Praying the Rosary while walking is walking together towards the Kingdom

In Cameroon, meditating on the Rosary while walking is a popular spiritual exercise for Catholics. This is the case at Sacred Heart of Jesus church in Ndogpassi II, in the diocese of Douala. 

For Father Etienne Bakaba, the associate pastor, this method is also a means of evangelization. "If we shut ourselves in the church, many people outside will never know that this is the month of the Rosary. Praying it outside has an evangelizing impact. And when we pray while walking, it reminds us that we're on our way to the Kingdom," the priest adds, describing this practice as "mystical".

For Jeanne, one of the parishioners, meditating on the Rosary while walking is a way of asking God, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, to atone for our sins.

Father Bernard Hona Tonye, rector of the parish (which is also a cathedral parish), sees this spiritual exercise as "an expression of communion". "You shouldn't recite the Rosary in an apathetic way, you have to engage your body, mind and soul," he insists. Even the rain doesn't stop you from meditating on the Rosary outdoors once you've started." 

For Adeline Tchouakak, this way of praying helps us to grow "our faith and our connection with others. We're retracing the steps of Jesus' life," she says. We don't get tired, we're with other people, like in a family."

Adapted from : Yannick Mene (in Douala)

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