Advertisement

Justice and Peace Official in Angola Proposes Shift from “dehumanizing laws”, Calls for Care for the Less Fortunate

Fr. Gaudêncio Félix Yakuleingue. Credit: Jornal O Apostolado

The Coordinator of the Justice and Peace Pastoral Ministry of the Catholic Diocese of Menongue in Angola has called on Christians in the country to champion the humanization of laws and social norms.

In his homily during morning Mass at the chapel of the Bishops' Conference of Angola and São Tomé and Príncipe (CEAST) in Luanda, Fr. Gaudêncio Félix Yakuleingue challenged Angolans to reflect on their Christian identity.

“If we truly are Christians and are praying for the unity of Christians during this week, let us give life, brothers. Let us not kill. Let us rejoice in the good that our brother does. If we are Christians, let us be capable of humanizing our laws and norms in our society,” Fr. Yakuleingue said during the Wednesday, January 22 Eucharistic celebration.

The Angolan Catholic Priest lamented the presence of “dehumanizing laws” in Angola, stressing that such laws are often a product of society’s own decisions. 

“There are dehumanizing laws, and it is us who approve them in our homes, in our neighborhoods, in our cities, and in our country,” he said.

Advertisement

Fr. Yakuleingue called for love and solidarity, particularly toward those affected by mental illnesses and social marginalization. 

“Let us be capable of healing our brothers who are sick, wandering and speaking to themselves in the streets and alleys of our cities,” he said, emphasizing that the accumulation of wealth without sharing is a symptom of societal illness. 

“There are many people who are sick today, with hardened hearts and weighed-down spirits. Men and women who have accumulated wealth but are unable to share it—they are sick,” the Catholic official said.

He attributed much of society’s disunity and suffering to a loss of sensitivity to human connection. 

“We have many sick people because we have lost the sensitivity to the unity that should prevail among us as human beings: unity in the family, unity in the tribe, unity in the nation. The more divided we are, the weaker we become,” he said.

More in Africa

Fr. Yakuleingue further cautioned against blind fanaticism that leads to indifference toward others' suffering. 

“Fanaticism before the law blinds us and makes us insensitive to the suffering and needs of our brothers. Without the ability to live in peace with others, we foster an incapacity to live in unity, to identify with our brothers, and to share in their joys and sorrows,” he explained.

Addressing the theme of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Fr. Yakuleingue reflected on the power of the Holy Spirit. 

“The Holy Spirit is the bearer of life and joy. It is this joy that Jesus restored to the man with the withered hand, and it is this joy that the Spirit gives to us,” he said.

He drew attention to Angola’s ongoing cholera outbreak, calling it a reflection of societal neglect. 

Advertisement

“The cholera outbreak in our country is an eloquent sign of the illness we have as a society because we do not care for others by creating dignified living conditions for our brothers. Let us all examine our consciences, repent, and ask for forgiveness because we killed those brothers who were victims of cholera,” Fr. Yakuleingue said.

The Catholic Priest offered a message of hope, reminding Christians of Christ’s enduring intercession. 

“We have the eternal priest, Jesus Christ, who intercedes for us. He is seated at the right hand of the Father, and He continuously prays for us. Let us trust in Him,” he said.

Fr. Yakuleingue encouraged Christians to live out their faith with love and purpose, saying, “Let us seek to trust Him and place our entire lives in His hands; He will guide us. Whatever we do, let us do it with faith and love.”

João Vissesse is an Angolan Journalist with a passion and rich experience in Catholic Church Communication and Media Apostolate.