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L'Effort Camerounais No. 551, From April 03 To April 17, 2013
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LAMP FOR MY STEPS: Bless, don’t Curse
By Rev. Fr. Giles N. Forteh
As we journey in life and interact with different people in changing settings, we are sure to encounter two types of people: those who look for the good in people and encourage them to do better; enablers, and the destructive critics who see nothing beyond the imperfections of the human person and are usually very impatient with the less-performing, the less-endowed and the slow learner. They do not enable! On the contrary, they crush the spirit of the weak. Such people may be very intelligent and upright and so expect everyone else to be something of their image.
Many teachers see weak and distracted students as an "aching problem." Different teachers tackle this "problem" in different ways. Some simply ignore the slow learner to rot in the maze and go along with the intelligent ones. Others resort to punishment. There is, however, a small number of dedicated teachers who, like the Socratic midwife, accompany the slow heads and distracted minds and labour with them until something better emerges.
This capacity to labour with, to endure and to accompany requires something more than academic learning. It requires deep interest in the human person, taking each person as he/she is and finding out how best to use the resources in that person to help him/her to reach the highest of his/her possibilities. This goal is hardly served by any comparison which is meant to humiliate and to show how deficient the less-performing person may be.
The teacher's mission is to tap the best from the student. In some families, some children are already classified as good-for-nothing. Everyone can tell you about what they are bad at. No one may be able to tell you about what they excel in. Some people may not have heads that retain many theories and concepts, but they have very agile hands that can create things beyond our imagination. Finding out the good in them may lead us to discover the raw diamond kept away from our view by our impatience and inability to appreciate the diversity that enriches the world.
A local enterprise recently organised an exciting farewell party in honour of a departing manager. This enterprise's thirty employees were determined to make a lavish party that befitted what they considered their boss's goodness and kindness.
As we journey in life and interact with different people in changing settings, we are sure to encounter two types of people: those who look for the good in people and encourage them to do better; enablers, and the destructive critics who see nothing beyond the imperfections of the human person and are usually very impatient with the less-performing, the less-endowed and the slow learner. They do not enable! On the contrary, they crush the spirit of the weak. Such people may be very intelligent and upright and so expect everyone else to be something of their image.
Many teachers see weak and distracted students as an "aching problem." Different teachers tackle this "problem" in different ways. Some simply ignore the slow learner to rot in the maze and go along with the intelligent ones. Others resort to punishment. There is, however, a small number of dedicated teachers who, like the Socratic midwife, accompany the slow heads and distracted minds and labour with them until something better emerges.
This capacity to labour with, to endure and to accompany requires something more than academic learning. It requires deep interest in the human person, taking each person as he/she is and finding out how best to use the resources in that person to help him/her to reach the highest of his/her possibilities. This goal is hardly served by any comparison which is meant to humiliate and to show how deficient the less-performing person may be.
The teacher's mission is to tap the best from the student. In some families, some children are already classified as good-for-nothing. Everyone can tell you about what they are bad at. No one may be able to tell you about what they excel in. Some people may not have heads that retain many theories and concepts, but they have very agile hands that can create things beyond our imagination. Finding out the good in them may lead us to discover the raw diamond kept away from our view by our impatience and inability to appreciate the diversity that enriches the world.
Each time I read the accounts of the Evangelists and see how Jesus journeyed with the Twelve Apostles, men of diverse social, intellectual, emotional and psychological background, I find great inspiration in the interest which the Master took in each of them. They were slow in understanding the mysteries of the faith and the Master had to explain things over and over again. They were called to be something better than what they were at the time of their call and the Master's task was to help them to overcome evil and to cause the good in them to bloom. We can only ask Jesus for this kind of patience, without which one will find it difficult to accompany those whose path to understanding and right judgment and corresponding action may be too long for us. Jesus was an enabler!
Recently I came across the following very inspiring story with the title: "Thanks for being my cracked pot!" It is about an elderly Chinese woman who "had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived as bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house." The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?" "That is because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them." "For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."
Each of us has our own unique flaw. We have our cracks, but also some blessings. The cracks and flaws we each have make our lives together so interesting and rewarding. You just have to take people for what they are and look for the good in them. Take a close look at your spouse, child and friend. What is good in them? Encouragement is a great motivating force. Try it and you make giants of dwarfs.
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The redemptive power of Suffering
Source: Precious Blood of Jesus, Douala
Everybody claims to know how to heal grief except those who actually experience it. Neither our education, nor our upbringing nor our experience can save us from suffering. This trial or cross can be very severe in certain cases. Age is no consideration.
Pain on earth was brought by man through sin, wrong desires, the wrong living purpose, yet the tears from pain are not a hindrance, but a perfection of man as it has a permanent redemptive value when associated with the sufferings of Christ. We are to look at the hidden hand of God in every grief and thus render it holy rather than waste the suffering.
Most often we miss the opportunity of spiritual maturity. Suffering that is merely endured does nothing for our souls except harden them. Use it to make offering prayers for the forgiveness of sins. "All that we do without offering it to God is wasted." - Saint John Mary Vianney. Hebrew 5 says that although he was Son, Christ learnt through suffering what obedience was and was made perfect and His prayers were heard. It thus helps us to know the will of God in our lives. Neither of his infirmity nor of his poverty would he be cured, but he must be certain to say the Rosary with his family every day, could be good reason for suffering to remain.
In 2 Corinthians 1:3-11, Paul says among other things: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are abundant for us, so also our consolation is abundant through Christ"
Man is an absent-minded child, a thoughtless superficial child, a backward-born child, until tears make him an adult, thoughtful, intelligent person. Only those who weep or have wept, know how to love and understand. They know how to love their weeping brothers, how to understand them in their grief, how to help them with their goodness, which is being fully aware how bitter it is to weep alone.
And they know how to love God because they have realised that everything is grief except God, because they have understood that sorrow can be soothed if tears are shed on God's heart and they have also realised that resigned tears, which do not cause faith to be lost or prayer to become barren and which loathe rebellion, such resigned tears change nature and instead of sorrow they become comfort. Paul in Romans 8:28 says that everything works for good for those who love Him and in the beatitudes it is said - happy are those who mourn.
Christ came to save us yet he told his disciples that anyone who wishes to be His follower must renounce himself, take up his cross and follow him. This cross comes in all forms of persecution and sufferings we endure. Paul speaks about his sufferings in 2 cor11:23-29, to show his relationship or superiority to the other apostles. He says: "I speak as if insane; I am also a better apostle than they; in far more labours, in far more imprisonments, bitten times without number; often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews, the thirty-nine lashes; three times I was bitten with rods. Once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked; for a day and night I was adrift in the sea; on frequent journeys, I was in danger from river, danger from robbers, danger from my countrymen and danger from gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger in the sea, danger among false brothers and sisters; and I have been in labour, hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food; in cold exposure without clothes. And apart from all these things, there is the daily stress upon me - concern for all the churches."
Do not be frightened! God is with us in all we go through. The Lord said in the last chapter of Matthew, go make disciples of all nations. When this is fulfilled the way Paul does, he is with us in all these difficulties. His liberation is being there with us to see us through. When a lover tells the other I will be there for you, it actually means in your time of need, though they seem to separate when difficulties come. Look at the three young men in the book of Daniel in the firing furnace. God did not take away the fire but came to be with them in the fire. He is with us in our troubled moments to see us through.
In Psalm 73, the psalmist expressed the struggle that he had with his faith. He expected that good things would happen to those who are good and that bad things would happen to those who are evil, but when he looked around, that was not what he saw. He saw evil people prospering and righteous people suffering. It seemed that God had forgotten him. "It was too painful for me -- until I went to the sanctuary of God...It is good for me to draw near to God" (Psalm 73:16-17, 28). We need the virtue of fortitude to endure; for just as roses have thorns, so too is the road to heaven.
When troubles come upon us, instinctively the first question we ask is: "Why, why me and why now?" That is what Moses asked in Exodus 5: 22. How long therefore, will it take the Lord to deliver us from our troubles? Usually just a little longer than we thought we could tolerate. He is faithful and has promised not to tempt us more than we can bear. Christ said "If they persecuted Me they will persecute you..." (Jn 15:20). Therefore the stress or suffering caused by disappointments from those we put our confidence in, has to be borne with love waiting on God to act. We are not also to always attribute all suffering to sin.
We derive more benefit from a life of hardship than from a life of comfort. But this is not an easy lesson to learn. So many voices tell us it is not so. It is not easy to appreciate the benefits of suffering when we are actually going through them. The biggest benefits usually come later on. Suffering that is accepted leads to profit and becomes a real contribution to the task of patience on God and developing the nobility of the human person as seen in Joseph in the Bible who developed the character qualities and wisdom needed to rule successfully. Never doubt in the dark what God shows you in the light.
At times the cross is a call to be sensitive to the needs of others and act through works of mercy, that is, an opportunity to show kindness, love and work for the sick or contribute to the growth of the Church. The Lord will reward us, for the suffering we undergo, will enable the body and soul to come together on the last day.
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Door to door express
By Fr. Anthony Ndang Ndichia, MHM
I came to know peoples' homes and their ways of life, their businesses, work, faith, relationships, those that had two or more girl-friends or boy-friends, cheats, gossips, liars, rich and poor, committed Christians and others. People trusted me and would send me to carry out transactions for them. It was an eye-opening moment. I saw the reality of everyday life. But beyond this, I discovered that the legend on my motorbike became famous. Every one called me "door to door".
Pope Benedict XVI in the document announcing the Year of Faith uses the image of a door to describe what Faith is about. He writes, "The door of faith (Acts 14:27) is always open for us, ushering us into the life of communion with God and offering entry into his Church." Pope Benedict goes on to say, "The threshold is crossed when the Word of God is proclaimed and the heart allows itself to be shaped by transforming grace."
Today I look back with much gratitude on my motorcycle business. My experiences paid off. Now in South Africa, as a missionary priest, I still do the motorbike business in another form. I still do the door-to-door ministry; transporting people of different nations and races to God. People have opened their doors, hearts and lives to me. Could this be actually what the Year of Faith is inviting me and you to do? To know and love Christ and to have a personal and undivided relationship with Him and with others. This is faith in practice.
