Struggling, but spirited:

The Catholic Church in Chad, which just celebrated its first National Eucharistic Congress, is needy but joyful, says Cardinal Francis Arinze.

The cardinal prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments offered that assessment after having presided over the congress as the Pope’s envoy. He spoke with Vatican Radio on his return from the central African nation.

There, he said, communities live the Eucharist "together, sharing life, the joys of life and of being an ensemble as Church."

The Church was established in the country 75 years ago. Its first priest was ordained 35 years ago.

The cardinal described the ecclesial profile of Chad, where he found "a serene people, even in their poverty."

"I was very impressed by their sense of peace, their desire to share, their personal discipline," he said. "I did not see a police presence; they are a very disciplined people.