In December 2019, when the Christmas holidays were being prepared, if any Congolese had been told that his life would be radically affected in the next six months by an obscure virus called Covid-19 coming from China, he would not have believed it and would have laughed a lot... Laughter because China seems to be far away, even if some compatriots are doing good business there.
At the end of 2019, we were still still not too concerned, despite the news about a certain coronavirus that was raging in China, and was starting to affect certain regions of Europe. We were so uninterested with this distant and recurring news that it even had a dull side.
Surprise, skepticism and panic
Well, the surprise came. In early March 2020, three months later, we learned of the first known case of coronavirus in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It came from a European city due to the intense air traffic between our country and this continent. The danger was not so far away! It was in the air and the stress of contagion was already looming.
The civil authorities took the threat seriously and, after isolating the suspected case, imposed measures to prevent the spread of the disease among the population of the capital, isolating it from the rest of the country, although the disease has progressed in the provinces.
On June 17, 2020, the eleven provinces affected were Kinshasa, 4,772 cases; Central Congo, 246; South Kivu, 108; Upper Katanga, 72; North Kivu, 54; Tshopo, 3; Ituri, 2; Kwilu, 2; Kwango, 1; Upper Lomani, 1; Equateur, 1. In total, 112 deaths and 613 cured.
Everyone knew that promiscuity and lack of hygiene, well known in working class neighborhoods, could cause an explosion of the pandemic to alarming proportions. What was happening in Spain, in France and especially in Italy, gave us goose bumps.
Although some fell ill, much of the population remained skeptical, usually out of ignorance. In private conversations, there was a frequent comment: "Where are the victims of this disease, we don't see any!". Or we hear say: "This Covid 19 is just a pretext for our authorities to attract international aid!".
But as the number of victims increased significantly, things have changed. We have moved from denial to panic, to the point where infected people feel ashamed to announce it to their relatives. Worse still, the population began to avoid and abandon hospitals where patients suffering from coronavirus are treated.
The hand of Providence
Two months into the pandemic, we were surprised by the relatively low number of Covid 19 victims in Africa. Several reasons have been put forward: the youth of the Congolese population, when we know that the age factor is very important among the victims; the hypothesis, still to be proved, of a type of immunity resulting from the anti-malarial drugs that we are used to taking in these latitudes; another hypothesis still to be proved,
high tropical temperatures...
But one thing is certain: after three months of Covid 19, the most affected European countries have already reached thirty thousand dead, while in Congo, in the same period of time, we barely reached one hundred victims. Many have perceived, in this leniency in the number of victims of the coronavirus, as a special protection of divine Providence, which has protected the countries less prepared to face this catastrophe.
The number of victims has certainly increased in recent weeks, but we are far from the hundreds of deaths per day that Europe experienced at the height of the pandemic. God takes care of his weakest children, a good number of believers think softly... Africans, in their legendary religiosity, are convinced that divine Providence intervenes and has intervened. In fact, the means to face the crisis are not fully concentrated, both in terms of health facilities and equipment to face the great disaster we feared.
Problems in health structures
The Congolese authorities have taken certain courageous measures to curb the disease and treat those infected: specially authorized hospitals have been designated to receive the sick; a health emergency has been declared to speed up decision-making; financial resources have been directed to the health sector.
In the capital, among the selected hospitals, there is the Monkole Hospital Center, where I am chaplain. It is one of the best health centers in the city, with about two hundred beds. It is located on the outskirts of the capital, Kinshasa.
Like the other centers, this hospital, of civilian character but of Christian inspiration, isolated part of its facilities to accommodate exclusively Covid-19 patients. As soon as this Covid Center, with a capacity of about forty beds, was opened, it was full.
In fact, unfortunately, coronavirus patients are still stigmatized and avoided in Congolese hospitals. Here, one of the cured patients noted, recently, with gratitude: "Here I was not treated as a patient, but as a brother!". Many patients must be transferred to other locations because there are limited places available.
An unprecedented ecclesial situation
The authorities have taken measures to curb contagion: mandatory use of masks; prohibition of public gatherings of more than twenty people and, therefore, of religious worship. The Congolese population is currently estimated at around 70 million, almost half of whom are Catholics. To support the civil authority, the Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) also decreed the suspension of celebrations and other parish activities. Church activities have been significantly reduced, due to the absence of Masses and the celebration of other sacraments.
Two eminent members of the Congolese Episcopate - the Archbishop of Kinshasa, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, and the Bishop of the Diocese of Molegbe, Monsignor Dominique Bula Matari - have kindly granted us interviews, in which they refer to the current pastoral situation, and to the post-pandemic. The Archbishop of Kinshasa admitted the difficulties caused by this circumstance: "We are locked out! Our normal functioning is compromised. We no longer know how to meet for Sunday celebrations and even at the level of the basic ecclesial communities. The Pastor cannot make pastoral visits; the sheep can no longer see the shepherd....".
The cardinal also underlined the economic difficulties: the finances of the archdiocese are affected by the fact that the offerings of the faithful are scarce because they normally take place during parish celebrations. However, he is happy to note that, at the time of our interview, no clergy had died as a result of the pandemic.
On a positive note, Cardinal Ambongo was delighted with the echoes that reached him about the fact that many people have returned to family prayer in the evening. Another reason to rejoice was that the Catholic faithful continued to support their priests in the parish and a wave of solidarity was expressed. "All parishes are still in charge of the faithful."The Congolese cardinal noted with satisfaction and optimism.
As a time of "spiritual retreat"
The diocese of Archbishop Dominique Bula Matari, the second interviewee, is located in Molegbe, in the northwest of the country. Specifically in the former Equateur province, about two hours by plane from Kinshasa. He is at the head of a Catholic community of nearly 1.5 million people. Despite the difficulties of this period, the bishop of Molegbe always kept a frank smile on his face when he received us. He regretted that this pandemic has thrown his entire pastoral plan for this year into disarray: "I can't do the pastoral visits because we can't get people together.".
His main concern has been to ensure that the faithful could participate in Mass by radio, because the rural population, for the most part, does not have access to television. But his diocese is poor and does not even have a radio, so he asked his priests to use the radios operating in the region to assist the faithful. However, the latter are demanding Communion. And he has no other solution, for the time being, than to advise spiritual Communion while waiting for the return to normality. This diocese of the interior, like most of the dioceses in Congo, has been severely affected financially since most of its resources come from Sunday collections. The bishop has invited the clergy and lay people of his diocese to "take advantage of this time as a spiritual retreat" He was also pleased with the "return to the domestic church"It also nourishes the hope that in the future we will be able to draw on this experience to promote catechesis, at least in part, given by the parents themselves.
After Covid: what should change
However, on closer inspection, everything is not so negative during the pandemic's lull, which is still going on. Far from it! The two members of the Congolese hierarchy are convinced of this.
In many areas we can witness authentic progress in society and in the Church. On the ecclesial level, certainly the rediscovery of the greatness of the gift of Sunday Mass and of the material care of the Church by the faithful. They will be able to become more involved because this period is demonstrating even more clearly that the Church survives only thanks to the contributions of its faithful.
At the individual level, hygiene is making a comeback in public places. We all know now that the simple act of washing hands can prevent many diseases. Also the rediscovery of the family, as a warm refuge in the difficulties of life, must be strengthened and supported by the State.
Therefore, the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic could also be an opportunity for the future in which the Church and Congolese society can emerge healthier and more vigorous. "Everything contributes to the good of those who love God.(Romans 8:28).
Chaplain of Monkole Hospital in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
