Build
The season of Baptisms and Sacraments begins, at least for me.
The
path to becoming a Christian is the fruit of an encounter. The
encounter is with God and Jesus Christ. Becoming a Christian is not
(only) living according to certain rules. It is not even (only)
believing in God. Nor is it (only) loving others. Giacomo Biffi, great
bishop of Bologna, wrote that "even before a religion, a morality, a
cult, a philosophy, it is an EVENT: the event of the Resurrection of
Jesus of Nazareth, which marks the beginning of the renewal of the
people. Therefore it is timeless: unlike doctrines which are born, make a
fortune, enchant for decades- perhaps for centuries, then they decay
and die, while Christianity remains, precisely because it is a fact ”.
Here
in Central Africa the path to receiving Baptism is quite long.
Typically, it's 3 or 4 years of preparation. Preparation entrusted to
the catechists, who in the villages are the heart of the Christian
community.
After Confirmations, we now prepare for the various
sacraments (Baptism and First Communions). Having already given my
catechists their exams, on Sunday 30 May I went to Igwe, the smallest
village. Despite a straw chapel, and despite the limitations of the
catechists, everything was ready. Christians cut the grass around the
church and put a tarp on the roof of the chapel in case of rain. Above
all, the 8 were ready, between boys and girls who received baptism, and
the two children of first Communion. Great celebration, but above all so
much joy for such a great gift, and for the blessing of being in the
Church.
Monday morning I left for Bangui, where I returned from
today, Thursday. There were many meetings, and a lot of work to prepare
the construction site of the new Carmel convent. We had to set up the
machinery that will allow us to manufacture, on site, the more than
200,000 bricks needed to build the convent. The bricks are a mixture of
part of earth, part of sand and a little bit of cement, and pressed with
special machinery. We are waiting for the cement, which should arrive
by river, from the Congo. It will take more than 4,500 bags of cement
for the bricks alone!
Courage!
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| L'orchestra La Chorale |
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| I nuovi battezzati Les nouveaux baptisés |
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| Scuola di Agricultura "Carmel" a Bangui L'école d'Agriculture "Carmel" à Bangui |
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| Fabbricazione dei mattoni a Bangui La production de blocs à Bangui |
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