During those years of door-to-door business, many things happened that I least expected, and these events hit me like a bolt of thunder. With the reality of life teeming around me, I was presented one day with a scrap of paper upon which was written "Teenage Good Rules". I have kept this treasure until today, and over the years it has proven to be a decisive tool in my life journey of faith.
Teenage Good Rules.
Don't let your parents down; they brought you up.
Be humble enough to obey; you may give orders some day.
Treasure your time. Don't spend it, invest it.
Be master of your habits, Or they will master you.
Choose your companions with care, You may be choosing your mate.
Don't show off when you drive: The speed that thrills, kills.
Stand for what is Right; Don't fall for all in sight.
Go to church faithfully; Make your first steps,- Church steps.
To Christ be wholly true, He gave his life for you.
During my early years in High School in Jua Memorial College Njinikom, Cameroon , I had a part time job. It was a very lucrative job. It gave me some ready money, and I was able to buy the basic necessities of life.
I came to know peoples' homes and their ways of life, their businesses, work, faith, relationships, those that had two or more girl-friends or boy-friends, cheats, gossips, liars, rich and poor, committed Christians and others. People trusted me and would send me to carry out transactions for them. It was an eye-opening moment. I saw the reality of everyday life. But beyond this, I discovered that the legend on my motorbike became famous. Every one called me "door to door".
Pope Benedict XVI in the document announcing the Year of Faith uses the image of a door to describe what Faith is about. He writes, "The door of faith (Acts 14:27) is always open for us, ushering us into the life of communion with God and offering entry into his Church." Pope Benedict goes on to say, "The threshold is crossed when the Word of God is proclaimed and the heart allows itself to be shaped by transforming grace."
Today I look back with much gratitude on my motorcycle business. My experiences paid off. Now in South Africa, as a missionary priest, I still do the motorbike business in another form. I still do the door-to-door ministry; transporting people of different nations and races to God. People have opened their doors, hearts and lives to me. Could this be actually what the Year of Faith is inviting me and you to do? To know and love Christ and to have a personal and undivided relationship with Him and with others. This is faith in practice.
During those years of door-to-door business, many things happened that I least expected, and these events hit me like a bolt of thunder. With the reality of life teeming around me, I was presented one day with a scrap of paper upon which was written "Teenage Good Rules". I have kept this treasure until today, and over the years it has proven to be a decisive tool in my life journey of faith.
Teenage Good Rules.
Don't let your parents down; they brought you up.
Be humble enough to obey; you may give orders some day.
Treasure your time. Don't spend it, invest it.
Be master of your habits, Or they will master you.
Choose your companions with care, You may be choosing your mate.
Don't show off when you drive: The speed that thrills, kills.
Stand for what is Right; Don't fall for all in sight.
Go to church faithfully; Make your first steps,- Church steps.
To Christ be wholly true, He gave his life for you.
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Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province Launches own Catholic Catechism
By Jude Abanseka
Bishops of Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province.
The Bishops of the Ecclesiastical Province of Bamenda have launched a new version of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The voluminous document is known as the Catholic Catechism of the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province, which according to the Archbishop of Bamenda His Grace Cornelius Fontem Esua, has been adapted from the Catechism of the Catholic Church to the local context and reality.
It was officially launched in St. Joseph Metropolitan Cathedral of Mamfe on March 19, 2013 in the presence of the five Bishops of the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province. The launching of this Provincial Catechism came as part of activities marking the celebrations of the Year of Faith in the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province.The ceremony opened with a solemn procession in a typical Banyangi tradition from the back of the Cathedral. A herald, priest and a messenger's reading of some selected scriptural texts preceded the all-men procession with the Catechism.
When the procession got to the Altar, a moment of silence was observed. Then all the verses of "Faith of Our Fathers" were sung before the Catechism was handed over to the presiding Bishop, Mgr. Immanuel Bushu of Buea, who placed it on a table and unveiled it. The Gospel according to Mark 16:14-20 was read after which one of the brains behind its production, Archbishop Cornelius Esua, did the exhortation.
He said that the book launch was a culmination of work that started ten years ago. He explained the book has been launched to deepen the faith and enhance evangelisation in the Province. Archbishop Esua pointed out that it is only in the Sacred Scriptures that those who did not and will never walk with Jesus can experience Christ.
"During this Year of Faith," he went on, "Christians are invited to go back to the Holy Bible as a source of their faith and church's teachings." He laid emphasis on the unity of faith and fidelity which guides everyone to teach the same doctrine leading to the same faith.
The Archbishop noted that there was once a similar document called "the Diocesan Catechism" in the early 80s when Buea was the only diocese. He added that the document with 109 lessons can also be called "National Catechism" and that it is more than a catechism as it is also a prayer book. "It is a compendium of the Church's doctrine and also a compendium of some relevant cultural values of the people in Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province. The book contains a lesson that has no reference in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. This is the lesson on 'the Church as a Family,'" he said.
The Archbishop said there was a lot of debate on how the book was going to be called before the present name was adopted. He traced the roots of the creation of the Provincial Catechism and presented the people who contributed ideas to its production to the congregation. He said the printing was done in India from 2008 to 2009 because it was going to be very expensive to print it in Cameroon. He added the book costs only FCFA 4000 because it has been subsidised. Archbishop Esua concluded that the launching of the Catechism is a significant milestone in the Catholic Church's history in Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province.
The launching rites followed with Mgr. Bushu praying over and blessing the catechisms and leading the congregation in the profession of faith. The launching rites ended with the handing over of copies of the catechisms to representatives of 19 commissions in all four dioceses and the blessing of the congregation.
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Church calls second Year of Faith 46 years after first
By Jude Abanseka
After realising that there is a growing illiteracy about faith, Pope Benedict XVI and Cardinals decided to call the Year of Faith. In a nutshell, Fr. Joe Awoh said the Year of Faith gives Christians an opportunity to rediscover their faith, to have a deeper understanding and take their faith to a higher level.
To do this Pope Benedict XVI recommended the thorough study of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, CCC, and the Vatican II documents. These could be used to review the faith and to make it understandable. The speaker identified some faith challenges in the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province like secularism, the weakening of the moral fabric of society, Christianity and African
Culture, superstition and witchcraft, bribery and corruption and the proliferation of Churches.
Fr. Awoh added that a recourse to the CCC; especially the Provincial Catechism, can overcome all these challenges because it has been prepared with our culture, local needs and situation in mind. To deepen the faith, the speaker recommended the study of the catechism, formation of study groups, production of simplified versions of the catechism, making available opportunities for priests and religious to study the catechism and the organisation of adult catechesis.
Frs. Michael Bibi and Cyprian Tatah of Bamenda Archdiocese and Kumbo Diocese respectively, gave the second talk on "How the Catholic Catechism for the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province can be better exploited to enrich Faith at the family, faith sharing groups, SCCs, commission, mission station, parish, school, intellectual and university levels.
Fr. Bibi reviewed the Provincial Catechism and Fr. Tatah used the Provincial Pastoral Plan to explain how the Catechism can be used to realise the Pastoral Plan. The aim, he said, is to form mature Christians who will remain Catholic.
Workshop discussions were also organised to come up with directives on how the faith can be deepened and lived in particular churches. After the plenary session, it was agreed that all the suggestions were going to be compiled into a book and sent out to the four dioceses in the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province.
It is 46 years since the Catholic Church observed a Year of Faith. Pope Paul I decreed the first in 1967.
Just as the current Year of Faith is to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Second Vatican Council and the 20th anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the first was to commemorate the 19th Centenary of the martyrdom of SS. Peter and Paul the Apostles. A priest of Buea Diocese, Rev. Fr. Joseph Awoh, made the observation while presenting a talk on "Porta Fidei and challenges to the Faith in the light of the Catechism, that is, deepening of the faith."
After realising that there is a growing illiteracy about faith, Pope Benedict XVI and Cardinals decided to call the Year of Faith. In a nutshell, Fr. Joe Awoh said the Year of Faith gives Christians an opportunity to rediscover their faith, to have a deeper understanding and take their faith to a higher level.
To do this Pope Benedict XVI recommended the thorough study of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, CCC, and the Vatican II documents. These could be used to review the faith and to make it understandable. The speaker identified some faith challenges in the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province like secularism, the weakening of the moral fabric of society, Christianity and African
Culture, superstition and witchcraft, bribery and corruption and the proliferation of Churches.
Fr. Awoh added that a recourse to the CCC; especially the Provincial Catechism, can overcome all these challenges because it has been prepared with our culture, local needs and situation in mind. To deepen the faith, the speaker recommended the study of the catechism, formation of study groups, production of simplified versions of the catechism, making available opportunities for priests and religious to study the catechism and the organisation of adult catechesis.
Frs. Michael Bibi and Cyprian Tatah of Bamenda Archdiocese and Kumbo Diocese respectively, gave the second talk on "How the Catholic Catechism for the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province can be better exploited to enrich Faith at the family, faith sharing groups, SCCs, commission, mission station, parish, school, intellectual and university levels.
Fr. Bibi reviewed the Provincial Catechism and Fr. Tatah used the Provincial Pastoral Plan to explain how the Catechism can be used to realise the Pastoral Plan. The aim, he said, is to form mature Christians who will remain Catholic.
Workshop discussions were also organised to come up with directives on how the faith can be deepened and lived in particular churches. After the plenary session, it was agreed that all the suggestions were going to be compiled into a book and sent out to the four dioceses in the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province.
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His Eminence Christian Cardinal Tumi pays a two-day Pastoral Visit to St. Joseph Parish Bonaberi, Douala
By Doris Ebu Fankem
He explained that the second pillar is spontaneous prayers, and therefore, a Christian should pray wherever he or she finds him/herself. The Beatitudes follows, then the union with the Holy Spirit and finally Prayers.
The highpoint of his Pastoral visit was the celebration of a Solemn High Mass. In His Homily Cardinal Tumi noted that since the Lord's resurrection, He has been trying to do just one thing until the Ascension- to strengthen the faith of those who will continue his work on earth. He defined Faith as God's gift which enables us to believe without doubting. "Faith is a supernatural gift from God. He gave us the four pillars of Faith," he noted.
