AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO - “WE HAVE COME TO LEARN FROM YOUR HOPE”. CARDINAL PATRICK O’BRIAN, PRIMATE OF SCOTLAND TELLS THE MARTYRED ARCHDIOCESE OF BUKAVU

Tuesday, 27 January 2004

Bukavu (Fides Service )- To the delight and deep appreciation of Congolese Catholics Cardinal Keith Michael Patrick O’Brian, Primate di Scotland, Archbishop of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh, chose to make his first visit as Cardinal outside Scotland to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Radio Maria Malkia wa Amani di Bukavu, in eastern Congo told Fides Service. “Cardinal O’ Brian arrived in Bukavu, on 26 January accompanied by the head of Caritas Scotland SCIAF, Reverend Paul Chitnis. He was welcomed by Archbishop Charles Kambale Mbogha, Archbishop of Bukavu who said the people were overjoyed for the arrival of this who had come as a to a region which has greatly suffered, “ Radio Maria Malkia wa Amani told Fides.
Cardinal O’Brian went to pray at the burial places of the former Archbishops of Bukavu who has struggled for peace in the region, Archbishop Christophe Munzihirwa (killed in Bukavu on 29 October 1996) and Archbishop Emmanuel Kataliko (who died suddenly on 4 October 2000, while in Rome for a meeting of African Bishops). The Cardinal prayed at the tombs and blessed them and said “may the blood they shed be a seed of peace for Congo”.
Greeting the people who had flocked for the occasion the Cardinal said: “Your friends in Scotland sent me to Bukavu to tell you that they want to work with you and to help people in difficulty, above all those in need of spiritual help, and to help all to respect the life of every human person. Through SCIAF we will provide you with material and spiritual help. We are here to learn from your hope ”.
Cardinal O’Brien was created Cardinal by Pope John Paul II on October 21, 2003. He decided to make his first visit as Cardinal outside Scotland to Bukavu because of the deep bonds of friendship that have existed for a long time between Caritas Scotland and the archdiocese of Bukavu. Caritas Scotland is promoting in particular anti-AIDS programmes in Bukavu archdiocese.
The Cardinal’s visit aimed to strengthen these ties of solidarity in view of a programme of more intense exchange and assistance.
In recent years Bukavu archdioceses has suffered directly from the violence of civil war with killings and sacking leaving deep trauma. However the people of Bukavu reacted with a great will to resist and to maintain their dignity.
Bukavu (Fides Service )- To the delight and deep appreciation of Congolese Catholics Cardinal Keith Michael Patrick O’Brian, Primate di Scotland, Archbishop of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh, chose to make his first visit as Cardinal outside Scotland to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Radio Maria Malkia wa Amani di Bukavu, in eastern Congo told Fides Service. “Cardinal O’ Brian arrived in Bukavu, on 26 January accompanied by the head of Caritas Scotland SCIAF, Reverend Paul Chitnis. He was welcomed by Archbishop Charles Kambale Mbogha, Archbishop of Bukavu who said the people were overjoyed for the arrival of this who had come as a to a region which has greatly suffered, “ Radio Maria Malkia wa Amani told Fides.
Cardinal O’Brian went to pray at the burial places of the former Archbishops of Bukavu who has struggled for peace in the region, Archbishop Christophe Munzihirwa (killed in Bukavu on 29 October 1996) and Archbishop Emmanuel Kataliko (who died suddenly on 4 October 2000, while in Rome for a meeting of African Bishops). The Cardinal prayed at the tombs and blessed them and said “may the blood they shed be a seed of peace for Congo”.
Greeting the people who had flocked for the occasion the Cardinal said: “Your friends in Scotland sent me to Bukavu to tell you that they want to work with you and to help people in difficulty, above all those in need of spiritual help, and to help all to respect the life of every human person. Through SCIAF we will provide you with material and spiritual help. We are here to learn from your hope ”.
Cardinal O’Brien was created Cardinal by Pope John Paul II on October 21, 2003. He decided to make his first visit as Cardinal outside Scotland to Bukavu because of the deep bonds of friendship that have existed for a long time between Caritas Scotland and the archdiocese of Bukavu. Caritas Scotland is promoting in particular anti-AIDS programmes in Bukavu archdiocese.
The Cardinal’s visit aimed to strengthen these ties of solidarity in view of a programme of more intense exchange and assistance.
In recent years Bukavu archdioceses has suffered directly from the violence of civil war with killings and sacking leaving deep trauma. However the people of Bukavu reacted with a great will to resist and to maintain their dignity.
LM (Fides Service 27/1/2004, lines 36, words 424)
LM (Fides Service 27/1/2004, lines 36, words 424)


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