The Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, has expressed regret over the continued silence of Burundian authorities regarding the 2003 assassination of the Apostolic Nuncio to Burundi, Archbishop Michael Courtney.
Cardinal Parolin, who arrived in Burundi earlier this week for an official visit, traveled on Thursday to Minago, in the southern diocese of Bururi — the very place where Archbishop Courtney, an Irish prelate, was killed more than 20 years ago. The perpetrators of the murder have never been identified.
In Minago, the Cardinal inaugurated a monument in honor of Archbishop Courtney and urged that “good be brought forth from a tragedy we cannot fully understand.” Addressing both state authorities and church leaders, he said, “We should unite our efforts so that from this drama, good may emerge. One of the goods we must seek, beyond today’s commendable initiatives, is justice.”
Cardinal Parolin also laid the foundation stone for a hospital to be built in Minago in memory of the slain nuncio.
During a Mass on Thursday, he reiterated the Holy See’s call for clarity in the case, stressing that justice requires the truth to be brought to light. “The Holy See has never stopped asking the Burundian state for the full truth about Archbishop Courtney’s tragic death. We greatly appreciate all efforts to honor his memory, but it must also be through justice,” he said.
As part of his visit, the Vatican Secretary of State will also preside over the installation of the Minor Basilica in Mugera, in the political capital, Gitega.
On Wednesday, Cardinal Parolin was received in audience by President Evariste Ndayishimiye. The meeting resulted in the signing of seven cooperation agreements between the Holy See and Burundi, covering areas such as education, health, and refugee support. The Burundian government described the accords as a sign of “the good relations between the two parties.”
Against the backdrop of instability in parts of the Great Lakes region, Cardinal Parolin has used his visit to call for peace and reconciliation to break cycles of violence. His trip is scheduled to conclude on August 18.
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