Majibu ya Papa Francisko kwa wanandoa watarajiwa!

Baba Mtakatifu Francisko katika Maadhimisho ya Siku ya Wapendanao Duniani kwa Mwaka 2014 amewataka vijana kukuza na kujenga ndani mwao upendo unaodumu hadi kifo kitakapowatenganisha; wajitahidi kumwilisha ndani mwao mtindo wa maisha ya wanandoa ili kukabiliana na changamoto za maisha ya ndoa na familia pamoja na kuthamini adhimisho la Sakramenti ya Ndoa ya Kikristo, kwani hapo wanajichotea neema na baraka katika mchakato wa utakatifu wa maisha.

Baba Mtakatifu anasema, upendo wa maisha ya ndoa ni wa kudumu hadi pale kifo kitakapowatenganisha kwani haya ni mahusiano kati ya Bwana na Bibi, yanayokuwa na kukomaa hatua kwa hatua, kwa kutambua kwamba, hii ni zawadi kubwa kutoka kwa Mwenyezi Mungu. Huu ni upendo unaowashirikisha wanandoa kazi ya uumbaji na kamwe si upendo mpito usioguswa na mahangaiko ya mwenzi wake. Upendo huu hauna budi kurutubishwa kwa kukutana na Yesu kwa njia ya: Sala, Sakramenti za Kanisa, Neno la Mungu na Matendo ya huruma.

Ubora wa ndoa unajikita katika udumifu wake, changamoto kubwa kwa wanandoa Wakristo. Pale wanandoa wanapohisi kwamba, wamepungukiwa na divai ya upendo na udumifu wasisite kumshirikisha Kristo katika upendo wao wa kila siku; ili wapendane na kutakiana mema.

Baba Mtakatifu anawaambia wanandoa watarajiwa kwamba, kuishi kwa pamoja ni sanaa na hija inayohitaji uvumilivu, inapendeza na kushangaza; ni safari inayojikita katika maneno: tafadhali, asante na samahani. Huu ni urithi ambao wanandoa wanapaswa kuwarithisha watoto wao. Ikumbukwe kwamba, unyenyekevu ni fadhila inaondoa chuki na kujenga upendo.

Si rahisi sana watu kujenga utamaduni wa kushuruku, lakini wanandoa wajenga na kuimarisha utamaduni wa kushuruku kwani mwenzi wako ni zawadi kutoka kwa Mwenyezi Mungu. Kukosa na kukoseana ni ubinadamu, kusamehe na kusahau ni kuanza hija ya utakatifu wa maisha. Wanandoa wajifunze kutambua mapungufu yao ya kibinadamu na kuwa tayari kukiri makosa yao, tayari kuanza tena upya. Wajenge utamaduni wa kusikilizana kwa makini, ili kujenga na kuimarisha familia ya Kikristo.

Baba Mtakatifu anasema hakuna Familia inayoweza kujidai kwamba ni kamilifu na takatifu; wala hakuna Bwana au Bibi ambaye ni mkamilifu, kila mtu ana fadhila na kasoro na mapungufu yake, changamoto ya kujenga utamaduni wa kuomba na kutoa msamaha kila siku na kwa njia hii Ndoa zinaweza kudumu daima.

Maadhimisho ya Sakramenti ya Ndoa Kanisani yazingatie umuhimu wa Sakramenti ya Ndoa na kiasi bila kumezwa mno na malimwengu. Watambue uwepo wa Yesu Kristo anayeendelea kufanya miujiza kwa wanandoa kama alivyofanya takribani miaka elfu mbili iliyopita kwenye Arusi ya Kana. Kila kitu kiwe na kiasi na kielelezo cha furaha ya ndani na baraka kutoka kwa Mwenyezi Mungu. Wanandoa wawashirikishe jirani zao ile furaha na kumbu kumbu ya maisha yao ya ndoa.

Haya ndiyo yaliyojiri katika Maadhimisho ya Siku ya Wapendanao Duniani kwa Mwaka 2014, tukio ambalo litakumbukwa na wanandoa hawa watarajiwa katika hija ya maisha yao ya ndoa na familia. Mji wa Roma, umefurika umati wa vijana na wasichana wanaotembea huku wameshikana mikono na maua ya waridi mikononi mwao alama ya upendo!

Friday, February 14, 2014 HISTORIA FUPI YA SIKU YA WAPENDANAO

Sikukuu ya wapendanao inasherekewa kila ifikapo tarehe 14 mwezi wa pili kila mwaka.

Watu wengi wanaosherekea siku hii kwa Nchi za Afrika Mashariki ni vijana walio kati ya miaka 18 hadi 35.

Historia ya sikukuu hii inaanzia miaka mingi jijini, Roma, Italia ikiwa inahusishwa na mtakatifu Valentine au Valentinus aliyekuwa akiishi jijini humo katika karne hiyo. Wakati wa maisha ya mtakatifu Valentine Roma ilikuwa ikitawaliwa na Kaisari, Claudius II, ambaye alipata hisia wakati huo kuwa askari mkakamavu na bora zaidi ni yule asiyekuwa na mke wala familia. 

Claudius alilifanyia kazi wazo lake na aliamua kupiga marufuku ndoa zote kwa askari wa nchi hiyo, jambo ambalo halikukubaliwa na mtakatifu, Valentinus. Hivyo Valentinus alichukua jukumu la kukaidi amri ile na kuendelea kuwafungisha ndoa kwa siri maaskari waliokuwa wakitaka kufungishwa ndoa.

 

Haikuchukua muda mrefu, taarifa zilimfikia mfalme, Claudius na alipopata habari hizo aliamuru kukamatwa na kufungwa gerezani na kisha Valentinus aliuawa kwa amri ya Kaisari. Kuna taarifa zinadai kuwa kabla ya kuuawa kwa Valentine wakati huo akiwa amefungwa, mtakatifu Valentine aliandika barua ya salamu kwa binti aliyekuwa amekwenda  kumsalimia gerezani. Na mwisho wa barua kulisomeka maneno yaliyoandikwa ‘From your Valentine’.

Tangu hapo Valentine akawa anakumbukwa kama mtetezi wa wapendanao na siku hii ikawa inaadhimishwa duniani kote.

Baada ya kufariki kwa mtakatifu huyo ndipo wananchi wengi duniani wakaamua kuadhimisha siku hii kama sherehe ya kumkumbuka Mtakatifu Valentinus. 

Baraza la Kipapa tarehe 18 hadi 20 Februari 2014 litaadhimisha Kongamano la Kimataifa

Baraza la Kipapa la Ibada na nidhamu ya Sakramenti za Kanisa kuanzia tarehe 18 hadi 20 Februari 2014 litaadhimisha Kongamano la Kimataifa, kuhusu Jubilee ya Miaka 50 tangu Mababa wa Mtaguso mkuu wa Pili wa Vatican walipochapisha Waraka kuhusu Liturujia ya Kanisa "Sacrosanctum Concilium", litakaloongozwa na kauli mbiu Waraka wa Liturujia, shukrani na dhamana kwa ajili ya mabadiliko ya Kikanisa".

Kongamano hili litawashirikisha wadau kutoka sehemu mbali mbali za dunia na utakuwa ni muda muafaka kwa ajili ya kusali, kutafakari, kuabudu na kuadhimisha Mafumbo ya Kanisa. Ni kipindi cha kuonjeshana uzoefu na mang'amuzi ya Liturujia ya Kanisa, tayari kutwika hadi kilindini kwa ajili ya

Sheikh Hassan Bashir amwagiwa tindikali!

