The date of ordination was on 30th May, 2015. Man’s being in the world is a being through others, so also his achievements come about through and with others. It started to be much felt in afternoon of the previous day where by most of the people coming from far were arriving at Magarama Parish in the archdiocese of Gitega/Burundi. The vigil of ordination was already promising that the ordination will be heavily attended. Friars, other religious brothers and sisters and any other person who attended the ordination from outside Burundi had already arrived in the Fraternity. Guess what! Anyone who arrived from outside Burundi was surprised the way Gitega was secure and peaceful despite the political instability and troubles including the attempted coup d’état in the capital city Bujumbura.

By then some people who were arriving were asking whether they could see Benoit but they could not because Benoit had a recollection the whole day in Bon Pasteur (good shepherd) parish run by certain religious fathers. He was picked from there to come back in our fraternity around 7 pm. Everyone was happy which is a sign that the brothers and other people who were involved in the organization of the ordination and welcoming people had done it well. People slept and ate well. The way people around our fraternity were assisting in different areas, point to the good relationship our fraternity of Magarama has established with people around. How pleasant it is when our fraternities manage to strike a balance between the needed solitude in the fraternity and still keep a healthy relationship with people around us!

On the very day of ordination people increased because many more especially those coming from Burundi arrived on time and we attended the celebration led by the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Gitega Simon Ntamwana. He had other 3 bishops and 51 priests as concelebrants. Religious brothers and sisters were also many. The faithful of Magarama Parish and even from elsewhere, made the ordination very colorful. It is also worth noting that brothers in Magarama had a brilliant idea to invite the parents of our Burundian brothers. Most of them attended.

In the homely the bishop considering political difficulties in Burundi, exhorted people to keep together in love and always avoid whatever can hurt the neighbor. He was sounding like Albert Einstein who said “the world will not be destroyed by those who do evil but those who watch them without doing anything”. He encouraged them to vote wisely. Addressing the Deacon who was soon going to be ordained he showed how this time around, almost every country in Africa including Burundi, is still haunted by historical injustices and oppressive structures that are connected to poor political leadership.

Because a priest is sent to the people living in such condition he needs to have a clear commitment even before thinking of fidelity because a priest can only be faithful to his commitment. In swearing fidelity either to a person or to God, we do not know what future awaits us, or what kind of a person one will be tomorrow. That is why the people who took speeches especially our Vicar Provincial Matthias Kule who was in the place of the Provincial, emphasized on unceasing prayers for the priests. In order to serve better, the priest gives himself to those entrusted to his care because fidelity and faith are highly expressed in sacrifice.

Everyone who attended testifies that it was well organized. We enjoyed Burundian drums and liturgy whereby the mass started with the procession with a very long and colorful view. There was also a good dance of children as part of the liturgy. After the mass, people were happy because of the way the bishops sat for long with people during reception. Again, this reception contained enough to quench people’s hunger and thirst.

In the evening the choir that sung the ordination mass had a kind of recreation in our community. It started by re-singing some Latin songs they had used and then some warm dance which added on the happiness of the day.

The following day 31st May, 2015 at 10:30 AM was the first mass of our brother Benoit Ndayizeye. It took place in his native parish known as Giheta. By the way, this is not the first friar from this parish because even the brothers Ntahompagaze Joseph and Birushe Hermenegilde are born from there. Brother Serge Bigirimana who is in the group after Benoit in terms of joining the brothers, was also born there only that nowadays he belongs to a parish given birth by Giheta parish.

The first mass was also seriously attended by many priests, religious brothers and sisters and then the faithful of Giheta and elsewhere. The church was full of people. So, the celebration from the beginning to the end was fantastic. The way people attend our celebrations, shows how our Franciscan brothers and family are loved in the region.