Page 28 - Reflexions of African Bishops and Priests

“Social Credit, an Efficient Way to Fight Poverty”

Here are the words of Msgr. Placide Mukendi, vic- that the impression I had was that the students were
ar general of the diocese of Mbuji-Mayi in the Demo- very attentive. They were very interested and they re-
cratic Republic of Congo during the week of study in ceived the message very well. After the conferences,
Rougemont on August 31, 2009: the big question that they asked was: “But when can
we put social credit to work, when
by Msgr. Placide Mukendi can we start!” This is to say that the
I would like to first of all thank message was well understood, that it
Most Rev. Nestor Ngoyi, Bishop of was really received well.
the diocese of Kolwezi in the Demo- Now, how does the diocese in-
cratic Republic of Congo, who was tend to spread the message (of so-
the first person who spoke with me cial credit), not only in Mbuji-Mayi
about Social Credit. It is he who ar- but also in all our ecclesiastical prov-
ranged to have Mr. Marcel Lefebvre inces? The small organizing commit-
and Fr. Albert Kaumba visit our dio- tee who was charged with receiving
cese, something that was perhaps our guests was transformed into a
not even in their program! sympathetic committee of Pilgrims
Secondly, I would like to thank of St. Michael, because they under-
the directress and all the organizers stood the cause. The committee un-
of the week of study and Congress derstood that in order to bring the
that has permitted me to hear what message to the people, they had to
I’ve heard and to see what I’ve seen. be well formed and even very well
Above all what struck me, my broth- formed. That is what we have started
ers and sisters, was the spirit of fam- Msgr. Placide Mukendi doing, beginning with the social doc-
ily in which we are living. I see among you those of a trine of the Church, that is fundamentally the same
certain age, but also young people, even very young as social credit, as the Pilgrims of St. Michael teach
people who are convinced of Social Credit and who it. More than that, we say: “That this message may
have become Pilgrims of St. Michael. attain every layer of the population in our diocese;
In February of 2009, our diocese of Mbuji-Mayi we must wait for the priests.” In our diocese we have
had the distinguished honor to welcome two visitors a program of permanent formation for priests: so the
of note, Mr. Marcel Lefebvre and Fr. Albert Kaumba. theme of social credit was inscribed to this program
These important two visitors came to bring a mes- for the priests starting with this pastoral year that will
sage, a message of liberation and hope that we have start in the month of September.
called social credit, an alternative and efficient meth- We will not stop there! There is also the pastoral
od to fight against poverty. council that regroups not only priests and religious,
For this purpose, when they arrived in Mbuji-Mayi but mostly the lay people. Social Credit will also be
we went to make a courtesy visit to our bishop, His put into the program of the pastoral council.
Excellency Bishop Tharcisse Tshibangu, he is the Outside of the diocese, we will look forward to
bishop emeritus since August 1st. The next day we hearing all of ecclesiastical province of Kananga. This
went to visit the auxiliary bishop, Most Rev. Bernard means that the theme of social credit will be brought to
Emmanuel Kasanda, who is now the diocesan bishop. the provincial meeting in the month of November, so
I should say that these two bishops are very interested that all of the bishops will be informed that this small
in social credit and Bishop Tharcisse Tshibangu even committee will with their blessing, furrow through all of
asked his secretary-chancellor to put the theme of so- the dioceses of Kasanga.
cial credit in the program of a social week anticipated Why did the population of the diocese of Mbuji-
for the year 2010. Mayi accept social credit so easily? The diocese of
Mr. Marcel Lefebvre and Fr. Albert Kaumba had Mbuji-Mayi is in the heart of the Democratic Republic
the occasion to give six conferences that were really of Congo. It is also a society that was once very pros-
very much appreciated: above all, three that were perous because of the diamond mines, but because
destined for the clergy, the religious, the commit- of these mines the cost of living also became very
ted lay people and those who are the people of God. high in our province.
The conference was given in the multipurpose hall of In the city of Mbuji-Mayi the salaries are gener-
the diocese. Also they gave three conferences in the ally salaries of misery (and this applies all over the
student area, at the ISP (Institute of Superior Instruc- country), monthly salaries that do not permit them to
tion) of Mbuji-Mayi, at the Major Seminary of Mbuji- live even for one week. What do they do for the oth-
Mayi and the University of Mbuji-Mayi. I have to say

28 2009 session www.michaeljournal.org