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ACI Prensa Staff, Feb 24, 2025 / 10:40 am (CNA).

The Salesian Congregation is in the midst of its 29th General Chapter, during which it will elect the successor of Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime as rector major. The cardinal has had to resign in order to take up his new duties in the Vatican Curia at the request of Pope Francis.

The proceedings began Feb. 16 in Turin, Italy, and are scheduled to conclude on April 12. Participating in the chapter are 227 representatives of the more than 14,000 Salesians present in 136 countries.

The assembly is usually held every six years, but on this occasion the time frame was shortened by one year due to the appointment of Fernández Artime, their superior general, as cardinal in September 2023 and his episcopal ordination in April 2024.

On Aug. 16, 2024, the Spanish cardinal resigned from his position as superior of the Salesians, who were placed under the authority of his vicar, Don Stefano Martoglio.

The theme of the Salesians' general chapter is "Passionate About Jesus Christ, Dedicated to Young People" and aims to develop its work around three areas of reflection: caring for vocational life, the joint work of the Salesians with young people, and the reorganization of the government of the congregation.

The person chosen as rector major will become the 11th successor of St. John Bosco and will have a new general council.

The meeting is taking place in Valdocco, the Turin district where the mother house of the congregation is located and where Don Bosco first began his ministry to youth. Cardinal Roberto Repole, archbishop of Turin, offered the opening Mass held in Mary Help of Christians Basilica in the Piedmontese capital.

In his homily, the prelate invited participants to have "God's way of looking at the world, at society," pointing out that there are "great challenges, but they must be faced in an evangelical way, trusting in Christ, in his strength, in his presence."

In the opening ceremony, the vicar of the rector major emphasized that the mission of the chapter assembly is to "rethink the governance of the congregation at all levels" with an attitude of "allowing ourselves to be challenged, not being passive, and offering responses both personally and institutionally. This is the path of the whole Church, guided by Pope Francis."

Sister Simona Brambilla, prefect of the Vatican Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, also spoke. Referring to the Gospel passage on the road to Emmaus, she said: "The journey takes us far from Jerusalem, from the painful experience of the cross. But after the encounter with Jesus, [the disciples] start heading back, even in the night, but without fear, toward the community and life."

The superior general of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Sister Chiara Cazzuola, said that "this is an event of grace and synodality. It can radiate its strength into the daily life of the new generations and assure them a better future."

Antonio Boccia, world coordinator of the Salesian cooperators, invited participants to "strengthen their interior life and discover reasons for improvement. Your duty is to keep alive the flame of Don Bosco's charism, which is rooted in the spiritual community formed by the entire Salesian family."

The process of discernment and election of the new rector major and the general council will take place March 23–29, and the chapter members will travel to Rome April 11–12 to conclude their work and make a pilgrimage to St. Peter's in this jubilee year.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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Rome Newsroom, Feb 24, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The retirement on Jan. 25 of Cardinal Oswald Gracias as archbishop of Bombay and the end of the 30-year "reign" of Cardinal Christoph Schönborn as archbishop of Vienna have triggered a vast generational turnover in the Roman Curia and around the world.

The sweeping changes involve the cardinal residential bishops, with seven of them reaching 75 years of age in 2025; in the Roman Curia, there will be eight cardinal heads of dicasteries who will exceed or have already exceeded the limit of 75 years of age during 2025. 

There is additionally a very special case in the Diocese of Rome. On Jan. 28, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Paolo Ricciardi, auxiliary bishop of Rome, to be bishop of the small Italian Diocese of Jesi. His departure marked the next step in what has been nearly a complete overhaul of the diocese. 

Diocese of Rome  

Pope Francis has changed the entire leadership of the Diocese of Rome. Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the pope's vicar for the Diocese of Rome, is currently left with only three auxiliary bishops: Renato Tarantelli Baccari, whom the pope has also appointed vicegerent of the Diocese of Rome; Benoni Ambarus; and Michele Di Tolve.

Baccari is the only territorial auxiliary covering Rome's southern sector. Ambarus is auxiliary with a delegation for Charity, Migrants, Roma, and Sinti (a nomadic people primarily living in Central Europe), while Di Tolve is an auxiliary with a special delegation for seminaries. 

