Kinshasa, 31 January, 2023 / 9:27 pm (ACI Africa).
Out of some 400 members of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in the Central Africa Province , “only 85 selected members” are scheduled to meet Pope Francis in a private audience on Thursday, February 2 in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Provincial Superior has told ACI Africa.
Pope Francis arrived in Kinshasa on Tuesday, January 31 afternoon, the first stop of his Apostolic journey to DRC and South Sudan.
After the official welcome of the Holy Father in DRC at Ndjili international airport in Kinshasa, a 15-minute welcome ceremony was conducted at the "Palais de la Nation" in Kinshasa as had been outlined in the program and itinerary that the Vatican unveiled.
In a Tuesday, January 31 interview with ACI Africa, Fr. Rigobert Kyungu Musenge highlighted preparations for the February 2 meeting and what could be the focus of their discussions with the Holy Father.
“The official program says we are meeting the Holy Father at 6.30 p.m. local time. He's not coming to our place for security reasons, but we're going to the Apostolic Nunciature to meet him,” Fr. Musenge said.