CONGO – Phenomenal growth in vocations in the “country of 100 seminaries”
The Church in the Democratic Republic of Congo grew a lot since the arrival of the first missionaries, Today this African country has the largest number of Catholics, no less than 41 million, and in keeping with the growth of the Church, it has the largest number of seminarians and seminaries.
There are 25 major seminaries with 1,600 seminarians who will soon be ordained and 35 preparatory seminaries plus many minor seminaries. Many children are also undertaking training in their own parishes, sort of “countryside seminaries,” before attending a preparatory seminary. With these numbers, we can say that Congo is the ”country of the hundred seminaries”.
These seminaries and new priestly vocations need financial and practical support from the universal Church. ACN’s mission is to make Christians aware of the importance of priestly and religious vocations that are emerging in the young Churches and the need to provide scholarships and and training centres.
Without these material resources, provided by the generosity of the faithful throughout the world, they could not go on. Practical and financial assistance is especially important in this country, where every year there are half a million baptisms, two hundred thousand of them adults.
ACN Malta
