1. Priestly Ordination:

Brother Deacon Raymund Shikesho OMI is scheduled to be ordained to the Sacred Priesthood at the Christ the King Parish in Okatana – Oshana Region on the 24^th July 2010. The Eucharistic Celebration with the Rites of Ordination will start at 9h00.

2. Diaconate Ordination:

2:1. This is to announce that Brothers Johannes Nghikevali and Apolinarius Martin, have been ordained to the Sacred Diaconate. The former was ordained at St. Elizabeth Parish – Omuthiya, on 29th May 2010, while the latter had his ordination at the Sancta Familia Parish (Swakopmund). Deacon Johannes and Deacon Martin are candidates towards diocesan priesthood. Both events were well-attended by the clergy and the faithful. A special note of gratitude goes to the two host parishes who have invested a lot of their human and material resources to make the ordination a success.

2:2. The Oblates of Mary Immaculate also wishes to announce the Ordination to the Sacred Diaconate of two of their members, namely: Brother (Scholastic) Josef Alweendo Mutumbulwa OMI and Brother (Scholastic) Peter Sindimba Ntjamba OMI. This will also take place on 24 July 2010. Let us continue to pray for them and support them by honoring them with our presence on the day of their ordination.

3. Confirmation: Tour

The last few months, I had the privilege of administering the Sacrament of Confirmation at the following parishes or Catholic communities:

Oshali	92	Uukwanatshikare	72	Ombwana	108
Otshikutshatshipya	124	Eparara	75	Ohakadu	90
Onampira	167	Otshikuku	371	Onamunyarara	43
Olyavahenge	132	Okando	144	Oshikuyu	127
Oshuungu	46	Omuthitugwonyama	214	Uutsima	89
Etayi	142	Okalongo Mission	117	Oshitutuma	113
Omataku	122	Okathitu	132

All these communities are part of the Oshikuku Pastoral Region. Therefore, I would like to thank the priests, deacons, parish leaders, catechists, support staff, and indeed, the faithful – for making this religious event a success. May the Lord provide you with his blessings in abundance and may you persevere in guiding and sustaining the confirmants unto maturity in their Christian life.

4. Saving energy in our institutions:

As we all know, the price of electricity and water has gone sky-rocketing (16.7 %). This poses a serious concern for the society as well as for the Church. Thus, we need to be cognizant or carefully aware of using our resources very sparingly; at the same time, taking effective safety measures (e.g. don’t leave water running; neither and keep the lights switched on the whole day) if only to save on energy. Please consult the pamphlet in the daily newspapers for cost-cutting tips. Conscientious mindfulness of these will help us maintain our institutions in the long run towards self-reliance. We are strongly advised to be ever conscious of this fact and let us utilize our available resources prudently or wisely.

5. Reports: Financial and Statistics:

This matter from the Diocesan Secretariate has come to my attention: Still, certain parishes and mission stations have not submitted their reports for the last financial year 2009. This is certainly disappointing and so I take this opportunity to remind those in-charge to immediately take note of the future implications of this state of affairs.

Seriously considering the fact that I, too, have to be accountable to Rome for this administrative issue, I am noting down all those who have failed to submit or to hand in their reports, so far. I hereby call upon all parish priests or priests-in-charge to take heed of this reminder and demand. After giving ample time for you to attend to this call, we shall publish those still unable to comply accordingly in next year’s circular letters.

6. Church Registers’ Control & monitoring: In the course of my visit to various parishes, it came to my attention that some parish priests have been negligent of their duty in completing the registers themselves or supervising the secretaries when delegated, to do so. This is a necessary monitoring system if we are determined to be truly effective and efficient in the Lord’s service. According to Canon Law, these registers are to be in the custody of the parish priest.

Moreover, make sure that all the necessary information are duly supplied in the

enrolment documents prior to the administration of the sacrament/s and before entering

into the Register of the sacrament(s) concerned (i.e. Register of - Baptism; Marriage;

Confirmation; Death, etc.) No register/s are allowed to be changed, altered, scrapped, tampered or “tipexed,”

Lastly, make sure or do see to it that the Registers are stored in a safe place at the parish priest’s residence, as this are important documents for safe-keeping.

