Christians from all over the Democratic Republic of Congo gathered this week for the Third National Eucharistic Congress in Lubumbashi, capital of Haut-Katanga province. The event ended with the celebration of a mass at the TP Mazembe stadium, presided over by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, special envoy of Pope Francis.
During this Mass, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Lubumbashi, Monsignor Fulgence Muteba, denounced the enormous gap which separates the Congolese political elite from the poor population: “the insolent way of life of the political oligarchy which currently reigns in across the country, but also the misery of the people which continues to grow in the general indifference of the managers of public affairs.
According to Msgr. Muteba, this gap is fueled by the monopolization of dividends from the country’s natural wealth by a handful of elites and multinationals. “Whether it is copper, cobalt here in Katanga, diamonds from Kasaï or timber from the Equator and customs revenue from the borders with the nine countries around us, the dividends of these immense riches are monopolized by a rare gluttony of a ruling elite and unscrupulous multinationals,” he explained.
Faced with the many difficulties that the Congolese population is facing, Bishop Muteba however affirmed that the Congolese people “are aware that their destiny is in their hands, holds to their unity and their national cohesion”. The Catholic Church, meanwhile, symbolizes “the unwavering unity of this country,” and can play a central role in promoting more just and equitable governance, according to Bishop Muteba.
The Third National Eucharistic Congress saw the participation of many bishops and delegations from abroad, as well as priests and lay people from the 48 dioceses that make up the country.