The following is the welcoming address by COMSAM President Our Lady of Good Counsel Sister Romina Nyemera, delivered at the Uganda shrine of the martyrs on Feb. 4, 2012:
The Prefect of the Congregation of Institute of Consecrated life and Societies of Apostolic life (CICLSAL) Archbishop Joao Bras de Aviz (Cardinal-elect), the Apostolic Nuncio to Uganda, His Excellency, Paul Tschang In Nam, priests, members of COMSAM from Africa and Madagascar, donors, well-wishers and friends of COMSAM, the religious men and women living and working in Uganda, ladies and gentlemen.
We are honored to have the Prefect of the Sacred Congregation (CICLSAL) -- in other words we have the pope here with us represented by the person of Archbishop Joao Braz de Aviz who will be made Cardinal on Feb. 18 2012. What a great joy it is for us the religious of Africa and Madagascar to host you as our guest of honor today, presiding over this Pontifical High Mass! We don’t share the same language, but as you know the language of love, peace, joy, simplicity and gentleness frightens no one -- and that is you!
It’s a privileged to be with the Apostolic Nuncio to Uganda His Excellency, Paul Tschang In Nam through whose generosity the accommodation and transportation of our chief guest is catered.
Priests present, your support on this special day is especially noted. It is a sign of unity.
My respect goes to the missionaries of Africa through their country representative Fr. Rudi Lehnertz. We recognize the presence of our donors through Sr. Joyce Meyer. Thank you for being a means through which God fulfills his plans and purposes in the ministries of the religious.
Fr. David Kinnear Glenday is representing the USG/UISG; Fr. Komakoma Joseph is representing SECAM; Prof. Martin Nkafu a director of the Department of Human and Social Sciences and African Culture in Lateran University in Rome. Mr. George Wirnkar and Mr. and Mrs. Fox for the media.
Welcome members of COMSAM, delegates to the General Assembly. We planned to have this national Consecration Day celebrated here in Namugongo because of you. We welcome Africa and Madagascar in the heart of Uganda and at the feet of the Uganda martyrs.
(Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, North Sudan, Burkina Faso, South Africa, Gabon, Burundi, Rwanda, Nigeria, DRC, Chad, Cameroon, Congo Brazaville, Senegal, Republic of Central Africa, Madagascar, Ghana, Togo, friends from Rome, U.S.A. I give special attention to COMSAM executive and the past President of COMSAM Fr. John Kwofie and the Secretary General of COMSAM. Your presence here inspires and encourages me. Thank you ARU for the great arrangement and organization. I feel indebted to you for the hard work and sleepless nights you sustained preparing for this occasion.
All religious men and women who have come from various communities near and far to celebrate our consecrated life. To you all I say, "Rejoice highly favored!"
If I have left anybody out of this long recognition just ignore it and say human beings are limited in spite of good will.
COMSAM is an Acronym of Confederation of Conferences of Major Superiors of Africa and Madagascar.
The inaugural celebration of COMSAM took place in 2005 in Cotonou, Benin. In 2009 we held our first General Assembly in Yaounde Cameroon with the theme “Passion for Christ, Passion for Africa”. And now in 2012 it is in Kampala Uganda with a theme: “Witnesses to the truth at the service of Communion and Reconciliation in Africa”. The three key words in this theme are; truth is a virtue that is emphasized in the Holy Father Benedict XVI’s Encyclical, Caritas in veritate, communion, and a value stressed by COMSAM as its goal and mission: reconciliation - a value was addressed by the Synod of Africa Bishops in Rome.
We are going to address our minds to these Christian values during the course of this General Assembly, engage in reflections and propose actions for a better Africa. So that we may have life and have it to the full (Jn 10:10) as our vision suggests. The General Assembly lasts one week, from Feb. 6th to Feb.10th.
The Consecrated share the feast day of Consecration of our Lord Jesus in the Temple (Feb. 2nd) each year. This year we pushed the celebration 2 days ahead so that it may occur on Saturday and offer many an opportunity to participate as we receive our fellow Religious consecrated from all over Africa and Madagascar. This is a symbol of Communion, collaboration and commitment to each other. Jesus died to bring into Unity the scattered children of God, when we are not in communion we counter witnesses.
Being together today is such a great sign of oneness.
The plan of God is that we live in communion, harmony, peace and love; the consecrated are called to perpetuate this plan of God. Let us not allow ourselves to be caught up in traps that hinder the plan of God. The consecrated people are God’s heritage in the sense that we are left with a legacy to pursue a spiritual path whose treasures are invisible but real and extremely important since they preserve the values that can sustain a society. Spiritual life is a hidden phenomenon, hence unattractive in human eyes. It therefore takes deep faith to appreciate this life style otherwise we can end up being highly material and extremely external.
Consecrated life is prophetic witnessing, evangelizing and life-giving. These aspect must accompany us in our ministries that are crucial in Africa today i.e. Formation / Education, Health, Peace / Justice, inter-religious dialogue and self-reliance.
I am always edified by the example of the Uganda Martyrs who gave their lives to the Lord hardly six years of instruction in Christian Formation. They remained together in life and in death. This unity as an added advantage to the grace of God strengthened and empowered them to take up their gift of martyrdom in freedom with praises on their lips as they walked to their death. Love is stronger than death. Song of Songs 8. May our vows be lived in faithfulness as a gift and martyrdom. I have prayed for this day and for our General Assembly that many people may respond to the invitation and attend, that funds be enough, that there be collaboration and that of a renewal of religious life that sprouts from Uganda at the feet of Uganda Martyrs. The prayer still goes on. Part of it is answered already another part is yet to be.
I invite you all to pray with me for the Renewal of Religious life in Africa and Madagascar. Thank you for your kind listening.
Our Lady of Good Counsel Sister Romina Nyemera
COMSAM President
