Mozambique: Maputo Archbishop offers closeness, solidarity to flood victims

By Fr. Bernardo Suate

Mozambique has recently been affected by heavy rains and flooding, which have destroyed homes and displaced thousands of people.

In response, Archbishop João Carlos Hatoa Nunes has addressed a message of support to the faithful and to all people of good will.

The Archbishop of Maputo expressed his “solidarity, closeness, and hope” to all those affected by the calamity.

“There are countless displaced families, people who have lost their belongings, their livelihoods, and, in some cases, loved ones,” Archbishop Nunes stressed.

He entrusted “all those affected to the maternal intercession of Our Lady, mother of hope and consolation, that she may comfort those who weep, strengthen those who have lost everything and sustain those who are working to help the victims.”

Torrential rains and floods have been affecting southern Africa, especially Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

Over 100 people have died across the 3 countries, and the southern and central regions of Mozambique have been particularly hard hit. More than 300,000 people have been displaced in the country’s Gaza province, according to the Associated Press.

Floods are not merely a natural phenomenon

Drawing inspiration from the Word of God, which reminds us in the First Book of Samuel that “obedience is better than sacrifice,” Archbishop Nunes emphasized that the same Word speaks to us through the reality we are living.

“Floods are not just a natural phenomenon; they challenge us as individuals, communities, and society, calling us to responsibility, discernment, care for our common home, and attention to the most vulnerable,” he highlighted.

He added that God speaks to us through the cry of the poor and those who suffer, and ignoring that voice has consequences.

Translating faith into gestures of solidarity

The Archbishop of Maputo said now is not the time for sterile accusations or divisive rhetoric, but “a time for awareness, conversion, and commitment, for a faith that translates into concrete gestures of love and solidarity.”

He explained that it is in this spirit that the Archdiocesan Caritas of Maputo is carrying out a campaign to collect support—relying on the generosity of Christians and all people of good will—with the aim of alleviating the suffering of so many affected families.

Archbishop Nunes encouraged parishes, communities, groups, and all the faithful of the Archdiocese to continue mobilizing, promoting simple yet effective gestures of fraternal assistance.

“Everyone can make their contribution, however small; every gesture counts, every act of sharing is a sign of hope for those who have lost almost everything,” he wrote.

Rebuilding homes but also responsibilities

Lastly, Archbishop Nunes looked to the post-flood period, reaffirming that we are called not only to rebuild houses, but also to rebuild relationships, attitudes and responsibilities, so that the population can be better prepared, attentive, and supportive in the face of future similar situations.

"May this difficult time also be a favorable time, in which a new Mozambique is born that is more conscious, fraternal, and caring with human life and with creation," he concluded.