ST. JOSEPH, MAN OF WISDOM Editorial
Junior Ignatius Afumbom (Basic Formation)
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lessed are you St. Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who all through your life always meditated with wisdom. You studied Mary's ways in your heart and pondered on her secrets. You always kept your mouth in your heart, not your heart in your mouth.
You pursued wisdom like a hunter and lay in wait by its path to grab it in order to know her secrets. You peeped out through the window and kept your ears at the door to see if any danger awaited your Son. You set your Son under the shade of wisdom after finding Him in the temple, you camped beneath green branches with great humility and silence, and sheltered Him from heat. In His glory, you made your home. You admired Mary's well trained character and considered her as a favour among favours; her virginity to be as priceless and not negotiable as the forbidden fruit in Eden. You never gave her up to your passions. What a wonderful thing to grasp. You made her beauty “rise like the sun on the Lord's mountain” in your well organised home by preserving Her Virginity. It's often said, "A well matured tree is judged by its fruits”; you told us in silence who you are by your fruits. Your fear for her being publicly disgraced crowns you with honor. You loved to listen to your heart and it increased your knowledge. You paid attention and it gave you wisdom. You were very silent yet highly honoured. I wonder how much more honour you would have earned if only you would have spoken out the wisdom hidden in your heart. Man of wisdom, give us wisdom today to close our mouths in our hearts and not our hearts in our mouths.
ST. JOSEPH, MAN OF WISDOM, PRAY FOR US. AMEN.
Dear Parents, Wake Up!
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From thE rEctor’s dEsk
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Formation housE EvEnts
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virtuEs and valuEs
Contributors: Fr. Arnold Verhoeven
Striving for Virtue even in Pain
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Beyond Material Wealth
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With the Heart of St. Joseph
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Hating the sin and loving “the Sinner”: Joseph’s Dilemma
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The Reward forYouthful Purity
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sociEty and sErvicE
Fr. Emmanuel Nzenze Fr. Anthony Ndang
Design: Kijika Mark B.
When No One is Watching: A Test for Genuine Service
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No Food for a Lazy Man
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Photo Credits:
Making Use of Our Abilities
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Fon Dinnyuy Mark
marriagE and Family Chastity Before Marriage: A New “Taboo”
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Constructing a Virtuous family in a Vicious world
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Being a Father Worth the Name
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Kongnyuy Marcel Buhmoh Claude A.
Riddles, Fun and Puzzle
Faith and spirituality Why Me?
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Keeping Faith amidst Doubts
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Silence: the Forgotten Ancient Treasure of Man
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Summary of the Apostolic letter Patris Corde
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ExpEriEncEs 40
Acknowledgements
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Kongnyuy Alex Emile Bvuliwa
Editorial realize that many parents today tend to neglect certain key roles towards their children. The Fathers of the Second Vatican Council described the family as a school for human enrichment (Cfr. Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World Gaudium et Spes, 52.), and indeed, every man has as responsibility “to ensure the harmonious and united development of all the members of the family…by a solicitous commitment to education, a task he shares with his wife…” (Pope John Paul II, Apostolic exhortation Familiaris Consortio, 25.) Unfortunately, several parents, either in ignorance or forgetfulness of this vital role as first educators of their children, do not care about their moral and spiritual upbringing. How many parents today really bother whether their children attend mass on Sundays or not, what they watch over television, who their friends are and at what hour they return home? How many even sit down one on one with their children to know how they are doing, and to give them some courteous counsel? Some even purchase the most sophisticated gadgets for children who are not even teenagers yet, but fail to also teach them on how they can responsibly and profitably use those gadgets. With such failure on the part of parents, children cannot but go astray,
DEAR PARENTS, WAKE UP!
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felt delighted, a few months ago, when I met an old friend after a pretty long time. He was warm, and wore the world’s smiles on his face. But when I enquired about his parents and siblings, the bright face fell; then he sighed and told me with much pain and disappointment: “Brother, can you imagine that my junior ones have gone astray because my father has lost control over them?” I giggled, but it was not a laughing matter. He went on to explain to me, almost in tears, how as a child growing up in his father’s house, his parents took no chances in ensuring that he was brought up to be who he was that day: a disciplined, Godfearing and self-fulfilled person. But the story, he lamented, had changed as his parents rather appeared afraid of his teenage siblings. This sounded very much like the experience of the celebrated writer, Gilbert Keith, who when asked what struck him most in one of the countries he visited, replied: “…how the parents obeyed their children!” It is distressing indeed to 2
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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
ARISE JOSEPH MISSIONARY VIRTUE DILEMMA YOUTH PURITY LAZY ABILITY
10. CHASTITY 11. MARRIAGE 12. FATHER 13. FAITH 14. DOUBT 15. MODEL 16. SILENCE 17. PATRIS 18. CORDE
19. MHM 20. FAMILY 21. TREASURE 22. VIRTUOUS 23. VICIOUS 24. OBEY 25. LOVE
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THE POPE'S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2021 June: The Beauty of Marriage
October: Missionary Disciples
Let us pray for young people who are preparing for marriage with the support of a Christian community: may they grow in love, with generosity, faithfulness and patience. July: Social Friendship
We pray that every baptized person may be engaged in evangelization, available to the mission, by being witnesses of a life that has the flavor of the Gospel.
We pray that, in social, economic and political situations of conflict, we may be courageous and passionate architects of dialogue and friendship.
November: People Who Suffer from Depression We pray that people who suffer from depression or burn-out will find support and a light that opens them up to life.
August: The Church Let us pray for the Church, that she may receive from the Holy Spirit the grace and strength to reform herself in the light of the Gospel. September: An Environmentally Sustainable Lifestyle We pray that we all will make courageous choices for a simple and environmentally sustainable lifestyle, rejoicing in our young people who are resolutely committed to this.
December: Catechists Let us pray for the catechists, summoned to announce the Word of God: may they be its witnesses, with courage and creativity and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
A PRAYER TO ST. JOSEPH Glorious Patriarch St. Joseph, whose power makes the impossible possible, come to my aid in these times of anguish and difficulty. Take under your protection the serious and troubling situations that I commend to you, that they may have a happy outcome. My beloved father, all my trust is in you. Let it not be said that I invoked you in vain, and since you can do everything with Jesus and Mary, show me that your goodness is as great as your power. Amen. (Taken from a nineteenth-century French prayer book of the Congregation of the Sisters of Jesus and Mary)
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Editorial/ From the Rector’s Desk the futures of many cannot help being jeopardized, and others cannot but end up as misfits, like the many we find today around us. Dear parents, please wake up! But what should parents do if their children no longer listen to them? The American writer, James Baldwin, contends that, “Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.” Parents and guardians are therefore called upon to teach their children the ways of responsible and authentic living by their very actions, for actions, it is said, speak louder than words. A classic example of a man whose actions spoke louder than his words was Joseph, the husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The life of this great Saint, silent though he was, offers a thorough example not only to parents, but indeed to every man and woman, boy and girl, of the present era in one way or the other. As we attempt to walk in his footsteps through the several ways proposed in this edition of ‘ARISE’, may we become co-architects with God in constructing a beautiful world, for “nothing in creation is more beautiful than the person shining with virtue.” (Maria Fedoryka, The Gift of Woman, 5.) Have a pleasant summer!
