The Rwandan genocide took place in 1994, more than two decades ago. Some 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutu were murdered by Hutu extremists. Like all genocides, this one was long in the making, and there is clear evidence that it was planned, rather than a spontaneous outbreak of ethnic violence. Many sought refuge in Catholic churches and in mission compounds, where, tragically, they found no safe haven.
Moreover, if anyone looked to the Catholic hierarchy for leadership at the time, they found little support. Indeed, there is overwhelming evidence that some priests, nuns and bishops were either among the perpetrators of the genocide, or its silent supporters and enablers. In other words, there were Catholic clergy and religious for whom tribal animosity was more important than the universal law of Christian charity.
