Freedom and Peace are the Greatest Gains of Independence, Catholic Official in Angola Says

“As Pope Paul VI stated, development is the new name for peace. Therefore, without peace, there is no development,” the Angolan Catholic Priest said.

He said, “True peace is impossible without authentic reconciliation.”

Fr. Epalanga reflected on reconciliation as another gain of independence that he said is “under construction” in Angola.

“We need to rethink this process of reconciliation. I believe what we have done in over twenty years of reconciliation is still far from what is desired,” he said.

Fr. Epalanga added, “The Church must continue to work precisely for reconciliation, for social justice, and for peace. These are the prerequisites for the existence of a truly democratic state of rights. A state where justice prevails.”

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He emphasized that despite progress in infrastructure and democratic foundations, the path to unity and forgiveness requires a continuous, deliberate effort.

“In terms of infrastructure, there are more schools, more universities, more hospitals, and more other services. This is important, the state structures are already in place, we have already laid the foundations, so to speak, for the construction of a democratic state of rights,” the CCJP Executive Secretary at CEAST said.

“Now we need to continue to finish the work. This is an endless task. It is not possible to do everything in one generation, but it is necessary to leave something solid so that future generations can continue this grand work of building this country,” Fr, Epalanga said.

Catholic Priest said the Catholic Church, as an institution within the Angolan state, will continue to work towards reconciliation.

Fr. Epalanga called for national awareness and appreciation of the efforts made by many men and women in the past 49 years to build Angola, saying, "We must recognize this and thank those who have given their best for the construction of our country.”

The Catholic official went on to reflect on the lack of a national dialogue since Angola's independence in 1975, saying, “Since 1975, we have not yet come together to discuss Angola. This conversation has not happened, and it needs to happen now, not later. We cannot leave this for the generations to come, as that would be an escape from our responsibility.” 

He called on Angolans to embrace the challenge of national dialogue saying, “What we must do is embrace this challenge. A national dialogue will be our contribution to the process of reconciliation, the consolidation of our independence, and the promotion of peace.”

João Vissesse is an Angolan Journalist with a passion and rich experience in Catholic Church Communication and Media Apostolate.