Therefore, two of the four sectors into which the territory of the Diocese of Rome is divided remain vacant: the eastern sector — until now entrusted to Ricciardi — and the north, entrusted to Bishop Daniele Salera. Baccari leads the southern sector, and the western sector is led by Reina.  

In the last year, Rome has lost five auxiliaries, including Reina himself, who had been transferred to Italy or the Vatican to take on other roles. 

In addition to Ricciardi, the auxiliaries who have been reassigned are: Bishop Riccardo Lamba, appointed archbishop of Udine; Bishop Daniele Libanori, appointed pope's assessor for consecrated life; Bishop Dario Gervasi, appointed adjunct secretary of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life; and Salera, appointed bishop of Ivrea. 

The reorganization of the Diocese of Rome began in 2024 with the transfer of the cardinal vicar of Rome, Cardinal Angelo de Donatis, to the far less influential office of major penitentiary. The Office of the Penitentiary is the office of the most ancient tribunal of the Roman Curia. It is one of the three ordinary tribunals of the Holy See, and it is a tribunal of mercy. The penitentiary mostly deals with issues related to the forgiveness of sins. As important as it is for the Catholic Church, it is certainly a less influential post than the vicar of the Diocese of Rome, who administers the pope's diocese in the most important Italian city.

The latest cardinal successions 

In 2025, there have already been three cardinal archiepiscopal sees that have seen successions: the Archdiocese of Washington, which will be entrusted to Cardinal Robert McElroy; the Archdiocese of Vienna, for now entrusted to an apostolic administrator sede vacante; and the Archdiocese of Mumbai (Bombay), which will be led by John Rodrigues, who was appointed just two months after he was nominated coadjutor and just two days after taking possession of his new post. 

Gracias, who turned 80 in December, would as a result typically lose his position on the Council of Cardinals. Nothing, however, has been said about this. Pope Francis may wait until spring when Cardinal Fernando Vérgez, president of the Vatican City State administration, will also turn 80. At that point, the pope could reshuffle the Council of Cardinals, replacing Vergez, Gracias, and Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston (who also turned 80 last year). Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster, England, meanwhile, will turn 80 in November.

The residential cardinals 

Meanwhile, the new year brings a group of prominent cardinals turning 75, the age at which they are required to submit their letters of resignation to the Holy Father. The pope, of course, has the option of whether and when to accept their retirements. 

On Jan. 9, Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes, archbishop of Mexico City, was the first residential cardinal in 2025 to turn 75. Pope Francis has chosen to defer his retirement indefinitely. 

On Feb. 6, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, reached retirement age, and on Feb. 28, Cardinal Carlos Castillo Mattasoglio, made a cardinal only in the last consistory, will do the same. 

On June 23, Cardinal Orani Joao Tempesta, who leads the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro, will have to present his resignation due to age limits, and on July 9 it will be the turn of Cardinal Ignatius Suharjo Hardjoatmodjo, archbishop of Jakarta. On Sept. 1, Cardinal Oscar Cantoni, bishop of Como, Italy, turns 75, and Cardinal Leonardo Ulrich Steiner, archbishop of Manaus, reaches retirement age on Nov. 6. 

They are joined by two cardinals who are already retired and who will turn 75 in 2025: Kazimierz Nycz, archbishop emeritus of Warsaw, Poland, and Philippe Barbarin, archbishop emeritus of Lyon, France. 

There is also a large group of residential cardinals who turned 75 over the last few years. They include: Cardinal Alvaro Leonel Ramazzini Imeri, 77, of Huehuetenango, Guatemala; Cardinal Albert Ranjith Patabendige Don, 77; Cardinal Juan de la Caridad García Rodríguez, 76, of Havana, Cuba; Cardinal Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel, CM, 76, of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, 75; Cardinal James Michael Harvey, 75, archpriest of St. Paul Outside the Walls Basilica; Nichols, 79, archbishop of Westminster; and Cardinal Juan Josè Omella Omella, 78, archbishop of Barcelona.

The Roman Curia 

Aside from Cardinal Fernando Vergez, there are several heads of dicasteries in the Roman Curia who are approaching 80 or who have also passed the age of 75 and so could be replaced. They include Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, archpriest of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, who will turn 80 in July and is expected to be succeeded by recently created Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas, currently coadjutor archpriest; Cardinal Michael Czerny, the 78-year-old prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, who is expected to serve at least until he turns 80; Cardinal Kevin Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life, who is 77; and Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, who is also 77. 

