The parochial vicar of the Congolese parish targeted in a terrorist attack discussed the massacre in an interview with the Vatican newspaper.
Newsroom (30/07/2025, Gaudium Press ) In the village of Komanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, a horrific massacre unfolded on Sunday night, July 27, 2025, claiming the lives of 32 people, including children, according to Father Dieudonné Liringa, parish vicar of Bienheureuse-Anuarite. In an interview with L’Osservatore Romano, Father Liringa recounts the attack attributed to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which targeted members of the Eucharistic Crusade and Catholic Action movement. He concelebrated the victims’ funerals on Monday, July 28, 2025. Below is his testimony.
Can you describe how the massacre unfolded?
The tragedy began after a joyful weekend. On Friday, July 25th, young members of the Eucharistic Crusade gathered at our parish to prepare for the Jubilee celebrations. They spent the night here, participated in evening Mass, and completed a novena. On Saturday, July 26th, we celebrated the Silver Jubilee, marking 25 years of the Catholic Action and Eucharistic Crusade movement in Komanda. A diocesan delegation from Bunia joined us for the Mass and festivities, departing afterward. That evening, we all retired to rest.
Around 1:00 a.m. on Sunday, I received a call from a brother reporting a fire in the neighborhood. When I stepped outside, I heard gunshots. We were trapped inside the parish community until 4:40 a.m., unable to leave due to the violence. Mobile networks were cut off, isolating us further. When we finally ventured out, we learned the devastating truth: our young people, mothers, and fathers who had gathered for the Jubilee were massacred in a parish hall about 500 meters from the church, along the main road. Soldiers arrived to count the bodies, and we rushed some wounded to the hospital. All day Sunday, we waited for authorities to respond, but it wasn’t until Monday that we could dig graves and celebrate a funeral Mass for the victims.
Who were the victims?
The victims were Catholic Christians, members of the Catholic Action and Eucharistic Crusade of our Bienheureuse-Anuarite parish in the diocese of Bunia. They included fathers and mothers who had joined the movement in their youth, as well as children. Some children are still missing. Survivors who escaped the attackers told us that some children remain in the area, hiding or lost. One child returned today, saying he had fled into the bush and spent the night there before making his way back home.
Why were they targeted?
We don’t know. Security services identified the attackers as the ADF, but we struggle to understand why they targeted these young people and Church members. Who informed the attackers of their presence? The victims were asleep in the parish hall when they were brutally killed. During Monday’s funeral Mass, I preached on the Beatitudes, reflecting that these victims were killed for their meekness, their faith, and their commitment to celebrating the Jubilee. They died as witnesses to Christ present in the Sacraments.
How many victims were there?
The parish recorded 32 deaths. On Monday, 24 were buried in a common grave on parish grounds, while the remaining eight bodies were claimed by their families.
Pope Leo, in a telegram to the Congolese bishops’ conference, said this tragedy underscores the need to work for the integral human development of the region’s suffering people. Your thoughts?
The Holy Father, as a true pastor, shares our grief and supports us in this painful moment. His words give us strength to continue our pastoral mission and group activities, inspiring us to pursue peace and the integral development of our people. As we approach the 2025 Jubilee Year, we pray it brings peace to our youth and the world. I urge young people preparing for the Jubilee to pray for us in regions where death is a constant threat and proclaiming God’s Word is fraught with challenges. May their intercession sustain us.
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from L’Osservatore Romano
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