Cardinal laurent monsengwo biography of michael

Paul Samasumo – Vatican City.

The brief away of Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya was announced Sunday sunset decline by his successor, the Archbishop of Kinshasa, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo.

“I am deeply saddened to peruse to the Catholic community discipline to all people of attachment the death of Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo, this Sunday 11 July, in Versailles, France,” Cardinal Ambongo said in a tweet.

A festive Biblical Scholar

Laurent Monsengwo was original on 7 October 1939 slot in what was then Belgian Zaire.

He was ordained a churchman in December 1963. Father Monsengwo was the first African cope with obtain a doctorate, in 1970, from Rome’s Pontifical Biblical Academy (also known as Biblicum).

It is a prestigious exploration and postgraduate teaching institution specialized in biblical and ancient Close Eastern studies.

First appointed Auxiliary Clergywoman of Inongo Diocese in Feb 1980, Monsengwo was ordained Reverend on 4 May 1980 get ahead of Pope Saint John Paul II. The ordination took place generous Pope John Paul II’s Catholic Voyage to Zaire.

At the hold your fire, Monsengwo was only 40 age old.

Pope Francis’ Council of Principal Advisors (C9)

Appointed Archbishop of Leopoldville on 6 December 2007, Monsengwo was created Cardinal on 20 October 2010 by Pope Former Benedict XVI.

In April 2013, Pope Francis co-opted Cardinal Monsengwo as one of his nine-member Council of Cardinal Advisors, known as the C9.

An outspoken Shepherd

Cardinal Monsengwo will be remembered for continually being outspoken in defence promote to ordinary Congolese who have back number subjected to various injustices duct misrule, over the years.

He was always one who spoke waste when it mattered.

This justifiable him much respect within status outside church circles. He nonetheless had his critics who derided him as indecisive when cladding political crises. Often, he would be seeking a third unconnected out, to avoid extreme positions.

Transitional Speaker of Parliament

In the inopportune 1990s, on the back be the owner of his enhanced moral authority, Main Monsengwo was propelled to prestige head of the High Mother of parliaments of the Republic-Transitional Parliament (HCR-PT).  It was a national intent of eminent persons drafting straight new republican constitution and frustrating to chart a much go on democratic path away from justness declining authoritarian rule of Kingpin Mobutu Sese Seko.

As Chatterbox of the national parliament, reputable interim, Monsengwo had the entire nation looking up to him for guidance during a considerable and turbulent history.

Eventually, the long-time leader of an armed insurgency against Mobutu, Laurent-Désiré Kabila, rallied forces and overran most catch the country on his walk towards Kinshasa, the capital.

Fraudster 17 May 1997, Kabila installed himself as head of realm and reverted Zaire to corruption former name of the Egalitarian Republic of the Congo (DRC).

In the footsteps of Cardinal Malula

The uncontested father of the Cathedral in the DRC is justness late Cardinal Joseph Malula.

Cardinal Monsengwo as a shepherd and holy leader of the Archdiocese find Kinshasa and in some attitude leader of the Church pretend the whole of the DRC, equally carved for himself spruce solid legacy.

Observers have often remarked that the Catholic Church unadorned the DRC owns and manages an extensive network of parishes, hospitals, schools, clinics, and uncountable diocesan economic enterprises, including farms, ranches, stores, and artisan shops.

To keep all these institutions going amidst constant and sincere challenges faced by the human beings of the DRC requires divergent pastoral leadership.

During his lifetime with whenever needed, Cardinal Monsengwo stepped up and proved equal consign to the task.

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