Douala, Cameroon, Jan 24, 2018 / 04:28 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- A Cameroonian cardinal has spoken out against the recent use of military violence in the country’s Southwest Region against Anglophone separatists, saying local forces need to respect human life.
“You don’t bring peace by violence and violence begets violence,” said Cardinal Christian Tumi, Archbishop Emeritus of Douala, in a recent video, according to Journal du Cameroun.
“I have heard about those destructions and killings…and I think that has to be condemned. So my opinion is simple, we as Cameroonians should respect lives and the life of everybody,” he continued.
Military forces have been burning down villages in Cameroon’s Southwest Region, seeking separatist forces. Most recently, the town of Kwa Kwa, Matoh and the surrounding area was set on fire, which destroyed homes and the rectory of the local Catholic church.
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet” data-lang=”en”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>Mass destruction in Kwakwa village Meme Division.Houses in ruins & the area deserted. Locals say the structures were set ablaze by soldiers. <a href=”https://t.co/S2Ehhf3N9U”>pic.twitter.com/S2Ehhf3N9U</a></p>— Mimi237 (@Mimimefo237) <a href=”https://twitter.com/Mimimefo237/status/954262097608798208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>January 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The attacks also claimed the life of a 96-year old woman who died in one of the buildings set on fire by military forces. In addition to causing deaths, the political crisis within Cameroon has also pushed thousands of refugees into neighboring Nigeria.
The crisis is rooted in conflict between the English- and French-speaking areas of Cameroon. The area was a German colony in the late 19th century, but the territory was divided into British and French mandates after the German Empire’s defeat in World War I. The mandates were united in an independent Cameroon in 1961.
There is now a separatist movement in the Southwest and Northwest Regions, which were formerly the British Southern Cameroons.
Unrest in Cameroon has been ongoing since 2016, when the country’s Anglophone community began protests to demand the return of federalism. These protests have gone so care as to call for secession from the current government, run by President Paul Biya.
Secessionist militants in the English-speaking region of Cameroon have also sought violence against government forces and began attacking military troops in November 2017.
Biya, who is likely to seek re-election after 35 years in office, is not expected to seek negotiations with the secessionists since 2018 is an election year, which could prolong the political tensions within the country.
However, Cardinal Tumi suggested that Biya is unware of the most recent attacks against southwest locals.
“I am sure that if the President of the Republic knows what is happening, he will condemn it, but on the country, he congratulated the army to bring peace,” Tumi said.
The cardinal was born in what is now Northwest Cameroon, but has served as a bishop, since 1979, in Francophone regions of the country.
According to reports, President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea told reporters that the Cameroon crisis could only be resolved through dialogue.
“Cameroon is a big nation whose crisis requires concern of all forces. There is no nation without its own crisis,” President Nguema said, according to Xinhua Net.
“What is required is to seek solution through dialogue and use it to find a common axis. Those seeking refuge in other lands need to sit down together and find solution through dialogue. It is only through that, they can find solution to the crisis.”
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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Aug 21, 2020 / 12:00 pm (CNA).- The Iraqi prime minister has encouraged Christians displaced by ISIS to come home—but are the conditions right for a safe return? Catholic leaders and aid agencies say without stability a… […]
Father Francesco Patton, custos of the Holy Land, stops at the Eighth Station of the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem during the Good Friday Via Crucis on March 29, 2024. / Credit: Marinella Bandini
Jerusalem, Jan 28, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).
Franciscan Father Francesco Patton’s nine-year tenure as custos of the Holy Land began unexpectedly in 2016 when he found himself “redirected” — as he put it — to a largely unfamiliar land while preparing to take on a different assignment in Italy.
“I had only visited the Holy Land a couple of times as a pilgrim,” he admitted. “At first, I was apprehensive about accepting this responsibility because I felt I lacked the necessary knowledge to fulfill it properly.”
As the friar approaches the conclusion of his second term as custos of the Holy Land, he spoke with CNA about his experiences, challenges, and key moments in the role.
Father Francesco Patton, OFM, custos of the Holy Land, holding the replica of the jubilee cross during the opening ceremony of the holy year on Nov. 29, 2024, in Nazareth. Credit: Marinella Bandini
Patton emphasized that listening and studying were crucial to immersing himself in his new reality when he arrived. He credited the support of friars and collaborators, including Shibli, his driver. “He taught me to celebrate Mass in Arabic. While traveling, I would practice reading, and he would correct me. We developed a truly fraternal relationship.”
