We can all come up with many and varied responses but what should a 50 year old Ugandan priest do so that he can continue serving his community and his God?
Time waits for no one, and a priest’s life in a developing country is an extremely demanding one. Fr Nestus and his Bishop are keenly aware of this. At 50 it is time to take stock, to reflect on the past 50 years and to prepare for the next 50. It’s OK when we’re young to have 18 hour days but realistically it can’t continue that way.
St Bernard’s Parish invited Fr Nestus to visit parishioners and to thank supporters of
Mannya. Initially it appeared that Fr Nestus would be having his 50th in the air on his way home from Australia. However, conscious of Fr Nestus’ needs Bishop Kaggwa kindly not only allowed Fr Nestus to travel to Australia to meet with supporters, but also encouraged him to have some R&R and also some time on retreat. Bishop Kaggwa enabled September and October this year to be set aside for the Australian visit, so we stretched the visit to seven weeks.
Holidays are luxuries that just don’t happen in Uganda. Every day is busy. A priest’s only opportunity for a break is during their annual retreat. The life of the whole parish revolves around the priests, especially the parish priest.
Tuesday 4th September was cold, windy and rainy as we met a gracious, smiling Fr Nestus at Tullamarine. But as we stepped outside the Terminal building we were greeted by cold piercing blasts from the Antarctic. Two coats were not enough, such was the contrast in temperatures from that experienced in Uganda the day before. Over ensuing weeks he explained that back home sometimes the temperature goes down to 18 degrees!
Many families and groups extended kind hospitality to Fr Nestus. Special thanks are due to Kevin and Barbara Shannon who provided him with a base and accommodation and meals for all times he was not accommodated elsewhere or on retreat or touring.
His programme was very full, and varied. Besides enjoying multiple 50th birthdays Fr Nestus enjoyed several days on retreat at the Cistercian Monastery at Tarrawarra, just beyond Yarra Glen. The Gleesons took him to Port Campbell and included a visit to Penola where Australia’s first canonised Saint, Mary MacKillop had her first school. An introduction to the Australia of that era is particularly valuable and valid as in those days life in Australia was very tough.
Secondary School students at St Joseph’s, Newtown, Clonard College, and St Ignatius were delighted to meet with Fr Nestus as were students at Catholic Regional College, Caroline Springs. The Friends of Mannya Dinner was held at St Joseph’s and he was able to meet with the Year 12 students from St Joseph’s and Clonard who will be visiting Mannya at the end of November this year. Fr Nestus was also able to meet with teachers and school staff who have been very supportive of new initiatives in several places throughout the expansive Mannya parish, assisting the numerous sub-parishes. This also enabled him to be based in Torquay for a few days.
At St Mary’s Primary school, Dandenong Fr Nestus enjoyed delicious matoke lovingly prepared by one of the teachers (matoke is a staple food, stewed bananas). The multicultural schoolchildren were delighted to ask Fr Nestus questions about life in Uganda, why he wanted to be a priest, etc. As Vice-Principal of Clairvaux Natalie Heard visited Mannya in March this year, and now, as Principal of St Anthony’s, Lara Natalie welcomed Fr Nestus to the school. Clairvaux, of course, is also close to Fr Nestus’ heart and he is grateful for Clairvaux’s support of the new Primary School at Nseese within Mannya parish. He joined the schoolchildren in Clairvaux’s Lapathon, something he is not used to! But he appreciated it nonetheless. The transformation at Nseese, as well as in many other parts of the parish, is mind-blowing. As Fr Nestus says, what we – all of us – have given to the people of Mannya parish is HOPE.
Cotton On staff were delighted to have Fr Nestus available to present ‘travel packages’ to select Cotton On staff who will be visiting Mannya in February next year. Such cultural immersion experiences are of immense value to the participants who return to Australia and enthusiastically promote the work of the Cotton On Foundation.
Cotton On staff were delighted to give Fr Nestus a surprise 50th birthday celebration. Yes, it really was a surprise, on his second last day in Australia. They appreciated the opportunity of meeting with him again, and he certainly did also. Well done to all.
Fr Nestus was the principal speaker at the St Joseph’s College Fashion Dinner at Skilled Stadium. He also connected with many people, far and wide, who had visited Mannya, people in the medical field, in education, in business and in the coffee industry. On his way back from his retreat at Tarrawarra he was well received at Archibald’s Honey in Dingley before visiting Redpaths Beekeeping Supplies in Parkville which led to an introduction to Beekeepers at Mount Moriac and contacts in the Beekeeping industry in Uganda. Beekeeping is ideally suited to many of his parishioners and there is a good market for honey.
A visit to the peace and tranquillity of the Otways gave another dimension to the Australian way of life, as did a visit to the Melbourne Show. Of course it was AFL Grand Final season also so watching the Grand Final was a ‘must’.
Baptisms, confirmations at St Michael’s at Bell Park, weekend Masses at St Bernard’s, concelebrating at the St Vincent de Paul Regional Festival Mass at St Michael’s, attending a St Bernard’s conference meeting, concelebrating at St Mary’s on a Sunday evening – indeed a truly lived ‘holiday’, a refreshing one.
A 5 am GULL bus saw Fr Nestus on his way to Coolangatta for several days holiday with Fr Peter and other priests who were already in Queensland. As luck would have it, it rained every day except one. But, as Fr Nestus pointed out in Queensland it was still warm after the rain.
