Catholic Church in DR Congo Committed to Healing “mental wounds” from Violence: Priest

DRC is rich in mineral resources such as oil, gold, diamonds, lithium, copper, cobalt, tungsten and coltan. The latter is essential for the manufacture of cell phones and computers. Agriculturally, the country is blessed by the cultivation of coffee, cocoa, rubber, palm oil and tea.

ACN reports that despite the abundance of natural resources in DRC, hardly any of this wealth reaches the population.

“The majority of the 89.5 million inhabitants live in deep poverty,” the Pontifical charity foundation reports, adding, “The mining of the minerals, which are extracted under dubious conditions, leads to bloody conflicts involving various rebel groups, including Islamist terrorist militias. It is estimated that there are now thousands of dead, three million internally displaced persons, and at least 7,500 displaced persons in D.R. Congo.”

Often, the church is the only organization that gives support to the locals in DRC, the charity foundation reports, adding that the Church “raises its voice against the violence and inaction of the corrupt government.”

While the state is mostly incapable of taking care of its people, the church runs countless schools, orphanages and clinics and offers help in many areas besides,” ACN foundation reports.

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The charity reports that since 1966, it has supported the people of God in DRC by promoting the Church's ministry to the people through numerous projects, such as funding bicycles for catechists, constructing and maintaining churches and church buildings.

The foundation has also supported the libraries of educational institutions, and provided emergency aid to refugees in Goma, a city in the Eastern region of DRC.

ACN reports that Fr. Cishugi who grew up in Bukavu was in 2008 sent by his Bishop for his parish pastoral experience in the village of Kaniola, shortly after a horrific massacre had occurred there.

Between 1996-2008, 400 of Hutus were killed, 4,000 women and girls were raped, and countless children were abducted in this Parish, the Catholic foundation reports, adding that after Fr. Cishugi’s pastoral internship in this dangerous environment, he was ordained a priest in 2010.

The Priest is then said to have served in three Parishes in the Archdiocese of Bukavu and as a school principal.

The 41-year-old Priest had, on Sunday, August 28 been invited to celebrate Holy Mass at the Frauenthal Monastery in Hagendorn, Switzerland.

Here, he was expected to report on the situation of Christians in Central Africa and speak about a Christian response to this violence.

The pastoral theologian is engaged in the search for reconciliation and coexistence through dialogue in Africa.

Agnes Aineah is a Kenyan journalist with a background in digital and newspaper reporting. She holds a Master of Arts in Digital Journalism from the Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications and a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communications from Kenya's Moi University. Agnes currently serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.