In Rugero, Burundi, a new parish dedicated to Saint Caesar is opened.

Priests during the celebration

As of September 1, 2025, Rugero Hill in Kirundo (hills are administrative subdivisions of municipalities in Burundi, editor’s note) has a new parish, dedicated to Saint Cesar de Bus and entrusted to the Doctrinaries. The canonical erection ceremony was presided over by Msgr. Joachim Ntahondereye, Bishop of Muyinga, with Father Sergio La Pegna, Superior General of the Doctrinaries, in attendance.The city of Kirundo now has two parishes: the first was Kanyinya, the mother parish, and the fourth in Burundi. In the Diocese of Muyinga, San Cesare de Bus becomes the twenty-sixth parish.
The parish is part of the Father Santoro project, now in its third phase following the creation of the Doctrinaries community named after Father Santoro and the construction of the catechism hall, currently also used as the parish church.
The parish of San Cesare de Bus in Rugero was welcomed as a great gift by everyone: by the Doctrinaries because it is the first dedicated to the founder and by the faithful of the new Community of Rugero, previously forced to travel many kilometers to reach the parish of Kanyinya.
The massive participation in the ceremonies on the day of its canonical establishment proves this: priests, religious, and many lay people gathered to celebrate this precious gift.
The parish was entrusted to Father Schadrack Matthieu Dunia, the first parish priest, and inherited four branches from the mother parish Kanyinya: Mutara, Gakana, Cumva and Kagege.
In the new parish, the Doctrinaries face two challenges. The first will be to ensure pastoral care in a very difficult area, bringing the Congregation’s charisma, as expressly requested by Bishop Joachim.The second challenge will be to build the parish church, offices, and catechism rooms. The Rugero community will need support in prayer, but also financial contributions to run the first parish dedicated to Saint Cesar de Bus.