FROM THE RECTOR’S DESK Every formation year comes with its own package of challenges and opportunities for growth and development. As the Formation Year 2020/2021 comes to an end, the student community takes a moment to look back at how the year has been, how they have faced the challenges and embraced the opportunities for growth on both personal and communal levels. Though the Formation year 2020/2021 has gone through the turbulent times of the Socio-political Crisis in Cameroon and the pandemic of COVID-19, it has been a good year as compared to the previous one. Despite the gloom cast by the twin crises, the formation community has experienced and bears witness to the providential love of God, love which has guided the community to the twilight of the year. We are coming to a halt without any major interruption, unlike our experience at the conclusion of last formative year, where almost half of the community members had contracted the corona virus, turning our formation house into a quarantine centre. Those who were lucky to have not contracted the virus, were quickly allowed to go home to stop the spread of the virus, thus the year came to a bumpy and an abrupt ending with some programmes being affected. At the end of the formation year, we look back with grateful
Mbuh Francis Teke (Editor-in-Chief)
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From the Rector’s Desk hearts to all the blessings received and achievements made. Worth noting is the successful completion of five students in their final year. Four of the five students, will take the Society Mission Temporary Oath, after which three will proceed for two years of missionary experience programme (MEP) and one to the second cycle of formation, in Nairobi. As the five students transit to the next stage of their formation journey, we wish them well. In this Summer Edition of ‘ARISE’, the Mill Hill Missionary students are happy to share their reflections on their formation journey, community living, pastoral experiences among others. After journeying with our students in the formation programme for nine years, with six years as the Rector of the Formation House, completing the two terms in the office of the Rector, it is time for me to exit the formation stage and take up a different Society Mission appointment. Accompanying young men preparing for Missionary Priesthood has been a life-giving and fulfilling responsibility. I thank God for the grace I experienced in accompanying our students/ seminarians, in their journey of growth and in their response to the call to serve God and His Church. I
equally thank our General Superior and his Council members for the opportunity given me to serve in formation ministry and for their support during my term of office. I am grateful to my colleagues for their friendship and the team spirit I have enjoyed during my term of working with them. To the formation staff, thanks for your support and for the cooperation you give in the smooth running of our formation programme. To the Mill Hill Missionaries in Cameroon and friends of Mill Hill, thanks for your keen interest to our Formation Community, and may the Good Lord bless you in your desire and willingness to support our young upcoming missionaries. Above all, I thank all the students I have accompanied for the past nine years; for their openness and patience as they applied themselves in the journey of growth, and for being attentive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in the discernment process to become Mill Hill Missionaries. I wish them God’s guidance and blessings as they carry on with their formation journey. To all our readers, we wish you a blessed and pleasant Summer.
Rev. Fr. Richard Njoroge (Rector) 4
Experiences campus, and he does it with so much joy. This simple act which I saw this boy do brought to mind the life of Saint Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a man of action. The life of Saint Joseph was an embodiment of the virtues of humility, care, love and readiness to do the will of God.
MY PASTORAL EXPERIENCE IN GOVERNMENT TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL (GTHS) BAMENDA
Nsom Leonard Woh (Basic Formation)
.T.H.S Bamenda is a school that lays the foundation for technicians and engineers. My first day in this school for pastoral experience was indeed amazing. We arrived just in time when the students were in for a service they had organised, and I was struck by their high degree of orderliness. I was very impressed seeing that their spiritual growth was of utmost importance to them. The high level of unity and cooperation they portrayed reminded me of the words of the Psalmist, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity” (Ps 133:1).
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Working with these students for the past months has really made for a good experience. In fact, they give me joy whenever I go for my pastoral work. In this school, I found two disabled students. One of them uses a wheel chair. Amazingly, there is this little boy who has dedicated himself to helping this student around the 37
I pray that all students may always follow the good example of Saint Joseph. May they not allow anything to derail them from the journey to their creator. Many thanks to the school administration for doing their best to ensure that my pastoral engagement is fruitful in order to ensure that the students are holistically formed.
FUN Once in a Biology class, the teacher asked John a question: Teacher: What is the difference between a bird and a fly? John: Sir, a bird can fly but a fly cannot bird!
Experiences MY PASTORAL EXPERIENCE IN ST PAUL’S QUASI PARISH, NKWEN BAMENDA
Munchi Princewill (Philosophy I)
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consider it a privilege to have been assigned, alongside three others, to work in Saint Paul’s Quasi Parish on Sundays at the start of this formation year, given the very enriching, motivating, and fulfilling experience it turned out to be. While at Saint Paul’s, I gave assistance at the altar during Sunday masses, worked with the Vocations Group, as well as engaged myself in home visitations. Among the many things I found delightful is that many young people aspire to serve God as priests and religious. Some of them even came to me sometimes saying, “Brother, we wish to follow you, to be a Mill Hill student like you are.” I often respond by simply introducing them to the Mill Hill Missionaries and their mission in the world, which basically involves primary evangelization, the promotion of justice and peace, inter-faith dialogue and mission animation, a mission which requires one to be willing to leave his home country. I have always introduced them also to other
religious congregations in and around the Archdiocese of Bamenda, with the hope that, aided by God’s direction, they may find their true congregation. My greatest joy, however, was in our engagement in home visitation. We had the chance to meet several families in their homes, who were often very happy and counted themselves honoured to have us visit them. Most of these families were very open to share their difficulties in life, which often involved marital, moral and financial, especially with the ongoing war in Anglophone Cameroon and the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, we often offered them the consoling words of Jesus, “Come to me, all you who are weary and overburdened and I will give you rest.” (Mt. 11:28). Saint Paul’s Quasi Parish, in a nutshell, is a community of welcoming and committed Christians, who demonstrate so much maturity in the faith, especially in their effective implementation of the pastoral plan. Worthy of mention too is their amazing liturgy, wonderfully spiced up by the angelic voices of the parish choristers. In fact, Saint Paul’s Quasi parish has been a place to be, and I hope to have the opportunity of working there again.
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Formation House Events CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF MAMA from far and near. The mass started GRACE NJOROGE with a word of welcome from the Director of the Friends of Mill Hill, Rev. Fr. Anthony Ndang who spearheaded the organization of the celebration.
17TH MARCH 2021
Drawing inspiration from the book of Wisdom, the letter of St. Paul to the Romans and the Gospel of Matthew, the preacher, Rev. Fr. Peter Paul of the Diocese of Mamfe dwelt on three aspects in his sermon: the reason for being there on that day, which he said was to celebrate the life of Mama Grace Njoroge as well as to support Fr. Richard, her son. Secondly, he focused on Mama Njoroge’s life, bringing to light her highly committed participation in many church groups and activities. Lastly, he addressed this question to the faithful, “What about us who are left and who mourn?” He urged the Christians to prepare for their own death by living the Beatitudes as the gospel exhorts, so as to stay in the state of grace. He concluded his homily by reminding Fr. Richard of the consoling words of scripture that God will take care of the orphans. (Cf. James 1:27).
Canice Ibemsi (Philosophy I)
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n the 18th January 2021, the Mill Hill Community and friends were saddened by the passing onto eternity of Mama Grace Njoroge, mother of Rev. Fr. Richard Njoroge; Society Representative of the Mill Hill Missionaries in Cameroon and Rector of the Mill Hill Formation House, Bamenda. What a gloomy day it was for all students and members of the Mill Hill family! In the spirit of love and solidarity, a memorial mass was programmed for Wednesday 17th March 2021 at Saint John the Baptist Church, Foncha Street. With a total of 23 priests present, the Holy mass started at 03:10pm, with Rev. Fr. Elvis Berka as the main celebrant. Among those present for the mass were some consecrated persons across the Ecclesiastical Province, a good number of Christians and friends of Mill Hill
A few photographs followed immediately after mass to immortalize the day. This was followed by sharing the “cry die corn”; basically boiled corn and groundnut as is the custom around Bamenda. Finally, the 5
Experiences
Formation House Events day culminated in a juju display by the Mill Hill Missionary students.
man, St. Joseph. Unlike in the past, the feast this year was celebrated in a low key. This was in a bid to reduce the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, and also in respect to one of the barrier measures given by the Archbishop in his letter to all the faithful restricting visitors to Formation Houses.
Mama Grace was born on nd July 2 1949, in a Kenyan boarder town. She got married to Mr. Eliot Njoroge of blessed memory and they were blessed with Eight (8) children, Fr. Richard Njoroge being the fourth. She spent her last two years struggling with ill health till the 18th of January 2021 when God called her home around 1:00a.m. She left behind seven (7) children and grandchildren to mourn for her. May her soul rest in peace.
