D.R. CONGO
Father Basile OBIEJE is an Oblate of Nigerian origin who is currently a missionary in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He was assigned to the parish of Notre Dame/Kikwit-Plateau, in the diocese of Kikwit, located 520 km from Kinshasa. On the first day of the year, he went to celebrate Holy Mass at Kikwit prison, where pastoral responsibility has been entrusted to the Oblates of Mary Immaculate.
……………………………………………
My first Mass of the year 2020 was with the prisoners at Kikwit. They were very happy and shouted every time I spoke in Kikongo. We made noise to the point that those who weren’t at mass came to see. From the first reading, I gave them hope for 2020, and they nodded their heads when I spoke of sin and the resolution to take advantage of the promised blessings.
In short, I told them not to lose hope and that they consider the cause of their imprisonment as a mistake to be corrected this year. I reassured them that 2020 is a year of blessing if they believe and entrust their situation to God. They were shouting AMEN, AMEN …
They asked me for material help but I had nothing to give them. Let us keep them in our prayer.
(www.oblatcongo.org)