IMAMU wa Msikiti wa Sawiyatu Qadiria, Hassan Bashir (33) amejeruhiwa vibaya usoni na sehemu ya bega la kushoto baada ya kumwagiwa kimiminika kinachodhaniwa kuwa ni tindikali.
Akizungumza na akiwa kwenye wodi ya wagonjwa katika Hospitali ya Mkoa ya Mount Meru anakopatiwa matibabu, imamu huyo alisema tukio hilo lilitokea juzi majira ya kati ya saa 3:30 na saa 4:00 usiku karibu na Msikiti wa Tindiga, uliopo eneo la Unga Ltd.
Alisema ana maumivu makali sehemu ya uso pamoja na bega la upande wa kushoto.
Sheikh huyo ambaye alikuwa akizungumza kwa shida kutokana na maumivu makali, alisema alikumbwa na mkasa huo muda mfupi baada ya kumaliza mazungumzo na babu yake ambaye pia ni Mwenyekiti wa Msikiti, Ismail Olomi na Mwenyekiti wa Ujenzi, Abdalah Kaduma, juu ya maandalizi ya Maulid yanayotazamiwa kufanyika msikitini hapo.
 “Tulipomaliza kuzungumza mimi nikawa

Maaskofu KKKT Karagwe wacharuka Mchungaji Kanyiginya, kunyimwa dhamana

 

MAASKOFU, wachungaji na waumini wa Kanisa la Kiinjili la Kilutheri Tanzania (KKKT), Dayosisi ya Karagwe, wamecharuka na kuvamia Kituo cha Polisi cha Karagwe wakipinga Mchungaji wao, Jackson Kanyiginya, kunyimwa dhamana katika mazingira tata na kuswekwa rumande.
Mchungaji huyo ambaye jana alipandishwa kizimbani kwa kosa la kumpiga mfanyabiashara, Joseph Gareba, alinyimwa dhamana baada ya Mwendesha Mashitaka, Meja Juma Litafa, kuzikataa barua za wadhamini hadi azifanyie uhakiki.
Akizungumza na gazeti hili kutoka Karagwe jana, Askofu mstaafu wa KKKT Dayosisi ya Karagwe, Bagonza, alisema mchungaji Jackson  alikuwa kwenye mkutano na viongozi wote wa kanisa hilo kwa ajili ya kufanya mafungo.
Alisema akiwa katika kituo cha mafungo, alipata wito wa polisi wa kumtaka afike mahakamani juzi kwa ajili ya kujibu kesi iliyofunguliwa kwa siri ya

Sunday Gospel Feb 16 2014

In this week's edition of There's More in the Gospel than Meets the Eye, Jill Bevilacqua and Seàn-Patrick Lovett bring us readings and reflections for the Sixth Sunday of the Year.
Listen:

Gospel Mt 5:20-22A,27-28,33-34, 37

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses
that of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you,
whoever is angry with brother
will be liable to judgment.

“You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.
But I say to you,
everyone who looks at a woman with lust
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
Do not take a false oath,
but make good to the Lord all that you vow.
But I say to you, do not swear at all.
Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’
Anything more is from the evil one.”


Text from page http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/02/13/sunday_gospel_feb_16_2014/en1-772758
of the Vatican Radio website

Miaka 83 tangu kuanzishwa kwa Radio Vatican

Radio Vatican, Mama wa Radio zote duniani, tarehe 12 Februari 2014 imeadhimisha kumbu kumbu ya Miaka 83 tangu ilipoanzishwa. Inajivunia kuwa ni kati ya wadau wakuu wa Shirikisho la Watangazaji Barani Ulaya, EBU ambalo tarehe 13 Februari 2014 linaadhimisha Siku ya Radio Duniani. Kwa namna ya pekee, Jumuiya ya Kimataifa kwa mwaka huu, inajielekeza zaidi katika kuangalia mchango wa wanawake katika medani mbali mbali za maisha.

Watangazaji wanawake kutoka Radio Vatican wamekuwa mstari wa mbele kwa kuwa ni sauti ya wanawake wasiokuwa na sauti kutoka sehemu mbali mbali za dunia. Radio Vatican katika mtandao wake imeandaa programe mbali mbali zinazoonesha mchango wa Radio Vatican katika kuwawezesha wanawake Barani Afrika, Asia na Amerika.

Hizi ni programme zinazoonesha ujasiri wa wanawake katika kukabiliana na changamoto mbali mbali za maisha: katika masuala ya maendeleo endelevu, haki na amani duniani. Ukitaka kufaidi zaidi unaweza kutembelea katika tovuti rasmi ya Radio Vatican kwa anuani ifuatayo: www.radiovaticana.va
Unaweza pia kuwashirikisha jirani zako.

Mwaka Mmoja watimia Baba Mtakatifu Benedikto 16, alipotangaza rasmi kung'atuka

Ilikuwa ni tarehe 11 Februari 2013, Baba Mtakatifu Benedikto wa kumi na sita, alipotangaza rasmi kwamba, kwa hiyari yake mwenyewe na utashi kamili ameamua kung'atuka kutoka madarakani, ili kutoa nafasi kwa Makardinali kuweza kumchagua Khalifa mwingine wa Mtakatifu Petro.

Maneno haya yakaushangaza ulimwengu. Kwa Kanisa hili likawa ni tukio la kinabii, ili kutoa nafasi kwa Mama Kanisa kuendelea kufanya mageuzi ya kina katika maisha na utume wake, Mwenyezi Mungu akipewa kipaumbele cha kwanza; waamini wakijikita kutangaza Habari Njema ya Wokovu katika ulimwengu wa utandawazi na maendeleo ya sayansi na teknolojia.

Akachaguliwa Baba Mtakatifu Francisko ambaye ameamua kuendeleza mageuzi yaliyokuwa yameanzishwa na Papa mstaafu Benedikto wa kumi na sita katika maisha na utume wa Kanisa kwa kukazia uaminifu kwa Kristo na Kanisa lake, bila kumezwa na malimwengu, mambo ambayo yamelisababishia Kanisa kujikuta linaandamwa na kashfa mbali mbali. Maaskofu mahalia wamepewa dhamana ya kuhakikisha kwamba, wanatekeleza utume wao wa kufundisha, kuongoza na kuwatakatifuza watu wa Mungu kwa ujasiri na moyo mkuu.

Kuna waamini ambao bado wana madonda makubwa katika mioyo yao, jambo la msingi kwa Kanisa ni kujikita katika mchakato wa uponyaji na upatanisho, ili Kanisa liweze kusonga mbele kwa ari kubwa zaidi katika azma yake ya kuwatangazia watu Injili ya Furaha.

Baba Mtakatifu mstaafu Benedikto wa kumi na sita, aliona kashfa ya matumizi haramu ya fedha iliyokuwa inalinyemelea Kanisa kwa kutumia migongo ya wajanja wachache ndani ya Kanisa. Vatican ikatunga na kuridhia sheria inayopiga vita utakatishaji wa fedha haramu inayoweza kutumika kugharimia vitendo vya kigaidi. Papa Francisko anaendelea kukazia umuhimu na dhamana ya wanawake katika maisha na utume wa Kanisa.

Kanisa linamshukuru na kumpongeza Papa mstaafu Benedikto wa kumi na sita, kwa ujasiri na uamuzi wake wa busara wa kung'atuka kutoka madarakani, ili aweze kupata nafasi kubwa zaidi ya kusali na kutafakari.

Papa mstaafu Benedikto XVI kwa sasa ana utume wa sala na tafakari; uamuzi wake ni ushuhuda wa kinabii!

Padre Federico Lombardi, Msemaji mkuu wa Vatican, anabainisha kwamba, Baba Mtakatifu Mstaafu Benedikto wa kumi na sita kwa sasa anautumia muda wake mwingi kwa ajili ya kusali na kutafakari na kwamba, uamuzi wake wa kung'atuka kutoka madarakani ni wazo ambalo alilitafakari, akasali na kulipembua kwa kina na mapana yake, hatimaye,

Mradi wa miaka 5 kwa ajili ya huduma kwa waathirika wa ugonjwa wa Ukimwi wazinduliwa nchini Tanzania

Mfuko wa Msamaria mwema, unaosimamiwa na Baraza la Kipapa la huduma za kichungaji kwa wafanyakazi katika sekta ya afya kwa kushirikiana na Idara ya afya ya Baraza la Maaskofu Katoliki Tanzania na Kampuni ya Gilead Sciences kutoka Marekani, wamekubaliana kimsingi kusaidia juhudi za kupambana na ugonjwa wa Ukimwi mkoani Shinyanga, kwa kusaidia juhudi za kupima virusi vya Ukimwi kwa wananchi 120, 000 pamoja na kuwapatia dawa za kurefusha maisha wale watakaokuwa wameathirika.

Makubaliano hayo yamefikiwa Jijini Dar es Salaam, tarehe 11 Februari 2014 katika Maadhimisho ya Siku ya 22 ya Wagonjwa Duniani. Huu ni mradi wa miaka mitano kwa ajili ya kupima virusi vya Ukimwi na kutoa dawa za kurefusha maisha. Ni mradi unaozingatia taaluma, maadili, usafi pamoja na mafunzo kwa walengwa watakaofaidika na mradi huu, kwa kutoa kipaumbele cha kwanza kwa watoto yatima.

