Community of Muheza
Formation House, P.O.Box 155, Muheza
Holy Family Pre/Primary School, P.O.Box 155, Muheza
Our community built its house in an orange grove purchased when we deemed it necessary to move to the town of Muheza, precisely in the village Michungwani (=orange grove).
In Muheza there are three communities with their own autonomous life.
The nuns with perpetual vows and the junior nuns live in the Mother House. Most of them teach in school, dedicate themselves to catechism in the parish, and carry out services for the functioning of the house.
Then there is the house for the postulants and another for the aspirants. The young people come to us with a vague idea of religious consecration and then, gradually, they become aware of the value of religious life.
Some of them leave us almost immediately, but they know how to say thank you wonderfully for everything they have received and for everything, they play songs accompanied by the sound of the drum for every little thing. The sense of gratitude is very strong in them.
In community they need to find a family atmosphere; the figure of the mother is indispensable. They look for their mother in the formative nun. In the time they remain among us they first learn the fundamental elements of Christian life: catechism, the sacraments, the commandments. Furthermore, they have a first experience of community life and have a very first approach to religious vows.
The life of the community of nuns and juniors is punctuated by prayer, daily Mass, the liturgy of the hours and work on the farm and in the school. Every day the Rosminian, Father Nazareno Natale, holds instructions for aspirants, postulants and Juniors: history of the Church and the Institute, ecclesial documents and the Italian language.
The junior nuns are introduced to pastoral care with two years of school for catechists. During the holidays they gain experience with the parish priest who takes them with him to the various villages for celebrations and they preach there. At the end of the course they obtain the diploma.
The internal activities of the community do not prevent relations with the village, on the contrary, communication is reciprocal and continuous through the school and the sale of farm products. We raise chickens, cows and pigs so we sell meat, eggs and milk. This small income gives us the opportunity to help support ourselves. The postulants also help in these works; responsible are Sr. Idda, sr. Zenobia, Sr. Elizabeth. They work so hard all over the farm. The postulants have their first job on the farm: they milk the cows, feed the pigs and look for food for them.
For all this activity we are self-sufficient in water thanks to the wells built from the beginning by Mr. Alberta. For electricity we depend on the state supply that comes and goes. Lately, with the offers of Biella benefactors, we have installed solar panels in the church and supported it; the nuns’ house already had them.
The main relationships with the village and the territory are given by the school directed by the Superior Sr. M. Gwynneth. The nursery and primary school is attended by many children, around 600 in total; they come from the village and small nearby towns. We have three minibuses to encourage attendance. The demand for the school is very strong especially because it is an English school. After 13 years from the start of this school, the demand for the secondary school is pressing.
