Jesuit magazine (4-11).indd - The New Orleans Province of the ...

and more settled into what had become a familiar environment
of work and prayer. I enjoyed my work in the district general
hospital, and I enjoyed living with the Jesuit community in
a minor secondary school the Society had been running on
behalf of several dioceses. Eventually the minor seminary was
handed over to the local diocese and the Jesuit community was
reassigned. I was wondering if the Spirit was going to help
me grow in the same place or if there might be something new
for me as well. Things were changing in the Jesuit Province –
and eventually the winds of change blew into my life.
The Jesuit Province here includes both Zambia and
Malawi. Jesuits have had a much longer tradition of works in
Zambia, but there have been desires to expand our efforts in
Malawi. And there are several new ventures which are quite
exciting. We had been given a parish in Kasungu about 10
years ago – where the parish priests have been able to help the
Catholic community grow (the parish has about 90 – yes ninety
– outstations). Some of the development efforts have included
re-building about 13 primary schools, and the province
has committed to beginning a new Jesuit secondary school
(coeducational, boarding and day scholars). The province is
also beginning a new social apostolate center in Lilongwe.
The Jesuit Refugee Service is active in Dzaleka near Lilongwe
and runs educational programs for the camp – including a new
venture in on-line distance education (a project supported by
the American Jesuit universities). I was asked to join the Jesuit
community there and see where I might contribute to medical
services. I would still say I miss my old friends, but I am
happy to be part of a new Jesuit effort.
Much to my surprise I found after my arrival in Malawi
that its Ministry of Health preferred me to move to Blantyre
and pick up work at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital
where the University of Malawi College of Medicine is situated.
At the end of this first year, I continue the same work of
clinical care for a ward of surgical patients and teaching of
the medical students, interns, registrars and clinical officers.
This academic environment is a big switch for me from my
recent community general hospital, but it is familiar enough
from previous experiences. It is quite a privilege to be able to
help the young students develop and get ready to assume the
leadership of medical care in their country.
I am assigned for now to live in a diocesan parish – one
parish priest and the auxiliary bishop are residents there. I am
invited to participate in the liturgies of the parish and I find it a
very good and prayerful environment. Our parish has received
many benefactions from the Friends of Medjugorje, and we
have an outdoor Way of the Cross and Way of the Rosary
which are frequented by several visiting pilgrimage groups. It
is a diocese where many diocesan priests visit our house, and I
enjoy gradually getting acquainted with many of them. Jesuits
are not well known in this diocese, and I am happy to be one
Fr. Johnson, S.J., M.D., relies on the truck provided him by stateside
donations.
sent to contribute a little bit to the diocese.
I entered the Society because I was captivated by Ignatius’
confidence in praying to know the will of God and to work to
more generously fulfill it. I find that through these many years
I have been able to adapt to changing assignments because
my fellow Jesuits have been there for me to help me pray and
keep searching for the interior freedom to move with changing
circumstances and to keep searching for God’s will. I have
been able to share my own journey with others in the province
and to be part of others’ journeys within the Jesuit Province
here in Zambia and Malawi. I hadn’t expected the assignment
to go to Zambia several years ago, but today I say thanks very
much for it – God has worked many things for good.
If you would like to find out more about the international
missions or to help support our work, please visit us at www.
norprov.org.
IgnatIan Pro-LIfe network Mass and raLLy for LIfe
MagIs 2011: august 5-15, MadrId, sPaIn
worLd youth day 2011:
august 16-21, MadrId, sPaIn
For more information on these events, please visit
http://apostleshipofprayer.org/worldYouthDay.html or
contact Fr. Phil Hurley, S.J., Youth and Young adult Director
at the apostleship of Prayer national Office at 414-486-1152.
The Southern Jesuit Spring 2011 17