Diocese of Kumbo, P.O. Box 115, Kumbo

SAINT ALOYSIUS’ MINOR SEMINARY KITIWUM

DIOCESE OF KUMBO, P.O. BOX 115, KUMBO

NORTH WEST REGION, REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON

Tel: (+237) 7576 7848/9696 6720 Email:

A WELCOME ADDRESS PRESENTED BY THE RECTOR OF ST. ALOYSIUS’ MINOR SEMINARY (SAMS) KITIWUM TO THE SAMS EX-STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION (SAMSEA)

ON THE OCCASION OF THE LAUNCHING OF THE ASSOCIATION

AT SAMS KITIWUM, THIS SATURDAY, 21 DECEMBER 2013

The Vicar General of the Diocese of Kumbo and Pioneer Rector of SAMS,

Rev. Fathers,

Religious Sisters and Brothers,

Members of the Formation Team of SAMS,

Ex-students of SAMS,

Current Students of SAMS,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a privilege for me to address you on this threefold occasion – the Launching of SAMSEA here at SAMS, the Commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of the Foundation of SAMS, and the Thanksgiving Mass of the Ex-students of SAMS who have been ordained presbyters in 2013.

I remember that one of the first mails I received as Rector of SAMS was from Mr. Mancho Herbert, the person who has been coordinating the affairs of SAMSEA up to theintroduction of the so-called ‘Resurrection Committee’, which in my estimation has done a great job to bring all of us together. In that mail Herbert expressed the desire of the ex-students to be able to launch SAMSEA right here at SAMS. Without delay I proposed a date to him but, for reasons of his busy schedule, we never really got to discuss anything fruitful on the topic. On the 7th of May 2013 Mr. Balon Monyuy Mostapha, on behalf of the ex-students, paid a working visit to SAMS. With him we were able to discuss a number of issues, such as the upcoming 20th Anniversary of the Foundation of SAMS, the Thanksgiving Mass of newly ordained ex-students, the Launching of SAMSEA at SAMS, the participation of the ex-students in the formation of priests, the intervention of the ex-students in the activities of SAMS, etc. I am happy that today that we are gathered here, most if not all of the things we have on our plate are from the discussion of the 7th of May 2013. I would like to congratulate Mr. Balon Monyuy Mostapha on his fidelity as a messenger and on his ability to follow up things right to the end!

I know that you have dedicated a fairly good portion of the time of your Annual General Meeting (AGM) here at SAMS to the revision of the Constitution of SAMSEA. It is my hope that you will be able to tidy up the Constitution such that it is representative of the ethos of the kind of institution that Mother SAMS is – a minor seminary, a house of formation. I also know that at some point, I had the opportunity to look at the draft of your Constitution and I remember that I did make some proposals for corrections and forward to SWEETSAMS, the Chat Forum in Yahoo Groups which unites you and the springboard of the renovation that SAMSEA is currently undergoing. It is my hope that by the time you rise from this AGM, you will have identified and strengthened the bond of your unity such that SAMSEA will be able to grow from strength to strength.

As you proceed with your deliberations, it is important to take note of the fact that SAMS is a minor seminary and majority of her ex-students are either in the major seminary and other houses of formation or have become priests. It is therefore not feasible to expect that SAMSEA will be exactly like the Ex-students’ Association of any other Catholic college. Whether SAMSEA stands or falls will depend to a very large extent on the ex-students who are in the world, so to speak. From the strong bond of their unity, their interaction with the priests and ex-students in formation, their good works and lives of witness, the priests and the ex-students in formation will come to realise that there is joy in belonging to SAMSEA and thus become active members of SAMSEA.

Why SAMSEA? Article 7 of the Draft Constitution of SAMSEA reads: “The association sets itself the task of backing up and prodding:

1- Bringing together all ex-students of SAMS Kitiwum wherever they may find themselves;

2- The growth of spirituality among members and the society in which they find themselves;

3- The educational and professional life of all members;

4- The tradition of the alma mater.”

By this we understand that it is the goal of SAMSEA

to see to it that all ex-students of SAMS come together in their respective places of work and residence because of the love they have for Mother SAMS and for one another;
to promote, foster, and sustain the spirituality of her members and of their communities;
to encourage and promote the educational and professional career of her members; and
to provoke in her members an avid love for the values picked up in SAMS so that they may uphold the values and jealously guard them wherever they are.

