Goma – The Congolese Catholic Church on Sunday called on the international community to contribute to building peace in conflict-wracked eastern Democratic Republic of Congo during a visit by Pope Francis’s envoy.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s second most senior official, deputised for Francis at a mass at the Congolese parliament in Kinshasa after the pope postponed a scheduled visit due to knee pain.
Marcel Utembi, president of the Congolese national bishops’ conference, urged the international community to “participate with honesty in promoting peace and reconciliation” in areas of eastern DRC plagued by armed groups.
A video message from Pope Francis, released by the Vatican on Saturday, was played on a giant screen at the start of the mass, attended by the Congolese prime minister, bishops and thousands of worshippers.
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Francis mentioned “the exploitation, violence and insecurity” the DRC suffers, particularly in the east, where “conflicts continue to cause much intense suffering, aggravated by the indifference and the convenience of many”.
Intense fighting has raged between the army and the M23 group since late 2021 in North Kivu province, with Kinshasa accusing neighbouring Rwanda of supporting the rebels.
Francis, 85, suffers chronic arthritis in his knee, according to Vatican sources.
He has cancelled a string of events, including trips to South Sudan and the DRC, “at the request of his doctors” to avoid jeopardising treatment.
No new date for the pontiff’s visit to the DRC has been announced. Parolin said he hoped “to be here with the pope as soon as possible.”
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Source: AFP
Picture: Instagram/@franciscus
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