The first of the four pillars is the Profession of our faith. That is, our faith professed in any solemnity in the Church.
The second pillar is living according to our profession which is summarised in the commandments - loving our neighbours as ourselves. "The only thing we are called to hate is sin and not fellow human beings," he said.
The third pillar is receiving the Holy Eucharist which is faith celebrated because the Holy Eucharist is food for our souls which is a mystery because, as he explained, Jesus died, was buried and came back to life.
The last but not the least pillar is prayers for how can one believe without praying, he questioned. At the end of His homily he advised Christians to always pray for the Lord to strengthen their faith. During the visit, Cardinal Tumi also confirmed about 30 Christians. They were commissioned to go out and proclaim the Good News to the whole world.
The colourful Mass continued with an offertory procession with group leaders guiding their members in procession to offer gifts to the Cardinal.
The Parish Priest, Fr. Alphonse Mario Chukwunenye, MSP, and his assistant, Fr. Innocent Kingsley Odiake, MSP, thanked God for sparing their lives when thieves broke into their apartment and made away with money and valuables.
The Mass ended with a thanksgiving speech from the Economic Affairs Chairman who spoke on parishioners' behalf. Snapshots and the inauguration of a magnificent hall named after Cardinal Tumi brought the Pastoral visit to an end.
Douala Emeritus Archbishop, His Eminence Christian Cardinal Tumi, has paid a two-day Pastoral visit to St. Joseph Parish Bonaberi, Douala. The visit that started on Saturday, April 13, 2013, brought together parishioners in their uniforms to welcome their august guest.
He explained that the second pillar is spontaneous prayers, and therefore, a Christian should pray wherever he or she finds him/herself. The Beatitudes follows, then the union with the Holy Spirit and finally Prayers.
The highpoint of his Pastoral visit was the celebration of a Solemn High Mass. In His Homily Cardinal Tumi noted that since the Lord's resurrection, He has been trying to do just one thing until the Ascension- to strengthen the faith of those who will continue his work on earth. He defined Faith as God's gift which enables us to believe without doubting. "Faith is a supernatural gift from God. He gave us the four pillars of Faith," he noted.
The first of the four pillars is the Profession of our faith. That is, our faith professed in any solemnity in the Church.
The second pillar is living according to our profession which is summarised in the commandments - loving our neighbours as ourselves. "The only thing we are called to hate is sin and not fellow human beings," he said.
The third pillar is receiving the Holy Eucharist which is faith celebrated because the Holy Eucharist is food for our souls which is a mystery because, as he explained, Jesus died, was buried and came back to life.
The last but not the least pillar is prayers for how can one believe without praying, he questioned. At the end of His homily he advised Christians to always pray for the Lord to strengthen their faith. During the visit, Cardinal Tumi also confirmed about 30 Christians. They were commissioned to go out and proclaim the Good News to the whole world.
The colourful Mass continued with an offertory procession with group leaders guiding their members in procession to offer gifts to the Cardinal.
The Parish Priest, Fr. Alphonse Mario Chukwunenye, MSP, and his assistant, Fr. Innocent Kingsley Odiake, MSP, thanked God for sparing their lives when thieves broke into their apartment and made away with money and valuables.
The Mass ended with a thanksgiving speech from the Economic Affairs Chairman who spoke on parishioners' behalf. Snapshots and the inauguration of a magnificent hall named after Cardinal Tumi brought the Pastoral visit to an end.
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Bamenda Archdiocese Records Vocation Boom
ByJude Abanseka
Concelebrating Bishops lay hands on candidates for ordination
The Auxiliary Bishop of Bamenda, Mgr. Agapitus Nfon has said for the first time in 36 years, the Archdiocese of Bamenda has recorded a vocation boom. He made the revelation on Wednesday, April 4, 2013, while preaching at the ordination Mass of nine new priests at St. Joseph Metropolitan Cathedral, Mankon.
The ordination candidates were Reverends Francis Tche, Boris Sife, Elijah Fru, Ernest Njodzeven, Emmanuel Ngu, Frankline Neguim, Stanley Njobarah, Valentine Kikpu, and Alain Boudoun for Douala Archdiocese. The Auxiliary Bishop of Bamenda noted that the only time Bamenda Archdiocese ordained more than four priests in a single occasion was 36 years ago when the last batch of six priests trained in Nigeria were ordained in 1977.He said two years later, four priests were ordained among the first batch of priests trained at the Bambui Major Seminary in 1979. Mgr. Agapitus said more than four priests were also ordained for Bamenda Archdiocese in 1995 when five young men were ordained in the metropolitan Cathedral. Since then, but on two occasions in 1995 and 2012, Bamenda Archdiocese has rarely ordained up to four priests.
The Auxiliary Bishop added that every member of God's family receives his/her grace and function from God and must put it to good use for the growth of the body of Christ which is the Church. He said those to be ordained were soon to receive more to add to other personal gifts to be used for service.
Newly ordained priests bless concelebrating Bishops
He cautioned that this should not make them develop swell heads, but instead to embrace a life of service in humility. "The priesthood is a gift from God which should be received with fear and trembling considering the responsibilities attached to the gift. The people of God are masters and priests are their servants," he told them.
He noted that Christ's lay faithful will always take care of a priest who does his work well and he will never lack. He challenged them when he said, "If you are a priest and you cannot give a personal testimony to this, then check yourself." He later defined the Catholic priesthood by quoting late Archbishop Paul Verdzekov, who once said, "The Catholic priesthood cannot and should never be considered by anyone as a means of self fulfillment, as a ladder for upward social mobility, as a means of social promotion, as a position which entitles someone to social prestige, or as a means of social promotion for the priest's parents and relatives, his village of origin or the ethnic group from which he comes. It will be an unacceptable distortion of the Catholic priesthood to consider it as a means to achieve one's pleasure, ambition or self fulfillment. Such an attitude erodes, undermines and even destroys the credibility of a Catholic priest."
Mgr. Agapitus stressed that to lead the people of God and serve them faithfully, priests have to constantly, frequently and regularly draw strength and inspiration from Christ who calls and sends them through fervent prayer. He added that once they start neglecting their prayer life, their service and leadership of God's people will begin to wane.
He then called on the laity to love, pray and support their priests in every way possible. He exhorted priests to be disciplined and to acquire the true gospel meaning of authority not to fall into the temptation of behaving like dictators who listen to no one and crush everyone. He stressed that priestly authority is essentially one of service which develops in the humble heart and knows how to listen, respect and encourage others.
He concluded by drawing their attention to the fact that without prayer, "The three things that destroy the beautiful life of a priest are the excessive pursuit for money and easy life, the thirst for power and the pursuit of the companionship of women and girls." He pointed out that an ordination is not a vaccine against idolatry, money, power and women.
The Archbishop of Bamenda, His Grace Cornelius Fontem Esua, was the ordination Mass' main celebrant that lasted more than three hours. Douala Emeritus Archbishop His Eminence Christian Cardinal Tumi and the Auxiliary Bishop of Bamenda, Mgr. Agapitus Nfon, and close to 100 priests from Douala, Buea, Bamenda and Kumbo, were concelebrants.
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"The Catholic Church in Bamenda Archdiocese is not expelling Bororos from any land," Archbishop Cornelius Esua
Interviewed by Jude Abanseka and Ireneaus Chongwain Chia
The assumption that I am trying to expel Bororos from a piece of land at Wumse-Ndzah is certainly wrong because, in the first place, the situation is not the Catholic Church against Bororo people. We are not expelling them in any case. The Catholic University project started in 2006 and by 2007 we were already scouting for land. By 2010 we had already decided about getting a piece of land through the government.
The piece of land in question was a grazing land which belongs to the government. When we saw and got interested in it, we were made to understand that it was a free piece of land. There was nobody as such on that land. You know what grazing land looks like; no body really settles on it. There were only a few huts here and there for those looking after cattle.
The Bororos claim they have been using the disputed piece of land since 1904 and say through her influence the Catholic Church only recently acquired the land. Can you tell us how the Catholic Church acquired the disputed land? In other words, did the Church acquire the land legally or followed the required procedure for obtaining land?
When we became interested in the land, I first made the request to the Fon of Ndzah and he did not object. From that moment we started the official procedure to acquire the land, first through the traditional authorities, and second through the government. With the traditional authorities we had to ascertain that the piece of land was free and we found that it was. The traditional authorities knew that although it was being used as a grazing land it would one day be part of the urban area as it was very close to the village settlement. They joyfully welcomed the university project as it was going to bring development to the village. We completed everything without any objection. After that we went to the second step with the government. We contacted the Divisional Officer of Bamenda III and the Senior Divisional Officer of Mezam under whose jurisdiction the piece of land falls. We told him what we had done with the traditional rulers and that we wanted to use the land for a public utility, that is, to build the Catholic University. In fact, he told us that we should have met him first and that we did not have to go to the traditional leaders because it is government land. He explained that we did not have to negotiate with the traditional authorities because we were going to use the land for a public utility. He therefore asked us to write officially requesting the land which we did.
A Land Consultative Board was set up chaired by the D.O. of Bamenda III. The piece of land was demarcated. The documents were forwarded to Yaoundé to the Honourable Minister of State Property and Land Tenure and they have been approved by Arrete No 000947/K.6.1/MINDAF/D1/D13 of 2nd of September 2011. We have already paid the land revenue tax. The last step was compensation for the crops and property that were there. There were a few trees there and those looking after cattle had a few settlements as is the case in all grazing land.
The government through the Ministry of Agriculture met the grazers and evaluated what was there. In fact, I have pictures of what was there. Those who have been to that piece of land also know what was there. There were just a few Bororo families living there. If we include the grazers' wives and children, it may come up to about 30 people. In fact, only 15 people had to be compensated. When I saw this newspaper article you mentioned claiming that there are up to 300 Bororo people settled there, like everyone I was amazed, the SDO himself was amazed.
