Monks Say Goodbye to an Abbey Cook

Among the employees at the abbey kitchen at Hanga Abbey are Benedictine nuns from Imiliwaha Sisters in Njombe diocese in the southern highlands of Tanzania. This late April 2015 one of the three nuns in the kitchen, Sister Hosana Nkwera, OSB,  was reassigned to another responsibility by her superiors. In recognition for her outstanding service in the kitchen the monks held a farewell dinner for her.

In that dinner something shocked all the monks. Sr. Hosana explained that she was a survivor of a sunken boat in Lake Nyasa back in 1989, the story which  shocked with sadness many people back then and even today. We wish Sister Hasana all blessings in her new assignment.

Below are some photos of Sr. Hosana at the reception dinner

Above Sr. Hosana delivering a speech which included how he survived 10 hours in water/lake Nyasa after their bout was storm wrecked

 

 

 

Belos Prior Jerome Mlelwa gives Sr. Hosana a goobye hand

Sr. Hosana is receing a special travelers blessing from Bishop Placidus Nkakalanga, OSB, and Fr. Gregory Mwageni, OSB.

Sub-prior John de Sahaguni presents a gift to Sr. Hosana.

 

Frater Wenceslaus and Frater Ludger also had special goodbye chat with Sr. Hosana

 

Vocation Directors Meet at Hanga Abbey

A week after Easter Hanga Abbey had a pleasure of hosting Vocation Directors from different men religious communities in Tanzania. The members shared about challenges and strategies of getting new members to their communities. They all enjoyed staying at Hanga Abbey with good accommodation and food. We welcome them back in the near future.

In the photos below are participants of the Vocation Directors conference

 

 In the photo Vocation Directors with Bishop emeritus Placidus Gervas Nkalanga, OSB.

At the same time two Nuns from Christ the Redeemer from Luagala in Mtwara region, south eastern Tanzania came to the abbey to solicit vocations by talking to girls at St. Benedict Secondary school. The two nuns Sr. Clara and Sr. Noela were en-route to Iringa region to visit other Secondary Schools for vocations for their community. Actually, Sr. Noela is a graduate of St. Benedict Secondary School.

Below Sr. Noela and Sr. Clara with Frater Odo Nanyanje, OSB, of Hanga Abbey

 Above from left: Sr. Noela & Sr. Clara

 

 

Catholic Youths Meet at Hanga Abbey During Easter

It is customary for the Catholic organization in Tanzania the so called Tanzania Young Christian Students (TYCS) to have meetings during the week before Easter. This is an organization in Tanzania includes mostly students from Secondary Schools and some colleges; and each diocese forms a body of TYCS branch part of the whole country. This year in the archdiocese of Songea the students of TYCS from different schools, totaling 100, met at Hanga Abbey for their regular Easter Conference under their Chaplain Fr. Luxford Lugongo. Abbot Thadei Mhagama, OSB, welcomed the students at mass on the first day of their arrival. The Vicar General of the archdiocese of Songea, Reverend Camilius Haule was there on Monday after Easter Sunday for mass celebration for the closure of the conference. The students were accommodated at St. Pirmin's Guest House. We welcome the organization to hold their meetings at our facility in the future.

Pictured below are the TYCS members in the Abbey church processing after the Holy Mass

 

Above at the front-center (in white cassock)  is Fr. Camilius Haule, Vicar General of the archdiocese of Songea taking picture with members of the TYCS.

 

 

Frater Josephat Mgimba, OSB, Becomes an Anesthesiologist

Hanga Health Center is growing in terms of services to the villages around Hanga which also grow in population. To that effect it is exciting to note that soon there will be surgery services offered at Hanga Health Center. For that reason Frater Josephat Mgimba, OSB, of Hanga abbey who is also a Nurse, has been taking training for the administration of anesthesia for surgeries for year completing this April. A surgeon is also completing his field experience this May, 2015. The two will bring about the long awaited service. A great joy to women in labor and children with anemia.

Congratulations to Frater Josephat for his achievement.


Below Frater Josephat in his graduation gown on the graduation day and with his fellow graduating classmates.

 

 

 

Nuns from Namibia to Study at Hanga Trade School

The fame of Hanga Trade School, one of Hanga Abbey schools, seems to have gotten reputation even beyond Tanzanian frontiers. This year, 2015, the school began with a surprise of two Benedictine nuns from Oshikuku in Namibia, South West Africa, joining the school. Indeed it is a great joy to Hanga Abbey to be of service to people even beyond Tanzania for such is the achievement in the missionary work. The two nuns are Sister Hifilonya Saima Twamoneni, OSB, and Sister Lidia Shithigona, OSB. We warmly welcome them and hope that their time and studies at Hanga will be fruitful to them and their community in Namibia.


In the pictures are the nuns from Namibia

 

 

 

Celabrating Palm Sunday at Hanga Abbey, 2015.

It is customary at Hanga Abbey to celebrate together Palm Sunday, the monks and with all students from all abbey schools. So again this year on Sunday March 30th, 2015, the monks and students had the Holy Mass together in the abbey church. The Palm Sunday Mass Liturgy began by blessing of the palms at St. Pirmin Guest House followed by a procession to the abbey church. The presider at the Mass was Abbot Thadei Mhagama, OSB, the abbot of Hanga Abbey. Concelebrating at mass were other priests: Fr. Gregory Mwageni, OSB, Fr. Mugaga Mselle, OSB, Fr. Chrysostom Mukulasi, OSB, Fr. Charles, OSB, Fr. Bruno Haule, OSB, and Fr. Novatus Ngonyani, OSB.

Students of Hanga Religious Seminary choir led the congregation in singing during the Mass. It was a good Mass and blessed moment the community of the abbey and the students to be together.

See some pictures of procession and the celebration of the Holy Mass in the abbey church.

Abbot Thadei Mhagama, OSB, in the processing with Fr. Gregory Mwageni, OSB, on his left.

 

Below: students and monks in the procession.

 

 

 

 

 

Below: at Mass in the abbey church

 

 

 

Frater Deogratias Sikazwe, OSB, of Hanga Abbey, Ordained to Deaconate.

On the seventh of January, this year 2015, at the cathedral of the archdiocese of Songea, in southern
Tanzania,



ten men were ordained as transitional deacons. Archbishop Damian Dallu of the archdiocese ordained the men. One of them was our own Frater Deogratias David Sikazwe, OSB. Deacon Deogratias has been attending Theology School at Peramiho Major Seminary. He is originally from Zambia and joined the Hanga Abbey through the daughter house Priory in Katibunga, Zambia. Deacon Frater Deogratias is expected to be ordained to priesthood this year. When ordained he will be the third priest from Zambia in our community. We congratulate Frater Deogratias for his achievement.