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In this year of Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, from 9 to 15 September 2016, was held in Kigali, at the Kabuga Divine Mercy Sanctuary, the 3^rd Congress of Africa and Madagascar on Divine Mercy under the theme: « Divine Mercy: Source of hope for the New Evangelization in Africa. » Five hundred and seventy nine (579) people from 24 countries participated, namely Rwanda, Poland, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Uganda, Cameroon, Kenya, Togo, France, Burundi, Sierra Leone, Zambia, Gabon, Tanzania, South Sudan, Benin, Malawi, Ivory Coast, Belgium, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Guiney Conakry, Mali and Nigeria.

Supported by Divine Mercy and accompanied by His Holiness Pope Francis, represented by His Eminence Laurent Cardinal MONSENGWO PASINYA, Metropolitan Archbishop of Kinshasa, surrounded by his Eminence Robert Cardinal SARAH, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of Sacraments, his Eminence Philippe Cardinal OUEDRAOGO, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Ouagadougou, 20 bishops and over 120 priests, Rwanda has lived a favorable time of Divine Mercy.

The Congress program was made of conferences, the Eucharist, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Confession, the Hour of Mercy, the show around the Parable of the Good Samaritan, the popular missions in places of misery, the act of consecration of Africa to Divine Mercy and the pilgrimage to Kibeho.

The main theme of the Congress was developed around three chapters: the doctrinal foundation, the burning challenges of the African society and the Divine Mercy as source of hope for the New Evangelization in Africa.

The very competent speakers have made it clear that:

• The Divine Mercy is the central theme in the Bible that expresses the identity and nature of God.
• Teaching on Divine Mercy draws from the source of the Tradition, the Magisterium of the Church and the witness of the lives of saints.
• Despite the countless challenges that the world is facing and Africa in particular, the Divine Mercy is the source of justice, peace, reconciliation, dialogue and inner healing, and it is the source of hope and happiness for human beings.
• The Family, which is the Divine Mercy’s home is undermined and threatened by globalization and its effects.

This Congress did not limit itself to challenges of time, but has tried to suggest some big orientations for the New Evangelization, that can be resumed in:

• Deepening the knowledge about the Divine Mercy through the Sacred Scriptures, teaching of the Magisterium and testimony of the saints.
• Spreading the Divine Mercy message wherever it is not yet known to counteract the problems that Africa is facing.
• Making an effort in doing corporal and spiritual Mercy acts, to relieve the misery of our neighbors and witness the merciful love of God.
• Joining forces to defend the family and publicly fight against the deadly ideologies that destroy family values, even if it may be costly or have serious consequences.

At the end of the Congress some recommendations were addressed to the pastors of the Church in Africa and to the Congress organizers to:

 Avail the documentation on the Divine Mercy and the Social Doctrine of the Church accessible to the believers and if possible in their local languages.

• Strengthen family ministry at all levels, aiming at having proximity pastoral.
• Increase efforts so that ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue initiatives go down to the base.
• To help the believers to deepen the theme of the liturgy and the sacraments as channels of Divine Mercy.
• Establish and strengthen financial solidarity associations where the poor receive unsecured bank loans.
• Support for youth and children camps to tell them about Divine Mercy at early age.
• Publish as soon as possible the works of this 3rd Congress on Divine Mercy to allow participants to go deep on discussed themes.

This Congress is a decisive step of our churches in Africa and Madagascar in their willingness to face with insight pastoral, economic, cultural and ethical challenges, from a point of view of the New Evangelization. The act of consecration of Africa to the Divine Mercy pronounced in four languages and signed by the Special Envoy of the Holy Father, his Eminence Laurent Cardinal MONSENGWO PASINYA is a sign of trust that together as one the Church of Christ in Africa can give new signs of hope. All the Congress participants, bearing the light of Christ, the image of Mercy, and the prayer of consecration of Africa to the Divine Mercy, were sent in mission to be the bearers of hope among their brothers and sisters. They have taken each one his way back, in joy and convinced that “From this ocean of mercy, graces will spread over the whole world” (Diary 1777).

