Dear Hekima University College (HUC) Family and Friends
Re: The Road to the End of the Academic Year 2023-2024
The Peace of the Lord!
The academic year 2023-2024 is slowly moving towards its end. In less than two months, we will celebrate the end of classes and the closure of HUC@40. We thank God for all the activities that have dynamically and intellectually shaped this academic year beyond classroom. I thank each of you for your dedication and may we all continue to foster “the work of the Good Spirit.” The Board of Trustees and the HUC Council commend the work that has been accomplished and encourages us to do more. In his last words, St. Francis of Assisi said: “This is only a beginning.”
In his recent presentation during our HUC Pioneer Conference on 21 February 2024, Very Rev. Fratern Masawe said:
“Perhaps the greatest dream we shared is the one we did not talk about, the dream of presence. Being less than 20 companions from 13 different nationalities across the globe living under the same roof was probably the greatest witness to the dream of the reign of God. … Hekima was the name from much of the first batch of students in 1984, after the then rector, Fr. Henri De Decker, of happy memory, consulted us. Hekima is not only a Swahili word familiar to many of us in Kenya and in many other parts of Africa, it also has roots in the Middle East and in the Hebrew language, Khokhmà, meaning the capacity to use knowledge and lived experience to make good decisions and judgements. … For us, Hekima was the right name for our newly created first Jesuit School of Theology in Africa. It was intentional. It carried the dream, the vision and the praxis we had in mind then. We knew we needed the ability to be able to use our knowledge and our contextual experience, our theory and practice for the good of Africa and indeed for this world. This kind of theology we had in mind could not be done elsewhere.”
Our desire is to fulfil the dreams expressed by Fr. Masawe and to move HUC from Better to Best! The question to ask each one of us is: how are you contributing to this dream? If there are areas in which we can improve our leadership and vision, do not hesitate to reach out to me. Help us to continue defining what makes HUC unique.
The Center for Interfaith Studies in Africa has started and its founding Director, Rev. Fr. Norbert Litoing, SJ will soon inform the college community about its plans and activities. The center is located on the 4th Floor of our post-graduate campus. Make a point to visit it.
Upon recommendation by the Board of Trustees, I have appointed Rev. Fr. Francis Aziza, SJ as the Associate Director of Hekima Review. He will assist Rev. Dr. Stephen Eyeowa, SJ who will also serve as Interim Dean of the Jesuit School of Theology.
I am very happy to announce that the bold decision to move all classes to our post-graduate campus has yielded tremendous results. This decision has financially moved HIPSIR out of its deficit. At the end of 2022, HIPSIR had a deficit of Ksh 4.4million and at the end of the fiscal year 2023, HIPSIR had an estimated profit of Ksh 3.5Million. I thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Good Leadership offers a clear direction and a vision. I hope we continue the palpable teamwork in order to nurture a good vision for HUC. Let me draw your attention to some upcoming events:
Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Freiburg, Episcopal Vicar for Tertiary Education in the Archdiocese and Rector of the Archdiocesan Priest Seminary Collegium Borromaeum.
I invite you to be part of these initiatives. Being a spectator can hardly be rewarded. We are also grateful to those who continue to support our work at HUC. In the past weeks, we received generous donations from the Pilipino/a community and from some American friends of HUC. Please offer prayers for those who give from the little they have in order to ensure that we advance the mission of HUC.
I wish you all a fruitful Lent and a productive journey towards the end of our academic year. I count on your prayers.
Servus,
_____________________________
Rev. Marcel Uwineza SJ, MBA, PhD
HUC PRINCIPAL