SANCTIFYING OFFICE

The Blessed Sacrament

Almost all of Cardinal Nzapalainga’s public pronouncements revolve around peace, justice, helping the poor, and interreligious dialogue — themes about which he is passionate. There is little record of him speaking explicitly about the sacraments, worship or the liturgy.

However, he has explained how he draws courage from the Blessed Sacrament and Eucharistic Adoration. His devotion to the Blessed Sacrament first developed as a young priest teaching in France where he had to deal with unruly pupils who didn’t want to hear him teach about the faith.

“They didn’t want to hear about God. So, when I started writing on the board, they threw projectiles at me!” he recalled. “Unlike in the Central African Republic where everyone is a believer, God is no longer present at the heart of French society so young people don’t understand the point of catechism.”

The work exhausted him, he said in 2021 interview, and he would cry before the Blessed Sacrament, praying for the means to accomplish the mission the Lord had sent him. After doing so, he “felt at peace,” and ever since he has taken his troubles to the Eucharistic Lord.

Asked how he came to be called “Cardinal Courage,” he said: “I draw my courage from dialogue with the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. He is the one who acts. We are only channels. When I go to meet the rebels, people tell me I am crazy. At the beginning, in 2013, people called my mother to ask her to reason with me. She told me that I had to think about my family, that I had to be careful, etc. I told her: ‘Mom, you brought me into the world, you educated me; then I made my choice, I became a priest. My commitment now leads me here, as a bishop. What I ask of you is to no longer call me every day but to pray for me.’”

“When I go on a mission,” he added, “it is as if I were going to Jerusalem. I am a disciple of Christ who gave his life for the world.”

Faith, Hope and Charity

“When people say: ’There is no more hope,’ Christians must say: ‘There is always hope,’” he said in a 2023 interview with Aid to the Church in Need. “You cannot let yourself be destroyed by the daily bad news and be enslaved by it. Christ has conquered evil! It’s not a case of denying reality but of looking at it through the eyes of faith: there is a new birth taking place, and on the other side, the new dawn is breaking.”

He added: “The Christian who crosses this valley of trials has to see that. You could say to me: ‘You are mad.’ But in the face of the absurdity of suffering and evil, if I don’t have that strength, I will be dragged away in the waves; I will become like the others who are weeping. Christ said: ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden’ (Matthew 11:28). Often, we want to carry our problems all alone. But we have to lay them down in prayer. Our shoulders are not strong enough.”

On being indifferent to suffering, he has said: “We have to be careful that our conscience is not numbed,” he said in the same interview. “Suffering has to be fought. Otherwise, we Christians no longer have any flavour. We must be the salt of the earth.”

The Holy Spirit

In the context of the Synod on Synodality, like many of its organizers he spoke about the importance of the Holy Spirit in guiding the proceedings. “The Holy Spirit came discreetly to calm spirits and help us see each other as brothers and not enemies,” he said in the interview with Aid to the Church in Need. “If you really listen to the other, if you are humble, you receive a lot because the Holy Spirit also passes through my brother. If you are not humble, one sees frustrations.”

He distinguished between the spirit of the world and the Holy Spirit, saying that the Holy Spirit “works on us so that we are in harmony with Him.” It’s important, he added in the same interview, “that the spirit of the world does not distance us from the Gospel. Our reference is not the world. If you want to be light or yeast, you must move towards Christ, towards His Word. The currents change, but Christ remains the same. He is the Alpha and the Omega.”

Evangelization

In September 2023, at the launch of a pastoral mission of evangelization in Bangui, Nzapalainga said that in order to collaborate in the work of salvation in Jesus Christ, the people of God must take courage to reach out to each other “where they live, with their joys and their sorrows, their fears and their expectations, their tears and their hope.”

God, Cardinal Nzapalainga went on, “does not only call bishops, priests and men and women religious. Today he is calling you, the Christian of the Archdiocese of Bangui! Get involved, respond to his call as a faithful worker.”

