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UGANDA
FROM THE HEART
    I actually started with Christian Meditation in February 1992. The beginning
    was marked by a contemplative retreat of 10 days. The
    place was simply marvellous: a house of prayer placed in a very remote
    area, in the middle of a forest in central Germany. The centre was run
    by a Jesuit, Fr Franz Jalics.

    It was my first deep  experience of encountering the 'power of
    silence'. This came very timely because during that period I was normally
    very busy with my theological studies and  mostly 'lived in the world of
    thinking and deep speculations'. The way of prayer was actually called:
    active contemplative prayer. When I look back, however, I find one thing a
    bit peculiar: I was not and didn't feel encouraged to share the experience
    with other people save with my spiritual director, who had also been
    meditating for several years. The gift of meditation began soon to make
    some differences felt: I was and I am still a very active person but Christian
    Meditation was constantly protecting me from activism and helping me to
    experience more and more what it means to live in the present. My life
    began to acquire new depth, encounters with people were enriching me
    much more than before, my religious and missionary life received new
    enthusiasm.  

    When the time of my priestly ordination came and I was assigned to work
    here in Africa, Uganda, I realised that my life of prayer was allowing me to
    adapt more easily to the new culture,  new people and new environment.
    Challenges and dangers were faced with great trust and spirit of
    surrender. However, one thing remained typical of my spiritual journey: no
    one knew about my being a meditator a part from two people: my best
    friend, who is also a meditator and my spiritual director.

    It was only in 2002 (after 10 years!) that a fellow missionary who was
    accompanying me during my yearly retreat introduced me to some
    literature by John Main and encouraged me to start sharing about the seed
    of contemplative prayer that had been plated in me so many years before! I
    admit that until then there had been in me a sort of reservation if not
    shyness to do that, it was very difficult to talk about contemplation with
    people, the experience was too deep for words and I felt myself to be to! o
    much of a beginner. I struggled with the idea for some time (two years!) but
    through reading what the World Community for Christian Meditation has
    been doing over the years I decided to start a group here in Uganda.

    My ordinary workload as a missionary priest and the many extra
    commitments I had, delayed my plan by some months but finally on
    October 1st 2005 the first group of Christian Meditation in Uganda took off.
    By now there are about 30 people who have been introduced to what I call
    a contemplative way of prayer and way of life. I feel more and more
    motivated to cultivate my spiritual life and I have discovered how
    Meditation is changing the life of our members.

    I am very greatful to John Main, Laurence Freeman, Thomas Merton and
    many other contemplative spiritual authors, besides my first master -Franz
    Jalics- for this pearl of great value, which I have found in my life.

    I hope that one day this message may be read by someone who has lost
    taste in his / her prayer life, if not in life all together. I can assure
    him or her of this deep truth: if until now prayer has appeared to you
    as a duty, a routine or an old tradition, Christian Meditation will
    help you to rediscover the spiritual joy that prayer can give us.



    Pierpaolo Monella MCCJ
    The Christian Meditation Group of Uganda
    Kampala-Namugongo, Uganda
    November 2006