Catholic Priests: Hutu Extremists and Day Genocide

catholic priests: During the 100-day genocide, more than 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed by Hutu extremists, according to Brandon Sun. Many of the victims died at the hands of priests, clergymen and nuns, according to some accounts by survivors, and the Rwandan government says many died in the churches where they had sought refuge. In an extraordinary statement after Francis' meeting with Rwandan President Paul Kagame, the Vatican acknowledged that the church itself bore blame, as well as some Catholic priests and nuns who succumbed to hatred and violence, betraying their own evangelical mission by participating in the genocide. During the 25-minute meeting in the Apostolic Palace, Francis implored anew God's forgiveness for the sins and failings of the church and its members, the Vatican said. The Rwandan government has long pressured the church to apologize for its complicity in the genocide, but both the Vatican and the local church have been reluctant to do so. He expressed the desire that this humble recognition of the failings of that period, which unfortunately disfigured the face of the church, may contribute to a 'purification of memory' and may promote, in hope and renewed trust, a future of peace. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.