Immaculée Ilibagiza Shares Her Story with the Notre Dame Community

This week, our ND MOMs group welcomed a special guest speaker. We were blessed to host Immaculée Ilibagiza, a woman of incredible faith, courage, strength, and wisdom. Miraculously surviving the atrocities of the Rwanda genocide, she uses all God has given her to inspire others. During that time, when her fears were at their worst, she heard a voice tell her, “Remember, God can do anything, your life belongs to Him.” She still remembers it today. Immaculée is a well-loved advocate for peace, faith, forgiveness, and hope. She understands what true love means and embodies how one can rely on God deeply and sincerely. 

Immaculée shared her message of fortitude and forgiveness with our students earlier in the day on Tuesday. They heard advice like, “God and heaven are worth living for. This time is a tiny spec, and it takes work and sacrifice, but it is worth it.” And, “A smile can change someone’s life.” They heard our Mercy core values being lived in real-life experiences- joyful, desperately sorrowful, and glorious. Many left with new and uplifting perspectives on life. 

Later in the day, our MOMs received a powerful message of how to trust all Our Lady, Notre Dame, has and can do for her children. Devotion to prayer and meditation - on bible stories of Mary and Jesus' own journey - via the rosary, rescued Immaculée, something she professes confidently. Each person is able to apply the message of faith and hope to personal challenges, big and small. Our MOMs gathered wisdom and a positive outlook to nurture and fuel them in their roles as caretakers of young people. The day left our community enthused, encouraged, motivated, and inspired.