The Situation of the Passionists in the Congo (DRC)

 

Introduction

 

This brief presentation is meant both to share some information about the presence of the Passionists in the Congo and also a call for more involvement by some provinces in order to maintain the good work initiated by our Brethren, both living and dead, in that part of the world. This presentation is in four sections. The first section deals with the historical background of our presence in the Congo. Then we will move progressively to the different aspects of our life: pastoral activity and formation of the brethren. The last part will be a conclusion in which some thought is given to the future.

 

I. Historical Background

1. The Passionists came to the Congo in 1930 during the period of large expansion of missionary activity in Africa. In reading the notes of an old missionary in the Congo, he wrote that the Passionist foundation in the colony of the Congo was the initiative of Belgian Passionists which allowed them to consider mission in Africa, which was made possible by the increasing number of Religious in Belgium. In order to concretise such a project, the Belgian Passionists had a series of meetings and discussions with Congregations which had already begun work in the Congo. Thus, in November 1930, with the mediation of Bishop De Clercq, a contract was signed between the Passionists (Fr. Sébastien, Belgian Provincial) and the Scheutists of the Immaculate Heart of Marie (Fr. Daems – Provincial of the  Scheutist) who were ready to grant a large part of their missionary territory (Upper Kassai, specifically – the future diocese of Tshumbe) to the Passionists. The two first Passionists missionaries left the Belgian port of Anvers on December 18, 1930 going to the Unknown Belgian-Congo. They benefited a lot from the assistance of the Scheutist Fathers until they became familiar with the people and the culture.

 

2. From 1930 on, the Belgian province strengthened its presence in the Congo by sending new members. This increasing number allowed the Passionists to organise the ecclesial life of the apostolic prefect of Tshumbe where Fr. Hagendorens, C.P. became the first Bishop in 1947.

 

3. At this time, the Passionist missionary activities did not differ from those of other Congregations. All were involved in teaching, baptising, and forming local Christian communities. Bishop Hagendorens marked his presence by founding the two existing local Congregations of the Diocese of Tshumbe: in 1940, he founded the Brothers of the Passion which today has 32 members, and in 1954, he founded the Sisters of St Francis of Assisi which currently has 154 members. All the other Passionists worked in different areas of the local church (Parishes, schools, seminaries and hospitals...)

 

4. In 1955, the population of the diocese of Tshumbe was estimated at 290,000, among them were 30,000 were Catholics, with 5 local priests, 25 religious women (from Europe), and 44 Passionists. Soon after this statistics were created , the Passionist community of Tshumbe lost some of his members concomitant with independence movement  and the war that followed the Independence of the Congo. Tshumbe was particularly in a "red" area given the fact that it is the native region of Lumumba, one of the most well known of the Independence Fathers. His imprisonment and death brought about an anti-western sentiment. This instability fordced some of the Passionists to go back to Belgium, while others preferred to found new missions in Kinshasa, the capital city where it was safer. Thus in September 1964, the little group of Passionists from Sankuru took over St Marc Parish-in the eastern area of Kinshasa.

 

5. In 1968, Bishop Hagendorens, then 74 years old, resigned from office. A new Bishop, a non-Passionist, took his place. By then, Passionist missionary activities in Sankuru were coordinated by a Superior of Mission, while the unique community of Kinshasa (St Marc) depended directly under the leadership of the Province. This situation went on up to the erection of the Vicariate of Christ the Saviour in 1982 by a decree of the Chapter of the Belgian Province.

 

6. The remaining Passionists in Sankuru suffered a series of conflicts with the Bishop of the diocese. The peak of these conflicts was reached in 1981 with the expulsion of the Religious Superior and the closing of the formation house which had started receiving native candidates in the Congregation. This situation urged the Passionists to look for a place where a formation house could be established. Finally, it was set up in Lumbi (in the diocese of Kikwit). As a natural consequence, our effectivity in Sankuru was drastically reduced. Actually we kept only two communities in Sankuru: Ototo (parish) and Lodja (a catechetical centre).

 

7. In 1982, the Provincial Chapter in Belgium gave the Passionist Mission in the Congo the  statutes of a Vicariate. The first Congress of the new-born Vicariate was held in Kinshasa in 1983, with the election of Fr. Charles Bosschaerts as Regional Vicar. In 1987, the second Congress was held in Kinshasa in which Fr. Gilbert Majzin became the Regional Vicar. The third Congress was in 1991, concluding with the election of Charles Bosschaerts once again as Vicar. In 1995, the fourth Congress elected Fr. Vital Otsudialokoka, In 1999, Fr. Vital was re-elected during the fifth Congress, but his term was cut short by his election to the office of General consultor in September 2000. In December 2000, the vicariate held an extraordinary Congress during which Fr. Elie Muakasa was elected the Regional Vicar. Thus far, the Vicariate has a history of about 22 years.

