Desires for a new Burundi

10^th Anniversary of the Rosary Campaign in Burundi - Celebrations of peace, priestly ordinations, and more, and more pilgrims

Isidor, de Kenia (a la derecha) y un hombre del Congo llevan la Peregrina Isidor, from Kenya, and a gentleman from Congo carrying the Pilgrim MTA. Isidor aus Kenia(rechts) und ein Mann vom Kongo tragen die Pilgermutter.
El arzobispo de Bujumbura saluda al Padre Simón, de Kenia, antes de la Santa Misa en Gikungu, Bujumbura The archbishop greet Fr. Simon from Kenya before the Holy Mass at Gikungu, Bujumbura Der Erzbischof von Bujumbura begrüßt Pfarrer Simon aus Kenia vor der Heiligen Messe in Gikungu, Bujumbura
Procesión de entrada Entrance procession Einzug des Erzbischofs
Jacky, de Kenia (a la derecha) y la Sra. Gaudence, de Burundi, ofrecen a laVirgen Peregrina un gran ramo de flores en agradecimiento. Jacky, from Kenya (r.), and Mrs. Gaudence, Burundi, offering a big bouquet of flowers to the Pilgrim MTA Jacky aus Kenya (rechts) und Frau Gaudence aus Burundi  bringen der Pilgermutter ein großes Blumengesteck zum Dank
Los peregrinos de Kenia ofrecen a la Peregrina la bandera de su país. The pilgrims from Kenya offering their National flag to the Pilgrim MTA Die Wallfahrer von Kenia bringen der Pilgermutter ihre Nationalfahne Fotos: Sr. Lisette Seitzer © 2007

BURUNDI, Father Paul Zingg. Once a year on the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady, the Pilgrim MTA , la Vierge pelerine, visits Mount Zion Gikungu. Hundreds of missionaries from the Rosary Campaign arrived at the Shrine of the Mother Thrice Admirable of Schoenstatt with their Pilgrim MTAs. There they prayed, celebrated, and were sent forth renewed for this very fruitful apostolate in Burundi, Rwanda and the Congo.

This year, for the first time, a delegation from Kenya participated in the celebration. Accompanied by Sister M. Joanne, from South Africa, and two priests also from Kenya, there were twenty people altogether who were welcomed with a great deal of applause at the very large Holy Mass. At Mass, they presented the flag from their country, and sang energetically. Many of them spent the night close to the Shrine.

The participation of the faithful in this large celebration was impressive. The Pilgrims’ Church was already filled to capacity during the Vigil, and there were also people on the staircase that surrounds the church. The celebration began with a solemn Eucharist which lasted more than three hours. The procession with the Blessed Sacrament after communion was especially stirring. The Blessed Sacrament was taken amid the lines of the faithful, who sang and applauded. Then there was a procession with candles to the illuminated Shrine where the Blessed Mother was venerated like a queen during a ceremony full of symbolism. Many people remained near the Shrine, which was beautifully decorated with flowers and blue ribbons, to pray throughout the night. Prior to Holy Mass, long lines formed in front of the tent where the Sacrament of Reconciliation was offered.

Forgiveness and a new beginning

Very early on the day of the celebration, the Shrine was full of people who were there to pray, and more and more pilgrims were arriving at Mount Zion. Archbishop Evariste Ngoyagoye of Bujumbura presided at Mass, which began at 9:30 a.m. Concelebrating at the altar with the Archbishop were fourteen priests and three deacons. Meanwhile the place was overflowing as one person after another kept arriving until there were over twelve thousand people! After the initial welcome by the rector of the Shrine, Father Deogratias Maruhukiro, there was a touching penitential ceremony in which a woman, a young person, and a man asked forgiveness from God in the name of all those present for all the misdeeds committed during the last war as well as for personal sins. A new flag was raised over the national flag that was dirty and torn, as an expression of the desire for a new Burundi. Many gifts were presented at the altar symbolizing the food that the families of the Campaign had brought for the prisoners of war in Bujumbura and Gitega. The Blessed Mother received a scepter, and the rector placed a crown of flowers on the large picture of the Blessed Mother.

Queen of peace and of reconciliation

Two main choirs of Mount Zion actively provided music for the Eucharist. The Mass lasted about four hours. During his homily, the Archbishop exhorted everyone to strive for unity and to make a commitment in daily life to be apostles of reconciliation and of peace. At the end of the Mass, all the pilgrims proceeded to the Shrine along with some high level politicians. They greeted the Blessed Mother again, and they prayed for peace. The Archbishop sent the missionaries of the Pilgrim MTA forth once again with a solemn blessing. Kneeling, a woman venerated the Blessed Mother with the Hymn of the Queen of Heaven, which she had composed. The drummers also proclaimed their veneration with their beat of their drums and their dancing.

It was a very profound celebration that stimulated the pilgrims to make the commitment to work for a renewed Burundi, and to prepare them to crown the Blessed Mother as Queen of Peace and of Reconciliation in the year 2009.

Children of Mary

The great events continued…on August 19^th, there was a celebration of peace and of reconciliation in the Shrine followed by the ordinations of three new Schoenstatt Fathers. Also present at this event was Cardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz from Santiago de Chile. He is also a Schoenstatt Father.

However, the greatest things are perhaps the things that are hidden. Father Deogratias Marahukiro wants to write a short article about the pearls on the crown of the Blessed Mother representing the street children, who I was told are no longer street children; rather they are children of Mary. In preparation for the August 15^th celebration, I made a retreat with the street children and they told me that they have a new name: they are the children of Mary. There are so many beautiful stories!

Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA /amj