The Mass of the feast started at 4:30pm and was joined by a few members of neighbouring religious communities. With a total of four priests, the mass was indeed a memorable one. The Homilist, Rev. Fr. Anthony Ndang (MHM), exhorted all to imitate the life of St. Joseph especially in the context of the extraordinary year of St. Joseph declared by Pope Francis, in his apostolic letter Patris Corde (With a Father’s Heart). To crown the occasion, at the end of mass, there was the launching of the St. Joseph’s Hymnal, SING AND PRAISE OUR GOD, compiled by the Mill Hill students in BamendaCameroon. After mass, everyone gathered for refreshments which were followed by a few recreational activities to mark the day in the students’ common room. This last part began with the singing of the Mill Hill Anthem, and was followed by other activities such as the cutting of the feast day cake, a summary presentation of the Holy Father’s letter; “Patris Corde”, pieces of comedy and many
SAINT JOSEPH’S FEASTDAY CELEBRATION (19TH MARCH 2021)
Buhmoh Claude A. (Basic Formation)
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he 19th of March, Solemnity of Saint Joseph, has always been a great day in the Mill Hill world. This is so because it is the feast day of the patron saint of the Mill Hill Missionaries. Joseph is the husband of Mary and foster father of our saviour Jesus Christ. Cardinal Herbert Vaughan, founder of the Mill Hill Missionaries in 1866, dedicated the society to the patronage of this holy and devout 6
OUT FOR MISSION
Nchine Desmond (Philosophy I)
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t the beginning of the formation year 2020/2021, I was commissioned to Ntamuche for Sunday pastorals. Just as Christ commissioned his disciples and sent them in pairs to go and administer his people, at the beginning of this formation year, I was sent with Kongnyuy Alex to the people of Ntamuche, a mission station under Saint Paul’s quasi parish, Nkwen. As students preparing to become missionaries, pastoral experience is an important aspect in our formation program where one encounters different types of people. Getting in contact with them gives us the opportunity to offer the assistance we can, and where we cannot, we seek for help from others and get back to them. Through this, we have come to realize the pain some parents go through because of their own children. Gone are the days when children respected their parents and honoured them. Many children nowadays have lost the sense of respect toward their parents, and some even go to an extent of disowning their own parents. Talking with some 35
of these parents, I have had a foretaste of what it means to be a parent especially in this so called “android generation”. As a young zealous missionary student, I have learned a lot from their sharing, especially in terms of morality. I have also come to the understanding that just listening to people share their problems gives them a lot of comfort and makes them feel valued. Working with the youths and being a youth myself, I have been able to encourage them in the difficulties they go through. My response to some of these have been aided by the human development courses I had at the very initial stage of my formation, for which I remain forever indebted to my formators. Being with some of these youths, I have learned a lot from them, and the courage of some has been a major source of inspiration to me. Working in Ntamuche under the umbrella of the Mill Hill Missionaries has been a great joy for me, for I have learned to love and to serve the people bearing in mind that I am carrying the image of Christ in me and preaching his Gospel to his people. How can I repay the Lord for his goodness to me? I pray that God continues to strengthen my faith so that I can grow more in him, and thus become a more efficient instrument of his in the future.
Experiences given me more strength and zeal to continue discerning my vocation to the missionary priesthood, and living out my pastoral motor which is “AMARE et SERVIRE” (To Love and to Serve).
EXPERIENCE IN THE HOSPITAL
Ewi Patrick (Philosophy I)
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t is with joy that I recount my pastoral experience at De Martin’s Hospital, Mile 3 Nkwen. Returning to the community from holidays, and filled with great joy to begin the new formation year, I visited the notice board with excitement, suspecting I will be re-assigned to the same pastoral placement I worked last year, but was disappointed with my appointment to serve in the hospital. Despite the unpleasant surprise, I tried to reformat my mind to no avail. But after my discussion with the Rector, I felt assured of my ability to work in the hospital as he saw a good counselor in me.
was the fact that not all the patients were Catholics. However, recalling my lessons in Human Development, I tried to pull myself together. After that experience, I told the formator I could not continue working in the hospital but he encouraged me and I tried heeding to his advice. Thus I went the second time with a great feeling of confidence and enthusiasm. I decided to go to the Private Ward, but upon entering, I was surprised to find my aunt, lying sick in bed. “Where will I start? How will I console her?” were the questions running through my mind. But in the midst of this confusion, I was able to reach out to my aunt with the aid of what I had been taught, to which she expressed amazement at how much I had grown. In all, I found this experience more enjoyable and fulfilling than my pastoral experience in the previous year. With this short experience, I have learnt that pre-conceived ideas upon one’s entry into the Formation House are of no value.
Riddle
What do you have that others use more than you?
On the first Sunday of my experience, interacting with patients was a very difficult task especially in the General Ward where interaction was so timid, and it made me so tense. Another difficulty in interacting 34
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Experiences Virtues and Values others. It was, in a nutshell, a memorable day.
to the heart of any purpose driven person and requires a strong spiritual force to overcome the odds and thus accomplish its purpose of life, that is, happiness, through virtue. Therefore, to ‘pursue the life of virtue even in pain’ is one of the hallmarks of the cost of discipleship – the act of total submission to the Will of God. The word “virtue” comes from the Latin, virtus, meaning ‘moral excellence.’ Hence, virtue is a trait or quality that is judged to be morally good and thus is valued as a foundation of principle and good moral being. It is an excellent character trait. Therefore, defining virtue as the attitudes, dispositions or character traits that enable us ‘to be’ and ‘to act’ in the appropriate way, we affirm the fact that striving to achieve the purpose of our life, which of course is not without the cross, is striving for virtue even in pain. We can now testify by our daily experiences of life that, cutting of oneself from a life of extravagance and affluence in pursuit of a life of simplicity and meekness is very painful and not often easy. To detach oneself from power or from a position of influence (especially after long enjoyment and exploitation of it for one’s selfish aims) in order to give a chance to others, who may even be more qualified and competent than us, is often painful and meets with stiff re-
STRIVING FOR VIRTUE EVEN IN PAIN
NOBEL CHIMENYI (Philosophy II)
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he human being, as held by Saint Augustine, is a ‘free being’ due to his possession of the intermediate good – the Will. He has the freedom to either pursue the higher goods (virtues/spiritual things) and live a righteous life, or to pursue the lower goods (material things for their sake) and thus, live a vicious or malicious life. The vicious way is often the easy way, and appears very comfortable, painless and enticing. It is often appealing to the instincts and bodily passions. Hence, it follows the Utilitarian philosophy of maximizing pleasure to the highest and minimizing pain to the best of one’s ability. But opposing to this easy and unholy fashion comes the virtuous way which, often demanding of grace, is characterized by hard work, discomforts and pain due to the persecutions it encounters. Such a way is appealing 8
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eek-end pastorals, being one of the major aspects of our formation program, is when students are sent to different parishes, mission stations, schools, prisons, and hospitals in groups to be with the people, learn from them and serve them. The Lord promised his beloved people, “I will give you shepherds after my own heart” (Cfr. Jeremiah 3: 15). Reflecting on this, our formators send us to nurture a spirit of loving service after the heart of Christ, the Good Shepherd.
One of the great challenges I had was visiting the elderly. I kept on asking myself questions like; how do I approach old people? What should I share with them? As time went on, I was so much marveled by their stories and experiences which inspired me a lot. I learned a lot from them. I felt like, as in the words of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, ‘… a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world”. I remember vividly a particular Sunday on which I went out for home visitation after mass. As I visited, I came across a Baptist family. After my greetings and introduction, the mother of the home gave me a warm reception, and during our discussion, she asked, “Brother, can I ask you a question?” I accepted and she went further, “Will you get married?” I said no and she asked, “why my son?” I told her we live a life of chastity in a celibate state and that the scriptures say in Mathew 19:12 that some will not get married for the sake of the kingdom of God, and I am called to such life. She went further to enquire why we Catholics venerate saints and greatly honour Mary. My explanation made use of references from scripture, supported by the teachings of the Magisterium and Sacred tradition. After a series of more questions and answers, I prayed with the entire family and left the place feeling fulfilled.
