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FRIIENDS OF MILL HILL FR ’
NEWSLETTER OF THE MILL HILL MISSIONARIES IN CAMEROON Edition No. 7. DECEMBER 2021.
MISSIONARY VOCATIONS THE PRIESTS WE WANT TO BE
Newly Ordained Mill Hill Deacons, Nairobi Kenya
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rederick Bauechner, an American writer and theologian explains that “a vocation is where your deep gladness meets the world’s hunger” A vocation is not something you choose. It chooses you. When you sense it as a possibility in your life, you also sense that you don’t have a choice but can only ask yourself: what’s my responsibility here? It’s not a matter of what you expect from life but rather what life expects from you. Once you have a sense of your vocation, it becomes unthinkable to turn away, and you realise you would be morally culpable if you did. As Vocations Director of the Mill Hill Missionaries in Cameroon, I have observed with keen interest the flourishing vocations to the priesthood and Religious life. Talking to one of my aspirants he said “God’s call to the priestly vocation to me was “like a mosquito that keeps buzzing in the silence of the night” Before admitting a candidate, I often try to visit their home and speak to the parents. It takes time for some families to accept or understand the vocation of the missionary priesthood. As candidates and seminarians discern their vocation, they often feel like giving up. However, the grace of God continues to give them strength to persevere. As one seminarian told me “Discerning my vocation “was the best decision I have ever made”. However, he adds, “the discernment continues”
The path to the priesthood especially to the missionary way of life is long — from the first discernment to ordination and then ministry. What kind of priests do our seminarians hope to become? Recently, I sampled a few opinions: - “Knowing God is the best change that can happen in the world today, and I want to help make that change happen” - “I want to be a compassionate, understanding, approachable, sociable and caring priest” - “I want to be a priest that will be with my parishioners in their pain and also their joys” - “I hope to become a priest who makes known the message of God’s comfort and love, a priest who is able to bring hope, and a priest who grows in faith so that I’m able to enrich others in their faith in God” - “I pray that I become a priest who is always available for the people of God. Moreover, I pray that I become a priest who will be fruitful in life” - “I want to be the priest that everyone would be talking about. A priest of the people. A priest who will always be there for parishioners placed under my care. - “I want to be a priest with a passion for Christ, a deep love for the Church, and a zeal for the priesthood. — Fr. Anthony Ndang, MHM Mill Hill Vocations Director
EDITORIAL
MISSIONARY VOCATIONS
Honesty in the face of crisis
BAMENDA, CAMEROON: ORDINATION OF TWO YOUNG PRIESTS
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hat makes a crisis worse is when people aren’t honest after a mistake. It is very unethical to cover up an error. People can excuse an error. What they can’t excuse is lying. The culture of secrecy has developed and is ravaging our society. The Anglophone crisis that started five years ago, should have ended if the parties concerned had been open and honest, telling nothing else but the truth. Without honesty, there won’t be any trust.
Fr Elvis Berka, MHM
New Rector (Aug. 1, 2021) of Mill Hill Formation House Foncha Street Bamenda
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n the feast of St Bede, 25th May 2021, two Mill Hill Missionaries, Peter Ntein Yong and Leonard Chia Mufua, were ordained priests in a beautiful and solemn celebration by the Archbishop of Bamenda, Msgr. Andrew Nkea. The celebration took place at Christ the King parish, Fuli Kom, the home parish of the newly ordained priests, which has been one of the epicenters of the ongoing socio-political violence in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon.
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The two newly ordained missionary priests have been assigned for their first missionary appointment to the Philippines and to Uganda, with Peter going to the Diocese of Antique in the Philippines and Leonard to the Diocese of Kotido among the Karimojong people of Uganda. — Richard Njoroge mhm
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India: Ordination of Subrata Nayak MHM
ubrata Nayak MHM was ordained a priest on 29th June at St. Peter’s Inter Diocesan Seminary, Diocese of Rayagada & Berhampur, India, by Aplinar Senapati, Bishop of Rayagada. Subrata has been appointed to Vishunpur, Diocese of Ambikapur, India.
