AFRICA/ANGOLA - The Bishops criticize the words of the leader of UNITA

Thursday, 21 March 2013

Luanda (Agenzia Fides) - "Inappropriate, defamatory and offensive" – this is how the Episcopal Conference of Angola and Sao Tome (CEAST) qualifies the words of the President of UNITA (Total Union for the Independence of Angola, the main opposition party in the Country), Isaias Samakuva, who in a speech to his party's MPs, on March 15, said, among other things, that "the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, for example, has publicly admitted that the Church has been infected by the virus of corruption."
In a statement posted on its website, CEAST expresses its disappointment and calls for the respect of people and institutions.
Here is the full text of the press release:
"The Catholic Church in Angola greeted with surprise and concern, the recent statements by the President of UNITA, in a speech to his MPs in the city of Menongue, on March 15, 2013.
Therefore, the Catholic Church of Angola, intends to clarify to the faithful and the public that:
1 - the Church's mission is not to express opinions on controversial policies of parties or support their causes. However, it is imperative for the pastors of the Church, to comment on the deterioration of the language that is bad for peace and reconciliation among Angolans.
2 - The statements by the President of UNITA are inappropriate, offensive and defamatory. They violate and injure the institutional decorum and good name of the Church in Angola.
3 - For this reason, the Catholic Church in Angola condemns and expresses its displeasure at such statements and calls for the respect of people and institutions.
4 - In addition, it invites all media the respect for the truth of the facts and to avoid the manipulation and misuse of the pronouncements of the Church." (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 21/03/2013)


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