In the Footsteps of St. Louis Marie de Montfort
"Footsteps Online"
Spring 2001 (Volume 6, Issue 2)
100 Years of Montfortian Presence in Malawi
On April 28th 2001, the Feast of St. Louis Marie de Montfort, our Founder, the Montfortian Family in Malawi celebrated the arrival one hundred years ago of the first Montfort Missionaries in Malawi, a small land locked country in the south east of the African continent. We were five from this country who accepted the invitation to join in the celebrations: Sr. Maureen, the Provincial of the Daughters of Wisdom and Sr. Avis, who had spent years working there. We have to thank our Provincial, Fr. Fred for allowing Brother Peter, Brother Shaun and myself, Fr. Jamie, to accept the invitation to be there. It was truly the experience of a lifetime.
We were the guests of Fr. Owen O'Donnell at Namitembo Mission. Namitembo means 'the valley of the dead', but what we found was quite the opposite and was the most wonderful symbol of that great Feast we had celebrated so recently: that where there was death, there is now life! The Mission was teeming with new life, thanks in no small way to the great energy of Fr. Owen, who has undertaken a massive building programme there. It had been eleven years since I left Malawi, and I was so impressed by the developments in the meantime at Namitembo. In that time electricity has arrived driving maize mills to help the local people, and help the running of the Mission. Fresh water from the mountain now arrives down pipes that the villagers can access at the pumps, relieving thirst and disease. A new convent has been built for the African sisters. Extensions to the primary school and solid houses for the teachers with electricity have grown up. But the most impressive thing is the brand new secondary school, which Fr. Owen has built, again complete with houses for the teachers of a very high standard. Bear in mind this is in the bush and not easy to access. It is a minor miracle to have a secondary school of this standard complete with library and science laboratory.
The highlight of the trip was the celebration of Mass at Nzama Mission, the very first Mission of the Montfort Missionaries in Malawi. On April 28th, we rose at 5.0O a.m. to make the four hour journey by road (or the next best thing to a road), where all the Montfortians of the country would assemble for Mass, together with four Bishops and many of the local clergy and people, who had travelled long distances to be with us. The main celebrant was Bishop Assolari, an Italian Montfort Father working in Malawi. The Superior General of the Montfort Missionaries, Fr. Bill Considine, had travelled from Rome to be with us as did the Mother General, Sr. Barbara.
The Mass lasted four hours! This might seem unimaginable to us at home, but in this context it was a wonderful celebration of dance and song and colour, the only appropriate way to mark a centenary. After the Mass we had a 'Chaka' - a party of rice, chicken and soft drinks. It was great to reacquaint oneself with missionaries from different countries who had all worked together over the years and who had made the return journey for the celebration. When old friends meet, hearts warm. Sadly we all had to take the 'road' again to make long journeys back for the Sunday Masses. It was sad to leave but we had all been blessed that day and were all proud of the contribution the Montfort Family has made to the growth of the Gospel in Malawi. Long may it continue!
On May 1st 2001 we had the icing on the cake, when the new African General Delegation came into existence. We now have native African Montfort Missionaries, from Malawi and other countries too. That means that the growth and future of the Montfort Missionaries in Africa no longer depends on expatriate missionaries from Europe and North America, but on local priests, brothers and sisters who are Montfortian. It was a great joy to me that two of our Malawian priests were named Councillors to the African Delegation: Fr. Blaise Jailosi and Fr. Thomas Msusa. Both these priests had spent their pastoral experience with me and Fr. Charlie Beirne at Sitima mission some fourteen or fifteen years earlier when they were just starting out. So that was a very proud moment for me personally. Let us pray for them as they carry the future of vocations in Africa to the Montfortian Religious Life.
Two weeks went quickly, but the blessings we received will be timeless. My thanks again to our hosts: Fr. Owen, Fr. Frank Loughran - the longest serving Montfort Father in Malawi and a great example and friend to us all - and Fr. Gabriel, a young priest of the Zomba Diocese serving at Namitembo, who made our stay such a joy. And last but not least, David, Fr. Frank's nephew from Preston, a young man of nineteen on his gap year, helping out around the mission in a very practical way, and gaining lots of experience. He was very generous with his time, and in return I gave him a few golf lessons. Thanks to you all, God Bless you in your mission for God. 'Tidzaonana', 'A la prochain', 'Till we meet again'.
