By Timothy Kioko,nSJ
Hello, with love and in the spirit of companionship, receive our Lenten greetings from the Inyasi House Dar-es-Salaam community.
Abba G’s Birthday Celebration
The community has been a haven of celebration as we were honored to commemorate 75 years of youthfulness of Fr. Abba Groum, SJ. The diamond jubilee lasted for about 75 hours, starting from Friday at 0600 hours and ending on Monday at 0900 hours. During the ‘birthday vigil,’ our novices took the opportunity to teach us how to embrace our inner youthfulness. Fr. Abba G, always the eager student, joined in eagerly. The celebration included a beautiful procession, a dance, cake cutting, and face marking, although he did admit that dancing past his prime was a bit of a challenge these days!
On Saturday morning, Abba G celebrated mass in the school where Fr. Fidelis, SJ, gave a heart-lifting homily as it was the birthday of his formatter. The students of Loyola High School honored him with applause, manifesting that ‘the beauty of life does not depend on how happy you are, but on how happy others can be because of you.’ On Saturday evening, during the community function with the surrounding religious communities in the spirit of collaboration, there was a surprise celebration, all in honor of his 75 years. The beautiful remark was ‘he is a brother, father, mentor for many.’ His life is a testament to the Jesuit motto, ‘Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam,’ for the greater glory of God, as he has found God in all things and shared His love with everyone he encountered. Truly, in the dance of life, cherish the steps as much as the spotlight, for it’s the rhythm of love that truly moves us forward.
On Sunday, the celebration was marked with a special dinner at the school, filled with gifts, dances, and presentations. It was a surprise celebration that left Fr. Abba G speechless – a rare sight indeed! The highlight? When Fr. Abba G mistook the oversized cake for a new piece of a rosary throne and tried to find the liturgical significance of 75 candles held by the students all over! It was during this celebration that he was awarded the best portrait of his lifetime, as Fr. Martin was able to produce a very artistic and precious portrait. It is a great honor to have witnessed such a significant event.
