The proverbial phrase ‘If the mountain will not come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain’ literally came true when Fr. Piotr Chyla, the Director of the Center of Redemptorist Spirituality in Rome, came to Kenya to conduct a one-week spirituality course for the students and confreres of Kenya Mission. It is not possible for 25 students and 12 confreres belonging to Kenya to go to Rome to attend this course. So, Muhammad came up to the mountain of Kenya to ignite us with the fire of Redemptorist spirituality and mission.
Piotr arrived in Kenya on Friday, 9th December, and left for Tanzania today, 16th December. During his stay with us, he conducted two days of sessions for our Philosophy-Theology students and three days of sessions for priests. The topics included, the New Ways of being Redemptorists, the Challenges we face today, Missionary Dynamism, Solidarity with the poor and Promotion of human dignity, Mission in Community and Community in Mission, and Restructuring as Good news.
On the last day, a sharing on Why Am I Redemptorist? Helped each confrere to think of his own vocation and mission. It was indeed an occasion for a very deep personal sharing. The seminar was concluded with a concelebrated Mass and dinner.
Besides the talks, Fr Piotr’s own personal example of the simplicity of life and his zeal for ‘Ad Gentes’ and love for the Congregation ignited a fire within each one of us. We hope more and more confreres will benefit from Piotr in the coming years.
We are very grateful to our Provincial, Fr. Edward Joseph, (Province of Bangalore) for making all the arrangements for Piotr to come to Kenya.
Fr. Paul Pazhangattu, C.Ss.R.
Mission Superior, Kenya.
