Seven clerics profess perpetual vows at Kandisi
Sunday 15 March 2020 was a great day of joy and celebration for the Sons of Divine Providence in Kenya. Seven clerics in their third year of theological studies made their perpetual profession in the Little Work of Divine Providence. The ceremony took place in one of the Orionine parishes, Holy Spirit Parish, Kandisi, in the Diocese of Ngong.
The seven clerics came from four different countries — Kenya, India, Ivory Coast and Togo: Ch. Paul Able N’ta, Ch. Joseph Yendoube Lare, Ch. Arvind Xaxa, Ch. Jackson Melbin Arockiam, Ch. Thomas Gwaro Ombongi, Ch. Dennis Aoka Nyang’au and Ch. Augustus Omumani Mukhwaya.
The solemn Mass of profession was presided over by the Regional Superior of Kenya, Fr. Peter Wambulwa, while Fr. Marcelo Daniel Boschi, Superior of the Missionary Delegation Mother of the Church, received the vows of the seven clerics on behalf of the Superior General. Fr. Adrien Koffi Nogbou was present representing the Provincial of the Province of Notre Dame d’Afrique.
A warning in symbolic language
In his homily the Delegate Superior welcomed everyone and congratulated the seven brothers on this definitive and personal step of becoming part of the Orionine religious family. He encouraged them to live the vows fully through their way of being and witnessing in community, and particularly in the places of the apostolate.
He also asked everyone to pray for those affected and infected by the Coronavirus pandemic, and above all for the souls of the confreres who had died. Then, in symbolic language, he warned the seven brothers to take care that they themselves do not become the “coronavirus” of a community — the thing that kills the zeal for community life and the spirit of living as brothers and sisters. They should avoid whatever extinguishes the zeal to serve the poorest of the poor, which is the key pillar of the Orionine apostolate: servants of Christ, servants of the poor.
Fr. Marcelo underlined that the Congregation grows when new brothers decide to follow Christ more closely, and encouraged the newly perpetually professed to become like Christ in all their efforts as religious. He invoked the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of our holy Founder St. Luigi Orione to accompany them for the rest of their lives.
Choirs, cake and the dances of two tribes
Many Orionine priests and religious in Kenya took part, together with seminarians and clerics of philosophy and theology, the Little Missionary Sisters of Charity, religious of various congregations, the beloved parents, relatives and godparents of the seven brothers, and a great many lay faithful from the local parish and from far away.
It was a beautiful celebration, carried by the voices of the choir during Mass, followed by the sharing of the cake and lunch, and the traditional dances of the Luhya and Kisii tribes, from which three of the Kenyan clerics come. The young people of the parish added dances of their own.
Let us pray that, through the intercession of St. Luigi, the seven clerics may be faithful to their commitments with joy and love. Ave Maria e avanti.
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