[PROFESSION OF RELIGIOUS VOWS, SVD ZAMBIA MISSION]
Before Jesus’ ministry, he fasted,
he was tested and spent days at a lonely place in prayers (cf Matthew 4:1-11).
Thus, at a certain point in time in the life of a religious, it is necessary to
retreat from the crowd; ‘world’, reflect on your vocation, mission, the will of
God, and to seek the ‘face’ of God more deeply and intimately. So it is in the
formational life of an individual who desires to become a religious missionary.
There is a mandatory canonical
(novitiate) year formational programme that an individual who has the zeal and
desire to be a member of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) ought to
undertake.
This one year novitiate programme
offers deep spiritual activities for the candidate to be able to come into
close intimacy with God, reflect and mature in his vocation and to learn more
and understand the religious missionary life of the SVDs. After a successful
completion of this novitiate year programme, with a deep reflection to continue
one’s formation with the SVDs, and been found worthy to join the Society by the
Novice Master, the Superior and his Council, the candidate (novice) is given
the chance to freely profess his first religious vows in the Society without
been compelled by force, grave fear, or deceit. (cf SVD Const. 707).
Among the four (4) novices for the
2020/2021 canonical year for the Divine Word novitiate in Dallas-Kabwe, for
Zambia Mission, two were Zimbabweans and the other two were Zambians. They are
Frts. Chiorese Obvious, Mabwanda Timothy, Doolo Clarence, Mungole Jocy and
respectively. Although culturally and nationalistically different, they
accompanied each other throughout this spiritual year, and the love of Christ
compelled them to become one as companions on a journey to reach this far.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic
ravaging the whole world, the 2021 profession of the first religious vows for
the SVD Zambia Mission was held in the Novitiate community in Dallas, Kabwe on
the 18th day of July, 2021. It was a day of great joy for the SVD Confreres in
Zambia to have new men who are well convinced to respond to the call of the
Divine Word and been poised to vow and live according to the dictates of the
Evangelical Counsels (Consecrated Chastity, Evangelical Poverty, and Apostolic
Obedience) and to advance God’s mission for humanity.
In his homily, the Mission Superior
of SVD Zambia Mission, Rev. Fr. Martin Kawana, SVD, reminded the newly
professed of how they have been living the ‘vows’ outside the vows. Thus,
loving others as yourself and been charitable without discrimination is a sign
of been chaste. He jog their memory of how they have been modest and simple since
their pre-philosophy days, through their philosophical studies and during their
novitiate year. He added that, as religious we need to live a simple life for
through that, others who are really in need can be helped. He made them
understand that, their obedience to their formators and other confreres has
brought them this far. The Mission Superior charged them to continue exhibiting
these virtues and live the vows more dearly and deeply to be better religious
missionaries wherever they will find themselves. Further, he charged the newly
professed to hold onto the zealous and enthusiastic life of the SVDs. As part
of his exhortation, he thanked the Novice Master, Rev. Fr. Theophan Misengo,
SVD for journeying with the four young men successfully. He urged them to hold
onto the spiritual life they encountered in the novitiate and allow themselves
to be well formed as they continue to the next level of SVD formation.
This colourful and spirit-filled
occasion was graced by Rev. Fr. Marcio Sanches, SVD, (Mission Admonitor), Rev.
Fr. Natun Wendefredus, SVD, Rev. Fr. Madden Peter, SVD, Rev. Fr. George Clement
Angmor, SVD (New Novice Master), Br. Selan Ferdi, SVD, Rev. Fr. Saco Alberto,
SVD, Rev. Fr. Borges Silvio de Jesus, SVD, and Rev. Fr. Chibale Peter, SVD. The
SVD Zambia Novices (2021/2022 batch), and some well-wishers were also present
whiles the COVID-19 protocols were fully observed.
BY: APPIAH SAMUEL
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