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Let’s Destroy “walls of separation”, Burkinabe Catholic Archbishop at Christmas, Urges “building bridges of communion”

The people of God in Burkina Faso need to embrace a lifestyle that fosters peaceful coexistence, abandoning behaviors, which contribute to prolonging violent conflicts in the West African nation that grapples with the challenge of “insecurity and other crimes”, Archbishop Prosper Kontiebo of the country’s Catholic Archdiocese of Ouagadougou has said.

In his Christmas 2024 messages, Archbishop Kontiebo calls on all Burkinabe citizens to get involved in rebuilding their country as “artisans of peace”. 

“I call on the unity of the sons and daughters of this country to fight insecurity and other crimes,” he says in his December 23 message in which he describes insecurity as Burkina Faso’s “major challenge”.

“Let us work to ban division and cultivate a spirit of solidarity,” he further says, and emphasizes, “Let us be artisans of peace, destroying the walls of separation and building bridges of communion. Let us bear in mind that the construction of our country requires a high sense of honor, integrity, and dignity.”

The Burkinabe member of the Order of the Ministers of the Sick (M.I./Camillians) goes on to underscore the need to put an end to “injustice, corruption, (and) intolerance” if the peaceful coexistence can be achieved in the country.

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In his Christmas 2024 message, the 64-year-old Catholic Church leader, who started his Episcopal Ministry in June 2012 as Bishop of Burkina Faso’s Catholic Diocese of Tenkodogo recognizes the “considerable efforts” that he says are being made in the fight against the challenge of insecurity, and adds, “There is still a lot to be done.”

He commends “the efforts of our authorities and all those who work for peace” and adds, “We carry in our prayers our forces of defense and security in their mission of securitization of the country.”

“We implore the Lord to awaken in each one of us a patriotic spirit and a commitment to justice and reconciliation. Let each one of us be a tireless worker who sows the seeds of love and tolerance for a radiant future,” Archbishop Kontiebo says.

He calls upon his compatriots to “join in a dynamic search for permanent peace” in the New Year.

In his December 23 message, Archbishop Kontiebo goes on to reflect on the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year and the anniversary of the evangelization ministry in the West African nation. 

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“We invite you to live this jubilee, of the universal Church, in perfect spiritual harmony with our Church family of God in Burkina Faso, which is also preparing to celebrate the 125 years of its evangelization,” he says.

The Local Ordinary of Ouagadougou since December 2023 following his transfer from Tenkodogo Diocese in October 2023 calls for a “return to God” and invites the people of God in Burkina Faso to “pray with perseverance and hope for the success of the different celebrations that will mark this jubilee.”

He invites Catholics to “revive the flame of hope in this world swallowed up by devastating winds, in which wars and terrorism are the most visible and terrifying expressions.”

“In spirit, despite the difficult context that our world and our country live in, we must bear witness to hope and welcome this precious gift from God, which is the jubilee of 125 years,” Archbishop Kontiebo says in his Christmas 2024 message.

He implores, “May Jesus, King of Peace, be the source of peace and stability for our country. May God protect Burkina Faso, all its sons, and daughters.”

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Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.