ANNUAL REUNION

This year the Annual Reunion of the British Sector of the European Province took place 21-22 June in Little Ealing Lane. A good number of confreres attended.

The first morning was devoted to a talk given by Mgr Rod Strange on John Henry Newman. It was much appreciated, and one confrere was heard to say that he had been motivated to buy a copy of Pro Vita Sua.

The first afternoon was taken up with General News - Finances, Safeguarding, the Provincial project in Liverpool and Bill Turnbull (on home leave from Malawi) spoke about his work.

There has been an increase of British confreres back home since last year - Mike Targett and Trevor Robinson home from Ghana. Justin Sebakunzi is also back here for studies.

The first day terminated with a birthday Mass for Peter Smith who celebrated his 80th birthday.

Mass to be said in Westminster Cathedral on Cardinal Richard Baawobr's 64th Birthday

On Wednesday 21 June, I have arranged for Mass to said for the repose of the soul of the late Cardinal His Eminence Richard Kuuia Baawobr [MAfr] at Westminster Cathedral. It will be the 1230 Mass and thus live-streamed. Given that the Cardinal - a friend of mine from his study days in London during the 1980s - was from Ghana and on the date in question he would have celebrated his 64th birthday, I thought to share the information in case anyone wished to watch or to attend in person.
Would you be so kind as to spread the message. Thank you. Best wishes, James "Josh" Stewart

Sister Marion Carabott MSOLA RIP

Born in Valetta, Malta on 11th August 2035. Deceased in Maryville Care Home on 10th April, 2023

 Sister Marion Carabott who passed away on Easter Monday will be very much missed by many, both in and outside the MSOLA (White Sisters) Congregation.

 Before entering the Congregation, she obtained her degree in Malta and taught physics in a secondary school for five years.  In 1960 she left for England to start her formation as a Missionary Sister of Our Lady of Africa. 

After her first vows she was sent to Tanzania where she taught physics.  She then spent a number of years in formation ministry - first as postulant mistress and was then asked to be responsible for the noviciate. In 1975 she was elected to the General Council and in 1981 she became Superior General with responsibility for the whole Congregation.   After this service, she was again appointed as novice mistress, but this time for a young indigenous Congregation in Rwanda: The Abizeramariya, who appreciated her greatly.  She then served for many more years in the congregation leadership in Rwanda and U.K. and then as secretary to the Provincial Council until the structure changed in 2014. 

In her late seventies and into her eighties, Sr. Marion served in ministry for rehabilitating prisoners and later for trafficked women.  She continued this right up to the age of 84, when she was obliged to stop due to the lockdown imposed by the Coronavirus Pandemic. 

 Sr. Marion was a woman of relationships.  People everywhere responded to her warm friendliness, constant kindness and deep caring, loving concern.  She was always ready to give a service and up until her last weeks she was an active and greatly valued member of the MSOLA community in Ealing. 

She lived her missionary commitment to the full throughout her life.

Fr. Aylward Shorter MAfr. May he rest in peace.

Fr. Aylward Shorter MAfr died in the early morning of Sunday 29th January 2003 in his 91st year of life and 61st year of priesthood. He had been living in community in Little Ealing Lane, London until very recently when he needed more specialised care.

Aylward was born in 1932 in Southwark and was ordained 30 years later in Totteridge, North London as a Missionary of Africa.

Immediately after ordination he was sent for further studies, first in Rome, then at Oxford. From then on apart from a brief time in a parish in Tanzania, his life was very much devoted to Education’ particularly concerning Anthropology and Missiology. Ggaba Institute in Uganda, AMECA Pastoral Centre in Eldoret, Kenya, Kipalapala Major Seminary in Tabora, Tanzania, and Eastleigh in Nairobi were all places where he taught. Later he spent time as President of the Missionary Institute London (MIL), North London and as Principal of Tangaza College, Nairobi.

In the later years of his life he lived and prayed in community in Little Ealing Lane, London.

It is difficult to do justice to the long life of such a confrere without simply churning out lists of places and jobs. Suffice it to say that he will be well remembered by the hundreds, if not thousands of students whose lives he impacted and the many colleagues and confreres with whom he lived and worked.

May the Lord who called him to serve the people of Africa so many years ago, now welcome him into the Eternal Life which he proclaimed and for which he was created. May he rest in peace.