Fr Nestus has arrived safely back at Mannya and is deeply appreciative of the kindness and thoughtfulness of so many people throughout Australia. He now looks forward to a steady stream of visitors over coming months.
Fr Nestus and Mannya Parish make visitors very welcome. There is guest accommodation; meals are great – the parish cooks delight in using the new smoke-free combustion stoves provided by St Bernard’s.
Well done, everyone! Thank you, everyone!
Mannya
2014
It is with great pleasure to bring to you the good news that now we have officially the sisters in Mannya Parish by the names of Daughters of Mary Bwanda. Sunday was a great day in the history of Mannya witnessing the Bishop and the Superior general handing over the sisters to Mannya parish. Special recognition and attribute was given to your great contribution.
The bishop, the sisters and the whole community felt sorry for your poor health and being unable to attend. We have been having special prayers for you and especially as you go to meet the doctors on Friday. We shall continue praying for you.
Brother Russell Peters represented you at the function and he was the face of St. Bernard's. We feel much honored and privileged to have you and the community of St. Bernard's that made a tremendous difference in the life of Mannya and hopefully the rest of Uganda as Cotton on continues to venture more opportunities for the needy communities.
Thank you very much, thanks to Fr. Vincent and the entire community of St. Bernard's.May God bless you most abundantly. Nestus.
1. This is the photos of the sisters convent we officially openedon Sunday.
2. Bishop handing over a gift of The Statue of Blessed Virgin Mary to Br. Russell as the sign of Mannya commitment to always praying for him and St. Bernard's.
3. The three sisters starting the Mannya convent after the opening of the convent together with Bishop John Baptist and Br. Russell , Fr. Nestus, Emmanuel and Nsamba.
4. (below) A video thanking St Bernard's Parish for their donation of cows to the Parish of Mannya.
Mannya 2013
Someone
asked Len Monk, who now works 8 hours a week visiting people in the
Parish, if the Parish was still involved in Mannya. The answer is
a big YES.
I went to Mannya on 1st
August this year and returned on the 25th. I set out on my own and
Kevin Shannon came a week or two later. He was last there in 2009 and
noticed an extraordinary difference in the last four years. The
biggest change is certainly the opening of a kindergarten where over
300 children are catered for, for 5 days each week. There are now
nearly 1000 children in
the Primary school and 800 in the Secondary
school. With the Primary and Secondary schools at Busibo, the Cotton
On Foundation is educating 4,700 children in Uganda.
Where
does St Bernard’s fit into all of this? We are especially involved
at the Health Centre and supply up to $35,000 per year to support the
Centre. While I was there, the people christened me ‘Jadga’,
which means ‘Grandfather’ in their language. I met all sorts of
people and Fr Nestus had me working flat out with talks at the
schools, with Weddings, Baptisms and Funerals. The people are buried
the day after they die and are buried in their own backyard.
Paul
Spence, the former Principal of Clairvaux, has a wider role after a
number of years and he is responsible for what we call ‘The Four
Pillars’ – Health; Education; Maintenance and Sustainability.
Carolyn Kelly, the current Principal of Clairvaux, has taken
responsibility for Education. They travel to Mannya 3 times a
year in our school holidays. We, at St Bernard’s, owe a great
deal to both of them. There are now over 40 students at the
University in Masaka, the second biggest city in Uganda.
Coffee
is now being produced at Mannya and coffee plants are given to
farmers to help them sustain their families. While I was there, the
locals fenced 50 acres of land with access to water. On your behalf,
I purchased 20 cows (Texas Longhorns). The cattle will have calves in
the next few months and when sold at 6 months old, will help the
Parish towards sustainability. Cattle are expensive – we paid
$A350.00 for each one and already, since I returned, 10 people have
paid for 10 cows. We are now purchasing a bull!
Fr Peter blessing a cow in Mannya
A
great celebration took place on the second Sunday of August in
Mannya. Everyone and then some were there. The Bishop, the
Vice-President of Uganda – all sorts of people we there. We
celebrated the Centenary of the ordination of the first African
priests. In 1913, Ugandans, Frs Basil and Victor were amongst those
priests. The celebration went on for 6 hours and you can imagine the
struggle I had to sit there for such a long time. At the centenary,
the Vice-President and I laid a foundation stone for a convent which
should be finished by Easter next year. Five Sisters, Daughters of
Mary, will come to work in Mannya, 3 in the Health Centre and 2 in
the school.
After
speaking with the other Executor of the Will of the late Peter
Redmond, we had decided that St Bernard’s Parish would use Peter’s
$89,000.00 bequest to Mannya, to build the convent. The total cost of
the project is $A123,000.00 with St Bernard’s to cover the
shortfall. How can this happen? Projects such as these are possible
because of your generosity.
I
will continue to visit Mannya and Fr Vince intends to go when he
can. Cotton On will continue to promote The Four Pillars. They are
planning to build a coffee processing plant in the district and
involve Mannya people in a type of co-operative. Mannya coffee is
highly regarded throughout the world. St Joseph’s College,
Newtown paid for musical instruments for a band which is now
flourishing and the Cotton On Foundation are bringing some of the
band to Geelong in November this year. They will give a couple of
concerts and play at St Bernard’s one weekend in December. Fr
Nestus will return with them.
I
will try to keep you informed of happenings at Mannya.
t Bernard's has a sister parish in Uganda. 
