Von: John Paul
Gesendet: Dienstag, 23. Mai 2006 16:20
An: Montz, Winfried
Betreff: Minutes of Kumbo Diocesan Partnership meeting
Dear Mr. Montz,
Greetings from Kumbo, Cameroon. Hope you are all very well and doing fine. It is getting into the second week today, our internet services have not been operational. I am using a public facility to send this mail and the other one you may have received as copy of the one to Barbara on the two volunteers. I cannot remember if I ever communicated the minutes of our last partnership meeting to you. That is why I am sending them again. If I did already, then please just bear with me for sending them again. We are already at the roofing level of the chaplaincy project. We had quite some delays because there was a shortage of zinc in the market.
Greetings to all.
Sincerely yours,
Fr. Daniel
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MINUTES OF THE DIOCESAN PARTNERSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING
HELD AT JP2YC ON FEBRUARY 16, 2006
The meeting started at a quarter to 10 a.m. with opening prayers led by Ms Tohtin Eucharia. The coordinator welcomed all hoping we realize our objective for this year. He welcomed Ako especially for being part of the meeting in spite of their distance. He said Kong Bernard had phoned to say that he could not be at the meeting because only two of them were in the office so Eucharia sat in to take the minutes. He also said the Family Life Team was in Ako and had hoped they would prepare one of their leader couples to attend the meeting.
The agenda below was introduced, corrected and adopted.
1. Opening Prayer
2. Word of Welcome
3. Self-Introduction and Roll Call
4. Business of the Day
Ø Reports from parishes and institutions
Ø Deliberations
Ø News
Ø Other Matters
5. Closing remarks
6. Lunch/Departure
Reading of minutes of the last meeting and the minutes of the Limburg Diocesan Partnership Committee meeting and deliberations on them were added to the agenda after the Word of Welcome.
The following persons were in attendance
Personal Names and email adresses hided by Juan A. Andres.
PARISH/INSTITUTION
1. Ako
2. CWA
3. Djottin
4. Tabenken ? YCW
5. Tabenken ? CMA
6. Elak ? Chairperson
7. Binju-Nkambe
8. Elak
9. Coordinator
10. Youth Team
11. Youth Team
Minutes of the last meeting were read and moved correct by Mrs. Komtangi and Fr. Oliver Shey. The coordinator then read the minutes of the Partnership Committee meeting of Limburg.
Matters Arising From the Home Minutes
Letters granting Limburg the power of attorney were written by the youths who could not have visas and sent to Limburg. The issue of the refusal of visas to the youths is still being followed up. It was discovered that 28 visas were given by the consular services of the German Embassy, to Cameroonians to participate at the World Youth Day. While at the National meeting of Youth Chaplains, there were 17 dioceses present and those 17 diocese got 14 visas to participate, so the question was, ?Who were those who had the rest of the visas?? Among the 28 there were only 2 youths. The national delegation had only 3 people. The youth chaplains at the meeting wrote a complaint to the National Episcopal Conference sighting the irregularities recognized during the time of preparing for the World Youth Day.
Before the visas were refused the Diocese of Limburg had already incurred some expenses like procuring flight tickets on behalf of the Kumbo delegation. The members of the delegation on their part had already incurred some expenses as well. The diocese of Limburg promised to make a contribution to the youths to subsidize their expenditures on the preparations for the trip. Mr. Winfried Montz wrote to Fr. Daniel Ache saying that the money had been paid to the Kumbo Diocesan account and the Diocesan Financial Secretary is working on it. The youths will be expected to collect the money themselves and sign. The transaction may be through in two weeks from the date of this meeting. Fr. Daniel remarked that he was very grateful to Mr. Winfried Montz and the German side for coordinating all of this.
He said embassies in Cameroon now hardly give visas to those below the age of 40.The exception he went on is of those going out for studies in a field which is not being offered by our local universities. Participants were made to know that lots and lots of efforts were made to see that the visas were given but it was all in vain.
A participant thanked Fr. Daniel for this explanation saying that the youths in his parish are taking it badly and not participating well during youth events. Participants were called upon to help the local communities to realize that the aim of the youth ministry is not for youths to travel to Germany; Fr. Daniel added. So any of such disappointments should not be a cause for youth to refrain from youth activities in the parish.
The chairman of the Laity council who was at the beginning of the meeting said Fr. Daniel had explained the situation at the laity council and that Parish Pastoral Council chairpersons and priests should help to explain to the people in the parishes. He was grateful that Limburg is contributing for the expenditure of the youths.
Fr. Daniel said that the Philippines had the same problem but that when Limburg intervened the visas were given but that it couldn?t work here because our country is corrupt and could not explain the disappearance of some youth that had participated at an earlier youth day celebration. Working from such an experience, the consular services of the German embassy needed to be very careful in giving out the visas.
He informed participants that the construction of the JP2YC chaplaincy was suspended together with other diocesan projects at the time the Diocesan Pastoral Centre needed completion and inauguration. He said the financial secretary had informed him that work would soon resume on the project.
