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Franciscan formation houses of AFCOF
The rule and life of the Friars Minor is this: to observe
the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, by living in obedience,
without anything of their own, and in
chastity...
(Rule of St. Francis, Chapter 1)
The formation of friars - excluded postulants - is conducted together with other jurisdictions in Africa, in common houses of AFCOF (African Federation of Conventual Franciscans). Having completed the three-year study of philosophy at the Franciscan College in Lusaka (Zambia), the clerics continue their theological studies (four year) in the Tangaza College in Nairobi (Kenya).
At present the formation houses of AFCOF are the following ones:
* Novitiate in Saltpond (Ghana);
* Novitiate in Ndola (Zambia);
* Study of Philosophy in Lusaka (Zambia);
* Study of Theology in Nairobi (Kenya);
* Novitiate in Arusha (Tanzania).
For the year 2016-17, the statistics of the common houses of formation in Africa are as follows:
* Novitiates: Ndola, Zambia – 6 novices coming from: Zambia (5) and Malawi (1); Saltpond, Ghana – 5 novices coming from: Ghana (4) and Burkina Faso (1) [novice from Togo]; Arusha, Tanzania – 10 novices
coming from: Tanzania (4), Kenya (3) and Uganda (3).
* Philosophy Studies: Lusaka, Zambia – 56 student friars coming from: Zambia (17), Ghana (17), Kenya (10), Tanzania (6), Uganda (5) and Malawi (1);
* Theology Studies: Nairobi, Kenya – 37 student friars coming from: Zambia (18), Ghana (7), Kenya (9) and Tanzania (3).
On 26 July 2016 (Arusha, Tanzania), a group of 7 novices from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania made their first religious profession. The professions were made in the hands of the provincial custodes: fr. Krzysztof Cieślikiewicz (Tanzania), fr. Kazimierz Szulc (Kenya) and the provincial delegate of Uganda, fr. Wojciech Ulman. One day earlier a new group of ten novices of East Africa celebrated the rite of vesting.
A formation house for postulants (candidates to the Order) is located in Morogoro (since 2012). The house belongs
to the Custody of St. Maximilian in Tanzania. Address:
Franciscan Formation House, P.O. Box 932, Morogoro, TANZANIA
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