Bishops demand justice after massacre at Catholic church in Democratic Republic of Congo

The pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) reported that the bishops of the Democratic Republic of Congo are demanding justice following the massacre perpetrated by a group linked to the Islamic State on July 26-27 at a Catholic church in which more than 40 people were killed or injured.

That weekend, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) attacked Blessed Anuarite Parish in the Diocese of Bunia, killing 37 young people and wounding six others who were participating in a vigil marking the 25th anniversary of the Eucharistic Crusades movement, according to ACN.

The bishop of Bunia, Dieudonné Uringi, told ACN that after the massacre, “many people were traumatized. When the adults found out, they came immediately to see what had happened.”

So far, no one has been arrested, and the prelate lamented that law enforcement did not react appropriately: “The police and military were not far away, but they didn’t act in time. They should have intervened more quickly to protect the population.”

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