The Congolese rite, precious fruit of inculturation and missionary work

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Theology and spirituality of the rite celebrated in the dioceses of Zaire, the current Democratic Republic of the Congo. This is the central theme of the book published by the Vatican Publishing Bookstore, which went on sale in December 2020, entitled “Pope Francis and the ‘Roman Missal for the dioceses of Zaire'”, which is presented today, at the of our station, in its French translation (“Le Pape François et le Missel Romain pour les Dioceses du Zaïre”), under the direction of Sr. Rita Mboshu KongoCongolese theologian of the Congregation of the Daughters of Mary Most Holy Co-redemptrix.

This is how it is read in the preface signed by Pope Francis and this is how the Pontiff reiterates it today in a message, signed on June 4, which accompanies the presentation of the work in French, conceived as part of the preparation of the apostolic trip, planned and then postponed, in the first days of July, to this African country.

The importance of a culture marked by faith

This volume has been written with the intention of making known in depth the different aspects of the “Roman Missal for the dioceses of Zaire”, approved and confirmed in the Ordinary of the Mass in French on April 30, 1988 by the Congregation for the Divine worship. In today’s message, the Pope recalls it, not without first underlining, citing the Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Africa of Saint John Paul II, the role of the Holy Spirit in the evangelizing action that began at the mouth of the Zaire River, in Pinda, giving rise to a “missionary epic”.

“And what does the Christian have – wonders the Pontiff – that is more precious than his faith in Jesus Christ?”. The “great treasure” inherited and to be passed on intact to future generations? In this the liturgy – he explains – offers a fundamental contribution. And so, as was already said in the message that accompanied the publication of the volume in Italian, Francis relaunches the importance of the Congolese rite “fruit of missionary preaching under the African sun” in its triple fidelity “to faith and apostolic tradition , to the intimate nature of the Catholic liturgy itself and, finally, to the religious genius and African and Congolese cultural heritage”.

This “inculturated” Roman Missal – the Pope also writes – is “the fruit of long years of research, experience on-site and of fruitful cooperation between the Holy See and the Church in the Congo”.

Therefore, in the words of the Pope, this missal is the “model for the other Churches that seek an adequate liturgical expression to make the fruits of the missionary enterprise of the evangelization of cultures and the inculturation of the Gospel ripen”. It is the evangelized popular culture that – according to Francis – has many resources and a “peculiar wisdom” to respond to the attacks of “current secularism”, with its values ​​of faith and solidarity.

It is beautiful, concludes Pope Francis, “to celebrate together the mercies of God”, so his exhortation is to continue – as Saint John Paul II said on April 23, 1988 to the bishops of the Congo during his visit ad limina Apostolorum – “engaging with the entire ritual of the sacraments and sacramentals” in preparation for completing this rite.

The Holy Father concludes his message with these words: “I exhort you – as Saint John Paul II said on April 23, 1988 to the bishops of the Congo during his visit ad limina Apostolorum – to commit yourselves in the same way to the entire ritual of the sacraments and the sacramentals that are preparing to complete this rite”.