Fr Provincial's Letter 27th Feb 2016...
Zimbabwe. 27th February 2016
Dear confreres and friends,
Warm greeting from Zimbabwe. And I do mean warm greeting in every sense as the temperature is around 30 degrees.
I arrived here for a Board meeting of Holy Trinity College and also to visit each of the communities and to speak with each of the confreres and postulants. As you may be aware, we have 6 theologians from Kenya with us and one from South Africa; so I noticed at Mass yesterday there were 33 of us in the chapel. It is an encouraging sign.
On the debit side, the costs of involved in terms of education, transport, food and clothing are also very high; and there is a drought. As I flew into Harare I could clearly see the lack of green, and this was confirmed during the drive from the airport where I saw the maize badly wilting. The year ahead will be a great challenge for us as we try to sustain not only the communities, but the many poor people we support.
I celebrated Mass today with Fr. Victor in the resettlement area we used to call Bhobo - now optimistically renamed East View. It is a vast collection of huts, wooden sheds and brick buildings accommodating a great number of people. We have a new Mass centre there - St Clement's - and there were close to 400 at Mass this morning. In time we shall have to find the resources to build a church as we said Mass under a corrugated iron roof with no walls. I also went to Holy Redeemer community but encountered six police road blocks on the way! This coming week I will also meet with the ORC and the ERC and celebrate Masses in the parishes.
I am unsure when you will receive this as there has been only extremely limited internet since I arrived and no electricity today so I am working on battery. In spite of these difficulties there is a good spirit among the brethren. And of course Frances Sibert is here from Bishop Eton parish, working for three months with Brother Benjamin in the Mavambo Learning Centre and also assisting our Postulants with English..
Our news from the London Province is also considerable. As indicated in previous letters, there will be a formal Mass of Thanksgiving at the John Paul Centre in Middlesbrough on 3rd March presided over by Bishop Drainy and the preacher will be Fr. Gerry Mulligan. The Vicar Provincial Fr. Richard Reid and Bishop Ralph will also be present. The date was originally arranged for 15th March , but it had to be changed at the request of the Bishop and so I shall be unable to be present, although have written to the friends of the community who will gather. The ministry carried out from the Centre has been extraordinary as I indicated in my last letter and I again thank every confrere who has worked in Middlesbrough over the years for contributing to its effectiveness and its outreach to these in need.
Special mention goes to Fr Michael Henesy and Br Michael Duxbury who have remained there for this past year preparing for the handover to the diocese. Much work has been done in this area, and we are confident that the good work of the John Paul Centre will continue.
As I have already communicated, both confreres will now relocate to the Bishop Eton community. However, they have graciously agreed to reside in Hawkstone for some months while we await a possible sale.
At Hawkstone, since ministry ceased at the end of 2015, work has continued in the house, welcoming the confreres and their families, packing up the library (a huge job) and dealing with the redundancies and farewells. It is a tough time for the two Redemptorists on the staff, Fr, Maurice O'Mahony and Fr. Kevin Callaghan, but is equally difficult for all of us associated with Hawkstone and especially for the present staff members. I shall endeavour to write to each one. A special word of thanks has to go the many Sisters who have so valiantly supported us over the years. Many have moved on to new apostolates. However in the more recent past we have been blessed with the presence of Sr. Laurice, (Nazareth House) Sr. Jackie (Sister of St Paul ) and Sr. Carol (Dominican) who returned to South Africa towards the end of last year. These Sisters have enabled us to maintain a Religious spirit and have been part of the extended community. On behalf of the Province I shall write to each and thank them sincerely for their support, kindness and ministry. During our Redemptorist gathering I did express the gratitude of the Province for all the Redemptorists who have worked in Hawkstone since 1926. They are too many to be named; although individual Brothers and Fathers will stand out in the memory of each one. To all, living or dead, may the Lord reward their service of the Congregation.
The final public Mass will be celebrated on Easter Sunday and after that, Fr Maurice will go on sabbatical leave and Fr. Kevin will move to Bishop Eton We wish both well and again express gratitude for their years of hard work and their forbearance in this past year when we have grappled with a promised sale which collapsed at the final moment. At present we do have prospective purchasers. However, there is not much that I can say about this in a letter which goes into the public domain. I only request prayers that the sale is concluded soon.
The situation with our church and property at Sunderland continue to be the subject of discussion between the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle and the Council. At the request of the EPC, Fr Tim Buckley and I met with Bishop Seamus Cunningham and the Pastoral Vicar for the Sunderland area. it was a positive meeting, and Fr Tim has had a subsequent and productive meeting.
I seem to be talking a lot about properties but this is a time of transition for us in the London Province as we try to implement our new pastoral strategy. You will know that Fr, Kieran Brady has been overwhelmed with requests for missions in this Year of Mercy, and several confreres are involved in missions in the coming months.
In Clapham we continue our negotiations about the disposal of the Hall and its replacement with another facility which the parish can use, as well as other property options. Some positive news on the pastoral front is that Fr. David Raju has at last received his visa to come and work in our Province and will arrive in early March. His initial appointment is to the Clapham community to work in the parish as pastoral assistant with Fr. Richard who wears many hats in the Province - as Vicar, Rector, Vocations Director, Web Master etc. It is hoped that David will assume some parish responsibilities and in the longer term Fr. Peter Morris will have a greater availability for parish missions.
While it is true that we have large communities in Bishop Eton and Clapham, it is good to remember that in each community there are 6 members who are 80 or over (or will be this year(!) and that they have a right to a different pace of life.
In Bishop Eton a feasibility study to install en suite in all rooms has taken place and it is hoped that
work on this can commence before too long. It is a work of great importance and essential, especially for our older men.
We had a Redemptorist Publications Trustees' meeting recently and I am happy to report that the company continues to seek new and innovative ways of sharing the Word, as well as consolidating the work which had been done over the years. I have just finished reading David Well's book, "The Grateful Disciple" and would highly recommend it.
Our confreres in Birmingham continue their ministry, with Fr Gabriel joining Fr Jim McManus as being named a Missionary of Mercy. Fr Dicky's eyesight is not great and please remember him as he struggles with this challenge.
The work at Kinnoull continues, although despite having over 30 workers on the site, the completion date is deferred for one month. This is due to dry rot which was discovered and had to be dealt with. So it will be early June before the community can move back in, and then the work of furnishing the rooms will begin. I have to say the the work carried out so far is of a very high standard, and the monastery is moving from being a building site to being a comfortable and up-to-date retreat centre.
Br Michael and Martin Duxbury conveyed to me their thanks for the presence of the confreres at the funeral of their mother. The requiem Mass for Martin Gay's mother will take place next week in the local parish, and again I know Martin is grateful for the support he has received at this time.
Birthdays: 2nd Fr Richard Reid, 3rd Bp Ralph Heskett, 4th Br Chris Reynolds, 10th Br Bezel Madyahoto, 11th Fr Gerry Mulligan, 12th Br Mike Taylor, 25th Fr William Guri, 27th Br Alfred Chiromba.
All good wishes for the feasts of St. Clement and St. Joseph, and also for Easter.
In Christ the Redeemer,
Ronald J. McAinsh, C.Ss.R.
Provincial Superior
