{"id":232128,"date":"2026-08-18T02:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/?p=232128"},"modified":"2026-08-17T12:23:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T10:23:18","slug":"testimonio-justin-etotshi-sacerdote-del-congo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/testimonio-justin-etotshi-sacerdote-del-congo\/","title":{"rendered":"Justin Etotshi: \u00abMy diocese is larger than Belgium, and we only have 77 priests.\u00bb"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Justin Etotshi Okeya, a priest from the Diocese of Kole (Democratic Republic of the Congo), is studying Biblical Theology at the Ecclesiastical Faculties of the University of Navarra thanks to the support of the benefactors and friends of the CARF Foundation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At age 40, he is preparing to begin a doctorate in Sacred Scripture with a single goal: to return to his country to better educate the faithful and strengthen a Church that, amid enormous difficulties, remains the main source of hope for millions of people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Church, one of the most influential voices in the country&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>\u00abThe Catholic Church in the Congo is one of the country's most influential voices.\u00bb<\/strong>, Justin Etotshi Okeya proudly states. Despite this achievement, priests in his diocese walk for kilometers to reach remote villages hidden among impassable roads. But fatigue does not stop them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00abOur diocese is very isolated, and access is difficult\"<strong>. The priests travel on foot through the villages and church communities. <\/strong>\u00bbDespite the fatigue, the joy of encountering the souls who await the messenger of the Good News restores the weary body,\" he explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"JUSTIN ETOSHI OKEYA, \ud83d\udc49\ud83c\udffd HIS DIOCESE IS LARGER THAN BELGIUM AND HAS ONLY 77 PRIESTS \ud83d\ude4f\ud83c\udffc\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HWupPZuy5YE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>A diocese larger than Belgium<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His diocese, Kole, covers 66,000 square kilometers\u2014an area larger than Belgium. But the shortage of priests is taking its toll, as they have only <strong>very few priests <\/strong>to serve nearly one million residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\"<strong>My diocese is larger than Belgium. With only 77 priests, providing pastoral care to the communities remains one of the greatest challenges<\/strong>\", he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Justin Etotshi explains that the Church in his country proclaims the Gospel not only from the pulpit, but also through its work in education, health care, and humanitarian aid. \u00ab<strong>The Catholic Church plays a leading role in the education of the elite and in stabilizing the social climate. <\/strong>\u00bbFor my country and for my diocese, this is the way in which humanitarian organizations and many other institutions provide aid to those most in need.\".<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>That is why every well-trained priest multiplies his impact on thousands of people<\/strong>. It is that conviction that has brought him to Pamplona.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"una-formacion-para-volver-y-servir-mejor\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Training to return and serve better<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Justin is studying Biblical Theology at the Ecclesiastical Faculties of the University of Navarra, and this September he will begin his doctorate in Sacred Scripture. He is able to do so thanks to the support of the CARF Foundation\u2019s benefactors, knowing that everything he learns will one day benefit his diocese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\"<strong>In all humility, studying at the University of Navarra is a source of deep pride for me <\/strong>\u00bband a source of immense joy, because it is one of the best Catholic universities where Church doctrine is taught with complete orthodoxy.\".<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But it is not just academic excellence that stands out, because for him, the university\u2014as well as the Aralar Residential Hall where he lives\u2014offers him not only a setting for academic study but also \u00aba space conducive to the growth of spiritual and human life,\u00bb he explains.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every class, every book, and every conversation with professors and classmates prepares us to return to a Church in need of priests who are capable of teaching, evangelizing, and accompanying its people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"813\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Justin-Etotshi-sacerdote-Congo-2-813x1024.webp\" alt=\"Justin Etotshi sacerdote Congo\" class=\"wp-image-232200\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.7939474855362706;width:634px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Justin-Etotshi-sacerdote-Congo-2-813x1024.webp 813w, https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Justin-Etotshi-sacerdote-Congo-2-238x300.webp 238w, https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Justin-Etotshi-sacerdote-Congo-2-119x150.webp 119w, https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Justin-Etotshi-sacerdote-Congo-2-768x967.webp 768w, https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Justin-Etotshi-sacerdote-Congo-2-1220x1536.webp 1220w, https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Justin-Etotshi-sacerdote-Congo-2-1626x2048.webp 1626w, https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Justin-Etotshi-sacerdote-Congo-2-10x12.webp 10w, https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Justin-Etotshi-sacerdote-Congo-2-scaled.webp 2033w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 813px) 100vw, 813px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" id=\"un-nino-que-jugaba-a-celebrar-la-misa\"><strong>A boy who was pretending to celebrate Mass<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Justin's calling began long before he entered the seminary. <strong>He grew up in a Catholic family with six siblings.<\/strong> His father, now deceased, was a certified catechist, and his mother is a member of the Legion of Mary. Faith was not merely a family tradition, but the center of their daily lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She fondly remembers the Sundays of her childhood. The church was far away, but that was never a problem. \u00ab<strong>I kept urging Dad to leave as soon as possible because I wanted to sit in the front row <\/strong>\u00bband observe the words and gestures of the priests and altar servers.\".<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That fascination continued when he returned home. So, after Mass, he would stage his own 're-enactment' of the celebration using a piece of papaya as a prop. To find an alb, he would borrow clothes from his older sister. \u00abWithout really knowing what I was doing, a deep love for the priesthood grew within me.\u00bb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Those childhood games would eventually turn out to be a definitive calling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"una-vocacion-madurada-durante-trece-anos-de-formacion\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">A calling that has matured over the course of thirteen years <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After six years at the <a href=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/seminario-internacional-bidasoa-fundacion-carf\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"190038\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">seminar<\/a> After completing minor seminary and spending seven more years in major seminary\u2014three in philosophy and four in theology\u2014Justin was ordained a deacon on August 18, 2012.