The spiritual of the Marian Brother is that, “A Marian Brother is a brother to all, always feeling and acting as a true brother, companion, confident and helper.
BRIEF HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The Institute of the Brothers of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is a lay congregation of the Diocesan Right founded in 1952 at Lodonga in Arua Diocese by Bishop John Baptist Casana. The General Aim of the congregation is to promote glory of God and of Mary. The members take the simple vows of Chastity, Poverty and Obedience. The specific aim of the congregation is to enable Christians and non Christians share in the fruits of redemption with preference to Christian formation of the youth.
CHARISM: To live, follow and imitate Christ as Educator and teacher on the model of the Immaculate of Mary.
MOTTO: With Mary, we serve Christ. It is written on our Logo or Emblem.
VISION: To produce well formed, educated young men and women with good morals, practical skills and deep faith.
MISSION: To promote Christian formation of the youth through in depth catechesis, by giving catechetical instructions, biblical church and the relevant human sciences.
The Spiritual Of The Institute.
Apostolate.
In the fields of apostolate, the Marian Brothers as most of them are teachers, they do teaching in schools and Institutions – the Brothers teach in Primary, Secondary, Technical/Vocational schools:- Teachers’ colleges and Pastoral Institutes. Besides teaching, the Brothers are also involves in other areas of apostolate.
There are brothers who are Motor Mechanics, Builders, Farmers, Carpenters, Medical Practitioners etc the brothers also do Parish Apostolate, Instructing Catechumens and Alter Servers, Organizing and helping Parish Youth Groups, leading prayers on Sunday when there is no Catechist or Priest present and/or when assigned to do so. Although the Institute of the Marian Brothers is lay in nature, a few of its members have been trained and ordained Priest to cater for the spiritual needs of the Institute.
BASIC ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS.
- Senior four leavers, with a minimum of 6 Credit.
- Senior Six leavers with a minimum of 2 Principal Passes.
- Successful completion of Government Recognized Post Primary Schools (NTC’s, PTC’s, Technical Institutes, Farm Institutes and Commercial Colleges).
- Good recommendation from Parish Priest, Chaplains and Health of Institutions.
- Good Health (Physical and Mental Fitness).
FORMATION STAGES.
1). Postulancy: This lasts one year. It is done at Lodonga Mother House, Arua Diocese.
2). Novitiate: It lasts two entire years. It is also done at Lodonga mother House, Arua Diocese.
3). Scholasticate: It lasts two entire years.
COMMUNITIES OF THE MARIAN BROTHERS IN UGANDA.
- Lodonga Mother House/Formation Community.
- Immaculate Heart S.S/Odokibo Farm Community.
- Ombaci Parish Community.
- Ediofe Upper Community.
- Generalate Community.
- Arivu Parish Community.
- Warr Community.
- Akaba Community.
- Gulu Cathedral Community.
- Kampala Nalukolongo Community.
ABOUT ODOKIBO AGRICULTURAL TRAINING CENTRE
About OATC
About OATC
History
Odokibo Agricultural Training Centre (OATC) started as a farm in 1972 by Marian Brothers under the Stewardship of late Rt. Rev Frederick Drandua, the Bishop of Arua Diocese. It secured a vast piece of farmland that was later surveyed, fenced and titled.
Odokibo foray into development work started in 2011, triggered by the plight of people returning from exile in Sudan, Congo and other parts of Uganda. The returnees worked on the farm in return for packet of salt and tablet of soap.
In 2003, Odokibo Agricultural Training Centre (OATC) formed five community groups from the women who worked on the farm thus initiating the wider community outreach it has been pursing ever since.in this, OATC received financial support from Arua Catholic Diocese, ABI ZARD, Gorta, And in 2008, Yumbe District Local Government granted it a Community Based Organization (CBO) registration status
Odokibo Agricultural Training center (OATC)
VISION
The OATC envision that “rural households in Yumbe are poverty free” Aware that poverty is loaded term that virtually means everything that affects people’s wellbeing and leading a dignified life, and aware that OATC would realistically not be able to fight such “everything” this vision statement represent OATC urge for realization of a sustainable food and income secure community.
OATC MISSION
To empower rural communities in Yumbe with -agricultural innovation for food security and vocational skills a sustainable self-development
OATC VALUES/ PRINCIPLES
- Quality services delivery without any social discrimination based on gender, age, physical ability and religious denomination
- Prompting the participation of stakeholders
- Team spirit as an engine for coordination, collaboration, and partnership
- Transparency and accountability to all stakeholders
- Self-reliance
- Hard work/self-directed/self-motivated
- Respect for one another
- Legal compliance
- Professionalism
OATC focus and achievements
From 2004 OATC adopted a center for community approach to poverty reduction in order to realize its vision in the following areas
- Agricultural extension services
- Seed multiplication
- Community outreach through community based organization (CBO)s
- Goat rearing
- Skill training