By Singfred Sinior M’sene

Sr. Mary Kombe adressing Little Ways Association members in Mutengene

The Superior General of the Congregation of Sisters of St. Therese, Buea, Rev. Sr. Mary Kombe has disclosed that her congregation is currently witnessing an outstanding growth in vocations since the last three years.

She was speaking in an exclusive interview with our reporter at All Saints Parish Mutengene on Sunday, August 29, as the Sisters launched their Golden Jubilee Uniform which will hold on December 5, 2013 in Kumba.

She explained that the old postulancy house can no longer accommodate the many candidates the congregation is now having. She said there are currently 23 Novices, 10 Postulants and 10 candidates waiting to begin formation next year, more than half the 68 professed Sisters in the congregation after 50 years.

“The proceeds from the launching shall be used to complete our new Postulancy house in Bwitiva, Buea which has not been completed due to lack of funds,” explained the erstwhile principal of Christ the King College Tiko.

Sr. Kombe said the Sisters will launch the jubilee uniform in all the parishes where they are working and wherever they can reach as she thanked the Christians of Kumba Town Parish for their generosity during the first launching in Kumba recently.

Members of “the Little Way Association of St. Therese of the Child Jesus from Muea, Tiko and Mutengene, who converged to celebrate the Feast of St. Therese and promote the association, graced the occasion.

A Little Way Association coordinator, Sr. Hotense Verye, said the Association began in Buea Diocese about three years ago. It promotes spirituality and the virtues of St. Therese which include simplicity, humility, prayer and, above all, doing little things in great ways.

Presently the Association is found in SandPit-Buea, Bokwango, Mutengene and Tiko and has also witnessed a rise in membership recently.

Sr. Kombe said the Little Way Association was created after the visit of the Relics of St. Therese to the congregation’s Mother House in Kumba in 2009.

The Little Way Association is an old group in the church based on the spirituality of St. Therese with headquarters in England.
                                                                                                       

By Jude Abanseka

Finally Professed Sisters and concelebrating Bishops

Sisters Flora Neng Ntoban, Lilian Limunga Che, Paschaline Fuen, Perpetua Ntein, Honorine Kinyuy Lantang and Priscilla Asamba Ngebikem are the newest permanent members of the Congregation of Tertiary Sisters of St. Francis, TSSF.

By Ireneaus Chongwain Chia

The September 30 twin election is now history and candidates are either already savouring their victory, gnashing their teeth and licking their wounds, or, as the more intelligent always do, drawing life-transforming lessons from the long drawn and exhaustive exercise.

Such concerns are legitimate, though some people argue that election rigging is a certainty everywhere, but it does not exclude the fact that those who have been cheated should seek legal redress. As the Archbishops and Bishops of Cameroon said in their pastoral letter just before the twin elections, “Choosing our representatives and those who govern us is a fundamental civic and democratic right. If our points of view and personal opinions are not taken into consideration, election results will not be a reflection of the will and feelings of all.”

Elections are good because there are a means of participating in God’s governance plan for all human societies. To attempt to distort such a plan through rigging, or even attempted rigging, is a very grave act as it seeks or attempts to interfere or disrupt God’s governance plans. Charles Onyango-Obbo of the Kenyan Daily posits that “Election theft is terrible, and has resulted in bloodletting in several African countries.”

Though the conduct of the recent elections has been described as globally satisfactory, a mileage of setbacks like attempting to increase the vote share of some favoured candidates, depressing the vote share of rival candidates and preventing people believed to be against certain favoured candidates or parties from voting were also widely reported. This is actually stifling dissenting voices and seriously compromises the outcome of an election and therefore cannot be or only narrowly reflects the people’s will. 

As in previous elections, illegal and morally unacceptable acts to influence election results were widely reported this time. While elsewhere these acts are reprehensible or punished, in Cameroon those who mastermind or carry out these acts are hardly ever punished, giving the impression that it is acceptable to steal votes. It has become the norm for warped so-called “elite” to recruit young people, more concerned with satisfying their immediate physiological needs for derisory sums, to vote or pursue others to vote for these corrupt politicians. And so instead of shining the light on and pulling their communities out of the dungeon of poverty and darkness, these “intellectuals” are only further plunging them into pitch darkness and transforming them into ideal settings to accomplish their self-centred goals.

