The Message of His Grace Francisco Montecillo Padilla, in His Visitation to our Seminary, on 06th May,2012

MESSAGE OF HIS GRACE FRANCISCO MONTECILLO PADILLA,
 APOSTOLIC NUNCIO TO TANZANIA
(Homily at Mass in St. Charles Lwanga Major Seminary Segerea, Dar es Salaam)
6th May, 2012.

Purpose of the Nuncio’s visit to the Seminary: He had once been a formator at the Regional Seminary in Philippines as vice rector before he moved to Rome and, according to the plan of God, had to go for Diplomatic studies. He has since, always felt comfortable to visit seminaries because of the beautiful experience he had in the Seminary. So, he comes here to see us, share something with our formators and give us some points of reflection about formation in the priestly vocation.
Important questions to ask oneself: First, Who am I? Second, Why am I here? Both, seminarians and formators have to ask themselves those questions, and it is important because it helps one to discover God’s love. God’s love is the answer to why He has chosen you and not any other person to be here. We are not better than others, but God loves us.
Vocation as a Seed: A persons vocation is like a seed which after it has been sown, germinates and needs to be cared for. It must be protected and nourished to grow and develop, and to mature. Such is the reason why we students are in the seminary, where we have to fulfill this responsibility with close assistance and guidance from our formators.
Exterior and Interior call: “St. Thomas Aquinas distinguished the ‘exterior’ from the ‘interior’ call. Situations, events, or persons such parents, friends, other seminarians, etc. constitute the exterior call through their experience and suggestions. On the other side, the interior calling is that which God imparts to man and with which He enlightens the mind of man and moves his heart, “interior instinctus Dei invitantis”, as St. Thomas Aquinas defines it. In other words, His Grace has called this interior call or vocation the interior instinct to answer the call of God, and it superior to exterior call or vocation.
Proper Formation requires Renunciation: His Grace used the example of competent athletes who in fact make a lot of exercises and undergo much of renunciation from many other things in order to emerge as competent as we can see them. It is then a seminarian’s duty to renounce those other things which do match the priesthood so that at the end he makes a good, holy priest. This does not come over night, but needs lengthy and committed spiritual and human exercises.
The Seminary as a special school: The seminary is not a school like any other schools. It is rather a place where priestly formation is given. His Grace stated categorically that whoever among the seminarians has a goal different from priesthood is certainly in a wrong place.
The Formators’ Responsibility: Formators have a sole responsibility before God of helping seminarians to discern and attain their goal, that is, priesthood. They will do this with their directives and good example. Accordingly, if any formator gives a bad example, he is like the blind who leads another blind and both will finally fall into a pit.
Relationship between formators and seminarians: His Grace clarified what kind of relationship there must be between formators and seminarians. He said the formator priests are to be like big brothers to seminarians, rather than police men. Therefore, the atmosphere of brotherly love, readiness to listen, readiness to help, good intention on the side of formators, and proper disposition to listen and obey on the side of seminarians must prevail.

His Grace Francisco Montecillo Padilla (Apostolic Nuncio to Tanzania), at St. Charles Lwanga Segerea, Senior Seminary Dar es salaa. on: 06th May, 2012

His Grace with First Year Senior Seminarians.

              

His Grace with Rev. Fr. Rector after Eucharistic Celebration.

His Grace talking something with Rev. Fr. Henry Mchamungu after Holy Mass.

His Grace in Eucharistic Celebration 

His Grace with our beloved Fomators after the Holy Mass.

His Grace with second Year senior seminarians

His Grace with third Year Senior  Seminarians

His Grace with our Sisters, working in our seminary.

His Grace with forth year seminarians.

 

His Grace in the Eucharistic celebrations.

His Grace giving His homily, it was good and nice one.

His Grace in Eucharistic Celebration with our beloved formators.

His Grace with our servants, who help some departments in our seminary.

His Grace with Rev. Fr. Rector, before Eucharistic Celebration.

 

Matembezi ya Askofu Nestor Timanywa Seminarini Segerea.

JUMAPILI YA MATAWI - Matukio katika picha

 Padre Novatus Mrighwa akitoa utangulizi.

 Baadhi ya watumishi wa Misa

 Padre Mrighwa akibariki matawi

 Padre akitia ubani katika chetezo

 Mafrateri wakigawana matawi

 Mafrateri wakiwa katika hali ya usikivu

 Maandamano kuelekea kanisani wakiongozwa na chetezo (Frt Shumbusho Evasius na Frt Lusale Nemes)

Self reliance is part of our integral formation!

WITH ALL YOUR GETTING, GET UNDERSTANDING:

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting, get understanding. (Prov. 4:7)

Getting understanding is not the same as getting a breakthrough. It is certainly not an instant solution. Nevertheless, understanding will lead you to the solution. Wisdom is most useful for direction.