Mradi huu utaendelea kuongeza nguvu katika kuwahudumia wagonjwa wa Ukimwi, juhudi zinazofanywa na Jimbo Katoliki la Shinyanga katika Vituo vya Afya vya: Ngokolo, Bugisi, Buhangija na Mija. Mradi utatoa ufadhili kwa ajili ya mafunzo ya hali ya juu kwa wahudumu wa sekta ya afya, ili kuweza kutekeleza wajibu wao barabara pamoja na kuendelea kujikita katika mapambano dhidi ya Virusi vya Ukimwi na maambukizi kutoka kwa Mama kwenda kwa Mtoto.

Wananchi watakaogundulika kuwa na maambukizi ya Ukimwi watapewa dawa za kurefusha maisha anasema Askofu mkuu Zygmunt Zimowski, Rais wa Baraza la Kipapa la huduma za kichungaji kwa wafanyakazi katika sekta ya afya. Mradi unapania pamoja na mambo mengine, kudhibiti maambukizi ya virusi kutoka kwa Mama kwenda kwa Mtoto, kama sehemu ya huduma makini inayotolewa na Kanisa katika kumhudumia mtu mzima: kiroho na kimwili, kama sehemu ya mwendelezo wa agizo la Kristo katika kuwahudumia wagonjwa.

Askofu mkuu Zygmunt Zimowski, amemkumbuka kwa namna ya pekee, Marehemu Askofu Aloysius Balina wa Jimbo Katoliki Shinyanga, aliyefariki dunia mwezi Novemba 2012. Aliamini kuhusu mafanikio ya mradi huu katika kuwahudumia watanzania waliokuwa wameathirika kwa ugonjwa wa Ukimwi. Ni mradi wa pekee, unaojumuisha Mfuko wa Msamaria Mwema, Baraza la Kipapa la huduma za kichungaji kwa wafanyakazi katika sekta ya afya pamoja na Kampuni ya Gilead.

Lengo li kuhakikisha kwamba, Kanisa Katoliki linashiriki kikamilifu katika mapambano dhidi ya Ugonjwa wa Ukimwi ambao umekuwa ni chanzo cha vifo na upotevu wa nguvu kazi nchini Tanzania.

Maadhimisho ya Siku ya Wagonjwa Duniani, yalianzishwa kunako mwaka 1992 na Mwenyeheri Yohane Paulo wa Pili, ambaye hapo tarehe 27 Aprili 2014 anatarajiwa kutangazwa kuwa Mtakatifu. Siku ya Wagonjwa Duniani inalenga pamoja na mambo mengine kuhakikisha kwamba, wagonjwa wanapata huduma bora pamoja na kuishirikisha Familia ya Mungu katika huduma kwa wagonjwa, kwani wagonjwa bado wanayo nafasi ya pekee katika maisha na utume wa Kanisa.

Kanisa linawahamasisha watu wa kujitolea, ili waweze kuwashirikisha jirani zao upendo, kwa kuwaonjesha upendo. Kanisa linapania pia kutoa majiundo makini ya kitaaluma na kimaadili kwa wahudumu wa sekta ya afya.

Wakristo wanapaswa kuwa ni chumvi na mwanga wa dunia!

Mkiwa maskini wa roho, wenye huzuni, wapole, wenye njaa na kiu ya haki, wenye rehema, wenye moyo safi na wapatanishi,

BATAROKOTA VIDEO SONG - KWEJAGA NYANGISHA

Umejiandaaje na Valentine’s day?

URAFIKI na Mahusiano ndio jina la safu hii mpenzi msomaji. Ni matumaini yangu umzima na unaendelea vema kukabiliana na shughuli mbambali za ujenzi wa taifa hili.

Nami bila hajizi nakukaribisha katika safu hii ili twende sambamba katika kuzungumzia suala la Siku ya Wapendanao (Valentine’s day), ambayo sherehe yake ni Ijumaa ya wiki ijayo – Februari 14.
Kwa kawaida huwa kuna sherehe nyingi na wengine kuwatumia zawadi wahusika kama familia na marafiki, na mojawapo ni hii Siku ya Wapendanao.

Hakuna binadamu yeyote duniani anayeishi duniani bila kukwaruzana na mtu yeyote, iwe rafiki au ndugu.
Hivyo hakuna kitu cha kukufanya uwe na wasiwasi juu ya siku hiyo kwamba utafanya nini kwa uwapendao au umpendae.
Unaweza kuifanya Siku ya Wapendanao iwe nzuri kwako. Kabla ya kufanya chochote; kwa maana kwamba ikiwa bado siku kadhaa hadi ifikie siku hiyo, tembelea maduka ya kadi na utazame aina mbalimbali za kadi.

Njia hii haitokufanya usahau kupata kadi nzuri na pia itakuepusha kukurupuka na kununua kadi ambayo haina mvuto wa kipekee.
Bila shaka wazo kubwa zaidi la zawadi ambalo huwepo miongoni mwa watu wengi ni maua.
Zawadi hizi pia huweza kutumiwa hata kwa walioajiriwa, yaani kwa wafanyakazi wa taasisi au kampuni fulani.

Hata hivyo, watu pia huwa wanasherehekea Siku ya Wapendanao kwa kuja na mitazamo tofauti na kutafakari ni zawadi gani inafaa kumtumia mtu.
Unaweza kuonyesha ukaribu na urafiki kwa wafanyakazi wenzako kwa kununua maua na kuwapa zawadi lengo likiwa ni kuonyesha upendo.
Lakini kwa wapenzi mbali na kupeana zawadi za maua yanayoonyesha upendo, pia wanaweza kutoka ‘out’ kwa ajili ya kwenda sehemu kubadilisha mawazo na kufanya siku hiyo iwe nzuri kwao.
Kama umepanga Siku ya Wapendanao ibaki kuwa kumbukumbu kwa ninyi wapendanao (wapenzi), usisahau kuhusisha zawadi zitokazo kwa sonara, kwani hakika ni chaguo zuri.

Kwa mfano unaweza kununua kimojawapo kati ya vitu vinavyopatikana sonara kwa lengo la kuboresha upendo wenu.
Epuka kuwa na kisirani pamoja na kumkera umpendae au uwapendao kwani kwa hakika utakuwa umeifanya siku hiyo kuwa mbaya kwako.

St. Jerome Emiliani

St. Jerome Emiliani

Feastday: February 8
1481 - 1537

Jerome Emiliani lay chained in the dark dirty dungeon. Only a short time before he had been a military commander for Venice in charge of a fortress. He didn't care much about God because he didn't need him -- he had his own strength and the strength of his soldiers and weapons. When Venice's enemies, the League of Cambrai, captured the fortress, he was dragged off and imprisoned. There in the dungeon, Jerome decided to get rid of the chains that bound him. He let go of his worldly attachments and embraced God.

Tafakari ya Neno la Mungu Jumapili ya tano ya Kipindi cha Mwaka wa A wa Kanisa

Tunaendelea na kipindi chetu tafakari Neno la Mungu masomo Dominika ya V ya mwaka A. Masomo yanatualika kuwa chumvi na mwanga wa dunia. Katika somo la kwanza, Nabii Isaya anatualika kuwalisha na kuwavika maskini.
Katika kutenda kazi hiyo tunakumbuka Heri walio maskini wa roho maana ufalme wa mbinguni ni wao. Kwa njia ya Nabii Isaya, Bwana anatangaza matokeo ya kazi njema hiyo, akisema nuru itakuzukia kama asubuhi na afya yako itakuwa njema na haki daima itakutangulia. Nabii Isaya haishii katika hayo bali pia anatangaza kuwa sala ya mwenye kutenda huduma kwa walio maskini itasikikika daima na hapa ndipo kuna furaha timilifu katika mapenzi yake Mwenyezi Mungu. 

Uaguzi wa Nabii Isaya unakuja wakati Waisrael wametoka utumwani Babilonia katika karne ya 5KK. Katika kipindi hicho, Waisraeli walitarajia kuwa mateso yangekuwa yamekwisha, lakini badala yake yaliendelea. Basi kwa kuwa katika nyakati za kale kama kulitokea shida fulani watu walifunga, ni katika mlengo huo basi, Waisraeli walifunga na kusali ili maisha yao yaweze kukaa sawasawa. Pamoja na jambo jema hilo la kufunga shida iliendelea yaani matajiri waliendelea kuwanyonya maskini. 

