic Adoration every night.

One of the highlights of the week was a jubilant Eucharistic procession, complete with palm branches, banners, drums and traditional attire. It culminated in an extended period of Adoration in the chapel. It was inspiring to see how the participants would sing and praise for hours on end. There was no rush to get out of church! It became an occasion for many moments of personal graces and breakthroughs, especially in the area of forgiveness and reconciliation.

It was a blessing for me to accompany these brothers and sisters, to offer daily Mass for and with them and make available the Sacrament of Reconciliation. They left full of enthusiasm and joy, reminding me of why Pope Benedict XVI has referred to Africa as the "Continent of Hope."