In 2003, responding to the request of the Bishop of the Boma (in the western region of the Congo), asking the Passionists to be involved in the spiritual animation the Religious there. We accepted the parish of Lovo where we now have a residence. The Christian community of Boma is happy for the presence the Passionists among them. It is an enrichment of the local Church seeing religious institutes coming to help them in their growth.

 

8.  The Passionist  presence in the Congo is growing. We went from Sankuru, and we developed quickly in Kinshasa and then in Kikwit, and now in Boma. Each foundation has its own purpose and given realities. The following are our communities and their status:

 

(1) Onema OTOTO - Tshumbe Diocese

Parish

Religious house 1984

(2) LODJA – Tshumbe Diocese

Pastoral Centre 1990

Religious house 1990

(3) LUMBI – Kikwit Diocese

Parish 1957

Religious house 1983

(4) LUMBI – Kikwit Diocese

Novitiate 1983

(5) KINGASANI – Kinshasa Archdiocese

Religious house (postulants) 1984

(6) LIMETE – Kinshasa Archdiocese

Religious house (procuration) 1995

(7) BINZA 1 – Kinshasa Archdiocese

Religious house (post-Novitiate) :1997

(8) BINZA 2 – Kinshasa Archdiocese

Parish

Religious residence 2001

(9) LOVO – Boma Diocese

Parish

Religious residence 2003

 

II. Pastoral Dimension

The pastoral dimension of our presence came be grouped into three periods. Each period has its own characteristics.

 

1. During the period from the foundation (1930) to the erection of the Vicariate (1982), the Passionists lived and worked as any missionary of that time: doing catechesis, preaching, sacramental ministry, and the formation of local Christian communities. It was entirely a missionary church in which the local people had very little to say or to do. The church organisation, buildings, and life (customs) reflected the native land of the missionaries. Fr. Koen Maes the oldest missionary remaining in the Congo recounts an incident of two Passionist Fathers (Georges and Rudolf) who, in order to punish a Christian practicing polygamy, burnt his house and all his belongings. The civil authorities intervened and obliged the Priests to apologise for such an act. Fr. Rudolf did apologise about his lack of missionary formation, but Fr. Georges refused to present his apologies. Thus, he was asked by the civil authorities to leave the Congo. It is this same Father Georges who joined the Passionists for the foundation in Tanzania where he lived and worked from 1935 to 1979.

 

Although the missionary church brought about development: education, faith, and health care. The lack of involvement of the local people in organising the life of the Church left a bad image – that is of the church in which African culture was considered evil. One of the characteristic of this period is the rejection of African elements of the culture. To become a Christian one had to negate his culture. The colonial power fostered such a mentality as well which in reality was not about the salvation of Christ Jesus at all. As a consequence this attitude left African Christians with an inferiorty complex.

 

This period did not allow a real mutual knowledge between the missionary and the local people. Both sides suffered as a result of prejudice. These prejudices were real barriers to mutual trust which would have promoted collaboration and participation in a common effort.

 

2. Change came with the II Vatican Council, which taught a positive understanding of the culture, and therefore a new missionary approach was born. The key word of the evangelisation was inculturation. Talks were organised, books were written on inculturation, but all of these remain often theoretical. Inculturation, in order to become a reality, should start with mutual acceptance. For the Passionists in the Congo, inculturation started from the very moment when the Missionaries accepted young Congolese into Congregation. By the fact that they accepted Congolese to become Passionists like themselves, they created a new way of life, and equally opens the Congregation to a new culture. This second stage can be situated from 1981 (the beginning of formation) to the Congress of 1995 when a Congolese Passionist became the Regional Vicar.

 

At this stage, the main concern of the Passionists was to organise the formation program in order to prepare adequate members for the Congregation. In other word, formation became the priority of priorities. There was a new consciousness to give back parishes to the dioceses and to regroup ourselves in religious houses. The contemplative dimension of our life was regained. This situation was only a change for the young Congolese who, in joining, find communities with a strong community awareness. Pastoral work outside went fourth from the communities.

