Martyr in Congo

Chapter 7. Hopes and Fears

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Br. Victor Faccin, a sign of hope in the midst of struggle in Congo

Today is Christmas. It is truly a wonderful celebration. Christians have come from all over, some from even 70 miles away, to celebrate Christ’s birth with the Christians of Baraka. We have worked hard over the last few days, but the sight of so many Christians has taken our tiredness away.

On 4 December I went to Albertville with the motorboat we acquired recently acquired. The journey there and back took three days to complete. The good weather made it a splendid journey for us. The people who live along the coast are very simple and it pains us to see them in places where we cannot give them a constant pastoral care. There are also some Christians around, but only rarely do they have the opportunity to meet us and listen to the Word of God. The Lord will certainly use another yardstick when judging them. I have recently received 15 tons of cement (300 sacks) for the construction of the church. With this material I hope to make good progress”. (Baraka, December 25, 1963)

“I am passing through here, my last visit was five months ago. I have found all that I need for the coming month. News may have reached you in Italy about the disturbances that the Movement of the young followers of Mulela are causing here. You mustn’t worry too much about us, since we have been promised that no harm will come to us. This movement is trying to start up a real communist system. It is incredible to see the transformation in them when they are drunk: they lose all reason.

The Xaverians of the mission in Mulenge, where the revolutionaries have their base, escaped the other night. They walked 70 miles through the mountains. Those who had gone to search for them were detained by the revolutionaries and nothing has been heard of them for two days now. What worries us is not so much that they may be have been beaten but, rather, by the fact that they have no food with them. We hope that they have been taken back to the mission of Mulenge because the revolutionaries do not want the missionaries to leave the mission unattended. We ask all our friends and relatives back home to remember them, and us, in their prayers.

Everything in Baraka is calm at the moment although we are expecting the revolutionaries to arrive at any moment. We hope that the situation will return to normal quickly. In my opinion it is all a problem of power and envy. The Mulelists are not angry at us; nevertheless, we know only too well what to expect when they come to power: we will be told to pack our bags and leave. Their own ignorance makes them always afraid that they will be deceived and betrayed. Even the most innocent people fall into this trap.

The work of the church proceeds slowly. God willing, it will not be long until it is completed. The town of Usumbura has changed name and is now called Bujumbura.

I hope that our loved ones in Italy are not too saddened and upset by the news they hear about what is happening in this country. I only ask that they pray for us, that God may always be glorified and that He will give us the strength to bear witness to Him. Our Superior has decided to go to Burundi for 15 days and see how the situation develops. We have reason to hope that everything will turn out well, but there is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding the future”. (Uvira, May 7, 1964)

A Worried Pen

I hope you receive this note. Allied soldiers have arrived and no harm has come to us. However, they took everything: cars, boat and bikes (these have since been given back to us). They have also promised that everything will be returned. At night they send some men to guard us. It is a kind gesture. They are, nevertheless, capable of killing each other on any pretext. Tension remains constantly high. Pray for us to the Lord and His Blessed Mother”. (Baraka, June 10, 1964)

We are longing for freedom, but when will it come? ... I am with Father Louis. One at a time, all my companions have left. Our Heavenly Mother has looked after us so far and we continue to trust in her protection. I am sure that we will get out of this safely. Continue to pray for our poor people.
Br. Victor Faccin

“The killing stopped here a few days ago, though it continues in Albertville and Bukavu. As I write, there are 11 guards outside the door chatting among themselves. They are all good; what a pity that they have been deceived by Chinese indoctrination. I am here with Father Sartorio and we have never felt so lonely. There seems to be no way out of the present troubles. Pray for us and for our poor Christians who are so easily deceived”.  (Baraka, June 19, 1964)

“Our guards are still here, taking it in turns to watch over us. The atmosphere is still tense. We do not seem to be in any danger at the moment. It is certainly difficult to know what they have in mind. The great chief came from Baraka last week and he said that all the missionaries can stay where they are for the good of the school on one condition: they must not get involved in internal affairs. We are not quite sure what this means.

The church is not yet finished, but it is welcoming nonetheless and conducive to prayer and devotion. At the beginning of the month the mission was connected to a water supply. I had to work hard for this, and sometimes I was criticized but, in the end, everyone congratulated me. Yesterday we began to make the bricks we need for the construction of a small house near the church on the banks of the river Tanganika. Our Christians are sorely tried by certain pagan practices: please pray for them”. (Baraka, June 30, 1964)

Thirst for freedom

The situation is calm here and I proceed with the construction of the house that I started 15 days ago. The revolutionaries continue to gain ground: when will it all finish? Our life is in the hands of our Heavenly Mother. Pray for us and for our Christians at this difficult time”. (Baraka, August 5, 1964)

“We are longing for freedom, but when will it come? … I am with Father Louis. One at a time, all my companions have left for Italy. Our Heavenly Mother has looked after us so far and we continue to trust in her protection. I am sure that we will get out of this safely. Continue to pray for our poor people”. (Baraka, November 22, 1964)  

Br. Victor Faccin: We are longing for freedom, but when will it come?

Martyrdom

Nothing more was heard of Victor Faccin after this letter until the news of his death was broken. The details emerged only many months later, following the discovery of the body by Father Palmiro Cima in January 1966. The last moments of Brother Victor’s life were reconstructed on the basis of the testimony of some local inhabitants. On November 28, at about 9 am, a jeep pulled up in front of the fathers’ house. It was driven by Abedì Masanga, a guerrilla leader. Brother Faccin was in his room when he heard the coarse voices of the Simba (lions) guerrillas outside. He went outside, certain that he would be able to convince them to leave as on previous occasions.

Masanga was standing next to the jeep apart from the others, and 7 or 8 Simba surrounded Faccin. He was accused by the guerrilla chief of keeping radio contact with the regular army to inform them of the guerrillas movements. Brother Faccin let him talk, thinking that he would eventually make the customary request for money. This time, however, Masanga would not be so easily contented. In a rage, he ordered Victor to get into the jeep. Brother Faccin obeyed, thinking that he could warn Father Louis Carrara about what was happening since the jeep would have to pass in front of the church. The jeep moved off with the guerrillas and Musanga following on foot. When they reached the church, Brother Faccin was told that they would be heading for Fizi, and he understood that something dreadful was about to happen. “I cannot leave Father Carrara alone in Baraka”, he replied, as he opened the door to get out.

They were his last words: Masanga shot him three times in the chest and he fell dying on the car seat. Masanga shot him once more and then ordered his men to drag the body away. Father Carrara, who had been hearing the confessions of some elderly women, had seen and heard everything. He went towards Masanga, his purple penitential stole still around his neck. “I will take you to Fizi to kill you and the other missionaries together”, shouted an enraged Masanga. “If you want to kill me, I prefer to die here next to my brother”, the missionary serenely replied, as he knelt down next to the body of Brother Faccin. He was shot at point blank range and fell dead next to Br. Faccin.

The religious were killed so that Masanga could retain control over his men after the failed ambush attempt three days previously on a regular army contingent. In this incident Masanga lost about 700 Simba warriors out of a thousand. He had to justify this terrible failure and laid the blame at the door of the Xaverian Missionaries who, according to his version, had informed on them. He had found his scapegoat, a strategy as old as humanity itself.  

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