Saint Michael 2019
Like my home town (Cuneo), Bozoum also has the archangel St. Michael as its patron saint.
Like
the archangels St. Gabriel and St. Raphael, St. Michael stands out for
his struggle for God, and for us, against the devil. To which is why he
is often depicted with armour and a sword with which he killed the
devil.
St.
Michael has been the patron saint of Bozoum since 1927, when the first
missionaries (Père Bonvalet, a French spiritan, accompanied by the
catechist Joseph Mondjiao of Mbaiki) arrived in Bozoum.
As
is every year, at the end of September, we celebrate the solemn
celebration. Preceded by a few days of preparation, the party brings
together children, youth and adults.
Saturday
afternoon we had a small but beautiful procession with the statue of
St. Michael, singing and praying in the streets of the city, once again
entrusting Bozoum to the protection of the patron saint.
On Sunday morning we celebrated a very solemn Mass, with songs, dances and a beautiful atmosphere of prayer.
For
the occasion I had invited Fr. Marcello (pastor of Bozoum for over 16
years) and Fr. Maurice (actually born in Bozoum). It just so happened
that they were both celebrating professional anniversaries (when they
were consecrated): 50 years for Fr. Marcello and 25 for Fr. Maurice.
The
following day we were still with them in Bouar, where we celebrate
these jubilees with the confreres, seminarians, religious men and women
and with the Bishop.
Tuesday 1 October we met again at 6 am in the Cathedral, because it was a very important day for many reasons:
1.
It was the feast of Saint Teresa of Lisieux, patroness of the Missions.
Dead at 24, she entered the Monastery at 15 and she never went out! She
lived so intensely by the love received from God and given to him, to
cry out with his life what was written: "I would like to walk the earth,
preach your name and plant your glorious Cross on the unfaithful
ground! But, my beloved, one mission would not be enough for me: at the
same time I would like to announce the Gospel in the five parts of the
world and to the most distant islands ... I would like to be a
missionary not only for a few years, but I wish I had been since the
creation of world and be it until the end of time ": Ms B 3r; OC 222.
2. It is the beginning of the extraordinary Missionary Month that Pope Francis has called for the whole Church.
3.
It is the beginning of the Pastoral Session which brings together
priests, nuns, catechists, laity for 2 days of sharing and reflection.
There
is a detail that touched me during Mass. At the time of prayers of the
faithful, we have heard different languages resound: Sango, French,
Polish, English, Italian: it was beautiful to see the universality
("Catholic" means "universal") of the Church, and the commitment of so
many men and women women to bring the joy of the Gospel throughout the
world.
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| Festa di San Michele Fete de St.Michel |
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| P.Maurice e p.Marcello con il Vescovo |
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| Sessione pastorale della diocesi di Bouar Session pastorale du diocèse de Bouar |
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