Au service de la Paix entre les Armes: L’Aumônerie Militaire Catholique en République Démocratique du Congo by Yves Kingata and Robert Lusilu Bipa

Abstract

Reviewed by: Au service de la Paix entre les Armes: L’Aumônerie Militaire Catholique en République Démocratique du Congo by Yves Kingata and Robert Lusilu Bipa Siobhan M. Verbeek Au service de la Paix entre les Armes: L’Aumônerie Militaire Catholique en République Démocratique du Congo, by Yves Kingata and Robert Lusilu Bipa. Kononistische Reihe 28. Sankt Ottilien: EOS Verlag, 2017. Pp. 5–199. When Pope Francis addressed the bishops of the Democratic Republic of Congo during their ad limina visit in September 2014, he reminded them: “[Y]ou are called to offer direction and solutions for the promotion of a society founded on respect for the dignity of the human person.” It is in this spirit that the experienced and knowledgeable authors of this comprehensive study construct a compelling argument for the erection of a military ordinariate to provide for the pastoral care of military personnel and their families of that country. The study is comprised of four parts. Part one provides historical and socio-political context for the discussion. Its concise treatment (17–27) contains general geographical and demographic information about the Democratic Republic of Congo. In addition, it establishes an historical timeline marking the colonization of the territory by King Léopold II of Belgium (1885), the country’s eventual independence (1960), and its ongoing struggles to establish a stable form of democracy amidst great turmoil. A brief history of the Congolese Catholic Church is also provided, highlighting its existence as a missionary territory and the subsequent establishment of a stable ecclesiastical hierarchy. Part two (29–55) will likely interest canonists the most. It begins by providing definitions of the terms “chaplain” and “chaplaincy.” Taking the 1917 Code of Canon Law as a starting point, the authors next present an overview of key universal Church documents addressing military chaplains. The presentation understandably focuses on the April 23, 1951 instruction of the Sacred Consistorial Congregation Sollemne semper, and the April 21, 1986 apostolic constitution Spirituali militum curae of St. John [End Page 225] Paul II. Acknowledging the latter as the ius vigens, the part details the erection of military ordinariates by the Holy See, including the approval of an ordinariate’s statutes. It details the appointment of the ordinary and his power of jurisdiction and identifies the clergy and faithful of these personal jurisdictions. Cross-references to the 1983 Code of Canon Law are distributed throughout the discussion as a benefit to the reader. A presentation on the notion of cumulative jurisdiction and a brief excursus on the similarities and differences between ordinariates and particular churches are instructive. Part three (57–72) explores the subject from the perspective of the state through an examination of evolving secular regulations governing the nation’s Catholic military chaplaincy. Only three religious groups within the country are provided an official chaplaincy, the other two being Protestants and the Kimbanguiste. The authors’ extensive research from the state’s archives provides evidence of a long-observed protection of religious liberty and an accommodation of religious interests despite repeated periods of upheaval. Explanations of the qualifications needed for the appointment of chaplains, their rights and responsibilities, and their cessation from service are detailed. The book culminates in part four (73–126), developing the main thesis for the study, i.e., the authors’ cogent argument for the erection of a military ordinariate for the Democratic Republic of Congo. Conjuring the scriptural adage of placing “new wine in fresh wineskins” (Mk 2:22), the writers contend that a stable canonical structure is critical to ensure the effective pastoral care of military personnel and their families because of their condition and circumstance in life (Christus Dominus 43). Effective evangelization will further contribute to the moral fiber of the nation’s armed forces. A digression on the treatment of the military chaplaincy in statements emanating from the Conférence Épiscopale Nationale du Congo is insightful. Finally, the study’s general conclusions identify various topics to be addressed in a canonical framework. In the authors’ own words, this study is intended for multiple audiences. Primarily, it hopes to persuade ecclesiastical authorities to establish a stable canonical structure for the Catholic military chaplaincy in the...