Father Stanislas Filipek, sac

Congress Coordinator

The Holy Father, Pope Francis appointed Cardinal Pasinya Laurent Monsengwo, the Archbishop of Kinshasa (DRC), as his special envoy to the Third Congress for Africa and Madagascar on Divine Mercy (AMACOM), which has been held in Kigali (Rwanda) from 9 September to 15 September 2016. Below some photos taken during this Congress.

The Pan-African Congress on the Divine Mercy that held in Kabuga closed notably this Wednesday September 14, 2016, during a solemn Mass presided by the special messenger of pope François, the Cardinal Laurent MONSENGWO, archbishop of Kinshasa, in presence of 2 other cardinals, Robert SARAH of Rome and Philippe OUEDRAOGO-Archbishop of Ouagadougou, but also in presence of about twenty bishops and more than about hundred priests.

On this occasion, the African Continent has been dedicated to the Divine Mercy, and all participants at a congress have been sent toward all horizons as messengers of the divine Mercy.
The pope granted the plenary indulgence to the participants at this congress and to all those that participated in the closing Mass.
This congress has been followed by more of 500 Christian Catholics, who listened to about ten talks, but also of the testimonies in relation with the Divine Mercy.

This September 15, 2015 all these participants at the congress will go to Kibeho, south of Rwanda and place of apparition of Our Lady – Mother of the Verb, for a pilgrimage and a Mass of Our Lady of the Pains, presided by the cardinal Philippe Ouedraogo. They also will follow a conference on the theme: « Marie Mother of Mercy for the new times ».

As It remains only some days before the opening of the Congress on the Divine Mercy, its Sanctuary in Kabuga informs all the participants about arrangements to take and the opportunities during this big event. Below is the content of the letter:

« Kabuga, August 15, 2016

To all participants to the Congress,

Dear friends in our Lord Jesus Christ, the incarnate Mercy of the Father,

We are  approaching the date of the opening of the Africa / Madagascar Congress on Divine Mercy to be held at the Kabuga, Shrine of Divine Mercy Sanctuary, in Kabuga parish, Archdiocese of Kigali, Rwanda from September 9 to 15, 2016. You have been registered to take part and we thank you for the trust you place in us.

Dear friends, now you’re probably asking yourself this question: « In what the Congress will be helpful to me?” In fact, the Congress is a one week gathering of a variety of people from different origins in Africa and Madagascar. It is a gathering of a variety of peoples, languages, races and cultures in order to experience together the communion of believers who trust in the Divine Mercy. The Congress is therefore a time of grace to better discover the depth of the goodness and mercy of God. Also, this Congress is a time of theological reflection on the theme « DIVINE MERCY: SOURCE OF HOPE FOR NEW EVANGELISATION IN AFRICA« . Therefore, it is a time to train us to be merciful as our heavenly Father (Luke 6:36). However, to better enjoy it, good preparation is required.

I. How to prepare to better live this Congress?

a) Enter deeper into the mystery of Divine Mercy

We are going to live this ecclesial event, during a year of grace, a jubilee year of mercy. As indicated by Pope Francis, this extraordinary Jubilee mercy must be a favorable opportunity to  » to gaze even more attentively on mercy, so that we may become a more effective sign of the Father’s action in our lives, and to experience God’s love which comforts, forgives, and gives hope « (Pope Francis, Misercordiae Vultus, No. 3).

