Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Bangui (Agenzia Fides) - "The Central African Catholic Church is and remains the sole voice of the voiceless, who are all the Central Africans who die before an international community that looks away from our Country and focuses its attention on other centers of interest considered more profitable and less risky", said Mr. Godefroy Mokamanede, on behalf of the delegation of the faithful of the Archdiocese of Bangui who met His Eminence Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (see Fides 2/7/2013).
The delegation accompanied the Archbishop of Bangui, His Exc. Mgr. Dieudonné Nzapalainga, to whom Holy Father Francis imposed the pallium, on Saturday, June 29 in the Vatican Basilica for the Solemnity of Sts. Apostles Peter and Paul.
In his speech, Mr. Mokamanede described the plight of Central Africa, repeatedly denounced by the Catholic Church (see Fides 28/06/2013 and 04/07/2013), following the actions of the rebel coalition Seleka. It was once again emphasized that the ranks of the latter, apart from some Central Africans from the north-east of the Country, militate many Chadians and Sudanese who work as mercenaries and that prey on the local population of their poor possessions.
"The social fabric is torn completely. The population has undergone a huge trauma whose consequences are manifested in cases of suicide and depression", said the representative of the Archdiocese of Bangui.
The Church despite the desecration of places of worship, theft and looting of the assets of parishes, missions, schools and Catholic health centers, first took the initiative to create an interfaith platform with the participation of the President of the Islamic Community, the President of Evangelical Churches and the Archbishop of Bangui, in order to pacify the members and help the people in distress.
A Church that reaffirms the vocation to be "salt of the earth and light of the world", that suffers but fights with the weapons of love. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 05/07/2013)
