I’ve been reading more of the writings on education of Mwalimu (Teacher) Julius Nyerere, Baba wa Taifa (Father of the Nation). I wrote about my initial reading of him some months ago. I continue to be moved by what he wrote and continue to think that what he wrote about education (formed in great part by his Catholic faith and his devotion to the social teachings of the Church) should inform what we do at OLQP. The words of Pedro Arrupe, a beloved former superior general of the Society of Jesus who died in 1991, echo through the halls of Jesuit schools. He counseled the alumni of our schools to be “men and women for others,” thus urging our schools to be places of formation of young people to be such. Nyerere had the same vision (though as president of Tanzania Nyerere could not complete Arrupe’s thought: “Be men and women for others modeled after the man for others, Jesus Christ).
An English poet, Hillaire Belloc, expressing the power of the colonizer against the powerlessness of the victim penned the couplet: “Whatever happens we have got/The maxim gun, and they have not."
The maxim gun or its modern equivalent will still be used by those who have it against those who do not; and some of those who do not have it will try to acquire it. But increasingly most nations will tend to leave the competition in acquiring the maxim guns to the very rich or to the very foolish. The instrument of domination of the future is going to be education. Fortunately, in the acquisition of that instrument, we can compete and all win with honour.
If, therefore, we do not want to be the permanent source of the hewers of wood and drawers of water for the educated of this world, we must seriously enter this honourable competition for knowledge. So I want to use this opportunity to stress once again, a few points about our education generally…
First our education should be universal…
Secondly our education should be of good quality…
Thirdly, our education should be relevant…
Finally our education should be socially responsible. Education for Self-Reliance is not education for selfishness. Yes it is also for the Self-Reliance of our country. I believe that the community has a responsibility to educate its members. But a poor country like Tanzania cannot afford to educate the selfish. It invests in the education in a belief that such investment is good for both the individual concerned and for the community as a whole. In the language of yesterday: Education for Self-Reliance should be Education for Service.
Not all of us will have the same concept of community, but all of us have a need to belong. However socially insensitive we may be, we have a need to belong to a community of fellow human beings. No human being can make it alone.
The causal factors between education and development are not clear – and even questioned among many very reputable scholars. I think maybe Nyerere gives us a way out so that we aren’t too frustrated in this country when the effects of education are not seen immediately re: development. The first step is to provide an education for a greater measure of self-determination.
However many characteristics of Jesuit education that we list, one is always featured among our graduates: “The Jesuits taught me how to think; how to argue, and how to see the holes in other people’s arguments.” This very sort of education will provide great benefit to the citizens of this great country. We will be educating men and women for others; our graduates will apply their sharp analysis to the problems and proposals faced in this country. Our prayer and expectation is that they will do so not so much simply to benefit themselves, but for the common good of all.
That isn’t the only important characteristic of Jesuit education, of course. We want to form our students not only to be keen analysts of social situations able to act prudently on their analysis for the benefit of the least among us but also to be beholders of the grace of God.
Folks have asked me about mail. I’ve hesitated to answer until I had a better sense.
What follows is what I’ve come to understand, both from others and from reading.
My friend Nancy Brewer sent me some CDs of the talks she went to at Chautauqua this summer, and they reached me in ten days time from Los Angeles (thanks, Nancy!).
The mail service in Tanzania is not as efficient as the U.S. Postal Service. I mentioned how quickly mail arrived from Los Angeles, but from what I understand it can take a bit longer from here to the US.
People have asked in particular about sending care packages. From what I understand, such can be a frustrating experience for all involved due to not infrequent theft and heavy customs taxes. So please, don’t send any costly items through the mail.
I understand that packages sent in padded envelopes do better than boxes.
I apologize for this long post. Folks might appreciate reading some of the items from the Synod on Africa, just coming to a close in Rome. Here is a link to the full text (still in draft form).
I: LOOKING AT AFRICA TODAY
Rich in human and natural resources, many of [Africa's] people are still left to wallow in poverty and misery, wars and conflicts, crisis and chaos. ... [These] are largely due to human decisions and activities by people who have no regard for the common good and this often through a tragic complicity and criminal conspiracy of local leaders and foreign interests.
There is much good news in many parts of Africa. But the modern media often tend to emphasize bad news and thus seem to focus more on our woes and defects than on the positive efforts that we are making. ... Signals abound of many initiatives seeking to bring effective solutions to our problems.
II: IN THE LIGHT OF FAITH
True pardon promotes the justice of repentance and reparation, leading to a peace that goes to the roots of conflict, making friends, brothers and sisters out of former victims and enemies. Since it is God who makes this kind of reconciliation possible, we must give adequate place for prayer and the sacraments in this ministry, especially the Sacrament of Penance".
