No Greater Love
You may have met Fr. Jean d’Amour at Catholics for Peace and Justice events last fall, September 6th at Living the Fundamental Vision of the Gospel with Bishop Hying at St. James Parish or on September 23rd at Our Lady of Lourdes for the movie “Inequality for All”. While studying at the seminary in Milwaukee Fr Jean discovered the CPJ website: “I admired Catholics for Peace and Justice’s way of changing the world. I will not forget those fruits from your garden on behalf of the poor. You try to touch people with great love. You are not working for (an) earthly salary.” Fr. Jean d’Amour After meeting him and recognizing his faith and dedication to the people of Rwanda, we read his book about the martyrdom of Felicitas, heroine of the Rwandan genocide, who is being considered for sainthood. We edited his book for the English-speaking world. In the genocide of 1994 Rwanda lost nearly a million people. The country is dealing with the continued after effects including poverty, lack of education, destroyed land, reconciliation, PTSD, and more. Fr. Jean serves 16,000 people with 2 other priests. The rural village of KIRWA is nearby and the people are very poor, with crumbling housing and little to eat.
Fr. Jean d’Amour visits the people, invites them to mass, hears confessions, preaches at retreats, goes on pilgrimage, feeds the hungry. He wishes to help his people develop spiritually and economically with cooperative agriculture that will help lift them out of their devastating poverty. Fr. Jean calls himself naive with his belief that he can make all this happen. We believe that with his great faith, love for God and love of his community, it will happen.
You can help support Fr. Jean's mission of building "integral development" in his community through a monetary donation to his community. With each donation of $15 or more, we will send you a print copy of his book "No Greater Love" the inspirational story of Felicitas Niyitegekais by Fr. Jean d'Amour.
To make a donation in support of Fr. Jean d'Amour's Rwandan community
Contact Dave Wolken at dwolken@wi.rr.com
Do You Remember Fr. Jean d’Amour?
About the book: "No Greater Love" by Fr. Jean d'Amour
On January 31, 2011, the broadcast on the airwaves of Radio Rwanda aroused a deep interest in Jean d'Amour Dusengumuremyi for Felicitas Niyitegeka. He needed no more impetus to gather the poignant testimonials on this great Felicitas now recognized as a national heroine. At the time of the tragic genocide perpetrated against the Tutsis in Rwanda in 1994, she pushed her compassion to the sacrifice of her life. Herself a Hutu, she refused to be separated from the victims, the Tutsis, hunted and exterminated by Hutu extremists. She tried to save all those who came to take refuge with her. And when not successful, she decided to accompany them to the end of their journey. The testimonials, inspirational reflections and prayers compiled by Fr. Jean d’Amour highlight that her great goodness was evident throughout her life.
About the author: Originally from Byumba Diocese, Rwanda, Jean d'Amour Dusengumuremyi was born in 1986, and now is a Catholic priest. In addition to his passion for preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ, he feels very concerned about the duty of memory. This collection of testimonials on Felicitas Niyitegeka is his first stone in building the memory for a real new Rwanda, where all the components of society will feel reconciled with their shared history.