The opening mass of the Pre-novitiate Year 2022-2023 was celebrated on the Xaverian Martyrs Day, October 14th, 2022 in Kilomoni. The Mass was presided over by the Regional Superior, Fr. Bernard Cibambo who, after a word of welcome, asked the 28 Pre-novices to take their vocation seriously, inviting them to always ask themselves why they left their respective countries and families. He urged them to always let themselves be transformed by God and inspired by the example and testimony of our martyrs.
In his message, Fr. Fabien, prevented from attending the mass because of the tragic and unexpected death of his younger brother, invited the Pre-novices not to lose sight of the REASON for which they are in Kilomoni and among the Xaverians, namely CHRIST. He reminded them that one cannot follow Christ by trying to ran away or exclude his cross, because it is through the cross that the disciple identifies himself more closely with the Master. Moreover, since death is human and also a great lesson for the living, we must always cling up to the one who is Everlasting and Absolute.
The Superior General, Fr. Fernando, for his part, underlined that any formative path aims at “belonging to the Lord Jesus; to be like him in thoughts, words, actions and feelings; to live in him, by him and for him through the daily personal encounter with him, taking as a basis the Gospel, because the life of the disciple is based and grows in this daily relationship of deep friendship with his Master and Lord”.
The particularity of this year, in addition to the 8 Novices who continue their Novitiate here in Kilomoni, is the presence of these 28 young people from Burundi (12), Cameroon (5), D. R. Congo (8), Chad (2) and Sierra Leone (1). Some have completed their philosophical studies and others come straight from Propaedeutics. Their presence materialize the restructuring of initial formation in the Circumscriptions of Africa, as formulated in the orientations of the General Direction and the recent meeting of the formators in Bujumbura, i.e. placing the stages of Pre-novitiate and Novitiate before the Philosophy.
May through the intercession of St. Francis Xavier and St. Guido Maria Conforti as well as through the prayer of our Xaverian Martyrs we may become a community where we learn to love and nurture our Xaverian vocation.
Fr. Valentin Shukuru, SX
