Jesus Lands in Congo – After a Two-month Delay (Chiesa)

ROMA, July 19, 2007 – In the middle of Africa is the Democratic Republic of the Congo. And at the center of Congo, in the Eastern Kasai province, is the diocese of Mbujimayi.

Raphaël Dila Ciendela, 44, a priest of the diocese of Mbujimayi, found out only at the beginning of June that pope Benedict XVI had published – almost two months earlier, on April 16 – the book entitled “Jesus of Nazareth.”

“I learned about it by chance, while talking with a priest friend, the rector of a seminary in my diocese, who had received the volume from a confrere who had just returned from Europe.”

Soon after it was Fr. Raphaël’s turn to take a trip to Europe. That was when he had the chance to see with his own eyes, for the first time, a copy of the volume.

“It was June 21, and I had just arrived in Italy. I saw the book by chance at the home of a friend of mine in Pisa. I finally bought the French edition for myself in Bordeaux, on July 11, the feast of Saint Benedict.”

One need only imagine what it must be like for those like Fr. Raphael, where electrical service is unreliable, and others information services are sparse.