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Saturday, March 19, 2016

Journeying to Easter






Journeying to Easter
On Sunday Fr. Cyriaque is among us, a young Carmelite father ordained here in Bozoum in December 2011, on the memorial of the 40 years of our presence here. He came with 8 kids, high school students, who are training in our seminary in Bouar.
Sunday afternoon I make an inspection of the chosen area for youth pilgrimage, which will take place Saturday, on Palm Sunday vigil. Is with me Mario Mazzali: I managed to have him for half an hour, away from his work! On the way back we stopped on the bridge, built in 1942 by Italian prisoners!!! They were soldiers who, with the fall of Ethiopia and Eritrea, had been sent somewhat all over Africa.
On Monday the works resume. Mario is helping us, among other problems, to fix the solar panels installed last year. We change some of the batteries, and the system becomes more efficient, thanks to the kind of material, the work of Mario, but also to the  support  of KAD3, a firm of Bari, who follows us from afar, but never missing to assist us! Tuesday we stay with the nuns for an hour of Eucharistic adoration. The Pope, on his visit to Central Africa Republic left this commitment, and all communities of our diocese are involved in a schedule by which every day is ensured a presence of prayer before the Eucharist.
Wednesday I go downtown to the furnace in order to buy bread: an artisan workshop, with a very simple system, a wood stove and good bread!
Thursday is a critical day! I invited the faithful to come in the afternoon for a half-day retreat and reflection. I was pessimistic about the number of presence. I said to myself: perhaps just a few, 50 the most. At 2.10pm I invite “the few” to enter the church.  Instead ... slowly the church fills with very excited people! Together we reflect on the Love of God, choosing as a guide for our spiritual journey an exceptional witness: St. Peter! After the catechesis, we have a moment of silence followed by the Sacrament of confession. Easter is approaching, and we try to prepare the heart and mind to this gift of God's mercy!
Last news: it is on newsstands the latest issue of "The saint Michel", the Bozoum newspaper: 

Il ponte sullOuham
















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