Congo bishops Archives - Page 11 of 12

Pope trip to Congo won’t happen until after elections, says Vatican ambassador
- Sep 19, 2017
Archbishop Luis Mariano Montemayor, the papal nuncio to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, says there is a danger that if Pope Francis visits the country before elections are organized, politicians could use the visit to score political points. He also called the Congo a “predatory state” where politicians are more concerned about amassing wealth than taking care of the needs of the people.

By Ngala Killian Chimtom
Violence escalates in Congo after bishops’ peace deal collapses
- Aug 10, 2017
Efforts by the Catholic Church – the most respected institution in the Democratic Republic of the Congo – to broker a peace deal have floundered on the altar of mistrust and suspicion. With a proposed agreement disintegrating, the bishops are concerned that the DRC could descend into an all-out war.

By Ngala Killian Chimtom
Congo’s bishops: Catholics in east face new wave of violence
- Apr 7, 2017
Congo’s eastern Kasai and Kivu regions have seen increasing attacks on church personnel and property. One local bishop says the situation has been exacerbated by the arrival of 15,000 refugees from neighboring Burundi and he lamented the militia’s efforts to arm young people.

By Catholic News Service

Congo’s bishops give up on peace mediation

Mar 29, 2017

Catholic bishops in the Democratic Republic of the Congo criticized the lack of sincere political will during the latest round of negotiations to regain stability in the country. The bishops had enough after all parties were pulling back from a decision they had previously agreed on.

By Catholic News Service

Church leaders hope Trump does not repeal conflict-minerals provisions

Feb 19, 2017

“Too often people in countries rich in oil, gas and minerals haven’t seen the benefits of their own natural resources — and it was the U.S. which led the drive to ensure extractive companies had to be more transparent,” Anne Lindsay, a private sector analyst at CAFOD, Britain’s Catholic aid agency said. The Trump administration aims to turn the clock back in favor of mining companies.

By Jonathan Luxmoore

Congo’s bishops hope to save peace pact, but see no will to act quickly

Jan 27, 2017

Congo’s bishops are concerned regarding the outcome of a government-opposition peace accord, reached in the final minutes of 2016. In a statement they said that “there was no real will to tackle the problems quickly” and that the church-brokered deal might not be able to bring peace to the conflict that has claimed nearly 6 million victims.

By Catholic News Service