AFRICA/DR CONGO - Archdiocese of Kinshasa celebrates World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life

Friday, 5 February 2021 consecrated life   local churches  

Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) - "In his encyclical Fratelli Tutti, the Holy Father invites us to consider us all as brothers and sisters. This is a great challenge, especially for consecrated persons like us, who have been called to be members of one body (Col. 3:15). A challenge that each of us must face by striving first and foremost for his own spiritual life, the positive effects of which are for the benefit of the community", reads a joint message from the Assembly of Superiors of the Order and the Union of Superiors of the order of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the occasion of the World Day of Consecrated Life which was celebrated in Kinshasa on February 1 with a conference and on February 2, 2021 with a thanksgiving mass.
The two initiatives took place in Notre Dame du Congo Cathedral and were led by Jean-Crispin Kimbeni, Auxiliary Bishop of Kinshasa in charge of consecrated life.
During the conference, participants discussed how a community can be truly open to universal fraternity". In this perspective, Mgr. Jean-Crispin Kimbeni explained some essential aspects of community life with reference to the Encyclical Fratelli Tutti.
He recalled the consecrated person's personal relationship with God and explained: "the idea of communion is not our personal initiative, since our personal community with God is a prerequisite for this community life".
In his homily during the Mass of February 2, Mgr. Jean-Crispin again dealt with the theme of communion, alluding to the motto of Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, Metropolitan Archbishop of Kinshasa, to invite the consecrated persons living in this district to "live the apostolic project of the Archdiocese of Kinshasa to be realized through their respective apostolate".
The upcoming ordinations During the Eucharistic celebration it was announced that members of various religious communities, including candidates for the diaconate (15) and for the priesthood (7), will be ordained by the Archbishop of Kinshasa on Saturday 27 February. There are more than 200 religious orders for men and women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (M.P.P.) (Agenzia Fides, 5/2/2021)


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