Agenzia Fides

Bujumbura (Agenzia Fides) - "The celebration of the feast of St. Luke the Evangelist, coincided with the blessing of the first buildings of the Major Seminary of Saint Charles Lwanga, in the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio in Burundi, Monsignor Franco Coppola", writes don Lambert Niciteretse, Secretary General of the Episcopal Conference of Burundi to Fides. The Major Seminary is located in Kiryama, in the diocese of Bururi. This is the fourth inter-diocesan Major Seminary of Burundi, after the "Grand Séminaire Saint Pierre Claver" in Burasira, "Grand Séminaire Saint Curé d'Ars" in Bujumbura and the Seminary John Paul II in Gitega.
The Mass was presided by Archbishop Venant Bacinoni, Vice President of the Episcopal Conference of Burundi and Bishop of Bururi. The President of the Episcopal Commission for Vocations, the seminaries and novitiates, His Exc. Mgr. Bonaventure Nahimana, Bishop of Rutana, thanked the various organizations that donated funds for the construction of the new structure: the Pontifical Mission Society of St. Peter Apostle, Missio, Aid to the Church in Need, the Papal Foundation, the Episcopal Conference of the United States of America and that of Spain, and the archdiocese of Cologne.
The chapel, classrooms, the Sister’s house, the refectory, kitchen and two groups of 60 rooms have already been built. Two other groups of 60 rooms will be finished next March. The priestly and religious communities will be installed in early November in preparation for the academic year 2012-2013.
The Apostolic Nuncio underlined that the priestly and religious vocations are flourishing while the parishes are overcrowded, hence the need for a major seminary to form new priests. Mgr. Coppola noted that the donations collected for the Seminar represent the contribution of the faithful around the world who accept to donate their contribution. Addressing the Bishops of Burundi, the Nuncio urged them to send their best priests as trainers to the new seminary and to be careful in the discernment of the seminarians. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 25/10/2011)