This Saturday, March 8, 2025, the Salesians of Don Bosco working in Rwanda met at the scholasticate of KABGAYI for the trimonthly recollection. It was led by Father Jean Claude ASIFIWE. The main theme was “Don Bosco, Man of Hope”.
In the first session, the speaker of the day showed the difficulties and challenges of Don Bosco from his young age: family problems, lack of financial means, conflicts with the civil and ecclesial authorities. Nevertheless, Don Bosco was animated by hope even though he was overwhelmed by these difficulties. Fr Jean Claude urged the Salesians present to take him as a model, by raising their eyes to heaven, to become men of prayer and hope despite the difficulties they are going through.
In the second session, he focused on the pastoral dimension by showing how Don Bosco was a magnet for young people: he attracted them to Christ, always surrounded by them, made young people apostles of other young people. He was extraordinary, he edified them, did good to anyone, always anchored in hope. He reminded the Salesians present that the ground of his hope was pastoral charity.
Between these two sessions, the Eucharistic celebration was presided over by Father Jacques Verheyden, giving thanks for his recovery after the heart operation in October 2024. It is indeed right and just to give thanks to the Lord and to the doctors. He also extended his thanks to the confreres for their prayers and closeness. It was also an opportunity to pray for the healing of Pope Francis, for peace in North and South Kivu in the DRC, especially for the people on site, our confreres and their families; he mentioned among them the families of Father Jean Pierre Turabanye and Father Raphaël Katanga.
In his homily, based on the texts of the day (Is 58:9-14 and Lk 5:27-32), he reminded them that Lent is a time of conversion, not only bodily discipline but also charity, as the prophet Isaiah says. In the Gospel, he elaborated on Jesus’ choice that was contrary to the criteria habitually used for those who were likely to become his disciples: he chose Levi, the one who was considered a great thief. Even in our days some pastors take care mostly of those flock who are “good” Christians, neglecting the marginalized. He recalled Jesus own words “that it is not the healthy who need doctors”. He invited the audience to practice the compassion and love of God shown by Jesus.
The day of recollection was closed by the recitation of the rosary and the evening talk of Father Léon Panhuysen, who had been asked by the Provincial Vicar to share his missionary vocation. Father Léon started by recalling the three jubilees of 2025, jubilee in the Church : 2025 years since Jesus Christ; 125 years of the mission in Rwanda and the 150th anniversary since Don Bosco sent the first missionaries to Argentina.
As a missionary in the AGL Province, Fr Léon expressed his joy: how daring Don Bosco was to send his first missionaries to South America; today the Salesians are present in 139 countries. He recalled that every Christian is a missionary by baptism and that all Salesians wherever they are, are missionaries of the young people. In his 63 years of missionary life, he can sing Psalm 89 (90), 10: Seventy years is the span of our days or eighty if we are strong. And most of these are toil and pain. They pass swiftly and we are gone; despite the difficulties of all kinds (war….) he experienced in Congo during his practical training. And now : the young AGL province is sending missionaries to other countries itself.
Brother MINANI Laurent, SDB