Ni katika madhulumu haya Waisraeli walianza kumlalamikia Mungu, kwa nini mambo hayabadiliki na hivi wakaanza kusema haina haja ya kufunga! Hapa ndipo sasa Nabii Isaya anakuja na jibu akisema Mungu hana kosa lolote, isipokuwa sala na kufunga kwenu hakufikii kiwango cha kumpendeza Mungu. Mungu anataka sala na kufunga kuliko na mzizi katika huduma kwa maskini na wenye taabu mbalimbali katika jumuiya yenu. Mpendwa sala yako ikoje?

Katika Somo la Pili Mt. Paulo anazidi kutangaza nguvu ya Mungu ambayo huongoza wahubiri wa Neno lake. Ndiyo kusema hakuna mhubiri anayeweza kujitapa yakwamba anatangaza injili kwa nguvu zake mwenyewe. Anawaalika Wakorinto watambue kuwa Neno na ujumbe wa Mungu haulali katika ufasaha na hekima ya kibinadamu kama watu wenye hekima katika kizazi hicho cha Wakorinto bali ni nguvu ya Msalaba wa Kristo mfufuka. Yeye mwenyewe anakiri kuwa hakuja kuonesha hekima yake bali kumjua Kristu tu na ndiyo shime yake. Ndiyo kusema anakiri udhaifu wake ambao utamruhusu aombe msaada toka kwa Mungu. 

Katika kitabu cha Matendo ya Mitume 20:9 inaonekana Mt. Paulo alipokuwa anahubiri kuna baadhi walianza hata kusinzia na kijana mmojawapo alianguka kupitia dirishani toka gorofa ya tatu! Ataka kusema nini? Ataka kusema ufasaha hauna nguvu bali Mungu mwenyewe katika Roho Mtakatifu. Na kama ingekuwa ufasaha ni wa maana, basi kijana huyu asingeingia katika shida ya usingizi. Hili halikumtisha Mt. Paulo bali Injili iliendelea kuhubiriwa na kuenea katika Ukorinto yote. Mpendwa unayenisikiliza Neno lenyewe lina nguvu bila madoido yetu, yafaa kuwa na imani thabiti.

Katika Injili ya Matayo, ujumbe na mwaliko ni ”kuweni chumvi na nuru”, na kwa namna hiyo kuangaza mbele ya watu na watu wayaone matendo yenu na wamtukuze Mungu. Mwinjili anatumia mfano wa chumvi na nuru, ambazo ni alama tumika katika nyakati za kale. Chumvi humaanisha mambo kadhaa: chumvi huleta radha kwenye chakula na hivi toka zamani ilimaanisha hekima na busara. Hata hivi leo utasikia watu wakisema, jamaa ana chumvi katika kichwa chake, wakimaanisha ana hekima na busara katika utendaji wake. Ndiyo kusema Wafuasi wa Kristo lazima watoe maneno yaliyo ya maana yaani yaliyojaa hekima ya kimungu na si bulaabulaa!

Jaribu kufikiri kama Neno la Mungu lisingekuwa Neno la furaha wapi tungepata matumaini! Wapi tungepata kutambua kuvumilia taabu na madhulumu katika maisha yetu! Wakristo ni lazima watoe radha ya kikristo ili maisha ya watu yawe ni maisha ya furaha na matumaini.

Mpendwa msomaji, chumvi si tu radha bali pia hutumika kutunza vyakula vizioze! Wakristo kwa maana hiyo lazima wawe watunzaji wa maisha ya watu katika ulimwengu huu. Uwepo wa Wakristu katika ulimwengu ni msaada ili mwanadamu asianguke katika unyanganyi na ufisadi na hivi dunia ikaangukia katika kuongozwa na misingi ya shetani.

Mpendwa msomaji, kwa kawaida chumvi haipotezi radha yake, sasa iweje Bwana aseme chumvi iliyoharibika? Bwana katika hili ataka kutuambia kuwa kama mhubiri anaacha kumtegemea Mungu na hivi anaweka mambo yake mbele basi ile hali ya Injili uchafuliwa ingawa Injili yenyewe hubaki, lakini kuna uozo huo ambao huchelewesha kasi yake.
Mpendwa mwana tafakari Bwana anatumia mfano wa mwanga akitaka waamini wawe mwanga unaoangaza wengine ili waweze kuona. Kama ambavyo jua huangaza ili tuone vema basi nasi vivyohivyo kwa wengine. Mwanga unao wajibu wa kuangaza kumbe hatuweki macho yetu kwenye mwanga bali kwa kile chema kinachotendwa na mwanga.

Wakristo si mwanga bali wanategemewa kutenda yaliyomema yaani matendo ya mwanga. Wakristo kwa vyovyote vile lazima wabaki wamejificha, kwa sababu ukitazama jua moja kwa moja utaharibu macho, kumbe tunachotakiwa kuona ni hospitali, vituo vya watoto yatima, shule na mambo yote mema yaani matendo ya mwanga. Mpendwa ni kwa njia ya matendo haya Injili ya Bwana inasonga mbele kwa kasi mpaka miisho yote ya dunia.
Nikutakie furaha na matumaini katika kuwa mwanga na chumvi ya dunia. Tumsifu Yesu Kristo.

Tafakari hii imeletwa kwako na Padre Richard Tiganya C.PP.S.

Mwenyeheri Yohane Paulo II kutangazwa kuwa Msimamizi wa Siku za Vijana Duniani

Baba Mtakatifu Francisko anawaalika vijana kujiandaa kikamilifu kwa ajili ya Maadhimisho ya Siku ya 29 ya Vijana Duniani kwa Mwaka 2014 itakayoadhimishwa katika ngazi ya Kijimbo, Jumapili ya Matawi, ambayo kwa Mwaka huu inaadhimishwa hapo tarehe 13 Aprili.

Hii ni siku ambayo Maaskofu watazungukwa na umati wa vijana kutoka katika majimbo yao ili kufanya tafakari ya kina kuhusu kauli mbiu ya inayoongoza Maadhimisho haya: "Heri walio maskini wa roho maana ufalme wa mbinguni ni wao". Hii ni sehemu ya muhtasari wa mafundisho makuu ya Yesu yanayopatikana katika Heri za Mlimani. 

Baraza la Kipapa la Walei linasema, huu ni ujumbe ambao unatolewa kwa mara ya kwanza kwa vijana na Baba Mtakatifu Francisko tangu alipochaguliwa kuwa Khalifa wa Mtakatifu Petro. Ni mwendelezo wa changamoto ya majiundo endelevu iliyoanzishwa na Mwenyeheri Yohane Paulo II na kuendelezwa kwa ari kubwa na Baba Mtakatifu mstaafu Benedikto wa kumi na sita.

Papa Francisko bado anakumbuka ule umati wa vijana kutoka sehemu mbali mbali za dunia uliomzunguka wakati wa Maadhimisho ya Siku ya Vijana Duniani kwa Mwaka 2013 iliyofanyika mjini Rio de Janeiro. Baba Mtakatifu anaendeleza yale majadiliano ya kina kati yake na vijana yaliyoibuliwa wakati wa Maadhimisho ya Siku ya Vijana Duniani.

Kumbe, ujumbe wa Baba Mtakatifu kwa Maadhimisho ya Siku ya Vijana Kijimbo kwa Mwaka huu, ni sehemu ya maandalizi ya hija ya maisha ya kiroho, itakayofanyika katika kipindi cha miaka mitatu kuanzia sasa, kabla ya vijana hawajajimwaga kuelekea Jimbo kuu la Cracovia, Poland, kwa Maadhimisho ya Siku ya Vijana Duniani kwa Mwaka 2016.

Wachunguzi wa mambo wanasema, vijana watafunika Poland, ikizingatiwa kwamba, hizi zitakuwa ni mwendelezo wa utenzi wa sifa na shukrani kwa Mwenyezi Mungu baada ya Mwenyeheri Yohane Paulo II kutangazwa kuwa Mtakatifu. Tema zilizochaguliwa na Baba Mtakatifu katika kipindi cha miaka mitatu kutoka katika Heri za Mlimani zinazonesha jinsi ambavyo Baba Mtakatifu Francisko anavyothamini sehemu hii ya Injili kuwa ni kiini cha maisha ya Wakristo, mwaliko wa kuyamwilisha katika vipaumbele vyao vya maisha ya kila siku!