As for the fight against HIV/AIDS he said the struggle still continues. The number of those who need help is increasing and we should continue to give support, especially at our respective levels to the orphans and vulnerable children whom the Family Life Office now calls the Chosen Children of God. We should also at various levels encourage pregnant women to go for clinic. This among other things was to ensure prevention from mother to child.
Matters arising from the minutes of Limburg
Sharing was made on the evaluation of World Youth Day and the document is on the Internet and could be gotten from the website www.Kumbo-Limburg.org. It was discovered that most of those who were at the meeting had email addresses. Elak confirmed that they have been writing on all parish issues to their partners.
The coordinator expressed hope that Ako gets a partner as Ako is being advertised even by use of the Internet. Mr. Stefan Hector is working on a possible visit of adults from Kumbo to Limburg in the near future. Fr. Daniel also explained that he got a message from Bishop Kamphaus to Archbishop Esua during his induction which took place on the 23rd of January. He regretted that he was not given the opportunity by the organisers in Bamenda to present the message as it was and during the presentation of similar messages of congratulations. He however presented the message to Archbishop Esua later on the same day. He has sent some pictures of the event to Germany.
Reports from Parishes and Deliberations
Ako: They had their last meeting in October during which they encouraged partnership between missions to keep up the spirit while hoping for a new partner in Germany. A friend of Fr. Njingti wrote and said that they are working to see that Ako gets a partner The letter has been replied to. During the Parish Pastoral Council meeting he explained the visa problem. Two missions have participated in the local partnership. Ako was encouraged to write more on the website giving information about Ako.
Binju-Nkambe: They have not had a meeting for a long time. They have a partnership committee. The partnership is not yet strong. They had a letter from their partners before the celebration of the parish jubilee. They have not yet had any real contacts and the process is now slower with Fr. Stefan being on holiday in Frankfurt. Fr. Robert visits the website daily. Parishioners have not yet taken it serious and it is like it is still in Fr. Robert?s hands. He is working hard to get the Internet at the mission. He regretted that there were misunderstandings over the account he sent on behalf of the youth that did not go for the world youth day. He is happy that Limburg got over the issue and has now moved ahead to transfer the money for the youths. He said his youths who could not get the visas were settled and that parishioners understood the difficulties.
He was thanked for his efforts towards the partnership and for the struggle to get the internet connections. It was positively appreciated that the youths have gotten over the visa problem. Fr. Robert recommended that we respect the policies of the embassy on how they give out visas.
Elak: Had a partnership executive meeting on 2 February to reply to a letter they received in December from their partners, then they received the invitation to the diocesan partnership committee meeting and since the attendance to the executive meeting was poor they decided to reply to the letter after the diocesan committee meeting.
Ø They have revived youth activities in the parish
Ø Completed the parish house project
Ø Have two new projects; the Church in Nkfui and the Nursery school in Elak
Ø Have the AIDS and orphans project
The coordinator complained that there was poor flow of information in Elak as the Parish Priest claimed he was not informed of the visit of the delegation from Limburg that was here in September 2004 to the parish. It was agreed that in future when a message is sent to a parish a feedback must be gotten before the activity is carried out.
Djottin: They held two meetings: at one they agreed on how to distribute the gifts from their partners and evaluated the jubilee. At the second meeting they celebrated the feast day of their partner parish, made photos and sent to them. They sent a list of those infected with HIV/AIDS to their partner parish for individual partners who might at times subsidise for the cost of the drugs. They also sent letters admitting receipt of the gifts at the time Ulf and the delegation returned from Cameroon.
Tabenken: The interim chairperson of the partnership committee was at the meeting and had little to say for a report since he was just newly appointed to the post.
Fr. Robert was curious to know what was happening to the bakery infrastructure and what the level of correspondence between Tabenken and Oberad is like. It was answered that the two partners get in touch but there were doubts whether the correspondences get to the people on the part of Tabenken or remain at the level of the priest. Fr. Robert recommended that partner parishes should try to know what is happening to each other. He suggested that since the CNL is not being produced a partnership newspaper could be started where parishes sent news to be published monthly.
After deliberating on the issue it was agreed that Tabenken should call a partnership committee meeting including two members from each of the groups in the church and in the village and discuss the issue of the bakery and the health center looking at what they had lost to begin the projects, what they have and what they can do. It was suggested that the problem of the bakery could be coming from too much control from the clergy and religious. When they restart the bakery they should give it to one of the groups to run. They should advertise the bread in St. Rita?s College, Nkambe for a market and later on in St. John Bosco?s College, Ngarum. They can also solve the problem by being open about the things they saw not going well with the projects. When forming the partnership committee they should include the PPC chairperson, the priests and the sisters, members from CWA, Youth groups, CMA, Choir, teachers, Social Welfare, Family Life, Health Commission and other opinion leaders in the village. The chairperson of the committee should be from the main mission. If the Fon is a member his opinion should be like any other member?s contribution and not the final word; he added. They should aim at working without financial support from outside. Look for means of raising funds to revive the bakery. When they organize the meeting they should contact the partnership coordinator so he could attend the meeting with some other members of the diocesan partnership committee. The committee in Tabenken should meet every month. The next Diocesan Partnership committee meeting in June will take place in Tabenken. The members of the Diocesan Partnership Committee to attend the next Tabenken Parish Partnership Committee meeting will include Fr. Daniel Ache, Fr. Robert Tanto, Fr. Andrew Ngah, Mrs. Komtangi and Mr. Lukong Ephraim. Tabenken parish should ensure that the date of the meeting is communicated well on in time so people from this end could plan to be part of the meeting.