There are three top positions in the Roman Curia whose holders will reach the age of 75 and could thus be replaced. On March 6, Cardinal Arthur Roche turns 75, having been prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments since 2021.  

On March 15, Cardinal Kurt Koch will turn 75. Koch has led since 2010 the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity — called the Pontifical Council until the reform of the Curia in 2022. On March 24, Archbishop Vincenzo Zani will also reach retirement age: He has been archivist and librarian of the Holy See since 2022. 

Finally, two cardinals who serve as nuncios, Cardinal Mario Zenari, nuncio to Syria, and Cardinal Christophe Pierre, nuncio to the United States, are both 79 but are expected to remain at their diplomatic posts until they turn 80.   

The College of Cardinals 

In 2025, 14 cardinals will leave the list of cardinal electors, while in 2024, there were 13. This is a substantial generational turnover, which could also change the composition of the conclave. 

It should not be forgotten that this January the five-year term of office of the dean and sub-dean of the College of Cardinals expires. These are Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, 90, and Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, 81. There are no precedents because it is the first time that the heads of the College of Cardinals have been appointed to five-year terms. It is, therefore, impossible to predict how long it will take for the successions. 

Feb. 14 marked 10 years since the second consistory of Pope Francis. As known, cardinals are divided in three ranks: cardinals bishops, cardinals priests, and cardinals deacons. These three ranks mirror the ancient division of a cardinal's duty. Cardinal bishops are entrusted with the ancient suburbicarian Diocese of Rome — though Pope Francis expanded the order in 2018, including some personal appointments. Cardinals priests were in Church of Rome churches, and cardinal deacons were in charge of the administration of the six offices of the Roman Palace and of the seven departments of the Diocese of Rome.

After 10 years, in fact, cardinal deacons can opt to pass to the order of cardinal presbyters, as established by the Code of Canon Law, in Canon 350, paragraphs 5 and 6.

This means that at the first consistory, the French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, should leave the office of cardinal protodeacon to Zenari, apostolic nuncio to Syria. The cardinal protodeacon is the one who announces the "habemus papam."

Likewise, Zenari could opt for the order of cardinal presbyters in November 2026, the 10th anniversary of the pope's third consistory. It will then eventually be Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life and cardinal camerlengo, who will have the title of cardinal protodeacon.

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CNA Staff, Feb 24, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Millions of Catholics from around the world are converging on Rome this year for the Jubilee Year of Hope. During this special year, Catholics have the opportunity to gain indulgences by making pilgrimages, prayerfully visiting specific churches, or practicing works of mercy. 

Can't make it all the way to Rome but still want to participate as a pilgrim? The good news is that according to the Vatican, pilgrims anywhere in the world who undertake "a pious pilgrimage to any sacred jubilee site" and devoutly participate in holy Mass can obtain the indulgence. 

In addition, the faithful can also obtain the jubilee indulgence if they devoutly visit any jubilee site individually or in a group. While there, they should engage in Eucharistic adoration and meditation for a suitable period and conclude with the Our Father, the profession of faith, and invocations to Mary, Mother of God.

In the U.S., bishops across the country have announced special designated jubilee pilgrimage sites throughout their dioceses, including cathedrals, basilicas, parish churches, local and national shrines, monasteries, and more.

Here is an interactive map that shows many of the pilgrimage sites that have been designated across the U.S. There is a search bar (opened by clicking the magnifying glass) where you can search for a specific location; or you can put in your home diocese and it will be highlighted for you, so you can see which designated sites are close by.

By clicking the colored dots in the map legend, you can filter the locations by type. The map is also zoomable.

What does it mean to get an indulgence?

An indulgence is a grace granted by the Catholic Church through the merits of Jesus Christ to remit from a person the "temporal" punishment they face for past sins that have already been forgiven. 

The Church teaches that every sin, no matter how small, entails "an unhealthy attachment to creatures," which must be purified either here on earth or after death in purgatory. That purification frees a person — who has already gone to confession and obtained forgiveness — from what is known as the "temporal punishment" of sin, which is contrasted with the "eternal" punishment of hell that is a consequence of dying in a state of grave sin, i.e., separation from God. 