Baba Mtakatifu katika ujumbe kwa Siku ya Vijana Duniani anapenda kuwakumbusha vijana wa kizazi kipya kwamba, hii ni njia ambayo Yesu mwenyewe amewaonesha wafuasi wake, mwaliko wa kumfuasa katika maisha yao yote bila ya kujibakiza hata kidogo. Kumwilisha Heri za Mlimani kwa vijana wa kizazi kipya anasema Baba Mtakatifu ni kazi kweli kweli! 

Huu nimwaliko wa kumfuasa Kristo na kushikamana naye kwa dhati, tayari kutolea ushuhuda wa mabadiliko yanayobubujika kutoka katika undani wa maisha ya mwamini. Baba Mtakatifu anawachangamotisha vijana kutokubali kupata furaha ya mpito kwa mambo ya juu juu tu, bali wahakikishe kwamba, wanajitaabisha kutafuta furaha ya kweli inayobubujika kutoka kwa Mwenyezi Mungu.

Katika ujumbe wake, Baba Mtakatifu anafafanua kwa kina na mapana maana ya umaskini wa roho kadiri ya mafundisho ya Yesu, ambaye aliuchagua mwenyewe na hatimaye kuutolea ushuhuda katika maisha na utume wake hapa duniani, mwaliko kwa vijana kuiga mfano wa maisha ya Mtakatifu Francisko, aliyekuwa tajiri wa kutupwa, lakini akaacha yote na kuukumbatia ufukara wa Kiinjili. Hii ndiyo changamoto kubwa iliyoko mbele ya vijana wa kizazi kipya na wala si maji kwa glasi!

Baba Mtakatifu Francisko anawaalika vijana kutubu na kumwongokea Yesu Kristo, huku wakijitahidi kuishi maisha yanayosimikwa katika kiasi, wakitafuta mambo msingi katika maisha yao pamoja na kujenga mshikamano wa upendo na maskini pamoja na wote wanaosukumizwa pembezoni mwa Jamii. Maskini ni sehemu ya Fumbo la Mwili wa Kristo linaloendelea kuteseka, mwaliko kwa kila mwamini kuhakikisha kwamba, anaguswa na umaskini, taabu na mahangaiko ya jirani zake; kwa njia hii vijana wanaweza kuwa kweli ni walimu wa maisha, kwa kuwamegea wengine utajiri wa maisha ya kiroho na kiutu unaobubujika kutoka katika undani wa maisha yao.

Baba Mtakatifu Francisko anasema, kuna uhusiano mkubwa kati ya tema iliyoongoza Maadhimisho ya Siku ya Vijana Duniani kwa Mwaka 2013 huko Rio de Janeiro "Basi, enendeni, mkawafanye mataifa yote kuwa wanafunzi..." na kauli mbiu ya mwaka huu yaani, "Heri walio maskini wa roho maana ufalme wa mbinguni ni wao". Ufukara wa Kiinjili ni muhimu sana katika ujenzi wa ufalme wa Mungu sehemu mbali mbali za dunia. Ni ufukara unaojionesha katika hali ya kawaida pasi na makuu, kiasi cha kuweza kuwa ni chachu ya Uinjilishaji Mpya.

Baba Mtakatifu anawakumbusha vijana wa kizazi kipya kwamba, hapo tarehe 22 Aprili 2014, Kanisa litafanya kumbu kumbu ya Miaka 30 tangu Msalaba wa Jubilee ya Mwaka wa Ukombozi ulipoanza kutembezwa sehemu mbali mbali za dunia. Hizi zilikuwa ni juhudi za Mwenyeheri Yohane Paulo wa Pili kwa ajili ya Kanisa, tangu wakati ule, Msalaba umekuwa ni sehemu ya hija ya maisha ya vijana wa kizazi kipya.

Kwa hakika, baada ya Mwenyeheri Yohane Paulo II kutangazwa kuwa Mtakatifu, Kanisa litaendelea kumshukuru Mungu kwa kumtangaza rasmi kuwa ni Msimamizi wa Maadhimisho ya Siku za Vijana Duniani. Mwenyeheri Yohane Paulo II alikuwa ni muasisi na mhamasishaji mkuu wa Siku za Vijana Duniani, hadi leo hii, tukio hili linaendelea kuwa na mvuto na mashiko makubwa katika maisha na utume wa Mama Kanisa miongoni mwa vijana, kwa kutambua kwamba, vijana ni jeuri na matumaini ya Kanisa kwa sasa na kwa siku za usoni!

Daily Reading for Friday, February 7th, 2014

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Reading 1, Sirach 47:2-11

² As the fat is set apart from the communion sacrifice, so was David chosen out of the Israelites.
³ He played with lions as though with kids, and with bears as though with lambs.
⁴ While still a boy, did he not slay the giant and take away the people's shame, by hurling a stone from his sling and cutting short the boasting of Goliath?
⁵ For he called on the Lord Most High, who gave strength to his right arm to put a mighty warrior to death and assert the strength of his own people.
⁶ Hence they gave him credit for ten thousand, and praised him while they blessed the Lord, by offering him a crown of glory.
⁷ For he destroyed the enemies on every front, he annihilated his foes, the Philistines, and crushed their strength for ever.
⁸ In all his activities he gave thanks to the Holy One Most High in words of glory; he put all his heart into his songs out of love for his Creator.
⁹ He placed singers before the altar, melodiously to sing;
¹⁰ he gave the feasts their splendour, the festivals their solemn pomp, causing the Lord's holy name to be praised and the sanctuary to resound from dawn.
¹¹ The Lord took away his sins, making his strength ever greater; he gave him a royal covenant, and a glorious throne in Israel.

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Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 18:31, 47, 50, 51

³¹ For who is God but Yahweh, who is a rock but our God?
⁴⁷ the God who gives me vengeance, and subjects whole peoples to me,
⁵⁰ He saves his king time after time, displays his faithful love for his anointed, for David and his heirs for ever.

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Gospel, Mark 6:14-29

¹⁴ King Herod had heard about him, since by now his name was well known. Some were saying, 'John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.'
¹⁵ Others said, 'He is Elijah,' others again, 'He is a prophet, like the prophets we used to have.'
¹⁶ But when Herod heard this he said, 'It is John whose head I cut off; he has risen from the dead.'
¹⁷ Now it was this same Herod who had sent to have John arrested, and had had him chained up in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife whom he had married.
¹⁸ For John had told Herod, 'It is against the law for you to have your brother's wife.'
¹⁹ As for Herodias, she was furious with him and wanted to kill him, but she was not able to do so,
²⁰ because Herod was in awe of John, knowing him to be a good and upright man, and gave him his protection. When he had heard him speak he was greatly perplexed, and yet he liked to listen to him.
²¹ An opportunity came on Herod's birthday when he gave a banquet for the nobles of his court, for his army officers and for the leading figures in Galilee.
²² When the daughter of this same Herodias came in and danced, she delighted Herod and his guests; so the king said to the girl, 'Ask me anything you like and I will give it you.'
²³ And he swore her an oath, 'I will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom.'
²⁴ She went out and said to her mother, 'What shall I ask for?' She replied, 'The head of John the Baptist.'
²⁵ The girl at once rushed back to the king and made her request, 'I want you to give me John the Baptist's head, immediately, on a dish.'
²⁶ The king was deeply distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he was reluctant to break his word to her.
²⁷ At once the king sent one of the bodyguard with orders to bring John's head.
²⁸ The man went off and beheaded him in the prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.
²⁹ When John's disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

St. Moses

Feastday: February 7

Died: 372

Arab hermit and bishop who is called “the Apostle of the Saracens.” He lived in the desert regions of Syria and Egypt, caring for the local nomadic tribes. When the Romans imposed peace upon the Saracens, Queen Mavia, the Saracen ruler, demanded that Moses be consecrated a bishop. He accepted against his will and maintained the peace between the Saracens and Rome. The Saracens were a nomadic people of the Syro-Egyptian desert so designated by the Romans.

Kila mtu anapaswa kupata huduma makini ya afya!

Askofu mkuu Zygmunt Zimowski, Rais wa Baraza la Kipapa kwa ajili ya wafanyakazi katika sekta ya afya katika ujumbe wake kwa Maadhimisho ya Siku ya Dawa Kitaifa nchini Italia na katika baadhi ya Nchi za Ulaya inayoadhimishwa hapo tarehe 8 Februari, 2014 anasema, kuna haja kwa Serikali pamoja na wadau mbali mbali kuhakikisha kwamba, watu wanapata huduma sawa ya afya, mahali popote pale walipo, lakini maskini, watoto na wote wanaosukumizwa pembezoni mwa Jamii wapewe kipaumbele cha kwanza.