The custos serves as a unique provincial minister within the Franciscan order, leading a community of friars while also being the Holy See’s official guardian of the Christian holy sites. This responsibility was entrusted to the Franciscans by Pope Clement VI through the papal bull Gratias Agimus on Nov. 21, 1342.
Over its 700-year history, the Custody of the Holy Land has also become a point of reference for politicians, diplomats, and local authorities due to its deep roots in the region.
This distinctive role is reflected in the process of electing the custos. Unlike other provincials, who are directly elected by their friars, the custos is selected by the “General Definitorium” (the order’s governing council) and approved by the Holy See. The process is currently underway and will culminate between March and April with the appointment of the 169th custos of the Holy Land.
Father Francesco Patton, OFM, custos of the Holy Land, takes a group photo with 16 friars who have just made their solemn profession. Looking ahead, Patton envisions the custody’s mission continuing amid complexity. Internally, he foresees a more international community with less European influence. “This will be both a challenge and a source of enrichment,” he observed. “We will need to work much harder on formation.” Credit: Marinella Bandini
Patton described his service as deeply centered on the friars’ growth and community life. “I have personally interpreted my role as more focused on accompanying and supporting the friars,” he said.
“Intensity, spirituality, and fraternity” are the three words Patton used to summarize his experience in the Holy Land.
These nine years, he noted, have been “a profound spiritual journey, beginning with the connection to the holy sites. I have moved from theoretical knowledge to tangible reality.”
“I am even more convinced that as Christians, we must be anchored to the historical dimension of the mystery of the Incarnation,” he added.
Father Francesco Patton, custos of the Holy Land, in prayer during the celebrations of St. Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscan order. According to St. Francis, the custos explained to CNA, “fraternity means approaching others with trust and seeing them as brothers, never enemies. “Trust is always worth it.” Credit: Marinella Bandini
Among the custos’ favorite sites are the basilicas of the Annunciation, the Nativity, and the Holy Sepulcher, as well as the sanctuaries around the Sea of Galilee. “These are places where Jesus shared the life of ordinary people, performed acts of fraternity, and had profound conversations, such as with Peter,” he reflected.
Franciscan fraternity, he explained, means approaching others with trust and seeing them as brothers, never enemies. “Trust is always worth it,” he emphasized.
This is precisely what took place in the paradigmatic encounter between St. Francis and Sultan Malik al-Kamil in 1219, an event that marked the beginning of the Franciscan presence in the Holy Land.
“War and evil produce only destruction and ugliness, while fraternity and peace create beauty,” he said. “I believe this is God’s dream, and we should nurture it more.”
Father Francesco Patton, custos of the Holy Land, at a moment of rest. On the left, the general minister of the Order of Friars Minor, Father Massimo Fusarelli; on the right, the vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land and the custos’ primary collaborator, Father Ibrahim Faltas. Credit: Marinella Bandini
Fraternity is also a style of governance, one that he has sought to follow throughout these nine years.
“My approach has been to lead by sharing,” he explained. “Today, people often speak of synodality; I personally prefer the term participation. While some decisions must be made individually, the more the friars are involved, the more fruitful those decisions will be, because those who are included also feel responsible.”
This participatory leadership reflects the Franciscan tradition, which at all its levels operates through a communal decision-making body — the chapter. “The fundamental idea,” Patton noted, “is that leadership is a service. It’s not always easy or successful, but it’s essential.”
Father Francesco Patton, custos of the Holy Land, in front of the Edicule of the Holy Sepulchre at the end of the Good Friday Via Crucis on March 19, 2024. Credit: Marinella Bandini
“I have always seen my role as temporary,” he said. “My suitcase is always ready. Sometimes people joke about how I travel with just a small backpack, but Jesus himself, in the Gospel (Luke 10:4), tells us not to carry a bag. So, even the backpack might be too much!”
Patton pointed to the Gospel account of Christ washing his disciples’ feet as the ultimate example of servant leadership — a lesson that continues to shape his vision of fraternity in action.
The Franciscan acknowledged the challenges of his tenure, including war, the COVID-19 pandemic, and political tensions.
