‘We must not lose heart’, says Bishop as murdered priest laid to rest

A BISHOP has said how the death of a priest gunned down in his diocese “must not be in vain”.

Father Crépin Martial Monga, parish priest of the Catholic parish of St John the Baptist in Zémio, in south-east Central African Republic (CAR), was assassinated on Monday (29th June 2026).

Speaking to Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Bishop Aurelio Gazzera of Bangassou paid tribute to the priest’s courageous mediation work involving rebels and the authorities and his care for thousands of refugees.

According to sources, armed men allegedly gunned down Fr Crépin at around 6.40pm local time on the road linking a checkpoint of the Central African Armed Forces (FACA) to the parish residence.

He was struck in the head and died instantly. 

A female parishioner traveling with him was also hit by a bullet in the neck and was rushed to the hospital in Zémio, where she remains under intensive care.

According to the Association for Catholic Information in Africa, authorities have not yet identified those responsible for the attack, and nor has a group claimed responsibility.

Fr Monga played a key role in peacebuilding through the Local Committee for Peace and Reconciliation (CLPR), promoting dialogue, social cohesion, and reconciliation in conflict-affected communities. 

Media sources said he was known as a man of peace, was unarmed and devoted entirely to his pastoral mission, carrying only the Bible and a rosary. Throughout Zémio, he was respected for his compassion and closeness to local families. 

The day before his death, he baptized 175 candidates, including 160 displaced Christians. 

The morning of his murder he accompanied the newly baptized to the Mbomou River – his final pastoral act before the attack.

Praising Fr Crépin’s commitment to peace and reconciliation in Zémio, the Carmelite bishop added: “At some points he and the parish cared for more than 3,000 refugees at the mission. This work was very important. 

“In addition to this, he maintained many contacts with various rebel leaders and the authorities, always striving to mediate and find resolutions for the conflicts…

“There is a fear of losing heart, of letting all the good work grind to a halt, but this morning I told the community and my priests that this seed, which falls and dies, bears fruit, and that we must not lose heart; we must not, we must not allow this sacrifice to be in vain, we must continue with what he began.”

Zémio is a particularly dangerous area in an already unstable landlocked country bordered by Chad, Sudan, South Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo. 

Several armed groups have been active in the CAR for the past three decades, and in May 2025 a full-scale revolt against the government began.

Bishop Bangassou, an ACN project partner with 35 years of experience as a missionary in the CAR, said that recovering the priest’s body involved a difficult and perilous operation, given the terrain and presence of armed fighters in the region. 

He added: “The roads are in a terrible state, and very dangerous. I was very moved by the fact that as we were transporting his remains crowds of people gathered along the road to bid him farewell and pay their respects. 

“These were deeply moving scenes that reflected the affection and respect the local people felt for him. There were also huge crowds at the funeral.”

The circumstances and motives remain unclear as investigations continue. 

With thanks to Felipe d’Avillez