AFRICA/TOGO - First Eucharist in Kolowarè with about 200 people after the lockdown

Kolowaré (Agenzia Fides) - "We hadn't heard the bells of our parish ring for months", writes Father Silvano Galli, a priest of the Society for African Missions, a missionary in the St Léon IX parish of Kolowaré to Agenzia Fides, reporting the joy of the community for the resumption of liturgies and pastoral activities after the lockdown imposed for coronavirus, in compliance with precautionary measures.
"At 7am on Sunday 19, July 2020 I went to open the side door and prepared the altar, then I returned to the mission to look for water, wine, hosts, missals. Around 7.30am some children joined me to fill the containers with water to wash their hands and to place them in front of the church, under the supervision of the president of the parish council".
The missionary tells Fides with emotion of how, little by little, he saw the faithful arrive. "about 200 people joined the mass, all with face masks, they all washed their hands, before being accompanied to church". "The Mass - continues Fr. Silvano - was accompanied by our choir and lasted just over an hour. During the homily I focused on the patience and magnanimity of God, who waits, forgives, accompanies, regenerates. I then invited all those present to thank the Lord for saving our country, and our village, from the scourge of Covid, and to take the hygiene indications continually indicated by radio, television, newspapers very seriously".
"At the end of the Eucharistic celebration - concludes Fr. Galli - they told me that, while we were praying, a delegation from Sokodé arrived with representatives from the Municipality and the Diocese to check whether we had followed the rules. They filmed the exteriors with the three handwashing containers and the assembly gathered in church". (SG/AP) (Agenzia Fides, 22/07/2020)

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