Liturgical Life
Liturgical Life at Hekima College
Liturgical expression has many faces and dimensions at Hekima College. Hekima’s liturgical life is very active and dynamic and it follows the rhythm of the college and Jesuit community activities.
At the end of the second third of August (around 20th), we have our opening mass on the same day of the academic opening; this liturgy is usually a votive mass of the Holy Spirit. It is a big celebration which associates students, the superiors of religious communities, members staff, and friends of Hekima College. In the third or fourth week of November, there is a big liturgical celebration for the feast of the college in which students of the first and second years of theology are instituted readers and acolytes. One of the peaks of the year is the diaconate ordination in February, on the Saturday preceding Ash Wednesday, which involves the whole community of Hekima. Students of the third year of theology, mostly Jesuits, are the ones ordained deacons on that occasion. The Christmas and Easter vigils give also the opportunity to colourful liturgies which symbolize better our diverse origins. The congregation of these celebrations is composed mostly of people who are neither members of the Jesuit community or the college community. The academic year is usually concluded by a send-off mass in which as a community and college, we express our gratitude to the Lord for all that we have lived and experienced during the year. It is the opportunity to bid farewell to those who have completed the graduate program of theology.
In addition, College liturgies are on Wednesdays and are animated by specific groups, be they promotions (1st, 2nd or 3rd years…), or communities (Pallotines, Assumptionists, Monfort Fathers, Hekima choir…). These liturgies are usually presided by a staff member of the college, superiors from other communities, or any other priest invited.
Every first Friday of the month, there is a community mass at 6.00 p.m. where we celebrate life in honoring those of our companions whose birthday is that very month. One of the small communities (Huduma, Kwetu Kwenu, Maisha, Pamoja, Shaidi, Ushirika) is usually in charge of that celebration and provides chorists, the acolyte, the reader, and the priest. Moreover, in the last week-end of the month, we are given the opportunity to pray and reflect during our monthly recollection. It starts on Saturday evening at 8.30 p.m. with a talk from a guest speaker; it goes on the following morning with faith sharing in small communities between 10.00 a.m. and 11.00 a.m., and it ends usually with a Eucharistic celebration which starts at 11.30 a.m. On the third Thursday of the month, in the evening, we have a 45 minute-adoration for the whole community in the main chapel; one small community is in charge of organizing the adoration.
Apart from these important moments, our daily life is punctuated by prayer; we have midday prayer from Monday to Friday –apart from Wednesdays- at 12.45 pm with each small community in charge for a whole week. We recite psalms of daytime prayer from the breviary. Eucharistic celebrations take place in the main chapel at 7.00 a.m. and 6.15 p.m. on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays; with the precision that the second mass on Saturdays is at 12.30 p.m. Masses in small communities are celebrated on Mondays and Thursdays at 6.00 p.m. or 6.15 p.m.; the Monday celebrations give the opportunity to a small community to have a priest from another community as its celebrant, while on Thursdays, it is the animator of the small community who presides at the Eucharist. It should be added that it is one of the scholastics who carries out the responsibility of reading and choosing songs during Mass, and to lead the community during midday prayer.
The liturgical committee and choir directors play a key role in organizing and shaping liturgical life in general, and particular celebrations, especially those who involve the whole community such as diaconate ordination, Christmas and Easter vigils, opening and send off Masses. This does not undermined in any way all those who contribute in one way or another to the success of our liturgies.
Our liturgies give us the opportunity to taste the diversity of African and other cultures. Creativity and fidelity to Church tradition is our motto. We bring what we are in our liturgy. We use drums, guitars, key board, dances and our languages to praise and pray our God. All these enrich our liturgies and celebrations which express our brotherhood and sisterhood. This is reflected in our last Hekima Hymn Book launched at the beginning of the 2007-2008 academic year. It has 460 songs and prayers in more than 34 languages from Africa and outside the continent. These songs are divided according to the order of Mass and liturgical seasons. This hymn book has replaced the 1995 edition which has served for more than 12 years. Our liturgical life helps us to remain focus to the ultimate goal of our stay at Hekima: to become men and women for others, and to center our life on Christ. Loic Mben, SJ
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