During the 2018 youth synod, Cardinal Nzapalainga said a key question was: “What is God trying to tell us through young people?” and that encouraging the faithful to pass on the faith to younger generations and having them share their faith was crucial.

Priestly Celibacy

The CAR cardinal has expressed his opposition to changing the priestly celibacy rule, but he appears open to changing it in the future.

At the Synod on Synodality in October 2023, he said that he and his African brother cardinals were united in the view that it would be “too much of an upheaval for our churches in Africa.”

“On the one hand, Christians are not used to it,” he said. “Secondly there is a material issue: our churches do not have the means to accommodate families in the presbyteries” which would “risk putting people in precarious situations.”

“From my point of view, all this is happening too soon,” he said. “Let’s allow things to mature.”

GOVERNING OFFICE

The conflict in the Central African Republic is a complex and multifaceted one with deep historical roots and fueled by sectarianism and battles over its rich mineral resources.

The current fighting began in 2013 when mainly Muslim Seleka rebels launched an uprising, sparking retaliation from the mostly Christian militias. The two religious factions share and control about 80 percent of the country, and often fight over the country’s gold, diamonds and uranium resources. The war has led to a severe humanitarian crisis and plunged the country into great poverty.¹The CAR has been torn by conflict during and after the colonial period and for years has struggled to establish a stable government, with numerous peace agreements and international interventions failing to bring lasting peace. Contested elections in 2020 further destabilized the country, and internal unrest has led to a severe humanitarian crisis, with over 1.3 million people displaced internally or externally. Thousands have been killed, and half of the population requires humanitarian aid. The conflict has crippled the economy, leaving nearly 75% of the population in poverty.

Interfaith Platform

To help bring peace to his troubled land, in 2013, Cardinal Nzapalainga created the “Interfaith Religious Platform of the Central African Republic” — otherwise simply known as “The Platform” — together with Imam Omar Kobine Layama and Protestant Pastor Nicolas Guérékoyaméné-Gbangou, president of the Evangelical Alliance in the CAR.

The three religious leaders have promoted interreligious dialogue through the forum, united in the belief that peace can only be restored to CAR through healing and reconciliation. The healing, they believe, should start from within the hearts of ordinary persons and in the communities where they live.

In 2021, a film was made about the Platform in 2021 entitled Siriri, the Cardinal and the Imam and directed by Swiss journalist Manuel von Stürler. The Protestant Pastor chose not to take part in the picture.

“With this film, we want to show that dialogue is a must,” Cardinal Nzapalainga said in an interview with La Croix, “that we are like beacons planted here to tell people that there are lines that must not be crossed, to always remind them that our society must not sink into the absurd.

“The message we want to send is a message of peace, a way of reminding people that religions should not divide but gather,” he continued. “They must allow for peaceful coexistence and living together, helping everyone to accept differences and respect each other.”

In common with Pope Francis’ wish to set aside dogma in favor of conscience, the cardinal said that their goal when creating the Platform “was not to discuss dogma or theology, but to knock on the door of the conscience of our faithful to say that dialogue was not just an option.”

Cardinal Nzapalainga is an ardent supporter of Francis’ concept of “universal fraternity” and has tried to emulate the Pope’s vision of brotherhood in his dealings with the Imam and the protestant pastor.

The Platform has had its critics, and has reportedly struggled to convey its message of peace and reconciliation to local communities who have been suspicious of their intentions. Some political observers say the Platform is too optimistic about the prospects for peace, while others argue that real change requires more root and branch reform including greater political decentralization.

The cardinal, too, has received criticism for being, as he put it, “too close to the imam, for having hosted him and his family in the bishop’s residence for six months.” But he believes it is important “to make an effort so that the other can exist.”

“How many times have I heard priests say to me: ‘Come on, let’s stop with this dialogue. They kill us, they kidnap us, and you dialogue?’” he said. “But I believe in following St. Paul, and overcoming evil with good.”