In his homily, Archbishop Nkea centred on the theme of truth in priestly ministry. He reminded the congregation that the two Mill Hill Missionaries, were being ordained at a very challenging time in the region where violence has become a norm. Many have been made to endure the consequences every day, especially unarmed innocent women and children. On the theme of truth, he emphasized that lies telling in the country has been institutionalized, truth giving way to relativism, with society imposing its values on others and the Social Media’s manipulation of information. Based on this he reminded the two deacons that the duty of a priest is to be an apostle of what is true, adding that a priest who is not truthful is not worthy of that name. The prelate cautioned them not to depend on popular public opinion in their missionary ministry, instead he used the example of Jesus whom he described as the truth to be a reference point of evaluation of all truth.
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The ongoing socio-political crisis in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon continues to negatively impact the lives of the people: high levels of insecurity, kidnappings, loss of life and property, rising unemployment, poverty, inequality, poor and tensed business atmosphere and poor road network. One of the stark question that we all need to be asked: When will the Anglophone crisis end?
Baswar, India: Ordination of Indra Kumar Parwar MHM
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n December 30th the ordination of Indra Kumar Parwar took place at Baswar mission in the diocese of Ambikapur, India
DR Congo: Ordination of Guylain Agbasoa MHM
It’s a question to reflect today, on how we can help the current leadership to do their work with dignity so that as individuals and together with our leadership, we can ensure that a long lasting solution is arrived at. The crisis will end when leaders will communicate to citizens with clarity, honesty and sensitivity. I look forward to a society where there is honesty, trust, communication and shared sacrifice by our leaders. St Ignatius says: “love expresses itself more in deeds than in words.” Prayer, well-wishes, and even charitable outreach to Internally Displaced Persons is not enough. We need a combined and sustained action to combat marginalization, corruption and violence. Do we still have the gift of stepping up and pulling together in moments of crisis? There is a momentum for change at the moment – a Kairos moment. We are called to do what we can, where we are, and with what we have to ensure peace once again.
Covid-19 has disrupted the smooth running of businesses, forcing every business owner to take extraordinary steps to make sure their businesses survive. While some institutions have closed down, other organisations have been forced to cut down on personnel. Covid-19 protocols have had huge impact in the way people worship and pray. As a result of Covid-19, some families are spending time sharing and discussing God’s Word at home. er, we ork togeth w to e u n om ti As we con portunity to learn fr , p o an cesses shall have takes, suc is m r— s. e d prioritie one anoth failures an Dear Friends of Mill Hill, recently I received my appointment to coordinate Friends of Mill Hill for the next three years. I sincerely want to thank all the Friends of Mill Hill who stood firmly behind me and worked tirelessly for the growth of mission. We have made a lot of progress and still a lot has to be done. It is true that when a group of people pull their knowledge, skills, and expertise and talk problems out, they come out with solutions, then things begin to move again. Your spirit of collaboration in parishes has brought members together, breaking down walls and learning from one another. As we continue to work together, we shall have an opportunity to learn from one another— mistakes, successes, failures and priorities. The Mill Hill Missionaries together with Friends of Mill Hill are bringing the message of salvation closer to our people. Dear Friends, your continuous support has seen the priestly ordination of missionaries who have been sent on mission abroad. While some Mill Hill Missionaries have been transferred, new members have equally taken up positions of responsibility in the society. We shall continue to open up new channels of creating mission awareness in our local church. Finding new ways to communicate and share information is hugely important to the success of our missionary outreach. — Fr Anthony Ndang Ndichia MHM Coordinator Friends of Mill Hill, Cameroon
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n the 18th of July, 2021, many Christians of the Diocese of Basankusu witnessed and celebrated a happy event: the ordination of our confrère Guylain Agbasoa MHM. The ordination took place at Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral Parish, Basankusu by Bishop Joseph Mokobe Ndjoku, the Bishop of Basankusu Diocese. However, due to illness, he delegated the Bishop of Lisala, Joseph Bernard Likolo, who is a native of Basankusu Diocese. Fr Guylain has been appointed to St Jude’s Parish Fundong, Cameroon — Patrick Lonkoy Bolengu MHM.