I was privileged to live out this pillar of formation in the main mission of Saint John the Baptist’s parish, Foncha Street since October last year. It has been a very enriching and fulfilling experience which has strengthened and motivated my missionary zeal, enabling me to encounter Christians from diverse cultures and denominations. While at my pastoral placement, I engaged in teaching doctrine to the young people, visiting the sick, aged and vulnerable parishioners, and Christians from other denominations. I equally engaged with church groups like the Blue Army, Cadets of Mary, Mass Servers and a few choirs. I cherished my time and the many wonderful memories I had visiting, teaching and learning. These gave me the opportunity to make good use of my gifts and talents.
These experiences and interactions with many Christians have 33
Virtues and Values
Experiences we were unsure of what to expect from a place where criminals were incarcerated. However, we decided to brave the odds and prove our prejudices right so that we could change our pastoral place. But to our greatest shock, not only were we disproved, but we were also stunned by the amount of life that radiated from the inmates themselves. In fact, we came to learn by experience that there is more to things than meets the eye. There is more to prison life than one thinks. This is not excluding the reality of suffering in there, but it is to inform anyone who cares to know that inmates have hope contrary to popular opinion. While with the prisoners, we prayed, worshiped and had tête-àtêtes with them, and to be frank with you, a number have learned to make a heaven of where they live. A good number complained deeply about lack of food, of psychological trauma and fear of the unknown especially those pending trial. From all of these, it was evident that the prisoners were in great need of the comforting presence of Christ in their lives. Recently, we had twenty-four inmates baptized as catholic Christians, and that changed our the impression about prisoners. Despite the positive vibes that clearly dispelled the dark clouds of prejudice in our minds, we are still saddened by the fact that many prisoners are still
psychologically affected by their incarceration. Some of the affected juveniles we have had the chance to talk with, share experiences of seeing spirits and ghosts, and sometimes, even the faces of those whom they killed in their dreams, and this irrefutably haunts them. Unfortunately too, some individuals come to the prison with their moral rectitude and ethical stands intact but end up giving in to narcotics and despair, and for such people, getting them back on track is a difficult challenge. Working in the prisons this year has been a joy for us despite the odds. The truth is, one can make heaven where ever one is, even in prison. This is what has stayed with us all through our experience in the prison, and we have learned not to judge a book by its cover.
MY EXPERIENCE IN SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST’S PARISH, NKWEN
Awah Samuel (Basic Formation)
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sistance. Again, to decease from living a life of debauchery to that of honesty and truthfulness is also often painful. Yet in all these, the familiar quote, “the hard way is the only way” is reiterated by Christ in the Gospels: “Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life and only a few find it.” (Mtt. 7:13 -14) This therefore implies that, we must keep striving for the life of love and humility, forgiveness and compassion, peace and justice as well as patience and tolerance despite the pain meted upon us by others; of hatred and arrogance, ruthlessness and cruelty, strife and partiality, impatience and bias that have taken hold of our world today. Yet again, Jesus Christ challenges us that, “Greater love has no man than this; that a man lay down his life for his friend.” (Jn. 15:13) In saying so, He is asking us to love all, irrespective of their status even to the point of giving up our lives for them. The laying down of one’s life is therefore the price tag of true friendship, and this is what is meant by striving for virtue even in pain. Fitting it to the context of this Year of St. Joseph, the pursuit of the virtuous life even in pain is a theme that becomes relevant in our journey to sainthood as explicitly reflected by
Pope Francis in his Apostolic Letter, Patris Corde. In it we see that, the stewardship of St. Joseph was not one that looked for shortcuts or expected God to work only on his better parts, but one that confronted the reality with open eyes, and readily accepted personal responsibility for it. (Cfr. Pope Francis, Apostolic Letter Patris Corde, n. 4) Therefore, pain is a reality we must endure if we are to live a virtuous and happy life. To end, Christ has set and declared the rule in the pursuit of the virtuous life: “If anyone wants to follow me, he must first deny himself, carry his cross and then come follow me….” (Mk. 8:34.) Just as there is no Easter Sunday without a Good Friday, there is no virtuous life without pain and suffering. Therefore, Striving for virtue even in pain makes sense as there is no good life without struggles.
Get your brain out of the Box
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here is something greater than God, more evil than the
devil, the poor have it, the rich
need it, and if you have it, you will die. What is it?
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Virtues and Values nical trade was sufficient to sustain his household.
BEYOND MATERIAL WEALTH: BEING A MAN OF HONOUR AND INTEGRITY
Randolph Kidze (Philosophy III)
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ho is this man we are talking about? It is Joseph, not Joseph the dreamer though they both had dreams, but Saint Joseph, foster father of Jesus Christ. What can we learn from Saint Joseph in this era when honour and respect in society seem to be directly proportional to wealth? Joseph was a just man who had great respect for the possessions of others; a man who respected the property of others. The fact that he was not interested in material possessions does not by any means imply that he was lazy. Edward Healy Thompson writes in The Life of Saint Joseph, that Joseph, in order to avoid idleness and procure an honorable livelihood, practiced a trade. His tech-
Pope John Paul II writes of Saint Joseph in Redemptoris Custos that he shared in the Redemptive plan, precisely in the mystery of the incarnation like no other human being except the Blessed Virgin Mary. His role in the incarnation cannot be overlooked. In fact, Joseph took Jesus as his own son, taught him the precepts of the Lord, and even according to Jewish tradition taught Jesus a trade (Mark 6:3). Throughout his life, Joseph listened more to God than seeking to acquire wealth for himself, and in the four Gospels we cannot give any direct quote as far as Saint Joseph is concerned. However, his works were eminent. Joseph was a just man. The Mosaic Law required that Mary be stoned to death since she was apparently guilty of adultery. However, being the Just Man that he was, he decided to divorce Mary quietly. But after the angel spoke to him, he immediately did as he had been told. Perhaps it is this silent, just and gentle nature of Joseph that we need to emulate in our society. Can we imagine a society where everyone could moderate their desires like Joseph did? How peaceful it would be. May we, like 10
Experiences try into formation, I had very litDO NOT JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER: tle interest in books. But fortuTHE BAMENDA CENTRAL PRISON nately for me, I was assigned to serve in the library, and here, I imbibed the attitude of reading books. Equally, reading spiritual books and books on other disciplines have influenced me in many ways. Books like The Life of Saint Josephine Bakhita have Bernard Wirndzerem Kongnyuy Marcel taught me the virtues of patience (Philosophy III) (Philosophy I) and forgiveness. Again, The Rule n life, we sometimes allow our for a New Brother and many othprejudices to define our concept ers have taught me the ways of of places, people or ideas. These communal living, especially with prejudices either make or mar persons of diverse backgrounds. our experiences as they prevent realiAll these, I believe, have positivety from revealing itself to us. This ly influenced my character. Fur- was our situation before we had our thermore, as the Librarian and pastoral experience at the Bamenda having a good encounter with the Central Prison for the year books, I have been equipped with 2020/2021. Prior to the start of our tools to facilitate my pastoral en- pastoral work, we had a host of pregagements. Indeed, from my ex- conceived ideas about prisons and perience, I can affirm that no one how they could be like even before experiencing one. visits the library and returns the To be honest, none of our same.
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ideas about the prison area were good. We thought it to be a hopeless slum where society’s worst criminals and rejects were left to rot in pain and misery. In fact, we could not have thought otherwise given our prior concept that prison was not a good place to be in. Having these preconceptions in mind, we began the prison ministry a bit hesitant because 31
Faith and Spirituality/ Experiences and rebellion. However, Joseph at every point of his life, set aside his own ideas in order to accept the course of events. The spiritual path that Joseph traces for us is not one that explains but accepts. Only through acceptance can we begin to glimpse a broader picture, and a deeper meaning to life’s challenges. J True interior healing is to accept our personal history and embrace even the things in life we did not choose and to this, we must add another important element which the pope calls “creative courage”. Sometimes as we read the infancy narratives of Jesus we wonder why God did not act directly. The reason the pope advances is quite simple. God chooses to act through people. God trusted in Joseph’s creative courage. Courage can turn problems into possibilities. God daily gives us an opportunity to be creative. J
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all, no family should be without work.” J
Saint Joseph, learn to rise beyond our desires, especially that for wealth.
