Munyenge, Cameroon. Six years after being kidnaped and tortured in the forest of Cameroon, Fr. Jude Thaddeus Langeh, CMF, Major Superior of the Claretian Missionaries of Cameroun, decides to visit the Claretians working in the crisis-stricken locality of Munyenge.
The visit, which began on the 28th of February and ended on the 2nd of March 2024, was a moment of great emotions. A moment of profound joy as the pupils of St Michael Catholic School performed a traditional dance to welcome Fr. Jude.
The visit was highly appreciated, both by the priests working in St Dominic Parish and the entire Christian community. In this vein, the parish pastoral council chairman welcomed the Superior with a litany of thanks, reiterating the gratitude of the entire community for all the pastoral care provided by Claretian Missionaries since the creation of the parish. He affirmed that:
“the people of St Dominic Parish – Munyenge, are thanking God Almighty most especially for the gift of the Claretian Missionaries as spiritual directors.”
Recalling the impact of their missionary activity from the pioneer parish priest, Fr. Valentine Achuo and his successors up to the present parish priest Fr Gaston Mary Muh Njiche and the curate, Fr Bertin Abeng Dunghu Frundi, CMFF, he clearly underlined the positive changes brought about in the village by the Congregation. The people were grateful to Claretian Missionaries for staying with them in the heart of the sociopolitical crisis and never abandoning the flock. Indeed, “nothing daunts him”! Apart from the spiritual and pastoral care, the people thanked the Congregation for helping them have access to pipe born water, solar panels for electricity, and now a primary school.
Father Jude encouraged the priests and the Christians living in this periphery not to give up but to trust in God always because “the will of God cannot take you where the grace of God cannot keep you”. It was also an opportunity for him to reconcile with his past by forgiving those who kidnaped him and other missionaries back in 2018. He braved the odds, on a motorbike, together with the pastoral team, to visit the church and presbytery which had been abandoned due to the armed conflicts in the area.
Fr Jude’s visit was further enriched by the pastoral visit of His Lordship, Michael Bibi Miabesue, Bishop of the Diocese of Buea. The former thanked the prelate for the paternal benevolence towards the missionaries working in this interior periphery of his diocese. While addressing the people, the Bishop reiterated his satisfaction with the work of Claretian Missionaries in this part of the diocese of Buea. He hailed the efforts of the major superior and his council to promote the spirit of mutuae relationes and close collaboration between the Congregation and the Diocese.
Source: Fr. Melvin Ngwakongnwi Neba, CMF, Incharge of audiovisual communication of Cameroun
