Keep priests safe, bishop asks laity in troubled Congo diocese

August 07, 2017

A bishop in the Democratic Republic of Congo has appealed to young Catholics to “keep their priests safe” in a region torn by violence.

At an August 5 Mass in the cathedral of the Butembo-Beni dioese, Bishop Melchisedech Sikuli Paluku said that Catholics should “protect each other.” He alluded to the July kidnapping of two priests in the diocese. Three other priests, kidnapping five years ago, remain in custody.

The diocese, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, has seen persistent bloodshed for years as rival factions vie for control of the mineral-rich area.

 

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Further information:

• Bishop in violence-torn Congo appeals to youth: ‘Keep your priests alive’ (Crux)