Pan Africa Region Born

PAN-AFRICAN CORPORATE MISSION

As brothers in Africa, fired with

the transforming vision of Jesus,

we commit our energies to the

liberation of oppressed young people

through broad-based education.

At this particular time

we place special emphasis on HIV/AIDS.

SUNDAY 3 APRIL 2005

The celebrant for the Eucharist was Fr Philip Baxter, OFM. The congregation comprised mainly the members of the District Leadership Teams, who were meeting at the ISC, Christian Brothers and pre-novices from various communities in Zambia, and many Presentation Sisters of Zambia, who were meeting in Lusaka on this week-end.

Br Richard Walsh, the Province Leader Elect, welcomed all present to the Eucharist and ritual for the inauguration of the Province of Pan Africa. Richard was carrying a stick and whisk, African symbols of his servant authority. His African shirt and cap symbolized his commitment to African Brotherhood.

Br Michael Godfrey, the Deputy Congregational Leader, presented a clay bowl to symbolize the fact that even though the Brothers had imperfections and needed further forming by the Spirit, they were open to the new era about to emerge.

In a call to the new, Br Philip Pinto, the Congregational Leader, called on each district team to bring forward their district’s cloth and symbols. This was followed by the First Reading, taken from the Acts of the Apostles 2:42-47.

Michael Godfrey then invited a representative from each district to open their cloth and contribute their symbolic gifts for the good of all. The Second Reading, 1 Peter 1:3-9, followed.

Philip Pinto then formally inaugurated the Province of Pan Africa. The substance of his address will be given below.

There was a reading from the gospel of John, Jn 20:19-21, at the prayer for peace.

After communion, the five members of the Pan Africa Leadership Team, Richard Walsh and the four District Leaders, were blessed in various ways by Philip Pinto, Br Francis Agoah, the leader of the Presentation Brothers in Ghana, Sr Anne McDermott, the leader of the Presentation Sisters in Zambia, and Br Clement Sindazi, representing the African members of the Province of Pan Africa.

Richard Walsh then asked all the Brothers, novices, and aspirants who were present, to take a seed as a sign of commitment to their ongoing transformation of minds and hearts.

Finally, Philip Pinto and Michael Godfrey were presented with gifts for the sponsoring provinces of each district.

BR PHILIP PINTO’S ADDRESS:

Last night, there was total coverage in the media of the Pope’s death. I slept through it all. As I listened this morning to people’s comments, it was clear that the whole world was grieving. People are giving voice to what is in their hearts, grief that an era has ended.

Now we have to prepare for a new Pope and a new era. It is wonderful that this happening so close to Easter. The Pope has been modelling for the Church and, indeed, the whole world how one prepares to die. But death is not the final word. We hope for resurrection in Christ.

We are also hoping for resurrection today. Restructuring is like resurrection. Restructuring is about something dying in order for something new to be born. We recognize the element of faith. No matter how bleak the outlook, we always have hope. We cannot see the future, but we do not expect our task to be easy. Restructuring involves sharing our deepest fears and hopes.

Our lives will have new meaning. Even old tasks will be completed with a new vision. When Peter and the other disciples were fishing, they recognized Jesus, “It is the Lord,” because they had resurrection eyes. They saw life differently; they had a new way of being. They were no longer fishermen, but fishers of men and women.

Fishermen do not save fish. They take the fish out of their familiar environment. The fish are no longer in their comfort zone. Restructuring fishes us out of our comfort also. It places us in a new and challenging life, but in one that brings hope.

This new life can be achieved through generosity. An eight-year-old girl had saved $5.27 to buy a Christmas present for her family. Her older brother, typically disparaging, told her that whatever she bought for $5.27 would be cheap. The little girl retorted, “Nothing is ever cheap, if it costs all you have.”

In this moment of restructuring, God invites us to offer everything we have and to keep nothing in reserve.

In your presence, with the approval of the Congregational Leadership Team, I declare the inauguration of the Province of Pan Africa.

Richard Walsh (center) was officially installed as our new Pan-African Leader (PAL). The other members of the Pan African Leadership Team (PALT) are the four District Leaders (L-T): Seamus O’Reilly (Mater Dei), Mike de Klerk (who also serves as Deputy Pan-African Leader), Tom Kearney (East Africa), and Harry Harrington (West Africa).

Our Pan-African Centre is a newly acquired house in Lusaka, called Keating House (Left). Based there will be Richard and a service team of 3: Michael Podbury as the province’s Secretary & Bursar, Declan Power as Development Co-ordinator, and Jim Fagan as the domestic ‘anchor’.

Keating House is one of six ‘Pan-African houses’, that is, inter-District communities directly subject to PALT rather than to the Districts where they are situated. The others are: our International Spirituality Centre (ISC) in Lusaka, our other two Novitiates in Tamale and Cape Town, and our two student communities in Nairobi.