After listing all these qualities, the pope now tells us that just as Paul said to his followers, “Be imitators of me”, so too does Joseph tell us to be imitators of him.
THE LIBRARY: A GATEWAY TO KNOWLEDGE AND CORNERSTONE OF A HEALTHY SOCIETY
Alex Kongnyuy (Basic Formation)
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he library plays a very important role in our society today because the resources and the services it offers create opportunities for learning, supports literacy and education, and so helps to shape our world. Prior to my en-
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lant” (Song of Songs 5:2.) Though his external senses were at rest, the depth of his heart was open to receiving what God wanted to tell him. This commissions us to be vigilant for we don’t know the hour or place when the Lord might communicate His message to us.
WITH THE HEART OF SAINT JOSEPH
Joseph acted as a father for his whole life. Fathers are not born, they are made. They are called to be signs pointing to a greater fatherhood, to be shadows of the heavenly father.
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The first ever social encyclical Rerum Novarum by Pope Leo XIII made Joseph the patron of work. He earned an honest living in order to provide for his family. Work is a means of participating in the work of salvation, an opportunity to develop our talents and abilities and to put them at the service of the society and fraternal communion. The pope gives the following injunction: “No one at
Virtues and Values
Timti Blaise C. (Basic Formation)
As Christians today, we should try to have the heart of Saint Joseph, a heart of many rooms for all the virtues especially that of love, a love so great that he sought to protect the dignity of Mary even when she appeared unfaithful and thus was justly to be condemned. We can use this same virtue of love to begin at individual levels the transformation of our world, a world so steeped in hatred, jealousy, betrayal, disunity among families, confusion and wickedness. I think it is because of the fact that he practiced all the virtues that God has given him the power to assist us in all our necessities of life. This is in line with Saint Thomas Aquinas’ conviction that “Some saints are privileged to extend to us their patronage with particular efficacy in certain needs but not in others; but our holy patron Saint Joseph has the power to assist us in all cases, in every necessity, in every undertaking.” We should remember that Saint Joseph did not do extraordinary things. Rather by the constant practice of ordinary and common virtues, he attained the sanctity which elevated him above all other saints. So we are encouraged to constantly
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here is pretty little information about Saint Joseph in the scriptures. Blessed William Joseph Chamenade once remarked, “We wonder why the Gospel makes so little mention of St. Joseph. But did it not say everything when it taught us that he was the husband of Mary?” This explains why when we think of Saint Joseph, the patron of the Universal Church, certain words come immediately to mind: faithful, just, obedient. It is often said that you tell a man’s character by the love of his life and the work of his hands, that is, the woman he chooses to marry and the quality of his work, however humble or hidden it might be. What makes Saint Joseph not only a good man but a saint is the manner in which he responded to God. Some years ago, His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, said that even in his sleep, Saint Joseph showed an awareness of God. He continues by quoting the Song of Songs, “I slept, but my heart was vigi11
Faith and Spirituality
Virtues and Values practice these virtues, especially that of love. Within this period of the Anglophone crisis and the corona virus pandemic, we are encouraged to seek the intercessions of Saint Joseph, for Saint Teresa of Avila contends that “whoever fails to find a master to teach him how to pray, should choose the glorious saint and he/she will not go astray.”
HATING THE SIN AND LOVING “THE SINNER”: JOSEPH’S DILEMMA
Anyengum Alex Brandon (Philosophy II)
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ust as the true nature of gold is revealed after it passes through the blazing furnace, so too, the true character of the man, Joseph, was revealed during this moment of great difficulty. Joseph’s reaction to Mary’s pregnancy, demonstrates a truly Christian method of handling difficult situations. It is easy nowadays, to read the infancy narrative without seeing the difficult choices Joseph had to choose from. Mary was found to be with child before relations with her husband Joseph. Clearly this was a case of adultery. On such matters, the Law was very
clear: “A betrothed virgin found to have had relations with another man would be put to death” (Cfr. Dt. 22:23 -24). Joseph was reputed for observing the tenets of his religion and thus in the sight of the Law, was regarded as a “Just man” (Cfr. Mt. 1:19). How then could a just man go against the law and not expose Mary? The discrete manner in which Joseph humanly intends to handle F the situation, reveals a heart full of love and o compassion for Mary; a heart that would not endure her being shamed and publicly disgraced. Joseph in the most practical way shows us what it means “To hate the sin and yet love the sinner.” He cares about Mary’s dignity even when his heart is hurting. O! What courage he must have had to put others first and self-last. And after he has done the best he humanly could do, he puts everything to God in prayer. Because he is a man attuned to the promptings of the Spirit, he is able to heed to the directives of God and thus become a central part and witness of Salvation. That is why today he is called: “Guardian of the Redeemer”, “Patron of the Universal Church” and above all “foster father of Christ”. Joseph becomes for us today a model for handling crises situations, especially situations in family life. Difficult situations could become avenues of manifold graces for us if only we let love and compassion lead in our 12
ther to articulate the place of Joseph in the church. After Mary the Mother of God, no other saint is mentioned more frequently in the papal magisterium than Joseph her spouse.
a father by the Christian people and loved by many saints such as Teresa of Avila. J
During this moment of Pandemic, the world has come to a realization that human life is sustained by the work of ordinary people such as; nurses, doctors, cleaners, priests, consecrated men and women who do not appear in the news headlines but whose work sustain humanity and often goes unnoticed. The pope compares these people to Joseph, the man who goes unnoticed, a support and guide in times of trouble. He reminds us that these people who appear hidden or in the shadows can play an important role in the history of salvation. A word of recognition and gratitude is due to them all.
In Joseph, the pope notes that Jesus saw the tender love of God. Often, we think that God works only through our better parts, yet most of his plans are realized in and despite our frailty. We must learn to look upon our weaknesses with tender compassion. Tenderness is the best way to touch the frailty within us. Pointing fingers and judging others is frequently a sign of an inability to accept our own weaknesses. Joseph teaches us that Faith in God includes believing that he can work even through our weaknesses. J
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It was obedience to the will of God, Pope Francis writes, which enabled Joseph to surmount his many difficulties, especially Mary’s pregnancy. Because of his cooperation with God, Saint John Paul II in Redemptoris Custos called him a true minister of salvation. Let us learn to “do as we are told” to follow the directives of God.
The Holy Father then goes forward to bring out seven major characteristics of Saint Joseph which he reflects and expounds on: J
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Placing his entire life “at the service of the entire plan of salvation”, Joseph turned his human vocation to domestic love into a superhuman oblation of himself, his heart and all his abilities. He placed all his love at the service of the messiah who was growing to maturity in his house. Thanks to this role he is venerated as
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Joseph accepted Mary unconditionally. The pope affirms that, often in life, things happen which we do not understand and usually our first reaction is one of disappointment 29
Faith and Spirituality Finally, it is important to remember that we were created to know God, to love Him and to serve Him so that we would be happy with him forever in heaven. If you do not know him now, will you know him at the moment of death? If you cannot hear his voice in your heart now, will you hear him call you at life’s end? If you cannot be joyful at his gentle calling now, will you be happy to see him when your days are done? (Susan Anne. march 2015). Such rhetorical questions are intended to help us towards greater silence as we celebrate the year of St Joseph; to see in him and appreciate the benefits of silence in every sphere of our lives. Prayer for the grace of contemplative silence
Lord, my soul thirsts for you and I long to spend extended time with you. Like David, the deep in me calls to the deep in you. Lord please make this extended time a moment of encounter with you. Help me to come to that place of peace, a communing of my spirit with yours where I can put my hope in you. I long to be with you Lord because I know that in your presence there is a sweetness and joy that cannot be explained. As the dear pants for streams of water so my soul pants for you my God. Amen.