The Supreme Court, sitting for the Constitutional Council, will certainly be swamped in the coming days, as candidates seek legal redress after the September 30 twin elections, but only few Cameroonians will have the courage to publicly denounce these election thieves and corrupters in their midst, who they know so well.

An expert in electoral matters has said in national elections, successful electoral fraud can have the effect of a coup d'état or corruption of democracy. He continues that in a narrow election, like the just-ended September 30 elections, a small amount of fraud may be enough to change the result, and even if the outcome is not affected, fraud can still have a damaging effect if not punished, as it can reduce voters' confidence in democracy. Even the perception of fraud can be damaging as it makes people less inclined to accept election results. Does this not account for the rising voter apathy in Cameroon today as it has dawned on many that their vote does not count?

He concludes that fraudulent elections can lead to the breakdown of democracy and the establishment or ratification of a dictatorship. It is altering the people’s and therefore God’s voice. Election results are sacrosanct and should therefore be scrupulously respected for it is God speaking through His people!

By Rev. Fr. Giles N. Forteh

The spirit philosophy is an exact reversal of the worldly philosophy. The human person is substantial in the spirit philosophy and has an intrinsic value beyond all accidental attributes. This translates into a vision of life according to which one discerns the silver lining in every cloud and seeks to make the best of every situation.

Interviewed by Lambert Mbom

The former Secretary General of the Bishop’s Conference of Cameroon, Mgr. Patrick Lafon, and present Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Catholic University of Cameroon, CATUC, Bamenda, and Professor of Philosophy at the same university and the Bambui Major Seminary, has just returned to Cameroon from the United States with a PhD in Political Philosophy. Shortly before he retuned to Cameroon, our reporter in the U.S caught up with Mgr. Lafon who readily talked about his stay in the U.S and Cameroon’s contemporary political reality. Excerpts:

Interviewed by Jude Abanseka

Bamenda Archdiocese is lucky to still have some Christians who witnessed the transition from the pre to the post Vatican Council II. One of such early Christians is Pa Nicholas Ade, who shares his views on the differences between the two periods with L’Effort Camerounais. Excerpts:

The liturgy in English was changed recently to resemble the original version in Latin. What is your take on this current liturgy?
I do not think many Christians understand why the change has come. However, the advantage is that it facilitates understanding, but in the old days Christians merely repeated what they were asked to say.

What impact has the observation and the celebration of the Year of Faith had in your life?
It has helped me a lot.  I try as much as possible to attend Mass everyday. At Mass I try to understand the Gospel on my own even before a priest explains it to me. In my home we say our prayers at the end of each day. This helps me to stay close to my faith.
                                                           

Interviewed by Jude Abanseka

One of the early Christians who witnessed the transition from the pre to the post Vatican II years was the Catholic Women Association founder, Mami Anna Foncha, who throws more light on how that transition changed and contributed to the contemporary Church. She also evaluates what the CWA has become 5O years after she founded it.

By Grace Ongey

Douala Emeritus Archbishop His Eminence Christian Cardinal Tumi has asked the Catholic faithful to continue working to deepen their faith.

By Ireneaus Chongwain Chia

The humanitarian situation in neighbouring Central African Republic is gradually getting out of control as the foreign-dominated Seleka rebel forces are increasingly targeting many Christians; including Catholics and sometimes even Moslems. As a result of the deteriorating situation in that country, the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, has strongly condemned increasing attacks on religious groups. Describing the situation in the Central African Republic as volatile, unpredictable and lawless, the UN scribe has warned that these attacks have the potential to further escalate the crisis.

By Fr. Valentine Achuo, cmf,Tel: 75 55 04 20

Christ himself founded the Church we are in today. He remains and will continue to remain the model of all Christians. Jesus gave instructions and made promises to his Apostles on the days leading up to the Ascension. One of the promises was that He will send the Holy Spirit otherwise called the Holy Ghost.