John Paul II Youth Centre: They have been working with parishes on the formation of Parish Sub-Commissions for the Youth Apostolate. Visits are being made to parishes to give training to the members of the commission. A member of the team is also attending the counseling course organized by the Family Life Office. She gives the input to the team when she comes back. There would be a meeting of the Youth For Life in March. Parishes were called upon to send two participants: a girl and a boy each. The number of students in the computer department continues to increase and those who complete get employment through the intervention of Sr. Kah and other services around.
They would start a sewing department to sew for the market and also train other youths in sewing. Fr. Robert suggested that the sewing department could be decentralized such that a few sewing machines are taken to the parishes and the products sold in Kumbo and elsewhere. He said this was the dream of the youth center and could hold for other departments that would be opened in future. The Youth Centre is also expecting a consignment of computers from Nascent Solutions Inc. which could be given out to students who complete from the center as starting capital, so they could be made to pay for them bit by bit. They are also thinking of candle production by engaging the use of wax which is a waste product from the production of honey in next door Elak parish.
CWA: They had general CWA diocesan congress at Nkor with 960 participants who mostly trekked from their various parishes. They had so many activities during the congress for which 10 parishes won prizes. Tabenken came first. Many women at the congress sold the products they produced as fruits of the Education for Women programme when they learnt how to make body lotion and omo. The women of Bondu in Tabenken make use of this training most. Mrs. Komtangi already wrote to Limburg about the congress.
There will be an international women?s seminar in Washington between May and June. Before the organizers limited the number of participants from Cameroon to 40, 52 women had already registered. Registration was left open for those who could afford and it happened that most of these are those who are not committed. Kumbo applied to Limburg to support them sponsor 3 participants to the seminar and Limburg accepted to sponsor 2. It was hoped that the women of Kumbo will represent good ideals at the seminar.
Mrs. Komtangi regretted that CWA leaders do not give their programmes to the priests and pleaded with the priests to understand, but it was seen that this was because some leaders remain in leadership for too long and become old. They were advised to revise their constitution.
News
Dr. Brigitta Sassin moved from the partnership desk on 30 November 2004. She now works in Pastoral Ministry in Frankfurt. Fr. Daniel already wrote to her on behalf of the partnership committee. A short message was prepared for her, which participants signed after the meeting to be scanned and sent to her.
Fr. Stefan Diefenbach is in Frankfurt and will be there for a year seemingly on a sabbatical.
Mr. Ulf Erdmann and his companions brought a banner with them, which was still a message of solidarity after the visa problem. The banner would be framed and placed on the wall in the team room at the youth center.
Bishop Kamphaus had brought a partnership candle for the Diocese of Kumbo. It was agreed that the candle be moving from one partner parish to another. The parish that is keeping the candle is expected to bring it each time when they come for partnership meetings so it could be handed over to the next parish. Tabenken did not bring it probably because of the unexpected change in leadership. The candle is still on in Tabenken.
Other Matters
Fr. Daniel announced that the partnership committee lost a member, the chairlady of Tabenken, Mrs Rose Nfor and it was agreed that the partnership meeting in Tabenken would start the day before the actual date at about 04:30 p.m. The next day there would be a mass with the Christian community for the repose of her soul and that of the chairperson before her. The partnership committee would present condolence gifts to the bereaved families.
The coordinator called on parishes and institutions to pay their annual participation and running dues of FCFA 25000 to the Diocesan Financial secretariat. He said the money should be sent in early so that the committee could subsidize the expenditures that Tabenken would incur to host the meeting in June.
The Feast Days of the various partner parishes in Limburg were given as follows:
Ø Nassua St. Boniface (Bishop, preacher of faith and martyr), June 5th
Ø Winden St. Wilibrord (Bishop, preacher of faith), November 7th
Ø Arnstein St. Margareta (martyr, virgin), July 20th
Closing Remarks
The coordinator thanked participants for their contributions especially as they discussed more concretely on issues glided over in the past. He called on partner parishes and institutions to build solidarity among them. He said everyone should be concerned with the Tabenken problem, hoped that the partnership of Djottin should continue to grow as it is doing, thanked Fr. Robert for his struggles towards the grounding of the partnership for Binju-Nkambe and challenged Ako to keep writing on the website. Called on all to make use of constructive collaboration. He read out the draft of the message the committee was expected to send to Dr. Sassin.
Prayers were led by Fr. Oliver Shey at 02:00 p.m. There was lunch and departure.
The next meeting will take place at Tabenken from 14 to 15 June 2006.