Washington D.C., Mar 17, 2017 / 14:39 pm
Following recent attempts at brokering peace between the government and political opposition leaders in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Catholic priests and religious are facing violent backlash around the country.
According to Aid to the Church in Need, a Catholic aid society that works in the country, Catholics have experienced a slew attacks on churches and convents. In particular, a Carmelite Convent and a Dominican Church were both ransacked in late February.
Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, the Archbishop of Kinshasa, told the organization that the incidents "lead one to believe that the Catholic Church is being targeted deliberately, in order to sabotage her mission of peace and reconciliation."
"Along with all bishops, we denounce these acts of violence, which are likely to plunge our country further into unspeakable chaos," he said.