On Saturday, 7 June 2025, in St. Peter's Square, during the Pentecost Vigil of Ecclesial Movements, Associations and new Communities, several testimonies were presented, including that of Aline Minani, responsible for the Community of Sant'Egidio in Goma, Congo. She spoke about the problem of the elderly in Africa, the value of the Gospel in a war context such as that of Congo and many African countries, with particular reference to the life of Floribert Bwana Chui, the young man murdered in hatred of faith for having refused to give in to corruption.
We report here the text of her testimony.
Holy Father, (dear friends), this evening I would like to give voice to the many young Africans who, like me, live in beautiful yet suffering countries.
My name is Aline and I come from Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. I am a member of the Community of Sant'Egidio. For over thirty years, my country has been ravaged by a conflict fuelled by obscure interests. War is horrible.
Human life has no value. The poor are the first victims. I think in particular of the elderly, whose numbers are growing in Africa. They no longer enjoy respect and veneration they used to enjoy in the past. They are accused of stealing young people's lives. And today, at a time when food and medicine cannot be found and everyone is thinking only to save himself, they become the poorest of the poor. Many elderly people live alone in makeshift shelters, afraid to go outside, they risk starvation. No one cares about them, no one mourns their passing.
The impulse to care only about oneself, to be indifferent to the plight of others, becomes even stronger. Yet it is precisely in these terrible moments that living the Gospel saves. Indeed, living the Gospel is the best protection in times of war! As young people, together with our friends in the Community, in these months of occupation and clashes, we have decided to spend the energy of our youth not only for ourselves.
In a city where everyone is considered an enemy, we have chosen to build an alliance: an alliance with the elderly. We visit them, protect the poorest ones, as well as the homeless and street children, this saves us from the madness of fear, because it frees us from being constantly worried about our own survival.
Just when it seemed that nothing could be done, we discovered that evil can always be countered, even the greatest evil, that of war. The Apostle Paul is truly right when he urges us not to be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good (Rom 12:21).
In the midst of violence, in the chaos of a city where the law of the strongest reigns, we live this alliance between young and old fuels the hope for peace. It is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit: ‘Your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions’, proclaims the prophet (Joel 3:1).
We are sustained by the strong testimony of a young man like us, Floribert Bwana Chui, a member of the Community of Sant'Egidio in Goma, who was killed at the age of 26 in 2007. He was a customs officer and refused to allow the passage of tonnes of rotten food that would have harmed the population, especially the poorest. They had offered him money, as often happens. Yet, in the name of the Gospel, he refused. Floribert will be beatified on 15 June. His example is a source of hope for all young people in Congo, Africa and the whole world. May the Spirit continue to inspire us with a fearless and courageous love, stronger than any division or conflict. May the great gift of peace be granted to us soon.
