Archbishop Samule Kleda became Douala’s Catholic leader in 2009. Under his leadership, the Catholic population has doubled. Of the 88 parishes under his governance, he built 46. On September 28, he visited the parish of St. Marc de la Cité des Palmiers, where he administered Holy Communion and Confirmation to 90 youth and adults. Here, he gently taps a confirmee on the cheek, as a sign that as a soldier of God, he must now be a willing martyr. Kleda’s predecessor, Cardinal Christian Tumi (1991-2009) was Cameroon’s only cardinal to date. He is buried in Douala’s cathedral.
ANALYSIS: Church leaders in the Central African country have criticized the endemic corruption that has undermined the nation’s standard of living.
