Kinshasa, 09 March, 2022 / 10:18 pm (ACI Africa).
Plans are underway for Catholic Bishops in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to partner with the government of the Central African nation to construct a shrine in memory of Blessed Isidore Bakanja ahead of the planned Papal visit in July.
On Tuesday, March 8, representatives of the Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) had a meeting with DRC’s Prime Minister, Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde, to discuss the execution of the project.
“For some time now, we have asked the President of the Republic and his Government to assist us in the erection of the sanctuary of Blessed Isidore Bakanja in the Archdiocese of Mbadaka-Bikoro, precisely in Bokote,” Archbishop Ernest Ngboko Ngombe told journalists at the end of the March 8 meeting.
Archbishop Ngboko added in reference to the shrine initiative, “The file has already been submitted. So today we have taken this step to be able to exchange with the Prime Minister who has also reassured us of the execution of this project.”
“I believe that in a few days they will be able to launch the construction work in Bokote,” the Local Ordinary of Mbadaka-Bikoro Archdiocese said.