III: TO THE WORLD CHURCH
The Church in Africa thanks God for many of her sons and daughters who are missionaries on other continents. ... Special thanks go to those who have remained with their people even in times of war and grave crisis. Some have even paid for their fidelity with their very lives.
IV: THE CHURCH IN AFRICA
We are convinced that the first and most specific contribution of the Church to the people of Africa is to proclaim the Gospel of Christ. ... In this regard, all members of the Church, clergy, religious and lay faithful, must be mobilised to work together in the unity that brings strength.
As bishops, we challenge ourselves to work in unity in our various Episcopal Conferences. ... The unity of the episcopacy is a source of great strength, while its absence wastes energies, frustrates efforts and gives room for the enemies of the Church to neutralise our witness. An important area where such national cooperation and cohesion is very useful is in the media and social communications.
Each bishop ... should ensure the establishment of a Justice and Peace Commission at all levels. We should continue to work hard on forming consciences and changing hearts, through effective catechesis at all levels.
Our dioceses must be models of good governance, transparency and good financial management. We have to continue to do our best to tackle poverty, which is a major obstacle to peace and reconciliation. Here suggestions for micro-finance schemes deserve careful attention.
In this Year for Priests, dear brothers in the priesthood, we address you in particular, who occupy a key position in the apostolate of the diocese. ... Catechesis, formation of the laity, the pastoral care of people in high office; none of these will go far without your full commitment in your parishes and different places of assignment. ... Your fidelity to the priestly commitment, particularly to a life of celibacy in chastity, as well as detachment from material things is an eloquent witness to the People of God.
Africa in recent years has also become very fertile ground for religious vocations: priests, brothers and sisters. We thank God for this great blessing. ... In particular, the Synod congratulates you, women religious, for your dedication and zeal in your apostolate of health, education and other areas of human development.
This Synod turns with deep affection to the lay faithful of Africa. You are the Church of God out in the market places of society. It is in and through you that the life and witness of the Church are made visible to the world. ... Allow your Christian faith to permeate every aspect and facet of your lives; in the family, at work, in the professions, in politics and public life. This is no easy task. That is why you must assiduously access the means of grace, through prayer and the Sacraments.
The Synod has a very important and special message for you, our dear African Catholics in public life. We commend the many of you who, not minding all the dangers and uncertainties of politics in Africa, have generously offered yourselves for the public service of your people, as an apostolate to promote the common good and God's kingdom. ... Africa needs saints in high political office: saintly politicians who will clean the continent of corruption, work for the good of the people, and know how to galvanize other men and women of good will from outside the Church to join hands against the common evils that beset our nations. ... Many Catholics in high office have fallen woefully short in their performance in office. The Synod calls on such people to repent, or quit the public arena and stop causing havoc to the people and giving the Catholic Church a bad name.
Dear Catholic families of Africa, we congratulate you for doggedly remaining true to the ideals of the Christian family and retaining the best values of our African family. We alert you to be on your guard against some virulent ideological poisons from abroad, claiming to be "modern" culture. You should continue to welcome children as gift from God, and train them in the knowledge and fear of God, to be people of reconciliation, justice and peace in future. ... Poverty often makes parents unable to take good care of their children, with disastrous consequence. ... Most families are asking for just what is enough for survival. They have a right to live.
The specific contribution of women, not only in the home as wife and mother but also in the social sphere should be more generally acknowledged and promoted. The Synod recommends to our local Churches to go beyond the general statement of EIA, and put in place concrete structures to ensure real participation of women "at appropriate levels".
We feel the need to pay particular attention to you, young adults. You are often neglected, left adrift as targets for all kinds of ideologies and sects. You are the ones most often recruited and used for violence. We urge all the local Churches to consider the apostolate to the youth a high priority.
V: AN APPEAL TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
To the great powers of this world, we plead: treat Africa with respect and dignity. Africa has been calling for a change in the world economic order, with unjust structures piled heavily against her. Recent turmoil in the financial world shows the need for a radical change of rules. But it would be a tragedy if adjustments are made only in the interest of the rich and again at the expense of the poor. Many of the conflicts, wars and poverty of Africa derive mainly from these unjust structures.
A change is called for with regard to the debts burden against poor nations, which literally kills children. Multinationals have to stop their criminal devastation of the environment in their greedy exploitation of natural resources. It is short-sighted policy to foment wars in order to make fast gains from chaos, at the cost of human lives and blood. Is there no one out there able and willing to stop all these crimes against humanity?
VI: AFRICA, RISE UP!
