Catholic Education Secretariat - Gambia/Westafrica

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GETTING READY FOR SATURDAY. WE ARE ALL EXCITED. MASS WILL BE STREAMED LIVE FROM OUR GPI FACEBOOK PAGE

The Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference is committed to eliminating the use of filthy kerosene (paraffin) lanterns for reading by school children in rural areas without connection to the National Grid (Electricity)! Caritas Ghana is championing this task with the supply of portable, durable and auto-charging solar lamps to replace the filthy kerosene lanterns in poor communities. Toxic fumes from kerosene lanterns are injurious to children's health; especially their eyes and lungs! They are not also environmentally friendly in addition to their high potential to cause domestic fire outbreaks. The Episcopal Chairman of Caritas Ghana, Most Rev. Joseph Osei-Bonsu, has formally launched the initiative on behalf of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference! Caritas Ghana is currently distributing over 17,000 pieces of solar lamps to some 54 earmarked villages across 18 Arch/Dioceses. Caritas Ghana's Partner SUN24 of USA is supplying the lamps, based on a Memorandum of understanding signed in August, 2017. The initiative is part of Caritas Ghana's Social Impact Investment programme on Electronic Waste Management! Pope Francis' Encyclical Letter - Laudato Si is our inspiration and driver!!
THE GOVERNMENT OF GHANA CAN LEND USEFUL SUPPORT TO THIS INITIATIVE BY GRANTING TAX EXEMPTION TO CARITAS GHANA FOR THESE LAMPS WHICH ARE RECEIVED PURELY FOR A SOCIAL AND CHARITABLE CAUSE! WE PRAY THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS LISTENING TO OUR PLEA WHICH WAS REPEATED AFTER THE PROJECT LAUNCH IN OCTOBER, 2017!! BY THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF CARITAS GHANA - MR. SAMUEL ZAN AKOLOGO. Caritas Ghana acknowledges the support of our local Partner - The MARSHALLAN RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES (MAREDES) WHO HAS RESOLVED TO HELP PROMOTE AND EXPAND THIS NOBLE CAUSE FOR CHILDREN IN DEPRIVED COMMUNITIES.

Meeting at Gambian Pastoral Institute - Fr. Jarju, Dr. John Loum, Mr. Juergen Debus and Mr. Dawda Faye

A beautiful little girl with Down syndrome, got up from her seat during a papal audience and went toward the Pope. The girl then sat down near him and the Holy Father continued to speak while holding hands with the little girl.

LENTEN PASTORAL LETTER

LENT: A TIME TO BE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF JESUS

Every first Sunday of Lent, we hear the account of the temptation and fasting of Jesus in the desert that is narrated in all the Synoptic Gospels. We are told in the first statement of each of the Gospel passages that “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil and he fasted for forty days and nights.” (Mt. 4:1-2; Mk. 1:12; Lk. 4:1-2) The three evangelists testify that it was under the power and influence of the Spirit that Jesus was moved or driven into the desert to begin his season of lent when he was tempted, fasted, and prayed. Their joint and unanimous testimony on the Spirit’s role is what has informed the theme of my first Lenten pastoral letter: “Lent – A time to be led by the Spirit of Jesus.” As followers and imitators of Christ, I want us to consider this Lenten season as a time to equally be led by the Spirit of Jesus in our spiritual journey and warfare against the forces of sin and evil in our lives as individuals and as a community of faith.

The reason why Jesus was led into the desert by the Spirit that descended on him at his baptism was mainly to prepare and empower him for the mission he was sent to accomplish. He was publicly identified as the Son of God but he allowed himself to be led by the Spirit before he began his public ministry. This basically indicates that it is absolutely necessary to be spiritually, morally, and mentally prepared and equipped for the mission that God intends his anointed ones to accomplish.

As followers of Christ and members of his Body, the Church, we too have received the Spirit at our baptism, confirmation, profession, and ordination and sent in our different vocations to accomplish God’s purpose in our own day and age. For us to be effective and successful in our individual and common mission, we should be conscious of the presence and power of the Spirit in our midst and be attentive to its inspiration and guidance. During this season of Lent, we should listen attentively to what the Spirit wants each and every one of us to do in building and advancing the presence and mission of the Catholic Church in The Gambia. We all share this common task no matter our background, position, and state of life as we enter another phase of our history as a diocese.

In his conversation with Nicodemus in Jn. 3:8 on rebirth in the Spirit, Jesus compared the presence and movement of the Spirit to the wind. He said, “the wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. The same is the case with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” The emphasis in this statement is more on hearing and discerning the sound and promptings of the Spirit than knowing with certainty the whereabouts and locations of the Spirit.

The first step we, therefore, need to take as we begin the season of Lent is to dispose and free ourselves from any distraction and habit that will prevent us from hearing or being attentive to the presence and guidance of the Spirit. The negative habits of indifference, prejudice, fear, self-importance, discord, falsehood etc. and worldly and ungodly distractions can seriously prevent us from being prepared and moved by the Spirit to go about doing good after the example of Jesus (Acts.10:38-39). St. Peter testified that it was because God was with Jesus that he went about doing good and healing all those possessed by the devil. May this season of Lent be an opportunity for each of us to also be disposed, sensitive, and charitable to the sick, needy, orphans, and outcasts of our society today.
The second step we should take is to allow ourselves in our daily lives to be renewed and transformed by the Spirit into effective witnesses of God’s peace, love, mercy, compassion, and forgiveness in our families, communities, and nation. Considering our human weakness and imperfection in our faith and knowledge of God, we should strive to grow and progress in our spiritual life with God and our fellow human beings. We have in this season of Lent a good opportunity to grow in our faith, hope, and love, if we allow the Spirit of Jesus to renew and transform our thoughts, actions, and way of life.

