Pope Francis Appoints “special envoy” to DR Congo’s June Eucharistic Congress

He was unanimously elected during the October 2014 ordinary meeting of the Executive Committee of CBF and had his election confirmed by Pope Francis in March 2015, taking over from Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia.

Members of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) had expressed their desire to see Pope Francis grace the spiritual event.

“We wish to see the Holy Father Pope Francis take part in these meetings,” Bishop Melchisédech Sikuli Paluku was quoted as saying in a September 2019 report, adding, “We hope that Pope Francis will visit Congo on this occasion; it would be a good thing for us.”

The June 2023 Congress is the third one in the Central African nation after the first one that was held in Kisantu, in the Western part of the country in 1933 followed by the second one that was held in the country’s capital, Kinshasa, in 1980.

In the September 2019 report, Bishop Sikuli of Butembo-Beni Diocese is said to have sensitized the faithful about the Congress, saying that it is “an opportunity to show our faith in the Eucharist, which is the sign of the presence of the dead and risen Jesus, who is in our midst.”

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“This great ecclesial event of high spiritual significance will be for the Church-Family of God in the DRC a strong time of prayer and spiritual renewal,” Bishop Sikuli said.

Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.