New Caledonia’s Catholic community is in shock and disbelief as two of its historic missions were burned down by rioters last week. Source: RNZ.
On July 16, the 165-year-old Catholic Church in Saint Louis, near Nouméa, disappeared in flames.
The iconic Church was the last building standing after the Mission’s presbytery and residence for the Marist Sisters were also burned down by rioters following gun exchanges between a group of rioters and French gendarmes.
One man, described as the nephew of pro-independence figure Roch Wamytan, was killed a week earlier as he was firing shots from the old church.
Nouméa Archbishop Michel-Marie-Bernard Calvet SM told local media NC la Première he, like everyone else, is in a state of shock.
“It’s not something that happened by accident … Those people wanted to destroy. They destroyed various mission buildings several days ago, they threatened the religious community, which was there, and which had to be evacuated,” Archbishop Calvet said.
“And so, this is deeply shocking. When young people have never been explained the rules of society and the common good, they can do anything.
“Some young rioters even said it’s just ‘for the sake of going crazy’.”
On July 18, in Vao, on the Isle of Pines (off Nouméa), another landmark Catholic mission was also destroyed by arson.
Both missions are regarded as the cradles of Catholicism in New Caledonia, both having been established in the 1860s.
New Caledonia’s President, Louis Mapou, in a release on July 19, condemned those criminal “irresponsible acts”, saying they undermined the values of “fraternity and sharing on which New Caledonia’s society is based”.
“No anger can justify this”, he wrote.
FULL STORY
New Caledonia: Shock and disbelief as more Catholic churches burn down (By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ)
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