On the occasion of the second anniversary of Pacis TV, Rwanda's catholic church television, we take a look back at how Covid-19 affected churches. 

The catholic church like many others turned to the internet and digital platforms to keep in touch with its audiences.

The New Times’ Jade Natacha Iriza engages Antoine Kambanda, the first-ever Rwandan Cardinal about that and more.

For the people who don’t know, what does it mean to be a cardinal? What are your responsibilities?

The cardinal is the college of leaders of the church that make up the council for the pope in the leadership of the universal church. These are people from different parts of the world that assist the Pope in overseeing the church, analyzing and solving the problems of the church in the different parts of the world.

Having a Cardinal in the church of Rwanda is a recognition of the growing maturity of the Rwandan church. It is not me as Antoine Kambanda, it is the recognition of this family of God, the believers in Rwanda, the recognition of the work of evangelization that has been done in building the church, spreading the Catholic faith, and building Christian families.

Pacis TV is celebrating two years since it was approved to air on Rwandan waves and one year after it was added to Canal+'s international channel. What does this imply?

Normally, when you launch a new institution, you call upon people, and do an official inauguration. Pacis TV started in the emergency of the lockdown due to the pandemic, so it started without any official launching. It is now after two years that we can now do both an official launch and at the same time celebrate its two years.

On one hand, it is a bit problematic that we are launching an institution that is already two years old. On the other hand, it is an advantage that a number of people have already seen it, they know what it is, and maybe they need to know about it more. We also call upon people to make it their own, give us ideas and support in order to give them a better service.

What role does the media play in evangelism, and how does it facilitate or hinder the church?

The goal of the media is to give the news. This goes very well with the mission of the church, which is evangelism. Evangelization is announcing the good news. We have the good news that God loves us so much and that in God we have the answer to all the challenges and problems society is facing. So the media is important in evangelization, peace-building, and social development, in order to have a sound body with a sound soul.

One of the concerns that have arisen as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak is the shift of churches to online and digital operations. What would you say are the effects this had on people's worship and fellowship?

The COVID-19 was not expected so there was a need for creativity in order to continue to do our work. People could not come together physically, there was a lockdown, each one was in his or her house…The only way to bring people together was by online means like YouTube, zoom, television, etc. Just as people now make a meeting online or any other ceremonies, even worship could be done online as well to continue spreading the gospel. One of the things we learned from this pandemic is creativity such that when one door is closed, you find another door to get out and sort out your problem.

For the Catholic community physical communion was not possible. So, we encouraged spiritual communion. It wasn’t as good as a physical communion just as when you meet a friend, you embrace. But being online, you just wave and embrace by voice and exchange greetings and words but we all know it would be much better to meet physically.

The Rwandan catholic community, for which you are a prelate, has seen members of the same faith sow hatred and genocide ideology in their communities and some priests even went as far as taking part in the killing of innocent people in the 1994 genocide against Tutsi. How have the church been gaining back the trust of your people, now 28 years since the tragedy?

What took place was very painful. The genocide in all aspects was such a great evil that we lived and went through. One of the pains of the church was the betrayal of the people by the clergy, people who normally trust a priest, who's seen him as a lovely father to be betrayed like that is very painful. It is a pain and a shame to the church. So all along we have been calling upon repentance and conversion. 

The mission of the church is uniting people in the family of brothers and sisters, the family for which God is the father. God is love, compassionate and kind. So spreading or participating in the activities of hatred and division goes against God and the mission of the church. The church has humbly been contributing to the efforts of national unity and reconciliation such that together we can build a United family and join hands in reconstructing the country. 

Some people argue that religion plays a role in the deterioration of Rwandan society's mental health because of frustrations with church leaders and even faith deception. While it should be aiding in relieving different individual problems. What is your take on it?

It is true. The betrayal can intensify the pain and the mental disturbance. But on the other hand religion and faith helps in healing because it touches the deepest part and deepest aspect of human life that material support cannot reach. So it requires repairing and redirecting the person in the right direction of God's love. A person may be betrayed by a beloved, the one person whom he trusted, but all in all, it requires to know that God is there, who is above all. People may be weak, but God, the father is there and loves us. Just trust in the love and the care of God, it heals and repairs and can overcome the pain of betrayal. 

Faith and religion are often regarded as outdated by the youth. Why should young people be concerned about such matters?

I think there is a misunderstanding. Religion is never outdated. Maybe some practices are outdated but the goal and the mission of the religion are not outdated. A person is made to love and to be loved. The central mission of religion is to teach people to love one another. For the youth, love is not outdated either. 

Today, we are in the process we call Synod. It means listening to everyone. To listen to the youth and say "youth what do you need?”, "what do you expect of the church? "What can the church do for you? And "what can you offer the church? This way we can get people to develop authentic love, not selfishness, or taking advantage, by seeking self-interest and profit from the other. 

Your eminence, have you always wanted to be a priest?

Yeah, from an early age, I wanted to be a priest. It is my vocation. God created you with a mission and puts in you the qualities and the capacities to fulfill that mission and of course the interior desire for that such that one grows up having that desire.

When you were a priest, did you aspire to be a cardinal someday?

Cardinal is a service. The basic goal of the priesthood is to serve God in the people. To be a hand and the voice of God and to spread the love of God among the people. The most desired mission is the service. It is in that service that God himself according to his plan gives you this or that service in the church.

Do you ever think you could become Pope one day?

Well being Pope is not my business I should say. What I do is the service to the people of God, in whatever role that God has planned for me. 

What was one of your most memorable experiences as a priest, archbishop, and now cardinal? 

The most memorable experience was when I was ordained to be a priest. I was ordained by Saint John Paul II. It was the first time the Pope had visited Rwanda and on that occasion, I also got ordained a priest by him. I had always dreamt and desired to be a priest and was ordained by the holy father Pope John Paull II who is now a saint, that was my best experience as a priest.

It was also memorable when I was appointed Archbishop of my diocese of Kigali that I had served before and after being sent on different missions. My appointment was a source of great joy. 

Being a cardinal was a very good surprise that I didn’t expect at all. Rwanda had not had a cardinal before so it was a surprise that gave me a great experience and joy, but at the same time, a challenge, because it comes with great responsibility.

Is there anything you'd like to say to young people who want to follow in your footsteps?

To be a young person is a great gift of God and your youthful age is the best moment of your life. It pains me when a young person is discouraged, pessimist, and reasoning negatively. The worst mistake of life is to be discouraged and to be negative. With a positive mind, one is ready to serve others. 

Our talents, our strength, our life itself are meant to be at the service of others, just as the gospel says, "the seed that does not accept to die to produce more fruits remains miserable.”

Each one has got a vocation. Some are called to get married; the fact that you are here is because your parents founded a family and God planned that your parents would make a family and give birth to you. God also has a vocation for you, it can be making a family, it can be serving the people in the media, educating the youth, it can also be becoming a religious sister or brother, or a priest.

A message to Catholics and other Rwandans in line with the forthcoming commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi?

Each time we come to this period it is sorrowful. It takes Rwandans back to the sorrowful moments of the genocide. Many are traumatized, others feel so depressed, so I call upon everyone in this time to be compassionate, understanding to one another, support each other, and above all in prayer take our sorrows to God. We can only support one another in reconstructing our hearts and our society so that what happened may never happen. We handle over to our young generation to ensure a better future, peaceful and brotherly society.

Any other comment?

Young people are the society of tomorrow. In the future, we shall be depending on you in all aspects. We take care of you to see that this heritage of peace and love may continue so that you can ensure the continuity of the achievements that we have. May God bless young people in their plans and dreams.