Le rôle des catéchistes dans l'expansion de l'Église catholique au Rwanda (1900-1952) : aspect socio-historique
Institution:
Paris 7Disciplines:
Directors:
Abstract EN:
C'est en fevrier 1900 que le catholicisme fut introduit au rwanda par les peres blancs. A cote de l'oeuvre d'evangelisation, l'eglise catholique devint tres vite non seulement un agent d'evolution, mais aussi de transformation radicale de la societe rwandaise. Mais peu nombreux par rapport a la population a evangeliser et dont ils ignoraient la langue, les us et coutumes, les peres blancs auraient eu leurs efforts condamnes a l'insucces sans le concours des cathechistes baganda jusqu'en 1904, rwandais ensuite. C'est grace au proselytisme de ces derniers qu'ils ont pu quadriller le pays par une constellation de succursales. Mais mal retribus, ils profitaient de l'ascendant des peres blancs pour vivre sur le dos de la population et se substituer aux chefs, ce qui contribuait a tenir l'image de la mission. Sans formation suffisante, ils etaient plutot des recruteurs d'adeptes que de veritables evangelisateurs. Aussi, au debut des annees 1950, furent-ils incapables de s'adapter a l'evolution economique et sociale du pays ainsi qu'a celle des exigences de leur fonction. D'ou necessite d'une formation approfondie et d'une remuneration suffisance a partir de 1952.
Abstract FR:
It was in febryary 1990 that catholicism was introducet in rwanda by the white fathers. Besides evangelisation, the catholic church became not only the a source of evolution but also induced a radical transformation in the rwanda society. But they were nor many compared to the population whose language and customs thay ifnored, the white fathers would have seen their efforts vain without the held of baganda's catechists up to 1904 and those of rwandan afterwards. Thanks to the zeel of those rwandan catechists, the white fathers were able to cover the whole country through a large number of subsidiaries. But scarcely remunerated, they took advantage of the position of the white fathers to exploit the population and substitute themselves to the chiefs. This contributed to darken the image of the mission. Without sufficient formation, they were rather recruting edherents than doing the proper office of evangelisation. Also, at the beginning of the 1900s, they were unable to cope with the economic and social developpement of the country as well as with the new demands of their office. Thus, as from 1952, the need for better formation and more remuneration was felt.