The 40 years of the diocese

Missionari Cappuccini a Ngaundaye, anni 60: sotto, da sinistra P.Cipriano, ??, P.Agostino Delfino,e sopra P.Mansueto, p.Armando Gianni e p.Massimiliano

The 40 years of the diocese

On November 19th 1978, 40 years ago, the new diocese of Bouar was born, with the consecration of the new bishop, the Capuchin Fr Armando Gianni. The diocese of Bouar began as a branch of the former, very large Diocese of Berberati. Father Armando Gianni arrived in Central Africa in 1964, at the young age of 25.  He was initially the parish priest of Bozoum when we, the Carmelites, arrived but immediately was sent further north to Ngaoundaye. The creation of a diocese is a very committed mission and the new bishop had much to do: creating new parishes, a school for the catechists, the seminary, building a new cathedral and encouraging the missionaries, mostly in the opening of schools and dispensaries.  After having led the diocese for 38 years, Monisgnor Armando Gianni has retired to Italy, and since February 11th of this year we have a new bishop from Poland, Bishop Mirek Gucwa. As a people, a family and a person: we all need to remember our roots. For this we have wanted to celebrate solemnly the 40 years of our diocese. For this reason on Wednesday fifty-two parishners from Bozoum went by truck to celebrate this special event: catechists and representatives of the different movements of the parish were happy to take part in the great "Conference".  The other twelve parishes of the diocese were also present during the three days of reflection, prayer and catechesis. Were present also the many "old" missionaries who had given their testimony, along with some married couples as well as some catechists. It was nice to see this treasure of fidelity to God and to the brothers of many people. There are missionaries who have been here for almost close to 60 years. I went to Bouar on Thursday afternoon and on Friday morning I celebrated at the cathedral. After Bouar I went north to Bocaranga. Here we are starting a project, like Caritas, for this area very punished by the war. There are many rebels in the area, and many peuls, cattle nomads, who become pieces in a war game bigger than them. Thank God I was able to reach Bocaranga without having any bad encounters. The project will help people with greater difficulty rebuild their lives, start with some livestock and work. In the afternoon I returned to Bozoum, covering almost 400 kilometers. On Sunday I celebrated the Masses in the parish church, but in the afternoon I went to Baoro, where the next day we had a meeting about the economy of our five houses (Bouar San Elías, Yolé, Baoro, Bozoum and Bangui). We live in thanks to the help that comes to us, often from many simple people, who are generous and have an open heart.

Partenza da Bozoum
le départ de la délégation de Bozoum

Catechesi, Parrocchia di Fatima, Bouar

P.Valentino, P.Cipriano, P.Pio, P.Matteo

Offertorio
Offertoire

P.Valentino, in Centrafrica dal 1962

Bocaanga, Scuola dei Catechisti, con Flavio Queller (a sin), verso il 1980
Bocaranga, école des Catéchistes, avec Flavio Qoeller (à gauche) vers 1980

Arrivo delle suore Clarisse a Bouar, maggio 1961
Arrivée des Soeurs Clarisses à Bouar, vers 1961

Mgr Armando Gianni e don Adriano, Wantigera, verso il 1998
Mgr Armando Gianni et l'abbé Adriano, Wantigera, vers 1998

Bozoum, matrimonio di Thomas Gbanou, verso il 1980
Bozoum, mariage de Thomas Gbanou, vers 1980

P.Carlo e sr Biagina, Baoro, verso il 1975-77
P.Charles et sr Biagina, Baoro, vers 1975-77

Madagascar 3

Madagascar 3

I am finally back home in Bozoum. I left Madagascar last week. The meeting with the Francophone leaders of the African Carmel ended on Friday morning. In the afternoon I went to visit Sister Ernesta, a Carmelite, who worked in Central Africa for a very long time. She has been sick for many years yet she still greeted me with a smile when I said hello in Sango. We spent some time together, talking about the Mission and the parish of Baoro, where she had worked for a long time as a nurse. The days I spent in Madagascar allowed me to meet the other Carmelite Sisters of Turin, who also worked a lot in Central Africa. It was nice to see each other again, and I like to think of the work they have done as a great treasure.

On Saturday morning we went out with some of the Sisters to the east side of the island, 160 kilometers from Antananarivo. The road went up to 1600 meters, through a mountainous landscape. It was impressive to see that all available space had been cultivated. As soon as there is a bit of flat land, that land is cultivated mostly with rice. It was here in Madagascar that the technique for the cultivation of rice began, just the same as the one we introduced in Bozoum. Around the 1960’s a Jesuit father, Fr. Henri de Laulanie, developed this technique (which foresees transplanting small rice plants after a week - instead of weeks - with only one plant per hole, at very precise distances). This allows for more rice production than the traditional techniques. It is with this technique that in Bozoum some farmers manage to produce 11 tons of rice per hectare (when the average is about 2-3 tons, and in Italy it is 5-6 tons).

Around 11am we arrived at Andasibe, in the middle of the jungle. Despite the short time we were given, we were able to visit a part of the park. The vegetation was impressive as well as the animals. In particular, we saw crocodiles, from a distance ... the famous lemurs: a kind of monkey living exclusively in Madagascar. As we passed a stream we arrived at an area where the lemurs lived and they came to meet us. While I was busy trying to take a picture of them, one of them jumped and climbed on my shoulders!

After the visit we went to the Carmelites of Turin, who welcomed us with open arms. Here we met Sister Miguela, who was also in Central Africa for many years, and we ate lunch together. It was a joy to share memories but we mostly spoke about everything that has been happening in Central Africa, both suffering and rejoicing together. In the afternoon we returned to Antananarivo, and on Sunday after lunch I left towards Bangui arriving there the next day. In Nairobi I met Marta Scarzella, a young volunteer from Genoa, who, last year had been in Bozoum for three months. Now she works in Tanzania (she is an obstetrician) and comes for a few weeks to the paradise of Bozoum.

Madagascar 2

Madagascar 2

The week goes on and I am still here in Madagascar. There are about 10 Carmelite fathers gathered here. We have come from various French-speaking African countries (Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Togo, Cameroon, Central Africa, Congo, Madagascar and Senegal), along with one of our priests from Malawi and a Nigerian from our General House. We are kept buy enough with long, but interesting, meetings. The Church and Carmel are growing in many African countries. Many young people, who hail from very different countries and cultures, are knocking at our doors and so we are looking to bring to them the richness and beauty of the Gospel, and the experience of our Saints who lived in deep communion with God through prayer.

Wednesday morning was an important day for the country: it was Election Day for the President. We took this opportunity for a day of informal meetings and relaxation. In the morning we went to visit the Carmelite nuns of Amposanimalo, a monastery located in Antananarivo. There were fifteen nuns, all very happy and full of life. We spent almost an hour with them, sharing news about our communities and our countries. In the afternoon, we visited the Cathedral and the tomb of the Blessed Victoire Rasoamanarivo, the first Malagasy woman to be beatified (by John Paul II). 

In the evening we went to visit a small community of Carmelite Teresian Missionary Sisters, for the feast of their founder. After the celebration of Mass we enjoyed an evening meal with them (and joined them washing the dishes), ending with some joyful moments, singing and dancing. We will finish our work tomorrow, Friday, and on Sunday I will leave for Central Africa, where I will arrive on Monday afternoon.

le Monache Carmelitane
les carmélites de Antananarivo

Cathédrale de Antananarivo