Kenya Celebrates two Silver Jubilarians First African Mill Hill priests , Frs. James Juma and Ephraim Odhiambo serving in South Africa
Pa Ambe Cletus Patrick & Ma Ambe Tifu Agnes on their 50th Marriage Anniversary; St Mary’s Mission Station, Foyer-Bambui
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Twenty “missionaries” killed around the world in 2020
6 Ways to have a meaningful Advent
The Vatican’s news agency has drawn up a list of pastoral workers, men and women they describe as “missionaries”, who were killed in the world during 2020. By Vatican News staff writer
The season of Advent begins on Sunday, November 28. christina Antus suggests six ways of making the four-week season meaningful this year.
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he annual list says that the 20 “missionaries” killed include 8 priests, 1 male religious, 3 nuns, 2 seminarians and 6 lay people. Fides uses the term “missionary” for all the baptized, aware of what Pope Francis explains in his Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii gaudium: “In virtue of their baptism, all the members of the People of God have become missionary disciples.” In fact “Every Christian,” the Pope says, “is a missionary to the extent that he or she has encountered the love of God in Christ Jesus: we no longer say that we are ‘disciples’ and ‘missionaries’, but rather that we are always ‘missionary disciples’”. The highest number of casualties this year were in the Americas, with 5 priests and 3 lay people killed. Africa comes next with 3 nuns, 2 lay persons, a priest and a seminarian. In Asia, a priest, a seminarian and a lay person were killed, and in Europe, a priest and a male religious were murdered. In the last 20 years, from 2000 to 2020, 535 pastoral workers have been killed in the world, including 5 Bishops. “Witnesses” among their people For some time now, Fides has been including in its annual list not only missionaries “ad gentes” in the strict sense, that is, those working in largely non-Christian mission territories, but tries to include all the baptized involved in the life of the Church. Many of these pastoral workers died in a violent way, not explicitly “in hatred of the faith”, i.e. martyrdom. Without using the term “martyrs” for them, Fides intends to imply the word’s etymological meaning of “witness”. In this regard, the Vatican’s news agency notes that in 2020, many pastoral workers were killed during robbery or theft, sometimes with ferocity. Some of them were kidnapped or were caught in crossfires or acts of violence. They fell while carrying out their commitment in situations marked by economic and cultural poverty, moral and environmental degradation, where violence and oppression in total disregard
for respect for life and every human right are a norm. In El Salvador, Father Ricardo Antonio Cortéz was killed by gunshots on the road on 7 August. In Brazil, Father Adriano da Silva Barros was kidnapped and his dead body was found on 14 October. In Burkina Faso, a catechist was killed along with a group on 16 February, during an assault by jihadists on the village of Pansi. In Gabon, Sister Lydie Oyanem Nzoughe was attacked and killed in March, in a home for abandoned elderly in Libreville where she was working. Meanwhile, in Indonesia, the dead body of seminarian Zhage Sil was found in a ditch in Jayapura on 24 December. In Italy, Father Roberto Malgesini was murdered by a homeless man with mental problems in Como on 15 September. The priest was working among the poor. The Vatican news agency notes that none of them was engaged in outstanding projects. They simply shared in their small way the life of most of the people entrusted to their care, bearing witness to Christian hope. “Martyrs” of the pandemic Fides also notes that hundreds of priests, religious, hospital chaplains, pastoral workers in the healthcare sector as well as bishops have died during the pandemic, carrying out their service. They fell doing their utmost to help those afflicted by the virus in places of care, without cutting down on their ministry. Fides reports that priests and religious are the second largest group, after doctors, who fell to Covid-19 in Europe. According to a partial report by the Council of Bishops’ Conferences of Europe, from the end of February to September ending, at least 400 priests have died in the continent. Many of them were missionaries, who worn out by long years in mission lands amidst hardships and difficulties, have succumbed to the virus.
