Bro. Ramiro Casale ordained to the Diaconate in Rome

On February 23, 2008, Bro. Ramiro Casale, OCD was ordained deacon by Bishop Jean Sleiman, OCD, Archbishop of Baghdad. The ceremony was held in Rome. (read more.)



Uganda Update! – Fr. Stephen Watson

Having just returned to Rome from a three week visit to Uganda – I’m happy to share the news with our friends and supporters of the Carmelite Mission in Kyengeza:

There have been some big changes since I visited our mission in Uganda one year ago. Fr. Paul Koenig joined the mission last April. If I recall correctly April 3rd will be the first anniversary of his arrival. He will turn 57 in a couple of days. I marvel at how well he has adapted to the very different environment from Los Angeles where he grew up. I accompanied him on a Sunday to Kiteete which is one of the 15 sub-parishes. It so happened that there was an auction after Mass of various food products like matoke, jack-fruit, avocados, chickens and even a local brew made from bananas. This was a fund-raiser in order to be able to buy bags of cement to finish the floor of the church. The Mass lasted more than two hours. The fund-raiser added another three or so. Fr. Paul thought we should stay for the whole thing because our presence was an incentive for others to stay and participate. It must have worked because they made 250,000 shillings which is equivalent to about $140. It was after 6pm when we got back and we had left that morning at 9:30.

The next Sunday I went to the sub-parish of Tumbu with Fr. David. There were 14 baptisms during the Mass. Fr. David asked me to help. Would you believe I baptized 5 or 6 babies? This was significant for me because I have not done a baptism since I left St. Therese Parish in 1999. I hope my name appears in the baptismal registry. One of the babies was named Regan. Tumbu is a lovely hill which can be seen from Kyengeza. I had my binoculars which the children and men were keen to look through. They were surprised to see how close Kyengeza had come to them. On the way home we made visits to the elderly and sick. It was after 4pm when we got back to Kyengeza.

I said there were changes since last year. The biggest change is that there is now a community in Jinja. Fr. Edmond is with seven postulants. (I should mention that there are three other postulants of Uganda in Nairobi.) I stayed with them for four nights. I was very impressed with these young men. We went on a little excursion one day, all crammed into the van. It so happened that we were near the home of one of the postulants so we stopped in. Joseph put his arm around his mother and with a big smile proudly introduced her to us. “This is my mother. She is a peasant and illiterate.” I was really touched by their love and humbleness. When I visit next year these postulants will be living in a new house and attending the Philosophical College of Jinja.

I visited our dear Discalced Carmelite Nuns in Mityana. They arrived on the scene forty years ago last October. What a well deserved good reputation they have. By the way, one of the nuns is from Tumbu. Her name is Sister Mary Grace and she made her profession the same year I did. There were other adventures during my three weeks in Uganda. Space doesn’t permit to write of them all (like coming home in the dark from Namutamba with Fr. Paul!) Our three missionaries are doing great things. Let’s keep them in our prayers.
Fr. Stephen Watson, OCD writing from Rome March 11, 2008