Fr. Louis Birabaluge sx
I am Fr. Louis BIRABALUGE, born in DRCongo (archdiocese of Bukavu). I studied in a secondary school run by religious, the Fathers Barnabites. I spent six years of secondary school in their boarding house. My wish to become a religious and missionary began there. I was impressed by the kindness and the zeal of those priests in their pastoral work. They really dedicated themselves to give us a deep and solid religious and human education.
I came to know the xaverian missionaries because the priest in charge of our boarding house used to go and borrow new films from Xaverians. I was curious to meet one day that congregation which seemed to me an “updated congregation”. Later, when I finished the secondary school, xaverian missionaries were well known in our region because of their closeness to Congolese people, particularly during the difficult time of war (1994-2004). Considering my own experience, I see that I haven’t known Xaverian missionaries because of what they were preaching each Sunday in the church, but because of their witness, their solidarity! So, the xaverian style of life in Congo has been for me a good and strong way of vocation animation.
In 2006, I was assigned to Cameroun in our international theologate of Yaoundé. I stayed there four beautiful years, experiencing the congregation as a real international family. The community of Yaoundé has been for me a school of intercultural and international religious life. I’ve learnt that when each of us tries to humble himself, to be patient in understanding and welcoming the culture of other confreres, at last we discover that our differences are not obstacles in our community life, but richnesses in the mission field.
After my experience in Yaoundé, it became clear to me that my missionary vocation as a xaverian should be fulfilled in one of our missions in Africa. I spent a pastoral year in our parish Saint’s Bernard, in Kinshasa; two years at The Catholic university of Paris, where I completed my studies in Dogmatic and Fundamental theology, with specialization in Liturgy and Politics in African context; and one year in London to learn a little bit English, before to come in Sierra Leone.
My first impression here is a great admiration when I see and hear about what our confreres have done in this country. Their great pastoral work proves that even through our human failures the Spirit of God continues to bring up the Kingdom of God. One of my challenges now is to put out off my mind the Congolese context where Christians are majority. I have to learn how to live in and with minority Christian communities.
The Gospel is for all missionaries “The program”. Though, I always add to my mission program the meaning of my name: Bira-baluge. In my language (Mashi), Bira, means friends, baluge, expresses a positive wish of being or having. Therefore, the whole meaning of my name is: “May you be friend to many people”. I do strongly believe that friendship is a main way of meeting with Jesus, who calls us “his friends” (Jn 15, 15). It’s also a good way of being his witness among those who do not know him. May the spirit of Go help me to fulfill this mission program which was providential traced for me by my parents when they gave me this beautiful name: Birabaluge. I wish to be a friend of confreres and all people I will meet, during my stay here in Sierra Leone.
I am Fr. Louis BIRABALUGE, born in DRCongo (archdiocese of Bukavu). I studied in a secondary school run by religious, the Fathers Barnabites. I spent six years of secondary school in their boarding house. My wish to become a religious and missionary began there. I was impressed by the kindness and the zeal of those priests in their pastoral work. They really dedicated themselves to give us a deep and solid religious and human education.
I came to know the xaverian missionaries because the priest in charge of our boarding house used to go and borrow new films from Xaverians. I was curious to meet one day that congregation which seemed to me an “updated congregation”. Later, when I finished the secondary school, xaverian missionaries were well known in our region because of their closeness to Congolese people, particularly during the difficult time of war (1994-2004). Considering my own experience, I see that I haven’t known Xaverian missionaries because of what they were preaching each Sunday in the church, but because of their witness, their solidarity! So, the xaverian style of life in Congo has been for me a good and strong way of vocation animation.
In 2006, I was assigned to Cameroun in our international theologate of Yaoundé. I stayed there four beautiful years, experiencing the congregation as a real international family. The community of Yaoundé has been for me a school of intercultural and international religious life. I’ve learnt that when each of us tries to humble himself, to be patient in understanding and welcoming the culture of other confreres, at last we discover that our differences are not obstacles in our community life, but richnesses in the mission field.
After my experience in Yaoundé, it became clear to me that my missionary vocation as a xaverian should be fulfilled in one of our missions in Africa. I spent a pastoral year in our parish Saint’s Bernard, in Kinshasa; two years at The Catholic university of Paris, where I completed my studies in Dogmatic and Fundamental theology, with specialization in Liturgy and Politics in African context; and one year in London to learn a little bit English, before to come in Sierra Leone.
My first impression here is a great admiration when I see and hear about what our confreres have done in this country. Their great pastoral work proves that even through our human failures the Spirit of God continues to bring up the Kingdom of God. One of my challenges now is to put out off my mind the Congolese context where Christians are majority. I have to learn how to live in and with minority Christian communities.
The Gospel is for all missionaries “The program”. Though, I always add to my mission program the meaning of my name: Bira-baluge. In my language (Mashi), Bira, means friends, baluge, expresses a positive wish of being or having. Therefore, the whole meaning of my name is: “May you be friend to many people”. I do strongly believe that friendship is a main way of meeting with Jesus, who calls us “his friends” (Jn 15, 15). It’s also a good way of being his witness among those who do not know him. May the spirit of Go help me to fulfill this mission program which was providential traced for me by my parents when they gave me this beautiful name: Birabaluge. I wish to be a friend of confreres and all people I will meet, during my stay here in Sierra Leone.