Papal aid for displaced in Ivory Coast

February 07, 2011

Archbishop Ambrose Madtha, the Indian-born prelate who serves as apostolic nuncio to Côte d’Ivoire, has announced that Pope Benedict is giving 50,000 euros ($67,688) to Bishop Gaspard Béby Gnéba of Man to help care for displaced persons.

“When informed of the sociopolitical situation in Côte d’Ivoire after the second round of presidential elections, and particularly touched by the situation of displaced persons caused by the bloody inter-ethnic clashes, which caused the numerous loss of lives and forced people to leave their lands and homes,” the Pope desired “ardently … to show his closeness and his deep concern for these people,” said Archbishop Madtha.

17% of the nation’s 20.8 million people are Catholic, according to Vatican statistics.

 

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Further information:

• “The Holy Father's gift to displaced persons in Côte d'Ivoire shows the proximity of the Church to the least,” said the Apostolic Nuncio (Fides)
• Ivorian presidential election, 2010 (Wikipedia)