Centenary of the Mondombe catholic mission

On 12 July 2026, the Diocese of BOKUNGU–IKELA celebrated the centenary of MONDOMBE, its very first mission, with great pomp and splendour. It was a magnificent and splendid celebration, attended not only by the faithful of the diocese but also by numerous guests, including Cardinal Fridolin AMBONGO BESUNGU, Archbishop of Kinshasa; the bishops of the ecclesiastical province of MBANDAKA; the MSC provincials from Belgium and Southern Germany/Austria, together with their bursar; delegates from the UAF; delegates from the Diocese of Salzburg; priests, men and women religious; and journalists from CENCO. We would like to share the proceedings of this great event with the Chevalier family. First, however, let us briefly recall the history of this mission.

1. History of the Mondombe mission
The Mondombe Mission is one of the first missions founded by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in Francophone Africa in general, and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in particular. Indeed, the MSCs arrived in the Congo in 1924 and took over the Tshuapa Mission from the Trappists. One of them, Father Édouard Van Goethem, went on to become the first Apostolic Prefect of Coquilhatville, then Apostolic Vicar in 1959, and finally Archbishop of Coquilhatville, which was renamed Mbandaka in 1966.

Father Gustave Hulstaert states that, at that time, the mission was very difficult, particularly in terms of travel; journeys were made on foot or by pirogue. Despite this, Father Gustave emphasizes that new missions were springing up rapidly, established by fellow missionaries who were both pastors and builders. Thus, as early as 1925, the mission station at MONDOMBE was founded by Father Joseph Yernaux, MSC. This was the first mission post with a permanent priestly presence in the BOKUNGU–IKELA region.

In 1955, the eastern part of the Vicariate of Coquilhatville was taken over by the MSCs from the Southern Germany–Austria Province. Consequently, in the same year, Fathers J. Weigl, L. Muller and F. Innereber arrived in Mondombe.

The MSCs from Southern Germany and Austria have been working in this mission ever since. The current parish priest is Father Pierre Lashan, who works alongside a young confrere from the UAF serving as his curate.

On 15 August 1984, the Motema Mosuntu Novitiate was opened in Mondombe for the MSCs of Francophone Africa. Thus, as the diocese’s first mission, Mondombe had also become a favourable location for the formation of MSCs from Francophone Africa, offering a novitiate, a varied programme of pastoral placements, pastoral work and other formation opportunities.

2. The celebration of the centenary of the Mondombe mission from 10 to 13 july 2026
For more than four days, the Diocese of BOKUNGU–IKELA was abuzz with activities marking the centenary of the Mondombe Mission. It all began on 10 July with the arrival in Bokungu of a large delegation from CENCO, Europe, the UAF and other organisations, following a long journey of over 10 hours by boat along the Tshuapa River from Boende. It was a source of immense joy for the faithful of BOKUNGU–IKELA to welcome back their former pastor, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, and for him to revisit the diocese where he had “learned the work of the episcopate,” as he himself put it. That was the first day, devoted to welcoming the guests.

Saturday featured a visit to the BOKUNGU Mission, a conference organized by Guy Loando University, and an excursion to the “Ya Kala Mission.” All these activities provided opportunities to share insights into the realities of the Diocese of BOKUNGU–IKELA, the Church and the heart of Congo; above all, they were moments of celebration and joy, which concluded with the recitation of the Rosary at the parish grotto, followed by Vespers at the bishop’s residence and a festive meal. This was the second day of celebrations in BOKUNGU.

Sunday, 12 July 2026, was the big day of the centenary. At 6:00 a.m., the Cardinal’s large delegation set off for Mondombe, again travelling by river along the Tshuapa River. The journey took about three hours in total. On the way, we met Minister Guy Loando’s large boat, carrying passengers who had travelled ahead of us. The welcome given to the delegations by the parish priest and his parishioners was very warm. At around 10:00 a.m., the Pontifical Mass began, featuring the ordination to the diaconate of two seminarians from BOKUNGU–IKELA and one MSC, and was presided over by Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo. At the same Mass, Father Peter Laschan, parish priest of Mondombe, received a symbolic gift from the Superior of the MSC District of Congo to mark the fiftieth anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. After Mass, there was a festive meal for everyone, followed by a celebration with the local community. At 4:00 p.m., the Cardinal’s delegation set off again for Tshuapa, arriving in BOKUNGU at around 6:00 p.m. This marked the third day, which culminated in the centenary celebrations at MONDOMBE.

Monday featured a Mass of thanksgiving presided over by Bishop of Lisala José LIKOLO, as well as a farewell evening a moment of profound gratitude to the Lord, the giver of blessings and manifold graces. The diocese presented symbolic gifts to the various delegations as a token of thanks. In turn, the Cardinal also thanked Bishop Toussaint and all the faithful of his diocese for their hospitality and the joy they had shared. At around 10:00 p.m., the Cardinal brought the evening and the centenary celebrations to a close with a triple blessing, together with the other bishops. This was the fourth day of celebrations in BOKUNGU, a day of gratitude.

Finally, on Tuesday, at around 6:00 a.m., the Cardinal and the entire delegation set off for Boende, still travelling on the Tshuapa River in three convoys. Whilst the first two arrived on the same day after a journey of around 10 hours along the Tshuapa River, the final convoy the motorized pirogue was due to dock the following day at around 6:00 a.m., on the day of their return to Kinshasa, scheduled for 11:00 a.m.; for in the Congo’s interior, whilst the departure time of a journey may be known, the time of arrival often remains a mystery. It was the delegation’s final day of the Mondombe centenary celebrations in the Upper Tsuapa, a day that reminded us of Father Gustave Hulstaert’s words about his time: “The journey was made by pirogue or on foot: an exhausting undertaking.” Have we returned to this Hulstaertian era in the Tshuapa Province of the DRC? By this we mean that the mission in the Upper Tshuapa, in the heart of Congo, remains a veritable obstacle course.

We were blessed to experience all these events from start to finish and to have the joy of sharing them briefly with our dear members of the great Chevalier family. Our thanks go to the MSC Congregation as a whole, and more particularly to the Provinces of Belgium and Southern Germany/Austria, for their unwavering support for the mission in the DRC in general and in the heart of the Congo in particular. We also extend our thanks to Minister of State Guy Loando for arranging transport for our delegation, especially to the Upper Tsuapa region. Finally, thank you to our confrere, Bishop Toussaint Iluku Bolumbu, Bishop of BOKUNGU–IKELA, and to the faithful of his diocese for their warm welcome and the joy we shared. We wish them every strength and courage as they continue their mission in the heart of Congo. Duc in altum.

KENDA Dieudonné, MSC. UAF