2014-08-22 17:38:00

Blessed Anuarite: Congo DR prepares the close of Jubilee year


The Church in the Democratic Republic of Congo is celebrating fifty years since the martyrdom of Blessed Marie Clementine Anuarite Nengapeta. At a recent press conference in Kinshasa, the secretary general of the episcopal conference, "La Conférence épiscopale nationale du Congo" (CENCO), Fr. Leonard Santedi, outlined plans and activities for the close of the Jubilee year of Blessed Anuarite. The Bishops in Congo have confirmed that there will be celebrations in all dioceses. The main celebrations will take place in Wamba and Isiro the places where Blessed Anuarite lived and was martyred. The Bishops are keen to increase awareness and intensify devotion to Blessed Anuarite. 

Key features of the closing of the Jubilee year celebrations of Blessed Anuarite will include a pilgrimage to Isiro. At Isiro, a foundation stone is expected to be laid signifying the start of the construction of a sanctuary dedicated to Blessed Anuarite. 

Blessed Anuarite was a member of the Holy Family Sisters in then Belgian Congo today Congo DR. She became a martyr about the age of 25 when she was killed during the anarchy that followed Congo’s Mulele rebellion led by Simba rebels, in 1964.

It was in November 1964 when postulants, novices and religious sisters at Bafwabaka convent were taken to Isiro under the guise of protecting them. While in Isiro, Blessed Anuarite was singled out by one of the Simba leaders, Colonel Ngalo. He tried to persuade Anuarite to become his wife but she refused him. Colonel Pierre Olombe then offered to persuade Anuarite, on behalf of Ngalo but then decided he wanted her for himself and tried to rape her. Blessed Anuarite fiercely resisted Olombe telling him she preferred to die rather than commit sin. She was badly battered and in a fit of rage Olombe ordered some Simba fighters to stab Anuarite with their bayonets. Olombe is then said to have shot Anuarite in the chest.

Born Nengapeta sometime before the year 1941, Blessed Anuarite was baptised as Alphonsine. She was baptised together with her mother and some of her sisters in 1943. Anuarite was actually her sister's name and became hers only through a clerical error. A Belgian sister who accepted her when she was presented for registration in order that she starts primary school, wrote her down as Alphonsine Anuarite. When she became a sister at the Holy Family convent, in 1959, she took the name of Sr. Marie-Clementine.

Blessed Anuarite lived most of her religious life in Bafwabaka area in the north eastern part of Congo DR. During her life as a religious sister, Sr. Marie-Clementine was known for her zeal in serving others and working hard to improve the lot of those under her care.

Since Blessed Anuarite died in 1964, this year marks fifty years from the time of her martyrdom and the Church in Congo has been commemorating the Jubilee year of Blessed Anuarite with various spiritual activities. According to Fr. Santedi, the secretary general at the Congolese episcopal conference, the Congolese Bishops see Blessed Anuarite as a role model who can inspire both Catholics and non-Catholics in Congo DR. They regard her as an example of a woman who, if emulated, can restore reconciliation and honour to Congo DR’s tainted image of violence against women and of endless civil wars. During her beatification on 15 August 1985 (Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary) in then Zaire, Saint Pope John Paul II likened her act of forgiving her aggressor before she died to that of Christ. Before succumbing to the blows of her killer, Blessed Anuarite had the strength to turn to him and say, "I forgive you because you do not know what you are doing."

The Bishops in Congo hope that the forgiveness and faith manifested by Blessed Anuarite in the face of violence will not only inspire Congolese people but others in Africa as well. The dignity, respect, loyalty and commitment of Blessed Anuarite is said, by the Bishops, to appeal to the Congolese of today. Blessed Anuarite preferred to die a violent death rather than submit to her aggressors and break her vow of chastity.

(Fr. Paul Samasumo, Vatican Radio) Email: engafrica@vatiradio.va








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