In 2015, the Interfaith Peace Platform won the prestigious Sergio Vieira de Mello Award for its work in trying to reconcile religious groups divided by the current conflict.

Denial of Signing Peace Agreement

In 2017, Cardinal Nzapalainga denied authorizing a representative to sign a “political agreement for peace in the Central African Republic” sponsored by the Sant’Egidio community.

The aim of the ten-page document was to put an end to violence in the Central African Republic, but a few days after its publication, Nzapalainga formally denied initialing the document, which was in fact signed by someone else claiming to be the cardinal’s representative.

The cardinal said that while he supported “all efforts in favor of re-establishing social cohesion in the CAR,” he criticized the document published by the Sant’Egidio community, saying it left “the door open to impunity for the perpetrators of violence.”²The document was signed in Rome in the presence of United Nations special representative in Central Africa, Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, observers from the Sant’Egidio community, as well as representatives of the European Union and the Italian government. Cardinal Nzapalainga was the only religious figure whose name appeared on the document and it remains unclear how that was allowed to happen without the cardinal’s consent.

Other Peacemaking Efforts

Cardinal Nzapalainga travels tirelessly across the country, including dangerous and remote areas, to meet people affected by the conflict and in order to promote dialogue.

“On my travels, I see abandoned populations. These people have the impression that no one cares about them,” he said in a 2023 interview. “They die like animals without even a dispensary. They must be reminded that they are children of God. That is why I abandon my cardinal’s cassock, make myself small, travel the country and tell them: if men have forgotten you, God has not forgotten you.”

He also sees education as crucial to peace. “If there was a priority, besides security, it would be education,” he has said. “The best wealth is not gold. We do not brandish diamonds and others. It is rather the human being, it is man, the best wealth. That is why I say that we must train him, prepare him.”

He regrets that so many young people in the CAR have not been to school since 2013 because of the conflict, and has denounced poor pay and conditions for teachers. Cardinal Nzapalainga has spoken about the importance of education also because it helps communities and bring vocations and communities. He has said it is important to keep the flame of faith in CAR villages.

Young girls are a particular concern to him as they are vulnerable to rape by armed youths. In some of his homilies, the cardinal appealed to anyone who could rescue young girls from these situations. Together with a Cameroonian donor, he then provided education for 30 young girls who were sent to Cameroon to train as medical students and engineers. “None of them have disappointed us,” he said. “They are up to the task.”

Interreligious Dialogue

As well as his Platform initiative, Cardinal Nzapalainga has focused on interreligious dialogue to counter attempts by warring factions to, as he puts it, “exploit religion.” The cardinal has insisted that the conflict is not religious, despite appearances.

The country’s warlords, who claim to defend an ethnic or religious group, control about 80% of country and are mainly fighting over access to the country’s rich mineral wealth. The cardinal has said they “manipulate” the situation in the country, mostly made up of Christians, animists and Muslims, to “make people believe it’s about religion, but it’s not.” Like Pope Francis, he sees the CAR conflict, and others like it, as primarily political and linked to the arms trade rather than motivated by religion. He seeks, he says, “to disarm hearts and minds.”

He has also stressed that the Catholic Church welcomes Muslim and Christian refugees. “I myself welcomed Fulani Muslims who were in difficulty,” he said. “We welcome everyone.”

For Nzapalainga, Muslims petition the same God as Christians, and he views his own role as being able “to dialogue with everyone” as a “man of God.” Christ, he says, “did not give his life for a small group, but for all.”

Pope Francis as Peacemaking Role Model

The cardinal has much respect for Pope Francis and sees his peacemaking efforts as something to emulate.

The Pope visited the CAR at the height of the civil war in 2015. He came “as a messenger of peace and hope,” Cardinal Nzapalainga said. “He came as a light that lights the darkness. We were prisoners of our violence, our hatred, our divisions. Many saw no way out of our situation. However, the Pope dared to do the unthinkable: to come to a country at war. Let us remember that there had been serious clashes just before his arrival!”

He also praised the Pope’s wish to meet Muslims and travel to an extremely tense enclave where Muslims were desperate and harassed by the “anti-balaka” militias, supposedly Christian.³The “anti-balaka” is an alliance of militia groups based in the Central African Republic said to be composed primarily of Christians, but also some Muslims. However, some church leaders have contested the claimed exclusively Christian character of such groups. He said the warring factions put down their weapons for six months after Francis’ visit.⁴While there have been some positive developments since 2015, particularly in terms of political processes and international support, the overall situation remains fragile in CAR with ongoing security, humanitarian, and economic challenges.

Views on Migration

When it comes to migration, the cardinal has expressed a relatively measured approach, recognising responsibilities for wealthy countries as well as governments’ obligations to guarantee stability, security and prosperity. “In the name of the Gospel, we must dare to speak and act,” he said in 2021, especially when migrants are losing their lives in trying to reach countries. “We must be aware that these are human beings, created in the image of God. They are not subhuman but sacred people. We must say it, proclaim it.”

He believes it is right for a Christian to not settle for comfort but to be “provoked by misery and poverty,” but he also believes the “right questions” must be asked. “Why do people migrate? Let us evaluate the responsibilities of the governments who have destabilized countries or deprived them of their wealth. We cannot trample on others to keep wealth for ourselves. Christians therefore have a role to play; a role that is not always easy.”

Sexual Abuse Case

In 2015, Salesian Father Luk Delft, a Belgian priest abuser, began working for Caritas in the CAR. The cardinal, then in charge of Caritas Central African Republic, appointed Father Delft to be country director of Caritas CAR.

But in 2017, Cardinal Nzapalainga was alerted to Delft’s record of abuse and immediately contacted the Salesian provincial for clarification. The Salesians confirmed to Nzapalainga the allegations but claimed the case had been legally settled in Belgium. Nzapalainga believed their explanation, and Delft was allowed to stay.

In 2019, the US television news network CNN began investigating the allegations against Delft, revealing that Delft had been previously convicted of child abuse and possession of child pornography in Belgium in 2012. The priest went on to abuse two young boys after being appointed to Caritas in the CAR in 2015.

The Associated Press reported that the cardinal removed the priest on the recommendation of a complaints committee in 2019, and after the CNN investigation had aired.

Andre Azzopardi, since 2018 the head of safeguarding and integrity for Caritas Internationalis, said “not enough was done in 2017” and placed the blame primarily on the Salesians and Caritas Internationalis. Someone of Father Delft’s background, he said, “should never have entered the Caritas family let alone be a director.”

For his part, Cardinal Nzapalainga is seen as having taken appropriate action when alerted to concerns, sought clarification from relevant authorities, and cooperated with investigations. He appears to have acted on the information available to him at the time.

TEACHING OFFICE

Theological Approach

Cardinal Dieudonné Nzapalainga has mostly taught not through preaching but through his actions, and specifically his peacebuilding efforts. His theological and doctrinal perspectives are heavily influenced by his experiences and the socio-political context of his country.

His theological approach is deeply rooted in his personal experiences with poverty. He emphasizes the presence of Christ among the poor and sees his mission as one of serving Christ through serving the impoverished and marginalized. This perspective is not just theoretical but is a lived experience for him, as he has been both a recipient and a giver of aid. He believes that recognizing Christ in the poor is essential to his vocation and pastoral work.

In facing the immense suffering and challenges in the Central African Republic, Cardinal Nzapalainga advocates a theology of hope. He encourages Christians to look at adversity through the eyes of faith, maintaining hope even when circumstances seem dire. This perspective is crucial for him as a leader in a country plagued by conflict and instability. He stresses that Christians must not be overwhelmed by bad news but should instead see the possibility of new beginnings and transformation through faith.

