On November 11-15, 2018, the Secretary General for Missionary Animation (SGAM) visited the Provincial Custody of St. Francis of Assisi in Kenya.
Friar Jarosław WYSOCZAŃSKI visited the following fraternities: Nairobi-South C—the custodial fraternity and the parish; Nairobi-Lang’ata—the formation house (seminary-theology studies); Ruiri—the postulancy house; and Subukia—the fraternity and the Marian Shrine.
Friar Jarosław’s missionary animation at the formation houses in Nairobi and Ruiri was focused on the missionary spirituality and the missionary status of the Order. He also discussed the growth of the Order in Anglophone Africa, as evidenced by the growing number of friars, the creation of structures in the Jurisdictions, the organization of pastoral ministry, the role of the many lay people involved, especially catechists in the field of evangelization, the turnout of the faithful in the churches on Sunday and their participation in the sacraments; and the various social works and educational projects, which have caused us to give serious consideration to new presences in Francophone Africa.
Friar Jarosław then discussed the importance of seriously considering Pope Francis’ invitation to participate in his extraordinary October 2019 missionary prayer intention, in order to renew missionary enthusiasm and authenticity and thus become zealous missionary disciples, increasingly devoted to the love of Jesus and his mission of evangelization.
Friar Jarosław also went to the National Marian Shrine, which is entrusted to the Friars Minor Conventual. He got to spend some time in prayer and fraternal discussion with the community in charge of “the Village of Mary” where he offered sacramental and logistical assistance and visited the spirituality center. In addition to managing the Shrine, our friars are also dedicated to agriculture and run a small carpentry school for young people.
Friar Jarosław WYSOCZAŃSKI, SGAM Secretary General
