he Church of Bukavu, in east Democratic Republic of Congo, is mourning two great losses. This morning, shortly before dawn,
Father Simone Vavassori, regional superior of the Xaverian Missionaries in ex Zaire, died in the local hospital. The cause of death was a stroke suffered by the missionary yesterday evening at around 6:30p.m., after which he never regained conscience. Fr.
Vavassori, originally from Treascore Balneario (Bergamo, Italy), was 67-yar-old and was in Congo since 1972.
A few hours after the death of the Xaverian, the community of Bukavu learned of the death of Monsignor Pirigisha Mukombe Timothee, 84-years-old, originally from this city and third Bishop of Kasongo from 1967 to 1990; since that year Monsignor Pirigisha had retired in Bukavu, his diocese of origin, where for years, health permitting, he continues his religious ministry.
His openness and patience permitted him to run anywhere needed to support the missionaries and missionary sisters, despite the difficulties of the trips on the roads of Congo, the dangers, the little necessary ‘help’ to overcome the blocks and barriers.
Fr. Vavassori was a top figure in the local Church, particularly in these years of war and sufferance. For 15 years Regional Superior of the Xaverians (currently around 50 missionaries of this congregation work in the diocese of Bukavu, Uvira, Goma, Kasongo and Kinshasa), his confreres remember him as a “humble, discrete, but fundamental protagonist of the ecclesiastic events of the past years”.
In 1946, at the age of 10 he entered the Xaverian seminary of Pedrendo, in the Bergamo province (Italy) and was ordained priest in 1961. After completing his studies in theology and working for nine years as former of young missionary students, in 1972 he departed for Congo, where he headed various missions in the diocese of Uvira (in Kiliba, Luvungi and Mwenga) and Kasongo (in Kakutya between 1990 and 91). He served as Regional Superior for 15 years, from 1982 to 1989; then from 1996 to his death.
“With great courage, as well as great humility, simplicity, equilibrium and wisdom he was able to keep united the Xaverian communities, help the numerous male and female religious communities of Bukavu and the local priests would turn to him”, commented
Father Rino Benzoni, general Superior of the Xaverians. He was considered by all the right person in such a turbulent period in the history of the nation.
“His openness and patience permitted him to run anywhere needed to support the missionaries and missionary sisters, despite the difficulties of the trips on the roads of Congo, the dangers, the little necessary ‘help’ to overcome the blocks and barriers” of the various rebel groups, they commented about him. He continued to regularly visit the mission of Bunyakiri, around 60km from Bukavu, a zone controlled by the Mayi-Mayi militias, a location where no one else dares venture.
On return from these risky trips he would often write to the Superior General: “Also this time the guardian angel has protected us!”, also defining the sufferance he witnessed and expressing his feeling of impotence before what these people re baring. When he was forming novices in Panzi, for example, he organized on the grounds of the house assistance for thousands of Rwandan refugees, showing particular attention for the families of his Congolese confreres. By his own express will, accepted by his family, his body will remain in Congo.
By will of the Bishop of Bukavu and the Xaverians, the two bodies will be exposed for a final farewell in the Cathedral of Bukavu starting tomorrow morning and Thursday the funerals will be celebrated in a single ceremony, at 10:00a.m., always in the Cathedral. They will then be buried in the small cemetery adjoined to the Xaverian formation house in the location of Panzi, where various missionaries of the same congregation were laid to rest.
(From MISNA)