Advent gives us a chance to really put our minds where it matters most — on the next life. Here below are some of the ways: 1. Don’t be too busy to be spiritual. I know you have to do the thing with the thing before the thing, and then you have to rush off to the other thing, and in the words of the rock band INXS, “There’s not enough time”. If you wait for the time, it’ll never come. So make room. Turn off your phone. Set aside your to-do list. Light a candle. Say a prayer. Sit in a church or chapel (if Covid restrictions allow). 2. Sacrifice all of the things. Sacrifice things, and then substitute them with Jesus. Give up some part of your daily routine to fit in 20-30 minutes for Christ. How? For example: • Pray while working out, driving, washing up... • Dedicate a decade of the rosary to someone you don’t know who needs prayers. No rosary? No problem. God gave you ten fingers. • Read or listen to Scripture or faith-based books/ podcasts on your work commute. • Grab a bible and pick a psalm. Find a sentence and make it your daily meditation. Apply those words to your day and try to uncover their meaning in your life. 3. Make a new Christmas playlist. Traditional Christmas music is one of my favourite things about the season. There’s a rumour going around that I indulge in it even in the middle of the year. Once or twice a week, or for an hour before bed, listen to some spiritual songs, like a Gregorian chant or (my favourite) “Advent in Ephesus” by the Benedictines of Mary Queen of Apostles. They feel as traditional as Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” but they are also prayers that are spiritually uplifting, calming, and peaceful.
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Fr. Joe King and 3 Cameroonian Perpetual Members
5. Have Sunday Advent dinners. If the good Lord gave you the gift of culinary skills, then by all means, give glory to God with traditional Advent meals. I was given no such skills. I am a terrible cook. But use meal ideas — perhaps some of Grazia Barletta’s “Cooking With Saints” recipes in The Southern Cross — to spark conversation about Advent, God and prayer over something to eat. Obviously, feasts are important to Catholics, since we celebrate one every day.End these meals by lighting the candle on your Advent wreath for the week. 6. Go to confession. Advent is “Diet Lent”. Cough it up, fess up, spill it out. Get into confession because if Advent is the time to celebrate the Second Coming, then we should be ready at all times. No one wants to greet Jesus with a dirty soul. The truth is, without confession we really can’t allow Christ into our hearts, which is needed for deeper conversion, and that is what this is all about. That’s what it’s always been about. If you do nothing else during Advent, consider, at least, confession. Let’s go into Advent this year as Catholics ready and willing to serve our God. Let’s be humbled and filled with everlasting love for one another so we can show the world what true Christianity is all about. Let us find this season the path of peace and the ability to let Christ enter our hearts so that one day when he comes, we can kneel in reverence, bow our heads, and know that we served our purpose in this life: serving and loving. This article originally appeared on BustedHalo.com and is reproduced with kind permission.
— (Source: Fides)
Feast of St. Joseph the Worker: Why Does Work Matter to God? What do you think about work? Is it just a way of putting food on the table and paying the rent? Are you in paid work, or perhaps volunteering, or focusing on raising a family at home? How has Covid-19 changed the way you value work? We’ve all come to appreciate what frontline workers – teachers, doctors, nurses, shopworkers, delivery people – do in this past year. How about your work: do you think it matters? As we go, we pick up three questions that Christians often ask about work. How does work fit in with God’s purposes? Why is work sometimes so hard? And what does it mean to follow Jesus in my work? — Source: Thinking faith
4. Give, give, give. You don’t always have to give away money. Give of your time, talent, and friendship. Be kind to an enemy. Pay someone a compliment who you may think doesn’t deserve it — bonus points if you do it after they were rude to you. Hold open a door for a stranger. Offer to help someone carry their shopping. Write inspirational quotes on cards that serve as compliments to people and randomly place them on car windshields. Remember that the smallest act of kindness is still a huge act of love.
