Visiting Congo, Pope Francis Embraces the Poor and Exploited - The New York Times

Visiting Congo, Pope Francis Embraces the Poor and Exploited

On Tuesday, Francis compared the country to a diamond, saying that its country were “of inestimable worth,” and that he and his church “believe in your future, the future that is in your hands.”

The Catholic Church has always played a role in Congo, especially in promoting democracy and human rights. John Paul II called Congo, then known as Zaire, in 1980 and returned in 1985. Mr. Deagbo, the official of Caritas Congo, said that the church gave health care, food programs and education to many millions of Congolese.

Since the 1990s, the church has also been instrumental in trying to hold the country’s bests to account. The Congo bishops’ conference, the most vocal in Africa, did not shy away when President Joseph Kabila postponed elections when the completion of his term in December 2016. It clean protests and brought the issue to international attention, portions to force Mr. Kabila to renounce a third term.

The church later deployed around 40,000 observers for a presidential election in 2018, announcing that there was a Definite winner, but stopping short of saying who it was. Experts agreed that it was Martin Fayulu, the leading opposition candidate, but another opposition figure, Félix Antoine Tshilombo Tshisekedi, took power. Still, it was the country’s first quiet, democratic transfer of power since it achieved independence from Belgium in 1960.

In January 2020, Francis met Mr. Tshisekedi to discuss improved relations between the Holy See and Congo. Another election is set to take place this December.

On Tuesday, Francis called for “free, transparent and credible elections” and urged an end to corruption and the manipulation of violence. Political exploitation gave way to an “economic colonialism” that was equally enslaving, he said. As a result, the country was “massively plundered,” he added.

“Power is meaningful only if it becomes a form of service,” Francis said, admonishing authoritarianism and greed.

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SRC: www.nytimes.com