Conflict an Obstacle to Evangelization Says Bishop

Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi)

28 June 2011

Djibouti — The Bishop of Djibouti and Apostolic Administrator of Mogadishu, Bishop Giorgio Bertini has said that conflict and insecurity are some of the barriers towards evangelization in Djibouti and Mogadishu, Somalia.

In an interview with CISA at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) where bishops are attending the 50th Anniversary of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA), the bishop said, “In terms of evangelization there is no great achievement in Somalia because of the political and security situation. Rather the presence of the church has been destroyed in Somalia.”

‘We are surviving with some humanitarian actions,” said Bishop Bertini.

“The experience I have both in Somalia and Djibouti is that with the people who know us.. .the relation is quite brotherly, there is even a sense of esteem from the Muslims towards us. The problem is with those who do not know us and they are the majority.”

The bishop further said, “The last ten to twenty years, there has been an increase in Islamists fundamentalism inspired first by Iranian revolution and more recently by Al Qaeda. And so at that level the relationship between Christians and Muslims is not so good.”

One of their main challenges is shortage of priests. “I don’t have enough priests. At the moment there are only three in Djibouti.”

The bishops revealed that this is brought about by the hostile environment. “The priests are not accustomed to live in a Muslim context where pastoral activities towards Christians are almost reduced to nothing.”

He says that for many years he has been faced with the problem of priests who come and go. “It requires priests to have a sense of sacrifice and generosity and also change of mind,” he advised.

The bishop said that he was particularly touched by the Bishop of Kitui, Bishop Anthony Muheria’s spiritual reflections in the morning. “I was particularly attentive when he spoke about solidarity in evangelization efforts here in East Africa, solidarity means that people should be aware of the difficulties we face.”

Concerning the AMECEA meeting Bishop Bertini said, ‘Participating in the AMECEA meeting means to have a strong experience of brotherly communion with other bishops and with the church in East Africa.”

“Djibouti and Somalia represent countries which are geographically in Africa but with their mind towards the Arab world. For me it is essential to have a brotherly relationship with the other bishops.”

In conclusion Bishop Bertini appealed to dioceses that many priests to be generous and share with those that have few.

In Djibouti there is only one parish but outside Djibouti there are four missionary stations with a presence of a few sisters.

Mogadishu in Somalia and Djibouti became affiliate members of AMECEA through the intervention of Bishop Bertini. However, their bishop’s conference head is in Jerusalem, Israel in the middle east.

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