The Community of Sant'Egidio rejoices at Pope Francis' authorisation to promulgate the decree of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints that opens the way for the beatification of Floribert Bwana Chui, and joins in the great joy of the Church of Goma for the witness of faith, honesty and holiness of this young man, who shared the life of the Community, in prayer and love for the poor, in the tormented region of Kivu, ravaged by a tragic civil war for years
Floribert, a member of the Community of Sant'Egidio in Goma, was a customs officer at the border with Rwanda. His task was to check the quality of foodstuffs in transit on the border and certify their good quality. He refused to allow himself to be bribed to pass loads of rotten food. In July 2007, he was tortured and killed at the age of 26, a martyr to the corruption that pollutes the future and hopes of the African continent. His resistance to evil is a sign of hope.
Pope Francis remembered Floribert on 2 February 2023, as he met young people and catechists at the Martyrs' Stadium in Kinshasa during his journey to the Democratic Republic of Congo:
a young person like yourselves, Floribert Bwana Chui, who fifteen years ago, at only twenty-six years old, was killed in Goma for having blocked the passage of spoiled foodstuffs that would have been harmful for people’s health. He could easily have turned a blind eye; nobody would have found out, and he might even have gotten ahead as a result. But, since he was a Christian, he prayed. He thought of others and he chose to be honest, saying no to the filth of corruption. That is what it means to keep your hands clean, for hands that traffic in easy money get stained with blood. If someone offers you a bribe, or promises you favours and lots of money, do not fall into the trap. Do not be deceived; do not be sucked into the swamp of evil. Do not be overcome by evil! Do not trust shady financial schemes that plunge you into the darkness. To be honest is to shine like the day; it is to radiate the light of God. It is to live the beatitude of justice: overcome evil with good!"
