Travel and transportation

 

 

 

 

Travel and transportation

Travel and transportation week.

Central Africa is a very large country (twice the size of Italy), and there are few roads, many are dirt tracks and almost all of them are not maintained.

Therefore, to go to the capital (750 km away) there is no other choice but to take a plane (which is organized by a service from the United Nations, for a fee).

The funeral of Mgr Tadeusz Kusy, a Polish Franciscan, bishop of Kaga Bandoro, was planned in recent days. He died on Easter Sunday, but the planning took a long time.

So last Thursday, Mgr Aguirre and I went down to Bangui for the funeral.

On Friday evening we celebrated a vigil, which then continued throughout the night, and on Saturday morning at 9 there was a solemn mass. All the bishops of Central Africa were present, and the President of the Republic also came, with some of the ministers.

Mgr Tadeusz was 73 years old, and was a missionary in Congo and, since 1987, in Central Africa.

It was very nice to see the participation of so many people at the Mass in Bangui.

But the welcome given to him by the diocese was even more beautiful: during the journey to Kaga Bandoro (350 km) the coffin was welcomed by 3 parishes along the way. But even in the smallest villages there were crowds waiting to give a final farewell to their father and shepherd.

On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday I was at Carmel. Partly to see the progress of the construction site of the new convent, but above all to meet with Father Federico, the provincial superior. They were moments of sharing and joy.

This morning I finally returned home to Bangassou.

Here I found the truck with supplies (cement, diesel, notebooks, spare parts, and my boxes): it arrived relatively quickly!

"Only" 10 days of travel, between Bangui and Bangassou.

But with very high costs: more than 15 euros per km!

And in a few weeks, with the rainy season, it will no longer be possible to travel on the road...

 

Il fiume Oubangui à Bangui

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bangui

Il chiostro del nuovo convento
Le cloitre du nouveau couvent

P.Federico e p.Cyriaque

 

 

Discovering

 

 

La gioia della fede
la joie de la Foi

 

 

 

Discovering

On Thursday the 11th we will be leaving, Mons Aguirre and I, towards the south of the diocese.

They are waiting for us in Bema, a large village located at the meeting of the two rivers, Mbomou and Uele. From there the union Oubangui was born, which continues its journey to form the Congo river.

Here too the river marks the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. It's a border as fleeting as water: the villages on one side and the other speak the same language, and it's not that important to be born on one side or the other.

The road has been spruced up a bit lately. We left at 8.30, and at 11.30 we arrived in Ouango, about a hundred km from Bangassou. There was a mission here, with a beautiful brick church (built around 1950). We stopped to see some work to be done at the school (part of the roof was destroyed by a falling tree), and after a bite to eat with the priests of the parish, we continued to Bema, about thirty km away.

The parish here is quite new, and very lively: there is a beautiful church, a priest and a deacon, and elementary and middle schools.

Life is pretty spartan, but you adapt to it. It's very, very hot these days.

Friday morning we travelled 25 km, to the village of Tondomozuma, where there was a small church, and where two young people, Julien and Placide, were preparing for the diaconate, which they will receive on Sunday. Here the spiritual exercises were ending, and it was beautiful to share with them the joy and enthusiasm, but also the fear, of this ministry.

On Saturday we remained in Bema to prepare for the celebration. The community was working hard to put up poles and tarpaulins for the public, because the Mass will be celebrated outside.

Many Christians also arrived from nearby villages, and many priests from the diocese (at least the closest ones).

On Sunday morning we started Mass at 8.30. I was next to Mgr Aguirre, and there was a beautiful atmosphere of prayer, joy and singing.

While we prayed over the two candidates, lying on the ground, I also thought about the episcopal consecration, in less than two months: I too will be lying down, while the assembly will pray with me and for me...

At 11.30 we finished Mass, and it was time to move on to the table. There were many guests (over 400): friends, families, Christians from nearby villages, but also the poor, who had a front row seat.

On Monday morning we went to Tomunga, a village about ten km away, where, after confessions, we celebrated Mass.

And then we left for Bangassou, where we arrived around 3pm.

 

 

 

 

l'ordinazione dei due diaconi
La consécration des 2 diacres

 

Ouango

Tondomozunga

La torrefazione del caffé
la torrefaction du café

 

Il concerto
Le concert

 

Faith, hope and a lot of charity!

 

 

 

Aurrèlia

 

Faith, hope and a lot of charity!

Here I am taking my first steps in Bangassou.

The climate here is very hot and humid, but luckily the first rains are starting to cool things down a bit.