We commend the efforts to liberate Africa from cultural alienation and political bondage. ... On the economic front, Africa has tried to fashion for herself a strategic framework for development called NEPAD, New Economic Partnership for African Development. ... The Synod commends these efforts, because these programmes clearly link economic emancipation of Africa with the installation of good governance. Here, unfortunately, is the sticking point. For most African nations the beautiful documents of NEPAD are still a dead letter.
The Synod happily congratulates the few countries in Africa which have started on the route of genuine democracy. ... The Synod is sad to note that the situation in many countries is a great shame. We think in particular about the ... situation in Somalia, ... in Northern Uganda, South Sudan, Darfur, Guinea Conakry and other places. ... Whatever may be the responsibility of foreign interests, there is always the shameful and tragic collusion of the local leaders: politicians who betray and sell out their nations.
VII: JOINING OUR SPIRITUAL FORCES
The Synod calls for ever greater ecumenical collaboration with our brothers and sisters of other Christian traditions. We also look forward to more dialogue and cooperation with Muslims, the adherents of African Traditional Religion (ATR) and people of other faiths. Religious fanaticism is ... causing havoc in many parts of Africa. From our traditional religious culture, Africans have imbibed a deep sense of God, the Creator. ... When this religious fervour is misdirected by fanatics or manipulated by politicians, conflicts are provoked that tend to engulf everyone.
The Synod heard the testimony of many Synod Fathers who have successfully walked the road of dialogue with Muslims. ... The issues of reconciliation, justice and peace generally are concerns for entire communities, irrespective of creed. Working on the many shared values between the two faiths, Christians and Muslims can contribute greatly towards restoring peace and reconciliation in our nations.
Freedom of religion includes also freedom to share one's faith, to propose, not impose it, to accept and welcome converts. Those nations which by law forbid their citizens from embracing the Christian faith are depriving their own citizens of their fundamental human right to freely decide on the creed to embrace. ... This Synod warns that such restriction of freedom subverts sincere dialogue and frustrates genuine collaboration. Since Christians who decide to change their religion are welcomed into the Muslim fold, there ought to be reciprocity in this matter. Mutual respect is the way forward.
I finally saw a lion yesterday. I was with three Jesuit companions, and we went to the watering hole where I'd been told they can be found, and sure enough there was a lioness with a recent kill -- what looked to be a baby zebra (pole sana, mtoto wa punda milia).
Look closely at the trunk of the tree; the lion is resting after having gorged herself. We were, I'm guessing, 30 feet from her -- in the car, of course.
The scene reminded me of Tennyson:
Who trusted God was love indeed And love Creation's final law Tho' Nature, red in tooth and claw With ravine, shriek'd against his creed
What excited me about the trip to Dodoma and the chance to meet with Sossy and Orobator about OLQP was Orobator's obvious excitement. He embodies the Ignatian value of magis, desire for more, discontent with mediocrity. His challenge to us -- in particular as we envisage the post-secondary education phases -- is to think big. What will distinguish the teachers college? he wants to know -- distinguish us not only nationally but also regionally and globally.
The visit to Dodoma gave me a chance to meet the newest member of the parish community, Fr. Joseph Kiarie, SJ, who was recently ordained after finishing his theological studies in Manila. I look forward to his companionship.
The trip was not without some excitement: we had a tire blow out on Bart Murphy's car en route. I felt like a worthless fool as I stood around and a 70+-year-old man and a provincial superior changed the tire. I offered them some water to wash their hands, so wasn't totally useless -- only mostly.
(This reminds me of an incident about 18 or so months ago. I was visiting Cleveland and Toledo some days after my friend Fr. Tim Kesicki, SJ, had been named the provincial superior of the Detroit Province. I was in Toledo and a horrible snow storm came through. A few hours after it passed, I decided to head to Cleveland. Everything was perfect regarding my timing -- the plows were always ahead of me. Until I exited the freeway -- I got stuck in a huge drift a block away from St. Ignatius High School. Tim and a then-candidate (now novice), Bryan Norton, dug me out as I stood there, helpless. I told Tim, "This is a perfect tableau to capture how a provincial spends much of his timing -- digging people out of the messes they get themselves into!)
Here's a picture of Sossy (left) and the provincial at the construction site.
I just got back from a quick trip to Dodoma. I went with Bart Murphy, SJ, and the provincial superior of the Eastern Africa Province, SJ: Fr. Agbonkhianmeghe E. Orobator, SJ.
I had my annual conference with Orobator on Sunday (we Jesuits call it the manifestation of conscience). On Monday Bart Murphy kindly schlepped me and the provincial to Dodoma, where I had a chance to visit with the community members and to meet together with Sossy and Orobator, ending with a site meeting at OLQP.
I'm beat, so I'll write more about the inspiring days later.
