CMS Ireland has been in partnership with the Anglican Church of the Congo for some twenty years.
While its partnership is currently most active with three dioceses in the east of the country it also has a close relationship with the Primate, Archbishop Dirokpa Fidele who is based in Kinshasa. It was through the relationship with him when he was Bishop of Bukavu that CMS Ireland developed its partnership with DR Congo.
The current partner Dioceses are:
Diocese of Bukavu
Bishop Bahati Bali-Busane who was appointed in 2006 became the third Bishop of the Diocese. It is situated in the east of DR Congo covering the administrative province of South Kivu. It currently has 4 archdeaconries, 42 parishes and 2 bible schools. It has 73 priests supported by several hundred catechists and evangelists. The diocese vision has several priorities including evangelism, training, help for war victims, income generation projects and gender issues.
Diocese of North Kivu
Bishop Munzenda Methusela is assisted by Bishop Enoch Kayeeye. It is situated in the north east of DR Congo covering the administrative province of North Kivu. There are 48 parishes with 87 clergy. Its priorities include training for clergy, repairing and re-equipping the schools and health centres, providing safe drinking water and starting Christian colleges that focus on theology and management.
Diocese of Kindu
Bishop Masimango Katanda has been its Bishop since the Diocese was created out of the Diocese of Bukavu in 1997. It covers the province of Maniema and part of south Kivu with an area of 150,000 sq. kilometres. Bishop Masimango was a senator in the provisional government which preceded the current administration, appointed following elections in 2006. There are 8 Archdeaconries with 48 parishes, 53 clergy supported by evangelists and catechists and a very active Mothers Union. Its future plans include: reawakening of evangelistic activities and integrating them with social action; in-service training for pastors; and roofing the churches in the major centres with corrugated iron.
The Programmes:
Because of the long civil war and unrest, as well as natural disasters such as the volcano eruption near Goma in Bukavu Diocese, much of CMS Ireland’s early help has been associated with humanitarian relief.
However in contrast to this in 1988 Rev George Pitt, together with his wife Anne and baby son Luke, went to Bukavu to work in theological training. Though they had considerable success in developing the existing Bible Schools in the Diocese and had begun work building a new one, due to the very unsettled security situation, they had to leave DR Congo in 1991.
Since 2003 most of CMS Ireland’s assistance has been directed to helping dioceses rebuild communities and peoples lives – including returning refugees – in the aftermath of the civil war.
In Bukavu, including the Archdeaconry of Goma, help has been provided to build two primary schools, a health centre and a grinding mill. Funding for micro credit, adult literacy training and training in animal husbandry, horticulture and pig breeding have enabled many people to pursue opportunities allowing them to earn an income to support their families. More recently a boat has been provided to operate on Lake Kivu to provide transport for villagers along the lakeshore and to enable the Church to communicate with them.
In North Kivu, despite continuing unrest, the Church is rebuilding and CMS Ireland has helped to refurbish 12 primary schools damaged in the war.
Kindu is a large Diocese and virtually cut off from the rest of DR Congo due to bad roads and lack of transport. CMS Ireland’s partnership has enabled the building of a new primary school, established a Diocesan wide HIV/AIDS education program, assisted in the setting up of a new clinic and has provided funding for a very successful micro-credit program for women. Many of these women, widowed as a result of the war, are now enabled to use their skills to generate an income which allows them to feed their children, to send them to school and to pay for modest health care.
Looking Forward:
Following a number of years when CMS Ireland was precluded from visiting DR Congo, due to the security situation in partner Dioceses, a visit was made in April 2007 and it is hoped that, as a result of this and the detailed discussions that took place, the partnerships will now further develop for the benefit of all.
There is however a great need now for Parishes in Ireland to commit to partnership with DR Congo. If you would like more to explore links in DR Congo please contact Niall Manogue, our Regional Mission Partner for Mid-Africa.