It is also being reported that the Catholic Church has paid compensation to Bororos and that if the total amount is divided each person will only receive a ridiculous amount of about FCFA 78.000. How much did the Church pay as compensation?
Compensation was only paid to people who had something there. We were not paying compensation per person. For instance, somebody said he had 10 Eucalyptus trees and was given an equivalent amount. The SDO advised us not to pay the compensation privately but to do everything officially and that is what we did. This was on September 24, 2012 and the CRTV team was present. Someone who was no. 14 on the list and who claimed to be the Ardo of the Bororos did not appear to receive his own compensation. I think that is where the whole problem has emanated. I do not know whether he is settled there or somewhere nearby. He does not have a farm on the land. Although he earlier co-signed documents welcoming the Catholic University project he later wrote letters, copies of which I have, saying how his father had settled on that piece of land for 100 years and so on. Well, people who know movement patterns could better analyse that. This notwithstanding, his two brothers on the list have received their own compensation.
However, the most disturbing thing is the way the issue has been presented with the intention of sparking animosity against the Catholic Church and making it look like a problem between the Catholic Church and the Moslems. The author of the article even goes as far as talking about Boko Haram. They have issued threats that nothing will take place on that piece of land. Such threats should not be taken lightly. These are threats with legal implications. I can drag them to court for inciting people against me and the Catholic Church and for terrorism. In their article they go as far as accusing government authorities and saying that I have bribed them. You can verify those claims. We sent our file for the land to Yaoundé and the authorities know the land is being used to build a public utility. It is the government that gives out land for such a purpose. We cannot buy that much land ourselves. We did not have money to buy more than 30 hectares. The most we could do was to give a little compensation to people who were there as the government recommended. Besides, we paid per square metre in line with government's regulation. Anybody who acquires land for a public utility pays a certain amount per square metre as the land revenue tax. We have paid the said amount into the government coffers. I was very embarrassed with the report that we are expelling the Bororos and that we have a battle with the Moslems.
We have been made to understand that the said piece of land was also a subject of dispute between Ndzah and Bambilli and, throughout, the Bororos have never come into the picture. The Fon of Ndzah recounted to us the tribal boundary dispute they had with Bambilli over that land. Finally the court gave the disputed land to Ndzah and they had to pay a certain amount to the government following the case. So Ndzah people said if we wanted the land we should refund the money they paid to the court and we did.
The amount paid as compensation was therefore not ridiculous and the newspaper report that 300 people are concerned is false. On the list the Ministry of Agriculture and Urban Affairs presented to me there were only 15 people. We were not just sharing out money, but paying for property lost.
A human rights organisation, the Cameroon network of Human Rights Organisations, has expressed fear that if the misunderstanding is not tactically resolved, it could degenerate into an inter-religious conflict. Is this claim founded?
The claim is not founded. First, the said human right organisation presumes that we are acting against the principles of human rights which is not true. That is absolutely false because we have not exploited anybody in the case in question. We have not taken a move to anybody's disadvantage or that violates human dignity. We followed the procedure for acquiring land. Even when someone gives you a piece of land for free, you still have to establish all documents before claiming ownership because all land belongs to the government. Claims of minority rights are baseless as this case could be anywhere and about anybody. As far as human rights and human dignity are concerned, the Catholic Church champions and promotes the cause of human rights and human dignity. That is the purpose of our Justice and Peace Commission.
The newspaper also reports that the Bororos have refused to be resettled in Bambili as the Bambili people are already threatening them even before they have been resettled. They say the Catholic Church is putting infrastructural development over humanitarian concerns. What can you say about this claim?
I cannot comment about that as it is the government that handles resettlement affairs. I was not consulted. However, I have been made to understand that the resettlement zone is being demarcated by the Mezam Surveys Service and some of the people are already settling there. In addition, the Fon of Ndzah has already allocated two hectares of land separately to the Mamada family.
But let us assume you were consulted, what would you have suggested?
It is not really about resettlement, but about designating a new grazing land because the people concerned were not permanently settled there. They come and go depending on how much vegetation they find for their cattle.
What role is the administration playing to resolve this problem? What measures have been taken so far?
Since that infamous article was published, the administration has also been very concerned as it was accused of siding with the Catholic Church and that it was exploiting the situation. I was away when this article was published, but I learnt about it before I returned because people sent me copies and some even called me to express their worries. When I came back the SDO invited me to his office and told me he was very embarrassed. He said he was going to invite the Ardo and myself to a meeting for clarification and for finding a peaceful settlement to the misunderstanding.
Your Grace, do you think somebody is behind this for some hidden personal reason or to spark a religious conflict?
I think so. There is someone, a certain Dr. Ndi, from Bambili, who claims to be the Ardo's protégé. I have the impression he is behind the whole thing. He is even out rightly mentioned in the article, but in subtle manner as one of the victims. I have the impression he is instigating the whole thing because he came to me claiming to be a peace emissary and that he wanted a piece of land to settle on. He claims to be the Ardo's son. He even asked me to keep the Ardo there as one of my workers and several other things. In the meantime, after the compensation, he has built a hut on the plot either with the intention of asking for compensation or of not moving from the plot. These all indicate he is behind the whole affair of not only inciting animosity and hatred against the Catholic Church but also of promoting lawlessness and terrorism insinuated in the article.
If the Bororos finally refuse to move, will the Catholic Church, for the sake of peace, look for a different piece of land on which to build her university?
Certainly and only if the government which gave us the land and through whom we have satisfied all the conditions, decides it no longer wants to give us that particular piece of land. It could give another piece of land considering that I have satisfied all the conditions. We will go wherever the government indicates that will serve our purpose.
In other words, you are not clinging to this land?
No, I am not. If the Fon of Ndzah had objected when we first met him about the land, we would have gone elsewhere. By the way, that was not even the first piece of land we wanted, but for other reasons we finally settled on the land at Ndzah. If the government decides that we should move out and pays back all that we have spent, we cannot continue hanging on to it. Maybe the government can transfer the expenditure to the new piece of land it will allocate to us, not necessarily paying back the money. As long as things are resolved justly and amicably, I have no problem moving from there.
How has this land dispute affected Catholic-Moslem relationships in Bamenda Archdiocese?
It has not affected Catholic-Moslem relationships in any way. In fact, it is a non event. All my Moslem or Bororo friends and I are carrying on as usual. They do not even know about the newspaper article and do not see how our acquiring of that piece of land is a problem. The Bororo representative continues to be very active in the BEPHA Board of Governors meetings. Bororos are very appreciative of BEPHA and of what it is doing to meet their health needs. The article has given the wrong impression outside and I think it is criminal.
What, in your opinion, can be done to find a comprehensive solution to this problem?
As I mentioned earlier, if the government changes its mind because the disputed land is the government's; as all grazing land is government land, I will follow the government's instructions. However, the Catholic University project continues and those who want to sabotage it are wasting their time. It is a project of public utility and all Cameroonians, including Bororos, will benefit from it. We do not discriminate when admitting students. We have always served the population and will continue serving in the higher education domain.
Le Septentrion newspaper recently published an article alleging that the Archbishop of Bamenda has teamed up with the government to expel Bororos from a grazing land on which the Church is planning to build the Catholic university. L'Effort Camerounais interviewed His Grace Cornelius F. Esua, to get his own side of the story: Excerpts:
The assumption that I am trying to expel Bororos from a piece of land at Wumse-Ndzah is certainly wrong because, in the first place, the situation is not the Catholic Church against Bororo people. We are not expelling them in any case. The Catholic University project started in 2006 and by 2007 we were already scouting for land. By 2010 we had already decided about getting a piece of land through the government.
The piece of land in question was a grazing land which belongs to the government. When we saw and got interested in it, we were made to understand that it was a free piece of land. There was nobody as such on that land. You know what grazing land looks like; no body really settles on it. There were only a few huts here and there for those looking after cattle.
The Bororos claim they have been using the disputed piece of land since 1904 and say through her influence the Catholic Church only recently acquired the land. Can you tell us how the Catholic Church acquired the disputed land? In other words, did the Church acquire the land legally or followed the required procedure for obtaining land?
When we became interested in the land, I first made the request to the Fon of Ndzah and he did not object. From that moment we started the official procedure to acquire the land, first through the traditional authorities, and second through the government. With the traditional authorities we had to ascertain that the piece of land was free and we found that it was. The traditional authorities knew that although it was being used as a grazing land it would one day be part of the urban area as it was very close to the village settlement. They joyfully welcomed the university project as it was going to bring development to the village. We completed everything without any objection. After that we went to the second step with the government. We contacted the Divisional Officer of Bamenda III and the Senior Divisional Officer of Mezam under whose jurisdiction the piece of land falls. We told him what we had done with the traditional rulers and that we wanted to use the land for a public utility, that is, to build the Catholic University. In fact, he told us that we should have met him first and that we did not have to go to the traditional leaders because it is government land. He explained that we did not have to negotiate with the traditional authorities because we were going to use the land for a public utility. He therefore asked us to write officially requesting the land which we did.
A Land Consultative Board was set up chaired by the D.O. of Bamenda III. The piece of land was demarcated. The documents were forwarded to Yaoundé to the Honourable Minister of State Property and Land Tenure and they have been approved by Arrete No 000947/K.6.1/MINDAF/D1/D13 of 2nd of September 2011. We have already paid the land revenue tax. The last step was compensation for the crops and property that were there. There were a few trees there and those looking after cattle had a few settlements as is the case in all grazing land.
The government through the Ministry of Agriculture met the grazers and evaluated what was there. In fact, I have pictures of what was there. Those who have been to that piece of land also know what was there. There were just a few Bororo families living there. If we include the grazers' wives and children, it may come up to about 30 people. In fact, only 15 people had to be compensated. When I saw this newspaper article you mentioned claiming that there are up to 300 Bororo people settled there, like everyone I was amazed, the SDO himself was amazed.
It is also being reported that the Catholic Church has paid compensation to Bororos and that if the total amount is divided each person will only receive a ridiculous amount of about FCFA 78.000. How much did the Church pay as compensation?