As we read from Act 2:3, the Holy Ghost was symbolically represented as fire when Scriptures says: “Divided tongues AS OF FIRE, appeared among them,(the Apostles) and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the spirit gave them ability. (Act 2:3-4)

Today this symbolism of the Holy Ghost as fire has been misused and many Christians now consider the Holy Ghost to be “fire” .This improper application of “fire” to the name of the Holy Ghost has led to Christians employing the Holy Ghost to seek revenge and this is tantamount to abuse and misconception of God the Holy Spirit’s work in human History.

I have noticed that the majority of the modern Pentecostals and some Catholics seem to have presented the Holy Ghost according to his symbol of fire and aberration .I have gone through Church documents and down through memory lane to see when this expression was declared a doctrine of the church, or any time in the Church when this expression was permitted in Catholic gatherings, but not seen any.

I have also tried to read through the New Testament to find out whether Jesus, who is our role model, ever thought us that the Holy Spirit that the Father promised us will be burning or destroying our enemies, but not found any.  This is therefore a cause for concern especially as this usage is growing in our times.

I have therefore concluded that the use of “Holy Ghost Fire” in our Catholic gatherings today is an importation from modern Pentecostal churches. And if this conclusion is true, then it is rather unfortunate since our model is Christ who gave us the essentials in which the Church (Catholic church) which he founded himself should exist in the world .The Pentecostals should; as most are already doing, copy from the Catholic Church formed by Christ not the Catholics copying from Pentecostals especially those things that are not biblically and theologically founded like the expression “Holy Ghost Fire”.

The use of “Holy Ghost fire!”

Of recent, it has become a custom for some people to call Holy Ghost fire as an aberration. People shout Holy Ghost fire on people and places that seem to give them some problems.   People call on “Holy Ghost Fire” over what they eat and drink ,over animals and birds that cross their way .People call on “ Holy Ghost Fire” as they travel, gather;  even in market places. People invoke the “Holy Ghost Fire” over their building and homes as sign of protection. In their prayers some send others “Holy Ghost fire” to people they think have committed any sin or people they think are planning anything against them, to burn them to ashes.

The fire of the Holy Ghost is usually sent to burn demon to ashes by those who imagine the physical fire, burning devil to ashes in hell fire. People today even send Holy Ghost fire across towns and countries to burn to ashes all who are not wishing them well in their business or who are on their way to getting what their life dreams are.

In his book Holy Ghost fire! What is it? Rev. Fr. Simeon Nwobi explains “The name of the devil and its activities seem to take the centre stage in most gatherings of the Children of God in recent time so much so that it is binding and loosing that is needed in every prayer session. Prayers are summarised with shout of Holy Ghost Fire!” It appears as though,” through Christ our Lord” at the end of our prayers is not adequate enough.

In recent times, praises are concluded most often with the shout of “Holy Ghost fire!”  What is disturbing is the strength with which some people shout the “Holy Ghost fire!” as though the devil is physically present. People muster every strength and energy to shout “Holy Ghost fire” and always with every amount of hostility one can think of, as though the war against the devil is in the flesh and blood. The question one must ask is: “Is the fire of the Holy Ghost actually “fire against”? “(Fr. Simeon Nwobic, cmf, P.10).

Today people call down “Holy Ghost fire” on rats, birds and other animals because they suspect that their enemies may have transformed to such animals or birds. So they call down on Holy Ghost fire, to destroy such enemies.

From the above use of “Holy Ghost fire” we can see that some people perceive the Holy Ghost as an instrument of destruction. The Holy Ghost is now seen as “a thing” not a person. Calling down the Holy Ghost to fire even animals and birds is an insult to God because the Holy Ghost is a person, Third Person of the Trinity, not a thing or instrument. That is why some Bishops have not only frowned at this insult given to God, but have gone as far as banning the use of “Holy Ghost fire” in their dioceses.

