Parañaque City, the Philippines, 1 September 2016 -- Fr Moïse Paluku Maneno, SDB celebrated his Thanksgiving Mass in the Seminaryo ng Don Bosco (SnDB) Chapel with the SnDB, Don Bosco Center of Studies and Sandor Salesian Brother communities.
It has been twenty days since Fr Moïse was ordained in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, his home country. Fr Moïse took the opportunity, as he is passing through the Philippines en route to Solomon Islands, to say his thanksgiving mass in his beloved Seminaryo ng Don Bosco Community. He spent his last four years of initial formation in SnDB which prepared him for the priestly ministry. He felt privileged and doubly blessed for, aside from the SnDB community, the Sandor Salesian Brothers' community, and the community of professors and some lay mission partners of DBCS were also present in for his Thanksgiving Mass—the first mass he celebrated in English.
In his homily, Fr Moïse shared that he is happy to be back and happy to present himself as a blessing. "Here I am, a blessing." He recognized that his life is a blessing, his priesthood is a blessing, and the many people and experiences that brought him to where he is now are also blessings. Sharing his reflection on the Gospel, he emphasized the virtue of heeding Jesus' call to "put out into deep." To trust in the Jesus' words. The deep may be one's difficulties and failures in life. It may also be the daunting mission ahead. He encouraged the conferes who are still in theological formation to "move on from failures" and cling on God.—not to wallow in grief but allow oneself to be guided and helped.
Finally, he expressed his pride and gratitude for the formation he received in Seminaryo and DBCS. He thanked the formators, professors, lay mission partners, and especially his former co-formandi for being part of his life and his journey towards priesthood. He invited everyone to continue accompany him in his journey as he is a missionary ad gentes et ad vitam, to Solomon Islands in the PGS Vice Province.
