Congolese Bishop Eulogized as “great pastor,” who Strengthened Ecclesial Collaboration in Central Africa

Goma, 03 November, 2025 / 8:59 PM

Bishop Faustin Ngabu, the second Bishop of the Goma Catholic Diocese in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), who died on October 26, has been remembered as a “great pastor” who was dedicated and closer to the people of God.

Bishop Ngabu, who passed on aged 90, was laid to rest on November 1 after his Funeral Mass at the courtyard of the Goma Adoration Sanctuary.

In a Eulogy that was read at the burial, members of the Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa (ACEAC), comprising Catholic Bishops in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Rwanda hailed Bishop Ngabu as a pastor who shaped the life of the Diocese of Goma, and who now leaves a lasting impact on pastoral ministry in eastern DRC.

The ACEAC members recalled Bishop Ngabu’s visionary leadership in strengthening communion within the Church, not only in DRC but also among neighboring dioceses in Burundi and Rwanda. 

The Catholic Bishops recalled that through Bishop Ngabu’s initiative, ACEAC was officially established on 3 December 1984.

They noted that the late Bishop was “a true pivot around whom the body and spirit of ACEAC were progressively built.”

“His leadership laid foundations for regional ecclesial collaboration and mechanisms for social cohesion in the Great Lakes region, which has endured decades of conflict,” the ACEAC members said in the eulogy that Bishop Vincent Harolimana of Rwanda’s Ruhengeri Catholic Diocese read.

They further remembered the late Bishop “as a pastor deeply committed to Episcopal collegiality and fraternity.”

“During his mandate at the head of ACEAC, he promoted the shared historical dimension of Burundi, the DRC, and Rwanda, encouraging pastoral exchange, dialogue, and unity for the good of the People of God,” they added.

ACEAC members described Bishop Ngabu as a spiritual elder whose wisdom will continue guiding the Church in Central Africa.

“He will remain present at the heart of ACEAC,” they added.

Born in 1935 in Lokwa, Bishop Ngabu was ordained a Priest in December 1963. 

He was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Goma in April 1974 and succeeded the late Bishop Joseph Mikararanga Busimba in September 1974.

The Bishop retired in March 2010 at the age of 75.

In his homily during the November 1 Eucharistic celebration, the Local Ordinary of Bukavu Catholic Archdiocese urged the people of God to follow the example of their former pastor.

“May all the good works we have heard about Bishop Faustin Ngabu encourage us to do even more good and to multiply the talents we have received from the Lord,” Archbishop François-Xavier Maroy Rusengo said.

Successor of Bishop Ngabu at Goma Diocese, Bishop Théophile Kaboy Ruboneka, himself retired, paid tribute to the memory of a “bold” man who “took many risks to proclaim Christ and make Him loved.”

He recalled that Bishop Ngabu did not hesitate to meet with the highest authorities, including Mobutu and Mzee Kabila, to defend the cause of the Gospel, sometimes at the risk of his own life.

“Ngabu is an encyclopedia. His journey and his biography should be made public to serve as a lesson for all generations,” he said. 

Bishop Kaboy is also the last surviving Priest among the 16 whom Bishop Ngabu met upon his arrival as the head of the Diocese of Goma.

In an emotional tribute, Bishop Willy Ngumbi Ngengele of Goma Diocese lamented the loss of someone he considered a father figure and mentor, having been confirmed, ordained a Priest, and later ordained a Bishop by him.

“We were always three, but today, we remain only two,” Bishop Ngumbi said, referring to the Diocese’s unique situation of having two emeritus Bishops and one serving Bishop—an exceptional case in Africa.

He will now rely on Bishop Kaboy, his immediate predecessor, for guidance as he seeks to preserve the legacy left by both predecessors.

Presenting the biography of the late Bishop, Fr. Célestin Kanyambiriri lauded the 51 years of Episcopal Ministry of the former rector of the Major Seminary of Muresa, who became Bishop at the age of 39.

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His episcopal ministry, Fr. Kanyambiriri noted, was marked on one hand by exceptional dedication to proclaiming the Gospel and on the other by his fight against poverty and interethnic conflicts that shook his region.

He noted that Bishop Ngabu’s commitment to the two causes and his sometimes firm stances had earned him both enemies and misunderstandings in the region, with several attempts made on his life.

“The legacy of Bishop Ngabu is immense. It would take a whole book to fully recount it,” said.

For the Catholic Priest, Bishop Ngabu will remain an inspiration to all generations in the region, a model of courage and perseverance in evangelization, and a promoter of vocations and development.

The late Bishop is said to have ordained 112 Priests, established 11 parishes, 15 hospitals, and around forty other medical facilities

He is also said to have established the Diocesan Caritas, a network of approximately 661 Catholic schools, and many other Church establishments.

Fr. Kanyambiriri paid tribute to a man he considered “a tireless pastor, a baobab, and a peacemaker.”