 

3. The last stage, in which we still live, now calls for new pastoral fields. Indeed, the growth in numbers demands news pastoral activities. Our Constitutions urge us to form "part of the local Church where we are situated. We must therefore understand the problems of the local Church, cooperating on a practical level with the local Ordinary and those who are working for the people of God" (n°34). Thus, during these last years, we have openned two communities centered on external apostolate – one in Kinshasa and another in Boma.

Another option that we have taken is to collaborate with the rest of Congregation in terms of personnel at the level of the CPA (Conference of Passionists in Africa) or at the level of the intra-provincial agreement. One of our members is serving at the level of the General Curia and another is working as a missionary in Jamaica, West-Indies.

Our personnel is ever growing. Actually we have 42 people active in the apostolate. The data that we have now show that there are four main areas that our pastoral activities are concentrated: Parish work (4 parishes), Educational work (2 Technical Schools), Religious Formation (3 formation houses), Chaplainship and Preaching. Thus, the division of personnel is as followed:

 

Parishes

1. Father Michel WOKO

2. Father Jean Claude WALA WALA

3. Father Xavier MVUMBI

4. Father Richard MONSEMVULA

5. Father Sébastien YEBO

6. Father Alain MAKAYA

7. Father Déogratias WAY WAY

8. Father Gabriel MAKILA

9. Father Timothée POSO

10. Father Michel MAVANGA

11. Father Joseph LOKENDADJALA  

 

Formation

1. Father Koen Maes

2. Father Prosper KUAKASA

3. Father Jean Nico MVUNZI

4. Father Bernard MAYELE

5. Father Didier KIMUPIPA

6. Father Dieudonné BUTSHINAYI

7. Father John MBUNGU

8. Father Jean Jacques MBUNZIMI

9. Brother Pierre MOLONGO

 

Schools

1. Father Ferdinand MBUTA

2. Father Matthieu ANAKANI

3. Father Daniel MABUNDU

4. Father Cyprien KAZABA

5. Brother Gabriel PANZU

 

Chaplains & Lodja Catechetical Center

1. Father Czselaw Duda

2. Father François MOKE

4. Father Charles KAHUTA

5. Father Aimé TILIMBINI

6. Brother Calixte MBELOLO

 

Vicariate Administration

1. Father Elie MUAKASA

2. Father Martin FRIPONT

3. Father Jules MAPELA

 

Missionnaries (ad-extra)

1. Father Vital OTSHUDIALOKOKA

2. Father Gaston NSONGOLO

 

Further Studies

1. Father Pierre MVUMBI

2. Father Willy OKEY

3. Father Jean-Claude LOKASO

4. Father Emery KIBAL

5. Father Flavien TSOLUKA

 

Medical Treatement

1. Father Théophile PAKU

2. Father Emile KATANA

 

Our main concern now is to find the type of religious life appropriate to our context. Indeed, our question is to find a way express our life and be a real sign of the risen Lord in the context of the local church. Time has come to find how the uniqueness of the Passionist vocation can be a blessing and nourishment for the local church (cf. Const. 6).

 

I Initial Formation

Religious formation in the Congo started in September 1980. After two years, the initial group made their first profession in September 1982. From that time, annuallyr, we receive 6 or 7 candidates out of 30 seeking entrance. The initial formation is articulated in three stages: Postulancy, Novitiate, and Theology.

 

The postulancy receives candidates selected by the Passionists in charge of vocational animation. The candidates have been accompanied during a period of two years. After a series of tests (psychological and intellectual), they are admitted to the Passionist Community of St. Paul of the Cross in Kinshasa. The postulancy lasts three years during which time the postulants study philosophy. They attend an inter-congregational Institute. At the end of their philosophical studies, they receive a BA degree. The reports from the Institute and the Local Community constitute the main elements for discernment and admission into the Novitiate. During this three year period, the candidates for the Brotherhood engage in the study of a secular discipline.

 

Currently, we have 12 postulants: 7 in 1st year, 5 in 2nd year, and none in 3rd year.

The Novitiate is in Lumbi, located in the Diocese of Kikwit. It is a very difficult milieu. The access by vehicle is very difficult. The novices do not profit from others teachers. They rarely have an inter-Novitiate retreat which most often is held in Kikwit (400 Km away). There is no electricity and tap water. We depend on rain and river water, the river is at a distance of 4 Km. All these inconveniences are most uncomfortable for the formators and novices. Our struggle to raise funds to build a Novitiate in Kikwit, where he have a land, has been unsuccessful. We are still looking for generous people to help us. This year we accepted only two novices, other two candidates had to leave us because of some academic problems at the end of their philosophical studies.

