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Catholic bishops recently urged clerics with kids to leave the priesthood, just a few months before the July papal visit to Africa
Monsignor Donatien Nshole Babula (Photo supplied)
By Lucie Sarr | Congo
A spokesman for the Catholic bishops in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has denied that a recent document urging priests with children to seek laicization and care for their families was purposely timed before the upcoming papal visit to the country.
"The decision to write it was made at the June 2021 plenary assembly before the pope's visit was even announced," said Monsignor Donatien Nshole Babula, secretary general of the National Episcopal Conference of the Congo (CENCO).
The priest told La Croix Africa that releasing the 19-page document in the run-up to Pope Francis' visit to DRC from July 2-5 was just a "coincidence".
The text – "At the School of Jesus Christ: for an authentic priestly life" – was dated March 4, but it was only recently sent out to the Congolese clergy.
Monsignor Nshole Babula spoke to Lucie Sarr about the document's genesis and purpose.
La Croix Africa: "At the School of Jesus Christ" has been getting a lot of attention. What exactly is it about? And in what context was it written?
Donatien Nshole Babula: It is an exhortation from the bishops to offer encouragement to the majority of priests who live their priestly commitments faithfully and, at the same time, challenge those who do not live the priesthood in an authentic way.
The exhortation places special emphasis on the rights of children who are born to priests and on the vulnerable. The rights of these children also imply the availability of their parents to care for them properly.
For some time now, there have been associations that have challenged the Church on this issue. It is also in the context of the universal Church's effort to stop the abuse of minors.
The document aims to "break the silence" on the plight of children and women involved in unions with clerics. So why was it limited to the clerical circle?
The distribution of this document was limited to priests simply because it is an exhortation addressed to them.
Is there an estimate of how many women and children are affected by this situation? Does CENCO foresee any support for the women and children affected by this phenomenon, as well as for the priests who will leave the priesthood or be expelled from it? Will they be reintegrated into Church structures to provide for the needs of their children?
CENCO has not conducted surveys to find out the number of women and children affected.
There have also been no general measures taken by CENCO to support women, children or priests who find themselves in this situation.
Support is done on a case by case basis at the diocesan level. These are cases that the Church is called to treat with great humanity.
Is there a link between the dismissal of some priests from the clerical state in the DRC in recent months and this document?
There is no direct link… even if some cases are related to the contents of the document.
Is the upcoming visit of the pope to the DRC one of the reasons the document was issued? Has the Vatican asked CENCO to look into this matter before the arrival of the pope, to set a good example?
The bishops' exhortation to priests is not linked to the pope's visit to the DRC.
The decision to write it was made at the June 2021 plenary assembly before the pope's visit was even announced.
The Vatican did not ask CENCO to write this letter, the reality of which is not specifically Congolese.
It is a coincidence that it came out at a time when the pope is expected.
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