Church News

On Sunday, August 18, 2024, the Saint Joseph de Matonge parish welcomed its former vicar in a double Eucharistic celebration. Father Gérard Luzayadio, parish priest, had mobilized everything so that the faithful of the 6:30 a.m. (Zairian rite) and 11:00 a.m. (Latin-French mass) masses would reserve a warm welcome for Father Jean-Marie at the masses that the honoree of the day had celebrated.

This Saturday, August 24, 2024, the retreat session of the diocesan clergy of Lisala ended. This dual activity had taken off since Sunday, August 18 at the Saints Peter and Paul Grand Seminary of Lisala with Bishop Donatien NSHOLE as facilitator-preacher. The local Ordinary, 72 priests and 3 deacons from all over the diocese attended this annual meeting.

This mass was celebrated on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, the feast of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, by Father Josué Maku and concelebrated by Fathers Nsinu, Ngali and Clémént of Rome Mbenza; Father Jean-Eder celebrated there as a deacon.

He was born in the Archdiocese of Kinshasa on November 22, 2020, a music school called Sainte Cécile. Under the supervision of Father Cola Lubamba, courses are organized in this school for a period of 9 months with two sessions per week.

Invited by Father Jean-Delly Bomongo, parish priest of the Parish of the Resurrection, Father Jean-Marie KONDE continued Eucharistic celebrations as part of his fifteen years of priesthood at the parish of La Résurrection de Lemba on Sunday August 11, 2024 where he had been Sunday vicar during the pastoral year 2014-2015 when he was in charge of the assistant diocesan treasurer.

After celebrating the office mass on August 1, 2024 at the parish of Saint Leopold, the anniversary of his priestly ordination, accompanied by his fellow student and parish priest Father François Lombi, Father Jean-Marie took communion with the faithful of the parish of Saint Thomas de Kisenso on Sunday, August 4, 2024, the feast day of his patron saint Jean-Marie Vianney.

On Sunday, July 28, 2024, Father was welcomed at the Bon Pasteur parish of Kisenso, which is his second parish of origin. There, on this 17th Sunday of Ordinary Time of Year B, he celebrated the Zairian rite at the 6:30 a.m. mass. In his homily, the father insisted on the love of God who remembers the misery of his people and on the attention that each member of the Church must have for his neighbor, especially the weakest. The faithful of the Bon Pasteur parish were joyful to see their son again, whom they knew as a theology seminarian.

On July 23, 2024, the Parish-Basilica of Sainte Anne de Poto-Poto, in the Archdiocese of Brazzaville, had totaled 80 years of existence. This event was celebrated this Sunday, July 28, 2024.

Directing his meditation of this 17th Sunday of Ordinary Time B towards the good to be accomplished, His Excellency invited the assembly to lean towards the weak and the little ones. Inspired by the scriptures about the jubilee which consisted of granting certain graces such as the liberation of slaves, the return of seized goods, forgiveness.... the jubilee father lifted sanctions which weighed on the abbot deacon Guelord Kazeba on behalf of Molegbe and on the abbot Jean Alema of Lisala.

God placed us in this world so that we might experience his love. The sin that has taken up residence in the heart of man has not allowed him to flourish according to God's plan. This is how man has increased his suffering tenfold. God of infinite mercy has rescued him so that he may find the beatitude that bad shepherds cannot offer. This is the outline that I propose to you for this Sunday's meditation.

Born on September 5, 1950 in Faradje in the province of Haut Uele in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Monsignor Julien died on July 14, 2024. Fifth Diocesan Bishop of ISIRO-NIANGARA, his episcopal motto was: UT UNUM SINT taken from John 17, 21 which translates into French: So that they may be One. At the CENCO level, he was the oldest in age of all Diocesan Bishops (almost 74 years old). He led the diocese of ISIRO-NIANGARA for 21 years.

The mass presided over by Monsignor Timothée BODIKA, surrounded by several priests, had a special character. Because welcoming five deacons and five priests is a divine grace. During his sermon, the Bishop of Kikwit recalled the role of the deacon and the priest in the Church while inviting the faithful to live in the synodal spirit with their pastors. Everything ended in a fraternal atmosphere with blessings that these ordained offered to their family members and the faithful.