One Last Celebration

Fr. Jim Donohue.

This past year has been an amazing one with so many celebrations: at St. John Paul II Parish in Buhemba, Tanzania, as well as the Resurrection Formation House in Morogoro, Tanzania; at St. Bernadette Parish in Severn, Maryland, U.S.A.; and finally in Kitchener-Waterloo and Burlington, Ontario, Canada.

On September 15, on the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrow, we gathered at Mount Hope Cemetery to remember and to pray for our deceased brother Resurrectionists.

Due to space constraints at Mount Hope, two men are buried in many graves. We also have a new columbarium for those who have chosen to be cremated.

Our Provincial Superior, Fr. Tim Uniac, C.R., led a beautiful prayer service.

A week later, the Resurrectionists celebrated the jubilarian celebrations of Fr. David Mowat (60 years of priesthood), Br. David Ernst (60 years of perpetual profession), and Fr. Jim Donohue (40 years of priesthood).

Fr. Tim Uniac, Fr. Evandro Miranda Rosa, Fr. Jim Donohue, Br. David Ernst, Fr. David Mowat, Fr. Paul Voisin.

Many good friends and family members were able to be present.

After the celebration in Waterloo, we gathered at the house of my brother Brian and my sister-in-law Lynn. There was one more surprise in store for me!

At first, I thought it was “another” cake, but then I saw who was on the cake!!!

After the General Chapter, doctor visits, vacation, and many celebrations, it was time to return home to Tanzania. There were many things that I tried to bring with me to begin my new role as the rector of the seminarians in Morogoro.

It was not easy navigating six suitcases and a backpack, but I managed…at least until I arrived in Tanzania and a woman jumped in front of my cart, knocking three of the suitcases off the cart. One fell on her foot, but she seemed to realize that she was at fault and life carried on!

Fr. Daniel picked me up at the airport in Dar es Salaam. We were able to drive back in one of the new vehicles that the Canadian Province purchased for our use at the Resurrection Formation House in Morogoro. Fr. Daniel, Fr. Andrzej and I made the purchase in Dar es Salaam in May, but we had to wait for delivery from Thailand. They only arrived a few weeks before my arrival.

The vehicle on the right is a Toyota Land Cruiser (seats 12) and the vehicle on the right is a Toyota Hilux Pickup (seats 6). Fr. Daniel and Vitalis stand beside our Toyota Salesperson. These vehicles will help us immensely on the rough roads.

My brother Brian had secured baseball hats from one of his clients, JIMEXS. They were a big hit among the seminarians. Thanks JIMEXS!

Jerome and Benedicto are in their third year of philosophy studies.

More to come on www.resurrectionists.ca

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