The Church will welcome Independence on Thursday

GAMBLE OF THE NEW CONGO
Leaders were trained by Missionaries
NEXT Thursday Archbishop Sigismondi, secretary of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, will represent the Holy See at the celebrations in Leopoldsville to mark the independence of the Belgian Congo, the largest territory, in Africa still under colonial rule.
Soon it should become clear whether one of the biggest gambles in African policy ever undertaken by a European power will succeed or not.
Will the political and administrative structure built up by the Belgians disintegrate with their departure or remain to provide the foundation for the largest independent African State south of the Sahara.
In the balance too is the fate of the Church in this country which had the honour of providing, over 350 years before
King Leopold II annexed the territory with the help of Stanley, the first African bishop of modern times.
To comment on the future of Christianity in the new Congo, we have asked Dr. Ruth Slade, a convert who is at present working on a detailed study of the Belgian Congo.
She has already published a smaller study of the territory ("The Belgian Congo: some recent changes", O.U.P. for Institute of Race Relations, 5s.) as well as a Ph.D. thesis on
"English-speaking missions in
the Congo Independent State."