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shortly thereafter, <strong>On September 1, 2013, he was ordained a priest<\/strong> along with three other colleagues. Since then, he has dedicated his ministry to serving the Diocese of Kole, aware that every priest is indispensable to a Church that continues to grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>A Church That Supports the Congo<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Democratic Republic of the Congo remains a deeply religious country. More than <strong>54 % of the population is Catholic<\/strong>, making the Church the largest religious community in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition to evangelizing, it manages more than half of the Congolese educational institutions and health care facilities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Relations with <strong>other religious denominations<\/strong> The situation is generally good, although Justin Etotshi acknowledges that some parishes in the eastern part of the country are suffering from violence perpetrated by extremist groups linked to the Islamic State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Added to this are other major national challenges. \u00ab<strong>The numerous wars in the eastern part of the country, due to strategic minerals, <\/strong>\u00bbare a daily concern for the Congolese people.\".<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In his own diocese, the social situation is peaceful, but the lack of roads and health services makes daily life and pastoral work extremely difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Justin-Etoshi-collage.webp\" alt=\"Justin Etoshi\" class=\"wp-image-232130\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.4992888417882142;width:796px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Justin-Etoshi-collage.webp 1000w, https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Justin-Etoshi-collage-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Justin-Etoshi-collage-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Justin-Etoshi-collage-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Justin-Etoshi-collage-18x12.webp 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"el-recuerdo-imborrable-del-papa-francisco\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The indelible memory of Pope Francis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Among the most significant moments of his ministry are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vatican.va\/content\/francesco\/es\/speeches\/2023\/february\/documents\/20230202-clero-repdem-congo.html\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.vatican.va\/content\/francesco\/es\/speeches\/2023\/february\/documents\/20230202-clero-repdem-congo.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pope Francis' visit to the Congo in 2023<\/a>. \u00ab<strong>It was a moment of great joy for all the Catholic faithful<\/strong>\u00bb, he recalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But its impact went far beyond popular enthusiasm. \u00ab<strong>His message also resonated with the country's authorities, <\/strong>\u00bbcalls for greater justice, righteousness, and a sense of the common good.\".&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" id=\"lo-que-ha-descubierto-en-espana\"><strong>What he has discovered in Spain<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During his stay in Spain, he was surprised to find that our country still preserves deeply rooted Christian traditions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00abWhat has impressed me the most is the enthusiasm that the<strong> Holy Week processions in southern Spain <\/strong>and the grand celebration of<strong> San Ferm\u00edn in Pamplona<\/strong>\".<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They are expressions of a faith that, in his view, continues to play a significant role in the life of the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Justin-Etotshi-sacerdote-Congo-768x1024.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-232199\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.7500088914180033;width:637px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Justin-Etotshi-sacerdote-Congo-768x1024.webp 768w, https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Justin-Etotshi-sacerdote-Congo-225x300.webp 225w, https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Justin-Etotshi-sacerdote-Congo-113x150.webp 113w, https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Justin-Etotshi-sacerdote-Congo-1152x1536.webp 1152w, https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Justin-Etotshi-sacerdote-Congo-1536x2048.webp 1536w, https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Justin-Etotshi-sacerdote-Congo-9x12.webp 9w, https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Justin-Etotshi-sacerdote-Congo-scaled.webp 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>The Priest the 21st Century Needs<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When thinking about the future of the Church, Justin is clear about what kind of priest today's world needs, and he offers us four key points:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00abThe 21st century is an ultra-connected era open to many transformations.\u00bb The priest must:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Show <strong>solidity<\/strong> spiritual and psychological.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To be trained to make balanced judgments.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Trying to be honest, <strong>humble<\/strong>, consistent, principled, a good communicator, and a bridge-builder.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Always strive to be a man of prayer.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And that mission begins long before arriving at a parish. It also begins in a classroom, surrounded by books, teachers, and hours of study. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thanks to the support of the CARF Foundation\u2019s donors, partners, and friends, priests like Justin Etotshi can receive the training that will strengthen entire churches in the future.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a diocese larger than Belgium, where there are only 77 priests, <strong>each <a href=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/dona\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/dona\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">donation<\/a> <\/strong>He ends up becoming a source of comfort, hope, and the Gospel for thousands of people who are still waiting for a priest from the Congo to arrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Marta Sant\u00edn<\/strong>journalist specializing in religion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Table of Contents<\/h2><nav><ul><li><a href=\"#una-formacion-para-volver-y-servir-mejor\">Training to return and serve better<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#una-vocacion-madurada-durante-trece-anos-de-formacion\">A calling that has matured over the course of thirteen years<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#el-recuerdo-imborrable-del-papa-francisco\">The indelible memory of Pope Francis<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"\ud83d\udcab Make the Pope&#039;s dream come true.\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/x5khh7jcZNI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a diocese covering 66,000 square kilometers (2.81 % of the country's total area), fewer than a hundred priests serve nearly one million people. Justin is well aware of the challenge of bringing the Gospel to isolated communities and dreams of returning to the Congo to serve his brothers and sisters.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":232129,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-232128","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/232128","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=232128"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/232128\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":232247,"href":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/232128\/revisions\/232247"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/232129"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=232128"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=232128"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=232128"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}