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.
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| Sinaforo |
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| Bayanga Didi |
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| Erythrina Senegalensis |
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| La cattedrale di Bangassou La cathédrale de Bangassou |
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| Mgr Aguirre e alcuni sacerdoti |
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