June 23 – July 3, 2026
A reflection from the experience of Brother Daniele Caglioni, A.A.
Sixteen Brothers, One Mission
What began as an international gathering in Arusha quickly became something deeper. Sixteen Assumptionist religious arrived from different countries, carrying different languages, cultures, ministries, and memories of mission. Day after day, another dimension of missionary life came into focus. There were reflections on community life and formation, on the responsibility of Provincials to prepare and accompany those who are sent, and on the personal vocation that asks a missionary to remain a disciple throughout his life. Fr. Joao Gomes, A.A., Fr. Etienne Ratala, A.A., Fr. Dieuse Kaghoma, A.A., Fr. Vincent Leclercq, A.A., and others helped guide these conversations. Yet the brothers’ own testimonies gave the gathering its heartbeat. Stories of arriving in unfamiliar places, learning new languages, adapting to cultures, facing differences, and discovering unexpected friendships made one truth increasingly clear: mission is never simply a task. Before it becomes something we do, it becomes part of who we are. And sometimes its first and most powerful expression is very simple – sitting at a table, listening, sharing a meal, and allowing strangers to become brothers.
When Arusha Became Part of the Session
The most memorable lessons were not confined to the meeting room. The Eucharist was celebrated across English, French, and Spanish, turning linguistic diversity into a beautiful sign of one Church.
Time with the wider Assumption family brought another kind of joy, while the local Church revealed a faith that was vibrant, generous, and unmistakably alive. At Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, more than two hundred children received First Holy Communion in a Swahili celebration filled with music, movement, prayer, and the happiness of families gathered around the altar. A visit to the Maasai market offered another side of Tanzania – color, conversation, craftsmanship, and the energy of Arusha itself. At Kizito House, the Assumptionist novitiate, the presence of young men in formation pointed quietly toward the future of the Congregation. Their prayer, songs, and joy made the charism feel young again.
Then came Ngorongoro. After days of concentrated reflection, the vast landscape seemed to invite everyone to become quiet. Zebras and wildebeest moved across the open land, lions rested in the distance, buffalo gathered, and an elephant passed through the stillness. It was recreation, certainly, but it also felt like a different kind of prayer. Creation offered its own homily – reminding the brothers to wonder, to laugh, to rest, and to receive the beauty of God’s world without needing to explain it. In that extraordinary setting, fraternity became as simple as enjoying the same view together.
The Journey Home Began with a New Beginning
As the session approached its final days, all those conversations, encounters, prayers, and experiences began to take shape. The brothers gathered the strongest insights of the meeting and worked together on concrete proposals for strengthening missionary life throughout the Congregation. A letter to the Superior General was carefully prepared through discussion, revisions, patience, and plenty of listening. The work itself became another lesson in discernment: mission is never built alone. It grows when brothers are willing to listen to one another and search together for what the Spirit may be asking.
The closing celebration at the Assumptionist novitiate brought the journey full circle. Eucharist was followed by a festive meal, songs, dancing, and the unmistakable joy of being together. It was a fitting place to finish – among those preparing for the mission that still lies ahead. Arusha did not leave behind one perfect definition of missionary life. It offered something much more memorable: a Church larger than borders, a brotherhood strengthened by prayer and difference, and a Gospel discovered in classrooms, parishes, meals, friendships, wildlife, laughter, and silence. What traveled home was more than photographs or notes from a session. It was gratitude, new friendships, and a renewed readiness to remain available – to listen to the Spirit and to go wherever Christ calls next.
“Thy Kingdom Come.”
Augustinians of the Assumption