It will also be the place of SAMSEA to foster and maintain a close bond with Mother SAMS; take a conscious, active and consistent part in the life and activities of SAMS; to provoke, foster and consolidate in her members love for Mother SAMS and for the Church; to encourage and support members to regularise their lives and participate consciously, actively and fully in the sacramental life of the Church; and, in consultation with the Administration of SAMS, to conceive and realise low cost and high impact projects that make the contribution of SAMSEA to Mother SAMS concrete and evident.

The ex-students expressed an ardent wish to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Foundation of SAMS. I guess their wish has not been to have a grandiose celebration but something symbolic that will put them on the rails to begin preparations for the Silver Jubilee of SAMS. We thought that it would be necessary to invite the Pioneer Rector of SAMS to preside at the Anniversary Mass and as such give the ex-students and all of us a clear idea of the tradition of SAMS that needs to be jealously guarded and that which is expected of SAMSEA. I am glad that he has been able to honour our invitation and to give us the spiritual nourishment that will propel us into the preparatory phase of the Silver Jubilee of SAMS.

As far as the Silver Jubilee is concerned, we need to think in terms of spiritual preparation, a new facelift to be given to the structures, equipment (offices, computer laboratory, sports, books for classroom use or for the library, etc.), scholarships and prizes to deserving students, transport, etc. It is important to bear in mind the low cost and high impact component of any project(s) that SAMSEA is taking up for the Silver Jubilee. A look at the buildings reveals lots of missing window panes and glasses. We have been wondering if it would be possible to transform the windows into more solid and presentable ones. We have also been wondering if we could redo the pavements.

In the meantime the PTA of SAMS is doing a great job. Each year the PTA takes up a specific project(s) and we make sure that the projects are realised and a proper report given to the General Assembly of the PTA. Last year, for instance, the PTA sponsored 2 lawnmowers, some sports equipment (balls, triangles, gloves, inflator, whistle, and cards), a portable generator for the secretariat and a 3-Volume Lectionary for the Chapel. This year the PTA has offered to sponsor a well project, which will augment the water supply here at SAMS. The ex-students will remember that water has very often been a scarce commodity here at SAMS.

The supply of electricity to the seminary has also been problematic. Very often we have fluctuations in the voltage. This fluctuation results in a lot of damage to bulbs and other equipment and even to high electricity bills. We are also wondering if a hydro-electricity plant or a solar system will not put an end to our electricity problems.

We are also gathered today in thanksgiving to God for the ex-students who have been ordained priests this year. Twenty years down the lane SAMS is proud of 34 priests and successful men in society. We would like to outline the priests according to the different batches:

First Batch:

Fr. James Ndifon (2009)
Fr. Charles Berinyuy (2009)
Fr. Eugene Ngah (2009)
Fr. Elias Mengnjo (2010)
Fr. Dieudonne Bomye (2012)
Fr. Aloysius Ngongbi (2013)
Fr. Divine Banboye (2013)
Fr. Mathew Bomki (2013)

Second Batch:

Fr. Marcel Sang (2010)
Fr. Pascal Siben (2010)
Fr. Eric Akongnie (2010)
Fr. Emmanuel Seninka (2010)
Fr. Valentine Yuven (2011)
Fr. Emmanuel Giantar (2011)
Fr. Jude Biimenyuy (2011)
Fr. Gabriel Alexis (2012)
Fr. Nobert Lukong (2012)
Fr. Emmanuel Dzesinyuy (2012)
Fr. Paul Dinyuy (2012)
Fr. Gilles Njobam (2012)
Fr. Norbert Litiong (2013)
Fr. Christophe Tchawa (2013)
Fr. Ignatius Beriliy (2012)

Third Batch:

Fr. Eugen Ngalim (2011)
Fr. Paul Njokikang (2012)
Fr. Leonard Akiumbeni (2011)
Fr. Joseph Ndzem (2012)
Fr. Francline Banadzem (2013)
Fr. Richard Tawe Kibu (2013)
Fr. Francis Tche (2013)

Fourth Batch:

Fr. Kenneth Ngwobela (2012)
Fr. Ghenghan Bamenjo (2012)
Fr. Stanley Njobarah (2013)

Fifth Batch:

Fr. Boris Sife Lemfon (2013)

In addition to the 34 priests we are also counting many ex-students in different houses of formation in Cameroon and beyond. We cannot thank God enough for his manifold blessings on SAMS and on the members of SAMSEA.

