Cabo Delgado, 17 June, 2020 / 8:20 pm (ACI Africa).
Members of the Episcopal Conference of Mozambique (CEM) have condemned recent attacks in the northern part of their country covered by the diocese of Pemba and assured the Local Ordinary their prayerful “communion and solidarity.”
The Bishops met in Matola, the largest suburb of Mozambique’s capital, Maputo from 9 to 13 June, in what was their first Ordinary Session of this year's CEM Plenary Assembly under the Presidency of Bishop Lúcio Andrice Muandula.
They deliberated about the situation in the country, including the new Coronavirus that is a global pandemic and the resurgence of attacks in northern Mozambique, in the province of Cabo Delgado.
“Having heard the testimony of the situation of great tribulation in which our brothers and fellow citizens of Cabo Delgado are immersed, we want to assure our prayers for all the victims and to express our empathy, communion and solidarity with our brother Bishop, Luís Lisboa, and to appreciate the witness of pastoral concern that he has boldly and tirelessly given,” the Bishops said in their collective statement at the end of their five-day meeting.
The Prelates assured Bishop Lisboa of Pemba of constant prayer “that God may be the source of comfort and hope and convert the hearts” of those behind “the tragedy.”