Reading from Fr. Simeon Nwobi’s book, on November 25, 2001 there was an article in The Leader Newspaper by Fr. Onwundi with the title “Nothing live Holy Ghost fire”! in which it said that: “It is the wish of the chief shepherd of this Catholic diocese of Aba, Rt. Rev. Dr. V. V. Ezeonyia, C.S.S.P and as agreed during the diocesan Synod to let our Catholic faithful know that any invitation of Holy Ghost fire during prayers in Catholic gatherings in the diocese is uncatholic, unbiblical and unchristian ,and so not allowed.”

Any Catholic group that persistently insists on the wrong doctrines even after corrections are made, then threads on a precipice of heresy, the result of which may attract sanctions”. In the same Newsletter, The Leader, on Sunday, November 9, 2003, p.9, Fr. Simeon continued, “henceforth, the shouting of “Holy Ghost fire” among church sodalities in any public or private prayer occasion has come to an end in the Catholic Diocese of Ahiara (Nigeria).

This development is sequel to the directives given by the Bishop, Most Rev. Dr. Victor Adibe Chikwe (of late), Catholic Bishop of the Diocese to the Clergy in their meeting held recently at the diocesan Chancery office, Ahiara.  The Bishop’s argument was that: “even though the Holy Spirit is always symbolised with fire , the improper application of “fire” to his name in seeking vengeance, tantamount to abuse and misconception of God the Holy Sprit’s work in human history.”

The Bishop maintains that: “The fire of holy ghost” is an illuminating fire of sanctification, understanding, steadfastness, purification and the fire that brings out the noble and sacred revival in the human person. His Lordship elucidated that the fire of the Holy Ghost is remarkable in his power to change darkness of unbelief and fear to the resplendent light of faith that assures his children of their liberty from the evil one’s stronghold.

The Bishop therefore cautioned the Presbyterium on the dangerous scriptural and doctrinal fall out in referring to that fire as the “fire against” that can occasion the death of human beings. Finally the Bishop cautioned the Clergy, religious and the faithful never to chant the aberrations of “Holy Ghost Fire” in any of their future payers in either Public or private”.

The above directives from two Catholic Bishops is a cause for concern for me and all other Catholic Christians to reflect on the role and the place of the Third Person of the Trinity as it concerns its symbol of fire.

Who are those who shout “Holy ghost Fire?”

Personal experience has shown that those who shout “Holy Ghost Fire” are those who claim self righteousness and see others as sinners. This kind of people believe that they are righteous and regard others with contempt. These people behave like the Pharisee in the Gospel of Lk.18:9-14 who felt he was righteous, and the tax collector was a sinner. Since for these people, others are sinners, there is therefore the need for them to be destroyed; a reason why they rain down “Holy Ghost Fire” on others.

But such people forget that “we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The Psalmist puts it this way: “If you O Lord should mark our guilt, who will survive.” (Ps. 129:3). It therefore means that if the Holy Ghost was out to fire people who we regard as sinners, none of us could have been alive today.

Another group of people who rain down “Holy Ghost Fire” on others are those who feel highly insecure. This kind of people always think that something or some people are pursuing them. They see any misfortunate or unfortunate situation in their lives as coming from someone or something. Even when they fall sick, they attribute it to their enemy. These kinds of people see more of evil in their lives than goodness. They spend most of their time casting and binding Satan instead of praising and thanking God.

Such people seem to see the devil everywhere hence there is need to burn them to ashes at every given time. That may be the reason why wherever people who think as such gather, they are quick in raining “Holy ghost fire” on others from the top of their voices. They shout it, they dance it and they sing it with every strength they can muster.

Jesus our model

Jesus Christ is our model. We are called Christians today because we are trying to follow Christ. Before ascending into Heaven Jesus laid down the kind of life we must live if we want to inherit the kingdom of God. It will be good to examine Jesus’ life and see if He, in any situation called down the Holy Ghost to fire anybody. Jesus did not at any time in his ministry state that he came to kill, burn or destroy demons or anyone with fire. Through His authority, he casts out demons and they obey him.

Those who rain down “Holy Ghost fire” on others are those who are following the “Old Law” which Jesus had changed. An example of the laws that Jesus changed is found in Deuteronomy 19:21 which says: “show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth to tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. This law means that if someone does something wrong to you, you should pay it back exactly as he has done to you.

