Asking for forgiveness for the role played by some members of the Catholic Church in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi “is a noble legacy that Pope Francis, as the leader of the global Catholic Church, has left behind,” says Jean-Damascène Bizimana, the Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement. ALSO READ: Rwandan Catholics to hold requiem mass for Pope Francis Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88. In 2017, the Pontiff acknowledged that some Catholic priests and nuns had succumbed to hatred and violence by participating in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, during which over one million innocent people were killed. ALSO READ: Minister Bizimana reflects on clergy’s role in 1994 Genocide Bizimana noted that Pope Francis had a special connection with Rwanda and passed away having strengthened the relationship between the Church and the country. “It is a noble legacy that, as the leader of the global Catholic Church, he acknowledged that members of the Catholic clergy played a role in the Genocide against the Tutsi. He admitted to the failings of the institution,” the minister said. “Even though he did not declare that the Church as an institution was directly involved, he recognised that serious misconduct occurred and sought forgiveness for it. This is a positive step that supports historical truth and fosters constructive cooperation between the state and the Church through transparency,” he said. However, Bizimana said the next leadership of the church, as well as other religious institutions, “should support justice so that their members who took part in the Genocide are held accountable for the crimes they committed.” ALSO READ: Seromba, the priest who rolled a bulldozer on his congregation Following the Genocide, a Catholic network assisted priests and nuns complicit in the violence in escaping to Europe and other continents to evade justice. During the 31st commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, held in April, Bizimana mentioned Joseph Sagahutu, a priest suspected of participating in the genocide at Muganza Catholic Parish in Nyaruguru District, who is still reportedly living freely in Belgium. Father Sagahutu is among several members of the Catholic clergy who facilitated the killings and remain at large. The minister also named other priests implicated in the killings of Tutsi civilians, including Aimé Mategeko, who organised killings at Hanika Parish; Emmanuel Uwayezu, who murdered Tutsi children at Kibeho Parish; Thaddée Rusingizandekwe, who joined Interahamwe attacks in Nyakibanda and Karama; and Anaclet Sebahinde.