Vocations Director with Mill Hill Aspirants
Cameroon: Mill Hill Missionaries Gather in Assembly
Father Adolf Poll (Alleluia) returns to Italy after 53 years in Kenya
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he Mill Hill Missionaries in Cameroon held their annual Society Assembly at the Mill Hill Central House, Bamenda. The meeting started on January 12th and concluded on 15th of January 2021. The 26 members who gathered for the Assembly, started their meeting with a day of Recollection led by Fr. Charles Senka, a Diocesan priest from Kumbo Diocese, reflecting on the theme: ” In the Footsteps of St. Joseph, the Silent and Obscure Servant of God.” During the Assembly the members had a good moment in sharing the joys and challenges they experience in their mission especially in the context of the ongoing Anglophone Crisis and the Global pandemic of Covid 19.
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Italian Mill Hill Priest Leaves Kenya After 50 Years with Only 2 Bags Italian Catholic priest, Father Adolf Poll has received plaudits from far and wide while leaving Kenya with only two bags, 53 years after he was posted to the East African country.
The celebrated priest is famously known as Father Alleluia Omogoka -a nickname he earned while serving at the Catholic Diocese of Kisii. On Tuesday, May 25, 2021, the humble father flew back to Italy after spending almost his entire life on missionary work in Kenya. The Assembly session also gave them an opportunity to reflect on the upcoming Society General Chapter and the points they wish to present in the Chapter. Finally, the Mill Hill Missionaries who next year, 2022, will be celebrating the Centenary of their Missionary presence and work in Cameroon, ( 1922-2022) discussed and started planning for the Centenary Celebration.
Catholic Justice and Peace Commission, Malindi diocese wished him well in a statement released before his departure. The commission stated that; “Fr Adolf, 80, packed all his personal belongings acquired during his more than five decades of Priestly Ministry in Kenya, fitting in just two small bags, and started his journey back home in Italy for retirement.” — John Mbati,
— Fr. Richard Njoroge, MHM
Catholic Missionary Cleric in Madagascar Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
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Catholic missionary priest in Madagascar known for serving the poor living on a landfill has been nominated for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. Fr. Pedro Opeka, 72, is a Vincentian priest from Argentina who has worked with the poor in Madagascar for more than three decades. He founded the Akamasoa humanitarian association in 1989 as a “solidarity movement to help the poorest of the poor” living on the site of a garbage dump. Janez Janša, the Prime Minister of Slovenia, has announced that he nominated Opeka for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize for his dedication to “helping people living in appalling living conditions.” The Akamasoa association (meaning “good friend”) has provided former homeless people and families with 4,000 brick houses and has helped to educate 13,000 children and young people. Upon seeing the desperate poverty in the capital city of Antananarivo, especially at the landfills where people live in cardboard boxes and children compete with pigs for food, he decided to do something for the poor. With help from abroad and the work of the people of Madagascar, he founded villages, schools, food banks, small businesses, and even a hospital to serve the poor through the Akamasoa association. — Courtney Mares Rome Newsroom, 11 February, 2021 / 7:10 pm (ACI Africa).
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Friends of MHM Installation, St John, Foncha Street Bamenda
Our Lady of Fatima Ntaafi(upstation) Bamenda
Mission Sunday Collection, Ilung
Immaculate Conception, Ngomgham
Immaculate Conception, Tobin, Kumbo
Temporary Oath - Mill Hill Students, Bamenda
St Jude Fundong
Jubilee Celebrations, Kisumu - Kenya.
LET’S ENCOURAGE & SUPPORT MISSIONARIES Over one billion Catholics all over the world observed the 24th October, the 95th World Mission Sunday. Pope Pius XI instituted this annual observance in 1926. Every year since then, the universal Church has dedicated the month of October to reflection on, and prayer for, the missions. On World Mission Sunday, Catholics gather to celebrate the Eucharist and to contribute to support the work of evangelization around the world.
