In the name of God”I condemn armed violence, massacres, rape, destruction and occupation of villages, the looting of crops and livestock that continues to be perpetrated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.” This is what the Pope said when he met the victims in the east of the country. “I turn to the Father who is in heaven” and “I humbly bow my head and with pain in my heart I ask His forgiveness for the violence of men against men. Father, have mercy on us. Comfort the victims and the suffering. Convert the hearts of those who commit cruel atrocities that bring shame upon all mankind!”
The Pope made “a cordial appeal to all peoples, internal and external, who are pulling the strings of war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, plundering, flagellating and
destabilizes them. They enrich themselves through the illegal exploitation of this country’s assets and the bloody sacrifice of innocent victims. Hear the cry of their blood, the voice of God calling you to conversion and the voice of your conscience: Silence your guns, end the war. That’s enough! Stop getting rich on the skin of the weakest, stop getting rich on resources and bloodstained money!‘.
At a meeting with the victims of the violence in the east of the country, Francis launched an appeal: “Please disarm the heart. This does not mean that we stop being indignant at evil and not denouncing it, it is our duty! Nor does it mean impunity and condoning of atrocities to carry on as if nothing happened. What is asked of us, in the name of peace, in the name of the God of peace, is to demilitarize the heart: remove the poison, reject hate, defuse greed, quench resentment; Saying “no” to everything seems to make us weak, but it actually sets us free because it gives us peace. Yes, peace is born from hearts, from hearts without resentment.” “Never again: no more violence, no more resentment, no more resignation!” added the Pope.
Bergoglio thanked and blessed “all the sowers of peace who work in the country”. “Some lost their lives while serving peace, eh the ambassador Luca Attanasio – recalled the Pope -, the carabiniere Vittorio Iacovacci and the driver Mustapha Milambo, murdered two years ago in the east of the country. They were sowers of hope and their sacrifice will not be lost”.
This morning, more than a million people attended the Mass led by Pope Francis at Ndolo Airport in Kinshasa. Many people slept outside the gates on the large lawn in front of it before the opening ceremony, attended by hundreds of priests and choir members. The safety precautions are also impressive.
It is the event with the greatest participation of the faithful in the Pope’s trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan and the largest of his trips to Africa. Today is a public holiday in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for this date: schools are closed, as are many work activities to allow anyone who wishes to attend the event with the Pope to attend.
Pope: “Hands off Africa, it’s not a mine to be exploited and plundered”
In his homily, Francis emphasized that Christians are called to be “missionaries of peace”. “It is a choice: it makes room for everyone in the heart, it believes that ethnic, regional, social and religious differences follow and are not an obstacle; that the others are brothers and sisters, members of the same human community; that everyone is the recipient of the peace brought into the world by Jesus – he said: “It is the faith that we Christians are called to work together with all, to break the cycle of violence, to smash the attacks of hatred. “Yes, Christians, sent by Christ, are called to be consciences of world peace”.
One cannot call oneself Christian and commit violence, the Pope remarked, launching an appeal for an end to conflicts in a country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where 90 percent of the population are Christians. “Dear friends, may today be the moment of grace to accept and experience Jesus’ forgiveness! May this be the right time for you who have a heavy burden on your heart and need it lifted to breathe again. And may it be the right time for you to call yourself a Christian in this country – the Pope emphasized in his homily – but you commit violence; to you the Lord says: “Put down your arms, have mercy.” And to all the wounded and oppressed of this people he says: ‘Do not be afraid to put your wounds in my wounds, your wounds in my wounds’”.
The Pope then asked the Congolese for “pardon”. “There is always the opportunity to be forgiven and to start anew, and also the power to forgive yourself, others and history! Christ wants this: to anoint us with his forgiveness, to give us peace and the courage to forgive, the courage to carry out a great amnesty of the heart,” he said. “How good it is for us to free our hearts from anger, remorse to purify all resentment and hatred,” Pope Francis added.
On the second day of the Apostolic Visit, after the afternoon Mass at 4.30 p.m. at the Nunciature, the Pope will meet the victims of violence and conflict who will come to Kinshasa from the Kivu region, where the Italian Ambassador Luca Attanasio was killed before two years. At 6:30 p.m., Pope Francis will again receive representatives of the charities working in the country at the Nunciature.
Yesterday, Francis from Kinshasa launched a strong appeal: “Hands off the Democratic Republic of the Congo, hands off Africa! The African continent still suffers from various forms of exploitation. After the political one, in fact, an “economic colonialism” was unleashed, which equally enslaves. Thus, this widely plundered country cannot sufficiently benefit from its immense resources: it has come to the paradox that the fruits of his land make it ‘foreign’ to its inhabitants. The poison of greed has made its blood diamonds”. The exploitation of Africa “is a drama to which the more economically advanced world – said Pope Francis in his first speech in Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo – often turns a blind eye, ear and mouth. But this country this continent deserves to be respected and listened to, they deserve space and attention: hands off DRC, hands off Africa! Stop suffocating Africa: it’s not a mine to be exploited, or country, that must be plundered May Africa be the protagonist of its destiny May the world remember the disasters committed over the centuries to the detriment of the local population – is the Pope’s appeal – and not forget this country and this continent.Africa , the smiles and hopes of the world count more: if it is spoken more, it will have more weight and representation among the nations to have!”.
“Young people are more precious diamonds, don’t let them be exploited and hurt”
The Pope calls on the authorities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to invest in young people and their education. “The most valuable diamonds of the Congolese country, who are the children of this nation, must be able to take advantage of valid educational opportunities that will allow them to fully realize their brilliant talents. Education – stressed Pope Francis – is fundamental: it is the path for the future, the path to achieve full freedom for this country and the African continent, in which urgent investment is needed to prepare societies that only then will be consolidated , if they are well educated, and only then autonomous are fully aware of their potential and able to develop it with responsibility and perseverance”. However, the Pope recalls that “many children do not go to school: how many are exploited , instead of receiving a decent education! Too many are dying from slave labor in the mines. Spare no effort to denounce the scourge of child labor and put an end to it. How many girls are marginalized and their dignity violated! Children, young girls, young People are hope: let’s not erase them, let’s nurture them with passion!”
“Enough hatred, it’s neither human nor Christian”
The Pope calls on the entire population of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to end violence and hatred. “I would therefore like to appeal: Every Congolese – said the Pope in his speech to the country’s authorities – should feel called upon to make their contribution! are anti-human and anti-Christian sentiments that are crippling development and taking us back to a dark past”.
“A Forgotten Genocide in the Congo”
In his speech to the authorities in Kinshasa, the Pope spoke of the “forgotten genocide that the Democratic Republic of the Congo is going through”. President Félix Antoine Tshilombo Tshisekedi had previously spoken of “terrorism in the service of foreigners” and emphasized that this was happening in the “silence of the international community”.