Over the weekend, a Mass presided over by Father Gabriel Samba, the Provincial of the Dominican Order in Central Africa, marked the end of the annual retreat of priests working in the Archdiocese of N’Djamena
Edouard Takadji – N’Djamena
Themed “Ministerial Priesthood and Mercy,” the retreat was a time of prayer, discussion, spiritual renewal, and personal assessment before the launch of the new pastoral year. In his homily, Father Gabriel Samba invited priests to cultivate love and patience in their pastoral ministry.
“Where our relationship with God and others stop being life-giving, we must take time off and seek to return to God. Only he can revive the bonds and rejuvenate us. It is he who has told us that our life, our ministry, what we have to do, is done step by step,” stressed the Dominican priest.
He explained that God knows how fast his ministers need to go in their pastoral ministry. “Sometimes when we want to go fast and quickly in order to obtain results, and they do not materialise, we are discouraged, angry and disappointed. But God acts with us by journeying along with us progressively.”
In pastoral ministry, be available to the faithful
Fr Samba exhorted priests to always be close to the faithful.
Alluding to Ezekiel Chapter 37, the Retreat Master asked, “’Can these dry bones live?’ Can I revive God’s people when they resemble dry bones?”
The answer, Fr Samba said, lies in trusting God the author of life and remaining attentive to him, engaging in a life of constant prayer, a life of testimony, and carrying along our parishioners towards the same mission, he said.
Father Gabriel Samba ended by urging priests to be available and always reach out to their faithful without fear.
“When you are available to parishioners, you will be amazed at how things fall into place. May we know how to marvel at our pastoral ministry even when it seems not to be working for us. Let us be grateful for the gifts we constantly receive from God,” Fr Samba said.
