Young man, do you want to see your mother moving with explosive energy, each step bursting with pure joy and freedom and on the other hand your Provincial Superior gliding across the floor, with each movement light as air, his smile dancing before his feet? If yes, then come and be a Jesuit.
African mothers dance on two occasions only. At a funeral virgil, the dancing is usually accompanied by loud funeral songs which are usually sung in discord. The second occasion is at a celebration. In the second instance the dancing is usually beautifully animated and choreographed, accompanied by smooth and harmonious music.
Beira is a city where people are always moving up and down trying to make ends meet. It is a place were local cultures meets and intergrates with the rest of the world. In short it is never a dull moment being there. However, on this day the areas surrounding St John the Baptist Parish came to a stand still. The parish yard was packed to the brim and many more were dancing along from the balconies of the nearby buildings.
Priests vested in white marching in a long line appeared from the sun-kissed building making its way towards the colourful stage. On this well decorated stage stood a small but maginificently arranged altar. Fr Vincent Nchimunya, the Communications Delegate of the Province of the Jesuits in Southern Africa could not resist the harmonious music coming from the choir. He had to dance along as he stood on a table trying to capture the best moments.
The sixteen year old me definitely felt jelousy looking at the angelic looking mass serving making their way towards the altar. They clearly looked priviledged to have had the opportunity to serve the mass of a Bishop and an ordination. This explained why despite the fact that they tried to maintain all reverence, they almost danced their legs off as the choir sung the Gloria.
The combination of an eloquently read out beautiful language and the Good News of the Word of God. That is what we witnessed as the lectors proclaimed the Word of God. For a moment I thought that Rev Nharo Shoko, a Zimbabwean Jesuit, had a Mozambican look alike. This confusion is justfied because the Deacon proclaimed the Gospel flawlessly in Portuguese. This amplified the whole ordination.
Archbishop Claudio Dalla Zuanna, encouraged the ordinands to establish a relationship with Jesus. He told them that their vocations go beyond building churches. It is about services and proclamation of the Gospel to one and to all. They were encouraged to become bearers of hope and the truth. The faithful nodded in confirmation as the Archbishop delivered his homily evidently from his heart.
Ordinations are always events that provoke a spectrum of feelings and emotions. This one was no exception. The mood of the day shifted from one end to the next. It came from dancing with joy and to moments of silence and reverence. One of those moments was the Litany. It was so silent that when I dropped a coin everyone looked back in frustration. It was noise for them. A sense of pensity could be felt as the litany was being accompanied by a haze of incense. The three gentlemen laid prostate on the ground as they offered themselves to God in all humility. All this beautifully painted the whole event.
One by one the three gentelmen went to fulfill the rituals of ordination. One by one the ordinands knelt down as the Archbishop and the priests laid hands on them. Again one by one they knelt before the Ordaining Prelate who anointed their hands with oil signfying their being set apart for sacred duties. They went back again to receive the gifts of bread and wine in the Chalice as a symbol of their role in the Eucharist. This was then followed by the vesting with stole and chasuble by fellow priests. Then ullulations and jubilations broke off. Mother Church rejoiced with singing and dancing as she welcomed the new shepherds. Fr Leonard Chiti, the Provincial Superior of all the Jesuits in Southern Africa could not hide his joy and excitement as he softly danced along to the Thanksgivng hymn.
By Maxwell Tinashe Nyasulu, SJ
English