Fr. Jerome Pistoni sx
From St Conforti Parish – Makeni
Fr. Natale Paganelli, the Apostolic Administrator of Makeni Diocese since 2012, invited the Apostolic Nuncio, His Excellency Miroslaw Adamczyk, resident in Monrovia, Liberia, to come to Sierra Leone to celebrate the Chrism Mass in Our Lady of Fatima Cathedral, Makeni.
He arrived at Lungi airport on 28th March and was welcomed by Fr. Natale himself, who accompanied him to our Regional House, Makeni, where he remained for a whole week. On 29th March Fr. Natale accompanied the Nuncio to the Immaculate Conception Parish, Magburaka, for the presentation of the new parish priest to the congregation, Fr. Bob John Hassan Koroma. Fr Bob John was previously lecturing in the major seminary in Freetown. The Nuncio took also the opportunity to thank Fr. Peter Mansaray, who has been serving the community with dedication for several years.
On 31st March the Nuncio and Fr Natale visited Port Loko: there they had a Concelebrated Mass with the priests of Port Loko and Kambia districts. Later they met the local authorities and the PPC. After an enjoyable lunch, they returned to Makeni.
During the Holy Week, on Wednesday, 1st April, the priests of the diocese of Makeni gathered at the Pastoral Centre, in the ‘upper room’, and the Nuncio gave a meditation on the priesthood. He congratulated the priests for their feast day and for the good work they are doing. He asked them to love their vocation which they have received from God. He reminded them not to forget that all is grace: nothing comes from their merits, but from the goodness of God.
He added that the purpose of their vocation is to help God to save all. He stressed the importance of preaching. He stated that a priest is “a man who listens 6 days a week in order to talk to the community for 15 minutes on the 7th day, the Lord’s day! He called their attention to the importance of the ongoing formation for all the priests and invited them earnestly to avoid the poison of gossip and jealousy.
After the meditation they all went to the Cathedral, where he presided the Chrism Mass: he explained to the congregation the meaning of the priesthood, the significance of the Holy Oils, and asked all the faithful to pray for their priests. After the Mass, a ‘take away’ lunch was offered to the priests and to 5 lay people from each parish. The following day, he flew back to Monrovia, in Liberia.
From St Conforti Parish – Makeni
Fr. Natale Paganelli, the Apostolic Administrator of Makeni Diocese since 2012, invited the Apostolic Nuncio, His Excellency Miroslaw Adamczyk, resident in Monrovia, Liberia, to come to Sierra Leone to celebrate the Chrism Mass in Our Lady of Fatima Cathedral, Makeni.
He arrived at Lungi airport on 28th March and was welcomed by Fr. Natale himself, who accompanied him to our Regional House, Makeni, where he remained for a whole week. On 29th March Fr. Natale accompanied the Nuncio to the Immaculate Conception Parish, Magburaka, for the presentation of the new parish priest to the congregation, Fr. Bob John Hassan Koroma. Fr Bob John was previously lecturing in the major seminary in Freetown. The Nuncio took also the opportunity to thank Fr. Peter Mansaray, who has been serving the community with dedication for several years.
On 31st March the Nuncio and Fr Natale visited Port Loko: there they had a Concelebrated Mass with the priests of Port Loko and Kambia districts. Later they met the local authorities and the PPC. After an enjoyable lunch, they returned to Makeni.
During the Holy Week, on Wednesday, 1st April, the priests of the diocese of Makeni gathered at the Pastoral Centre, in the ‘upper room’, and the Nuncio gave a meditation on the priesthood. He congratulated the priests for their feast day and for the good work they are doing. He asked them to love their vocation which they have received from God. He reminded them not to forget that all is grace: nothing comes from their merits, but from the goodness of God.
He added that the purpose of their vocation is to help God to save all. He stressed the importance of preaching. He stated that a priest is “a man who listens 6 days a week in order to talk to the community for 15 minutes on the 7th day, the Lord’s day! He called their attention to the importance of the ongoing formation for all the priests and invited them earnestly to avoid the poison of gossip and jealousy.
After the meditation they all went to the Cathedral, where he presided the Chrism Mass: he explained to the congregation the meaning of the priesthood, the significance of the Holy Oils, and asked all the faithful to pray for their priests. After the Mass, a ‘take away’ lunch was offered to the priests and to 5 lay people from each parish. The following day, he flew back to Monrovia, in Liberia.