Bishop in the troubled North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo expresses his hopes for July’s papal visit.
The Vatican recently confirmed that Pope Francis will be making another apostolic visit to Africa in July.The 85-year-old pope will go to two places in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on the first leg of the trip before concluding his trip in South Sudan.The DRC segment of the papal visit, which will last from July 2-5, includes stops in the Archdiocese of Kinshasa and the Diocese of Goma in the troubled province of North Kivu.
The province, which is located in eastern DRC, has been hit by insecurity and a humanitarian crisis after the volcanic eruption of Mount Nyiragongo less than a year ago.
Goma’s Bishop Willy Ngumbi Ngengele expressed his hope for the papal visit in this exclusive interview with La Croix Africa’s Lucie Sarr.
La Croix Africa: The Vatican announced on March 3 that Pope Francis is coming to DR Congo, with a stopover in Goma. What was your initial reaction?
Bishop Willy Ngumbi Ngengele: I was in Kinshasa taking part in the the plenary assembly of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) when I learned of the announcement of the apostolic visit of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, to our country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, from July 2 to 5.
This announcement was made by the apostolic nuncio to the DR Congo, Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, in front of about 50 Congolese and foreign media.
It is with great joy that we welcome this news because it is truly a news of joy and hope for all the Congolese people, especially for the people of Goma and the entire eastern part of our country.
We can only say, “Blessed is he who is comes in the name of the Lord” (Jn 12, 13).
Indeed, Pope Francis’ apostolic visit to our country is a grace and a blessing from the Lord for us. In his pastoral solicitude, the Holy Father comes as the messenger of the Good News who comes to express God’s compassion for the Congolese people who suffer from all kinds of evils.
For the Diocese of Goma and all of the east of our country in particular, the pope’s visit reminds us that God, in his merciful love, does not forget the Congolese people in this part of the country.
God does not abandon these wounded people, who have lived for decades in violence and insecurity caused by numerous armed groups, both national and foreign.
It is also a people stricken by natural disasters, notably the latest volcanic eruption on May 22, 2021.
For us in Goma and in all the dioceses of eastern Congo, the pope’s apostolic visit will truly be a visit of compassion and comfort.
The message of faith, hope and charity that the pope is coming to bring us is a message of justice and peace that will give us even more ardor in the faith so that we increasingly commit ourselves to building a world of peace, unity in diversity, solidarity and fraternity in this region of Congo and Central Africa.
The volcanic eruption in Goma last year caused significant damage. There was also a devastating volcanic eruption in 2002. What is the situation now? Have any preventive measures been taken?
When the pope arrives in Goma, he will meet with a stricken population, many of whom are still living in tents or temporary shelters because of the latest eruption of the Nyiragongo volcano.
The city of Goma was just in the process of rebuilding and rising from the ashes of the January 16, 2002, volcanic eruption when a new eruption of the same volcano burned to ashes many neighborhoods in the north of the city.
This eruption caused the death of more than 30 people and left more than 6,000 families homeless.
Most of these families are still living in camps for the displaced on the outskirts of the city. All of this population subsists thanks only to the generosity and solidarity of Christians and people of good will, as state assistance is almost non-existent.
This population awaits Pope Francis with joy and hope because they know that he comes in the name of the Lord to bring them a message of peace, comfort and reconciliation that will strengthen them even more in their faith in Jesus Christ our Savior.
We must listen to St. Paul’s invitation at the beginning of Lent this year to be reconciled with God and with one another, for the right moment is coming. (2Cor. 5, 20)
What are your diocese’s plans from a pastoral point of view and how are the diocesan consultations of the Synod on synodality going?
The year of 2022 will be for us a year of many graces from God.
First of all, there is the announcement that we will receive an apostolic visit from Pope Francis. Further, there are the graces for the Synod of Bishops’ assembly on synodality in 2023, the preparations for which the Holy Father launched in October 2021.
The announcement of this Synod was welcomed with great joy by the Christian community in the Diocese of Goma because it is a moment of profound communion within our particular Church and with the Holy Father, Pope Francis, pastor of the universal Church.
Christians, gathered in Living Basic Ecclesial Communities (CEVB), are involved in the synodal consultations and show many initiatives to demonstrate this communion.
They are also witnessing a reawakening of the missionary spirit and going out to meet Christians of other Churches or the faithful of other religions.
These meetings are strong moments of reconciliation and awareness-raising on the meaning of justice, Christian fraternity and the fight against tribalism, corruption and all other forms of anti-values that undermine our society.
This missionary sense is very important as we prepare to welcome Pope Francis into our midst.
He comes to meet a people wounded by all kinds of suffering, to open us up more to hope and to the universal fraternity of the baptized and of every disciple of Jesus Christ.
This is another special grace of Pope Francis’ visit to DR Congo.I
n conclusion, I would like to invite all the sons and daughters of the Congo and all people of good will to unite in the spirit of the Church-Family, to prepare well for welcoming the Holy Father, Pope Francis, so that it will truly be a moment of blessing and grace for all the Congolese people and all those of neighboring countries.
Let us already carry this apostolic visit in our prayers so that it brings us the peace, fraternity and well-being that we need so much in our country.
With thanks to Lucie Sarr and La Croix International, where this article originally appeared.