When Jesus came he overturned this law and gave a new commandment. “You have learned how it was said: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, do not resist an evildoer, but if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also …” (Mt.5:38-42).

Jesus even went further to tell us how we should behave with our enemies when he said: “You have head that it was said; you shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say to you love your enemies and pray for those who hate you. Bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. Do to others as you would have them do to you (Luke 6:27-31).

For those who call down "Holy Ghost fire" on those they think are sinners, Jesus never condemned any sinner throughout his public ministry. Jesus never destroyed even demons. He simply casts them out from those who were possessed and sent them to their proper places (Mk 5:1-13).

Even in Matthew 16:22-23, when Jesus discovered the"Satan" in Peter trying to disrupt God's plan, Jesus simply told Peter, "Get behind me, Satan." He never called down Holy Ghost fire to destroy Peter or even the Satan in Peter.

In the Old Testament, just as revenge and retaliation were allowed in many cases, sinners were also punished. An example can be seen in the book of Leviticus 20:10 where anyone caught committing adultery was killed. That is why the woman caught in the very act of adultery in John 8:1-11 was to be stoned to death following this old law. Jesus intervened and told the people that we no longer follow the Old, but the New Law. The New Law is that the woman be forgiven and given another chance.

Jesus did just that and when all those who were about to stone the woman realised that they too have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God, they left one by one. This shows that if people who like to call down the Holy Ghost Fire on those they think are sinners, come to realise that they too have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God, they will stop committing this heresy.

I have talked with some people who rain down Holy Ghost Fire on others to find out where they get this from and all of them go back to some few Old Testament chapters where fire is symbolically and figuratively used to justify. Sometimes in these chapters, fire could be burning but it does not consume. Whatever the case, it is not stated in the scriptures that Jesus, our model, ever employed the Holy Ghost to destroy or consume His enemies. He even forgave those who nailed him to the cross.

One important text in the scriptures that shows that those calling down Holy Ghost fire on others are committing a great sin is Luke 9:54-55. The People of Samaria refused to welcome Jesus and his followers into their town when they were on their way to Jerusalem. The apostles, James and John, thought they must think and act for Jesus when they implored Jesus to give them permission to call for a divine assistance by calling down fire on the town that had refused to welcome them. They wanted to declare war by destroying the town with fire from above. "Seeing this, James and John, his disciples said, Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to reduce them to ashes?" Jesus did not only stop them, but rebuked them, and they went on to another village. (Luke 9:54-55).

After reading this passage it is important to ask whether calling down Holy Ghost fire to consume and destroy at every opportunity is in line with Jesus' teaching.  Christ was full of mercy and compassion. In the above incident he simply changed direction from those who blocked their route to Jerusalem through Samaria avoiding the insinuations of his disciples about taking revenge by calling down fire from above to consume them. Where therefore is this heresy of Holy Ghost fire? It is an insult to God to use His name in this negative sense. Calling Holy Ghost fire on others is committing sin against the First Commandment.

Users of "Holy Ghost fire" must know that the Holy Ghost is the fire of God's love. It is a fire that purifies His people. It is a fire that sanctifies His people from the corruption of sin. It is a fire that testifies that we have become co-heirs with Christ. It is a sign of ownership that God has placed on his people. It is a fire that renews the Church, the people of God. It is that love of God that has been poured into our hearts. (Roms. 5:5). The Spirit is the New Law, the force that leads mankind to do good from within the heart. The Spirit is the source of unity; He pulls down all barriers and wherever He blows it destroys sin.

It is important to understand that the fire of the Holy Ghost is not a fire against. The Holy Ghost fire is a fire that brings out the best in everyone who invites Him. That is why in her wisdom the Church always invites the Holy Ghost in everyone of her gathering in this way:"Come Holy Spirit and fill the hearts of your faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your spirit and they shall be created and you shall renew the face of the earth. O God who by the light of the Holy Spirit didst instruct the hearts of the faithful. Grant us that by the same spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in his consolation. Amen.