Tatah Roland Nyuykividzem (MHM) MEP Student St Jude’s Parish Fundong - Cameroon
Virtues and Values
A SUMMARY OF POPE FRANCIS’ APOSTOLIC LETTER PATRIS CORDE (WITH A FATHER’S HEART)
Anyengum Alex Brandon (Philosophy II)
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his beautiful Apostolic letter given at Saint John Lateran Basilica, on the 8th of December, 2020, by Pope Francis to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the declaration of St. Joseph as patron of the universal church and the raising of the feast of Saint Joseph on the 19th of march, to the rank of a solemnity by Blessed Pius IX, again represents the special attention the magisterium of the church has towards this special saint.
attempt to resolve them. Spouses ought to learn that being great is not always about being right. Rather, greatness is found in sacrificial love; love which puts the other first, supports and is willing to protect the other from shame and public embarrassment. May no situation ever cause us to give another a death sentence. Like Saint Joseph, let us remain attuned to the Spirit for we are key characters of a beautiful future unknown to us, yet in the mind of the Divine.
THE REWARD FOR YOUTHFUL PURITY: RULER OF GOD’S POSSESSIONS
“All things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” (Rom 8:28)
Kana D. Pavel and Ngeh Lawrence (Basic Formation)
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mpurity is the state resulting from those illicit actions, words, thoughts, desires, sights or readings which we deliberately dwell on that arouses our sexual desires or pleases our sexual passions. In the book of Leviticus, to be pure means to be morally clean without blemish (Lev 22:19-20). Purity was essential in all the sacrifices offered to God; they had to be perfect and without fault. Anything less than this was unacceptable and unclean. Christians must therefore keep their hearts, minds and bodies holy without moral blemish in order to be acceptable in the eyes of God. The desire for purity and mortification helps the body to avoid and resist temptations that will pollute or weaken one’s moral character.
Puzzle How many Triangles?
One may wonder why much is said of him from whom no word is heard. But this only goes to reiterate the old English expression which holds that “actions speak louder than words”. The pope notes that Joseph was an active participant in the history of salvation and a first-hand witness of many great mysteries such as the Incarnation and Nativity. He was equally the legal father who named Jesus (naming was an act of establishing relationship). The pope goes fur28
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Virtues and Values To begin, sexual impurity is a great problem today which holds many young people captive. Maintaining sexual purity in today’s world is almost a nightmare for many young people; it seems a “mission impossible” and an unimaginable burden. According to Father Cajetan, “those who are saturated with the natural sin of impurity now agitate and move towards the unnatural sins of Homosexuality and Lesbianism.” (Sins of Impurity, p.9). He goes on to say that, this sin has turned the minds of many persons, married and unmarried, away from holiness and the taste of a healthy life. (Cfr. Ibid.) This is terrible and affects the individual more deeply and permanently than any other sin. This is because it leaves long lasting carnal desires in one’s memory which is a threat to ones purity of heart. This desire is not easily overcome without mortification, and in some persons, severe penance is required. This is because it is a sin committed against one’s body for which Saint Paul tells us: “Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body” (1Cor. 6:8). Sexual purity does not only include abstaining from sexual relations outside the sacred bounds of marriage, but it equally involves refraining from impure thoughts. Christ tells us in the beatitudes, “blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Mt. 5:8).
One should flee from all activities that could lead to impure thoughts and consequently impure acts, which includes watching pornography or pictures that arouse sexual desire. Many young people today co-habit before marriage in the name of courtship due to precipitated unholy desires. Even married couples are seriously involved. All these are responsible for the many abortions and the use contraception today (Sins of Impurity P.10). Reverend Nicholas O’Rafferty, in his book Discourses on Saint Joseph, portrays Saint Joseph as model of youthful purity. He remarks that Joseph was a saint from his youth and he did not wait until old age to work for his sanctification and salvation. When the Gospel of Matthew presents Joseph as the spouse of Mary, it called him a just man which means he was a possessor of all virtues (Mt 1:19). From this we must conclude that Joseph was pure and holy even in his youth, for virtue is not a passing act, but a state or habit that is formed in a man by a continuous series of virtuous acts. Hence, Joseph practiced these virtues from the time of his youth. It is inconceivable that God should have selected for this high office - the privilege of being the spouse of Mary the purest and most holy creature and a guardian of Jesus the redeemer of the human race - a man who had passed the years of his youth carelessly or who had not given him14
Faith and Spirituality heart lies… (Cfr. Matt 6:21). Considering all these, Barnabas Nwoye cries out, “silence where are you? Where have we chased you? Come and dwell among us again. My soul is longing for you O great companion of God. O happy solitude in which God speaks with his own, come and dwell among us” (Barnabas Nwoye, The Golden Peace of Silence, 1). According to Susan Anne, there are fundamental questions one genuinely needs to consider. What is the supply of noise? By whose consent did we slip into such a noisy existence? What purpose does it serve? Do the hearts of men reflect a steady calm and peace amidst the turmoil of the ever-changing world? Or do they resound the crazy rhythm of vain pursuits, constant busyness and perpetual unhappiness? (Susan Anne. March 2015) The practice of silence today seems nearly impossible on the exterior plane. But it is a journey we are all invited and encouraged to make as it paves the way of prayer and draws us to the depth of our being where we encounter our true selves. To many saints and mystics, silence is the language of the Divine. Jesus understood this perfectly well as he withdrew regularly from his work and disciples to find silence. As we celebrate the year of St Joseph, let us learn from this great and extraordinary figure of the church the treasure of silence.
SILENCE: THE FORGOTTEN ANCIENT TREASURE OF MAN n the 8th of December 2020, Pope Francis in his apostolic letter Patris Corde, declared this year as the year of St Joseph. Joseph was a man of hidden life, yet he outstandingly contemplated in that obscure tiny village of Nazareth the mysteries of God. Celebrating his year therefore, it is worthwhile to reflect on one aspect of his life which, though a night mare to modern man was a treasured means to the men of ancient times to connect with the Creator. It is called “Silence”. Like the dear that yearns for running streams, so my soul longs for you my God. (Psalm 42:1) Imagine the noise that goes on in everyday life both exterior and interior. Noise from the industries, quarries, markets and the list goes on and on, yet, none of these forms of noise is fit to wake the dead, talk less of entertaining the living. In an era like ours where modern man has chosen to delight in the satisfaction of the exterior life, he is so busy that, if he were to find himself not distracted, he will find something to distract his mind and soul from the solace and sweetness of silence. Ironically, man seems to treasure noise and there his
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Faith and Spirituality acted justly without concern for himself. He kept his faith in God amidst the doubt. Many church fathers such as Origen, St. Remigius and St. Bernard of Claiveaux held that Joseph never entertained any unhappy suspicion concerning Mary. (Cfr. Nicholas O’Rafferty, Discourses on Saint Joseph , 73.) He embraced the task of being the foster father of Jesus. In God’s plan he was necessary in order that Jesus might be born of the Virgin Mary within the boundaries of true marriage. (Cfr. Francis L. Filas, Joseph and Jesus: A Theological study of their Relationship.) He kept his faith despite the strangeness of the situation. His Holiness, Pope Francis, in his apostolic letter Patris Corde, sees Joseph as an accepting father. Joseph accepted Mary unconditionally. He trusted in the angel’s words. “Even though he does not understand the bigger picture, he makes a decision to protect Mary’s good name, her dignity and her life. In his hesitation about how best to act, God helped him by enlightening his judgment.” (Pope Francis, Apostolic Letter Patris Corde, n.3.) What about us in the present times? We are of course faced with situations and circumstances that make us to doubt whether God is really seeing everything or whether he even exists. Is it the per-
sistent Anglophone crisis? Is it the corona virus pandemic? Is it the social disputes and family disunity? Is it fatal accidents? And the list goes on. At times it is self-doubt that makes us lack confidence in ourselves and develop a low self-esteem. Despite all these doubts, we have to keep our faith strong. St. Augustine defines faith as; “to believe in what you do not see, and the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.” “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). “Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Mt. 14:31). So, let us pray to God to give us the grace to always keep our faith alive, despite the circumstances surrounding us today that may cause us to doubt.
RIDDLE Which one is heavier, a kilo of sand or a kilo of cotton?
