The pope in Kinshasa called for mutual forgiveness as he met with survivors of the brutal three-decade old war in eastern DR Congo. It was just one of the highlights of a three-day visit that comes at a crucial juncture for the nation that is home to Africa’s largest Catholic population, one where the Church often fills the role of the state in providing basic social services and where the clergy’s mediation matters in what’s an election year for DR Congo.
