DRC: Celebration of World Day for Consecrated Life in Kinshasa.
Vatican News.
The Religious from various congregations in Kinshasa and surrounding areas gathered to celebrate their day, which began with the recitation of the Rosary, followed by the procession and blessing of candles, before Holy Mass and a convivial moment.
The charism of consecrated life
The Archbishop of Kinshasa congratulated the consecrated men and women and wished them a happy feast day but also reminded them that the intention of Pope John Paul II, who instituted the World Day for Consecrated Life in 1997, was not for consecrated men and women to congratulate themselves, but as an invitation to instruct the people of God, reminding them through their witness of the charism of consecrated life in the Church. Expressing his gratitude for the work of the Conference of Major Superiors (COSUMA), despite the many challenges it faces, Cardinal Ambongo invited consecrated persons to let themselves be guided by the Holy Spirit in their activities, apostolate and actions (Lk 2:34).
Three temptations identified by Pope Francis in Kinshasa
President of the Assembly of Major Superiors, Father Camille Sapu, provincial superior of the Fathers of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, at the end of the Mass, recalled that on 2 February 2023, in the same Notre Dame du Congo Cathedral in Kinshasa, the Holy Father Francis himself had met the consecrated men and women, clergy and seminarians of the DRC. During his pastoral visit to the DRC, the Pope exhorted the clergy and religious to take up three challenges against spiritual mediocrity, worldliness or the pursuit of worldly comfort, and intellectual superficiality.
An invitation to prudence
On Thursday, 1 February, during the conference that preceded the feast day, Cardinal Ambongo returned to these three temptations laid out by the Pope. In his talk, the Archbishop of Kinshasa invited consecrated persons to constantly renew their commitment to following Christ in their way of thinking and discerning God's will in their lives, communities, and congregations. The Cardinal further reminded the religious not to entertain fake news and avoid being drawn into cybercrime schemes. In general, he encouraged the prudent use of social media networks.
After the Mass on Friday, 2 February 2024, the consecrated men and women of Kinshasa, together with the Archbishop, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, and two auxiliary Bishops, Edouard Isango and Edouard Tsimba, shared an open-air meal in the Cathedral courtyard.
Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here
