Cardinal Michael Czerny, S.J., visit to Rwanda and Burundi

Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, traveled to Africa from July 30 to August 4, where he visited Rwanda and Burundi.

In Kigali, Cardinal Czerny delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the 20th Plenary Assembly of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), which focused on the theme: “Christ, Source of Hope, Reconciliation and Peace.”

Addressing a significant number of bishops and theologians from Africa, as well as other international Catholic Church representatives, the Prefect recalled that he had lived in Africa between 2002 and 2010 and described this visit to the continent as a “homecoming.” He emphasized the urgent need for pastoral action that integrates the Church's mission with the concrete realities facing African societies today.

During his time in Rwanda, Cardinal Czerny presided at an inspiring Mass on the Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, together with the Jesuits of the region, who inaugurated a new Province of the Society of Jesus. He also visited the Christus Social Pastoral Center and the Jesuit Urumuri Centre (JUC), a Center for Research and Social Action.

During his subsequent visit to Burundi, the Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development met with many people who were forced to flee from their countries of origin and now are living in the Cishemere Refugee Camp. There, Cardinal Czerny celebrated Mass for them and encouraged them not to lose hope:

“Being a refugee is a temporary condition, we are living this situation  at this moment, but we are children of God in time and beyond time. We have been forced to flee, yes, but God offers us a path of hope, with firm and confident steps towards a new reality of peace,” he said.