Kumba, Cameroon: Ordination of Malvin Ngi MHM
O Sacred Heart Fiango, Kumba
Of the 3000 dioceses in the world, about 1000 are missionary dioceses—they need assistance from more established dioceses to build catechetical programs, seminaries, Religious Communities, chapels, churches, orphanages and schools. This annual celebration gives us a chance to reflect on the importance of mission work for the life of the Church. It reminds us that we are one with the Church around the world and that we are all committed to carrying on the mission of Christ, however different our situations may be. World Mission Sunday is vital to the growth of the Church and the spread of the Gospel in predominantly impoverished and remote areas overseas. Masses and collections happen in every diocese across the world, and every single donation supports churches, hospitals, schools and vocations in countries where the Church is new, young or poor. One of the wonderful things about World Mission Sunday is that every parish around the world prays for and financially supports our global Church. These funds raised build much-needed infrastructure, from chapels and schools to orphanages, clinics and dispensaries. On World Mission Sunday itself, we honour the brave and selfless women and men already making a huge difference in some parts of the world’s most troubled areas.
St Anthony Kumbambeng, Kumba
n Friday 11th of June 2021, on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, was another happy occasion for the Mill Hill family in Cameroon, when Malvin Ngi MHM was ordained a priest by Bishop Agapitus Nfon of Kumba Diocese of the Southwest Region.
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The Ordination took place at Fiango Sacred heart Cathedral parish, an old Mill Hill parish started in 1936, and served by many Mill Hill missionaries over the years. Malvin is the first Mill Hill missionary to be ordained from Kumba Diocese.
On Sunday after the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Fr Malvin led the Christian community of Fiango Cathedral parish in a Thanksgiving Mass which was also well animated. Fr. Malvin has been appointed to the of the Diocese of Kroonstad in South Africa where he is to start his first Missionary assignment.
Jinja, Uganda: Temporary Oath Ceremony at Formation House Last year, at the request of the General Council, Fr Joe King, Mill Hill
— Fr BERILIY IGNATIUS (Friend of Mill Hill, Cameroon)
Our Lady of Fatima, Ntaafi -Bamenda
Society Representative East Africa presided over the Temporary Oath of three of our brothers: Evans from Homa-Bay, Kenya, Petereric Nyaga from Meru, Kenya and Joseph Tusiime from Hoima Uganda. The rector of Jinja Formation house, Fr Charles Okata, and his assistant, Fr. John Akain, and the community did a great job to prepare our candidates for the T.O. They also welcomed and thanked all who managed to come We wish our three brothers God’s blessings as they begin their life of commitment. — Fr Joe King MHM, Society Representative, East Africa.
St Joseph, Muyuka.
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PRAYER TO ST CECILIA glorious St Cecilia, you won the martyr’s crown without renouncing your love for Jesus, the delight of your soul. We ask that you help us to be faithful in our love for Jesus, that, in the communion of the saints, we may praise Him twice in our song of rejoicing for the Blood that He shed which gave us the grace to accomplish His will on earth. Amen
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— Fr. Richard Njoroge mhm
All missionary efforts also require financial support because the love of God can often be explained to the poor only by providing them with food and means of livelihood. On this Mission Sunday, let us learn to appreciate our missionary obligation and support the Church’s missionary activities by living transparent Christian lives, by fervent prayers, and by generous donations.
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PRAYER FOR THE HOLY SOULS erciful Father, hear our prayer and console us. As we renew our faith in Your Son, whom You raised from the dead, strengthen our hope that all our departed brothers and sisters will share in His Resurrection, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace.
The Liturgy of the Ordination that lasted for over three hours, was well animated in a mixture of local tunes with the whole congregation present and participating actively in singing and dancing.
St Paul Nkwen - Bamenda
QUICK ADVENT PRAYER ear Heavenly Father, help me to hear your voice. Touch me once again. Give me the courage to be your beloved. Give me the courage to choose joy. Amen
Holy Trinity, Bota - Limbe.
FOURFOLD FRANCISCAN BLESSING May God bless you with DISCOMFORT! Discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart. May God bless you with ANGER! Anger at injustice, oppression and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace. May God bless you with TEARS! Tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, hunger and conflict, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and help turn their pain into joy. May God bless you with FOOlISHNESS! Enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.