Since Christ gave his Church the power to "bind and loose" sins, the Church is able, through offering an indulgence, to open "the treasury of the merits of Christ and the saints to obtain from the Father of mercies the remission of the temporal punishments due for their sins." (Contrary to popular belief, there is no monetary cost associated with indulgences.)

Indulgences can be "partial" or they can be "plenary" (meaning they remove all temporal punishment). Indulgences are offered not only to help Catholics but also to "spur them to works of devotion, penance, and charity," the Catechism of the Catholic Church says in No. 1478.

Plenary indulgences obtained during the jubilee year can also be applied to souls in purgatory, with the possibility of obtaining two plenary indulgences for the deceased in one day, according to the Apostolic Penitentiary.

To obtain an indulgence, a Catholic must meet the "usual conditions": be truly repentant and free from any attachment to sin, go to the sacrament of confession, receive holy Communion, and pray for the intentions of the pope.

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Vatican City, Feb 24, 2025 / 03:34 am (CNA).

Pope Francis was admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Friday, Feb. 14, to undergo testing and treatment for bronchitis, the Vatican said. After a full week in medical care, the Vatican announced Feb. 22 the Holy Father had suffered a respiratory crisis and required a blood transfusion. 

Follow here for the latest news on Pope Francis' health and hospitalization:

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Vatican City, Feb 23, 2025 / 06:59 am (CNA).

Pope Francis was admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Friday, Feb. 14, to undergo testing and treatment for bronchitis, the Vatican said. After a full week in medical care, the Vatican announced Feb. 22 the Holy Father had suffered a respiratory crisis and required a blood transfusion. 

Follow here for the latest news on Pope Francis' health and hospitalization:

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CNA Staff, Feb 23, 2025 / 14:10 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis' condition "remains critical," the Holy See Press Office said in a statement issued Sunday evening Rome time. However, it said, he experienced "no further respiratory crisis" since Saturday.

The statement also said the Holy Father "continues to be alert and well oriented" and is still receiving oxygen therapy "at high flows" through his nose. Since his situation is "complex," the statement said, the pope's prognosis "remains reserved."

His blood platelet count remained stable, the statement continued, but some blood tests showed "initial, mild, renal [kidney] failure" that was presently under control.

This morning the pope participated in Mass together with those caring for him at his 10th floor apartment set up at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, the statement said.

Also on Sunday, Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the cardinal vicar of the Diocese of Rome, celebrated a Mass for Pope Francis at the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome. The faithful prayed that the Lord would sustain the pope with his grace and fill him with strength to face his health crisis.

Earlier in the day, Archbishop Rino Fisichella delivered Pope Francis' prepared homily to over 4,000 permanent deacons gathered for a special jubilee Mass at St. Peter's Basilica. He also delivered from his hospital room his Sunday Angelus address, where he thanked hospital staff as well as called for peace in Ukraine.

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CNA Staff, Feb 23, 2025 / 14:40 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis on Sunday was flooded with get-well cards and hand-drawn greetings from schoolchildren in Rome as the Holy Father continues to battle a series of medical emergencies in the city's Gemelli Hospital.

The pope was admitted to the hospital on Friday, Feb. 14, to undergo testing and treatment for bronchitis, the Vatican said. After a full week in medical care, the Vatican announced Feb. 22 the Holy Father had suffered a respiratory crisis and required a blood transfusion.

The pontiff's condition "remains critical," the Holy See Press Office said in a statement issued Sunday evening Rome time, though he experienced "no further respiratory crisis" since Saturday.

'Get well soon so I can hug you'

Over the weekend, meanwhile, the pope received dozens of get-well cards from schoolchildren in Rome, urging the Holy Father to recover quickly and sending him wishes of love and healing.

"Dear Pope, I hope you get well soon so I can hug you. I love you so much," read one letter featuring a drawing of the Holy Father reaching out to a young girl.

"I love you very much and we hope you get out of the hospital soon," read another.

Other greetings included creative illustrations, including a drawing of Blessed Carlo Acutis as well as a 3D rendering of Pope Francis opening the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica.

The Vatican on Sunday said the Holy Father "continues to be alert and well oriented" and continues to receive oxygen therapy "at high flows" through his nose.

Since his situation is "complex," the statement said, the pope's prognosis "remains reserved."