Compensation was only paid to people who had something there. We were not paying compensation per person. For instance, somebody said he had 10 Eucalyptus trees and was given an equivalent amount. The SDO advised us not to pay the compensation privately but to do everything officially and that is what we did. This was on September 24, 2012 and the CRTV team was present. Someone who was no. 14 on the list and who claimed to be the Ardo of the Bororos did not appear to receive his own compensation. I think that is where the whole problem has emanated. I do not know whether he is settled there or somewhere nearby. He does not have a farm on the land. Although he earlier co-signed documents welcoming the Catholic University project he later wrote letters, copies of which I have, saying how his father had settled on that piece of land for 100 years and so on. Well, people who know movement patterns could better analyse that. This notwithstanding, his two brothers on the list have received their own compensation.
However, the most disturbing thing is the way the issue has been presented with the intention of sparking animosity against the Catholic Church and making it look like a problem between the Catholic Church and the Moslems. The author of the article even goes as far as talking about Boko Haram. They have issued threats that nothing will take place on that piece of land. Such threats should not be taken lightly. These are threats with legal implications. I can drag them to court for inciting people against me and the Catholic Church and for terrorism. In their article they go as far as accusing government authorities and saying that I have bribed them. You can verify those claims. We sent our file for the land to Yaoundé and the authorities know the land is being used to build a public utility. It is the government that gives out land for such a purpose. We cannot buy that much land ourselves. We did not have money to buy more than 30 hectares. The most we could do was to give a little compensation to people who were there as the government recommended. Besides, we paid per square metre in line with government's regulation. Anybody who acquires land for a public utility pays a certain amount per square metre as the land revenue tax. We have paid the said amount into the government coffers. I was very embarrassed with the report that we are expelling the Bororos and that we have a battle with the Moslems.
We have been made to understand that the said piece of land was also a subject of dispute between Ndzah and Bambilli and, throughout, the Bororos have never come into the picture. The Fon of Ndzah recounted to us the tribal boundary dispute they had with Bambilli over that land. Finally the court gave the disputed land to Ndzah and they had to pay a certain amount to the government following the case. So Ndzah people said if we wanted the land we should refund the money they paid to the court and we did.
The amount paid as compensation was therefore not ridiculous and the newspaper report that 300 people are concerned is false. On the list the Ministry of Agriculture and Urban Affairs presented to me there were only 15 people. We were not just sharing out money, but paying for property lost.
A human rights organisation, the Cameroon network of Human Rights Organisations, has expressed fear that if the misunderstanding is not tactically resolved, it could degenerate into an inter-religious conflict. Is this claim founded?
The claim is not founded. First, the said human right organisation presumes that we are acting against the principles of human rights which is not true. That is absolutely false because we have not exploited anybody in the case in question. We have not taken a move to anybody's disadvantage or that violates human dignity. We followed the procedure for acquiring land. Even when someone gives you a piece of land for free, you still have to establish all documents before claiming ownership because all land belongs to the government. Claims of minority rights are baseless as this case could be anywhere and about anybody. As far as human rights and human dignity are concerned, the Catholic Church champions and promotes the cause of human rights and human dignity. That is the purpose of our Justice and Peace Commission.
The newspaper also reports that the Bororos have refused to be resettled in Bambili as the Bambili people are already threatening them even before they have been resettled. They say the Catholic Church is putting infrastructural development over humanitarian concerns. What can you say about this claim?
I cannot comment about that as it is the government that handles resettlement affairs. I was not consulted. However, I have been made to understand that the resettlement zone is being demarcated by the Mezam Surveys Service and some of the people are already settling there. In addition, the Fon of Ndzah has already allocated two hectares of land separately to the Mamada family.
But let us assume you were consulted, what would you have suggested?
It is not really about resettlement, but about designating a new grazing land because the people concerned were not permanently settled there. They come and go depending on how much vegetation they find for their cattle.
What role is the administration playing to resolve this problem? What measures have been taken so far?
Since that infamous article was published, the administration has also been very concerned as it was accused of siding with the Catholic Church and that it was exploiting the situation. I was away when this article was published, but I learnt about it before I returned because people sent me copies and some even called me to express their worries. When I came back the SDO invited me to his office and told me he was very embarrassed. He said he was going to invite the Ardo and myself to a meeting for clarification and for finding a peaceful settlement to the misunderstanding.
Your Grace, do you think somebody is behind this for some hidden personal reason or to spark a religious conflict?
I think so. There is someone, a certain Dr. Ndi, from Bambili, who claims to be the Ardo's protégé. I have the impression he is behind the whole thing. He is even out rightly mentioned in the article, but in subtle manner as one of the victims. I have the impression he is instigating the whole thing because he came to me claiming to be a peace emissary and that he wanted a piece of land to settle on. He claims to be the Ardo's son. He even asked me to keep the Ardo there as one of my workers and several other things. In the meantime, after the compensation, he has built a hut on the plot either with the intention of asking for compensation or of not moving from the plot. These all indicate he is behind the whole affair of not only inciting animosity and hatred against the Catholic Church but also of promoting lawlessness and terrorism insinuated in the article.
If the Bororos finally refuse to move, will the Catholic Church, for the sake of peace, look for a different piece of land on which to build her university?
Certainly and only if the government which gave us the land and through whom we have satisfied all the conditions, decides it no longer wants to give us that particular piece of land. It could give another piece of land considering that I have satisfied all the conditions. We will go wherever the government indicates that will serve our purpose.
In other words, you are not clinging to this land?
No, I am not. If the Fon of Ndzah had objected when we first met him about the land, we would have gone elsewhere. By the way, that was not even the first piece of land we wanted, but for other reasons we finally settled on the land at Ndzah. If the government decides that we should move out and pays back all that we have spent, we cannot continue hanging on to it. Maybe the government can transfer the expenditure to the new piece of land it will allocate to us, not necessarily paying back the money. As long as things are resolved justly and amicably, I have no problem moving from there.
How has this land dispute affected Catholic-Moslem relationships in Bamenda Archdiocese?
It has not affected Catholic-Moslem relationships in any way. In fact, it is a non event. All my Moslem or Bororo friends and I are carrying on as usual. They do not even know about the newspaper article and do not see how our acquiring of that piece of land is a problem. The Bororo representative continues to be very active in the BEPHA Board of Governors meetings. Bororos are very appreciative of BEPHA and of what it is doing to meet their health needs. The article has given the wrong impression outside and I think it is criminal.
What, in your opinion, can be done to find a comprehensive solution to this problem?
As I mentioned earlier, if the government changes its mind because the disputed land is the government's; as all grazing land is government land, I will follow the government's instructions. However, the Catholic University project continues and those who want to sabotage it are wasting their time. It is a project of public utility and all Cameroonians, including Bororos, will benefit from it. We do not discriminate when admitting students. We have always served the population and will continue serving in the higher education domain.
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"We shall continue building the Church and working together” NECC Vice President, Mgr. George Nkuo
Interviewed by Gildas Mouthé
The Bishops of Cameroon recently elected the Bishop of Kumbo Mgr. George Nkuo as the Vice President of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon, NECC. We caught up with Mgr. Nkuo in Yaoundé after he was elected to comment on his new responsibility and a lot more: Excerpts:
I was surprised with the responsibility that my fellow Bishops have given me. However, I accept the responsibility given that it is a service that I will be rendering to the Church that is in Cameroon.
We shall continue building the Church and working together. It is very important given that we are in the Year of Faith which we have conferred on the Risen Christ.
You are the Bishop of Kumbo. Can you present your diocese to those who do not know it?
Kumbo Diocese is in the extreme north of the North West Region. It was created in 1982 and is very rich in faith. We have just celebrated 100 years of the arrival of the first missionaries to Kumbo.
The faith is well implanted and strong in Kumbo and we are making an effort to live this faith in a concrete manner.
What are some of the problems Kumbo Diocese is facing?
Faith is not an achievement and so it has to be reinforced daily. Besides, we are facing problems with our educational system, precisely with our schools.
We need qualified teachers despite our limited financial means. However, despite our limited financial means, we are there first to preach the gospel and Kumbo is very receptive to the gospel.
The Bishops of Cameroon recently published a pastoral letter against homosexuality. However, a few days ago, the United States Ambassador to Cameroon asked the Cameroon government to depenalise homosexuality in Cameroon. What is your reaction to the U.S Ambassador’s call?
It is in such trying moments that the Church has to be strong, that she has to mobilise her faithful and tell them not to listen to this misinformation and not to follow these God-hostile countries.
We do not want a society without the living presence of Christ. I seize this opportunity to invite all our Christians to stand up like one person and fight against this way of doing things.
We are a sovereign nation and we can resist external pressure. I invite our Christians to profess their faith, especially those in government and the National Assembly. They should not accept this practice. We cannot accept this scheme against life and the family- not at all!
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"One of my priorities is harmonising the relations between the Church and the State” new NECC President, Mgr. Samuel Kleda
During their 38th Plenary Assembly, the Bishops of Cameroon elected the Metropolitan Archbishop of Douala, Mgr. Samuel Kleda as the New NECC President. The structure is not new to Mgr. Kléda as he has always been its Permanent Council member since becoming bishop and was once the NECC Vice President. Shortly after he was elected, Mgr. Kleda gave his impressions to L'Effort Camerounais: Excerpts:Mgr., you have just been elected President of the National Episcopal Conference, NECC, how did you receive news of this new responsibility?
I consider my election to this position as a service that my brother bishops have conferred on me. That is, to coordinate the services of the National Episcopal Conference, to be its spokes person, to ensure its unity, and to put in place all that is needed to preach the gospel in Cameroon. There is also the need to ensure the unity of all the institutions in Cameroon. Our duty as bishops is to be servants of the Word of God. My fellow bishops have also conferred on me the task of ensuring that we all work together.
When you came to Yaoundé for this meeting, did you have an idea that you were soon going to become the next NECC President?
There is no candidate or campaign during our election, just like during a pope's election. I did not speak to anyone before the election. Therefore before the election, everyone is a candidate. The bishops alone decide who they want to choose to become the President of the National Episcopal Conference.
You are coming back to a structure you were once its Vice President. Can we conclude you are treading on known territory?