To fetch from the source of God’s Mercy, we invite you to enter more deeply into the mystery of Divine Mercy. The more we discover that Jesus reveals God’s mercy, the more we love our brothers and sisters, and so we have the desire to proclaim the Divine Mercy around us. This experience of being touched by Mercy has changed the lives of so many men and women. We will have the opportunity to listen to some testimonies.

b) Receive Mercy

To prepare for this week of grace and receive a plenary indulgence:

• Be guided by the Holy Spirit and, before the Congress, welcome his Mercy in the sacrament of reconciliation (penance), in the Eucharistic celebration and in prayer at the Hour of Mercy.
• We invite you to join, as much as possible, with us in prayer of a Novena, which started from January to September at 9: p.m, and which will continue again from September 1 to 9, 2016. The text of this Novena is annexed.
• Let yourself be upset by the distress of another, following the example of the Good Samaritan to become in your turn apostles of Mercy in action. It is said in the Scriptures: « Blessed are the Merciful » Mt 5.7. On September 13, we will have the opportunity to visit the sick, the disabled, prisoners, orphans and other distress. We can prepare ourselves in order to make a concrete act of mercy.

II. The confirmation of your participation

a) To facilitate the organization of the Congress, please ensure that you have received from us the confirmation of your registration. This is conditioned by the payment of registration expenses. When your registration is in order, we will give you other necessary information (accommodation, venue of the Congress). We are organizing the means of travel between the place of accommodation and the venue of the Congress.

b) If you should follow a diet, let us know it before.

c) The date of September 9, 2016 is reserved to welcome you. So, you are all invited to inform us on the mean of travel, the date and time of arrival so that we may know where to accommodate you.

d) While preparing your trip, please bring with you a few significant objects of your country: Remember to bring with you the flag which will be raised to represent your group to come to the Congress; an object which carries the meaning of your country that you would like to offer during the procession of the gifts during the Congress closing Mass on September 14, with a small comment or prayer that accompanies it. Please send this comment by email, as soon as possible, at the latest on 3 September.

e) We invite you to share your experience of Mercy as an individual or as a group. Share us this experience in writing. Some testimonies may be given in the groups, in different languages.

III. The proceedings of the Congress:

a) From September 10 to 14 at 7:00 a.m, every morning we organize the transport of participants by a bus that will take you from a specified location to the Congress venue at Kabuga.

b) We will gather together at Kabuga at the Shrine of the Divine Mercy, from 8:00 am to 6:00 p.m. We start the day with a community prayer followed by conferences, the Eucharist, the dinner, the Hour of Mercy, group works or missions among people in distress to make an act of mercy.

c) At the end of the day, it is expected to return to the places of accommodation where meals are provided morning and evening.

d) On September 11, we will participate in the Eucharist in a parish in Kigali, The « Regina Pacis » Parish. In the afternoon at Kabuga is planned a concert and a show around the parable of the Good Samaritan, followed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

e) On the night of September 13 to 14, there will be a vigil (all night) open to all. The closing of the Congress will be on September 14, with a solemn Mass, open to all and chaired by the Special Envoy of the Holy Father in the person of Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo, Archbishop of Kinshasa. The afternoon is free to visit friends or Kigali.

f) On September 15, 2016 at the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows we will all do a pilgrimage to Kibeho, site of the apparitions of Our Lady – Mother of the Word. At 6:00 a.m – departure from Kigali to the Marian Shrine of Kibeho (10:15 Talk: Mary Mother of Mercy for the new times, by Father Marie-Michel; 11:00: Mass of Our Lady of Sorrows in Kibeho; at 2:00 p.m return to Kigali and possibility of departures during the night. You will receive further program details for your arrival.

Dear Friends of the Divine Mercy, preparing ourselves to live together this ecclesial event in Rwanda, to know each other and to more love each other, to carry one another to the fountains of Mercy, let us be inspired by the Word of Jesus to Sister Saint Faustina: « Know, my daughter, that my heart is full of mercy. From this ocean of mercy, grace spread over the world. There is no soul that approached me, and left without consolation. Any misery disappears in my mercy, and every grace flows from this source.  »

Hoping to receive your information very soon, we assure you of our union in prayer. At the Shrine of Kabuga, from September 1 to 9 at 3:30 p.m, we will celebrate the Holy Eucharist to the intention of the Congress, of those who support us and of those who will participate. May God rich in mercy bless you! »