When you have wisdom and understanding, you will be a different kind of woman/man. Women/men who give themselves to reading are people of understanding. People who bother to go to university are people of understanding. In the natural, such people have an easier life.

When you thoroughly understand the cause of a problem, you are able to solve it better. That is why medical doctors spend so much time trying to diagnose problems. Understanding the problem is often 80% of the solution.

Do you want an easier life? Then get understanding. Make the effort to understand the curse of the Garden of Eden. Understand the root cause of all frustration. I cannot say anything greater than the Word of God. Understand! Get wisdom.

Prepared by:

Frt BikolwaMungu A, Stephen (Archdiocese of Mwanza)

SEGEREA SENIOR SEMINARY.

Segerea Senior Seminary is a Regional Theological Seminary, located in Dar es salaam Tanzania, about 14 kilometers South-West of the City centre. For more precision, it is about 3 kilometers North-West of the Dar es Salaam International Airport.

This Seminary was opened in 1979, and is being run by the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (T.E.C.) with aim of training future Catholic Priests for facilitating the mission of our Lord Jesus Christ of spreading the Good News till the end of the times.

The four pillars of the formation of the seminary are:- Human, Intellectual, Spiritual and Pastoral formation. In regard human formation, the Seminarians are trained to develop human qualities such as Sincerity, constant love of justice, fidelity to one’s promises, courtesy in deed, modesty, and charity.

On Academic formation, Seminarians are being taught different disciplines such as Sacred Scripture, Moral Theology, Dogmatic Theology, Liturgy, Church Law, Spiritual Theology, Pastoral Theology, Catechesis, Patrology, Missiology, Islamics, Homiletics, African Tradition Religion, Greek and Latin languages.

Spiritual formation is aimed at preparing future priests for the life of Holiness. Through spiritual formation, seminarians are taught to inculcate a sense of mission to exercise ministry with lively faith and charity and to cultivate those virtues which are highly valued in human relationships.

Pastoral formation is provided to students especially in matters pertain to the sacred ministry and in a special way in the celebration of the Sacraments, in dealing with people including non-Catholics and unbelievers. All these are being guided by our motto “Et eritis mihi Testes” (Act 1:8).

Moreover, realizing and acknowledging the gifts and talents of the community, the seminary has not lagged behind in concretizing the police of self-reliance, indeed as you get in the circumference of the seminary what catches your eyes, if not your whole being is that which the implementation of self-reliance policy has produced. The seminary has also taken to heart the saying of the wise men that “we do not stop playing because we grow old but rather we grow old because we stop playing”. Hence different kinds of sports have been introduced in the seminary.

All in all, the seminary is doing a lot to ensure that the goals are met.

By

Frt Wilhelm Soni (Theology IV)

TRUE FREEDOM

With all the spiritual writers and all the wisdom traditions and faith, Iam saying that true freedom is not freedom of the ego but freedom from the ego. Personal freedom is often thought of as freedom of the ego to do whatever one’s selfishness dictates. But what we are talking about here is freedom from the ego, from the tyranny of selfishness.

Freedom of the ego is the freedom to exploit, kill, victimize, marginalize, or just ignore others when it is for my benefit or the benefit of my group. On the other hand, freedom from my ego is freedom to love, serve, and care for others, unhindered by my own hang-ups, obsessions, and selfishness. It is the freedom to pursue the common good. This is, of course, easier said than done. It is a great ideal, but how practical is it?

Freedom from one’s ego obviously takes time. Short-term measures like law enforcement and moral laws are needed, but there will be no lasting peace until we set out on this course of personal liberation. Nor is it something that goes against our nature as human beings. All human beings want to love and be loved, to have inner freedom and peace.

             

 Prepared by:

Frt. BikolwaMungu A, Stephen (Archdiocese of Mwanza)

JUMAPILI YA 3 YA KWARESMA 11/03/2012

Masomo: I. Kutoka 20:1-17

              II. 1Kor 1:22-25

            III. Yohane 2:13-25

Tafakari:

            Katika kutafakari Kwaresma, tunaalikwa na somo la kwanza kuzitafakari Amri za Mungu. Mungu anawakumbusha Waisraeli kuwa ndiye aliyewatoa utumwani, ana agano nao na hivyo anawapa amri za kuzingatia katika agano hilo.

            Maelezo ya amri hizo yameelezwa vizuri katika Katekisimu ya Kanisa Katoliki. Kwa ufupi amri hizi ni za kutuongoza ili kuhusiana vema na Mungu na ndugu zetu ambazo Kristu anatoa ufupisho wake katika amri kuu mbili; Kumpenda Bwana Mungu kwa Moyo wote, akili na nguvu zote. Pia kumpenda jirani kama nafsi zetu.Sheria/amri ni kwaajili ya kurahisisha maisha na si kwa lengo la kumuadhibu yeyote!  

