In 1905, the Mill Hill missionaries were invited to work in the Congo Free State. The Mill Hill missionaries travelled for many days on the Congo River and its smaller rivers before arriving in Basankusu. The journey was dangerous. Some died from fever, and others drowned. Those who survived worked hard to gain the trust of the local people and create safe Christian communities.
For over 50 years, communities lived and worked peacefully. But when Belgian rule ended, there was political unrest. In the 1960s, some Mill Hill missionaries were killed by rebels. Even during years of war, poverty, and economic collapse, missionaries and lay workers stayed with the people, sharing their struggles, teaching children, caring for the sick, and preparing new priests.
Today, a small group of Mill Hill missionaries continues their mission in the DRC. They live among the local people with only basic facilities and services. After years of colonial rule and war, many still lack access to education and healthcare. The missionaries work with the local Church, making the Gospel accessible to the people and celebrating the Eucharist in their own cultural way. For many years now, Congolese Mill Hill missionaries have also been serving in missions around the world.
The current situation in the DRC is not promising due to escalating conflict, with Rwandan-backed M23 rebels occupying another city, Bukavu, in eastern Congo. Increasing violence has been reported in various locations, and instability is on the rise. It is evident that the main reason behind this conflict is the region’s natural resources, which large corporations seek to control, thereby funding the rebels to create unrest.
The Church in the DRC and across Africa is united in promoting peace and prayer to end the war. “We urge all believers to dedicate time to prayer, asking the Lord to bring an end to the war, comfort the afflicted, and guide our leaders toward justice and reconciliation,” Cardinal Ambongo said on behalf of the African bishops.
In England, Bishop Paul Swarbrick of the Diocese of Lancaster has voiced his solidarity with the people of the DRC who are suffering due to the ongoing conflict. He said, “Since the fighting broke out in January, I have heard first-hand reports on some of the pressing challenges – overcrowded hospitals, mass displacement, severe shortages of medicine, and exorbitant prices for basic necessities such as food and water. These conditions threaten to escalate a desperate humanitarian crisis.”
Let us keep the people of the DRC in our prayers and thoughts, as well as pray for the conversion of those who cause harm to others.
