God bless the pope down in Africa
Some of the highlights from the first week of Pope Leo's trip
Pope Leo is currently in Africa, on an 11-day voyage that spans the nations of Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea.
Peace has been a major theme so far in all of the destinations on the pope’s April 13-23 voyage. While each country on his trip faces unique challenges, the pope has reiterated in each stop calls for peace, as well as condemnations of corruption, violence, and exploitation.
In case you haven’t been able to follow along with the pope’s trip, here are some of the highlights so far:
Algeria
In the first stop on his African tour, Pope Leo visited the archaeological remains of Hippo, the ancient city where St. Augustine once lived and ministered.
The first Augustinian pope laid a wreath of flowers at the site and planted an olive tree as a sign of peace.
He also celebrated Mass at the Basilica of St. Augustine and met with local members of the Augustinian order, as well as residents of a nursing home run by the Little Sisters of the Poor.
Pope Leo issued repeated calls for peace and unity during his time in Algeria, including during a visit to the Maqam Echahid Martyrs’ Monument and in a meeting with religious leaders at a local mosque.
“The future belongs to men and women of peace. In the end, justice will always triumph over injustice, just as violence, despite all appearances, will never have the last word,” he said at the martyrs’ monument.
Algeria is 99% Muslim, with Catholics making up a tiny minority in the country -- only some 9,000 in a population of nearly 47 million.
The pope met with local Catholics and offered them encouragement, telling them that although the local Church may be small in number, its “discrete and precious presence” has deep roots. Pope Leo encouraged local Catholics to work for peace and to persevere in prayer charity.
“Prayer unites, humanizes, strengthens and purifies the heart,” he said. “Through prayer, the Church in Algeria sows humanity, unity, strength and purity, reaching places known only to the Lord.”
Leaving Algeria, the pope again returned to the figure of St. Augustine, proposing him as a model for healing and reconciliation in a broken world:
“God is love; he is the Father of all men and women. Let us therefore turn to him with humility and acknowledge that the current state of the world, which is in a downward spiral, ultimately stems from our pride. We need him and we need his mercy. Only in him does the human heart find peace, and only with him can we, all together, recognize one another as brothers and sisters, and walk the path of justice, integral development and communion.”
Cameroon
Peace was again the theme of Pope Leo’s remarks in Cameroon, a nation sometimes called “Africa in miniature” because of its geographical and cultural diversity.
The Catholic Church in the country is vibrant, making up about one-third of the population, and it is known for its abundant religious vocations.
However certain regions of the nation are plagued by violence, with an ongoing conflict between separatists in the minority English-speaking regions, who object to policies made by the government, which mostly consists of French-speaking representatives.
Pope Leo did not shy away from the subject during his visit. In his first address in the country, speaking to civil authorities at the presidential palace, the pope called the government to pursue peace and serve “both the majority of the population and the minorities.”
“The tensions and violence that have afflicted certain regions of the Northwest, Southwest and Far North have caused profound suffering: lives have been lost, families displaced, children deprived of schooling and young people no longer see a future,” Pope Leo said.
He urged government leaders to work for “a peace that is unarmed, that is, not based on fear, threats or weapons, and at the same time disarming, because it is capable of resolving conflicts, opening hearts and generating trust, empathy and hope.”
“Peace cannot be reduced to a slogan: it must be embodied in a way of life that renounces all forms of violence, both personally and institutionally,” he added.
Speaking later in Bamenda, a key center of the Anglophone conflict, Pope Leo had strong words about those who wage war and exploit the land and the people.
“The masters of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet a lifetime is often not enough to rebuild. They turn a blind eye to the fact that billions of dollars are spent on killing and devastation, yet the resources needed for healing, education and restoration are nowhere to be found,” he said.
“The world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants, yet it is held together by a multitude of supportive brothers and sisters!” he said.
The pope reiterated that he had come to proclaim peace and called for “a decisive change of course — a true conversion — that will lead us in the opposite direction, onto a sustainable path rich in human fraternity.”
During his time in Cameroon, the pope also visited a local orphanage and met with university students and professors.
In addition, he celebrated Mass for more 100,000 people in an open air stadium, where he again condemned corruption and violence.
Acknowledging the reality of poverty experienced by many people in the country, the pope offered words of hope.
“Do not give in to distrust and discouragement,” he told those gathered there. “Reject every form of abuse or violence, which deceives by promising easy gains but hardens the heart and makes it insensitive. Do not forget that your people are even richer than this land, for your treasure lies in your values: faith, family, hospitality and work.”