7. Maintenance of Church Properties and Planning: This is to encourage all those in-charge of our Church institutions to embark upon awareness-raising programme towards maintaining well our assets (i.e. buildings, vehicles, etc.) for our own sake and for the common good. This will help us to develop an inner attitude of knowing that we own our church. We are responsible for the future sustainability of our church infrastructure (property). This is actually what we mean when we say “from being a missionary to being a local church.” What does this mean as far as practical implementation is concerned? It is a call for us to be innovative in our vision and planning process in our own parishes. It would be really a great joy and source of sense of pride on my part, to discover your initiative in coming up with projects which would conscientize the faithful about their obligation towards their church , both for its spiritual and social development. It is good to remember that our role as leaders is to animate the local community in order to achieve our goals which we have set for ourselves –whether they be long-term or short-term. It is highest time that we learn to be more creative and resourceful in our respective communities so as to really build up our church (parish). Let us take this idea more seriously and set our definite annual programmes accordingly.

On the other hand, a note of gratitude goes to all those who (out of their sense of commitment and a strong sense of responsibility) are already putting this into practice - .

8. Children’s Education Centre –USAKOS:

I hereby wish to inform the whole Diocese that effective October 2010, the Congregation of the Brothers of Our Lady, Mother of Mercy (CMM) will take over the above-mentioned centre which is next to the R.C. Mission in Usakos. They will be responsible for the general administration and financial management thereof. The Congregation has announced that initially, there will be three (3) brothers designated for this ministry to the orphans. I would like to thank the Congregation for accepting this challenge which our local church faces, as she carries on with her missionary endeavour. To the local Catholic communities, I extend this challenge: Let us all give the CMM Brothers our moral support in this new apostolate of theirs.

9. General Information:

* Silver Jubilee of Priestly Ordination: Fr. Jean Pierre Yambeng OMI

currently the Acting Parish Priest and Dean of the Omaheke Pastoral District, will celebrate his Silver Jubilee of Priestly Ordination on 15 August 2010 at our Lady of Fatima Parish, Gobabis at 8h30. Let us remember him in our prayer and as much as possible, let us join him in celebrating this memorable event or milestone of his life as an Oblate missionary religious – sent to proclaim the Good News to the poor

and the underprivileged. Congratulations!

* First / Final Profession – OSB Tutzing: With Fr. Abbot Justin Dzicowicz, OSB as the presider of the Eucharistic Celebration with the Rite of Profession, Sr. Scholastica Kaliki OSB and Sr. Ana Jacob OSB pronounced their perpetual vows of monastic profession at the St. Benedict Priory House in Nubuamis, on 01 May 2010. Also, on the same day, four (4) novices pronounced their first vows, namely: Sr. Sabina Zolonimu OSB; Sr. Beatrix Aitana OSB; Sr. Martha Matheus OSB and Sr. Evelyn Onyegbule OSB. May the good Lord grant you the spirit of perseverance in your vocation. Likewise, may he give you ample courage to face the challenge of manifesting his love, daily-lived in community of the Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing.

* First Vows - CMM: The Congregation of Brothers of our Lady, Mother of Mercy

Brother Jason Iipumbu CMM and Bro. Gerhard Mopeli Sehlabo, CMM

celebrated their First Vows at St. Charles Lwanga Seminary on 01 May 2010. It was an event as well, for five brothers to renew their vows. May God bless you abundantly, dear brothers, as you live out the charism of your congregation amidst the demands of our local church today. It is a noteworthy fact that the number of local vocations is actually a hopeful sign for the growth of the CMM community in Namibia.

* Blessing of the Parish Hall – St. Boniface Community (Five Dollar –Okahandja): I had the pleasure to bless and inaugurate the parish hall at the above- mentioned place, on 20 June 2010. Its architectural design was done by our Deacon Andreas Ausiku and was constructed by a local company: Shililifa Property Development CC, to the tune of N$ 299 535-30. This parish hall is meant to enhance the parochial activities of the community: e.g. catechetical instructions, meetings of parish groups, etc. May this structure strengthen the work of evangelization. I would like to thank all the parishioners and the faithful of Okahandja for their contribution and also the workers who worked so hard to make our dream come true.

