Vatican City, 09 October, 2019 / 9:23 pm (ACI Africa).
As part of the activities to celebrate the Extraordinary Missionary Month of October 2019 (EMMOCT2019) announced by Pope Francis, the global Catholic community was expected to take part in the “international rosary” convened at St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome on Monday, October 7 at 3 p.m. (local time). Catholics from a number of African countries who traveled to Rome to be part of the group leading the worldwide reciting of the Holy Rosary have shared with ACI Africa their impressions.
“What impressed me the most was the oneness of the Catholic Church because we could pray the rosary together even if the languages were different,” Lesotho’s Radio Maria Director, Fr. Charles Matsoso has said.
“I was very impressed by people coming from all over the world and though speaking different languages we could all sing songs of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” Tanzania-based Director of Radio Mbiu in Bukoba, Fr. Deodatus Katunzi has shared.
Echoing Fr. Katunzi’s sentiments about the linguistic diversity of those who recited the Holy Rosary from St. Mary Major Basilica, Humphrey Julius Kira who heads Radio Maria Tanzania has shared, “I myself was emotional to see the big number of people praying in different languages and all praying for the missionaries.”
On his part, the Director of Radio Maria DR Congo, Fr. Roger Wawa has highlighted the significance of the “international rosary” in the context of EMMOCT2019 saying, “It was a question of bringing together more than 10 million people at the same time so that we can pray to the Lord through the intercession of his mother so that the mission of the church can bear the expected fruits.”
