My struggle for peace

In a Central African Republic in full civil war, it has chosen the path of dialogue and peace; he reminded the forces calling for armed confrontation and fomenting hatred that religions cannot be used to divide and generate hatred; to the profound social and political divisions he opposed fraternity and non-violence.
Dieudonné Nzapalainga, archbishop of Bangui and cardinal, told his story at the Arsenal of Peace, presenting the Italian edition of his book My Struggle for Peace, published by the Vatican Publishing House. Diedonné was born in 1967 into a poor family of 10 children in which, however, he breathes a climate of daily ecumenism: his father is Catholic while his mother is Protestant. In turn, his humble house hosts meetings of both confessions, always in an atmosphere of welcome and mutual respect.

His children are left with the freedom of choice, Dieudionné chooses Catholicism because he meets a Dutch Spiritan missionary, Father Leon, who warms his heart: he wants to become like him and live his life by spending himself for others.
After the period of priestly formation in Cameroon and France, Father Dieudonné returned to his country and immediately important responsibilities arrived: first apostolic administrator of the diocese of Bangui and, after a few years, he was appointed archbishop. He faces major divisions in the Church, tensions with other faiths and in society. His method is based on listening, on encounter and dialogue, on the ability to put the other first.

In 2012 and 2013 the Central African Republic lived one of the most dramatic pages in its history: the second civil war. The Seleka rebels overthrow President Bozizé. Father Dieudonnè is at the forefront with Iman Oumar Bobine Layama and Protestant pastor Nicolas Guérékpyaméné-Gbangou in the Platform of Confessions to say that religions must not become instruments of division and war. Le Monde defines them as the three saints of Bangui. The task of religions is to tell those who follow the path of violence that it is not God's path, to tell those who want to divide that God unites, to say “no” to those who exploit religion for political ends. The three religious leaders move unarmed across the country to meet the warring factions, risking their lives every time, to demand an end to all violence. As a cardinal, as a pastor, as an imam, all three feel in their hearts that this is the only way to go: Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, non-believers are part of this world and have the duty to sit down, get to know each other, enter into relationships, seek together shared paths that lead to a unitary vision of politics and society.

Lived experience shows that alone one cannot bring peace, but together it is possible, provided that all subjects are available to listen, to integrate their values, to live a path towards peace which is the horizon that everyone the faiths have before them. For Christians, peace is God, it is Christ who incarnates it by coming into the world. Only God can give peace and make us peacemakers, capable of living their lives with an open heart towards others.
The reflection is not romantic, but profound and, at the same time, concrete: the path of peace between peoples passes from the heart of each one. In each man a wolf slumbers that each is called to tame. That wolf has various names: "violence", "revenge", "hatred", "war".
Today, in our present, there are people who let themselves be overcome by that wolf, who kill and persecute, who continually hurt their brothers and sisters. In the name of faith, believers are called to remind everyone that it is possible to respect, welcome, collaborate, coexist. God's peace is different from that which is decreed by men who often impose it and establish it with weapons, violence and the rebalancing of their interests.

God's peace is not impossible and it is what Jesus lived fully enough to give himself to men on the cross: it is love that brings peace and overcomes all kinds of evil.
As in the first Christian communities, when Christians, in the heart of persecution, continued to believe and to offer forgiveness as an alternative to those who hurt them. They were able to overcome evil with good.
Today as then, in the depths of our hearts, the appeal must resound: "Peace also depends on me". The commitment to peace should therefore be an intimate need of every Christian. The greatest challenge today is certainly to fight for international peace, but it must not be forgotten that making great gestures is not enough to be builders of peace.
Daily actions are decisive: prayer, attention to others. "Where I am, peace is possible to the extent that I desire it, love it, defend it and commit myself".

Renato Bonomo
FOCUS
NP June / July 2022