            Somo la Injili tunaona kuwa kwasababu ya kutoziheshimu amri na taratibu, Yesu anaingilia kati na kupindua meza zao.

            Anaposema “Libomoeni hekalu hili na kwa siku tatu nitalisimamisha” anatabiri juu ya kifo na ufufuko wake. Hekalu ni mwili wake! Mtume Paulo katika waraka wake wa kwanza anaonesha kuwa kama wakristu tunashiriki katika fumbo hilo kwa kuwa sisi nasi ni hekalu la Roho Mtakatifu.

            Ikiwa basi sisi ni mahekalu ya Mungu, hatuna budi tufungue mioyo ili Kristu atusafishe na kila udhalimu na kila aina ya biashara ifanyikayo ndani yake, yaani , yale mambo yote yaliyo kinyume na mapenzi ya Mungu.

            Tuwakumbuke, siku ya leo, wakatekumeni wanaofanyiwa leo takaso la kwanza!

JUMAPILI YA 2 YA KWARESMA 04/03/2012

Masomo: I. Mwanzo 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13,15-18

               II. Rum 8:31b-34

              III. Mk 9:2-9

Mhubiri alisema:

            Changamoto ya siku ya leo ipo katika somo la kwanza, ambapo japo Ibrahimu alikuwa ana mtoto mmoja tu aliyempata kwa Sara katika uzee… tujiulize, Angemchinja Isaka, ahadi ya uzao mkubwa angeitimizaje? Hata hivyo Ibrahimu hakusita kumtoa Isaka-mwanae wa pekee sadaka kwa Mungu akiamini kuwa, yeye aliyempatia mwana katika uzee, atajua ni kwa jinsi gani atampatia huo uzao mkubwa kama mchanga wa pwani. Kutokana na tendo hili la ushujaa, Ibrahimu anastahili kuwa Baba wa Imani!

            Kumtolea Isaka (katika agano la kale) ni kielelezo cha Mungu alivyomtolea mwanae wa pekee – Yesu Kristu (katika agano jipya) kwaajili yetu!

            Katika somo la III – Injili, tukio la kung’ara sura kwake Yesu linatanguliwa na matukio kadhaa: - Yesu alimponya kipofu hatua kwa hatua (Mk 8:22-26) ikiwa ni ishara ya kuwafunua macho wafuasi wake juu ya utume wake wa kimasiha hapa duniani; kisha anawauliza kuona kama wamtambua yeye ni nani (Mk 8:27…)

            Kumbe tukio hili la kung’ara sura ni mwendelezo wa mafundisho ya Yesu kwa wafuasi wake juu ya kumtambua yeye ni nani na utume wake ni upi hapa duniani. Turejee katika Injili hii na tutafakari juu ya mambo yafuatayo yanakutwa humo:

Ø      Mlima mrefu

Ø      Kung’ara  ni dhihirisho la utukufu wa Kristu

Ø      Eliya ni mwamba mmojawapo wa agano la kale. Huyu ni nabii mkuu aliyepambana na dini za kipagani na kuzishinda. Anatabiriwa kuwa atarudi kumtayarishia masiha njia kwa vile hakufa bali alitwaliwa. Uwepo wake katika tukio hili waonesha ujio wa masiha.

Ø      Musa ni mwamba mmojawapo wa agano la kale. Huyu naye ni nabii mkuu – mtoa Torati, aliyewahi kuongea na Mungu uso kwa uso ambaye aliwaahidi waisraeli kuwa yuaja nabii mkuu kama yeye atokaye kwa Mungu – ndiye Kristu (Kumbukumbu la Torati 18:15)

Ø      Sauti yadhihirisha kuwa Kristu ni nabii mkuu

Ø      Wingu laashiria uwepo wa Mungu na kuhakiki utume wa Kristu-Masiha (Kutoka 19:9, 13:21, 33:9-11)

Ø      Vibanda ni rejeo la sikukuu ya vibanda (Zekaria 14:16-19) kuashiria kumbukumbu ya kukaa kwa waisraeli jangwani na tarajio la masiha. Sherehe hii ilitabiriwa kuendelea kuwepo hata baada ya ujio wa masiha.

Ø      Hofu  ni namna ya msisimko wa furaha na woga. Uwepo wa Bwana ni sharti uambatane na furaha yenye mshangao pamoja na tetemeko (Tremendum Fascinantia)

Tujifunze nini kutokana na haya:

-         Kuwa na ushujaa wa Imani kama babu yetu Ibrahimu tukimtumainia Mungu katika kila jambo.

-         Kuachana na malimwengu ili tuambatane na Kristu huku tukiikumbata imani kwake.