Askofu mkuu Zimowski anasema, katika nchi 90 duniani,

SAUTI ZA BUSARA: Ni zaidi ya Tamasha la burudani

TAMASHA la Sauti za Busara ni miongoni mwa machache ambayo yamejenga historia kutokana na kuutangaza na kuuendeleza muziki wa Tanzania nje ya mipaka yake, ambako mwaka huu litafanyika kuanzia Februari 13 hadi 16. Mbali na burudani, Tamasha la Busara ambalo ni la 11 mwaka huu tangu kuanzishwa, limekuwa kiunganishi kizuri kwa wasanii wa hapa nyumbani na wale wa kimataifa, jambo linalotoa nafasi ya kubadilishana ujuzi.
Mwenyekiti wa Bodi ya Sauti za Busara Promotions, Simai Said Mohamed, anasema lengo la kuandaa tamasha hilo ni kuwaleta watu pamoja na kuonyesha utajiri wa muziki wa kisasa, ambao umebuniwa katika nchi za Afrika Mashariki, nchi nyingine kutoka barani Afrika na kwingineko duniani.

Mohamed anasema, tamasha hilo linalojulikana kama ‘Tamasha Rafiki Katika Sayari’ ni la kimataifa linalosherehekea muziki wa Kiafrika kila mwaka na kwamba vikundi 32 vitafanya maonyesho jukwaani ndani ya Ngome Kongwe visiwani Zanzibar.
Anasema vikundi hivyo vimechaguliwa kutokana na maombi zaidi ya 560 na vinawakilisha nchi 19, zikiwemo za Afrika Mashariki, Afrika Kusini na Magharibi, maeneo ya Mto Nile, pia kutoka Puerto Rico na inatarajiwa zaidi ya wasanii 200 watafika Zanzibar kufanya maonyesho ya muziki.
Mwenyekiti huyo anawataja miongoni mwa wasanii maarufu kutoka Tanzania watakaoshiriki Tamasha la Sauti za Busara 2014 kuwa ni pamoja na Jhiko Manyika ‘Jhikoman’, mwanamuziki anayejulikana kwa muziki wake wa reggae, ambaye atazindua ziara yake ya kuitembelea dunia jukwaani wakati wa onyesho lake.

Wasanii wengine kutoka hapa nchini ni Ashimba,Batarokota, Swahili Vibes, Hoko Roro, Seven Survivor, Abantu Mandingo, Segere Original na Kazimoto, anayemshirikisha Jackie Kazimoto kutoka ‘The Internationally-Acclaimed’, Jagwa Music.
Anasema tamasha hilo pia litamkaribisha mwanamuziki mkongwe aliyefanikiwa kimuziki kutoka nchini Ghana, Ebo Taylor, pia atakuwepo Sona Jobarteh, mwanahistoria kutoka Gambia na ‘Jupiter and Okwess International’ mwanamuziki mwenye mafanikio kutoka Jamhuri ya Watu wa Congo, ambaye anapasua anga katika fani ya muziki Afrika na kwingineko duniani.
Mwenyekiti huyo anawataja wasanii watakaopamba tamasha hilo na nchi zao kwenye mabano kuwa ni Jhikoman, Ashimba, Hoko Roro, Seven Survivor, Abantu Mandingo, Segere Original, Kazimoto (Tanzania),  Swahili Vibes, Baladna Taarab, Tausi Women’s Taarab, Rajab Suleiman & Kithara ft. Derya Takkali (Zanzibar),  Joel Sebunjo ft. Lenna Kuurmaa (Uganda), Moyize (Rwanda),  Ricky na Marafiki (Kenya).

Wengine ni Ebo Taylor (Ghana na Ujeruman),   Jupiter & Okwess International (DRC),  Joe Driscoll and Sekou Kouyate (USA na Guinea),  The Nile Project (Nile Basin), Noumoucounda Cissoko (Senegal), Oy (Ghana na Uswisi), Addis Acoustic Project (Ethiopia), Sona Jobarteh (Gambia na Uingereza), Tarabband (Misri na Sweden), Majestad Negra (Puerto Rico), HAJAmadagascar and The Groovy People ft. Werner Puntigam (Madagascar, Ufaransa na Australia), Tritonik (Mauritius), Kara Sylla Ka (Senegal na Uswisi), Dizu Plaatjies & The Ibuyambo Ensemble (Afrika Kusini), Street Rat and Body Mind & Soul (Malawi),  Moyize (Rwanda), Ricky na Marafiki (Kenya), Waldemar Bastos (Angola na Portugal) na wengineo wengi kutoka nchi mbalimbali.

Mohamed anaongeza kuwa kwa upande mwingine, mwaka huu burudani ya muziki itajumuisha ‘paredi’ siku ya ufunguzi, pia kutakuwa na ‘Movers & Shakers’ (kongamano la wataalamu), na uonyeshaji wa filamu ndefu za muziki za Kiafrika ambazo zimeshinda tuzo mbalimbali.
“Kwa kushirikiana na wafadhili wa miradi HIVOS, pia tutautambulisha mradi mpya unaojulikana kama ‘Santuri Safari’, mradi ambao utaangalia zaidi jukumu la DJ kwa wakati huu na kuangalia jinsi ya utamaduni wa DJ katika kukuza muziki wa Afrika Mashariki,” anasema.
Mohamed anasema DJ waalikwa, wazalishaji wa muziki, wataalamu wa sauti, waandaaji wa matamasha na wataalamu wa sanaa kutoka ukanda wa Afrika, watajumuika pamoja Zanzibar na kufanya kazi pamoja na kupata mafunzo.

“Tunaona hii ni fursa adimu kushirikiana na kuangalia kuibuka kwa vitu vya kisasa vinavyotokea katika muziki wa elektroniki na utamaduni wa MaDj, na kuangalia jinsi ya kuukuza muziki kikanda na katika anga la kimataifa kwa wakati huu na kwa miaka ijayo,” anasema.
Anasema, kutakuwa na muziki kipindi cha jioni wakati wa jua kuzama maeneo ya mjini na Ijumaa na Jumamosi kutakuwa na burudani ya muziki Ngome Kongwe baada ya kumalizika kwa maonyesho ya moja kwa moja jukwaani.
Anasema, pia tamasha hilo linakuza mambo mbalimbali kupitia ‘Buasara Xtra’ kwa kujumuisha matukio ya maonesho, ambako kwa pamoja hutoa fursa kwa wasanii wazawa kuonyesha kazi zao na kuwafanya wageni watembelee maeneo mengine ya Kisiwa cha Zanzibar.
Anasema zaidi ya Watanzania 150 huajiriwa kila mwaka kama wafanyakazi wa tamasha na pia kwa upande wa kukuza na kulinda muziki na utamaduni wa Zanzibar, Sauti za Busara inatumia nafasi iliyonayo katika kuuthamini muziki wa Bara zima la Afrika, kukuza amani, kujenga jamii ya pamoja Afrika Mashariki na kukuza utalii wa kitamaduni.
“Kwa kila siku kiingilio katika tamasha ni bure kabla ya saa 11 jioni kwa Watanzania wote, na baada ya hapo kiingilio ni sh 5,000 pia ukitaka maelezo zaidi, unaweza kutembelea www.busaramusic.org na kwamba
Busara Promotions ni taasisi inayowezeshwa kwa mwaka mzima na Ubalozi wa Norway,” anasema.
Mohamed, anatoa shukurani kwa Bodi ya wadhamini na wafadhili kama Hivos, Goethe-Institut, the Embassy of the United States of America, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, African Music Festivals Network, Zanzibar Unique, Memories of Zanzibar, Ultimate Security, Ubalozi wa Ufaransa, Southern Sun Hotel, Azam Marine, Ubalozi wa Ujerumani na SMOLE II.

St. Teresa of Avila - Doctor of the Church

Feastday: October 15

Patron of Headache sufferers, Spanish Catholic Writers
1515 - 1582

Less than twenty years before Teresa was born in 1515, Columbus opened up the Western Hemisphere to European colonization. Two years after she was born, Luther started the Protestant Reformation. Out of all of this change came Teresa pointing the way from outer turmoil to inner peace.

Teresa's father was rigidly honest and pious, but he may have carried his strictness to extremes. Teresa's mother loved romance novels but because her husband objected to these fanciful books, she hid the books from him. This put Teresa in the middle -- especially since she liked the romances too. Her father told her never to lie but her mother told her not to tell her father. Later she said she was always afraid that no matter what she did she was going to do everything wrong.