Women funded the ministry of Jesus Women are the backbone of any society with huge responsibilities as professionals, mothers, caregivers etc. Often women are the moral conscience of nations. The scriptures tells us that some women accompanied Jesus and the Apostles on their journey through cities and villages where Jesus preached and brought the Good News of the Kingdom of God. Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward and Susanna and many others provided for Jesus and the Apostles out of their means (Luke 8:1-3) From the beginning of Christ’s mission, women showed to him support – not only at the foot of the cross but also at the dawn of the Resurrection:
There was a boy who once wished to become a priest. He did not succeed. He took up the trade of shoe making. He had a friend who studied and became a priest. The shoemaker made shoes for the priest. He said – “If I could not ascend the pulpit, at least, let my shoes ascent there” Dear Brothers and sisters, there is no gift that cannot be used for the service of the church. The shoe maker did not become a priest, but he offered his best for the service of the church. Many of the friends of Jesus (like Friends of Mill Hill) are in the background unseen but needed for the work of evangelization, and their names are written in the book of life. May God bless all those who work in the background in the process of mission and evangelization bringing love and healing to a broken society. — Fr Anthony Ndang Ndichia MHM Coordinator Friends of Mill Hill.
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The women are the first to come to the tomb They are the first to find it empty They are the first to hear He (Jesus) is not here, for has been raised - They are the first to embrace his feet and worshipped him - They are the first to be called to announce the truth of the resurrection to the Apostles The gospel of John and Mark emphasizes the special role of Mary Magdalene. She is the first to meet the Risen Christ. Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples: “I have seen the Lord”. No doubt Mary Magdalene was called Apostle of Apostles for she was the first to bear witness to him before the apostles.
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They played a pivotal role of giving life and sustaining society Women were very much present in the ministry of Jesus Jesus acknowledges the contribution women gave – as disciples, collaborators bringing love and unity. Today, we need vibrant women – caring, faithful, virtuous and loving. “ How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings Good News, who announces salvation” Isaiah 52: 7 Women worked behind the scenes to help fund Jesus’ preaching journeys. Do we help fund the church’s mission work? While others are working centre stage and spotlight, others are behind the scenes like Friends of Mill Hill. esus (like iends of J fr e th f o in the Many ill Hill) are the M f o s d n e Fri d for but neede n e e s n u d ames backgroun lization, and their n e g n va k of life.. work of e in the boo n e tt ri w are
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n June 2021, Fr Richard Njoroge, the then Superior of Mill Hill Missionaries in Cameroon and Rector of the Formation House Foncha Street was withdrawn from Cameroon, after 16 years of loving service. He has been appointed to take up a new mission in the Archdiocese of New York in the USA. We thank Fr Richard for his loving service of leadership, dedication, humility and commitment for the people of Cameroon for the past sixteen years. We wish him every blessing in New York.
In August 2021, Fr Innocent Akum, became the first Cameroonian to be elected and appointed Mill Hill Superior in Cameroon. It should be noted that last year, Fr Joe King, a Mill Hill Missionary from Cameroon was elected and appointed superior of Mill Hill Missionaries in East Africa. Fr Innocent was ordained on the 5th March 2011 at Christ the King Parish Mbengwi. After his ordination, he took up his first missionary appointment in Witu, Malindi diocese, Kenya. A year later, he was appointed to St Joseph Parish Luanda Kenya, where he served as the parish priest for six years (2012 -2018) From 2018 – 2019, he assisted at St Thomas the Apostle Parish PK10 Archdiocese of Douala from 2018 – 2019. From 2019, following the creation of the first Mill Hill parish in the Archdiocese of Douala, Fr Innocent was appointed Parish priest of St Raphael the Archangel Bonjongo, Bonaberi Douala, before his recent election and appointment as Mill Hill Superior Cameroon. Congratulations and we wish him every blessing. Friends of Mill Hill Taking Committment
“A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” Proverbs 11:25 Dear Friend of Mill Hill St Therese, Ilung
------------------------------------------------------Rejoicing with gratitude!