That is right! Since I was consecrated Bishop of Batouri, I have always been in the National Episcopal Conference and it was only in 2010 that I withdrew. Therefore, since I was consecrated I have always been a member of the permanent council. It is a working group that meets regularly and that takes positions on the Bishops' behalf. So I know the National Episcopal Conference very well.
Have you already come up with your action plan?
I do not have the habit of sitting down and writing out an action plan. It is only when I effectively take charge that I carry out an inventory of problems that we have to solve. For example, the construction of the Episcopal Complex that has to be completed.
The second deals with harmonising the relations between the Church and the State. I personally think it is important that we all speak the language of truth since we are all working for the population's wellbeing.
We are all at the service of our brothers, and I also think they are at the nation's service. As the gospel says, this responsibility has to be considered essentially as a service. Therefore, we are all rendering services and have to work together to determine how we are going to build our country together.
Mgr., the Bishops of Cameroon recently published a Pastoral Letter against homosexuality. In a communiqué a few weeks later, the United States Ambassador to Cameroon called on the Cameroon government to depenalise homosexuality. Is it not to be feared that our leaders will finally give in to the pressure these western countries are exerting?
First, homosexuality is not part of our culture. For example, go to any village in Cameroon and tell villagers that henceforth a man should marry another man, or that a woman should be engaged to another woman, you are going to be considered a mad person. People will conclude that you are not normal as this is not part of our culture. And if really our legislators or parliamentarians are acting in the name of their culture and in line with their faith, they cannot scrap the provision that punishes homosexuality from our penal code. This provision translates our profound conviction, that is, our culture.
Therefore, there is absolutely no question that people should impose on us from outside how we should live. In Africa marriage is sacred. A parent cannot accept that his son should marry another man. It is not normal; it is beastly. Therefore, I have confidence in our lawmakers. They will never accept such a practice.
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Cameroon's National Episcopal Conference Now Has New President and Vice
The Metropolitan Archbishop of Douala, Mgr. Samuel Kleda has been elected President of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon, NECC, during the Bishops' 38th Plenary Assembly which held in Yaoundé from April 07-13, 2013. The Bishop of Kumbo, Mgr. George Nkuo was also elected NECC Vice President. The new NECC President explains how he was elected and outlines some of his priorities during his mandate, while the Vice President goes beyond his election and throws more light on his diocese.
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38th Plenary Session of the Bishops of Cameroon: Final Communiqué
The National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon, NECC, held its 38th Plenary Assembly, from April 07-13 in Yaoundé under the theme- Year of Faith, decreed by Pope Benedict XVI. Douala Emeritus Archbishop Christian Cardinal Tumi, Archbishops and Bishops of Cameroon, Priests, Religious and the Laity, took part in the session. Under the chairmanship of His Excellency Mgr. Joseph Atanga, acting President of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon, NECC, work started on Monday April 8 in commissions and with the reading of reports to the Permanent Council.
The solemn opening of the Plenary Assembly took place on Wednesday, April 10, 2013 at 10pm at John XXIII Centre Mvolyé, in the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio to Cameroon, His Excellency Mgr. Piero Pioppo. Two speeches were made during the opening ceremony.
The Nuncio recalled the two major reasons that motivated Pope Benedict XVI to decree the Year of Faith. In a well supported homage, he also retraced the remarkable work that the Supreme Pontiff had accomplished while serving the Universal Church not forgetting the paternal attention accorded to the local Church which he visited in 2009. Finally, he welcomed the event of grace that the Universal Church had witnessed with the election of Pope Francis.
While solemnly opening the working session, H. E Mgr. Joseph Atanga, on the Bishops' and the people of God in Cameroon's behalf, congratulated the newly elected Pope, Francis. He also assured him of the communion and collegiality of the Episcopate in Cameroon.
The day was marked by a Pontifical Mass at the Mary Queen of the Apostles Minor Basilica to thank God for the election of Pope Francis. It was presided at by the Apostolic Nuncio, assisted by the Bishops and several priests.
The Head of State was personally represented by the Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic, His Excellency Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh. Members of government and members of the diplomatic corps accredited to Yaoundé and many lay faithful, also took part in the session.
On the theme proper, participants listened to three exposés given in two themes:
-Motu Prioprio "Porta Fidei" of Benedict XVI: stakes and implications for the Catholic Church in Cameroon, by Fr. Antoine Babe.
-"Pastoral Year of Faith ": point of incomprehension in the Church in Cameroon by Frs. Joseph Awo and Jean Bertrand Salla.
Taking note of ongoing developments, the Bishops reiterated their call for the respect of life and the physical integrity of the human person, and firmly condemned the crimes that have cast a spell of gloom on several families in Cameroon recently.
In communion with the Holy Father, the Bishops of Cameroon call on the Faithful to intensify their prayers for the liberation of hostages around the world, in particular the French Family Tangui Moulin, kidnapped in northern Cameroon.
The Bishops invite all Catholics and all the baptised to be more engaged in living their baptismal vows, to be daily witnesses of the works of faith and the love of God who saves and is merciful to all.
At the end of their meeting, the Bishops decided to:
-Celebrate the Year of Faith in Buea from October 03-05, 2013,
-To reinforce the Prison Apostolate in the dioceses,
-NECC President: His Excellency Mgr. Samuel Kléda,
-Vice President: His Excellency Mgr. George Nkuo
-Permanent Council members
Douala Ecclesiastical Province: His Excellency Mgr. Dieudonné Espoir Atangana
Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province: His Excellency Agapitus Nfon
Garoua Ecclesiastical Province: His Excellency Mgr. Barthélémy Yaouda Ourgo
Yaoundé Ecclesiastical Province: His Excellency Mgr. Jean Mbarga
Bertoua Ecclesiastical Province: His Excellency Mgr. Joseph Atanga
Done in Yaoundé on April 12, 2013
Secretary General of the National Episcopal Conference
Mgr. Sebastien Mongo Behon
(Translation Central News Desk)
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L'Effort Camerounais No. 552, From April 17 To May 01, 2013
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LAMP FOR MY STEPS: The solidarity of the early christen community, A message of great urgency for all Christians
By Rev. Fr. Giles N. Forteh
These followers were particularly mindful of the teaching of our Lord: "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it for me" (Mt 25:40). Two distinct Christian qualities can be predicated of this community. First, they had an intense sense of responsibility for each other. It seemed unimaginable that anyone of them could have too much while another had too little. Second, they were on fire with the desire to share all they had.
This sharing was not the result of any form of legislation or force; it was very spontaneous, "urged by the love of Christ" ( 2 Cor. 5:14). It came directly from a heart shaped by the Word of God and docile to the action of divine grace. Indeed, as the Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity Apostolicam Actuositatem puts its:
Only the light of faith and meditation on the Word of God can enable us to find everywhere and always the God in 'whom we live and exist' (Acts 17:28); only thus can we seek his will in everything, see Christ in all men, acquaintance or stranger, make sound judgments on the true meaning and value of temporal realities both in themselves and in relation to man's end (n. 4).
It was the witness of community charity described above that made it truly Christian. The pervading sense of responsibility for each other and the desire to share, important evangelical values, formed the foundation of the community. They were practicing the principle of the universal destination of goods and the preferential option for the poor.
Cameroon is a very rich country; but its wealth is in the hands of a few who form an island in a sea of poverty. Gross social injustice is done in the distribution of the resources and much still needs to be done so that the country’s ever-expanding budget addresses the plight of the poor directly. Many Christians are part of the forces and structures that work to undermine justice and continuously rob the masses of their daily bread so that the affluent can have more butter and wine.
Recently, a friend recounted a revealing and indicting experience. At the end of a seminar he decided to give a visiting friend a special treat. They chose to go to one of the great restaurants in Yaounde where they spent FCFA 30,000. On their way out of the restaurant, a group of photographers approached them, each one begging to take a photograph at FCFA 500. When my friend refused to give them this opportunity, one of them made the following ominous statements:
You have just gone in there and spent a lot of money. You have eaten sumptuous food and drunk special wine. It is our money that you have spent. We, the poor, your policies rob us to enrich you. I am here hungry and in the sun and the rain. You have all the allowances. You buy luxurious cars and when you see us on the roadide, you take us for the dreg and scum of the earth. I have not asked you to give me money for free. I wanted to take a photograph and so make FCFA 500 for my daily bread. If the resources of this country were distributed according to the principles of justice and equity, my brothers, I should have something to eat.
This "sermon" reached my friend's heart. Upon deeper reflection he perceived the truth of the pauper's lamentation. Over and above his fat salary, he has many allowances. Put together, his allowances can employ more than twenty Cameroonians. He felt very guilty and decided that every month, he would reach out to the jobless and the hungry. In her teaching the Church constantly returns to the relationship between charity and justice: "when we attend to the needs of those in want, we give them what is theirs, not ours. More than performing works of mercy, we are paying a debt of justice" (St. Gregory the Great, Regula Pastoralis, 3, 21: PL 77, 87)
In his Apostolic Letter, Porta Fidei, instituting the Year of Faith, Pope Benedict XVI presents this period of grace as a "good opportunity to intensify the witness of charity." "As St. Paul reminds us: "So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love' (I Cor 13:13). With even stronger words - which have always placed Christians under obligation - St. James said: 'What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him? If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled', without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. But some will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith' (James 2:14-18)" (n.14)
Our Christian vocation requires that we become aware of the structures of sin around us and within us, and of our responsibility to remove them.
Christians who are part of governance must allow the sense of responsibility, equity and justice and the desire to share to inform their work. But we cannot accept that salt should become tasteless or the light be kept hidden (cf. Mt 5:13-16). Someone is hungry and you have to give him food. Our commitment to Christ finds expression in our coming to the aid of the poor and the needy.
"The whole group of believers was united, heart and soul …None of their members was ever in want" (Acts: 32-34). St. Luke presents a vivid description of the deep communion and sense of solidarity of the early Christians.
These followers were particularly mindful of the teaching of our Lord: "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it for me" (Mt 25:40). Two distinct Christian qualities can be predicated of this community. First, they had an intense sense of responsibility for each other. It seemed unimaginable that anyone of them could have too much while another had too little. Second, they were on fire with the desire to share all they had.