The first steps with Mons. Aguirre include meeting and visiting the people and various parts of the city and the diocese.

First meeting with some of the priests from Bangassou and the surrounding areas on Friday morning. They're all pretty young, and it's nice to be able to start getting to know and appreciate them.

Saturday morning was a meeting with the Economic Affairs Council, they help the Bishop in managing a diocese.

Sunday was the day of my "first" solemn mass here.

The cathedral is very beautiful, and despite the rain it was full. The liturgy was beautiful and well attended, and I felt the prayer and affection of many people for the "new" bishop.

During the celebration I blessed a little girl, just a few days old, an orphan. Her name was Aurelia! When introducing her, the parish priest asks if there were 2 dads and 2 moms who would agree to become Aurelia's parents. Immediately we had some volunteers: they will take care of her and provide for her first purchases (clothes, diapers, milk, etc.).

The diocese of Bangassou is very active and attentive to the poorest. There are around 300 orphaned children welcomed into many families. For younger children and those with bigger problems, there is a beautiful centre, Maman Tongolo (Mamma Stella) where they live and grow in a peaceful environment.

This is where we went to visit on Monday afternoons. It was wonderful to see so many peaceful children, who finally have a space full of affection and joy in which to grow.

In the morning we visited the diocese hospital, directed by a small (but very great) Vietnamese nun (Sr. Elisabette). There are various buildings, and it is all very beautiful and very clean. The city's sick people, including many poor people, can come here. As well as  AIDS patients, who are followed very carefully.

Tuesday afternoon we visited another beautiful reality: the maison Espoir (Hope House). About forty people live here, who need protection because they are victims of witchcraft accusations. Many still bear the marks of lynching attempts…

They too are offered a possibility and a refuge of peace, hope, and a lot of charity.

 

 

 

 

Il vescovo Ahuirre con alcuni dei sacerdoti della diocesi
Mgr Aguirre avec une partie des prettres du diocèse

Cathédrale de Bangassou

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Centro orfani Maman Tongolo
Centre des orphelins Maman Tongolo

Hopital du diocèse

Maison Espoir

 

 

 

 

From Baoro to Bangassou

 

 

 

From Baoro to Bangassou

I am finally here in Bangassou!

Holy Week was very busy.

Holy Thursday I celebrated in Samba Bougoulou, the Mass where the priest washes the feet of 12 people, in memory of what Jesus did. It was the evening of the Last Supper, the day of the Eucharist and of the priests. The day in which Jesus gave us the example of how we must love: washing the feet of others.

On Friday morning I left around 7.30 with Fr. Aimé, who has helped me relocate. We arrived at Bayanga Didi around 10am, welcomed by the children from the nursery school, who sang for us.

Friday was dedicated to catechism exams and to the memory of the passion and death of the Lord.

Saturday was the day of great silence and great waiting. We took time to prepare for the sacraments, both in Bayanga Didi and Yoro.

In the evening we celebrated the great Easter Vigil, which began outside the chapel, with the blessing of the fire and the Easter candle, signs of Christ, the Light of the world.

During the Vigil there were baptisms and the various stages of the catechumenate. We finished after almost 3 hours, with a very beautiful ceremony, which was also well attended.

On Sunday, Easter day, we moved to Yoro. While Fr. Aimé remained here,  after confessions we celebrated Mass with baptisms, I then left on foot for Sinaforo, just over 7 km away.

Here too there was a baptism.

It was the opportunity to say goodbye definitively to the people of these villages...

I returned to Yoro on foot at 1pm, and I was almost overcome by the heat!

We left around 2pm, and 15km away we saw 2 armed men. Luckily, when they saw us (perhaps believing we were Russian mercenaries) and they ran away into the bush.

At 4.30pm we arrived in Baoro, tired but happy.

Monday was the time for the last farewells, with the confreres and the parish community.

I've been saying goodbye for a month now... and it's not easy. It's now time to leave!

On Tuesday I went down to Bangui.

From there on Thursday I left on a United Nations plane: departure at 8.30, and after a short stop in Ndele, I finally arrived in Bangassou just before 12.

Here I found the bishop, Mgr Aguirre, who came with a good dozen priests from the diocese to welcome and greet me.

We set off towards the Cathedral, passing through the forest.

There is a lot of greenery, and lots of trees, and it is very hot!

And thus this adventure begins, this new page in life, as Mgr Aguirre told me when he welcomed me.

Sinaforo

Bayanga Didi

Erythrina Senegalensis

La cattedrale di Bangassou
La cathédrale de Bangassou

Mgr Aguirre e alcuni sacerdoti