DRC: Thanksgiving Eucharistic celebration for Blessed Floribert Bwana Chui held in Goma
Fabrice Bagendekere – Vatican City
The celebration drew several thousand faithful from the Diocese of Goma and the entire ecclesiastical province of Bukavu, as well as dioceses from neighbouring Rwanda. Also present was a delegation from Rome. Similarly, members of other Protestant churches in Goma were invited and attended in large numbers. Prominent among these was the Church of Christ in Congo—a union bringing together 64 Protestant and Evangelical Christian denominations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
All around, the faithful expressed not only their joy but also their pride in receiving the new Blessed. “God has honoured the Church here, confirming that the work His Son came for in this world is a reliable, authentic and capable of producing saints,” Archbishop Muteba proclaimed at the beginning of his homily.
This young Blessed inspires us
The Archbishop of Lubumbashi also highlighted the figure of Bwana Chui as a reflection of Congolese society.
“Blessed Floribert’s martyrdom of integrity and honesty is a mirror for us in the face of corruption that is rotting our society,” he said. “It’s no longer just about corruption but also about cheating, fraud and smuggling,” the prelate emphasized.
“God raised Blessed Floribert Bwana Chui so that we see his example… this young man is opening our eyes,” observed the Archbishop. “If we do not seize this opportunity, we may go up and down, but this country will never recover,” reiterated the President of the Congolese Episcopal Conference, recalling the crucial role of parents in shaping children’s moral and Christian conscience.
“Floribert indeed received strength from the testimony of Christian teachings, but the education received from his parents also played a part,” the prelate affirmed.
Saints are ordinary people
In the same vein, at the end of the celebration, the local ordinary, Bishop Willy Ngumbi of Goma, recounted the life of Blessed Floribert, placing it within the ecclesial context of Goma, to show the faithful that “saints are not extraordinary people; but people who live extraordinary lives in a specific situation.” He continued: “Bwana Chui lived among us. A young Christian, single, 26 years old, a government official,” the prelate explained.
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