Jesus was born of a woman. Jesus owed the care and training of his childhood to our Lady. Let us remember that without the help of Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna and other women, who accompanied Jesus and his apostles in their mission, Jesus and his apostles would not have done what they did; -
Fr Innocent Wefon Akum, elected and appointed Mill Hill Superior Cameroon
What is the most important missionary virtue? Faith? Hope? What attitude best equips the missioner for the daily tasks of evangelization? Charity? Justice? Very high on my personal list is the missionary virtue of gratitude. It means approaching life, people, events – all of mission – with constant attitude of gratitude. On behalf of the Mill Hill Missionaries, I will like to thank you for your support, your interest, your prayers and your sacrifices to our congregation. Your generous support has helped the training of missionaries, teaching others how to best proclaim the Gospel message of Jesus to the world. St John, Foncha Street
In 2020/21, we received through your red box, your generous offering of: ………………………………. When we give to others, we give to God: “He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward him for what he has done” (Proverbs 19:17). You are remembered in our daily masses and prayers. Rev Fr AN Ndichia MHM Coordinator Friends of Mill Hill Cameroon. Give and it shall be given unto you (Luke 6:38) Friend of Mill Hill in France
Friends of Mill Hill praying for the dead, Nov. 2020.
OBITUARIES Be Part of the Friends of Mill Hill Missionaries by:
• Bequeathing to Mill Hill Missionaries in your last will and testament • Take a red box • Become a promoter of Friends of Mill Hill in your parish. • Attend the quarterly meetings in April, August and December
Hellen Kigham May 21, 2021 Kumbambeng - Kumba
Vichas Stephen Sept. 17, 2021 Ndop - Bamenda
Rose Mafor Abongwa May 27, 2021 Ntaafi - Bamenda
Tabenteh Nkongho Amstrong Dec 20, 2020 Mutengene - Buea
Jude Nsai Apr 18, 2021 Oku - Kumbo
• Praying daily for the missions and the missionaries • Offering of Mass intentions • Animating your parish in mission awareness • Regular donations • Once off donation
Aseh Francis June 8, 2021 Foncha Street Bamenda
Fr. Thomas Bernard Rafferty June 8, 1945. May 9, 2021 Age:75 Fr Gerard van de Laar Dec 24, 1921 Jul 24, 2021 Age:99 Fr. Joseph (Joe) Holmes July 27, 1938 Sept. 30, 2021 Age:83 Bekeny Francis Dec. 3, 2020 Bambili - Bamenda Mue Felicia Yangue Jan. 24, 2021 Mutengene - Buea Chia Daniel Feb.10, 2021 Mulang - Bamenda Mbinkar Boniface March 20, 2021 Jakiri - Kumbo
Fr. Walter Stifter Nov. 17, 1937 Jan. 12, 2021 Age:83 Fr Theodore (Ted) Feldbrugge Oct. 29, 1929 Mar. 08, 2021 Age:91 Fr. Otto Bambokela Mpetsi May 3, 1969 Apr. 27, 2021 Age:51
Br Karl Dallasega Jan. 30, 1937 Feb. 21, 2021 Age:84
June 25, 1929 Dec. 17, 2020 Age:91
Fr. Nico Schipper Oct. 6, 1958 Dec. 11, 2020 Age:62 Fr. William (Bill) McAvoy
Brother Jan de Groot Sept. 24, 1930. Nov. 23, 2020 Age:90
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Contact details The Vocations Director and Coordinator FOMH: Rev. Fr Anthony Ndang Ndichia MHM Telephone: (+237) 677 85 50 64 Phone: (+237) 665 85 61 06 Email: mhmvocationcam@gmail.com Address: Mill Hill House Foncha Street International Website: www.millhillmissionaries.co.uk
Friends of Mill Hill Cameroon WhatsApp P.O. Box 5058 Nkwen - Bamenda
Friends of Mill Called to be PeopleofofHope. Hope. Friends of of Mill Hill:Hill: I Belong, I Participate, and I Contribute. Friends of Mill Hill:Hill: Called to be People Friends Mill I Belong, I Participate, and I Contribute.