Launch at Notre-Dame du Rosaire
The modest Notre-Dame du Rosaire hall in Pointe-Noire was packed from the start on October 30, 2025, as clergy, academics, and lay readers queued for the launch of the latest work, “The Gospel of Luke: A Guide for the Jubilee Year,” published by the local publishing house LMI.
Praise from Archbishop Abel Liluala
Presiding over the ceremony, Archbishop Abel Liluala praised the book’s simple language, stating its clarity would help assemblies “hear the Gospel with new ears.” Standing beside him was the author, joined by other clergy members.
A Compact Guide for the Holy Year
At just 106 pages, the volume opens the “Put Out into the Deep” series and targets catechists, community leaders, and students seeking a concise roadmap for the Holy Year announced by Pope Francis. The author calls it a “small booklet for the People of God in everyday language.”
Jubilee 2025 and Luke’s Message
Jubilee Years punctuate Catholic history every twenty-five years, inviting repentance, pilgrimage, and works of mercy. For 2025, Rome chose the motto “Pilgrims of Hope.” The author argues Luke is the evangelist best suited to this theme because his Gospel highlights healing, forgiveness, and inclusion.
Nazareth’s “Year of Grace” Revisited
The priest notes that Luke alone records Jesus proclaiming “a year of the Lord’s favor” in Nazareth, a reference to the Old Testament concerning the Levitical jubilee. “Who better to accompany us on this walk of hope?” he asked, drawing approval from the assembly.
Clarity and Pedagogy at Work
The moderator highlighted the text’s pedagogical tone by citing Buffon’s maxim, “The style is the man himself.” He insisted the book’s transparent structure, short chapters, and guiding questions make it suitable for parish workshops preparing the faithful for confession, charitable acts, and pilgrimage.
Addressing Social Wounds
The speakers did not hesitate to name the social ills they hope the Jubilee can address: juvenile delinquency, violence, and corruption have weakened community bonds in fast-growing cities. The author linked these trends to Isaiah 59, where sin builds a wall “that hides the face of God.”
Rediscovering Mercy through Parables
By revisiting Luke’s parables of the lost sheep, the prodigal son, and Zacchaeus, the author believes believers can rediscover mercy on both a personal and national scale. “The Jubilee is a call to rebuild trust,” he said, echoing Pope Francis’s call for social friendship.
From Seminary to Bestseller
Ordained a priest on July 9, 1978, the author earned doctorates in biblical theology and comparative religion before teaching at the Catholic University of Yaoundé and the major seminary in Brazzaville. He later edited the journal Spiritus. His previous titles include “When the Word of God Visits Africa” and “Multiple Readings of Scripture.”
Storyteller Among Scholars
His colleagues describe him as a bridge between academic research and grassroots ministry. Archbishop Liluala recalled pastoral visits where the priest would unfold complex exegetical debates “with the simplicity of a village storyteller,” turning dusty commentaries into concrete invitations to feed the hungry or help schoolchildren.
LMI Supports Local Theology
The director of the LMI publishing house, based in Pointe-Noire, stated the “Put Out into the Deep” series was launched to highlight local theological voices. Print runs remain modest, but demand is steady as assemblies prepare study circles. “We rely on word of mouth,” he noted, “and parishes are our best distributors.”
Early Reactions from Religious Orders
Early readers, such as Sister Clarisse Mabiala of the Daughters of Mary, say the guide’s question-and-answer format demystifies indulgences and pilgrimage requirements. “Our novices grasp the link between social action and liturgy,” she explained, predicting the manual will appear next to hymnals during Lenten retreats.
A Trilogy in the Making
The author is already drafting companion booklets on Matthew, John, and the Acts of the Apostles, aiming to complete the quartet before diocesan synods convene in early 2026. Each text will keep, he promises, the same pocket-sized format and focus on practical application.
Regional Demand Across Central Africa
Across Central Africa, parishes from Douala to Libreville are ordering copies, according to LMI, suggesting a regional appetite for materials grounded in African scholarship. This trend reflects Pope Francis’s encouragement for local Churches to “speak their own cultural language while remaining fully Catholic.”
Publishing Boosts the Local Economy
The quiet rise of religious publishing also provides jobs for Congolese printers and graphic designers. Small print shops in Pointe-Noire, once reliant on corporate reports, now dedicate their machines to catechetical pamphlets. “Works of faith help keep business going between large commercial contracts,” acknowledged a press operator with a smile.
Guide for Diocesan Action
As dioceses across Congo establish their Jubilee calendars—open-air Masses, prison visits, tree-planting campaigns—the slim guide on Luke could become their common reference. Its focus on mercy and tangible charity aligns with national efforts to promote social cohesion, a priority highlighted in recent pastoral letters.
Hope Across Urban and Rural Congo
Whether read in bustling Pointe-Noire or remote villages of the Sangha, “The Gospel of Luke: A Guide for the Jubilee Year” invites Congolese Christians to enter 2025 with hope, humility, and a practical plan for renewal. In the author’s words, “The Word only becomes life when it is shared.”
Scripture Remains the Central Element
The author cautions that the booklet is not a substitute for Scripture, calling it merely a “compass.” He invites