ogether with the Easter Greetings of the Superior General and his Councilors, we are pleased to announce the baptisms that will be celebrated in our mission communities: to the glory of God the Father who gives life to “the royal priesthood, a people gathered in unity and in the holiness of his love” (from the Liturgy); in the Spirit of Blessed Conforti who, every Thursday, leads us to pray:
"Make their labors fruitful by your grace, defend them from all harm … and grant us the grace of participation in their labors and their merits".
AFRICA
Burundi: Almost 1500 baptisms will be celebrated: Gatumba 223, Gasura 401, Gisanze 510, Kamenge 325
Cameroon-Chad: more than 1.400 baptisms will be celebrated: Bongor 320, Gounou Gaya 300, Tagal-Djodo 300; Gobo 110, Yaoundé 90, Douala 20, Bafoussam 193, Benakuma 70
Make their labors fruitful by your grace, defend them from all harm … and grant us the grace of participation in their labors and their merits
Democratic Republic of Congo: almost 1200 young people and adults will be baptized: Ngene 100, Kitutu 240, Kavinvira, 70, Shabunda 120, Luvungi 140, Goma 70, Muhungu 162, Cahi 264.
Mozambique: about 600 people will be baptized, the great majority of them young people and adults: Dondo 217, in Chemba about 200 and another 200 in Sena: for the last two parishes we were unable to obtain precise data.
Sierra Leone: 730 adults and students will we baptized.
ASIA
Bangladesh: in compliance with current law, no adult baptisms will be celebrated.
Taiwan: During the Easter Vigil, Mr. Xiao will be baptized. In his sixties, he has decided to enter the Church after twenty years of research and study of various other religions.
Japan: the confreres will celebrate 23 baptisms.
Indonesia: 81 adult catechumens will be baptized and 73 adult converts from Protestantism will be officially received into the Catholic Church. Easter is not the only time in which baptism is celebrated in Indonesia: our confreres also celebrate the sacrament at other times, especially at Christmas, Pentecost or, in the case of adolescents, at the end of the school year.
AMERICAS
A good number of catechumens were preparing for Easter baptism during the Lenten Season in our mission communities of Southern Brazil, the Amazons, Colombia and Mexico, as well as St. Therese Chinese Parish in Chicago. As of this writing, the count was not available. But we thank God for the many who have walked this journey of new Light in Christ, and all the communities, God-parents and catechists who supported them. May the Risen Lord be always with us! Alleluia.
(From Xaverian News)