On June 13, 2022, the feast of St. Anthony of Padua, friars from the three Franciscan First Orders (OFM, OFM Cap., and OFM Conv.) inaugurated a course for missionaries in Africa. The event took place at the Shrine of the Martyrs of Uganda in Munyonyo (a district of Kampala, the capital of Uganda).
Previously, for twenty years, such courses were conducted in Brussels. After being disrupted by the pandemic, it was finally time to reactivate them. Now, it has been decided to conduct the courses in the places where missionary service is carried out.
The current course offers six weeks of lessons and includes pastoral experience. The participants involved come from Poland, Cameroon, India, the United States, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia, Uganda, Mozambique, and South Africa. Some friars are already working in their country of missionary destination, such as Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau or Malawi.
The course began with Mass presided over by the Guardian and Pastor, Friar Wojciech ULMAN. Before the lessons began, there was a “rite” led by the General Secretaries for Missionary Animation for their respective Orders, namely, Friar Mariosvaldo FLORENTINO, OFM Cap., Friar Francisco GÓMEZ, OFM, and Friar Dariusz MAZUREK, OFM Conv. During the liturgy, the friars prayed to the Holy Spirit, blessing their openness to have a good experience during this time.
There will certainly be more information about the course, but in the meantime, here are some photographs that give you a very good indication of the fraternal atmosphere of the event.
Peace and All Good from Uganda!
Friar Dariusz MAZUREK, General Delegate for Missionary Animation
