Youth in Kinshasa Prepare Festival in Honor of New Cardinal’s Homecoming

“We urge the youths to come out massively at Ndjili airport and along the Boulevard Lumumba to greet our Archbishop and offer him our congratulations," he continued.

Plans for a major classical music concert are also underway, slated to take place on November 1 and aimed at bringing together choirs in the three apostolic regions of the Archdiocese of Kinshasa.

Explaining the meeting of the three choirs, Fr. Mimbayi said, “Youths of the East Kinshasa region, and all classical choirs of this region will meet at the Saint Therese Parish in Ndjili.”

He added, “The young people of Kinshasa-Center will meet at the Saint Alphonse Parish of Matete and those of Kinshasa-West will meet at the Saint Michael Parish in Bandalangwa.”

The first ever “Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Festival” is expected to end November 9, with a sports walk around Kinshasa.

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This walk will start from the "Lindonge" Pastoral Centre, Fr. Mimbayi said, passing the "Bon marché" neighbourhood in the Barumbu Council, the ‘Avenue des Huileries’ to the Our Lady Cathedral Congo where Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo will address the young people before the celebration of Holy Mass at the Martyrs' stadium.

To oversee the effective organization of the festival, the Kinshasa Youth Commission has set up a coordination team chaired by Mgrs. Edouard Kisonga, Vicar General of Kinshasa Archdiocese.

A collection of at least US$1 per young person has been initiated to support the ministry of their new Cardinal.

Created in 1966, the Archdiocese of Kinshasa has been headed by four Archbishops who all later became cardinals: Joseph Cardinal Malula, Frederic Cardinal Etsou Nzabi Bamungwabi,  Laurent Cardinal Monsengwo and now, Fridolin Cardinal Ambongo who became Prince of the Church October 5.

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.