* Deacons’ Pilgrimage: As part of the on-going formation of our deacons who have been working laboriously in the archdiocese four (4) of them were sent by the archdiocese to participate in the pilgrimage to Lourdes (France) and to Rome (Italy). This endeavor was under the guidance of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate from Mainz. They were: Dc. Desiderius Hamayula, Dc. Herbert Thomas, Dc. Laurentius Taukeni, and Dc. Ambrosius Shalumbu. This project is intended to strengthen their spiritual life as they get in touch with significant religious landmarks in our universal church. More so, it serves as a gesture of gratitude for the service they render to the local Church. All of them confirmed such fruitful experience to be so memorable – something that they will treasure for a lifetime. Welcome back and may the Almighty God continue to bless your ministry.

* International Closing Event of the Year of Priests in Rome: (9-11 June 2010)

The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI – officially closed the Year for Priests celebration during the above-mentioned days. In his closing address - to more or less 15,000 priests from all over the world – his words were full of encouragement , enabling the clergy to view their sacred priesthood as “a gift concealed in ‘earthen vessels’ which ever anew, even amidst human weakness, makes [God’s] love concretely present in the world.”

For this rare event, our Archdiocese was represented by four priests, namely:

Fr. Julius Katjipa MSC, Fr. Jose Thomas MSFS, Fr. Anthony Spencer OFM and

Fr. Mathias Tshithigona OMI. They all confirmed that the entire experience, no

matter how brief, was truly an historic event both in their individual lives as well

as that of the universal church. They came back on 16^th June 2010.

10. “Ministry of Prayer for the Sick”

Let us be mindful of some members of our archdiocesan community who would need our supporting prayers for complete recovery from their ailment. In April: Sr. Arnolda Dohmen HC; Sr. Susanna Nangolo OSB; In May: Bro. Wilhelm Dickmann, OMI; Sr. Franselina Kakololo MSC; In June: Sr. Innocentia Mbati OSB; Sr. Godwina Himmersbach OSB;

Sr. Eveline, Nekongo OSB; Sr. Klara Nambwandja OSB;

Sr. Profilia Nehemia OSB; Sr. Oranna Franke OSB and Sr. Hildetrud Knoth OSB.

- We also remember in our prayers Bishop Fernando Kevanhu, of the Ondjiva Diocese in Angola, who is currently undergoing medical treatment at the RC Hospital and is recovering accordingly.

We remember with love and gratitude our dear

+

Brother Gottlieb Shiimi, OMI -who passed on to the next life on 16 May 2010 [at the R.C. Hospital- Windhoek], at the age of 81. He was born on 10 May 1929. The memorial services were simultaneously held both at the St. Boniface Parish –Pionierspark and R.C.M. Anamulenge on 21 May 2010. He was buried in Döbra on 22 May 2010. We shall ever remember Brother Shiimi for the witness of his life, particularly in terms of simplicity, prayerfulness and faithfulness to his calling as an Oblate. I used to call him “the cornerstone of local vocations.”

+

Sr. Novata Endjala OSB –who passed away, at St. Martin Hospital – Oshikuku on 06 July 2010 at the age of 51. She battled with cancer for a long time. She was laid to rest on the 9^th July 2010.

1. o Fr. Edward Shellito MM, has announced the passing away of his dear mother,
2. Virginia Shellito (79) in the USA on 15^th June 2010. Father left for home on the 17^th June 2010.
1. o I would also like to announce the passing on of my nephew, Mr. Willem Tugalukeni Nashenda, at the Oshakati State Hospital on 13 June 2010; he was laid to rest at our village of Eparara on the 17^th June 2010.

To all bereaved friends and Church family, may ours be the much-needed consolation and strength, even as we are reminded of the brevity of life and the necessity to live it to the fullest – everyday… before it is too late.

With the lingering excitement (euphoria) of the recently - concluded World Cup Competition 2010 in South Africa, it is but proper to extend our heartfelt

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Sincerely yours in Christ,

+Most Rev. Archbishop Liborius N. Nashenda, OMI ARCHDIOCESE OF WINDHOEK