Luanda, 02 February, 2024 / 8:50 pm (ACI Africa).
The Executive Secretary of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Angola and São Tomé (CEAST) has pledged to continue speaking against injustices despite receiving an anonymous threatening message.
On Monday, January 29, Fr. Celestino Epalanga received a message from an anonymous source, saying, “Father, you have been very critical of the government led by His Excellency, President João Lourenço. Father, before you wash your neighbour’s dishes, please wash your own. It's not you or the Catholic Church that's going to change this world.”
The message refers to Fr. Epalanga’s 11 November 2023 homily, saying, “Father you were very rude in your words. Could it be that there are no poor people in your family? Or does this problem of hunger and poverty not exist in your family?”
“When you end the poverty and hunger of your family members, you will have reason to criticize the government led by His Excellency President Lourenço and supported by his MPLA party,” the anonymous author stated.
In a Tuesday, January 30 interview with Radio Ecclesia, Fr. Epalanga said the intimidating message is “a sign of cowardice and if hunger doesn't mean anything to this person, to me and thousands of Angolans it means a lot.”
