VNS—On 15 June, the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, Italy, will witness the beatification of Floribert Bwana Chui Bin Kositi, a young Congolese member of the Community of Sant’Egidio, a martyr who stood up against corruption. The ceremony will be presided over by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. Pope Francis said of Floribert Bwana Chui: “I think of the witness given by a young person like yourselves, Floribert... only twenty-six years old, he was killed in Goma for having blocked the passage of spoiled foodstuffs that could have been harmful to people’s health. He could have easily turned a blind eye; no one would have known, and he might even have gained an advantage. But, as a Christian, he prayed. He thought of others and chose honesty, saying no to corruption. That is what it means to keep your hands and heart clean.” Pope Francis expressed these words to thousands of young Congolese gathered at the stadium in Kinshasa on 2 February 2023 during his Apostolic Visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Carry this event in prayer In a recent letter dated 20 April 2025, announcing the beatification to the Diocese of Goma, the Ordinary of the Diocese, Bishop Willy Ngumbi Ngengele, M. Afr., spoke of the beatification as an outpouring of hope for the people of Congo. He said the Diocese of Goma would celebrate the new Blessed on 8 July 2025 in the city of Goma. “I would like to announce in advance that here in Goma, we will hold a...
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