The Central African Republic is “experiencing a season of hope”, according to a Carmelite missionary based in the capital city Bangui, who believes that Pope Francis’ November visit to the country “significantly contributed” to this.
Fr Federico Trinchero, whose convent Notre Dame du Mont Carmel has housed more than 5,000 displaced people since civil war broke out in 2012, praised how elections took place in the country last month without major incident, and observed how “for almost four months – apart from some isolated incidents and without any particular consequences – there has been no shooting in Bangui”.
The Pope’s November 29-30 visit should certainly be credited with having played a part in how things have changed in the country, he said, remarking, “Perhaps it is not an exaggeration to say that the Pope’s visit was decisive.”
With hope in the air, the missionary said that even if the war is over, important battles remain to be fought against poverty and underdevelopment, and to win reconciliation between Christians and Muslims.
