AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - SCOTLAND’S CARDINAL ENCOURAGES CONGO WHERE CIVIL WAR KILLED 3 MILLION PEOPLE AND PRAISES LOCAL CHURCH FOR WORK IN EDUCATION AND ITS OWN CATHOLIC RADIO “A GOOD MEANS OF EVANGELISATION FOUND NEITHER IN SCOTLAND, ENGLAND NOR IRELAND”

Friday, 30 January 2004

Bukavu (Fides Service )- Cardinal Keith Michael Patrick O’ Brian, Archbishop of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh, was very impressed with the work of the local Church in Bukavu which he had the opportunity to see during a recent visit to Congo, in particular he was surprised to find that the diocese has its own Catholic Radio Station (see Fides 27 January).
http://www.fides.org/eng/news/2004/0401/27_2078.html0
Local Catholic Radio Maria Malkia wa Amani in Bukavu, told Fides that before leaving during an interview the Cardinal O’Brian said he had been especially pleased to see the results in the field of education and formation obtained through efforts of the local Church with the support of Caritas Scotland SCIAF. “I had an interesting meeting with secondary school pupils. I was also impressed by programmes funded with the aid of SCIAF, education to life; assistance for women victims of violence, for widows and orphans. I also visited three seminaries at Katana Mugeri and Murhesa” the Cardinal told Radio Maria Malkia wa Amani.
Health care projects funded by SCIAF include the main hospital in Bukavu and programmes to assist young girls who contracted HIV-AIDS through sexual assault. “I admire the courage of these young women and they deserve all our fraternal solidarity ” the Cardinal said.
Cardinal O’Brian, a member of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, also voiced appreciation for the fact that “Bukavu has its own Catholic radio station. Scotland has no Catholic Radio station, neither has England or Ireland. And over the Radio the Word of God can reach a lot of families”.
The Cardinal is also a member of the Holy See’s Council for Migrants and Itinerant Peoples. With regard to the dramatic situation of displaced persons in Congo, Bukavu in particular he said “although my visit to DRC has been short it has helped me understand better the tragedy of refugees and it will enable me as a member of the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Itinerant Peoples to support the cause to assist Bukavu”.
In recent years Bukavu archdiocese suffered greatly because of the civil war in Congo in which more than 3 million people were killed. Bukavu was the scene of violent massacres and much sacking and looting which inflicted grief and suffering. However the people of Bukavu have shown great determination to resist the temptation to respond to violence with violence and to maintain their dignity as human persons. (L.M.) (Fides Service 30/1/2004, lines 35 words 434 )


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