A local source in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has confirmed that jihadists left the dead bodies of 70 Africans in a church – many of whom had been beheaded.

Speaking to catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, the source, who asked to remain anonymous because of fear of reprisals, corroborated reports that at least 70 trussed up corpses were discovered in North Kivu Province last week.

The source said: “On 15th February, 70 bodies were discovered inside a Protestant church.

“Many of them had been bound and some beheaded. Among the victims were women, children and the elderly.”

According to the source, between 12th and 15th February fighters from Islamist group Allied Democratic Forces seized around 100 people in Maiba village in North Kivu’s Lubero region.

The source said: “It is likely that these victims were unable to resist or endure the forced march, because when the rebels take hostages, they make them travel with them, either as reinforcements for their group or as forced labour for the war effort.

“When there is loot, they need people to carry it. If you get tired on the way, you’re done. I believe that is what happened to these 70 people.”

The dead bodies were discovered in the Evangelical church in Kasanga just “just a few kilometres away from Maiba”.

The source added: “The Islamic groups have stepped up their attacks and raids in remote villages, killing thousands of Congolese civilians.

“Before they used to be in other areas, but now it is Lubero which is being attacked.”

“It is thought that the terrorists have local collaborators who facilitate their operations and that is what is really frightening.”

This mass killing follows heavy fighting between the M23 rebel militia, supported by neighbouring Rwanda, and Congolese Armed Forces.

M23 has taken key cities such as Goma and Bukavu, forcing half a million civilians to flee their homes in North Kivu since December 2024, according to UNHCR figures.

ACN’s source also expressed fears that M23 will take Butembo, North Kivu’s second largest city, following its seizure of Goma, the provincial capital, and Bukavu, capital of South Kivu.

The source said: “We are living through very, very difficult times. We are expecting the rebels to enter the city any moment now, as they are only 70km [43 ½ miles] away from here.

“There is a lot of psychological suffering in Butembo, because the war is literally at our door.

“We have seen how other regions were overrun by chaos and now it seems it is our turn.”

The source concluded by calling for prayer: “Prayer is what keeps our hope alive amidst this situation we are living through.”

The group meets next on Wednesday 12th March at 5.3pm on Zoom.
Email Fr. Matthew for an invite.

On February 22, we celebrated the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, honoring the mission and authority Christ entrusted to St. Peter and his successors. This feast isn’t about a physical chair—it’s about the unshakable foundation of the Church’s teaching authority and the unity we share under the guidance of the Pope.

📖 “You are Peter, and upon this rock, I will build my church…” (Matthew 16:18)

Let’s pray today for our Holy Father and for the unity of the Church.

St Vincent de Paul Society: We tackle poverty in all its forms by providing assistance to people in need. During Lent we are promoting Almsgiving with ‘Donate an Item a Day’ plus our Jam Jar appeal. We are providing sticky labels to put on jars where cash can be collected then donated to SVP to support our projects both in Abergavenny and Ebbw Vale. visit https://www.svp.org.uk contact: presidentg050512@svp.org.uk or Fr Matthew.

Struggling after Abortion, you are not alone, give ius a call- ARCH, Abortion Recovery Care and Helpline.
0345 603 8501.
info@archtrust.org.uk

Opening up works
During January, in consultation with the Conservation Officer, we opened up some key parts of the building. In particular, the structural engineer wanted to view how some of the beams and trusses are held together. Our experts also needed to understand how the ceiling in the first floor parlour is being held up.

Carpets were removed and modern boarding cut back to expose trusses and beams. A major truss was found not to be attached to anything, while a mountain of birds' nesting material had to be taken away. Movement over the years has created gaps in the eaves which now must be temporarily blocked to prevent any birds or beasts taking up residence.

Thanks to the Architectural Heritage Fund for their funding support of the opening up works.


Plasterwork ceiling
During January, there was an investigation into the condition of the ornate plasterwork ceiling on the first floor. Whilst not unique in the second third of the 17th century, the surveyors has said it contains decorative symbolism not often seen in contemporary plasterwork.

Unfortunately, the condition of the ceiling is even more precarious than we had thought and movement from the room above has had a negative impact. The surveyor has recommended fixes but in the meantime the room above is out of bounds apart from essential work. A platform has also been built under the plasterwork ceiling to stop any pieces falling far and being damaged.

Further surveys
More surveys have been commissioned with the aim of submitting applications for Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent in mid March.

Flood Consequences Assessment in progress - particularly important because of the planned extension.
Wall paintings survey in the chapel undertaken - awaiting the report.
Archaeological assessment of the land commissioned - again important because of the extension.
Timber condition survey undertaken - will give structural engineer and architects information about robustness of timbers throughout the building.
Utilities survey is underway.
Drainage survey will tell us if current drainage system will cope with planned future use - waiting for report.
Consultation continues
Our consultants, Headland Design, are continuing their consultation with:

King Henry VIII School, talking to Years 7, 12 and 13. Among other things, they discussed the possibility of volunteer roles for senior students.
Promobility about gathering views from people in Abergavenny with disabilities to ensure that our project is as accessible as possible.
Families visiting the museum at half term to understand which activities will work best to attract children and their parents.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund is funding the majority of our development plans and the Trust is extremely grateful to them and the National Lottery players who have made this work possible.

Dear Rev Carney

Thank you!



Thanks to your tremendous generosity we have raised over £250,000 in our Christmas appeal for the most needy Christians in the Holy Land.



So many families face increasing uncertainty about their future, but with your help we are there to support them. We will be closing the Christmas appeal on 19th January but there is still time for you to donate; any amount you can give will make a difference.

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Donate now
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Stories from the Holy Land



Christmas in the Holy Land was a shadow of past celebrations. However thanks to your generosity, we were able to facilitate celebrations for the School of Joy and St Martha's House and you can see from the pictures the enjoyment this brought to those involved.

School of Joy



Thanks to the generous donations of our supporters in Jersey, on December 21st the School of Joy held their Christmas Lunch.



The children were given Christmas presents in a stocking filled with sweet treats as well as their new Christmas jumpers and staff were also given gifts. Everyone at the school had a great time, as you can see from the smiles here.





Father Mamdouh, the School of Joy’s Director said of the Christmas lunch, “Everybody was happy, even in such a terrible situation. We pray for peace and for a stop to the war in Gaza and in the West bank.”




The School of Joy continues to be an important project for us, providing a vitally needed sanctuary for children with special needs and their families. The school is now at 90 pupils and has hired a new teacher Nivan Khair (pictured here) who is settling in well and already loves the students. We can only do this with your support, thank you.

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St Martha's House



The ladies at St Martha's House were treated to a visit by local prominent clergy, including Greek Orthodox Bishop Vindictos, for their Christmas celebration. They sang hymns and songs, exchanged gifts and shared a meal together. Our ladies were delighted by the visit and enjoyed a memorable day.