Last week, our Senior Fr. Toni Amort celebrated his 90th birthday combined with his 65 years as missionary priest. It was quite a good celebration and our house was filled with jubilation. Seven of Toni’s visitors from Brazil came around for the celebration and took over the choir and the liturgy in their lively and joyful Portuguese style. It was a healthy break for us the elderly concelebrants bringing back memories of similar joyful liturgies during our own missionary careers in Africa, Asia or in South America.
We enjoy these different occasions that come up once in a while with people visiting. The presence in our midst of Fr. Joe Afu King MHM has also been another most welcome break in the community. He has spent his holiday-summer-break from his course in Rome with us at Herberthaus. Joe has used this time as a welcome opportunity for him to visit his fellow Mill Hill Missionaries in the Tyrol.
It was an occasion for us, elderly here in the Herberthaus, to hear news of fresh developments in the countries where most of us had spent many years as missionaries. The stories from Kenya, Uganda and Cameroon have energised some of us who look back with appreciation.
Some days back, Fr. Jacob took Joe on a long journey to visit the grave of Fr. Len Kofler who died recently. He was his rector in Rome. There he also visited the grave of Fr. Len Wiedemayr with whom they worked in Uganda.
I myself have also enjoyed the company of Joe King as we climbed together several mountains and hills in our neighbourhood. The presence of the young people around us makes quite a difference. It reminds us of the fruits of our missionary endeavours and how mission has evolved and continues. Three times we did mission appeals together in different parishes and he saw the efforts put in for mission promotion, and therefore the need to continue supporting mission and formation of our young missionaries.
Three years ago I retired to HERBERTHAUS. I remember vividly how Fr. Joe, being quite good at music, had entertained the congregation back in Witu, at the Coast of Kenya, in 2020 when he had come for my farewell. I still remember his clear and beautiful voice at that occasion, when he sang, praising the Lord for our missionary vocation.
Now, as he is here with us in the Herberthaus, I invited him to join me on our mission appeals. It was a beautiful chance during which to invite him to sing parts of the liturgy in Swahili, English or any other language of his choice. Generally, the Tyrolese are rather stiff and reserved at liturgical celebrations. But at these occasions with Fr. Joe singing, they too got spontaneously up on their feet and joined in in the clapping of the liturgical celebration. It makes such a difference and people appreciate the diversity in the church as well as the unity. Young Missionaries in a church that is predominantly elderly bring in a lot of life.
I sincerely hope and pray that soon our Society will send young African and Asian Mill Hill Missionaries to our German speaking Region to keep the MillHill Spirit alive. Here we are known as “St. Josef Missionaries” and we are well known in our various Parishes. From my experience – after doing Mission appeals during the last three years, – our people, including most of the local Priests, are very eager to support our Missionary endeavour.
May our Patron, Saint Joseph, help us to find a way forward, in our struggle to continue contributing joyfully in Evangelisation of our own Home of the Tyrol and the world at large.
Fr. Adolf Pöll MHM
