Morning Launch at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
Curiosity mingled with nostalgia on October 25, 2025, as the pews of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Brazzaville filled with parishioners, students, and clergy eager to discover the latest publication by Father Jean-Marie de l’Eucharistie Bernardin Ndoulou. Sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows while a modest choir warmed the atmosphere with Marian hymns, creating an air of anticipation.
A few minutes after the bells fell silent, the author, surrounded by altar servers, approached a lectern placed beside stacks of freshly printed volumes. Photographers moved closer; several government cultural officials occupied the front rows, highlighting the event’s resonance beyond strictly ecclesiastical circles.
The Enduring Inspiration of Cardinal Biayenda
At the heart of the 82-page work, titled “Way of the Cross to Jesus with and in the Company of Cardinal Émile Biayenda,” lies the memory of Congo’s revered pastor, still emblematic of selfless service. Father Ndoulou revisits the prelate’s prayers, linking them to each traditional station.
“Biayenda’s humility remains a beacon for Congo’s youth,” recalled Bishop Huldever Mouanga, whose preface opens the book. He urged readers to explore the cardinal’s habit of listening in silence, calling it a “spiritual vaccine against the noise of our time.”
A Trilingual Bridge for Wider Devotion
Printed in French, Lingala, and Lari, the volume deliberately mirrors the linguistic mosaic heard in the capital’s markets. Father Ndoulou stated this choice stemmed from catechetical meetings in suburban parishes where believers switched between languages to fully grasp the Scriptures.
Each language has its own section rather than a side-by-side page format, encouraging readers to linger rather than skim. The strategy was praised for “treating each language with equal dignity, avoiding the impression of a dominant language.”
A Pointe-Noire Publisher in the Spotlight
The publishing house, Éditions L.M.I. from Pointe-Noire, printed 3,000 copies in its first edition. The director revealed the layout took four months, as proofreaders for the three languages had to agree on nuances while adhering to liturgical guidelines.
Although Pointe-Noire rarely hosts major Catholic publishers, the port city’s printers offered competitive costs and quick logistical links by rail to Brazzaville, Dolisie, and Ouesso. A transport company confirmed a preferential rate for religious materials, considering the title “a cultural asset.”
Critical Reception by Clergy and Laity
A priest, speaking from the cathedral pulpit, praised the author for “inviting us to enroll in the school of Biayenda’s silent generosity, far from theatrics.” He highlighted the vivid meditations that weave imagery of the Congo River into Jerusalem’s cobblestones, anchoring distant events in local sensibilities.
A university theologian added that the text offers catechists a practical guide. “Students can dramatize each station in Lingala, then debrief it in French,