The Rev. Deogratis Mbonyumugenzi gives Communion to a resident of Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood during a street Mass on Tuesday, July 18. St. Agnes of Bohemia Parish is conducting the street Masses to pray for an end to violence in the Southwest Side neighborhood. (Photo courtesy of the Chicago Archdiocese)

As a priest, the Rev. Deogratis Mbonyumugenzi is oftentimes one of the first at the scene when a family is grieving over a loved one lost to gun violence.

“It tears apart your heart,” Mbonyumugenzi said. “We have lost so many individuals. It’s tough.”

Mbonyumugenzi was the first celebrant for St. Agnes of Bohemia Parish’s street Masses to bring the message of peace and hope to the Little Village community and to pray for an end to violence in the Southwest Side neighborhood.

“We bring the Gospel message of change,” Mbonyumugenzi said.

Each Mass is conducted at a different location on the neighborhood streets near St. Agnes of Bohemia Parish with the streets on either end temporarily blocked from cars. Participants are invited to bring their own folding chair.

A musician provides worship music during a street Mass. (Photo courtesy of the Chicago Archdiocese)

Street Mass require no reservation and are conducted in Spanish.

All Masses begin at 7 p.m., following a rosary service at 6:15 p.m.

Upcoming street Masses are:

• Thursday, July 27 on Pauling Avenue between 26^th and 27^th streets
• Tuesday, Aug. 1 on Holman Avenue between 23^rd and 24^th streets

Mbonyumugenzi, the resident priest at St. Propitious Church on the city’s Lower West Side, said he was encouraged by the Tuesday, July 18 street Mass which had about 80 participants.

Little Village residents pray during a street Mass. (Photo courtesy of the Chicago Archdiocese)

He said the St. Agnes Parish has been doing street Masses as part of its annual summer mission for a while.

“We bring people together to pray to Jesus and to pray for our community,” Mbonyumugenzi said. “We gather to remind the community that Christians and Catholics want to find answers to the violence and the drugs with prayer … We pray for peace.”

The priest said that too many children in the area are being lost to gun violence.

“Our streets smell of drugs. Our streets smell of blood,” Mbonyumugenzi said.

Residents of the Southwest Side neighborhood pray during Mass. (Photo courtesy of the Chicago Archdiocese)

He said the street Masses are also an opportunity for residents to get to know each other.

“People live in the same neighborhood, and they don’t know each other,” Mbonyumugenzi said. “It is a chance for the community to listen to one another.”

He said he sees the street Masses as a way to evangelize and to pray for the world.