Basankusu, DR Congo: Two Mill Hill Missionaries among Ordinands
The Bishop of Basankusu, Mgr Joseph MOKOBE NDJOKU, has ordained 4 new Deacons and 3 new Priests. The ceremony took place during the Mass over which he presided in the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul of Basankusu, on Sunday August 20, 2023.
Father Giscard KAALA BONGOMBE was ordained priests, on behalf of the Diocese of Basankusu, Fathers Camille LOOLA MPONGO Prince and Daniel BANGAMODJO MOSUKU, on behalf of the MILL HILL Missionary Society. Crispin BAKULUTA, Martin BALONGO IWEWE, Joseph BOKETSU BATANGO and Norbert DJAMBU MOTATO were ordained Deacons.
On the same day, Bishop Joseph MOKOBE celebrated the 45th anniversary of his priestly ordination. As a reminder, Mgr MOKOBE was ordained a priest by Monsignor Ignace MATONDO KWA NZAMBI on Sunday August 20, 1978.
In his homily, Monsignor MOKOBE thanked all the faithful who had come from 6 Deaneries of the diocese, Kinshasa and Mbandaka. “You have all come to welcome God’s gifts for his Church. He alone is the bringer of true happiness and deep joy”, he asserted.
To the ordinands, Monsignor MOKOBE urged them to keep in their hearts this word of our Lord Jesus Christ: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you” (Jn 20,21) “Receive the Holy Spirit” (Jn 20.22). Through sacred ordination, you will receive the same Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth who gives the strength to proclaim with courage and determination the message of the resurrection in contradiction with the spirit of the world characterized by lies, defamation, jealousy, hatred, division and violence”.
The Bishop of Basankusu continued his exhortation to the ordinands by insisting on the fact that by the imposition of hands, Christ who showed his 5 wounds to the Apostles on the day of his resurrection, sends you into the battlefield as he experienced it himself. The battle for peace, the battle for the liberation of the oppressed, the battle for justice and truth to reign. This requires defying fear and despair. As to the prophet Jeremiah, the Lord says to you all today: “Do not say: ‘I am a child’, for to whomever I send you, you will go, and whatever I command you, you will say. Have no fear in their presence, for I am with you to deliver you” (Jer 1:7-8).
“Pastoral charity is the fundamental requirement for the success of the ministry of diaconate and the ministry of priesthood. You ignore pastoral charity at your peril. Who says pastoral charity says prophetic courage, underlined the Bishop of Basankusu. Tell the truth, proclaim the Word of life with complete freedom and responsibility to free men from the spirit of hatred, spirit of revenge and violence. With the weapons of humility, meekness and patience you must apply yourself to work for the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Through sacred ordination you receive the commission to proclaim the Word of God. What God and his Church expect of you is that your testimony of life be in conformity with the teachings that you will transmit”.
“You will exercise your ministry in a world hostile to priests. You will meet people who work for the disqualification of priests with the weapons of defamation and denigration. Attach yourself to the Lord by remaining diligent in prayer and meditation on the Word of God. Don’t be fooled by the lie. Let your life be in conformity with the call that each of you has received from the Lord. This is why you will have to put your hearts into the essentials of your ministry: the preparation and proclamation of the Word of God, the sanctification of the people of God through the sacraments and the guidance of the community”.
With these ordinations, the Diocese of Basankusu currently has 60 Priests and 4 Deacons.
Jean Calvin MOTUBA NZALE
Vicar General.
