The Mass of his Beatification was celebrated on Sunday, 15 June 2024, in the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls in Rome by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. In both Rome and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, this news has been received with joy, gratitude, and above all, pride. Indeed, seeing one of our own raised to this dignity is not only a source of pride but also a challenge.

A Saint of Our Time

Born in 1981 in Goma, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Floribert worked as a civil servant at the Congolese Office of Control (OCC), where he was responsible for inspecting imported goods, especially food products. In July 2007, he courageously refused to allow spoiled shipments into the country, in defiance of public health risks, despite threats and attempts at bribery. A few days later, on 7 July 2007, he was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered in Goma at the age of 26. He gave his life out of fidelity to his faith and conscience, preferring death to compromise.

His powerful and contemporary testimony reminds us that sainthood is not reserved for ancient times, nor only for nuns, priests, and bishops. In Floribert, the Church presents to the world the figure of a young layman, engaged in society and faithful to the Gospel until the very end. His beatification, approved by Pope Francis in 2024, confirms the vitality of Christian martyrdom on Congolese soil.

Youth Teaching a Lesson to a Corrupt World

The backdrop is a country plagued by corruption at every level. Corruption is almost everywhere. While politicians are the most visible, this scourge has deeply taken root in every sphere of life in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

To find someone like Floribert Bwana Chui is, it must be said, a surprising sign that one can remain upright in the heart of a toxic and unhealthy environment. It needs, of course, going against the tide. His martyrdom is a challenge to all and a powerful call to honesty and integrity. Christians, in the name of their faith, should indeed make a difference. They are precisely that leaven meant to make the dough rise. They must not lose their true nature.

And when such a testimony comes from a 26-year-old, its impact is amplified. Perhaps Bwana Chui understood well the words of Saint Paul to Timothy: “Let no one despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim 4:12).

I conclude that youth has the power to influence the world, to change the course of events. Indeed, Bwana Chui symbolises that youth who must say “no” to anti-values, a youth determined to face challenges and to rise where elders have failed. Bwana Chui reminds us that Congo’s ills are not to be taken lightly. They are deeply rooted and systematically maintained by “structures of sin.” To counter them requires a wake-up call and the courage to say, “Enough is enough.”

Dying for Others Like Jesus

“No one has greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). This is the extent to which Jesus carried love. To love to the end is to accept everything so as not to betray.

Bwana Chui understood this well. He was convinced that nothing is greater than values, and therefore everything must be accepted to preserve them. He loved his Congolese brothers and sisters so much that he could not hand them over to harm. His sacrifice saved thousands of lives; his death gave life.

Bwana Chui reminds us that the world will be better if we all accept everything for the good of others, if we are all willing to pay the price of our commitments. The world needs such witnesses, and Bwana Chui is now the first among these heroes. May his testimony strengthen those who struggle. Having grown up in war, may he intercede for peace in his city, his country, his continent, and the whole world.

See: Bienheureux Floribert Bwana Chui : Une vie donnée pour sauver la vie