Martin Jumbam

Keep not only the processions at Mass short, but the homily as well.

By Martin Jumbam

Many a Catholic Community in Cameroon has adopted what is generally referred to as the “Lectionary Procession”. As an introduction to the Liturgy of the Word, Lectionary is brought to the President of the Liturgical Assembly in a colourful procession, very often marked by song and dance. While the general populace delights in the singing and dancing that accompany this procession, some Christians find it too time-consuming and loudly call for such processions to be either tightly controlled or banned altogether.  To know more, we asked Reverend Father Zephyrinus Mbuh, SD, a liturgical expert (liturgist) of the Diocese of Kumbo in the Bamenda Ecclesiastical Province of Cameroon (picture below), to throw more light on this issue. 

 

Hasten up lectionary processions, please!

By Martin Jumbam

During important events in Catholic churches in just about every diocese of Cameroon -- for example, at Christmas, Easter, parish feast days, pastoral visits of the local bishop, etc, -- the Lectionary, that is the book from the where the Word of God is proclaimed to the assembly, is usually brought to the Altar in a procession. Women groups generally lead the procession, which can take various forms. The most common is for two members of the lectionary procession team to walk the whole length of the church, from the entrance to the Altar, one of them striking a gong at regular intervals, and the other announcing to the congregation that the Word of God is about to make its way into the church. At times, two members, each bearing a peace plant, walk in silence from the entrance to the Altar and back to the entrance where the others are waiting.

 

 

Someone robs Cardinal Tumi of his retirement peace.

By Martin Jumbam

If there is one person in this country who had thought he would find peace of mind during his retirement to carefully work on his writings, that person is certainly Christian Cardinal Tumi, the Emeritus Archbishop of Douala. He has been working hard on his second book and says he needs all the peace and quiet he can get to round it up.