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Virtues and Values self to the practice of purity. (Cfr. Discourses on Saint Joseph, p. 29.)
Prayer for Purity
It is true then that Saint Joseph is in the best position to say to youths: “Be pure as I in my youth have been pure”. To this invitation many have responded in the negative, “we have no time now to give to the purity of our souls, we can talk of that when we are old. Why disturb us now with such things? Life is too short; we must enjoy ourselves while we are young” But Reverend Nicholas regards this as foolishness, for no one is certain of the length of his/her days.
Mary, mother most pure and St. Joseph, chaste guardian of the Virgin, to you I entrust the purity of my soul and body. I beg you to plead with God for me that I may never for the remainder of my life, soil my soul by any sin of impurity. I earnestly wish to be pure in thought, word and deed in imitation of your own holy purity. Obtain for me a deep sense of modesty which will be reflected in my external conduct. Protect my eyes, the windows of my soul, from anything that might dim the luster of a heart that must mirror only Christ-like Purity. And when the “Bread of Angels” becomes my food in Holy Communion, seal my heart for ever against the suggestion of sinful pleasures. Finally may I be among the number of those whom Jesus spoke ,“Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.” Amen.
To be on the safe side, we young people need to pray for the gift of fortitude to give ourselves without delay to the service of God. To do this, we have to keep away from bad company and literature, and frequent the sacraments of Penance and the holy Eucharist, the great means of grace and salvation. We must commend ourselves to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph. When we do this, we will never cry out like Saint Augustine, “late have I known thee oh Love Divine” Finally dear friends, fix your gaze upon Saint Joseph, and with your eyes fixed on him, resolve to work like him for the sanctification and salvation of your immortal souls for which Christ suffered and died.
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Faith and Spirituality Society and Service WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING: A TEST FOR ficed plenty of their talents to the GENUINE SERVICE temptation of pride and human ap-
Papskey Anye (Philosophy II)
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Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. As such, the true test of a person’s character is what he does when no one is watching”, says John Wooden, a legendary American Basketball coach, whose team’s success was based on his constant reminder to his players of the need to focus on their training even when no one is watching. He realized most of his players only worked hard because they wanted to please the crowd and be famous. This to him was the major problem with his team. His players often ran into depression and discouragement each time they did not do well, either as a team or as individuals. This quest for fame and public approval brought in fierce competition even amongst team members as each person tried to be the best. They missed several victories and sacri-
proval. Wooden resolved this by training them to be self-fulfilled and self-motivated. He taught them the value of integrity, and deconstructed their sense of seeking joy and fulfilment from public opinion. This transformed them entirely, not just to win in the court, but as well in life. As a result, the team won the National Basketball Championship for twelve years consecutively. This reminds us of Christ’s promise as recorded by Matthew: “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you” ( Mat. 6:5-6). Consequently, we can say, “when you work in secret your father who sees in secret will reward you.” One of the most profound aspects of one’s character, if not the most important, is his moral integrity. C. S. Lewis once said, “Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” The idea of integrity is not limited to an action but a mindset that 16
as Joseph did?
her quietly. Others, including St. Thomas Aquinas, argued that Joseph was aware of the miraculous nature of Mary’s pregnancy from the start, and sought to separate himself from her because of a deep sense of unworthiness. This is similar to the unworthiness reflected by the words of Peter in Luke 5:8; “… depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man” and the Centurion in Matthew 8:8; “… Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof, only say the word and my servant shall be healed.” (Cfr. Henri Rondet, Saint Joseph, 58-59.) This sense of unworthiness in Joseph was revealed in the fear of taking Mary in, as reflected in the angel’s initial words to him, “… do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.” (Mt. 1:20) This was a message of peace. The coming of the Lord is always a gift of peace to those who love and serve him. So, always keep your faith alive. Also, the angel told Joseph that Mary will give birth to a son who would be called “Jesus”, meaning “God saves”, and He will save his people from sin. Joseph would surely have recognized this as the description of the long-awaited Messiah prophesied in Isaiah 7:14.
We as Christians and bearers of the light of the resurrection are therefore called to look at situations with eyes of Faith and not be pessimists in the way we live or view life. In this way, we will be able to avoid the question “WHY ME?”
KEEPING FAITH AMIDST DOUBTS
Kijika Mark B. (Basic Formation)
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he lives of many in our world today, especially the young, are full of doubt and uncertainty. They are doubting what they should actually do and which path to take in life. Doubt according to the Cambridge dictionary is “a feeling of not being certain about something, especially about how good or true it is.” Joseph, as the story goes in Matthew 1:18-25, was faced with a confusing situation that made him to doubt, just like any normal person would. However, his doubt was a doubt that sought for better comprehension. Some people argued that Joseph suspected Mary of adultery, and that is why he wanted to divorce
Joseph in turn did three things;
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He thought about Mary and her wellbeing and reputation, and
Marriage and Family/ Faith and Spirituality he had the experience of catering for a child he did not father and having in his home a woman he had wanted to send away. Despite all this, Joseph braved the odds to cater for Jesus and Mary. This was no easy task, but Joseph braved it with a father’s heart, a heart that truly cares despite the cost and pain. He was truly a father, and a father worth the name. Having cared for Jesus in the earlier years of his life, Joseph showed that he could be an ardent father by protecting Jesus through the flight to Egypt. Like a mother hen shielding its young, Joseph directed, covered and protected the child Jesus and his mother Mary through the night’s journey. Imagine if something had happened to Mary or the child. What would Joseph have done? But, the fact that he protected the child through the night safely to Egypt showed the kind of a father he was. In all, Joseph was a courageous, caring, protective and humble father. The fact that he took Jesus to the temple for presentation indicates his profound interest in the spiritual life of the child. He also taught Jesus, through his example of hard work, what it really means to be a man. This for me stands out in the life of Joseph. His doing all these for his family is a sign that he was truly a father. This is what it means to be a father worth the name.
WHY ME?
Berinyuy Suinyuy Richard (Philosophy I)
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e commonly pose this question during difficult periods of our lives. Take for instance when a member of your family dies, the famous reaction to such a happening is “why me?” Or during moments of dread and helplessness, we tend to ask “why me?” It is not by accident that things happen the way they happen, and according to the German philosopher, Godfried Leibniz, “There is a sufficient reason for everything”. St. Joseph as a man of honour and integrity, so loving and caring to his wife, did not in any way or at any point in time succumb to the question : “why me” when his wife, Mary, conceived the author of salvation by the power of the Holy Spirit. He humbly accepted the child as his own after the angel spoke to him in a dream, telling him not to fear taking Mary as his wife for the child she bore is the fruit of the Divine power of the Holy Spirit. How many of us in our contemporary society would act 24
Society and Service is filled with virtue. It is born and nurtured to growth in the heart and mind. It pours out who you really are as an individual. It reflects what you actually believe about right and wrong, good and evil. It is not exhibited in one act of goodness but in one’s whole character and lifetime.
NO FOOD FOR A LAZY MAN
Kijika Mark B. (Basic Formation)
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t is quite unfortunate that we now live in a world where most people, especially the young, want to eat without working. They wish life would have just been all about enjoyment without having to work. They spend many hours daily on WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Skype, Snap chat and many others. Instead of hustling and preparing for a better tomorrow, they spend time competing with others on the number of likes and followers on Facebook and Instagram.
Apart from the modern example of the above mentioned coach who applied this principle so effectively, we have a perfect model who lived his entire life guided by integrity, and today the church celebrates him as patron of all workers, that is Saint Joseph, also known as the silent worker, the man of honour and integrity. As the foster father of Christ, St. Joseph raised him and did everything a good father would do, but throughout the gospel, his voice is not heard, not even once. He worked in silence, but today his works speak for him. Genuine service is when no one is watching, for by so doing, one actually works out of pure love for truth and the common good, without any external motivations. This is what yields great fruits. Integrity means sacrifice and genuineness. It needs no public approval for it is self-fulfilling. Pride, selfishness and low self-esteem seek fame and often lead to catastrophic consequences as seen in the example of Wooden’s team and sometimes even in our own lives.