Today as we thank God for our newly ordained priests, we have with us also Father Paul Biya Ndi, who never passed through SAMS but has become a member of the SAMS Community by God’s own design. He found SAMS a home when he served in Mfumte as a deacon and every time he came out to Kumbo, he came to us. We have also found him a true brother and that is why we invited him to join us at the Thanksgiving Mass of today. Who knows? He may be a member of the Formation Team in future and so consolidate his membership of the SAMS Community.

SAMS has been well-noted for her record of academic excellence and for the quality of her students. Nowadays we have reason to wonder if something has not gone wrong somewhere, since we now have to use a flashlight even in broad daylight to go in search of excellence and quality. I remember that I forwarded to SWEETSAMS the results of the Catholic Religious Studies Examination at both the junior and senior levels and the results of the GCE at both the ordinary and the advanced levels for the 2013 sessions. I still remember the criticisms and proposals that those results attracted. I can assure you that the entire Formation Team is working tooth and nail to improve on the quality of our students.

We have a promising Upper Sixth Form and a Form Five that is very likely to walk in the footsteps of their predecessors. I am happy that members of both classes are here represented. It has been the cry of the ex-students, it has been the cry of the staff, and it has been the cry of all and sundry that SAMS should not just glory in a minimal 200% but in quality grades and points.

The enrolment of SAMS still leaves a lot to be desired. Although SAMS is a seminary, as it has always been, and many people would expect that the enrolment should not be high, it is clear that there are lots of boys out there who would have loved to be in SAMS but for economic reasons or parental control cannot make it. Every year, when we conduct interviews, we have not less than 100 to 150 candidates seeking admission into various classes, but less than 50% of the candidates effectively come. It is also true that we always admit some candidates who did not show up for interview at all. The low enrolment makes it very difficult for the seminary to run. I am sure that if all of us project a positive image of SAMS and try in our own little way to support poor students in SAMS, the enrolment will go up. We have room for an enrolment of 250, but we only have 181 students this year. We started the year with 185 students; one withdrew in the course of the term; we sent home a Form Five student because he had not paid any fees; and at the end of the term we dismissed two students for gravely irregular conduct.

I remember that after the start of the school year, I forwarded an update on the start of the 2013/2014 School Year to SWEETSAMS. In that update I included an appeal to capable ex-students to support poor students back here at SAMS. On behalf of the SAMS Community I render immense gratitude to Mr. Mancho Herbert and Mr. Nyuykonge Charles, who have so far indicated that their support towards poor and intelligent students in SAMS. I know that some more ex-students will chip in their widow’s mite either during this AGM or later. May the good Lord bless them all and replenish their resources.

This year we have been able to resume the traditional sports competition in SAMS thanks to an offer of trophies from the Right Rev. Agapitus Nfon, Auxiliary Bishop of Bamenda. The competition and the technical assistance of a part-time Sports Master in the person of Mr. Sevidzem Gabriel, have led to a wonderful performance in football and I guess the story will not be different in other team sports. During the Catholic Education Week Celebration this year SAMS won the first prizes in Football Senior and Junior. The senior team put up a brilliant, neat, tactful and faultless performance which gave them a 2-0 victory over the team of St. Peter’s Catholic Comprehensive College Kumbo. It is our hope that in the same light the boys will put up a better show in the FENASSCO A Competition this year. Our sportswear and equipment are wearing out faster than we can afford to replace. Providing balls and jerseys would also be a good area in which SAMSEA can intervene in the life of SAMS. In spite of the many requests we have put before you, we remain confident that you will carefully consider them and choose for execution at any given time those and only those low cost projects that will have a high impact on the life of SAMS.

Thank you very much for your courage and for your willingness to come together for the sake of the great values that SAMS incarnates. I wish you God’s speed in all your undertakings for your good and for the good of Mother SAMS. God bless SAMSEA. God bless SAMS!

Zephyrinus YEM MBUH, SD

Rector