A Catholic church was broken into and set on fire by armed men. Five priests, a laywoman and three laymen were kidnapped by the criminals.
Newsroom (27/09/2022 2:30 PM, Gaudium Press) A church in the diocese of Mamfe, Cameroon, was attacked by a group of armed men on the night of September 16.
In addition to attacking the church of St. Mary of Nchang, the men set fire to the temple and kidnapped five priests, a nun and two lay people.
The attack happened in the west of the country where a civil war has claimed victims and displaced people since 2016.
“Let the attacks cease”
The Bishops of Bamenda province released a statement following the St. Mary’s church attack. They say they are shocked by the fire and the kidnappings.
The Episcopalians call for the attacks against religious temples to cease and asks that the kidnappers release the priests, the nun and the laity as soon as possible:
“We insist on this because this act has already crossed the red line and we have to say ‘enough,'” the statement explains.
Rosary of Reparation
The Bishop of Abangalo invited all the faithful of the Diocese of Mamfe to pray a Rosary during the month of October as reparation for the act that he called abominable.
The country is facing a civil war known as the “Anglophone crisis”. Separatists from the northwestern and southwestern English-speaking regions of the country have risen up against government forces.
In Cameroon, about two-thirds of the population professes Catholicism as their religion. Muslims represent between 25 and 30 percent of the population. (FM)
Compiled by Angelica Vecchiato