When she was five years old she convinced her older brother that they should, as she says in her Life, "go off to the land of the Moors and beg them, out of love of God, to cut off our heads there." They got as far as the road from the city before an uncle found them and brought them back. Some people have used this story as an early example of sanctity, but this author think it's better used as an early example of her ability to stir up trouble.

After this incident she led a fairly ordinary life, though she was convinced that she was a horrible sinner. As a teenager, she cared only about boys and clothes

Mchango wa Kanisa Katoliki katika sekta ya elimu unaweza sasa kupatikana kwenye tovuti!

Baraza la Kipapa la Elimu Katoliki limezindua tovuti yake inayotoa habari muhimu kuhusu mchango wa Kanisa Katoliki katika sekta ya elimu ya juu, sehemu mbali mbali duniani. Hii ni sehemu ya utekelezaji wa Itifaki iliyoridhiwa kati ya Vatican na Shirika la Elimu, Sayansi na Utamaduni la Umoja wa Mataifa, UNESCO katika masuala ya sekta ya elimu kimataifa kwa kutambua na kuthamini vyeti mbali mbali vinavyotolewa na Vyuo vikuu na Taasisi za Elimu ya Juu zinazoongozwa na kumilikiwa na Kanisa Katoliki.

Hii ni fursa kwa Vatican kuendelea kuchangia kwa kina na mapana katika sekta ya elimu kwa kutoa habari zinazoonesha mchango wa Kanisa ili kushirikishana na nchi nyingine ambazo tayari zimekwisharidhia Itifaki hii pamoja na UNESCO. Tovuti ya Baraza la Kipapa la Elimu Katoliki kwa sasa lina sehemu kuu mbili: Sehemu ya kwanza inazungumzia Baraza la Kipapa la Elimu Katoliki na majukumu yake kwa ujumla.

Sehemu ya pili imesheheni hati na nyaraka mbali mbali zinazoweza kufanyiwa rejea na wasomi kuhusu: Hekima ya Kikristo na Hati ya Kanisa kuhusu Vyuo Vikuu vya Kikatoliki. Tovuti hii inaonesha uhusiano wa kimataifa kati ya Baraza la Kipapa la Taasisi mbali mbali katika sekta ya elimu. Watumiaji wa tovuti hii wanaweza pia kupata takwimu na habari kutoka katika "Pango hifadhi ya Nyaraka za Baraza la Kipapa la Elimu Katoliki". Ukitaka kufaidi zaidi unaweza kutembelea Baraza la Kipapa la Elimu Katoliki kwa anuani ifuatayo: www.educatio.va

Miili 8 yapatikana mgodini A. Kusini

Mgodi wa Doornkop uko Magharibi mwa Johannesburg.

Maafisa wa shughuli ya uokoaji nchini Afrika Kusini wanasema kuwa wamepata miili 8 ndani ya mgodi walimokuwa wamekwama wachimba migodi hao baada ya moto kuzuka na kuangukiwa na mawe wakiwa ndani ya mgodi huo.

Kwa mujibu wa serikali, Mfanyakazi mmoja angali hajapatikana katika mgodi wa Doornkop, Magharibi mwa Johannesburg.

Awali wachimba migodi wanane walipatikana wakiwa hai katika chumba kimoja chini ya ardhi ambak

Daily Reading for Wednesday, February 5th, 2014

---

Reading 1, Second Samuel 24:2, 9-17

² The king said to Joab and the senior army officers who were with him, 'Now, go through all the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba, and take a census of the people; I wish to know the size of the population.'
⁹ Joab gave the king the census results for the people; Israel had eight hundred thousand fighting men who could wield a sword, and Judah five hundred thousand.
¹⁰ But afterwards David's heart misgave him for having taken a census of the people. David then said to Yahweh, 'I have committed a grave sin by doing this. But now, Yahweh, I beg you to forgive your servant for this fault, for I have acted very foolishly.'
¹¹ When, however, David got up next morning, the following message had come from Yahweh to the prophet Gad, David's seer,
¹² 'Go and say to David, "Yahweh says this: I offer you three things; choose which one of them I am to inflict on you." '
¹³ So Gad went to David and said, 'Which do you prefer: to have three years of famine befall your country; to flee for three months before a pursuing army; or to have three days of epidemic in your country? Now think, and decide how I am to answer him who sends me.'
¹⁴ David said to Gad, 'I am very apprehensive . . . Better to fall into Yahweh's hands, since his mercies are great, than to fall into the hands of men!'
¹⁵ So David chose the epidemic. It was the time of the wheat harvest. So Yahweh unleashed an epidemic on Israel from that morning until the time determined; plague ravaged the people and, of the people from Dan to Beersheba, seventy thousand died.
¹⁶ But when the angel stretched his hand towards Jerusalem to destroy it, Yahweh felt sorry about the calamity and said to the angel who was destroying the people, 'Enough now! Hold your hand!' The angel of Yahweh was standing by the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
¹⁷ When David saw the angel who was ravaging the people, he said to Yahweh, 'I was the one who sinned. I was the one who acted wrongly. But these, the flock, what have they done? Let your hand lie heavy on me and on my family!'

---

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 32:1-2, 5, 6, 7

¹ [Of David Poem] How blessed are those whose offence is forgiven, whose sin blotted out.
² How blessed are those to whom Yahweh imputes no guilt, whose spirit harbours no deceit.
⁵ I made my sin known to you, did not conceal my guilt. I said, 'I shall confess my offence to Yahweh.' And you, for your part, took away my guilt, forgave my sin.Pause
⁶ That is why each of your faithful ones prays to you in time of distress. Even if great floods overflow, they will never reach your faithful.
⁷ You are a refuge for me, you guard me in trouble, with songs of deliverance you surround me.Pause

---

Gospel, Mark 6:1-6

¹ Leaving that district, he went to his home town, and his disciples accompanied him.
² With the coming of the Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and most of them were astonished when they heard him. They said, 'Where did the man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been granted him, and these miracles that are worked through him?
³ This is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joset and Jude and Simon? His sisters, too, are they not here with us?' And they would not accept him.
⁴ And Jesus said to them, 'A prophet is despised only in his own country, among his own relations and in his own house';
⁵ and he could work no miracle there, except that he cured a few sick people by laying his hands on them.
⁶ He was amazed at their lack of faith. He made a tour round the villages, teaching.

St. Agatha

February 5

Although we have evidence that Agatha was venerated at least as far back as the sixth century, the only facts we have about her are that she was born in Sicily and died there a martyr.

In the legend of her life, we are told that she belonged to a rich, important family. When she was young, she dedicated her life to God and resisted any men who wanted to marry her or have sex with her. One of these men, Quintian, was of a high enough rank that he felt he could force her to acquiesce. Knowing she was a Christian in a time of persecution, he had her arrested and brought before the judge - - himself. He expected her to give in to when faced with torture and possible death, but she simply affirmed her belief in God by praying: "Jesus Christ, Lord of all, you see my heart, you know my desires. Possess all that I am. I am your sheep: make me worthy to overcome the devil."

Legend tells us that Quintian imprisoned her in a brothel in order to get her to change her mind. Quintian brought her back before him after she had suffered a month of assault and humiliation in the brothel, but Agatha had never wavered, proclaiming that her freedom came from Jesus. Quintian sent her to prison, instead of back to the brothel -- a move intended to make her more afraid, but which probably was a great relief to her. When she continued to profess her faith in Jesus, Quintian had her tortured. He refused her any medical care but God gave her all the care she needed in the form of a vision of St. Peter. When she was tortured again, she died after saying a final prayer: "Lord, my Creator, you have always protected me from the cradle; you have taken me from the love of the world and given me patience to suffer. Receive my soul."

Because one of the tortures she supposedly suffered was to have her breasts cut off, she was often depicted carrying her breasts on a plate. It is thought that blessing of the bread that takes place on her feast may have come from the mistaken notion that she was carrying loaves of bread.

Because she was asked for help during the eruption of Mount Etna she is considered a protector against the outbreak of fire. She is also considered the patroness of bellmakers for an unknown reason -- though some speculate it may have something to do with the fact that bells were used as fire alarms.

