From one month to the other.

From one month to the other.

Finally home! The first days, back in Bozoum, are really busy. There is the Parish with its rhythms and commitments (we are having the year-end catechism tests), there are the various ongoing projects, and Caritas on top, there is the closing of the school year, and so on!

On Wednesday, May 31^st, we climb a hill overlooking Bozoum, where on a trellis there’s a statue of Our Lady, who watches over the city. We are a very large crowd (mostly girls and women) going to celebrate the Mass and consecrate the city in order to have Bozoum under the Blessed Virgin’s protection. I bless the city with a statue of Our Lady of Loreto, which Italian friends gave me a few weeks ago. We leave the hill, and down, at the beginning of one of Bozoum neighborhood I pay visit to Madeleine, an old blind woman giving her the offerings that the faithful have shared during the Offertory. In this way our prayer becomes a bit like the visit of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth.

The situation in the Country is increasingly worrying. While Bangui, the capital city, is relatively calm, more than 60% of Central Africa is under the control of the rebels of the various Seleka factions, while other areas are under the control of antibalaka. The government is limiting his interest to the capital, and the rest of the Country seems to have no concern for anyone. In our area there have been attacks in various cities (Niem, Ndim, and Bocaranga) and the future is very uncertain. The Blue Helmets, despite some fatalities among their own militaries, victims of attacks, fail to (do not want to) stop the violence and effectively protect the civilians.

That is why on Thursday I go to Bangui in order to attend to the large Caritas meeting. In addition to the Cardinal Archbishop of Bangui, are present at the meeting other Bishops and Secretaries of the various diocesan Caritas. Others have come from Congo and Italy (Caritas Internationalis) to help us in finding the best way to be more effective in helping the Country to start again, to be closer to the poor and the suffering people, and to help in a better way those in need.

Most of all we are call to do so in the name of Christ, opening our heart to every brother and sister, without any kind of distinction. Just like Jesus did.

Riunione Caritas a Bamgui
Réunion Caritas à Bangui