Catholic Bishop Faults Angolans Who Downplay National Health, Education Facilities

Caxito, 02 July, 2023 / 3:50 PM

Bishop Maurício Agostinho Camuto of Caxito Diocese in Angola has faulted citizens of the Southern African nation who downplay the education and health facilities in the countries.

In his homily during his pastoral visit to St. John the Baptist Parish of his Episcopal See, Bishop Camuto challenged “those who have money” to consider Angolan head and education institutions. 

“We have built great hospitals, but we are seeing that those who have money to treat themselves go outside; when our leaders, politicians and others are sick, they don't go to Capalanca or Cardinal Don Alexandre hospitals; they go outside,” he said during the June 25 pastoral visit.

The Angolan member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans/Holy Ghost Fathers/CSSp.) underscored the need for Angolans to invest in their country’s institutions.

“We should all be treated here; our children should all study here, so we would be concerned with making good schools and training good teachers, good doctors, because we can have good hospitals equipped with good machines,” he said.

Bishop Camuto emphasized on the need to safeguard human life in the development of Angola’s infrastructures, saying, “We should always take into account that man is the essential factor for the functioning of these structures.”

He went on to advocate for simplicity. He said, “Angolans have a habit of complicating things, especially at work. If we can make life difficult for the other and do not feel compassion, do not feel pain, do not feel sorry for the brother, I do not know where we are heading to.”

Complexity on the part of Angolans, the 59-year-old Catholic Bishop who has been at the helm of Caxito Diocese since his Episcopal Ordination in August 2020 said, “is scaring investors from Angola.”

“It is so difficult and complicated to create a company in this country,” the Spiritan who was appointed Bishop in June 2020 said, adding, “That is why foreigners are fleeing; they do not want to invest in Angola.”

He continued in reference to Angola’s head of State, João Lourenço, “The president has toured several countries to attract businessmen to invest in Angola but nobody wants to come because they know that Angolans are complicated.”

“We need to change and we Christians must be ahead and be the factor for change,” Bishop Camuto said.

He urged the people of God in Angola to “show our brothers (and sisters) that life should not be so complicated to make things easier for others.”

Joao Vissesse contributed to the writing of this article