Cameroon’s Kumbo Diocese Lifts Suspension on Sunday Public Mass

According to worldometers, Cameroon has recorded 1,806 cases of COVID-19, 61 related deaths and 934 recoveries.

Beginning Sunday, May 3, the congregation will be limited to only 50 people, Bishop Nkuo directed while urging the Clergy to ensure that all health precautions issued by the government are adhered to.

“Priests can multiply the number of Sunday Masses making sure that the health of the parishioners is protected by following the Social Distancing Guidelines of sitting at least one meter apart,” the 67-year-old Prelate advised.

“All the other specific guidelines must be observed without putting people's lives at risk,” he said adding, “The danger is still very real and its presence is not far from Kumbo so we cannot take the Health Measures and guidelines lightly.”

Since Easter Sunday, public Masses have not been celebrated in the diocese, located in the northwest of Cameroon.

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The suspension “was an important measure to stop the spread of this coronavirus and to warn everyone to take seriously the call to fight with all our might the spread of this virus,” the Bishop said. 

In a recent interview with ACI Africa, Bishop Nkuo noted that it had become difficult to sustain the livelihood of Priests and those dependent on the Church due to the suspension of public Mass.

“Our church is not a rich Church. Thus, the livelihood of Priests has become difficult given that no Mass means no alms. This means that even catechists and other Church personnel dependent on this means of survival have been greatly affected,” he told ACI Africa during the Monday, April 27 interview. 

He had also raised concern that “Christians who do not always understand the meaning of spiritual communion tend not to pray or keep holy their Sunday duties.” 

Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.