The Shrine of our Lady of the Scapular - Amahoro.pl

It was no accident that Musongati was chosen as the venue for the main anniversary celebrations. The choice was obvious. Musongati is the first child 

of the missionary outburst. The brothers began their independent ministry in Mpinga. However, it was a mission taken over from the White Fathers, not

 created from scratch. Musongati was an integral part of the Mpinga parish. Thus, the brothers served in Musongati from the very beginning commuting

 to Musongati as one of the 11 commuting chapels. From 1974, they lived there in the created parish. Musongati was built almost from scratch, built by 

Carmel, by the Carmelite Brothers and Sisters of the Child Jesus.

The history of 50 years of Carmel's presence in Burundi is inextricably linked with this mission. Except for a 5-year banishment (1985-1990), the brothers

 have been there for 50 years. Attempts to resist the anti-church regime and attempts to defend the cross ended with the missionaries being expelled from

 the parish. The 90's was a heroic endurance in the eye of the storm. Protected by the army, they did not leave the people during the war. During 

the bloodiest period of the civil war, they welcomed into the parish thousands of refugees, military refugees.

By serving the sacraments in about 5 parishes where the local priests had to catapult by fleeing, they became an example of zealous pastors for the people.

 It is in these circumstances that the beginnings of the pilgrimage movement to the Musongati parish should be seen.

of the Queen of Apostles slowly became a place of influence of Carmelite spirituality. The first decades were marked by great efforts put into the first

evangelization - catechumenate, preparation for baptism, building infrastructure. Today, 50 years on, we are at a new stage.

 It is a time to deepen your faith. Musongati, as a model of in-depth evangelization, adopted the Marian trait with 

the mission of promoting a healthy and profound Marian devotion.

Musongati became a charismatic place during the war. When it was difficult to find priests for confession in the area, our confreres, despite the threat 

to their lives, took people to confession. They also traveled around the area looking for believers. The first pilgrims are prodigal sons who seek

forgiveness and return to the community through confession. The second factor contributing to the spread of the spirit of Musongati was the refugees 

returning to their localities. It was they who spread the news of a place like Musongati around the country, where priests hear confessions, talk about 

Mary and admit to the Scapular, and the Sisters, through the service of mercy, save people's health. The news spread across the country. The pilgrimage 

movement began to reach beyond the diocesan, regional, even nationwide range. And so began the first Friday and Saturday pilgrimages to Musongati. 

The area was fertile because Burundi learned about the Scapular in the beginning of evangelization. The White Fathers spread this devotion, 

but in the 1950s and 1960s it weakened considerably. Now is the chance for a renaissance of this centuries-old spiritual tradition.

With an expanding pilgrimage and a nascent sanctuary, this spiritual experience becomes a hub for Carmelite vocations in Burundi.

For several years now, as the Carmelite Vicariate, we have been trying to capture this charismatic event in a permanent structure. It is a service to 

perpetuate the nascent charismatic works. The nascent shrine is truly a grassroots initiative, not invented or planned by the Carmelites, but an 

expression of stubborn popular piety. Now is the time to sanction it. The bishop of the diocese blesses us.

We started with water. Not holy, but drinkable. Thanks to benefactors from the diocese of Stockholm in Sweden, the Abana Baseka Foundation and 

a family from Chicago, we managed to dig a deep well. Pilgrims have water. By the way, almost a thousand children at the parish school and fathers 

at the monastery. At dusk, pilgrims are no longer forced to discreetly look for springs of water in the forest to be able to wash themselves after a few 

days' walk. There is water in Musongati.

Last year, thanks to the help of Ad Gentes from Warsaw, a straight way of the cross was created so that pilgrims could follow the traces of the Passion 

in the church forest, starting from the feet of the persecuted cross in front of the parish church. The stations are painted by local artists which adds

 extra value to them.

There was also a figure of Saint Teresa of the Child Jesus, carved by local artists from Gitega. This is not first-class finesse, but an expression of local

 people's ability to actively participate in the creation of Catholic tradition. We want this sanctuary not to be an imported product, but the fruit of local 

sensibilities.

We want to be able to accommodate mothers with infants who travel tens of kilometers on foot for the night. Often, the all-night vigil under the cloud, 

after a several-day walk, is beyond strength. A roof over your head and a mattress are essential. What is needed is a simple dormitory with bunk beds 

for poor pilgrims. Perhaps in the future, several rooms will be needed for pilgrims who would be able to rent a room.

A conference room for pilgrimage groups also seems necessary. The parish also needs a space where it could organize large parish meetings. Let's not

forget this is a parish with 30,000 practicing Catholics.

This year, the construction of the so-called sanctuary, i.e. an extensive field altar dedicated to Our Lady of the Scapular. It is a liturgical space for Scapular

 celebrations and meetings of the Scapular Confraternities. Father Fryderyk Jaworski was appointed responsible for this great project lasting several years. 

In the next text, he will talk about the details of the above investment. Let us pray for every blessing for Him and for the openness of the hearts of many 

believers wearing the Carmelite Scapular in Poland and in the world. That the faithful in Burundi, one of the poorest countries in the world, have a chance 

to make a pilgrimage to a beautiful place where the Carmel garden will be not only a symbol but also a reality. On behalf 

of the Vicariate, I am asking you to support this major Vicariate project to date. Offerings may be submitted with the note:  SANCTUARY MUSONGATI.

We would like to thank the Mission Office for the initiative to dedicate this year's fair in Czerna for the needs of the Shrine of Our Lady of the Scapular in 

Musongati.

Queen of the Holy Scapular, pray for us!

Father Fryderyk Jaworski: mail: fryderykjaworski@hotmail.com; WhatsApp: +257 611 951 29
Information about ongoing works you will find on the website of the OCD Regional Vicariate: http://amahoro.pl/works-in-progress.html