Father Francesco Patton, custos of the Holy Land, in prayer at the chapel of the Seventh Station on the Via Dolorosa, in Jerusalem, during the Good Friday Via Crucis, March 29, 2024. Credit: Marinella Bandini
“I have lived through difficult moments,” Patton shared. “I was especially apprehensive for the friars serving in dangerous areas, such as Syria. However, I have not faced major misunderstandings, as I do not expect everyone to fully grasp what I am trying to accomplish, and I consider it legitimate for some to have differing opinions.”
When he arrived in 2016, the war in Syria was at its peak. “I asked Fra Hanna Jallouf, now Latin vicar of Aleppo, if he wanted to leave. He told me he would rather stay with his people, even if it meant dying, not abandon them like a mercenary. His faith helped me approach difficult decisions with greater serenity.”
Nine years later, with the new situation in the country, that decision now seems almost providential. “The friars were the only Christian presence in the Idlib region for many years. Now, they can play a role in facilitating dialogue with the new leadership,” he said, adding: “When I arrived, I prayed to the Heavenly Father that I might at least witness the end of one war during my term. Perhaps that prayer has been heard.”
Father Francesco Patton, custos of the Holy Land, walks together with the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, during the Palm Sunday procession in Jerusalem in 2024. Credit: Marinella Bandini
Reflecting on the war in Gaza, Patton emphasized the need for true peace, not just temporary truces. “We need to adopt a long-term perspective, even if the path to peace is arduous.”
During the pandemic, the custody faced severe economic challenges, also taking out loans to support employees. “We faced these difficulties with faith and a willingness to take personal risks,” he said.
Patton also noted growing political tensions and pressures, including attacks on Christian sites and increased challenges from the Israeli political climate.
“In 2018, we closed the Holy Sepulcher, in agreement with all the churches, in order to oppose a legislative initiative that we believed would unfairly tax us and introduce mechanisms that could ultimately lead to the expropriation of Church properties.”
Father Francesco Patton, custos of the Holy Land, presides over the Eucharistic celebration in Tabgha, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, on the occasion of the feast of the Primacy of Peter in May 2024. Among the custos’ favorite sites are the sanctuaries around the Sea of Galilee: “These are places where Jesus shared the life of ordinary people, performed acts of fraternity, and had profound conversations, such as with Peter,” he told CNA. Credit: Marinella Bandini
Over the years, the custos explained, “I have witnessed a progressive shift in Israeli politics, steering the country toward a right-wing alignment that combines nationalist and religious fundamentalism. Pressure has increased on the West Bank, and the war in Gaza would have been fought differently with another government, with more attention given to the issue of hostages. We ourselves have faced growing pressure, such as on the issue of taxes, as well as an increase in attacks, both in the holy sites and personally, with insults and even spitting.”
In these circumstances, Patton expressed confidence in the custody’s contribution to a different future: “I am convinced that the custody is already making a contribution, starting with the schools where we educate everyone to have a fraternal perspective toward others.”
Father Francesco Patton, custos of the Holy Land, greets a group of children from the Terra Sancta School of Bethlehem in Manger Square during the Advent entrance in 2023. “I am convinced that the custody is already making a contribution to a different future starting with the schools where we educate everyone to have a fraternal perspective toward others,” he told CNA. Credit: Marinella Bandini
Looking ahead, Patton envisions the custody’s mission continuing amid complexity. Internally, he foresees a more international community with less European influence. “This will be both a challenge and a source of enrichment,” he observed. “We will need to work much harder on formation.”
When it comes to his own future, amid speculation about a possible episcopal appointment, he said: “Nine years ago, I thought I would be a parish priest in Turin, but I came to the Holy Land instead. Since then, I have resolved not to make plans but to trust in God.”
Jerusalem, Jul 25, 2017 / 11:35 am (CNA/EWTN News).- As conflict has erupted once again between Israelis and Palestinians in East Jerusalem, the Latin Patriarchal Vicar said that the Catholic Church has a unique role to play in bringing about justice and peace.
“When two religious communities lay claim to the same area, we have a recipe for disaster, particular when members of the two communities are also involved in a political, territorial and historical conflict,” Fr. David M. Neuhaus told CNA July 24.
“The Church has a very special vocation in Israel/Palestine. Without power of any kind, the Church is free from playing political games and can be a voice that speaks out for truth, justice and peace.”
