Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lumbumbashi (Agenzia Fides) – "The truth of the parable of the mustard seed, which was announced by Christ two thousand years ago, now takes place in a land where the Word of God was planted a century ago by the Benedictine missionaries from Brugge, where a Church has taken deep root, with over a million Catholics, 43.9% of the total population of the Archdiocese of Lubumbashi, a hundred diocesan priests, a hundred religious priests, over half a million consecrated brothers and sisters, not to mention the faithful men and women in Lubumbashi who are ad gentes missionaries," says the Congolese Bishops' Conference (CENCO) in a message to mark the hundredth anniversary of the Archdiocese of Lubumbashi in the far south of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The message was read Sunday, August 15, Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, by Donatien Nshole, First Secretary Adjunct of the CENCO. Bishop Nshole was in Lubumbashi to attend the closing celebrations of the centenary of the Archdiocese, on behalf of Bishop Nicolas Djomo of Tshumbe, President of the CENCO.
"The CENCO expresses its gratitude and makes a special tribute to the pioneers of that mission who, burning with love for Christ, left their homes, their families, at great sacrifice, to offer the Congolese the faith that they themselves had received, in order to gain a new people to Christ. From a small seed sown in the land of Lubumbashi, was born a big tree where the birds can find shelter in its branches. These heroes of the first hour of evangelization, we must add all those who have put their hands in the dough to help contribute to the growth of the kingdom of heaven, not only for furthering human development of the Congolese people," says the message from the Bishops.
The anniversary should not be limited to celebrating the past, but should also be a time of evaluation, to conduct an examination of conscience of the Christian community, to verify its fidelity to Christ and the Church," the bishops say. "The hope of the CENCO for this age-old Church is to see all apostolic workers, local clergy, monks and nuns, catechists, community leaders, redouble their efforts to build the Church - the family in which everyone feels brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of the same Father and without any further concern for whether one is from the north or south, of that tribe or the other."
The message concludes: "Thus will we build the Church - God's family, a people of brothers, the people of sharing that stands up to witness to the Gospel, a Church in the forefront against all that dehumanizes man, a Church completely dedicated to peace, development, the authentic fulfillment of her sons and daughters, and the advent of the Kingdom of God." (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 08/17/2010)