Prayer:

Saint Agatha, you suffered sexual assault and indignity because of your faith. Help heal all those who are survivors of sexual assault and protect those women who are in danger. Amen

 

from Wikipedia

For communities named after St. Agatha, see Sainte-Agathe.
Saint Agatha of Sicily (died ca. 251) is a Christian saint. Her memorial is on 5 February. Agatha^[3] was born at Catania, Sicily, and she was martyred in approximately 251. She is one of seven women, who along with the Blessed Virgin Mary, are commemorated by name in the Canon of the Mass.^[4]
She is the patron saint of Catania, Molise, Malta, San Marino and Zamarramala, a municipality of the Province of Segovia in Spain. She is also the patron saint of breast cancer patients, martyrs, wet nurses, bell-founders, bakers, fire, earthquakes, and eruptions of Mount Etna.

Contents

• 1 Early history
• 2 Life
• 3 Veneration
• 4 Patronage
• 5 Iconography
• 6 Legacy
  • 6.1 Agatha in art
• 7 See also
• 8 References
• 9 External links

Early history[edit]

Agatha is buried at the Badia di Sant'Agata, Catania.^[5] She is listed in the late 6th-century Martyrologium Hieronymianum associated with Jerome,^[6] and the Synaxarion, the calendar of the church of Carthage, ca. 530.^[7] Agatha also appears in one of the carmina of Venantius Fortunatus.^[8] Two early churches were dedicated to her in Rome,^[9] notably the Church of Sant'Agata dei Goti in via Mazzarino, a titular church with apse mosaics of ca. 460 and traces of a fresco cycle,^[10] overpainted by Gismondo Cerrini in 1630. In the 6th century the church was adapted to Arian Christianity, hence its name "Saint Agatha of Goths", and later reconsecrated by Gregory the Great, who confirmed her traditional sainthood. Agatha is also depicted in the mosaics of Sant' Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, where she appears, richly dressed, in the procession of female martyrs along the north wall. Her image forms an initial I in the Sacramentary of Gellone, from the end of the 8th century.

Life[edit]

One of the most highly venerated virgin martyrs of Christian antiquity, Agatha was put to death during the persecution of Decius (250-253) in Catania, Sicily, for her steadfast profession of faith.^[6]
Her written legend^[11] comprises "straightforward accounts of interrogation, torture, resistance, and triumph which constitute some of the earliest hagiographic literature",^[12] and are reflected in later recensions, the earliest surviving one being an illustrated late 10th-century passio bound into a composite volume^[13] in the Bibliothèque nationale de France, originating probably in Autun, Burgundy; in its margin illustrations Magdalena Carrasco detected Carolingian or Late Antique iconographic traditions.^[14]
Although the martyrdom of St. Agatha is authenticated, and her veneration as a saint had even in antiquity spread beyond her native place, there is no reliable information concerning the details of her death.^[6]
According to Jacobus de Voragine, Legenda Aurea of ca. 1288,^[15] having dedicated her virginity to God,^[16] Fifteen year old Agatha, from a rich and noble family, rejected the amorous advances of the low-born Roman prefect Quintianus, who then persecuted her for her Christian faith.^[17] He sent Agatha to Aphrodisia, the keeper of a brothel.

Saint Peter Healing Agatha, by the Caravaggio-follower Giovanni Lanfranco, ca 1614

The madam finding her intractable, Quinitianus sends for her, argues, threatens, and finally has her put in prison. Among the tortures she underwent was the cutting off of her breasts. After further dramatic confrontations with Quintianus, represented in a sequence of dialogues in her passio that document her fortitude and steadfast devotion. Saint Agatha was then sentenced to be burned at the stake, but an earthquake saved her from that fate; instead, she was sent to prison where St. Peter the Apostle appeared to her and healed her wounds.^[18] Saint Agatha died in prison, according to the Legenda Aurea in "the year of our Lord two hundred and fifty-three in the time of Decius, the emperor of Rome."
Osbern Bokenham, A Legend of Holy Women, written in the 1440s, offers some further detail.^[19]

Veneration[edit]

Catania's duomo

Catania Cathedral (Cattedrale di Sant'Agata) is dedicated to Saint Agatha.
According to Maltese tradition, during the persecution of Roman Emperor Decius (AD 249-251), Agatha, together with some of her friends, fled from Sicily, and took refuge in Malta. Some historians believe that her stay on the island was rather short, and she spent her days in a rock hewn crypt at Rabat, praying and teaching the Christian Faith to children. After some time, Agatha returned to Sicily, where she faced martyrdom. Agatha was arrested and brought before Quintanus, praetor of Catania, who condemned her to torture and imprisonment. The crypt of St. Agatha is an underground basilica, which from early ages was venerated by the Maltese. At the time of St. Agatha's stay, the crypt was a small natural cave which later on, during the 4th or 5th century, was enlarged and embellished.^[20]

Patronage[edit]

Saint Agatha's breasts sculpted in the fortification walls, Mons, Var

She is the patron saint of Catania, Sorihuela del Guadalimar (Spain), Molise, San Marino and Malta.
Saint Agatha is a patron saint of Malta, where in 1551 her intercession through a reported apparition to a Benedictine nun is said to have saved Malta from Turkish invasion.^[20]
Agatha is the patron saint of bell-founders because of the shape of her severed breasts,^[17] and also of bakers, whose loaves were blessed at her feast day. More recently, she has been venerated as patron saint of breast cancer patients.
She is claimed as the patroness of Palermo. The year after her death, the stilling of an eruption of Mt. Etna was attributed to her intercession. As a result, apparently, people continued to ask her prayers for protection against fire.^[21]

Iconography[edit]

Saint Agatha is often depicted iconographically carrying her excised breasts on a platter, as by Bernardino Luini's Saint Agatha (1510–15) in the Galleria Borghese, Rome, in which Agatha contemplates the breasts on a standing salver held in her hand.

Legacy[edit]

Burial of St Agatha, by Giulio Campi, 1537

Basques have a tradition of gathering on Saint Agatha's eve (Santa Ageda bezpera in Basque) and going round the village. Homeowners can choose to hear a song about her life, accompanied by the beats of their walking sticks on the floor or a prayer for those deceased in the house. After that, the homeowner donates food to the chorus.^[22] This song has varying lyrics according to the local tradition and the Basque language. An exceptional case was that of 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, when a version appeared that in the Spanish language praised the Soviet ship Komsomol, which had sunk while carrying Soviet weapons to the Second Spanish Republic.
An annual festival to commemorate the life of Saint Agatha takes place in Catania, Sicily, from February 3 to 5. The festival culminates in a great all-night procession through the city for which hundreds of thousands of the city's residents turn out.
St. Agatha's Tower is a former Knight's stronghold located in the north west of Malta. The seventeenth-century tower served as a military base during both World Wars and was used as a radar station by the Maltese army.^[20]

Agatha in art[edit]

Agatha is a featured figure on Judy Chicago's installation piece The Dinner Party, being represented as one of the 999 names on the Heritage Floor.^[23]

Ujumbe wa Papa kwa Kwaresima, wadai majitoleo zaidi kwa wahitaji.

Jumanne hii , Ofisi ya habari ya Vatican imetoa Ujumbe wa Papa Francisko kwa ajili ya kipindi cha Kwaresima, kinachoanza tarehe 5 Marchi kwa ibada ya Majivu. Ujumbe huo, unaoongozwa na Madambiu: "Alijifanya Maskini kwa ajili Yenu , ili kutokana na umasikini wake awatajirishe”.

Papa, katika ujumbe huu, anawaelekeza wanakanisa kuyatazama kwa kina mahangaiko ya watu, katika hali zote, kibinadamu na kiroho pia, akilenga hasa kutoa msaada kimawazo , jinsi ya kuitembea njia ya uongofu kama mtu binafsi au kama jumuiya ya kanisa , kwa kuvuviwa na maneno ya Mtume Paulo “ Maana mmejua neema ya Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo, kwamba ingawa alikuwa tajiri, lakini kwa ajili yenu, alijifanya maskini , ili kwa umaskini wake, uwatajirishe " (2 Kor 8:09 ).
Mtume Paulo aliwaandikia Wakristo wa Korintho, kwa nia ya kuwahamasisha watende kwa upendo na majitoleo zaidi ya wema na ukarimu, kwa ajili ya kusaidia

Ex-wife Winnie left out of Mandela’s testament

Nelson Mandela’s former wife Winnie Madikizela Mandela (left) and widow Graca Machel attend his memorial service in Johannesburg last December. PHOTO | FILE 

By The Citizen Reporter and Agencies

Johannesburg. Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, who was