The Church has important assets “to contribute to building a reality of justice and peace instead of the war and violence that dominate,” he said.
The site known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif, where the al-Aqsa Mosque is located, was the scene of another round of violence last week when Israeli authorities installed metal detectors at the entrances of the mosque.
Palestinian objection to the metal detectors manifested in mass protests and escalated to include the killing of three Israelis at a Jewish settlement July 21. Four Palestinians were killed in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
The controversial metal detectors were removed by Israeli security forces early Tuesday morning.
Fr. Neuhaus said that it can be very difficult to discern what is true and false in the conflict because each side has its own vision of what is happening.
“Why is it so difficult to find a solution to this conflict? Perhaps one part of the difficulty is that each one of the two sides believes in the total justice of its cause and is unwilling to listen with empathy to the other side,” he said.
In the face of these clashes, the Church’s political neutrality has an important role to play, stemming from two important assets, he emphasized.
“One is the Church’s way of speaking, formulating words carefully, words that are built on truth, that teach respect and that promote justice and peace. This language is not diplomatic but rather language that works for reconciliation in the respect of truth.”
The second comes from the Church’s “vast network” of institutions, including schools, universities, hospitals, and homes for the elderly, orphans, the handicapped, and more, he said.
“In these institutions, the discourse of the Church is incarnated as the institutions serve one and all with no discrimination, showing that coexistence in mutual respect is not only possible but is the way forward that can open up the future, offering hope for the next generation.”
In the current controversy, Israel maintains it installed the metal detectors as a safety measure after three Arab Israeli gunmen smuggled homemade machine guns into the al-Aqsa Mosque July 14, shooting and killing two Israeli policemen.
Palestinians claim the metal detectors were a way for Israel to enact more control over access to the site, which is governed by a status quo arrangement which Israel has said it will maintain.
East Jerusalem has been occupied by Israel since its victory in 1967’s Six-Day War.
Israelis seem to live in perpetual fear and Palestinians in unrelenting anger, Fr. Neuhaus said. “Unfortunately, those who speak the language of reason and understanding are unable to garner the support of the masses, who buy into the simplistic slogans of the dominant political elites.”
The political authority in Israel “repeats that it is not changing the status quo and insists on this particularly in front of the international community,” Fr. Neuhaus said.
But at the same time, there are radicals in Israel “who explicitly endorse a change in the status quo” and have been supported in instances by government ministries.
“The central problem is not restricting access to Al-Aqsa but rather the fear that the Israelis seek to replace Al-Aqsa with a Jewish Temple.”
“Any change to the status quo, however minor, is perceived as preparation for a hidden master plan that Palestinians (and the entire Muslim world) formulate as their worst nightmare. The Israelis are fully aware that this is the case as every threat to the status quo has erupted in similar violence in the past.”
Though the status quo for Christians and their holy places (like the Church of the Holy Sepulchre) is less threatened, the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis only serves to worsen the political divide already present among Christians – split between those who are Arabs and thus form one with their Muslim brothers and sisters, and those integrated with the Jewish side.
“Nonetheless, Jewish extremists have manifested their refusal to coexist with Christians in the Holy Land through attacks on churches and other Christian holy sites,” Fr. Neuhaus explained.
Because Christians only make up 2-3 percent of the overall population, they are particularly vulnerable under the ongoing instability and violence, he continued, but “Christians are determined to struggle for full integration in their society, whether Palestinian or Israeli, demanding equal rights and mutual respect.”
“In times of conflict, the Christians are even more insistent in their prayers for peace.”
Paul Biya is a catholic and shamefully he doesn’t know God. I am Catholic and the mind of dictator Biya runs contrary to the teachings of Jesus and the Catholic church. The Pope needs to stand with Jesus and the people of Cameroon and condemn this evil just like he did when Trump insulted Mexicans with the threat of a wall.
When His Holiness Pope Francis received dictator Biya, we as Catholics in Cameroon could not believe the politics of the church, interested in having a catholic murderer as president perhaps to promote catholic presence and not the love of God.
Dictator Biya has rigged every elections and only a fool would believe that he has been loved by the people he persecutes for thirty five years. Even in the twilight of his years, the dictator has no shame. My faith in the church has been shaken and so has been that of others. I now serve the Lord at home, I have not been to the church since that ill-fated visit of Biya to the Vatican.
