Cabo Delgado Must Not Be Forgotten
Returning from Mozambique, Cardinal Pietro Parolin warned that the conflict in Cabo Delgado risks slipping into global neglect despite the scale of human suffering unfolding there. During his visit, the Vatican Secretary of State met displaced families forced from their homes by armed Islamist militias operating in northern Mozambique. He described communities living under constant fear, marked by poverty, insecurity, and repeated displacement. Camps shelter hundreds of thousands of people, many of them children, who face shortages of food, medicine, clean water, and access to education. The situation has been worsened by recent cyclones that destroyed fragile shelters. Cardinal Parolin emphasized that these are not abstract statistics but faces marked by exhaustion and unanswered questions. He stressed that the people of Cabo Delgado are paying the highest price in a conflict driven by extremism, economic exclusion, and unresolved political tensions that continue to destabilize the region.
The Cardinal noted that the violence, which began several years ago, has expanded beyond Cabo Delgado into neighboring provinces, pushing ever more families into flight. He explained that armed groups exploit poverty, unemployment, and frustration over the exploitation of natural resources that bring little benefit to local communities. Religion, he said, is being distorted and abused, even though Christians and Muslims historically lived together in peace and mutual respect in Mozambique. While extremist groups have targeted Christians, the Cardinal also highlighted that moderate Muslims suffer alongside them, trapped in fear and suspicion. Despite military interventions that have restored limited security in some urban areas, the conflict remains unresolved and deeply destabilizing. Without sustained international attention, he warned, the crisis could harden into a permanent state of suffering that the world gradually learns to ignore.
Throughout his visit, Cardinal Parolin underscored the quiet but steadfast presence of the local Church, which continues to accompany displaced communities despite danger and scarcity. Priests forced from their parishes now serve as displaced shepherds, while religious communities have opened their doors to those with even fewer resources. The Church collaborates with humanitarian organizations to provide food, shelter, and basic services, while also promoting interreligious dialogue aimed at preserving social harmony. The Cardinal called on the international community not to look away and urged Christians worldwide to support Cabo Delgado through prayer and concrete solidarity. Remembering the victims, he said, is not only an act of compassion but a moral responsibility, especially during a season that proclaims peace, dignity, and hope for those who suffer in silence.
