ACN supporting Indian Carmelites in Zambia
Indian priests have become common in Ireland in the last few decades. In addition to sending priests to Western European countries like Ireland, the Indian Church has also been sending missionaries to Africa. Four Indian Carmelites in Zambia are being supported in their mission by ACN.
By ACN Staff
Holy Mass in Zambia. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)
India was originally evangelised by St. Thomas the Apostle. Today, Catholic missionaries from India are all over the world. Many have been sent to Europe, but a smaller number have also been sent to Africa. In 2014, four friars from the Carmelite Province of Manjummel in India were sent on mission to Zambia at the request of the local Bishop of Chipata.
Holy Mass in Zambia. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)
The four Indian Carmelites were soon able to set up their own monastery and in December 2020 they set up a seminary. A local young man has begun training for the priesthood in the seminary already. From the beginning, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has supported the Carmelite’s mission in Zambia.
The monastery issued this statement to ACN after opening the seminary and receiving their first enrolment:
“Thus begins the process of implanting the Order of the Discalced Carmelites deep into Zambian soil.”
On top of this the Indian Carmelites have been hard at work in carrying out pastoral activities in the local areas and spreading the Gospel. The friars are ministering the Sacraments to the local people and have been holding catechism classes. Around 500 people have been baptized in the last two years, this has largely been a result of door-to-door evangelisation.
A well in Zambia. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)
The friars have also paid attention to the local population’s educational and medical needs. These services are mostly provided through the parishes run by the Carmelites. Over the last few months, the Carmelites have been preoccupied to a certain extent by responding to COVID-19, but COVID is far from the only health concern of the local people. Like in many parts of the world, disease caused by lack of clean water is a big issue for many in Zambia. In response to this, the Carmelite’s parishes have built wells to provide fresh and clean water to the local population.
One of the Indian Carmelites, Fr. Jacob Paxy Aumkal, talked to ACN about some of the challenges the friars face because of the poor infrastructure in Zambia:
“In the rainy season, the roads are made impassable by the sticky mud. For weeks, we are cut off from the rest of the country.”
Fr. Jacob Paxy with local children. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)
In response to this, ACN helped in providing suitable vehicles to allow the friars to visit remote communities within their parishes.
The friars are supported by ACN through Mass stipends. The Indian Carmelites tell us that the Mass stipends granted by ACN are “the only means of subsistence for our missionaries”. Fr. Jacob Paxy expressed his thanks to ACN’s benefactors:
“We are full of gratitude when we think about all the people who have done so much to support our mission work.”
In 2019, over 1 million Holy Masses were celebrated for the intentions of ACN’s benefactors. Around one tenth of priests around the world are supported by Mass stipends granted by ACN.