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| Ketemo |
Confirmations in Ketemo, Meetings in Bangassou, and Traveling to Canada
September 25, 2026
I am writing from Montréal, Canada, where I have been invited to a training session on social justice.
On Tuesday, September 15, I celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation in Ketemo, a village 70 km from Bangassou.
Here I meet Brother Jérome, a Polish Franciscan missionary. After a brief catechesis and confessions, we celebrate Mass, during which about twelve boys and girls receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.
The village is peaceful, but a few days later, several kilometres away, the nearby village of Madabazouma is attacked by some LRA rebels, a movement that originated years ago in Uganda. They killed two people and left with about ten children, whom they took hostage.
The LRA was present throughout the region for almost 15 years and became responsible for horrific crimes: kidnappings, killings, sexual violence, and the destruction of villages. After several years of absence, they have returned. And in a region already deeply affected by violence, this is yet another problem.
The rest of the week is very busy, with various meetings and celebrations.
On Thursday, the students from the minor seminary in Bangassou arrive. There are about seventy of them, from all the parishes of the diocese. And in February 2027, we will celebrate 60 years since this institution was founded!
On Friday morning, at around 6:00, I say goodbye to and bless the seminarians from Bangassou, who have come for their vacation and are leaving for Bangui. The roads are terrible, and they will arrive on Wednesday, after seven days of travel covering 750 kilometres!
At 8:30, there is a meeting of the Diocesan Pastoral Council, made up of about twenty people, both priests and laypeople. Together, we work on the pastoral year that is about to begin, which will be dedicated to vocations and the seminary.
On Saturday, we laid the foundations for the new chapel at our hospital in Bangonde, and I visited some classrooms at our high school that we just renovated.
On Sunday, September 20, I celebrated Mass in the Cathedral, commemorating the 300th anniversary of the departure of the first Sisters of the Congregation of Saint Paul of Chartres for Cayenne—a journey that, at that time, lasted six months!
These are the same sisters who continue to work here in Bangassou with orphans, the sick, schools, and the poor.
On Monday, after heavy rain, I was finally able to leave by plane for Bangui.
On Tuesday at 1:00 p.m., I left for Addis Ababa, and during the night I continued on to Paris. From there, I arrived in Montréal, Canada, on Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. (11:00 a.m. local time).
Here I am taking part, together with laypeople, priests, and bishops, in several days of training on social justice, with meetings and conferences organized by the Louis Evens Centre, which for many years have reflected on, studied, and promoted the social teaching of the Church.
On Sunday I left for Italy, where I will remain until October 25. It will be a time of meetings, visits, and celebrations.
Also a time to prepare a shipping container for Bangassou, together with many friends and the Friends of Bangassou Association.
Here is the link for donations via Satispay: https://www.satispay.com/app/pay/shops/17e6c4f0-37dd-47b7-8ff0-6dbcd9a355f2
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| fr Jerome |
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| Lycée ST Pierre Claver, Bangassou |
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| Partenza dei seminaristi verso Bangui Depart des séminaristes vers Bangui Partida de los seminaristas hacia Bangui. |
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| Qui sorgerà la cappella dell'ospedale La chapelle de l'hôpital sera construite ici. Aquí se construirá la capilla del hospital. |
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| Groenlandia Groenland Tierra Verde |
