Bishop Aurélio Gazzera describes the difficult situation in the Diocese of Bangassou

Bishop Aurélio Gazzera told the AIS Foundation that the Diocese of Bangassou in the Central African Republic faces extreme difficulties due to war, violence, and the exploitation of natural resources by foreign countries. During a recent visit to Canada, the Carmelite missionary described the struggle for daily survival among the people and the risks involved in the diocese's humanitarian efforts. He noted that a priest was killed in June.

The diocese covers a territory larger than Portugal, but a lack of passable roads makes travel difficult. Gazzera stated that the distance between the two furthest parishes exceeds 600 kilometers, often across roads that no longer exist. This isolation leaves many communities effectively abandoned.

Gazzera succeeded Bishop Juan Aguirre in June of this year. To combat poverty, the bishop expressed a goal to reactivate the coffee sector to provide regular income for local families.