After Eucharistic Desecration, Catholic Diocese in Gabon Declares Weekly Fasting and Diocesan-Wide Reparation

“This sacrilegious act has plunged the local Church of Franceville, and especially the Christian community of Lastoursville, into indignation and profound spiritual mourning. We condemn this desecration in the strongest possible terms, as it wounds the conscience of all believers,” he said.

Bishop Ndjoni has called on Catholics to answer the sacrilege through prayer, penance, and acts of reparation.

“Faced with this offense against Divine Love, our response must not be anger, but rather fervent spiritual mobilization, reparation, and prayer,” he said.

As part of the Diocesan response, the Local Ordinary of Franceville since his Episcopal Consecration in October 2022 following his appointment in July 2022 directed that every Friday be observed as a day of fasting and penance throughout the Diocese until further notice. 

He also instructed the leadership of all parishes, religious communities, and apostolic movements to organize hours of Eucharistic adoration in reparation, with continuous adoration to be maintained at Sacred Heart Parish in Lastoursville.

“I direct that every parish, and continuously at Sacred Heart Parish in Lastoursville, organize hours of Eucharistic adoration in reparation, to console the pierced Heart of Jesus and to ask forgiveness for this act of blasphemy,” Bishop Ndjoni said.

He also urged the people of God to pray for those responsible for the desecration, invoking Christ’s example on the Cross.

“We shall remember the perpetrators of this crime in our prayers and supplications. Following Christ’s example on the Cross, we will ask the Father to forgive them and touch their hearts so that they may come to sincere conversion,” he said.

Bishop Ndjoni announced that he will preside over a Mass of Reparation at Sacred Heart Parish to purify the desecrated sanctuary and solemnly restore the Blessed Sacrament. The date of the liturgical celebration is to be announced.

He concluded by encouraging Catholics to remain steadfast in faith and hope despite the incident, entrusting the Diocese to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.