In 1955, Pope Pius XII established an additional feast, Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker, to be celebrated on the 1st of May, to coincide with the celebration of the International Workers’ Day. In his apostolic letter “Patris Corde”, Pope Francis tells us that Saint Joseph was a carpenter who earned an honest living to provide for his family. He wasn’t a lazy man. From him, Jesus learned the value, the dignity, and the joy of what it means to eat bread that is the fruit of one’s own labour. The bible tells us that being lazy will make you poor, but hard work will make you rich. A sensible person gathers the crops 17
Society and Service when they are ready; it is a disgrace to sleep through the time of harvest. (Prov 10:4-5). Saint Paul also warned the Thessalonians to shun laziness: “whoever refuses to work is not allowed to eat.’” (2 Thes 3:10) Pope Francis, in the sixth point of his Patris Corde, points out that work is a means of participating in the work of salvation, an opportunity to hasten the coming of the Kingdom, to develop our talents and abilities, and to put them at the service of society and fraternal communion. It becomes an opportunity for the fulfillment not only of oneself, but also of that primary cell of society which is the family. A family without work is particularly vulnerable to difficulties, tensions, estrangement and even break-up. How can we speak of human dignity without working to ensure that everyone is able to earn a decent living? Some young people are very selective in work, seeking for the so-called “white collar jobs”, making statements like, “I cannot engage in this or that kind of work.” Working persons, whatever their job may be, are cooperating with God himself, and in some way become creators of the world around us. By saying that we should not be lazy does not mean that we indulge ourselves in undignified activities such as prostitution, scamming, drug dealing and many others. The crisis of our time, which are economic, social, cultural and spiritual,
Marriage and Family
can be a summon for all of us to rediscover the value, the importance and the necessity of work in bringing about a new “normal” from which no one is excluded. Saint Joseph’s work reminds us that God himself, in becoming man, did not disdain work. As we strive to occupy ourselves with these jobs, we shouldn’t forget that we were created “to know God, to love him, to serve him, and to be with Him in heaven when our life on earth is ended.” Let us implore Saint Joseph the Worker, to help us live out the expectation that, “no young person, no person at all, no family should be without [decent] work!” ( Pope Francis, Apostolic Letter Patris Corde, No. 6)
MAKING USE OF OUR ABILITIES Cyril Tufoin (Philosophy III)
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ork as a noun refers to an activity that involves a mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or a Particular result. In many different ways, each individual has the ability and giftedness of doing something, either mentally or physically, all aimed at 18
greed continue to expose some families to different forms of crises. All these things hinder the building of virtuous families; families that still revere God, accept each member in their uniqueness, and seek value and not wealth or position.
a place to be. A family that prays together; listens to each other; supports, tolerates, appreciates and cares for one another, even in time of crisis will sail through in a spirit of solidarity. But if members of a family become authoritarian, disregard and look down on others, then the chaos we experience in some of our families will only continue.
In a time when family life seems decaying by the day, the Holy Family of Nazareth provides us with a code for building our own families. Joseph, Mary and their Son, Jesus, did not live in affluence, they were not the most respected family nor were they at the helm of their society. They struggled for their daily bread and had the challenges we ourselves have today. They experienced pain and joy. What secret kept them together that our families seem not to understand today? Obviously, the secret is not hidden from us except for the fact that we have refused to open our eyes to see. Surely, the undoubted number one ground rule for Joseph, Mary and Jesus was that the will of God is first. Many of our families have crashed because we often ignore the voice of God. The Holy Family of Nazareth lived their lives for each other. They each sought to protect the dignity of each member of the family. Each played a unique role in maintaining calmness by way of tolerance, humility, love and obedience.
BEING A FATHER WORTH THE NAME
Bernard Wirndzerem (Philosophy III)
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he question about who a father is, and what his role in a family is all about, is a monumental one which every man who aspires to be one must ask himself. However, most parents struggle on their own to define their role in the family. The meaning of “fatherhood” is not simply limited to having brought forth an offspring. It goes beyond that. What does it really mean then to be a father? The answer to this question is often unclear and sometimes, it becomes really confusing. Like many young men today, Saint Joseph would definitely have had this confusion in his mind when
If only our families today would see life through the eyes of the family of Nazareth, then, they will be 23
Marriage and Family says, we copy the West but neither do we become like the West nor African but a caricature. In our society today, young people, both those who intend to get married and those who just get into “whatever” relationships, start engaging in sexual activity even before ever thinking of marriage. The sacredness of this act is gradually fading away. Ironically, those who uphold the virtues of chastity and purity are seen to be social misfits, or unfashionable. This sexual relation between unmarried persons is fornication, (Cfr. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 2353) and it falls under the seven deadly sins, which if not repented of, brings eternal death (The Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 1874). All those who live in this situation, or those who engage in immoral relationships are urged to repent from them and rectify their ways lest they perish in sin. Let us emulate the life of Saint Joseph by reconciling with God and living a life proper to your state. STOP AND LAUGH One Sunday, a priest was delivering a sermon in church. He suddenly stopped and asked this question: "who wants to go to heaven? Everyone in church stood up except a little boy who remained seated . The priest asked him, "Don’t you want to go to heaven?" The boy replied, “My mother said as soon as mass finishes, I should go and grind some corn so that we can prepare some "fufu" for tomorrow’s market. If I go to heaven I might return late when the grinding mill has been closed.
Society and Service/ Marriage and Family
CONSTRUCTING A VIRTUOUS FAMILY IN A VICIOUS WORLD
Mbah Clovis Temoh (Philosophy III)
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e all belong to a human family and the family is to be our home. It is at least in the family that everyone wants to feel happy, loved, understood, cherished, appreciated, respected and supported. With life’s demands and society’s hard times, one longs to be home where he/she can relax and be accepted. The family is seen as a place of joy, hope and peace. No doubt we always hear people say, “I am proud of my family”, “my family is a blessing”, “not without my family”, “family first” and so on. Unfortunately, some families have become battling grounds; places of hatred, pain, misery, betrayal, and of hopelessness. The family which is the cradle of life has turned out in many cases to be a thorn in the flesh of many. More often than not, we hear people say, “I know I am alone”, “no one cares”, “how I wish I were not born in this family”. Materialism, pride, envy, jealousy, egoism and
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achieving a particular goal or end. Happy therefore is he who puts his or her mental or physical efforts in doing something good, which will benefit him or her achieve success in the end. According to Pope Francis, Joseph’s ability to work was well utilized as he worked so hard to see that Jesus and his mother Mary received the best quality of love from him.( Cfr. Pope Francis, Apostolic Letter Patris Corde, 6.) In this respect therefore, Joseph worked so tirelessly to see that Jesus is well brought up and also to see that Mary’s dignity is well persevered even when she becomes pregnant through the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. We who have received this mental and physical ability from God to work should better put it into use because, as scripture says, the Lord will bless the works of our hands. Therefore, it is not enough to have the ability and chance to work, but how well you are able to put this ability into something useful to you as an individual and to the society as a whole. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”.
CHASTITY BEFORE MARRIAGE: A NEW “TABOO”
Randolph Kidze (Philosophy III)
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uring this year of Saint Joseph, it is necessary to reflect on the lives of Mary and Joseph before marriage. The aspects we consider here are purity and chastity. We use chastity here before marriage although Mary and Joseph maintained this even after marriage. Chastity and purity are closely linked. According to the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, Chastity is the state of not having sexual relationships; similarly, purity is the state of moral goodness or the state of not engaging in sexual relationships. These are not alien to the African culture. Samuel Okafor Okechi mentions that prior to Eurasian contact with Africa, sexuality, though it was regarded as an individual right, was subject to group norms and values. He adds that there was usually an initiation to human sexuality by elders, for the conjugal act was considered sacred. Therefore, chastity and purity were encouraged. This has been damaged by the Eurasian contact with Africa, and perhaps we can blame ourselves for being too receptive. Hence, as Frantz Fanon
Riddle
Where does today come before yesterday?
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Cultural Display at Ashing
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