by ANB-BIA, Brussels, March 1998
Part 1/3: I. Political History - Part 3/3: III. A Church in agony
Following various attempts, the Church was finally established in Burundi in 1898.
Other dioceses are established:
In the beginning, things weren't easy. We've already mentioned that first attempts at establishing the Church met with little success, mainly because of hostility from the Arab slave traders. Three missionaries were killed at Rumonge.
Even when the missionaries were able to settle down, the work spread very slowly. However, when Monsignor Gerboin, the Provicar Apostolic of Unyanyembe died in 1912 (14 years after the first Mission had been established), 2,865 people had already been baptised. Hostility towards the Christians gradually diminished and prejudices disappeared.
Under Bishop Gorju's administration, the Church made great progress. When he took over in 1922, there were less than 15,000 Christians. When he handed over to his successor in 1936, Burundi had more than 250,000 Christians. A Junior Seminary and a Sister's novitiate had been opened, outstations established and a vast number of catechists trained. There were also many schools. The formerly hostile chiefs were now beginning to join the Church en masse.
From the time of Bishop Grauls onwards, the Church was firmly established. By 1959, when the hierarchy was established, there were more than 1,340,000 Catholics (out of an estimated total population of nearly 2,400,000) - so nearly half of Burundi was Catholic. In 1988, there were nearly 3,000,000 Catholics - more than 60% of the population.
A tremendous effort was made, so that those preparing for baptism could understand and appreciate their Faith. They followed a four- year catechumenate before being baptised. Problems arose after baptism because of the shortage of priests. How was their Christian life to be sustained and strengthened? Because of the sheer number of Christians, it was impossible to provide a pastoral strategy designed to help the individual. So it came about that the second and third generation of Christians were certainly not so well trained as their forerunners in the Faith.
Much of the pastoral work was undertaken by the laity, especially the catechists and church leaders in each parish, who were placed in charge of the daily Christian life of the Christians living in their area.
From the earliest days, the missionaries had at heart the training of a local clergy. By 1912, a number of boys were studying for the priesthood at Ushirombo (in present-day Tanzania) Junior Seminary. Then they were sent to complete their training to Rwanda. Burundi's own Junior Seminary was founded at Mugera. Burundi's first Senior Seminary was founded in 1951, at Burasira.
On 19 December 1925, the first two Burundian priests were ordained. In 1962, the year of Independence, there were 79 Burundian priests. Today, there are nearly 250.
The first Burundian Bishop was Bishop Ntuyahaga. In 1959 he was appointed to the Diocese of Bujumbura. Since 1974, all of Burundi's bishops are Burundian.
And what about the Religious? Let's take a look at the Sisters, first of all. The Bene-Terezia Congregation was founded in 1931, with the opening of its own Novitiate. Two years later, the first five Sisters took Temporary Vows. The Congregation became antonymous in 1954. In 1988, there were 372 professed Sisters, and today the Bene-Terezia are sending missionaries to other countries - Tanzania, Chad and Cameroon. Other Congregations were founded at later dates: the Bene-Maria (1955) and the Bene-Marta (1957).
A Congregation of Religious Brothers, the Bene-Yozefu Brothers, opened their postulate in 1944.
The Church in Burundi has always taken an active interest in Education. Even in the earliest days, a major effort was made to teach young people to read. Eventually, a few schools were founded. In 1928, the Colonial government entrusted the Church with organising the school system. For thirty years, the Church had complete charge of all primary and secondary schools. It was only in the 1950s that state-run schools were established.
During this time, not everybody could get to a school, but efforts were made to teach people to read and write, first of all whenever people gathered together as catechumens, and then in literacy centres called "Yaga Mukama". These had an enormous success. In 1986, when these centres were finally closed down by President Bagaza, there were 300,000 people following courses in these centres - practically as many as the number of pupils in schools.
The Church was especially involved in health-care work. Many hospitals were founded, likewise dispensaries, health centres and more specialised health-care centres for lepers. The Church also took an active interest in Credit Unions and trade unions. Also in media work, publishing (in French), the weekly Temps Nouveaux and in Kirundi, Ndongozi.
Thus the Church took root in Burundi.
END of PART 2/3
Part 1/3: I. Political History - Part 3/3: III. A Church in agony
PeaceLink 1998 - Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgement