Our look “Jesus Christ and the extension of his Kingdom” Ste M.E.
The KABUYE community was founded on September 20, 1961. Since 2009 Kabuye has been home to two communities: the Saint Marie Eugénie community of elder sisters and the apostolic community of Saint Catherine of Siena.
Rooted in Christ and open to those who come to us: Our mission within the Sainte Marie Eugénie Reception and Training Center is to offer hospitality to the different groups who come for times of retreat, work meetings or training. It is achieved with a culture of proximity and solidarity which pushes us to ensure that these passages in our Center today become a place to get to know others, to weave bonds of friendship, to share talents, to walk together religious, priests and laity, to accompany people who confide in us and who remain attached to us. Our Center allows us to achieve what Marie Eugénie says: “Where we are, we must create a certain climate of simplicity and friendship which, in itself, is formative, gives rise to confidence and freedom, strengthens, puts them fearlessly at the service of others…” (1).
Sister Agnès Nyirabukeye (the manager) and Sister Donathile Marie Mukandayisenga (the manager) are actively engaged in the activities of the Center but at the same time all the sisters of the two communities remain in contact with our guests whom they meet on the paths, at the Chapel and in the corridors of the house and do not fail to speak to them, especially through their testimony of life and their welcoming spirit.
Proximity with young people: Aim to develop what they have, allow them to be agents of their own transformation and that of society.
- The Saint Alexis de Kabuye school group: For 9 years, the Archdiocese of Kigali has entrusted us with the management of this school which includes nursery, primary and secondary. The number of students varies between 2200 and 2300. As soon as we took charge of the school, we wanted to raise the discipline and intellectual levels which were visibly failing. Our concern for integral formation has led us to introduce new elements into the organization of the school such as: religion courses, preparation for the sacraments for those who wish, outings for charitable actions, masses for students and teachers, retreats for educators with the sisters in our Marie Eugénie Welcome Center. In cooperation with parents and employees, we have organized work to protect the environment and the cleanliness of the school and its surroundings. Teamwork among all teaching staff is a priority for us for better success for our students. We are witnesses to the transformation that continues to take place among our students, in the school and in the community. Our sister Colette has been the director of the school since it was entrusted to us.
- The Assumption Kabuye Trades Center and the artistic workshop: We provide training for young people who have not been able to continue their studies due to various forms of poverty. These are young people from the community and those who are given to us by AEE (African Evangelistic Enterprise) RWANDA which has a project to support young people who have dropped out of school including street children, young prostituted girls from the city of Kigali as well as single mothers. In our work, we go beyond learning trades in order to promote transformative experiences for ourselves and for these young people. It’s about letting go of our prejudices, especially about prostitutes, street children, single mothers. We train ourselves to borrow God's own gaze to arrive at what Saint Marie Eugénie said: “We can welcome the other in their essential beauty, in their mystery, without wanting to control or determine them. Thus, we gradually transform ourselves into the image of God, so that, alongside us, all can find a space to be what they are, and so that together we can be reconciled humanity.”(2) Listening , the accompaniment and interiority workshops initiated by Sister Anna Gallastegi from the province of Spain who was passing through our province, allowed a good number to come out of their anguish and shed the weight of their sad story, join their true desire and discern the direction of their life. In many cases it is necessary to reconcile with oneself, with God and with society to recognize oneself as unique and precious in the eyes of God, and to open oneself to a better future. The fruits are seen in the change in behavior, the improvement in their living conditions, the ability to form small cooperatives and to allow other young people to benefit from their training, commitment within the Church and society. Sister Marie Agathe coordinates the activities of the center, assisted by Sister Marie Jeanne d’Arc.
Committed to pastoral care through the training of pastoral agents: The parish of Kabuye has 59 catechists and 89 basic ecclesial communities. The training concerns catechists, leaders of basic ecclesial communities, and teachers who give religion courses. We provide training on catechetical methodology and initiation to the Bible. We offer personalized catechesis to adults who are preparing to receive the sacraments or on the path to regularizing their marriage. Our Sister Annonciata actively devotes herself to this mission in the parish and on the ground.
“Reaffirming our educational charism in all our apostolic actions” (3) remains our compass for all our apostolic actions.
(1) Pre-chapter text of transformative education 2006
(2) Marie Eugénie, letter to Father d’Alzon in 1844.
(3) General Chapter 2006