AFRICA/DR CONGO - CENCO: “We will pray for everyone, even for our enemies”

Wednesday, 22 January 2025 prayer local churches peace military

CONGO, THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE

2025-01-22
CENCO: “We will pray for everyone, even for our enemies”

2025-01-20
A pact for peace in the east of the DRC

2025-01-16
At least 600 militiamen lay down their arms in Ituri

2025-01-10
In North Kivu: heavy fighting between the army and the M23

2024-12-19
The DRC's complaint against Apple raises the issue of ethics in international trade

2024-12-18
North Kivu: M23 continues to advance

Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) – “The minister has proposed to bring together religious denominations on February 9 to pray for the FARDC and to organize a collection in their favor. The Catholic Church has no problem praying, but it does so in its own way,” said Msgr. Donatien Nshole, Secretary General of CENCO (Congolese National Episcopal Conference), yesterday, January 21, after a meeting with the Minister of Justice, Constant Mutamba Tungunga, to discuss the initiative for interfaith prayer in favor of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) and the population of the east of the country.
The initiative, which aims to bring together different religious denominations in a common prayer for the restoration of peace in the east of the country, a region ravaged by violence by hundreds of armed groups, was launched by the Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals, Constant Mutamba. In a press release published on January 20, the minister announced that he had contacted the various leaders of religious denominations in order to organize, on February 9, moments of prayer in the country and abroad for peace in the east of the DRC, during which collections will be organized to support the FARDC and the pro-government Wazalendo militias, which flank the soldiers of the regular army. In response to the minister's request, Msgr. Nshole stressed the Church's willingness to participate in the prayer: "Our mission as a Church is to pray. We are aware that the humanitarian and security situation in the east is catastrophic. A few years before the situation deteriorated, I was able to experience first-hand the conditions of our soldiers in these already difficult areas.” “So the Catholic Church has no problem praying, but in its own way, that is, our faith asks us to go further: to pray also for our enemies.” He added: “They ask us to pray for our soldiers. We have no problem praying for peace, because the soldiers are victims of the lack of peace in the east of the country. But it is not just the soldiers: we think of the many displaced people; of the families living in the forest; of the victims; of the orphaned children. They all need prayer for peace. So this will be an opportunity to intensify the prayer that we already do for peace.” The Secretary General also recalled the doctrine of the Church in relation to offerings, noting that “another particularity that concerns the Catholic Church is Canon Law, which the Congolese State has committed to respect in the framework agreement. Canon 1254 specifies that offerings are intended for worship, ministers, the apostolate and charitable works. With this in mind, the military and their families certainly need charitable help, like everyone else. It is in respect for our doctrine and our faith that we will be able to respond to this initiative.”
The Secretary General of CENCO concluded with a clear message: “We do not pray to win the war, but to obtain peace.” (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 22/1/2025)