A 27th graduation at St. Benedict Secondary School at Hanga was held ceremoniously at the school grounds on the 17th of October, 2015. St. Benedict Secondary school has two campuses: the girls campus at Hanga and the boys at Namilola about 3 kilometers west of Hanga village. The ceremony was held at the girls campus. Of the graduates there 73 girls and 27 boys.

The guest of honor was supposed to be the Ruvuma Regional Education Officer, but in turn he assigned our own Fr. Ansgar Kaissile, OSB, to represent him at the graduation. Uniquely at this ceremony the parents made an impromptu collection/donations to support the school in many of its projects.

Congratulations to the students who graduated. We wish them good preparation for the National Examinations to be held in November and successful life hereafter.


Some photos of the graduating students and parents during the collection of donations to support the school financially.

Graduating class

Mayor of Hanga village, Gaudensia Ngonyani, delivering speech

A representative parent delivering a speech

Parents donating for the school

Parents donating for the school

Hanga village mayor holding a box leading the congregation for donations for the school

Fr. Deagratias Sikazwe, Ordained for Hanga Abbey

Hanga Abbey has a religious foundation, priory, in Katibunga, diocese of Mpika in Zambia. This August the monks of Hanga Abbey were happy to have a new priest, Fr. Deogratias Sikazwe, OSB, a native of Zambia. Fr. Sikazwe was ordained at Katibunga monastery on August 20th by bishop Ignas Chama of Kasama diocese. Fr. Deogratias studied his philosophy and theology at Peramiho seminay school of theology. Having been ordained at his native country he came back to Hanga in Tanzania to celebrate a thanksgiving mass with the monks and parishioners at Hanga village. We give congratulations to Fr. Sikazwe and thank God with him for his vocation.

Ordination day of Fr. Deogratias in Katibunga.

  


Fr. Deogratias Sikazwe, OSB. at Hanga Abbey.

Vocations Blessings at Hanga Abbey, 2015

On July 11, this year 2015, the monks of Hanga Abbey rejoiced to have six young men making their first monastic vows. On the same day two monks, Frater Benedict Kaguti, OSB, and Frater Ireneus Sambala, OSB, made their perpetual solemn profession. Frater Esperanso Mwalongo, OSB, celebrated his 25th anniversary as a monk. A day before July 11, four young men were admitted to monastic life as novices. On July 10 six aspirants were installed to be postulants. We thank God for sending us these men to lead monastic life of prayer, meditation and work.

Also, noteworthy, was the presence of retired Abbot Anselm  Zeller of Fiecht, Germany. During the celebration of the feast he was also honored as he celebrates 50 of his priesthood. Abbot Anselm is en route visiting abbeys of Mvimwa (Sumbawanga), Hanga, Katibubunga priory in Zambia, Peremiho and Ndanda.

Pictured are monks who made their first professions, solemn profession and jubilarians, Abott Anselm and Frater Esperanso.

The six newly professed monks.

 

 

Frater Esperanso Mwalongo celebrated his 25 anniversary of monastic life

Five new novices (they will be in a period of official training in monastic life)

Abbot Thadei Mhagama, Frater Ano Haule, the  postulants formator, with the new postulants

 

 

Hanga Abbey Daughter House Gets Two Monks in Solemn Vows

On the 11th June, 2015 Frater Bernard Mwanza, OSB,  and Frater Augustine Mwape, OSB, made their solemn perpetual vows in Katibunga monastery. The monastery is under Hanga Abbey. It is located in the archdiocese of Mpika in Zambia. Abbot Thadei Mhagama, OSB, of Hanga Abbey was there to officiate the ceremony which was held during Holy Mass. The vicar general of the archdiocese of Mpika presided at Mass. The mass was well attended and was celebrated in Bemba. During the liturgy a group of well prepared girls performed a liturgical dancing.

Both Frater Deogratias and Frater Augustine are studying at Peramiho Theology Seminary to become priests. We congratulate them for making commitment to religious life and we look forward to their ordination to priesthood.

In the photo below are Abbot Thadei (at the middle) with Frater Augustine on his right and Frater Bernard on his left

 

Sitting in the photo; left is Frater Augustine Mwape, OSB, and right is Frater Bernard Mwanza, OSB,

 

 

 

Abbot Thadei officiating at the ceremony of making solemn vows.

Procession to the church and liturgical dancing

 

 

Celebrating the Holy Eucharist Sunday at Hanga Abbey

Villagers of Hanga, Monks, and students, celebrated the Sunday mass of the Holy Body and Blood of our Lord with great pomp. The feast made it even more pompous because there were more than 200 children receiving their first communion at the parish, a perfect occasion for children to receive the first communion!

The abbey and the parish church were well decorated. Streets through which procession with the Eucharist passed were decorated too. The procession began at the parish church ending at the abbey church. Midway on the procession route, about a kilometer, an outside alter had been erected and adoration was held there for about half an hour before proceeding to the destination at the abbey church.

People in groups, of women, men, students, monks, youths  were sing all the way during the procession. Abbot Thadei Mhaga, OSB, was carryin the monstrance with the Holy Eucharist assisted by the pastor of Hanga parish, Fr. Eliah Chale.

See below some photos of the procession.

Below: the children of the first communion in the procession

Biometrical Registration for Voting at Hanga Abbey





Tanzania will be having presidential and legislative representative voting in November this year 2015. Consequently the country is preparing voters by registering them biometrically. It is a new and the first exercise for voters in Tanzania to register biometrically. At Hanga this exercise took place at the abbey from May 22nd to 28th. Villagers, monks, and students participated in the exercise. An identity card issued in the exercise is a valid identification for Tanzanian citizenship and will be legal and accepted in all Tanzanian legal issues where ID will be needed. See pictured of monks and students registering for voting.

Fr. Mugaga, OSB, and Fr. Chrysostom at the registration office for voting.
  

 

 

 

People in the office of biometric registration

 

 

 

 

St. Benedict students line up to register for voting

 

 

 





Moringa Oleifera Grown at Hanga Abbey

The plant Moringa oleifera is becoming a popular plant in the world for its medicinal and health usefulness. It is said to be the best supplement of minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium and others. It is also an oxidant, it brings relaxation after becoming tired, and believed to reduce weight and cure stomach problems as well as diabetes.

So far the plant leaves are sold in forms of powder, leave pieces and  pill form. It can be taken by mouth by mixing with other foods such as soup or tea.

At Hanga Abbey a lady volunteer from Austria, Frau Christa, has just began growing the plant and encouraging all the monks to use it for their health benefits. Frau Christa works with students at Hanga Religious Seminary to grow the plant. She hopes to grow the plant at a larger scale with the help of the monks. Indeed the benefits of the plants have already been witnessed by many monks and students at Hanga. Thanks to Frau Christa for introducing to us about Moringa Oleifera so called MORINGA in Kiswahili. You can learn more about the plant if you browse in the web/internet.

In the pictures below Frau Christa with seminarians at the field of Moringa Oleifera.

Moringa ground leaves packed in bottles can be used with tea.