ZAMBIA: PMS in Zambia Trains Holy Childhood Animators
Wilbroad Musonda
During celebration of the Eucharist, 54 newly trained Holy Childhood Animators were recognized with certificates for completion of the School Of Missionary Animation (SOMA 1) Training Program, which was held in Ntambu Deanery of Solwezi Diocese.
Addressing the trainees who just accomplished the program, comprising 25 women and 29 men, the Dean of Ntambu Fr. Bonaventure Mwamba FMS, described the recognition of newly trained Holy Childhood Animators as an opportune time for the parishes and centers waited for in the Deanery.
Fr. Mwamba explained that the training of Holy Childhood Animators in the Deanery has been long over deal saying, “We have been asking for this (SOMA 1 Training Program) and now it has been granted to us.”
The Zambian cleric, who doubles as Parish Priest of St. Philip Kapiji thanked the bishop of Solwezi Diocese, Rt. Rev. Charles Joseph Sampa Kasonde, for the wonderful gesture of nodding to the commencement of training of Holy Childhood Animators in the Deanery.
“We also wish to thank our Lord Bishop Charles J.S. Kasonde for providing all necessities and arranging this seminar for us in our Deanery Ntambu,” Fr. Mwamba FMS said.
The Dean of Ntambu Deanery further said that the provision of Holy Childhood Animators facilitators, which comprised of the Director of PMS-Solwezi Diocese Fr. Wilbroad Musonda, Fr. John Mwengunga and Fr. John Mulenga aims at training Missionary Holy Childhood Animators through missionary animation and formation of children in their centres and parishes.
Other provisions were making available basic needs of food, transport, serene place of celebration of the Holy Mass and School of Missionary Holy Childhood animation and formation materials. The spiritual and material support largely contributed to the successful holding of the training program which culminated in the conferring to participants of Holy Childhood Animators certificates for completion of their School Of Missionary Animation (SOMA 1) Training Program which was held at St. Andrew Parish Kim in Ntambu Deanery of Solwezi Diocese.
Fr. Mwamba FMS commended the 54 certified SOMA 1 Training Program participants. The 54 newly trained Holy Childhood Animator’s training program was funded by the Pontificium Opus A Sancta Infantia – The Pontifical Missionary Society of the Holy Childhood or Missionary Childhood.
The newly trained Holy Childhood Animator underwent a one-week training program empowering leaders with theoretical and practical skills. The animators were, therefore, given spiritual and theological formation to spur them effectively into their missionary apostolate animation and formation with the to promote missionary consciousness among children in centers and parishes.
The School of Missionary Animation (SOMA – I) Training Program participants were drawn from Ntambu Deanery which comprised of parishes and centers of St. Andrew Kim-Ntambu, St. Philip-Kapiji A, St. Veronica-Kankozhi, St. Micheal-Lumwana West and St. Ignatius-Kalumbila.
