Cardinal Antonio Tagle travelled to the Democratic Republic of Congo as the Pope’s Special Envoy to participate in the third National Eucharistic Congress held in recent days in Lubumbashi.
The Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelisation also visited Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, where the population has been suffering for years from violence and armed clashes between government forces and M23 militias.
“We have a lot to learn from the people of Congo and the Catholics of Congo. First of all, you see the joy in them. A joy which is mysterious because we know that it is a people that suffers. So what is the secret of this joy? The faith and the hope that they have in the Lord, which is what the Eucharist is really all about! So it was a celebration which was also a testimony to the whole world of how faith in the presence of the Lord can transform suffering into an eruption of joy,” said the Cardinal in an interview.
He also told that there is a visible richness in faith and fruit after the visit of Pope Francis in the country. After visiting Goma, he felt that if the Holy Father were there, the Holy Father would certainly be very much consoled and encouraged in His ministry as Pope. The people are in a very dire and destitute situation just like in any other refugee camp. But there are people who also have this burning desire for peace and we hope all the people who are involved in the conflict – whether local or international, whether political, military or business – would look at these people directly in the eyes and see the consequences of their choices. These are not numbers, these are human beings and so as human beings, they manifested their fidelity to the Holy Father. By the way, the Holy Father set up a project where the people can have clean, potable water and so… yes, it’s a human necessity, but it is also very biblical! Water, the sign of life, the sign of the Holy Spirit, and every time that people go there to draw water, he also added that he is sure that they will pray for the Holy Father.