Prayer for Fr. Ha-Jo Lohre MAfr

Fr. Ha-Jo Lohre MAfr. disappeared, presumed kidnapped, in Bamako, Mali on 19th November 2022 whilst returning from saying Mass. Below is a prayer for him and all hostages:

God our Father, You, the Merciful, the all-powerful in love,
You who are always attentive to the cries of those who call upon you,
we turn to you with confidence.

We pray to you for our brother, Father Ha-Jo.
Protect him. Strengthen him in faith, hope and charity.
Give him the strength to stand firm in his new mission
which he did not choose,in the hope that he will soon be released.

We pray for his captors: touch their hearts;
that they may understand that you call us all to live together
in love and brotherhood.

To those who are working for his release,
inspire just decisions that lead to a happy outcome.

We pray for all the other hostages;
that they all regain their freedom and return to their families as soon as possible.

Bless the Church-Family of Mali;
Bless Mali!

Our Lady of Africa, watch over our brother Ha-Jo, Watch over Mali.  Amen

Cardinal Richard Kuuia Baawobr MAfr. R.I.P.

Cardinal Richard Baawobr MAfr died on Sunday 27 November 2022 in Rome, Italy
at the age of 63 years, of which 35 years of missionary life
in D.R. Congo, Italy, France, Tanzania and Ghana.

He was born in Nandom-Lawra , Ghana in 1959, took his Missionary Oath in Totteridge, London in 1986 and was ordained priest in Ko, Ghana in 1987. He was a member of the General Council, then was elected the first African Superior General of the Missionaries of Africa. After leaving office he was made Bishop of Wa in Ghana, then in 2022 he was created a cardinal, although he was too unwell to be physically present at the consistory. He was taken to hospital in the evening of Sunday 27th November 2022 where he was pronounced dead. He died on the 1st day of Advent. His waiting for the Coming of the Lord is over.

Let us pray for him and for his loved ones.

For those who wish to send their personal condolences: baawobr.condolences@mafr.org


Fr. Evert van Oostrom MAfr. Rest in Peace

On Wednesday 20 July 2022, at 01.00 am, our confrere, Evert, died peacefully in his room in Horn, Netherlands, in a home for the care for persons suffering of Alzheimer’s.

 He worked as a missionary in many places and in many countries; Tunisia, Uganda, Kenya, Great Britain, Ghana, Burkina Faso.

In UK he will be remembered for the time he lived in St. Edward’s College, Totteridge and taught Scripture at the Missionary Institute London in Mill Hill during the whole of the 1970s.

He will be remembered as a committed missionary, a kind confrere and a passionate and voluble proclaimer of the Gospel.

Bishop Richard Baawobr MAfr to be Cardinal

Bishop Richard Baawobr MAfr, presently Bishop of Wa, has been named by His Holiness Pope Francis to be created Cardinal at the next Consistory. Bishop Richard, born 1959 in Ghana has worked as a missionary in DRCongo and France. He served 6 years as First Councillor, then 6 years as Superior General of the Missionaries of Africa in Rome before being appointed Bishop of Wa in Upper East Ghana.

Fr. Aylward Shorter MAfr. 90 years

On Tuesday, 2nd. May 2022, confreres and family of Fr. Aylward Shorter MAfr gathered in Little Ealing Lane to celebrate with him his 90th birthday. During the concelebrated Mass, Aylward spoke about, and thanked God for, among other things, the contribution he was able to make to a Theology of Culture.

Afterwards there was a meal and the chance to meet and chat.

Thank God for your 90 years, Aylward. May God continue to bless you.

Requiem Mass Fr. Dave Cullen MAfr

Friends, Family and Confreres were reunited on 29th April 2022 to pray for the repose of the soul of Fr. David Cullen. The Requiem Mass took place at Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Northfields .

Fr. Hugh Seenan MAfr presided and Fr. Mathew Banseh MAfr represented Zambia/Southern Africa Province where Fr. Dave worked for so many years. Family members read readings from the Word of God and Bidding Prayers. Some Zambian friends were also present and many more attended by means of the Internet.

White Fathers in England and Wales: Registered Charity No. 233302
Charity Registered in Scotland No. SC037981