-         Tuache maisha mabovu ya dhambi ili tuifikie furaha na amani ya kweli.

Tujiulize pia:

Mambo yakienda kinyume cha matarajio yetu, je, twaweka tumaini na imani kwa Mungu?

            Mtume Paulo katika somo la II, anasema: Ni nani awezaye kututenga na Kristu kama tumeshikamana naye? Hata kama tutaonekana kama tumeachwa naye, tusimame imara, tusikate tama kwani mateso, kifo ni lazima ili kuufikia utukufu. Tukumbuke kuwa:

-         Hakuna Pasaka bila Ijumaa kuu,

-         Mchumia juani hulia kivulini,

-         Subira huvuta heri,

-         Mvumilivu hula mbivu; na

-         Mtaka cha uvunguni sharti ainame.

TAFAKARI JUU YA KUTUBU NA KUIAMINI INJILI

Karibuni tutafakari pamoja kipindi cha kwaresma ni mwafaka kwa tafakari kama hii. Yesu anapotuambia tubuni na kuiamini injili (rej. Mk 1:15) anasisitiza kutubu dhambi siyo “kubuni dhambi.” Tunatambua wazi kuwa kuna watu kati yetu wanaobuni dhambi daima iwe kipindi cha kwaresma au la. Kuna watu wanabuni namna ya kubomoa nyumba za watu au mabenki (majambazi). Kuna watu wanabuni mbinu mpya za kikahaba (makahaba). Kuna watu wanabuni mbinu za rushwa (mafisadi). Watu wengine wanabuni namna ya kuwaudhi wenzao ili wao wafurahi (sophists). Wengine wanabuni bomu la kulipua ubalozi (magaidi) na mambo mengine mengi. Tuombeane sote hasa kipindi hiki cha kwaresma.

Kusema kweli haya ndiyo baadhi mambo ambayo Yesu anatufundisha kuyaacha. Hii ndiyo kazi yake kubwa na ya kwanza. Tukitafakari masomo ya jumapili kama tatu hivi kabla ya jumapili ya kwanza ya kwaresma tutaelewa vizuri sana. Tunaona kuwa Mama Kanisa anatuanda vizuri kuupokea ujumbe wa kutubu na kuiamini injili. Yesu anatenda miujiza mingi ilimradi tu watu watubu na kuiamini injili. Kimsingi miujiza ilikuwa ni namna ya kuelezea lengo lake (by the way). “ ‘Watu wote wanakutafuta’ akawaambia ‘twendeni mahali pengine katika vijjiji vya jirani nipate kuhubiri huko pia.’ Hiyo ndiyo nia ua kuja kwagu.” (Mk 1:38). Mtume Paulo naye anasisitiza “ole wangu nisipoihubiri injili”(1Kor 9:16). Kuiamini na kuiishi injili ndiyo njia pekee ya kutuepusha kuwa wabunifu katika dhambi, kuondolewa pepo na kupewa mikate haitoshi.

Kipindi hiki cha kwaresma tusibuni dhambi badala yake tuwe “wabunifu katika kuungama dhambi” yaani; kumwomba Roho Mtakatifu, kutafuta dhambi moyoni, kujuta dhambi, kukusudia kuacha dhambi, kuungama dhambi, kupokea maondoleo ya dhambi na kutimiza malipizi. Habari ya mwana mpotevu inatutafakarisha hatua hizi za wongofu (metanoia  - Rej. Lk 15:11-32). Tuwe wabunifu ndani ya nafsi zetu wenyewe tukijiuliza mbona nikiudhiwa kidogo tu napata hasira kali sana, moyo unajaa gesi inayoweza kuua? Tukumbuke kuwa kuna mahusiano kati ya dhambi na maisha ya udhalimu. Kadiri mtu anavyokuwa mbunifu katika dhambi ndivo anavyokuwa mtumwa wa mambo mengi mabaya yanayomuasili yeye na jamii (Rej Dan 9:3-20; Ezr 9:6-15; Mt 3:7-9; Rum 6:23). Maana ya kukusudia kuacha dhambi ni kuazimia kuacha dhambi na kuepa nafasi zake (Rej Mt 5:29-30).

Tumwombe Mungu mwenye huruma ili kwaresma hii tuitikie vyema mwaliko wa Papa Leo Mkuu katika mahubiri yake kipindi cha Krismasi akisisitiza; “Ewe mkristu, tambua cheo chako umeshirikishwa hali yake Mungu mwenyewe kwa hiyo usianguke tena katika fedheha na ubovu wa maisha yako ya kale…” (Sala ya Kanisa uk.94)

Tumsifu Yesu Kristu!

Asante kwa kutafakari & kwaresma njema!

Na. Frt Hillary Faraja - Theology III - (Geita Diocese)