On Sunday morning the pope participated in Mass along with those who are caring for him at Gemelli Hospital in Rome.

Some of the letters to Francis, meanwhile, looked forward to his release from the hospital.

"We pray that you get well soon," one read. "It would be a great pleasure for us to have lunch [with you] in our school cafeteria."

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CNA Newsroom, Feb 23, 2025 / 08:40 am (CNA).

Prayers filled St. Peter's Basilica Sunday as Archbishop Rino Fisichella delivered Pope Francis' prepared homily to over 4,000 permanent deacons gathered for a special jubilee Mass, while the pontiff remains hospitalized with pneumonia.

The message, centered on selfless service and forgiveness, emphasized three fundamental aspects of diaconal ministry that the pope described as "forgiveness, selfless service, and communion."

"Indeed, forgiveness is an indispensable element of every ecclesial vocation and a requirement of every human relationship," the pope's homily stated, read by Fisichella, who serves as pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization.

During the Feb. 23 historic ceremony, 23 men from eight countries were ordained as permanent deacons. The international gathering drew significant delegations from around the world, with Italy sending the largest group, followed by 1,300 deacons from the United States, 656 from France, and substantial numbers from other nations.

The pope's message called deacons to see their ministry as transformative both for themselves and society. "Through your ministry, you devote yourselves to being 'sculptors' and 'painters' of the merciful face of the Father, and witnesses to the mystery of the Triune God," the homily declared.

Referencing St. Lawrence, patron saint of deacons, the pope recalled how when asked to hand over the Church's treasures, the saint pointed to the poor and proclaimed: "These are our treasures!" This story served to illustrate the pope's broader message about authentic service and communion.

Fisichella highlighted the pope's spiritual presence in the celebration, noting that while physically absent due to his hospitalization at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, his message resonated deeply through the basilica where "communion takes on its fullest and most meaningful dimension."

The Mass marked a pivotal moment in the ongoing jubilee year, with the pope emphasizing that ordination "is not an ascent but a descent," calling for deacons to make themselves "small" in humble service to others.

"Your mission sets you apart from society only to be reimmersed in it in order to enable it to be an ever more open and welcoming place for everyone," the homily stated, describing this as "one of the finest expressions of a synodal Church."

The pope concluded by entrusting the deacons to the Virgin Mary and St. Lawrence, calling them to be "apostles of forgiveness, selfless servants of our brothers and sisters, and builders of communion."

The celebration showcased the universal Church's commitment to diaconal ministry, even as prayers continued for the pope's recovery from bilateral pneumonia.

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ACI Prensa Staff, Feb 23, 2025 / 09:30 am (CNA).

Judge Frank Caprio has become one of the most recognizable faces in the U.S. judicial system for his acts of kindness and compassion. 

For nearly 40 years, he listened to people who came to the main municipal courthouse in Rhode Island and went out of his way to show them mercy.

His work was featured in the four-time Emmy-nominated show "Caught in Providence" and in 2017 videos of his court cases went viral, reaching more than 15 million views.

Today, at 88, the retired judge, a Catholic, asks for prayers after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. "EWTN News In Depth" correspondent Colm Flynn recently traveled to Florida to meet the man who is known as "the kindest judge in the world."

A judge with a heart

"I had the most privileged childhood I could imagine… I had the privilege of being brought up poor," the judge recalled. His father, Antonio Caprio, was an Italian immigrant who worked as a milkman.

"Some mornings he would wake my older brother and I up at 4 in the morning to work with him on the truck. I learned one of the most valuable lessons working with my dad on the truck: I learned how to treat people. I learned understanding. I learned compassion," he said.

Inspired by his father's words, Caprio studied law, passed the bar in 1965, and in 1985 became a judge on the Providence Municipal Court. Many of the deliberations he presided over were televised for more than 20 years on a local television station.

From his first day on the bench, he understood that his role was not only to enforce the law but also to understand the circumstances of those who appeared before him.

"One of the first people who appeared before me was a woman with a number of parking tickets," he said. "She was obstinate, insulting… finally, in an act of desperation, I said to her: 'I'm charging you the full amount and your car's gonna get booted.' I was pretty strong with her. But my father, when he heard about it, said to me, 'She was scared. She has three kids. How's she gonna to feed them? You probably took her money for dinner tonight.' I learned a great lesson that day."