As mentioned above, the CAR cardinal is a strong proponent of interreligious dialogue, particularly between Christians and Muslims in the Central African Republic. Similar to Pope Francis, he appears to see theology and doctrine in such an arena as an obstacle to achieving an all-encompassing fraternity for all, and believes that despite very real differences, religions should unite rather than divide people.

Global Peacemaking

In 2022, at the annual Communion and Liberation Meeting in Rimini, Italy, the cardinal expressed concern over the ongoing violent conflicts worldwide, cautioning against the “logic of war and supremacy.”

Cardinal Nzapalainga warned that the pursuit of war and dominance poses a danger to the human race, especially given the nuclear ambitions of powerful nations, and highlighted the devastating effects of war, describing it as a force that “destroys everything” and leaves behind a trail of destruction, including orphans, widows, and displaced people.

He said no one should consider themselves superior to others based on race, ethnicity, or religion, emphasized the need for peace and dialogue as alternatives to conflict. He urged people to choose the path of encounter and fraternity, promoting understanding and unity among different groups.

He took aim at “hate speech” messages on television and posts on social media forums that seem to foster violence, adding : “I am often irritated and outraged when I see speeches on television. They tend to fan the flames and call for weapons to be sent in.”

Drawing from his own experiences in the Central African Republic, the cardinal shared how he, along with other religious leaders, worked to promote peace and reconciliation in the face of violence and division.

“True peace cannot be obtained through the use of force of weapons,” Cardinal Nzapalainga said, adding: “True peace comes once the causes of conflicts and wars are known. Conflicts usually arise from situations of systemic injustice.”

He ended with a message of hope, encouraging people to work together to build a more peaceful and inclusive world, emphasizing the power of unity and understanding.

Teaching During Synod on Synodality

During the October 2023 synodal assembly, Cardinal Nzapalainga highlighted the importance of listening and humility within the Church. He believes in building a Church that reflects unity in diversity, where different voices and perspectives are heard and respected. This approach aligns with his broader theological view that the Church should not be a platform for personal agendas but a collective effort to build the Church of Christ.

“I Come to Bring Peace”

In 2021, Cardinal Dieudonné Nzapalainga published his autobiography Je suis venu vous apporter la paix (I Come to Bring Peace) co-authored with journalist Laurence Desjoyaux, through which the cardinal has conveyed some of his teaching. 

The book was published 100 years after René Maran’s novel Batouala about life and African values in colonial times, and is part of a literary tradition defending and illustrating African values in the face of post-colonial challenges.

In the book, Nzapalainga explores his identity, shaped by Central African and Christian traditions and marked by material and spiritual poverty, which spurs his commitment to peace. It also shows how being raised in a religiously mixed family influenced his commitment to peace and interfaith dialogue.

The Cardinal shares his deep and untamed desire to be a peacemaker, both visible and deeply rooted in human hearts, as a minister of God. Nzapalainga recounts his life from childhood, as the fifth of ten siblings, to his role as a key religious leader during the civil war.

This book is not only an account of his life, but also a call for peace and reconciliation and testifies to the cardinal’s courage and commitment to bring peace.

• 1
  The CAR has been torn by conflict during and after the colonial period and for years has struggled to establish a stable government, with numerous peace agreements and international interventions failing to bring lasting peace. Contested elections in 2020 further destabilized the country, and internal unrest has led to a severe humanitarian crisis, with over 1.3 million people displaced internally or externally. Thousands have been killed, and half of the population requires humanitarian aid. The conflict has crippled the economy, leaving nearly 75% of the population in poverty.
• 2
  The document was signed in Rome in the presence of United Nations special representative in Central Africa, Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, observers from the Sant’Egidio community, as well as representatives of the European Union and the Italian government.
• 3
  The “anti-balaka” is an alliance of militia groups based in the Central African Republic said to be composed primarily of Christians, but also some Muslims. However, some church leaders have contested the claimed exclusively Christian character of such groups.
• 4
  While there have been some positive developments since 2015, particularly in terms of political processes and international support, the overall situation remains fragile in CAR with ongoing security, humanitarian, and economic challenges.