The Voice of the suffering in Africa

"There was a Mass at Kinshasa Cathedral to memorialize at least four people killed on Dec. 31 [2017]. After this Mass, the army and police again fired tear gas and two people were injured.”

"The Church is certainly the most credible institution in the country and consequently finds herself in the line of fire. But it is necessary, because no one else dares to protest."

“Our perception is that she is trying to stabilize the fragile democracy. Democracy is hard won and it took 60 years to get to where the country is today.”

"We appeal to their conscience. We do not have any weapons. Our weapon is the Word of God. We are men of the Word of God. We go and knock on the gate to the hearts of these men and women. The people can either accept this or not. It is our job and duty to tell them: thou shalt not kill."

Tony Zender, who oversees projects in a number of English-speaking African countries for international papal charity Aid to the Church in Need, recently visited Zambia. It is a politically stable nation, though it has far to go in terms of development and lifting its people out of poverty.

The specter of Boko Haram may have fallen from the headlines, but a painful echo of its reign of terror in northeastern Nigeria endures. The group mainly killed men, leaving behind countless widows and orphans in dire straits.