Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) - “Along with the Holy Father, we hope that the Year for Priests may contribute to strengthening your effort for interior renewal, so as to make your testimony in our country and in the world more potent,” the Bishops of the Democratic Republic of Congo told priests in their message issued for the Year for Priests. The message highlights the need for priests to be, above all, authentic witnesses to the faith, because as Pope Paul VI said, “modern man listens more to witnesses than teachers or if he listens to teachers, it is because there are witnesses.”
This testimony is even more difficult in the complex Congolese society, as the message highlights: “Dear brother priests, we are aware of the fact that you exercise your ministry in a world characterized by a loss of the sense of the sacred; the growing influence of sects; religious pluralism; the breaksown of moral values and the inclination to follow anti-values such as lies, division, tribalism, xenophobia, lack of keeping one's word and respecting the common good, the loss of the sense of honor and dignity, dishonesty, permissiveness, evil actions. This context has also been marked, for some years now, by several dramatic situations of arms conflicts that cause suffering, creating misery and an indescribable poverty, the loss of purchasing powers among the people, as well as the destruction of the main infrastructures.”
“In spite of this catastrophic situation, many of you have shown and continue to show courage and exemplary heroism. We think in particular of Fr. Stefano Kaoze and Fr. Charles Mbuya. There are others, too, who have been victims of hate and atrocities, to the point of giving their blood to bear witness to the faith. Others suffer trials of all kinds on a daily basis, in silence and abnegation. This is for us the opportunity to pay our homage to these worthy sons of our Church.”
Fr. Stefano Kaoze (1885-1951) was the first Congolese priest, ordained in 1917 in east Congo (see Fides 19/5/2007), while Fr. Charles Mbuya was the first priest of Kasai (central Congo), ordained in 1934.
Along with the priests that courageously carry out their duties every day, the Bishops also acknowledge that “there are unfortunately situations that will never be sufficiently deplored, where the Church itself suffers for the infidelity of many of its ministers.”
The Bishops continue: “Thus, we ask that, above all, you discover and live ever more intensely your priestly identity that is rooted in the very person of Jesus Christ. Christ should be the reference of your life every day. In other words, you are called to be authentic witnesses of Christ.” With this, the priests are encouraged to intensify their prayer and live in full communion with the hierarchy.
“The success of your ministry depends on your intimate relationship with Christ. May this Year for Priests be, for you, a year of prayer, penance, and mortification, following the example of Saint John Vianney. On this path, may the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Priests, and Blesseds Marie Clémentine Anuarite and Isidore Bakanja show us that love is what leads to fidelity. We entrust you to their intercession,” the message concludes. (LM) (Agenzia Fides 20/7/2009)
