On Sunday, August 18, three Xaverian Missionaries and one local priest were beatified in a ceremony held in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
According to the Xaverian Missionaries website, "Tragically, these missionaries fell victim to a turbulent period in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) history, in the early 1960s."
Killed in hatred of the faith
At the time there was great political upheaval and chaos in the region. This led to the priests becoming targets of the local militia:
Frs. Carrara and Didoné, together with Brother Faccin were killed on November 28, 1964, in Baraka and Fizi, two locations in the DRC. The brutal incident unfolded when a military jeep halted at the Baraka Church, and amidst the chaos, Brother Faccin was commanded by a rebel leader to board the vehicle. His refusal led to a tragic outcome, as he was ruthlessly shot. Father Carrara, who was hearing confessions, emerged from the Church and, rather than complying with the assailants, knelt by his fallen brother. His unwavering solidarity cost him his life, becoming another victim of this senseless violence.
Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, Archbishop of Kinshasa, praised the missionaries at the Mass of beatification and believes their martyrdom will bear fruit in their region of Africa:
"I am convinced that the blood of our blessed martyrs will obtain for us the gift of peace,” Cardinal Besungu said in the homily. The prelate also made an appeal for peace: "Enough with the violence! Enough with barbarities! Enough with the killings and deaths" on Congolese soil.
According to Agenzia Fides, The missionaries and local priest who were killed were "killed out of an odium fidei [hatred of the faith]. Their murders, in fact, took place in an atheistic and anti-religious context characterized by a magical-superstitious background which motivated the Simbas."
The missionaries are inspiring to many in Africa and their courage in the face of violence continues to be a sign of hope.