Conclusion

The prophet Hosea cried out foul and aloud that:"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6).Truly some of our Christians are "dying today" because of lack of knowledge. Some Catholic Christians have left the Church for some mushroom churches because they do not know the Catholic doctrine. We need some emotions to worship God, but we should never allow our emotions to control us.

In our churches today, some Christians have allowed their emotion to take over their reason. This has led to fanaticism.  Pastors should never relent in teaching our Christians what the Catholic Church teaches and to correct them when they go astray. It is important to understand what God's plan is. It is also important to ask God to do what is within His plan in our own day. Calling on the Holy Ghost to devour and burn to ashes our enemies is contrary to God's will and plan. It is a pagan practice. God is a loving father who wants all to be saved. Our role model is Jesus and the incident when Jesus and his disciples were on their way to Jerusalem through Samaria and the Samaritans refused them entry into their land should inspire us.

Learning to handle issues in the light of Christian love will save us from acting like pagans in our prayers. We seek to take revenge on our perceived enemies and that is one of the reasons why people are quick invoking "Holy Ghost fire" against their enemies and those who have offended them. The Lord teaches us not to be in a  haste in condemning people to death even when we see the human reason to do so. God's way of judgment is not ours. Yes, vengeance is mine, says the Lord. Paul reminded the Roman Church in these words, "Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written, 'I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it,' says the Lord," (Rom. 12:19).

Finally, some of our Christians have become fanatical and continue shouting Holy Ghost fire even when they have been corrected; even by constituted authorities like priests. They still hold on to this practice and sometimes they even think that priests do not like them.  Some even go as far as saying that the priest in question does not know. Higher Church authorities should reflect more on this and put an end to it otherwise we shall be threading the ground of heresy in our Church today.  The end

Fr. Valentine Achuo is a Claretian Missionary working as Parish Priest in St. Dominic's Parish, Munyenge, Diocese of Buea

By Rev. Fr. Giles N. Forteh

The readings of the 27th, 29th and 30th Sundays of the Liturgical Year C converge on the theme of prayer – the power of prayer and the attitudes which God’s children ought to adopt when they come before their Almighty, provident and compassionate Father.

By Fr. Gerald Jumbam Nyuykongmo

STAMS' Main block

The existence of St. Thomas Aquinas’ Major Seminary, STAMS, Bambui has not been an ordinary one. In fact, the extraordinary happenings that have characterised its years and mission began when it was born forty years ago.

By Arthur Nwatum

Members of the Friends of Jesus Youth Prayer group in Bamenda Archdiocese have been called upon to lead exemplary lives in their quest to be true Friends of Jesus. The parish priest of St. Michael’s Parish Futru Nkwen made the call in his homily during the Eucharistic celebration that opened the group’s feast day.

By Fr. Author Nga Abanfegha, Ofm.Cap, Novitiate House Sop

The Christian community of St. Therese of the Child Jesus Sop Parish in Kumbo Diocese gathered in thanksgiving to God on Sunday, October 13, 2013, for the fortieth (40th) anniversary of Bishop Bushu's priestly ordination and the twentieth (20th) anniversary of his Episcopal ordination.

By Emmanuel Verdzeka

Yaounde Sistershare has donated books to schools in Jakiri within the framework of phase two of its 'Reading for empowerment' project, launched last year in Kumbo.The donation was made on Saturday, October 19, in an elaborate ceremony at the Jakiri Council hall.

By Emmanuel Verdzeka

Nso Fon signing partnership agreement

His Royal Highness Sehm Mbinglo I has celebrated 20 years as the paramount ruler of Nso in Bui Division, North West Region.The 20th anniversary celebration took place on Saturday, October 19, in Jakiri.

Interviewed by Grace Ongey

The Catholic Charismatic Renewal has just organised a one-week crusade in Douala with theme, “Breaking Evil Gates”. The crusade, which ran from October 14-18, attracted a mammoth crowd to the Bepanda Omnisport stadium. At the end of the evangelisation campaign, L’Effort Camerounais caught up with the Charismatic Renewal Diocesan Chaplain, Mgr. Richard Mbouta, who said the crusade was a resounding success. Excerpts: