The Environment – God’s Gift to Humankind! (Mvimwa, Tanzania)

Natural disasters challenge us to treasure the environment and care for it. As Missionary Benedictines, we try to make an effort wherever we serve to care for the earth and its many gifts, especially the crops we harvest for our daily sustenance.

The Conference of Mission Procurators’ dispatched the videographer team to Holy Spirit Abbey in Mvimwa, Tanzania, to capture not only the beauty of the land, but also to highlight what with proper use of modern technology can be achieved.

The friends and supporters of the Benedictine Mission House have generously reached out to our monks of Mvimwa over the years, with farming projects towards self-sustainability, support of their schools and the building of a beautiful abbey church.

Thank you for all that you do for us so that we can help others!

Br. Tobias, OSB

Mission Procurator – Benedictine Mission House

Healthcare Project in Tanzania

With the newly released video on healthcare, commissioned by the Procurators’ Conference of our Congregation, we highlight the work you, dear friends, made possible thanks to your prayerful and financial support.

Ndanda Abbey in Tanzania is not only a spiritual center for clergy, religious, and laity, but also a “monastic village” that has grown around the monastery with retreat house, workshops, schools, and especially its hospital.

Enjoy this video and at the same time accept our THANK YOU for being faithful supporters of the Mission House in Schuyler, NE, whenever we present a project. Healthcare is certainly the #1 priority, followed by education. Ndanda Hospital still depends on support from people of goodwill. The manifestation of the healing power of Jesus is evident in our outreach to the sick, thanks to your help.

Br. Tobias, OSB

Mission Procurator – Benedictine Mission House

Thank You from Benedictine Mission House

Through the generosity of our friends from near and far, we could again respond to individual requests of missionaries and help not only our monasteries in Africa , Asia, Europe and South America, but with specific projects.

Lent Appeal
Christ the King Priory, Tororo, Uganda
Housing and assistance towards self-sustainability

Sacred Heart Appeal
St. Therese Priory, Katibunga, Zambia
Farming and poultry project

Novena Appeal
Hanga Abbey – Coland Secondary School
Dormitory and monks residence

All Souls Appeal
Blessed Gerard Care Center, Mandeni, South Africa
Outreach ministry of Fr. Gerard Lagleder to orphans, sick, Aids victims, etc.

Christmas Appeal
General help to all our monasteries and convents we assist on a regular basis.

Without your help, all this would not have been possible. We Missionary Benedictines of Christ the King Priory are grateful and promise to keep you and your intentions always in our prayers.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2022!

Bro. Tobias Dammert, OSB

A Prayer from Bro. Tobias

Fr. Thomas' Diary: Tanzania

It was a joy and a privilege for me to travel to Ndanda Abbey in Tanzania/East Africa this year. The occasion was an international conference of monastic formation directors. I had, at the same time, the opportunity to meet my brother monks with whom I had lived and worked for six years in the early 1990’s. I got to know many Tanzanian monks whom I had not seen yet because they had joined after I had left; they carry on our work now. I experienced joyful encounters with many parishioners in the parishes in which I was stationed. Also, I could visit various projects that our friends in the US have supported through the Benedictine Mission House and that are now very helpful and beneficial for the local population. Here is my dairy:

Day 1
4/17/18

It felt like coming home. I had just arrived on Tanzanian soil, at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam. It is named after the independent nation’s first famous president. The journey went well, in spite of many delays: two hours in Omaha, two hours in Newark, NJ. One and a half hours in Addis Ababa. The delays matched well and I did not miss any flights. Now I am waiting for the last leg of my itinerary, the flight to the southern coastal city of Mtwara.

A Time of Change

Greetings!

I wish to offer these thoughts for your personal reflection with the invitation to join the monks of Christ the King Priory in prayer of thanksgiving for this year’s harvest, for the guidance of the Holy Spirit for the leaders of the Church and all of God’s people; for peace in our world; for elected officials to govern wisely, respecting the sacredness of life and to work diligently to bring change that will better especially the lives of the underprivileged and needy. These reflections include also news concerning our monastic community.

In this “Season of Change” be assured of our prayers for your intentions. Thanks for your interest in our work wherever we Missionary Benedictines are represented, and for your prayerful and financial support whenever possible.

For the community and staff of the mission office: 
Bro. Tobias, O.S.B. 
 

“Outlook from present to the unknown and thanksgiving for the fruits of the earth”

Change in the cycle of nature!
Now that the harvest is almost completed, fields and gardens are barren – a time to regenerate before another cycle of plowing and planting and the wait for seeds to germinate and bring forth another bountiful harvest, please God.
 

We give you thanks, O loving Creator God.

Change in the world!
Nations go through cycles of change – new leaders are elected and assume responsibilities. We pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit that our elected officials will promote peace in our world and reach out to the less fortunate of society so that their daily needs can be met. We pray for social justice, peaceful coexistence of cultures in our own country and worldwide. 

Come and guide us, O Holy Spirit!

Change in our Church! 
Pope Francis, in his efforts to promote Christian Unity does not hesitate to address issues, painful as these may be, but he also affirms that we all are God’s beloved children. We pray for a greater respect among people of all walks of life and religious backgrounds, bringing us – eventually – together as one family.

Unite us in your peace and love, O God.

Change of leadership at Christ the King Priory! 
In late September, Abbot Michael Reepen, O.S.B. announced that Fr. Mauritius Wilde, O.S.B. who has served the local monastic community since July 2011 will move on to Rome, Italy to serve under Abbot Primate Gregory Polan, O.S.B. as Prior for the international community of students and faculty at San Anselmo.

Lord, bless the ministry of Fr. Mauritius.

Change in ministry! 
Fr. Joel Macul, O.S.B., former Abbot of St. Paul’s in Newton, NJ,  and Abbot Delegate for the Congregation of St. Ottilien, accepted     the challenge to move to Nebraska and assume the responsibilities as Prior for Christ the King Priory. Fr. Joel brings with him experience in teaching both here in the States and in Africa, an understanding of ethnic diversity having spent time with communities in Kenya, India, Tanzania and most recently living with our brothers from South Korea who took over St. Paul’s Abbey in Newton.

Lord, keep us faithful to our monastic way of life.

Change of Liturgical Seasons!
With the celebration of the Solemnity of Christ the King the liturgical year winds down and with the First Sunday of Advent we enter the festive season of Advent leading up to the celebration of the mysteries of the Lord’s Nativity.

Let us look forward with joy to the celebration of the Lord’s Birth!

Bro. Tobias Dammert, O.S.B.
Director of Development, Benedictine Mission House

Monastery of the Incarnation, Agbang, Togo – West Africa raised to the status of Abbey

On August 6th, 2016, the monastery church at Agbang was consecrated by the bishop of Kara in whose diocese the monastery is located. The church was financed through the generosity of benefactors of the Benedictine Mission House in Schuyler, NE, friends of the Abbey of St. Felizitas at Muensterschwarzach, Germany, and St. Othmarsberg in Uznach, Switzerland. 

The monastery was founded in 1985 and in 1991 was accepted into the international Missionary Benedictine Congregation of St. Ottilien. In 2004 the monastery was raised to the status of a Conventuial Priory.

On August 8, 2016, the Monastery was raised to the rank of Abbey. Two days later the community elected its first Abbot, Fr. Romain Botta, O.S.B.,  who will lead the community for the next 12 years. The election was confirmed by Abbot President Jeremias Schroeder, O.S.B. in the presence of Abbot Blasio Park, O.S.B. of Waegwan Abbey in South Korea. Abbot elect Romain Botta, O.S.B. made his first monastic vows on September 24, 1995. He is a graduate of St. Meinrad School of Theology in St. Meinrad, Indiana. He was ordained priest on July 7, 2012. 

Following ordination, Fr. Romain served as Congregation Secretary at our headquarters in St. Ottilien, Germany. With the upcoming General Chapter, Abbot Romain will help with the preparations until a successor is appointed.

The monks of Christ the King Priory – Benedictine Mission House extend prayerful good wishes to Abbot Romain and the monks of the Abbey of the Incarnation. 

From the Mission Office

Greetings from the monks at Christ the King Priory!

Thanks for visiting the pages of the Christ the King Priory, St. Benedict Center and the Benedictine Mission House.

For over 80 years, Missionary Benedictine monks have prayed and worked in the little town of Schuyler in Colfax County, Nebraska. Without fanfare we raised mission awareness among thousands of potential donors who became friends and who, often under great sacrifices, supported our efforts of helping our confreres around the world.  

Many years ago our community had up to five confreres assigned to visit friends all over the country. Amazingly, even today the 2nd or 3rd generation of donors recalls the visits of monks to their grandparents, parents, or families in the neighborhoods. The tireless work of our “Travelling Brothers” Felix, Egbert, Reginbert, Maurus, Norbert, Innocent, Henry-Liborius and John Vianney has laid the foundation on which today’s ministry of fundraising – “friend raising” continues primarily with the direct mail efforts. We try our best to make all communication as personal as possible and we welcome our friends and supporters to visit us here in Schuyler should travel lead through the State of Nebraska.

Our community in Ndanda, Tanzania, reported that 25 years ago their first indigenous confrere Bro. Yohanes pronounced his monastic vows as a Missionary Benedictine. The jubilarian is shown with Abbot Siegfried (far left) under whose term of leadership he entered the monastery.  Also pictured is Abbot Placidus whom the community elected when Abbot Dionys (far right) ended his term of office in 2014. Ndanda Abbey has several young monks in various stages of formation, among them 7 Novices and 6 Postulants.

We Missionary Benedictines are grateful for your prayerful and financial help and we promised to keep your needs and intentions in our prayers. The month of June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Early on, our founder Fr. Andreas Amrhein, placed the community under the patronage of the Sacred Heart. Throughout the month of June we will especially ask Jesus to keep you and yours under HIS loving protection.

Best wishes!

Bro. Tobias, O.S.B.