Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Zanzibar (Agenzia Fides) – The funeral was held today of Fr. Evarist Mushi, the Catholic priest killed last Sunday 17 February, on the island of Zanzibar (see Fides 18/2/2013).
"The funeral of Fr. Evarist was broadcast live by Radio Maria Tanzania" local sources told Fides. "The Mass was presided by Cardinal Polycarp Pengo, Archbishop of Dar es Salaam. The homily was given by the president of Tanzania’s Catholic Bishops’ Conference , Bishop Tarsisius Ngalalekumtwa, Bishop of Iringa, who reminded the faithful that Christians should forgive even the most serious offences, including murder".
In the meantime threats and intimidation against the Island’s Christians continue. Only yesterday unidentified persons set fire to an evangelical church under construction.
At Christmas Fr. Ambrose Mkenda was seriously wounded. Referring to the episode, Cardinal Pengo criticised the inaction of the police. According to a APF dispatch, the Cardinal recalled that at the same time as the wounding of Fr. Ambrose, leaflets encouraging attacks on churches were distributed. "The security forces should have undertaken in depth investigations in order to prevent acts of violence " said Cardinal Pengo. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 20/2/2013)