This sharing was not the result of any form of legislation or force; it was very spontaneous, "urged by the love of Christ" ( 2 Cor. 5:14). It came directly from a heart shaped by the Word of God and docile to the action of divine grace. Indeed, as the Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity Apostolicam Actuositatem puts its:
Only the light of faith and meditation on the Word of God can enable us to find everywhere and always the God in 'whom we live and exist' (Acts 17:28); only thus can we seek his will in everything, see Christ in all men, acquaintance or stranger, make sound judgments on the true meaning and value of temporal realities both in themselves and in relation to man's end (n. 4).
It was the witness of community charity described above that made it truly Christian. The pervading sense of responsibility for each other and the desire to share, important evangelical values, formed the foundation of the community. They were practicing the principle of the universal destination of goods and the preferential option for the poor.
Cameroon is a very rich country; but its wealth is in the hands of a few who form an island in a sea of poverty. Gross social injustice is done in the distribution of the resources and much still needs to be done so that the country’s ever-expanding budget addresses the plight of the poor directly. Many Christians are part of the forces and structures that work to undermine justice and continuously rob the masses of their daily bread so that the affluent can have more butter and wine.
Recently, a friend recounted a revealing and indicting experience. At the end of a seminar he decided to give a visiting friend a special treat. They chose to go to one of the great restaurants in Yaounde where they spent FCFA 30,000. On their way out of the restaurant, a group of photographers approached them, each one begging to take a photograph at FCFA 500. When my friend refused to give them this opportunity, one of them made the following ominous statements:
You have just gone in there and spent a lot of money. You have eaten sumptuous food and drunk special wine. It is our money that you have spent. We, the poor, your policies rob us to enrich you. I am here hungry and in the sun and the rain. You have all the allowances. You buy luxurious cars and when you see us on the roadide, you take us for the dreg and scum of the earth. I have not asked you to give me money for free. I wanted to take a photograph and so make FCFA 500 for my daily bread. If the resources of this country were distributed according to the principles of justice and equity, my brothers, I should have something to eat.
This "sermon" reached my friend's heart. Upon deeper reflection he perceived the truth of the pauper's lamentation. Over and above his fat salary, he has many allowances. Put together, his allowances can employ more than twenty Cameroonians. He felt very guilty and decided that every month, he would reach out to the jobless and the hungry. In her teaching the Church constantly returns to the relationship between charity and justice: "when we attend to the needs of those in want, we give them what is theirs, not ours. More than performing works of mercy, we are paying a debt of justice" (St. Gregory the Great, Regula Pastoralis, 3, 21: PL 77, 87)
In his Apostolic Letter, Porta Fidei, instituting the Year of Faith, Pope Benedict XVI presents this period of grace as a "good opportunity to intensify the witness of charity." "As St. Paul reminds us: "So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love' (I Cor 13:13). With even stronger words - which have always placed Christians under obligation - St. James said: 'What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him? If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled', without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. But some will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith' (James 2:14-18)" (n.14)
Our Christian vocation requires that we become aware of the structures of sin around us and within us, and of our responsibility to remove them.
Christians who are part of governance must allow the sense of responsibility, equity and justice and the desire to share to inform their work. But we cannot accept that salt should become tasteless or the light be kept hidden (cf. Mt 5:13-16). Someone is hungry and you have to give him food. Our commitment to Christ finds expression in our coming to the aid of the poor and the needy.
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Accept God's Healing Power
By Fr. Anthony Ndang Ndichia, mhm, Our Lady of Assumption Parish, Sasolburg, Kroonstad Diocese, South Africa
Jesus identies himself with the poor
It is said, "If you see something good you must narrate. That which is good is never finished". Yes, that which Jesus did is never finished. Jesus identifies himself with sinners, tax collectors, beggars, prostitutes.
Eating a meal with them was an intimate form of association and friendship. By accepting them as friends and equals, Jesus had taken away their shame, humiliation and guilt. He made them feel safe and secure. Their dignity was restored. It was a form of forgiveness. The effect was joy, love and celebration. Take for example Peter's third denial of Jesus (Mark 14:71). When we sin, is it not because of a lapse of faith, or because our faith is weak? Just as Jesus restores Peter because of his lapsed faith, Jesus forgives and restore us too when we repent.Jesus constantly encouraged people to forgive one another, as we pray in the Our Father "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us (Mt 7:12). Jesus invites us not to limit our forgiveness; to forgive not seven times but seventy times seven Mt 18:21). On the cross, Jesus gives the supreme lesson of forgiveness when he prays, Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing (Lk. 23:34).
Jesus gave power to his disciples to forgive, the power to bind and loose. One beautiful image of how Jesus extends his unconditional love and forgiveness is to the woman caught in adultery. In a soft voice Jesus says: "Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more".
Jesus helps this woman to forge ahead beyond her bad action, to forget the past, to look to the future. In other words, Jesus says "you are a new person", you are forgiven, and you are born again. The negative past is crushed. A new beginning and a new life is given to her. Her feelings of hatred, guilt and shame are transformed into feelings of love, forgiveness and celebration.
She moves from exclusion to inclusion, from guilt to forgiveness, from rejection to acceptance, from an outsider to insider. People might abandon us but God never abandons us. God is always with us. God does not punish or condemn. He wants to spare us. He loves us and treats us with tenderness. His forgiveness knows no limit, no time, no distance.
No obstacle or barrier can prevent Him from loving us except our own refusal. The refusal is the work of sin in us. Sin makes poor what was rich in us, makes ugly what was beautiful in us. It makes weak what was strong in us. The good thing with God is that He looks at our past to forgive, if we are truly sorry for what we have done. God directs our hearts, eyes to the future, if we allow God to take control we will feel anew.
God does not want to see us drag our past mistakes, faults and failures like a heavy load. God is not happy to see us with sad faces and heavy hearts. There is no need to either question God's generosity or forgiveness. The question is not whether God forgives, but whether we do forgive. God is an expert forgiver who has been practicing the art since the beginning of time. Jesus' concern is to involve us in the same work and art, in the commitment to forgive those who sin against us. This is one of the new deeds that God is doing in the person and ministry of Jesus.
Reconciliation which is truth, justice, peace, mercy and forgiveness, has proven to be a uniting factor of people irrespective of race, tribe, status, sex, culture. It is the point when we come face to face with God in honesty and truth. We acknowledge our brokenness, inadequacies and woundedness. It is a time when Jesus wants to heal us, not only of our ills and pains.
He wants to cure the greatest disease that attacks our life of friendship with God. He wants to heal us from our sins "Happy the one, whose offence is forgiven whose sin is remitted like debt that is forgotten (Ps 31). Jesus asks only one thing of us; that we recognise before Him that we have sinned and that we need forgiveness and we shall join the Psalmist in saying. "Now I have acknowledged my sins, my guilt I did not hide and you Lord have forgiven the guilt of my sin"
Healing is the consequence of forgiveness. What is it that we need to be healed of? What is our own paralysis? What is our leprosy? What is it that is withered in us? Tempus fugit! Time flies! Is the door of our heart shut or open to the Lord? Life has become too short nowadays. We need to get on with our work: the art of forgiving and healing others.
We must seize the day. We shall pass through this world but once. Therefore, any good that we can do to any human being, let us do it now. Let us not neglect it for we shall not pass this way again. Let us walk in the light and peace of the Lord. As you pray daily ask yourself: What is it that alienates me from God and keeps me from allowing myself to be embraced by God's love?
How am I unfaithful to my own deepest self? How do I find myself out of harmony with friends, associates and community? How have my actions or omissions, words or silence been a source of hurt or diminishment to others? Sometimes when we are walking forward, our heads are looking backward and what happens is that we fall: we sin. Let us rise up and embrace God's healing power.
By Fr. Anthony Ndang Ndichia, mhm, Our Lady of Assumption Parish, Sasolburg, Kroonstad Diocese, South Africa
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Delivered from the Kingdom of Darkness
By Fr. Moses Tazoh
In her second year in Government Grammar School Molyko, Buea, Hortense Manthou dropped out. She could not meet her school needs. She would rather get into the world and fend for herself, she thought. With odd jobs she would support herself and her parents and six junior siblings. Her father was a poor farmer and her mother was epileptic and housebound.
Barely a few days the friends came with a request. There was an upcoming birthday party where Hortense would be an august visitor, they suggested. She agreed without a second thought. She dressed in what she could afford and they insisted she had to be in the attire she got as a priceless gift. She obeyed. Onlookers were mesmerized that the four were on top form and in the same apparel.
The party started in earnest. There was much to eat and drink. Soon they took to the floor to display their dancing styles. Still in her innocence she believed it was just merrymaking. The celebration ended and they went home, sky-high.
Just as she was recuperating in her sleep, the bomb dropped. At exactly 12 am a voice came. It was persistent. She got on her feet. As soon as she put on the lights her three friends were right in her room. How have they found their way in? Had she forgotten to bolt her door? Still trying to come to terms with the mystery, they simply told her there was no time left. It was time to go out. Still in her stupor, the three held her hand and led her out through the wall.
Suddenly they found themselves in a very beautiful house in the water with men, women and children as occupants and some in chains. "This is your new house", she was given a tall order. Then she recalled very vividly: "I saw a woman sitting on a high chair, with a crown on her head. I was told she was the queen." Back home, Hortense had peculiar dreams every 12am. Now, she would swim. Then, she would eat pork and drink wine. Her friends respected their regular visits to her.
The moment had come to let the cat out of the bag. They placed a mirror in front of her. The sufferings of her family were X-rayed. It instilled in her self-pity and self-condemnation. They had a solution to her plight, they consoled her. She was promised an offer of FCFA 1.500.000 if she would kill her parent. It was beginning to dawn on her that she had been initiated into a secret cult. This was unbearable and unfortunate. She would not succumb to this secret deal. Would it make sense if she had the money and no parents to take care of, she recollected. Angered by her stubbornness, the friends decided to do it themselves. At midnight they came to poison her mother, but her bed was surrounded by fire.
