St. Josefina Bakhita Pastoral Center is a small ecclesial community in southern Angola, some 130 km from the capital city. In the past, a priest would visit and provide pastoral service to the community only on weekends. Now Cardinal Eugenio Dal Corso has offered to serve that community and its environs full time. His Eminence has served as a dedicated priest and bishop in Angola since his ordination in 1963. He was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Saurimo in 1995, then succeeded as Ordinary of that Diocese in 1997.
In 2008 he was appointed Bishop of Benguela, were he served for 10 years. When he reached the canonical age of 75, he promptly presented his letter of resignation. However, the Holy Father wanted him to continue as Ordinary of Benguela for another 4 years. After finally accepting his offer to retire as Ordinary of Benguela, the Holy Father appointed him Cardinal-Priest of St. Anastasia. Now, well into his 80’s, the Cardinal’s missionary zeal continues to animate his spirit in his desire to serve the People of God in an area of the Diocese that has been without a full-time priest for years. His Eminence offers Mass and the other sacraments, catechises and organizes pastoral events and various groups at the Centre.
From the middle of 2018, since his arrival in Caiundo, the Cardinal immediately began to renew the local community, both spiritually and physically: initiating needed repairs to the church, installing a new tabernacle, completing the sacristy and installing 4 new windows. He reactivated the electrical system, began the construction of two new rooms with washrooms and water tanks. In the atrium of the house, he prepared a small parish office.
