Tangaza Update( Celebrate our Mission)
Date
2016-10
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Tangaza University College
Abstract
E
very higher educational institution in Kenya is
required to have its own “mission statement”.
The one for Tangaza reads: “To prepare ethical servant
leaders
for
the church
and
society in
an environment
of
freedom
and
responsibility
by
providing
quality
education,
research
and
community
service”.
It
is
meant to
provide a brief summary of our purpose.
But in a deeper sense, perhaps more than for other
Kenyan universities and colleges, the church’s “mission”
is at the very heart of Tangaza’s origin and identity. After
all,
we
were founded
three
decades
ago
by
religious
congregations
committed
to
mission
in Africa.
They
were
told
that, due to overcrowding, there was
no longer any
room
for their
candidates in
the diocesan seminary.
So
the religious superiors decided
to
start a project of
theological
preparation
in
Nairobi
for
their own
candidates,
to
train them
for
the
“mission” of their respective
congregations.
But even in those
early days, the superiors its inception, Tangaza has been focused on preparing not
just candidates for priesthood but also all those called to
“proclaim the mystery of faith” (Tangaza fumbo la imani)
in our contemporary church and world – women and men,
lay and religious. In other words, we are about mission.
October is “mission month”, an ideal time to celebrate
and reflect on what “mission” means to the Tangaza
family
as
we prepare for
a university charter.
We
are
fortunate to have an energetic
“Tangaza
Missionary
Group”
(TAMIGRO)
and missionary
formators
helping
us
to keep
“mission”
at
the
forefront
of
our
awareness
through a variety of
activities, not
only during October
but throughout the year. May their efforts prosper!
The Second Vatican Council’s Decree Ad gentes
famously points out that “the
pilgrim church is missionary
by her very nature” (AG
2),
and all of us, whatever
our
vocation, are
called to
share
in the church’s
missionary
activity
by virtue of
our
baptism. For some of us,
especially
the
Tangaza
fam-
ily members from the missionary congregations, this may
mean engaging in the “primary evangelization” of those
who have not yet heard the Gospel. For others it may mean
bringing the same Gospel values and servant leadership to
our communities and workplaces. For still others, even if
we are impeded by circumstances from direct engagement
in the church’s traditional “missionary” activities, we can
make an essential contribution to “mission” through our
support and prayers for those “on the front lines”. (After
all, “mission month” begins with the feast of the co-patron
of the missions, St. Therese of Lisieux, a cloistered Carmelite
nun
who nevertheless
dedicated herself
to
prayer
for
missionaries and profoundly experienced the
essentially
apostolic
purpose
of her contemplative
vocation.)
Interestingly, in his message for the 90
World
Mission Day (23 October 2016), Pope Francis writes: “In
many places evangelization begins with education”. During
this
month
of
October,
as
we
reflect
on
Tangaza’s
educational
task
and missionary roots,
let us
renew our own
commitment
to
apply the
formation
and
education
we
receive
here
to
spreading the
good
news of Jesus Christ, by
“teaching
minds,
touching
hearts
and
transforming
lives”.
Description
Keywords
Mission, Celebrate, Refugee, Touch of Life, Innovation, Social Transformation