Back in the kingdom she was ordered to kill an innocent child. She protested. She had no powers to do it, she confessed. They gave her something to eat. Her eyes were spiritually opened. Though empowered she still refused. Her punishment was to be in chain and without food. By now she could disappear and attend meetings between 12am and 3.30am.
Since she proved to be goodhearted, she was assigned to work in the hospital. With the cooperation of a nurse, also a member of the kingdom, they would cause atrocities like miscarriages, women dying at childbirth, barrenness and children born with disabilities. They make men impotent or cripple businessmen when they have sex with them. "At times I avoided the casualty by cautioning the people concerned. Once I could not help killing a boy, without which we would have had nothing to eat at home as they were bent on destroying our little farm."
"Fed up, I began to seek help to get out. A few attempts were made to deliver me in the Presbyterian Church where I belonged but to no avail. I confided in a Catholic neighbour, Relindis, who took me to the priest in charge of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. I began to frequent their fellowship. One day I was slain by the Spirit. My friends were outside trying to rescue me but they could not stand the heating force of the prayers. They disappeared into thin air."
In the kingdom a fierce battle started on both physical and spiritual fronts. She was falsely accused of having stolen money. For three weeks she was in prison without bail because her friends blocked all possibilities by bribe and influence on the police, court officials and the student whose money she was accused of stealing. Her friends brought her some food but it was to make her comply with their wishes. She could not bear shedding more blood. The pains of the prison were a lesser evil, she mused. She finally came to her senses. "For three days I prayed and fasted, asking God to vindicate me. I went to court for the final judgment. The judge was about to pronounce his judgment. The forces of darkness invaded the courtroom. The picture of Silas and Paul in captivity flashed in my mind as I began to praise and worship God to champion my cause. As I prayed I saw the magistrate surrounded by such fire that they could not get to his presence. The verdict was in my favour. I was discharged and acquitted. Praise the Lord. Alleluia"
"On my release I sent word to my spiritual father. He invited me to the next fellowship session. As praise and worship started I felt fire all around me and I found myself spiritually in the kingdom of darkness. I was chained and put in a bottle like a small rat. As prayers intensified I saw a man in a white garment and a sword in his hand. As he lifted the sword the chains fell apart and the bottle shattered. At that moment I was free. Amen"
"For some time I never saw my friends again. Thinking it was all over, I relaxed. There, they came again. But I was armed with the weapon they fear most, the rosary. With steadfast prayers they never treaded on the holy ground. By the grace of God I had regained my freedom as a child of God. After instructions I was received into the Catholic Faith. I have been able to learn a trade in design and house decoration. I am grateful to the members of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal with whom I continue to journey together, especially in the praying ministry, to restore the wounded world to its Creator."
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Kumbo CWA protest against anti-life practices
By Emmanuel Verdzeka
The women brandished placards carrying messages that condemn practices and ills like gay unions, incest, pedophilia, abuse of minors, use of contraceptives, and abortion, which the Bishops of Cameroon denounced early this year in Sangmelima.
One of the messages described homosexuality as "a disposition that seriously harms humanity" and gay unions as "distortions to the meaning of marriage".
Other placards also carried messages promoting the respect of life. A woman carrying a placard, which read, "Yes to pro life" told L'Effort Camerounais she was fighting for her children. She condemned anti life acts and those who perpetrate them.
At the Bui Senior Divisional Office, SDO's office Kumbo, CWA Diocesan vice president Christencia Banadzem, who introduced the motive for their protest march, said they are following the Bishops of Cameroon's decision denouncing all anti life tendencies.
She said the situation is getting worse, justifying why they had to come out to protest. She noted that gay couples cannot bear children. She therefore called on the SDO to intervene at his level by drawing government's attention to their grievances.
Bui SDO Theophile Nzeki thanked the CWA members for expressing their worries. He reassured them he had taken note of the grievances and would forward them to hierarchy without delay.
He said when women are out for a course, it always triumphs. Mr. Nzeki also told the women that real change starts at home. He therefore asked the women to advise their children and to "start from inside to moralise and educate". He called on the women to pray at the end of the protest march as Bui, he said, is a blessed division.
CWA members celebrated Mass at divisional levels before the march. In Kumbo Division, where Rev. Fr. Polycarp Yukeng celebrated Mass with CWA Kumbo Division members at St. Theresia's Cathedral, he exhorted CWA members to be vigilant as the devil is out to destroy families.
Four Catholic Women Association, CWA, divisions in Kumbo Central Sub Division have staged a protest march against homosexuality, abortion and related ills. The April 25 protest march was also an occasion for the CWA to pray for the gift of life and call for more respect of human life.
The women brandished placards carrying messages that condemn practices and ills like gay unions, incest, pedophilia, abuse of minors, use of contraceptives, and abortion, which the Bishops of Cameroon denounced early this year in Sangmelima.
One of the messages described homosexuality as "a disposition that seriously harms humanity" and gay unions as "distortions to the meaning of marriage".
Other placards also carried messages promoting the respect of life. A woman carrying a placard, which read, "Yes to pro life" told L'Effort Camerounais she was fighting for her children. She condemned anti life acts and those who perpetrate them.
At the Bui Senior Divisional Office, SDO's office Kumbo, CWA Diocesan vice president Christencia Banadzem, who introduced the motive for their protest march, said they are following the Bishops of Cameroon's decision denouncing all anti life tendencies.
She said the situation is getting worse, justifying why they had to come out to protest. She noted that gay couples cannot bear children. She therefore called on the SDO to intervene at his level by drawing government's attention to their grievances.
Bui SDO Theophile Nzeki thanked the CWA members for expressing their worries. He reassured them he had taken note of the grievances and would forward them to hierarchy without delay.
He said when women are out for a course, it always triumphs. Mr. Nzeki also told the women that real change starts at home. He therefore asked the women to advise their children and to "start from inside to moralise and educate". He called on the women to pray at the end of the protest march as Bui, he said, is a blessed division.
CWA members celebrated Mass at divisional levels before the march. In Kumbo Division, where Rev. Fr. Polycarp Yukeng celebrated Mass with CWA Kumbo Division members at St. Theresia's Cathedral, he exhorted CWA members to be vigilant as the devil is out to destroy families.
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Bamenda civil authorities downplay CWA Memorandum
By Jude Abanseka
Fr. Humphrey Tatah blesses CWA women in front of governor's office
Civil administrators in Bamenda have given a deaf ear to a memorandum calling on the North West governor to spearhead the restoration of moral values and the respect of human dignity. The call was made on Thursday, April 25, 2013, at the governor's Office. Catholic Women Association, CWA, members in Bamenda Archdiocese through their executive, intended to hand over the memorandum to the governor at the end of a silent and peaceful march they had organised in Bamenda.
This exercise was a culmination of a one-month signature campaign to draw attention to growing moral degradation and the disrespect of human dignity in Cameroon, but when the women got to the governor's office and requested to see him, their request was not granted. After waiting for long in his lobby, the Senior Divisional Officer for Mezam, Felix Nguele Nguele, met and questioned the women why they had come to the governor's office.He said the CWA had been authorised to march and end at the governor's office junction, and not at the governor's office. Bamenda CWA Diocesan President Rose Asafor explained that in a letter to the governor requesting for authorisation to carry out the peaceful protest march, it was stated that at the end a memorandum was going to be handed over to the governor, but the SDO insisted if that had been the case, the women would have been issued a written document.
He asked the CWA Diocesan President to produce a document to back their claim. Since this could not be produced, the SDO asked the women to leave. On second thought the women said since they could not meet the governor, the SDO could receive the memorandum on the governor's behalf, but Mr. Nguele Nguele refused. The women then invited him to join them in praying for the respect of life and the human family. At the end of the prayer, Rev. Fr. Humphrey Tatah Mbuy, who accompanied the women, blessed those present and they dispersed.
The women had organised the protest following an extra-ordinary CWA meeting that held on the heels of the 36th plenary session of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon in January, 2013 in Sangmelima during which the Bishops decried the alarming disrespect of human life and a growing death culture in Cameroon.
They urged various organisations to join forces and put an end to abortion, incest, homosexuality and pedophilia, and to better protect human life made in the image and likeness of God. Campaigns of this nature are therefore expected to serve as an advocacy to the powers that be to punish defaulters and better protect the dignity of the human person.
The Bamenda CWA Diocesan President explained it was decided that this peaceful march should be organised in the entire Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province, that is, in Kumbo, Buea and Mamfe Dioceses and Bamenda Archdiocese on the same day. In Bamenda, CWA Divisions marched from their parishes to some strategic locations.
The Arc of the Covenant Division marched from Foncha Street Junction to the Finance Junction. Gate of Heaven, Cause of our Joy and Mirror of Justice Divisions converged on the City Chemist Roundabout and marched to the T-Junction where they split.
While Mirror of Justice continued towards Njimafor, the Cause of our Joy went towards Old Town. On its part, Gate of Heaven continued towards the Cathedral.
All the women carried peace plants and some had placards with messages like: Life is Sacred; Life is Precious; Be fruitful and increase in number; We are created in God's image and likeness; Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit; The man said, now this is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh, she shall be called woman; A man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife; to cite just these few.
Talking to L'Effort Camerounais, Mrs. Asafor said the campaign was a strategy to see whether people are aware of what is going on in the society. She added that by appending their signatures, people have shown that they do not support these societal ills in Cameroon.
She said as mothers, the women cannot just sit and only pray for a change. She pointed out that the message will get across better when action accompanies prayers. "That is why we are calling on the governor to ensure that the public is educated and sensitised. We also want him to ensure that the laws that condemn these ills be applied so that defaulters be brought to book," she said.
More than 10,000 signatures were collected within three weeks after the campaign was launched
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Our Lady of Annunciation Parish Bonamoussadi Silver Jubilee in Pictures
Archbishop Kléda releases anniversary dove
Anniversary cake
Turn out was massive
Christians from other denomination who joined the Catholic Faith and were confirmed
Cross section of priests in Douala Archdiocese who participated in the anniversary Mass
Christians donated generously to their Archbishop
Parish children entertain guests
The Kom Njang cultural group animating at the event
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