Decade after Rwandan genocide, Irish missionary lives with its legacy

Published: 2004-06-18

CYANIKA, Rwanda (CNS) -- A decade after the genocide that tore apart Rwanda, Irish Father Nicholas Hennity lives with its troubled legacy every day. His parish in Gikongoro Diocese, in southern Rwanda, was home to some of the worst atrocities of the 100-day slaughter that claimed the lives of an estimated 800,000 Rwandans, predominantly Tutsis and some moderate Hutus, ethnic groups with a history of rivalry. Gangs of heavily armed militiamen roamed the rutted roads, hunting for victims. Neighbor murdered neighbor. Catholic clergy also were involved -- some as saviors, others as killers. Ten years later, perpetrators and survivors of the genocide live side by side on Gikongoro's densely populated hills. Father Hennity, a member of St. Patrick's Missionary Society, ministers to all. One day he might hear the confession of a man who killed his neighbor. The next day he could be listening to the worries of a genocide survivor. The key, he said, is reconciliation.

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