More than a month since we resumed our activities at the Institute, we continue to share our vacation experiences. Here, our librarian Philip Opiyo shares with us what was for him like a return to the land of his birth, to discover the cultural and religious traditions of the Luo people. A fascinating read indeed!
Also, at the Institute, JHIA held a meeting with its sister institute in Boston, the Institute for Advanced Jesuit Studies (IAJS), to share our experiences in the field of digital archives and electronic media. It was a rich meeting that will enable us to improve our system for preserving increasingly abundant and heavy materials. A report by Denis Munyua.
Finally, this issue announces another upcoming meeting of the archivists of the Jesuit Conference of Africa and Madagascar (JCAM), and their supervisors, the Father Socius of each Province and Region. This will be a two-hour sharing of experiences, with the participation of our colleagues from ARSI in Rome and from French-speaking Western Europe.
Geoffrey Obatsa reports on two important events. One was the solemn opening of the academic year at Hekima University College. The event was presided over by Peter Cardinal Tukson, accompanied by the local ordinary, Archbishop Philip Anyolo, and other distinguished guests. After a period of orientation by their elders, the new students were able to appreciate Hekima’s great ambitions, the beauty of its liturgies and its academic excellence.
This volume also publishes the proceedings of the Colloque Christophe Munzihirwa, held in Bukavu (DRC) from August 31 to September 3, 2023. The very enlightening article by Erick Mashako, SJ, takes us back to the context of the colloquium, which various presentations form the content of this 449-page work, published by Éditions Loyola du Congo. Congratulations to Éditions Loyola and to the Congolese Companions and scholars who, through their research and this publication, are advancing knowledge of a saintly figure in the history of the Society of Jesus in Africa.
We wish you a month of September rich in blessings!
Jean Luc Enyegue, SJ
Director JHIA
