Mary-Theresa Kamoto

 

A journey that no one knew they would begin but that everybody has taken as a challenge, yet gladly. It is a journey so vital that nobody has to remind themselves it has to play a key role in life: Monze Diocese’s five year pastoral plan.

 

A full year of preparation (May 2001-May 2002), saw its launch. Catholic Christians were encouraged to study the Bishop’s pastoral letter ‘Faith Journey with Christ in the Third Millenium’ and the Dei Verbum (Dogmatic constitution of Vatican II on Divine Revelation), which was also translated into Chitonga for the local people to understand.

 

The Second year in the pastoral plan (May 2002-May 2003), was the year of ‘The word of God’. Another pastoral letter from the Bishop “At the beginning was the Word”, was studied. This was the enthronement of the Bible at Diocesan and Parish level – Chikuni Parish included. The Lectio Divina was used as a method of reading and praying the scripture. Biblical facilitators were trained. There was also renewal of commitment to catechesis and review of catechetical programmes, particularly the sacrament of Baptism. There were also celebrations e.g. pilgrimages to highlight the importance of the word of God; each family was encouraged to own a complete Bible. The year of the word was symbolically concluded with the celebration of Easter in 2003.

 

May 2003-May 2004, was centered on ‘The parish community gathered around the Eucharist’. This is the time that the model of the church as a communion of communities was emphasized. Events regarding the Eucharist took place e.g. the Diocesan Eucharistic Congress, celebration of the feast of Corpus Christi etc.

 

The journey continued in May 2004-May 2005. This was the fourth year in the pastoral plan. The year of ‘Witnesses to the risen Christ’. There was integral evangelization in Justice and Peace, Development, Health etc. The maturity of the witnesses to Christ was seen through the faith rooted in the word of God and the Eucharist. During this time, there was a special celebration of Pentecost. The catechesis on the sacrament of confirmation was also intensified.

 

The last year in Monze Diocese’s five year pastoral plan, May 2005 – May 2006 was the year of ‘Celebration and Mission’- Celebration of Centenary of Christianity. The history of the beginning of Christianity has been told; there has been veneration of graves and sites associated with our ancestors and fathers in the faith e.g. Fr Moreau S J, Fr Terorde and many more.

 

The climax of the centenary celebrations was in Chikuni 25^th to 28^th August 2005, the birth place of Catholic Christian Faith in Monze Diocese.

 

After all this, the question would be “what do we do now?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘DIVE DEEPER’, one would say to another when they see that something is not working well. It is a clear indication that there is need to introduce new ideas.

 

This is Christian life, remember, and it’s a journey that has the most beautiful ends ever. It has to be taken seriously and confidently, with all the effort. This primarily is why Jesus now tells us to cast our nets into the deep (Luke 5:4).

 

Definitely, there are several aspects of our lives we have to check in paying tribute to our Lord. Asking oneself where the above instruction comes from is vital. We meet Christ everywhere, but surely in prayer; in celebrating the Eucharist.

 

‘I opened to my love, but he had turned and gone’, is a relatively sad piece from The Song of Songs 5:6. It is doubtless, not profitable for anyone to turn a deaf ear to our Lord’s call. It is ultimately crucial to; first of all, try to get oneself to practice the presence of God. St Ignatius of Loyola always emphasized on finding God in all things and all things in God. We wouldn’t stray if we tried to follow just that.

 

Nevertheless, there is always need to work with a clear, not guilty conscience. The Sacrament of reconciliation is of great importance here as we put our energies together to get the best out of our endeavours. ‘Unless you repent, you will all come to the same end’ (Luke 13:5) Jesus warns.

 

This is not meant to frighten or threaten anybody but the sacrament of reconciliation is a good encounter with our Lord – through prayer. All the saints prayed; Mary, mother of Jesus prayed; and Jesus himself did. Look at the kinds of life all these people led; anointed by God.

 

Carlo Carretto in his ‘Letters of the Desert’ wrote; ‘Prayer is the sum of our relationship with God. We are what we pray. The degree of our faith is the degree of our prayer. The strength of our hope is the strength of our prayer. The warmth of our Charity is the warmth of our prayer’. No more no less.

 

Now we see that prayer is the foundation, the beginning of our journey. To cast our nets into the deep is to put into practice that which was left for us. It is letting God’s word sink into our souls and be a part of us.

 

Monze Diocese’s five year pastoral plan is nothing but a way of letting us Love the Lord our God with all our hearts, with all our souls, with all our strengths, and with all our minds; and our neighbours as ourselves. It is Love, all Love.

 

‘CAST YOUR NETS INTO THE DEEP, FOR THE GREATER GLORY OF GOD’