DELEGATION FROM RUHENGERI DIOCESE TO THE SECOND NATIONAL EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS AT BUTARE DIOCESE RWANDA
Ruhengeri Diocese was well represented in the Eucharistic Congress held at Butare Diocese from 4th to 8th December 2024. The delegation was comprised of priests, religious nuns and brothers, and Christians from different parishes.
We started our journey on 4th December , 2024 at around 1:00pm from the cathedral with a prayer for the journey mercies and blessing led by the Vicar General Mgr Gabin BIZIMUNGU who was the coordinator of this sacred journey.
A long the way , the prayer of the Holy Rosary was our key prayer invoking the intercession of the Blessed virgin Mary the queen of travellers . We had a safe journey till Butare. We arrived at around 5:45pm and we were warmly welcomed in the place. We were all registered and everybody was given a participant tag for the Eucharistic congress. We all got hosted well in different places around the cathedral of Butare.
The next day on 5th December,2024 we all gathered in the cathedral at 8:00am for morning prayers which were led by Bishop Vincent HAROLIMANA the Bishop of Ruhengeri Diocese. It really manifested the glory of God to see all the Bishops of Rwanda, many priests ,religious men and women and many Christians gathered at Butare cathedral to glorify Jesus our Saviour in the Holy Eucharist.
The theme for this Eucharistic congress was “ WE FIX OUR EYES UNTO JESUS IN THE HOLY EUCHARIST WHO IS THE SOURCE OF HOPE ,FRATERNITY AND PEACE “.
In the spiritual talk given by Bishop Jean Bosco NTAGUNGIRA the Bishop of Butare diocese he encouraged us to receive Jesus in the holy Eucharist many times and in a state of grace and purity. He also said that we should see Christ as our best friend and a brother to us which should deepen our love for Him our saviour.
His Eminence Cardinal Antoine KAMBANDA on that day of 5th December, 2024 he gave a spiritual session with the sub-theme which said that” THE EUCHARIST SOURCE OF OUR HOPE” Cardinal said that hope is the pillar of life of a Christian . He quoted the words of Pope Francis saying: ’’ in the celebration of this Eucharistic Jubilee , every Christian should know that those in the pilgrimage towards God walk in hope. He urged Christians to root their hopes in God because without hope there is no life because God loves us , cares about us and everything is possible with Him.”
At 11:00 am we had the sacrifice of mass celebrated by His Eminence Cardinal Antoine KAMBANDA.
This Eucharistic congress was blessed with the precious time of morning and evening prayers led by different Bishops of different dioceses and the sacrifice of Mass daily gathered together as one family of God our Father.
Different sessions about the Holy Eucharist were given by different Bishops everyday which nourished our souls. There was time granted for testimonies about the experience of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist and various people gave out their deep testimonies and encounter with Jesus in the holy Eucharist which touched and encouraged people to deepen their love of Jesus in the Eucharist more so the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
On Friday 6th December ,2024 all the Bishops and their Vicar Generals celebrated Holy Mass in the different parishes surrounding Butare cathedral and the sacrament of reconcilliation was given to those who were gathered at cathedral of Butare.
On Saturday 7th December, 2024 we had morning prayers and the sacrifice of mass at RANGO parish . No sooner had we finished the sacrifice of Mass than the procession of the Blessed Sacrament started heading to the cathedral via Huye town and St Dominic Butare University Parish.
The procession was absolutely enthralling and glorious. Different prayer intentions were being prayed for at various stations. We passed via St Dominic parish and halt at for a moment of prayer then later we proceeded our procession in prayer en route to the cathedral. Throughout the procession ,the songs of the blessed sacrament were sung in homage and adoration to the King of kings . This sacred journey was concluded by Benediction and the blessing in the cathedral.
On Sunday 8th Dec, 2024 was the last day of the national Eucharistic congress we had the concluding Mass which was celebrated by Bishop Vincent HAROLIMANA the Bishop of Ruhengeri diocese. It was of great blessing to be with the Apostolic Nuncio in Rwanda Bishop Arnaldo Sachez CATALAN all the Bishops of different dioceses in Rwanda and many priests from whole over the country.
Bishop Anaclet MWUMVANEZA the Bishop of Nyundo Diocese in his homily being the second Sunday of Advent he reminded us that we cannot attain hope ,fraternity, and peace as the major theme of the congress without repentance ,sacrifice , and love as we are preparing for the birth of our Saviour Jesus.
After the sacrifice of Mass we received different messages from different people. Bishop Vincent HAROLIMANA in his communication he reminded us that as Christians we should know that the catholic church lives by the holy Eucharist therefore we should all deepen our love of the Eucharist. Again he requested everybody to be an ambassador of hope and peace wherever we will be, and that fraternity will save the world.
Bishop Arnaldo CATALAN the apostolic Nuncio in Rwanda said that our participation in the Holy Eucharist has no end than for us to become what we eat. By quoting the words of the Holy Father pope Francis once said that: ‘’if you are the same at the end of the Holy Mass as you were at the beginning , something is wrong” because the Eucharist as the presence of Jesus should be transforming , therefore catholics should place the Eucharist at the centre of their lives to transform their relationship with God and the neighbour.”
After mass the whole delegation from Ruhengeri were privileged to visit Nyakibanda Major Seminary which surely pleased all of us . And after that visit, we set off back to Ruhengeri with our hearts full of gratitude to God for the graces received from this second national Eucharistic congress.
All glory be to God in the highest!
Sr. M.Aurelia AZAIRWE Benebikira sisters