Delegation “Our Lady of Lujan”
Oct. 26, 2017
By the grace of God, we have recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of the foundation of the Mission “Sui Iuris” in Tajikistan. In 1997 the Holy Father Pope John Paul II entrusted to our little Institute not only the care of the faithful Catholic s in this small country, but also the sowing of the Church there in Central Asia.
This fact, as our dear Founder said, and as was repeated in the last circular letter of Fr. Nieto, was considered to be the greatest grace that we had received as an Institute, second to the foundational grace itself. For this reason, and well aware of all that this means, we desired to celebrate this anniversary with the greatest solemnity possible, giving thanks to God and the Most Holy Virgin of Lujan (the patroness of this mission), for all of the blessings received throughout these years.
We received the visits of Fr. Gustavo Nieto, General Superior of the IVE, Francis Asisi Chullikatt, the Apostolic Nuncio of Kazakhstan, Msgr. Jerzy Mansulovich, the bishop of Uzbekistan, Fr. Ariel Álvarez, missionary in Kazakhstan, and our two Tajik vocations: Fr. Orzú Saidshoev and Dc. Maxim Guresov. Also, Mother Corredentora, General Superior of the Servants of the Lord, Sr. Blagoveshine, missionary in Ukraine, Sr. Zastupnitza, superior of the community of sisters in Kazakhstan, and Sr. M. Aurora, who will soon be missioned to Kazakhstan, came to visit us on this occasion.
They have been days of much work, but at the same time, of great festivity and joy because of what we are celebrating.
On Friday, September 29th, the date of the anniversary of the foundation of the mission, we had at the parish of St. Joseph a presentation over the works of Caritas in this country, the Holy Mass with the blessing of a new altar, and a dinner together with all of the religious of the Institute at the home of mercy run by sisters.
On the next day, we had the Holy Mass in English, presided by the Nuncio and concelebrated by the Bishop of Uzbekistan and the visiting priests. This Mass is usually attended by foreigners who work here in Dushanbe.
On Sunday, October 1st, the Apostolic Nuncio celebrated the Mass in thanksgiving for this new anniversary. The parishioners of the two parishes that we have in the country, a number of foreigners who work here, and three ambassadors who came for the occasion were present: the Ambassadors of the USA, England, and Ukraine. Also in this Holy Mass, the Bishop of Uzbekistan administered the sacrament of Confirmation to one of the young women of the parish, and blessed a chalice that Fr. Nieto generously gave to the mission. Lastly, together with all of the faithful, we made the consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Following the Holy Mass, we had a dinner and a show in which the children of the oratory presented a play about the Miracle of the Virgin of Lujan.
We give thanks to God for these special days of festivity and blessing for our small mission. We pray to God and to His Most Holy Mother, under the advocation of Our Lady of Lujan, that they may prosper the missionary work of our Religious Family in this land.
In the Incarnate Word,
The priests and religious in Tayikistán
