The presence of the President of the Republic, Félix Tshisekedi, during the 25th anniversary of the episcopal ordination of Mgr Bernard Kasanda, bishop of the diocese of Mbuji-Mayi, was welcomed by the metropolitan archbishop of Kisangani and President of CENCO, Marcel Utembi. The latter expressed his gratitude to the Head of State for his support for the Catholic Church. He also stressed the importance of collaboration between the two powers for the welfare of the people.
The message of the President of CENCO is clear: love, mutual respect, justice, peace and human dignity are essential. He urges all participants to work for truth, unity and peace, so that their testimony in society is credible.
However, in his speech, President Tshisekedi denounced the drift of the Catholic Church which is moving further and further away from the Congolese and no longer advocates love, unity and equality. He called for a return to the source, so that the Church can be at the service of the people and not the other way around.
These positions taken by the President of the Republic are important, because the Catholic Church has always played an important role in the political and social life of the DRC. Their collaboration should be balanced so that the country can find solutions to the multiple challenges facing it, such as security, health and education.
This collaboration will certainly contribute to the growth and development of the DRC. Hope that initiatives will be taken to restore a positive relationship between the two parties, in order to move forward for the benefit of the country and its people.