Remembering the Legacy: Annual Celebration Honoring the Late Titarani Bishop Gasi Abangite
By Sr. Henriette Anne FSSA
The annual anniversary of the late Joseph Gasi Abangite is set to be on 13th September. Bishop Gasi who passed away on 12 September 2014 had been at the helm of the Catholic Diocese of Tombura Yambio (CDTY) since his Episcopal Ordination in April 1975. He retired in April 2008 at the age of 80.
In a statement received by Rurugene Online Newsletter Monday, August 8, Bishop Eduardo described the late bishop Gasi as “a true ambassador of peace and safeguard of admired moral life” that his day is worth recalling.
“A solemnity in our diocesan standard of recalling Bishop Gasi’s way a true ambassador
of Peace and Safeguard of admired moral life”.
In his statement, he urged all Christians together for the festive and ask for peace and love for their Nation since where there is love, there is peace.
“Let us gather these festivities and ask for peace and love for our Nation and our diocese as well as the world. Where there is love, there is peace. So let us go to the root and ask for the grace to live an authentic love that will always be accompanied by the fruits of true peace”.
In his August 8 message, Bishop Eduardo reminded the community of CDTY of the principles that were most dear to Titarani Joseph Gasi.
“We know that among the principles most dear to Titarani Bishop Gasi was that of charity, love of God, love of neighbor, love of the Fatherland and motherland. Love that he lived on a true path of interior conversion. Thus, we read in the Informative Ordinary Process that Titarani Bishop Gasi Abangite avoided discord and disputes, and one of his resolutions was to do the will of others rather than his own. He also resolved “to guard his tongue carefully, and vowed, at the age of 12, not to utter with inadvertence and deliberation of any bad, useless or idle word. Moreover, he abhorred “offense against the honor, reputation, and peace of his neighbor”, and “in his numerous correspondences, which go from one end of his life to the other, he never gives his advice or warnings the form of irony, or at least of hurtful irony.” He often sighs, whatsoever be the case”.
Bishop Eduardo added, “We are also familiar with this precious advice from Titarani Joseph Gasi Abangite Father de C addressed to his faithful in Yambio after the tribal conflict in Yambio: “Have a tender and pure charity for your enemies; pray in particular for those who may have been the cause of what you are suffering…” His “evangelical revenge plot”, which follows this same principle of praying more for those who are the cause of our suffering, is also very familiar to us” stressing that his beautiful and courageous inspirations are rooted in his capacity for inner silence, hi attentive listening to the Holy Spirit, and his docility to live according to his inspiration.
He called upon the Christians to be encouraged by the words of the late Bishop Gasi and ask the Lord to bless them with peace so that peace may be spread to all, especially to their families, diocese, state, and the whole world.
He continued, “In the footsteps of our holy Pioneer Titarani Bishop Gasi Abangite, let us ask for the grace to live in attentiveness and dependence on the Holy Spirit, love of God, and love of others, so that, whatever the places and circumstances of our lives, we may be peacemakers.
The celebration will begin with Holy Mass to be presided over by the Local Ordinary of the CDTY Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala.
Rev. Joseph Gasi Abangite was born in January, 1st 1928, ordained as a priest on 21st December 1957, appointed to be the Bishop of Tombura-Yambio on 12th December 1974, ordained and installed as a bishop on 6th April 1975 at the age of 47. He retired as a bishop on 19th April 2008 at the age of 80 and died on 13th September 2014.