Beautiful church, even more beautiful
the CHURCH
Last Sunday we went through a great
moment: the inauguration of Bozoum church! About ten months of working and now
the church is ready! And it is a wonder!
The new section, bright and airy, is
full of light and colors. The form (on the sides of the altar there’re two
semicircles of 10 meters each in radius) recalls the embrace of God, in the
sacraments, in the Word, in prayer and in being one people.
Two Central African artists (Charlemagne and
Alexis) have enriched the presbytery of an original version of the Last
Judgement. On one side the damned with no face (as a reminder that when we
abandon God our being human get lost), on the other side the saints, with the
face barely hinted, but bright. On both sides of the church there are the
Apostles and the inscription "UNAM, SANCTAM, CATHOLICAM ET
APOSTOLICAM" (One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic) which recall the great
characteristics of our Church.
The 26 colorful stained glass windows
are a hymn to the Light, reminding to all of us how our life, enlightened by
God, becomes real life and a colorful one. In the middle there is the Cross,
made with the metals found in the foundations of the old church, as a memorial
for those who built it over 60 years ago. Those metals were a substitute of today
steel rods, and were obtained by cutting the iron bins: poverty, simplicity and
ability to find anyhow a solution.
We did work for months and not even
an incident, despite the precariousness of resources. Indeed the protecting
hand of God has not abandoned us for a moment!
Great work indeed, made possible
thanks to the solidarity and faith of so many people from all over the world
(with "Propaganda Fide" and the "Aid to the Church in Need"
and so many other people), but also thanks to the hard work and the involvement
of our Christians in Bozoum.
It was nice, in recent months, and
even more last Sunday, to watch the pride and joy of having at the end such a
beautiful church. We wanted it beautiful, because Beauty speaks of God: it is
one of his names, and one of its manifestations! We wanted it beautiful,
because every man and every woman deserves to live, pray and celebrate in a
beautiful environment! We wanted it beautiful, because nothing is enough beautiful
for God. And nothing neither enough beautiful for “the Man”!
Last Sunday we were really so many!
Already one hour earlier the church was full! A great number of them: from the
villages and from the city. Were present children, youth and adults, sick and
healthy, moms and dads, poor, Ecclesiastical Movements, in one word: everybody
came at the new church.
To mark the occasion, the Bishop (old
man and sick) sent his Vicar General, the Abbé Mirek, who presided over the
Mass. Came also the Secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature (currently there
isn’t an Ambassador from the Vatican to the Central African Republic). There
were also many Discalced Carmelite friars from all of our communities.
The celebration was wonderful: many
songs, dances, but also much prayer! It lasted three hours. The Offertory alone
requested 40 minutes! Everyone wanted to bring something for the church and for
the poor! Beautiful church and even more beautiful “the Church”!
Monday morning at 4.30 am I leave
towards Bouar, where I have to attend to some meetings. Sadly the situation
there is still fragile. In the north area the Diocese there are thousands of
refugees, while on that same day in Bangui there are protests against the UN
Peacekeepers, which degenerate and, after a morning of gunfire and violence,
there are at least five casualties.
Once more at 4.30 am on Tuesday I
leave hoping to reach Bangui. Thanks God the situation has calmed down and we
arrive without any further problems.
And now I'm on my way toward Italy
for some rest ... and not only that!
And here is the link to the special
edition of the "Journal de Bozoum":