 

The post-Novitiate experience is a time to deepen the religious life and its existential demands. Two communities pursue that purpose: the Passionist African Theologate at Kisima, in Nairobi, and St Vincent Strambi of Binza  at Kinshasa. Thus the Congo has a choice for the young religious whether in Kenya, where they gain an international community experience, or in Kinshasa where the Students are more equipped with pastoral tools linked with the local situation. However sending students in Kenya is less advantageous than to keep them in Kinshasa. The main problem is not only the higher cost of life in Nairobi but the levelling of the formation due to different cultural backgrounds.

 

The young religious are nine:

1. Martin NGOY 4th Year Nairobi (finally professed)

2. José WAWA 4th Year Kinshasa (finally professed)

3. Blaise MUSWAR 3rd Year Kinshasa

4. Alain NDOMBE 3rd Year Kinshasa

5. Constant BIKUKU Brother

6. Gaston DJONGA 2nd Year Nairobi

7. Thierry NTAM YER IYO 2nd Year Kinshasa

8. Anaclet MUKE 2nd Year Kinshasa

9. René DIKHI 1st Year Kinshasa

 

II Financial aspect

Our financial stability depends on the economical situation of the whole country. All are aware that the economic situation of the Congo is dire. The main cause is the civil war. From the time of the Congress 1987 (2nd Congress of the Vicariate), funds were mobilised to create some entities of production. We bought a big farm, a lorry, a garage, and other activities that could generate income. All our effort was frustrated with the popular uprising and looting of 1991 and 1993. We lost everything that could generate an income. All the vehicles were stolen, machines were destroyed. Even our own lives were threatened. As a result of this situation, many of our Belgian Confreres were discouraged and returned to Belgium for good.

 

From 1993, we did not recover until 2001 when we started timidly to invest in different areas. With the help of the Belgian province, of Fr. Curto (General Secretary for the Missions and some friends, we succeeded in rebuilding the farm (in Kinshasa) and the two technical schools (in Lumbi and in Kinshasa), and were able to restart the work of the garage and carpenter’s shop.

 

However, due to a lack of adequate management skills, and discipline among the brethren, various problems arose. In order to bring more confidence and transparency to this matter, we created a committee of skilled people to promote sound management. Indeed, we are still at the early stage of our initiative. Income generated locally is only 1/6 of the annual budget of the Vicariate which is estimated to be 330,000 Euros every year. The remaining 5/6 of the budget is covered mainly from the Belgian Province in terms of subsidies and mass stipends.

 

Without a real financial program, the autonomy of the Congo is only an utopian dream and can create more frustrations among the Brethren. It is true indeed that we have a young and creative community. But the Congo is one of the countries which has a high unemployment rate. Those who have an opportunity to work, like ourselves, are underpaid. The salary of a teacher at any level of education can not allow him or her to live a normal life. To give a clear idea about we want communicate, for example the salary of a secondary school teacher is about 30 Euros a month. With such a salary, he or shee is unable to pay their monthly bills for housing, electricity, water, transportation, etc.; he or she is unable to assure daily living expenses for himself and his family. As a consequence: there is a generalisation of corruption and all forms of cheating in order to survive. We believe, therefore, that the financial stability of the Vice-Province depends on endogenous factors: the economic development of the country is one of the important factors.

 

For the time being, the main resource of 1/6 of the annual budget which we have mentioned above are :

Technical School of Kingasani (Kinshasa)

Garage of Kingasani (Kinshasa)

Carpenter’s shop (Kinshasa)

Ministeries (teaching, preaching, etc. …)

 

In order to improve our income, we want to invest more in farming. We have several pieces of land – in Makanza, Elembo, and Kibomango - and to continue investments in education. But in both areas, we need an initial capital to start so that we can buy machines (tractor) and to build a school. In our effort in presenting these projects to different organisations have not received a positive response.

 

Conclusion

As you may have noticed, the journey of the vicariate has been a long one. The time has come to make this important step. The word "elevation" reveals in  itself that the Congregation as a whole has recognised the maturation of the Vicariate. The Vicariate at this point will return this trust displayed. The Brethren in the Congo welcome gratefully this event the elevation of the Vicariate to the rank of a Vice-province.

 

However the challenges are many, especially concerning the financial resources of the Vicariate. The work of the Brethren needs to be sustained by the solidarity at all levels of the Congregation. With the Congo, we start the process of the elevation of the Vicariates of Africa. May God bless our Vice-Province, bless our Congregation, and bless you all.

 

Elie Muakasa, C.P.

Regional Vicar of the Passionists in the Congo.