Until we hear the position of the church in condemning and asking Biya to leave office, we may never return to the church because it is now a charade. Biya is evil and lacks the wisdom of Solomon and worse than Nebuchadnezzar. His passing will bring some relief and surely will be greeted by the people just as with the children of Jacob when the plague befell the Pharaoh’s family and people in ancient Egypt. We watch the clock each day and hope that this man repents leaves us alone and let the people of God have some relief. He is worse than slave owners and slave traders. He is really a pathetic excuse for a leader and he is truly the face that Satan has cast over us. Hell on earth, brought by an agent of the devil. Every catholic worldwide should be more than embarrassed by the carnage and blood-thirstiness of Biya and his regime. We will remember him just like the Israelites remember the acrimony in Egypt and the Jews, the Holocaust in Germany from Hitler.
Biya now bears the semblance of Hitler and Mussolini. He promised to leave after two terms which he fraudulently changed from five to seven year term. The people gave him a pass knowing that he would leave after fourteen years and a joyous day break would come. But like every evil, Biya was consumed by the devil again, he had wicked plans for his country, he changed the constitution to be a dictator for life and the persecution has continued.
Biya is a big disappointment to every believer and his malice, callousness and evil heart has been exposed. He has destroyed many generations and yet he wants another seven years to take his “rulership” and regime to forty three years, well into his nineties and should the devil spare him, he would seek another rigging to finish us up after his centenary of life. Lord, help us!!
” Father I come to you today in prayers, to save our nation. Forgive us and forgive the evil of Biya, show him the grace of Abraham and Mandela and teach him that currying favors with world leaders, even the Pope won’t save him, but above all Father, take him from us like you deposed Saul. Let us see the new David to lead us. Have mercy on us in Jesus name, Amen.”
Paul Biya is a catholic and shamefully he doesn’t know God. I am Catholic and the mind of dictator Biya runs contrary to the teachings of Jesus and the Catholic church. The Pope needs to stand with Jesus and the people of Cameroon and condemn this evil just like he did when Trump insulted Mexicans with the threat of a wall.
When His Holiness Pope Francis received dictator Biya, we as Catholics in Cameroon could not believe the politics of the church, interested in having a catholic murderer as president perhaps to promote catholic presence and not the love of God.
Dictator Biya has rigged every elections and only a fool would believe that he has been loved by the people he persecutes for thirty five years. Even in the twilight of his years, the dictator has no shame. My faith in the church has been shaken and so has been that of others. I now serve the Lord at home, I have not been to the church since that ill-fated visit of Biya to the Vatican.
Until we hear the position of the church in condemning and asking Biya to leave office, we may never return to the church because it is now a charade. Biya is evil and lacks the wisdom of Solomon and worse than Nebuchadnezzar. His passing will bring some relief and surely will be greeted by the people just as with the children of Jacob when the plague befell the Pharaoh’s family and people in ancient Egypt. We watch the clock each day and hope that this man repents leaves us alone and let the people of God have some relief. He is worse than slave owners and slave traders. He is really a pathetic excuse for a leader and he is truly the face that Satan has cast over us. Hell on earth, brought by an agent of the devil. Every catholic worldwide should be more than embarrassed by the carnage and blood-thirstiness of Biya and his regime. We will remember him just like the Israelites remember the acrimony in Egypt and the Jews, the Holocaust in Germany from Hitler.
Biya now bears the semblance of Hitler and Mussolini. He promised to leave after two terms which he fraudulently changed from five to seven year term. The people gave him a pass knowing that he would leave after fourteen years and a joyous day break would come. But like every evil, Biya was consumed by the devil again, he had wicked plans for his country, he changed the constitution to be a dictator for life and the persecution has continued.
Biya is a big disappointment to every believer and his malice, callousness and evil heart has been exposed. He has destroyed many generations and yet he wants another seven years to take his “rulership” and regime to forty three years, well into his nineties and should the devil spare him, he would seek another rigging to finish us up after his centenary of life. Lord, help us!!
” Father I come to you today in prayers, to save our nation. Forgive us and forgive the evil of Biya, show him the grace of Abraham and Mandela and teach him that currying favors with world leaders, even the Pope won’t save him, but above all Father, take him from us like you deposed Saul. Let us see the new David to lead us. Have mercy on us in Jesus name, Amen.”