Harare Zimbabwe
| From the Rector |
I welcome you all to this issue of Dare. I am sorry that the issue of Dare that was supposed to have come out in May 2010 did not see the light of day because of unforeseen circumstances. In the second edition of Dare I pointed out how opportune it was for HTC to move to Nazareth House premises. Straight away, I wish to express our gratitude to the Jesuits at Silveira House for accommodating us for some years. And to the Sisters of Nazareth, we say: our debt of gratitude is immense. The facilities we have inherited are solid, impressionable and imposing. We thank God for the Sisters’ generosity and sense of Augustinian sharing by availing this masterpiece of architectural design for the services of theological education of religious from the four congregations. After many years of concerted effort to secure affiliation with the Catholic University of Eastern Africa failed, we felt downcast. Our staff and students were working hard. And such work naturally deserved recognition. We therefore entered into dialogue with the Catholic University in Zimbabwe and the University of Zimbabwe. I am glad to announce that our bid to seek affiliation with the Catholic University in Zimbabwe succeeded. A Memorandum of Agreement was signed on July 22, 2010 at CUZ campus. I wish to thank the leadership and administration of CUZ headed by Rector N.Nondo, Vice-Chancellor, the Associate/ Affiliation Committee members, the CUZ Senate and Council for bringing these discussions to a successful outcome. Tribute ought to be paid too to the Board of Governors of HTC for their vision, encouragement and moral support. Since the affiliation, a lot of work has taken place. Over the June-August 2010 holidays, the Sisters of Nazareth contracted a painter to paint the whole premises. Our College is looking neat and clean. The Sisters of Nazareth have gone the extra mile to ensure that we are not only provided with good facilities but also beautiful environment. We thank the whole Sisters of Nazareth general, regional and local administrations for all their hard work and hospitality. During the same holidays the library was extended to allow for better reading space and accommodate more volumes. We believe that as a third level education institute, the integrity of our work is firmly rooted in scholarly research resting on the foundation of a good library for both students and staff. < Other significant developments include the acquisition of new furniture and generator. In an environment with as frequent power outages as we are susceptible to, it became imperative that for the smooth functioning of the library and office, power was needed. Another small innovation was the introduction of more durable students identity cards. So as to raise the profile of our College, we are working on the Holy Trinity College website. Soon, information about HTC will be a click away in the comfort of your study rooms. I wish to thank Fr Olodomaro Mubangizi SJ for performing the role of external examiner with due care and diligence. Fr Mubangizi returned to East Africa and we enlisted the services of Fr Perumalil SJ. The ministry of the external examiner is a very important one as he acts as our quality controller. We are committed to excellence both in and out of class. We began the academic year 2010/2011 with a three day seminar beginning on August 11 and ending on August 13, 2010. The theme of the seminar was HIV/AIDS: A Christian and Pastoral Response. The seminar was directed by Fr Robert Igo osb. We are grateful to Fr Igo for sharing his vast experience and sharing it in a simple, accessible and effective way. His presentations were full of realism, simplicity and genuine spirit of compassion. He challenged us to approach theology with the seriousness it deserves and not as an abstract science. Fr Igo pointed out that at the heart of good theology is the challenge to learn how to ask the right questions. He invited us to see HIV/AIDS as an invitation to people of faith to confront the important and central questions of life and existence. This seminar set the tone for the opening academic assembly on the 14th of August with both students and staff raring to go. There were further academic presentations during the first half of the semester. The first was an open lecture delivered by Brother Pat Mullins, O.carm, HTC visiting lecturer. The open lecture was on God’s Shaping Hand: Edith Stein on the Holy Spirit. Comments following the lecture varied from ‘well-organised’, ‘good input’, ‘informative’, ‘edifying’ and ‘intellectually satisfying’. The second presentation by Brother Pat Mullins was restricted to staff members and senior students on September 30, 2010. Its theme was Whatever Happened to Vatican II? Pat gave a broad outline of the Church before, during and after the Council and looked ahead. It was a most stimulating debate as participants recalled the experience of the Catholic Church before, during and after the Council. During January 2011, Fr Henry Wansbrough joined the teaching staff at HTC for the last time. Fr Wansbrough has been a godsend to HTC. He became visiting lecturer to HTC in 2005. As a renowned author and scripture scholar, Fr Wansbrough has instilled the love of the Scriptures among us all. Fr Wansbrough continued to work hard while he was teaching at HTC; during 2007 he edited the Catholic Truth Society Catholic Bible. On the 24th February 2011, Fr Wansbrough gave a public lecture at HTC on the topic Extra Ecclesiam nulla Salus! Is there Salvation outside the Church? In appreciation of his dedicated service and loyalty to HTC, the chairman of the Board of Governors wrote a letter of appreciation of his contribution. Part of the letter reads: ‘Your contribution to Holy Trinity College has been manifold: you have instructed students in Scripture studies, you have delivered public lectures at HTC. You even wrote the preface to the Catholic Truth Society Bible from Holy Trinity. Your instruction and teaching was inspiring to our students. Your example of study and research was there for all to see since you spent a lot of time in the library when you were not in class. We therefore wish to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation for such dedicated and joyful service’. We wish Fr Wansbrough good health and peaceful retirement. I am keen to see the College put something in place to immortalize his memory. On 18th February 2011, the Board of Governors which consists of the Provincial and local Superiors of the founding Congregations of HTC – Carmelites, Franciscans, Redemptorists and Spiritans – met at Holy Trinity College. The Board received the reports of the Rector, the Dean of Studies and the Bursar and discussed plans for the future. We are grateful to the members of the Board who are the significant players behind the scenes. It is the Board Members who make Holy Trinity College’s viability. We thank you for your financial and moral support. As we draw to the end of the academic year, I wish to commend HTC students for their commitment to study. Our students have been very well disciplined. This is to be expected as all our students are coming from religious communities where they continue to discern their vocations. We need to continually take heed of Pope John Paul II’s exhortation in Pastores Dabo Vobis that formation is about helping candidates to develop and cultivate growth in all aspects of the person’s life – human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral. When there is progress towards this integration the result is good discipline. Concerning the one who studies theology the Pope said: The theologian is therefore, first and foremost, a believer, a man of faith, but he is a believer who asks himself questions about his own faith (fides quaerens intellectum), with the aim of reaching a deeper understanding of the faith itself. The two aspects (of faith and mature reflection) are intimately connected, intertwined: their intimate coordination and interpenetration are what makes for true theology, and as a result decide the contents, modalities and spirit according to which the sacred doctrine (sacra doctrina) is elaborated and studied. I also wish to thank the team of staff members who are dedicated to their work. Without our staff’s example, inspiration and hard work, our students would slacken quickly. I thank each one for his or her contribution in all College activities during the academic year. As a community of learning, Holy Trinity College is blessed to have you!! I wish you all good reading. God bless you. |
| Fr Conrad Mutizamhepo O’Carm |