Jesus was led into the desert by the Spirit where he was tempted and fasted for forty days and forty nights but he was not abandoned by the Spirit throughout that time. He was with the Spirit that remained with him and strengthened him to overcome the devil’s temptation and endure his fast to the end. If we equally dispose ourselves to be moved or led by the Spirit at the beginning of Lent, we will also experience the presence and power of the Spirit in our struggle against sin and temptation throughout our lives. We should not, therefore, set out purely on our own desire and determination to fast, abstain, and give alms without relying on divine assistance. For it is in the strength of the Spirit that we will prevail like Jesus against the trials and temptations we face as individuals and as a community of faith.

Every season of Lent, we are required to intensify our prayer, fasting, and acts of charity. These three obligations seem to be ordinarily simple but what matters is not these acts in themselves. Rather, it is the spirit or manner in which we pray, fast, and give alms that will enable to us to gain our reward in heaven. We may presume that we already know how to pray but we are reminded by St. Paul in Rom. 8:26 that “the Spirit is the one who helps us to pray as we ought.” The reason why Jesus’ prayer was heard, as stated in Heb. 5:7, was simply because he submitted so humbly and obediently to God who has the power to save him from death. May this season of Lent be a time for us to learn the true spirit of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving and be humble and submissive like Jesus in the sight of God and our fellow human beings.

The three times Jesus was tempted by the devil as recorded in Matthew’s and Luke’s Gospels were moments when he was tempted to make a personal choice. He was tempted either to change the stones into bread, to throw himself down from the pinnacle of the Temple, to fall down and worship the devil in exchange for the kingdoms of the world or not. But in each of these temptations, Jesus succeeded in making the right and true choice that is acceptable to God. He chose to live by the word of God instead of bread alone, not to put God to the test, and to worship and serve God alone above all else.

The good choices we make in our daily lives are also what makes us to overcome the temptations of the evil one and be faithful to God like Jesus. Instead of being an irregular mass attendant and communicant and an obstacle or scandal to others’ faith, one can decide to frequently and actively participate in the Eucharist and practice the teachings of the Church. One can also choose to work, study, contribute, and make a more positive difference in one’s position for the good of all than neglecting one’s responsibilities and obligations. Instead of sowing seeds of hopelessness and division, one can also choose to promote peace, reconciliation, hope, and unity in the society. During this season of Lent, we as leaders, parents, teachers, students, and children should be extra careful about the choices we make in our communities, families, and places of work and education. If we allow the Spirit of Jesus to lead and enlighten us with its wisdom, we will make right and fulfilling choices that will bring us true happiness and success in this life and in the world to come.

In the next forty days and nights and beyond, I encourage our children and youths to consistently make the right choices and decisions in their lives. Whenever you are faced with a choice, make the right decision and be obedient, truthful, honest, faithful, good, hardworking, upright, loyal, and ready to live according to God’s commandments. Do not allow anyone even those who misuse authority and scripture as a pretext to influence or mislead you to make the wrong choice or decision in your life. That was exactly the trick the devil used to tempt Jesus in the desert when it quoted scripture. You should always endeavor to obey and please God in your choices and actions because the Spirit of Jesus is with you to guide and enlighten you to do what is right and worthy of your vocation in life.

The Lenten season is truly a time for us all to be led and accompanied by the Spirit of Jesus as we mortify the desires of our bodies, in order to, share in the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ at Easter. Our experience of hardship, self-denial, and discomfort during these forty days and nights should not discourage us from persevering to the end. For the Spirit is with us to assist and strengthen us throughout this solemn period of conversion and renewal of heart. We should not, therefore, be afraid, reluctant, and doubtful about the meaning and worth of the sacrifice and discipline we impose on ourselves. Our Father who sees in secret, as Jesus said in Mt. 6:4,6,18, will reward us for purifying ourselves, responding to the needs of others in our midst, and making the right choices in our lives.

Finally, I consider it providential that the Lenten season is the first major liturgical season of my episcopacy as the Catholic Bishop of Banjul. The reason is because it enables each of us in the diocese to fully reflect on the life, suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ, that is, the Paschal Mystery which is the source of our Christian faith, hope, love, and vocation in life. This should enable us to be more focused on our common goal as Christians and members of Christ’s Body, the Church. I therefore, pray that God will grant each of us a fruitful and redemptive Lenten and Easter season that will enable us to overcome the forces of sin and evil, work for the good of the Church in

The Gambia, and live in peace with each other and Christ forever.

Click here to support Consecration of Bishop-Elect Mendy organized by Jean Marenah To assist the Catholic Diocese of Banjul towards the consecration of the first Gambian as the catholic bishop of Banjul, The Gambia slated for February 3rd 2018.

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Last Sunday in Kitty1: farewell party for seminarist John. God accompany him on his way and bless him.

Gambia Pastoral Institute FOR PASTORAL AND SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE FAITHFUL

Have you had the wonderful experience of working with someone who became your friend? It's awesome! 😊

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Zimbabwe schools accept goats for tuition fees - BBC News Parents in Zimbabwe who cannot afford school fees can offer livestock such as goats or sheep as payment, a government minister has said.