Feb 20, 2005 / 22:00 pm
The laity is “the pillar of the Church in Africa” and they must work as “agents of reconciliation” between the numerous ethnic groups, said a priest and educator in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Fr. Jean Makaya catechists in Congo must be “agents of reconciliation” between the numerous ethnic groups in the country. He is the director of the Kinshasa-based Institut Supérieur des Sciences Réligieuses (Institute for the Religious Sciences).
“We are all children of God. So, we must work for peace and forgiveness,” he told Aid to the Church in Need during a recent visit to Germany. He visited the international Catholic charity’s head office and sought support for his school in the form of books and scholarships.
With a view to sects that are active in the country, Fr. Makaya said: “Many people speak about Jesus Christ, but do not understand who He is. We, therefore, must present the true Christ to them.”
In order to do this, the priest stressed the need for a “solid formation” of catechists.
The institute is a state-recognized institution, founded in 1969. Currently, it has about 40 students.
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