Fr. Konteh’s “story was so amazing”: ACI Africa’s Agnes Aineah on Inspiration for New Book about Sierra Leonean Priest

“When I finally got to sit down with Father Konteh, I decided to write this book because his story was so amazing,” she said.

On the day of his ordination in 1996, the archbishop sent him to serve among the IDPs — internally displaced persons — who, unlike refugees, remained within the borders of Sierra Leone but were forced to flee their homes to escape violence and human rights abuses. 

Konteh co-founded the Inter-Religious Council, playing a crucial role in the peace talks between the Sierra Leonean government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) during the civil war. 

Aineah told CNA she wrote the book because “there are so many people who are doing a lot of good things in the Catholic Church here in Africa — bringing healing to the wounded Church — and I feel that it is important that we tell their stories for the future generations.” 

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Credit: Pauline Publications Africa

“I was just so amazed by the kind of work the Catholic Church is doing in Sierra Leone through Caritas Freetown,” she recalled. “I went to the slums around Freetown, where Caritas works, and they are like a household name there and everyone appreciates the work they do.”

Aineah also sees Sierra Leone as an example to other African countries of how people of various religions can peacefully coexist. While Sierra Leone is primarily a Muslim country, Christians and Muslims live together peacefully there. The level of Christian persecution is low, unlike that seen in other African countries such as Nigeria and Burkina Faso. 

Credit: Pauline Publications Africa

Aineah said that according to Konteh, “the Catholic Church is very respected” in Sierra Leone, in part because the schools are run by Catholics. Also, there is a high level of intermarriage between Muslims and Catholics. 

“He [Konteh] told me that it is very difficult to find a family in Sierra Leone that is just strictly Muslim or strictly Catholic,” she said. 

Credit: Pauline Publications Africa

Among the Catholic priests in the country, 40% were Muslims who converted to Catholicism. One example is the bishop of the Diocese of Bo, Charles A.M. Campbell, whose parents are both Muslims.

Another aspect Aineah highlights in her book is that despite the country’s natural beauty, the country’s tragic history of war and disease, specifically ebola, has taken center stage. In addition, there are now growing concerns over environmental degradation, an issue Konteh and Caritas Freetown are working to address. 

Credit: Pauline Publications Africa

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Aineah called her work as a journalist in Africa “gratifying,” especially because she is “able to amplify the voices within the Catholic Church” on the continent.

“Despite all these wounds that Africans bear, there is resilience and there is resourcefulness in terms of people who are trying to heal,” she said, adding that she hopes to continue to communicate “the resilience of African countries.”

Francesca is a staff reporter for Catholic News Agency. She received her degree in Communications with an emphasis in Digital Media from the University of Colorado - Denver. She is also in charge of the social media for Catholic News Agency.