For Caprio, that was a wake-up call. Being in a position of power didn't mean he had to wield it against those who didn't have it. He understood that most of the people who came to his courtroom were ordinary, hardworking people just trying to get by.

Justice with mercy

Over the years, Caprio won the hearts of the public with his humane and empathetic approach. "It's very simple: I just place myself in their shoes, of the person in front of me. Compassion is a very, very strong trait."

One of the cases that touched him most was that of a 96-year-old man who was charged with speeding. "He told me, 'I drive slowly and I only drive when I have to. I was going to the blood work for my boy.' Then I asked him, 'How old is your son? 'And he replied, 'Sixty-three, he's got cancer.' It was an unforgettable moment. His love and dedication as a father was touching."

He also remembers a single mother who came to his court with her young daughter. "She told me, 'I'm doing everything I can, but I can't pay this fine.' I saw the little girl looking at me with concern and I knew I had to help her. It wasn't just about enforcing the law but about being fair in the truest sense of the word."

A battle against cancer

Retired in 2023 and facing what is possibly his most difficult trial, Caprio has not lost faith. His story, marked by empathy and service, continues to inspire millions and is captured in his book "Compassion in the Court: Life-Changing Stories from America's Nicest Judge." 

Regarding his diagnosis, he said: "When they told me, my first reaction was disbelief. But then I thought: I have lived a life full of blessings. I'm not going to let this define my later years."

Today, the judge who brought mercy to justice asks for something in return: prayers. "I just try to be strong. I'm grateful for all the love and support I've received," he said. 

Before ending the interview, Caprio left a message for all those who have followed him over the years: "If there's one thing I want you to remember about me, it's that we all deserve a little compassion. In life, kindness always finds its way back."

In his book, he also seeks to leave a simple but concise message: "Be kind to others, be slow to judge, and always show mercy." 

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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ACI Africa, Feb 23, 2025 / 10:30 am (CNA).

Locals at a village in the embattled North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are appealing for prayers after approximately 70 bodies were found inside a church building in the village.

Local sources contacted by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) International said the killings took place between Feb. 12 and Feb. 15 in Maiba, a village in the eastern region of the DRC. 

In a report that ACN published on Feb. 21, the sources said that on Feb. 12, rebels from an Islamist terrorist group, originally from Uganda, entered the village and took approximately 100 people hostage.

The sources recounted that on Feb. 15, about 70 bodies were discovered inside a Protestant church. 

"Many of them had been bound and some beheaded. Among the victims were women, children, and the elderly," said the source, which ACN did not identify for fear of reprisals from the many armed groups that operate in the region.

"It is likely that these victims were unable to resist or endure the forced march, because when the rebels take hostages, they make them travel with them, either as reinforcements for their group or as forced labor for the war effort," the source is quoted as telling ACN. 

According to the source, abductors force people to carry the loot after raiding villages.

"If you get tired on the way, you're done," the source told ACN. "I believe that is what happened to these 70 people."

According to the same sources, the Maiba massacre was carried out by the armed Islamist group Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which operates in Uganda and the DRC and has terrorized the local population for over a decade.

"The Islamic groups have stepped up their attacks and raids in remote villages, killing thousands of Congolese civilians. Before they used to be in other areas, but now it is Lubero which is being attacked," the local source told ACN.

The source shared that fear has gripped the village because the residents believe that the terrorists have local collaborators who facilitate their operations.

This Maiba massacre comes at a very delicate time for the region, given the worsening of the humanitarian situation in the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu, which have seen heavy terrorization by another armed group, the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels.

Reportedly supported by neighboring Rwanda and the Congolese armed forces, the M23 has taken important cities and outposts in the region, including Goma and Bukavu, amid heavy fighting.

ACN's local sources have expressed fear that over the next few days, M23 will take Butembo, North Kivu's second-largest city, as it did Goma and Bukavu.

"We are living through very, very difficult times. We are expecting the rebels to enter the city any moment now, as they are only 70 kilometers [about 44 miles] away from here. There is a lot of psychological suffering in Butembo, because the war is literally at our door. We have seen how other regions were overrun by chaos, and now it seems it is our turn," the source is quoted as saying.

The source concluded with a call for prayers, imploring: "Let us pray. Prayer is what keeps our hope alive amidst this situation we are living through."

This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA's news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.

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