TRINITY
SUNDAY C 2019
PROPAGATION
OF THE FAITH HOMILY
In my 51
years as a priest, excluding Christmas and Easter Masses, I have never
experienced a liturgy in which at 6:00 am on each and every school day 1,000
high school girls in full Catholic school uniform sing the opening hymn with
enthusiastic voices accompanied only by one high school girl in the choir loft
striking a well-worn drum. I tell you
looking out from the altar at these Tanzanian girls was a mystical moment of
prayerfulness and joy.
We were
indeed on holy ground. Father Damian
Milliken, a Benedictine priest from Elmira, New York, was presiding at the
Mass. Father Damian is a priest in his
80’s and has ministered in the last 50 years of his priesthood serving the
poorest of the poor in Tanzania, East Africa.
The genuine love and respect that Father Damian enjoys with these young
Tanzanians and their families and all who live in the area around Mazinde Ju is
so Christ-like and uplifting.
Equally
impressive is a religious community of consecrated women who are such an
important part of the teaching faculty.
These are the religious sisters of Usambara. Dressed in their full habit, these sisters
number 500 sisters in Tanzania. These
sisters know in their DNA the joy of the Lord.
Last October
six of us parishioners, Steve and Virge Smith, Michelle Woods, Barb Long,
Barbara Bruce and myself made this pilgrimage to Tanzania arriving in the Mount
Kilimanjaro International Airport warmly greeted by Father Damian. As a side bar, we didn’t have time to hike up
Mt Kilimanjaro but that mountain sure is impressive.
Now we are the third group of St. Joe’s
parishioners to visit St Mary’s School and Father Damian and the sisters of Usambara
and these high school girls who are so very, very grateful for this educational
experience that gives the opportunity to go on to a university and have job
opportunities which otherwise these students simply would not have. For these
students come from very poor families.
To describe
St Mary’s School is a bit of a challenge.
It is a residential school where these students live during the academic
year and are able to get three healthy meals each day. The dormitories these students live in are
filled with bunk beds. Each girl has a
tiny cubicle which houses all her worldly possessions including all her
clothing. I have a beautiful niece for
whom to put all her clothes in this tiny cubicle would simply be
impossible.
These
beloved daughters of God have no sense of entitlement by which they expect
people to take care of them. They are so
grateful for every opportunity in life that is given to them. They are not saddened by the effects of the
poverty of the country; they are joy-filled in the opportunity that is given to
them as students in this quality academic setting that is filled with so much
love and so much spirituality.
Why do I
tell you all this? Our parish has a very
strong Tanzanian Action Team (TAT are our initials.) Headed by Jack and Mary Skvorak, we have all
seen first hand the incredible need and the incredible opportunity that St
Joseph’s parish has to make a difference in the lives of these Tanzanian girls
who have such a spiritual and educational hunger to grow as citizens of their
country. In previous years in this
annual Propagation of the Faith Mission appeal, Father Damian has spoken; last
year Sister Eventha, a religious sister of Usambara and the principal/head
mistress of the school preached the mission homily. This year, Father Damian asked me to preach
in order to save the money that would have cost for him to make the trip. Our parish has contributed $40,000 to the
great and holy ministry of Father Damian last year.
As part of
that 40k, some of us contribute $1,000 annually which provides a scholarship
for a student for a whole year.
Personally, I gladly make this $1,000 contribution each year. I had the profound privilege of spending some
time with this young Tanzanian girl I have sponsoring for the last three
years. I tell you I had to tell myself:
“Be still my heart.” when I realized the opportunity I was giving this daughter
of God in my prayer and in my tithing commitment. In all truth, l cannot think of a better use
of this money. The second collection
today goes in support of this Tanzanian ministry. I have talked about St. Mary’s School, our contributions
also go to support another nearby high school for schools founded by Father Damian
and headed by Sister Christa, another Sister of Usambara. Father Damian has also founded St Benedict’s
parish with an elementary school connected to it.
Lest you
think that I have forgotten about the feast that we celebrate today, I think
our support of this Tanzanian ministry has everything to do with the beautiful
feast of the Blessed Trinity – the mystery of the three persons in one God. Yes, there have been many books written on
the dogma and the doctrine of the Blessed Trinity. Many moons ago, in the seminary I took a
semester course on the mystery of the Trinity entitled De Trinitate. I suggest that the best summary of the great
mystery of the Trinity is that God is love.
God is revealed as a communion of persons. The love that is within the union of the
Father, Son and Holy Spirit is shared with us.
As the Gospel proclaims: “God so loved the world that He gave us His
only Son so that everyone who believes in Him may not be lost, but may eternal
life.” Jesus then told us on the night
before He died: “By this all shall know that you are my disciples, by your love
for one another.”
Again, the
mystery of the Trinity reveals the truth that God is love and this love has
been shared with us and we are to share this love with one another. This is the meaning of the feast we celebrate
today.
In our
generous spiritual and financial support of these beautiful, beautiful
Tanzanian high school girls we are living out in the actions of our lives the
mystery of the Trinity. Again, l invite
your generosity in the second collection.
Have a
Blessed Day.
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