Angola
Arriving in Angola, Pope Leo again focused on the themes of corruption and exploitation, and their devastating impacts on the lives of the poor and vulnerable.
Angola was among the earliest regions of Africa to see converts to Catholicism. Today, some 40% of the country is Catholic.
Although Angola has seen significant development due to oil revenue in recent years, much of the population still struggles with poverty, unemployment, lack of education, and the effects of decades of civil war.
Speaking to government officials shortly after his arrival, the pope decried the actions of those who seek to profit from the material resources of the country, without any concern for the people who are in need.
“How much suffering, how many deaths, how many social and environmental disasters are brought about by this logic of extractivism!” he said.
Among the highlights of the pope’s time in Angola was the recitation of the rosary at a famous Marian site, the Shrine of Mama Muxima, which means “Mother of the Heart.”
Originally built by Portuguese colonists as part of a fortress, the shrine has deep emotional significance for the people of Angola. It attracts more than 1 million pilgrims each year and is believed to be the site of numerous miraculous healings. It was also a stop along the slave trade route.
“We are in a sanctuary where, for centuries, many men and women have prayed in times of joy and also in moments of sorrow and great suffering in the history of this country,” the pope said at the shrine. “For a long time now, Mama Muxima has quietly worked to keep the heart of the Church alive and beating.”
The pope also visited a nursing home, and he met with priests and consecrated men and women.
He celebrated two Masses in Angola, warning in both homilies against the threat of mixing superstitious beliefs into the teachings of Christianity.
“We must always be vigilant regarding those forms of traditional religiosity that certainly belong to the roots of your culture, but at the same time risk confusing and mixing magical and superstitious elements that do not aid your spiritual journey,” he said during Mass in Kimbala. “Remain faithful to what the Church teaches, trust your pastors, and keep your gaze fixed on Jesus, who reveals himself in the word and in the Eucharist.”
Pope Leo offered Christ as a remedy of hope for those suffering from injustice, inequality, and exploitation.
“Christ hears the cry of the people and renews our history by lifting us up from every fall, comforting us in every suffering and encouraging us in our mission,” he said during Mass in Saurimo.
Equatorial Guinea
The pope will travel on Tuesday to Equatorial Guinea, the final country on his tour of Africa.
A small country with a population of fewer than 2 million, Equatorial Guinea is one of the richest countries in Africa per capita, with much of its wealth coming from oil revenue. However, more than half of the population lives in poverty, and most are unable to access clean drinking water.
The authoritarian government in the country is known for its corruption and is ranked among the worst governments in the world for its human rights abuses.
In a message ahead of the pope’s visit, the bishops of the country warned that the local Church faces the challenges of “lukewarmness and coldness.” They said Leo’s visit will be like a “hug from God” and voiced prayers that it may lead to a “time of grace” in the country.
During his time in Equatorial Guinea, Pope Leo is scheduled to have meetings with civil leaders, youth and families, and staff and patients at a local psychiatric hospital.
He is also scheduled to visit Bata Prison, which has been accused of serious human rights abuses, and to pray at a memorial for victims of a 2021 explosion at a military base.
In addition, the pope will celebrate several Masses and make a visit to the Pope Francis Technology School in Mongomo.
Pope Leo is scheduled to return to Rome on Thursday.
Aboard the papal flight
While the pope may be in Africa, he continues to make headlines in the United States as well.
U.S. President Donald Trump has continued to criticize the pope over the last week, saying that he should stay out of politics.
Trump and members of his administration have repeatedly objected to speeches by the pope calling for peace, suggesting that his statements amount to an endorsement of Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Excerpts from Pope Leo’s speeches in Africa have been tweeted out from his twitter.com during his trip, prompting some online speculation that his words were aimed at the United States.
Speaking to journalists accompanying him on the papal flight from Cameroon to Angola Saturday, the pope clarified that his comments on the trip have been misinterpreted as being directed at the politics of the United States.
“There has been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all of its aspects, but because of the political situation created when, on the first day of the trip, the President of the United States made some comments about myself. Much of what has been written since then has been more commentary on commentary trying to interpret what has been said,” Pope Leo said.
“Just one little example: the talk that I gave at the prayer meeting for peace a couple of days ago was prepared two weeks ago, well before the President ever commented on myself and on the message of peace that I am promoting. And yet, as it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate again the President, which is not in my interest at all.”
nice title :)