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Official Distances DR Congo’s Catholic Bishops from Pro-Rebel Politician

Mons. Donatien Nshole (right), CENCO Secretary General, and Mr. Corneille Nangaa (left). Credit: CENCO/ Diocese of Goma

By Jude Atemanke

Kinshasa, 19 July, 2024 / 9:49 pm (ACI Africa).

The Secretary General of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) has distanced Catholic Bishops in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from the leader of an opposition party, who allied himself with several rebel movements, including the M23.

A video recording of Mr. Corneille Nangaa speaking during Mass at a Parish in the town of Rutshuru in DRC’s Catholic Diocese of Goma went viral on social media on July 14. As a result, claims that the Catholic Church is collaborating with rebels emerged.

Mr. Nangaa is the former chairman of DRC's Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI). He created the Alliance Fleuve Congo party and allied himself with several rebel movements, including the M23, which took up arms against the government in November 2021.

In the video recording, Mr. Nangaa is featured says, “I thank the Lord for allowing us to pray together today. It is a great honour for my humble self to benefit from your warm welcome today. My personal posture does not count, for I stand before the Lord God and before you all in all humility.”

He added, “Today, I have had the divine grace to commune with all of you in this magnificent fraternal Eucharistic celebration. I thank God and I thank you. I am your servant; I am your child; I am your father; and I am your brother.” 

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In a statement issued Monday, July 15, Mons. Donatien Nshole says CENCO members followed on social media the video featuring Mr. Nangaa at the Catholic Parish.

“Far from being an expression of the Catholic Church's support for the rebels, as some ill-intentioned people think, this is rather an incident that occurred to the great surprise of the officiating Priest in the context we can all imagine,” Mons. Nshole says.

He recalls that in a 2010 decree, CENCO members prohibited Catholic Priests “for reasons of social cohesion to give the floor to political actors during worship for propagandistic purposes.”

“The CENCO General Secretariat takes this opportunity to remind everyone about the Bishops' pertinent recommendation that national cohesion should be strengthened by organizing consultations between representatives of the country's vital forces, and across political divides,” he says.

The CENCO Secretary General further says these consultations will “create a strong and powerful national dynamic that will counter the common enemy.”

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Mons. Nshole implores, “May the Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, intercede for our country with her Son, the Prince of Peace.”

Jude Atemanke

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.

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