Pope Leo XIV wanted his journey to Africa to highlight the serious injustices still ongoing there and to convey a message of peace to a world marred by conflict and violations of international law. Source: NCR Online.
“At the same time, the apostolic journey gave people in Africa a chance to make their voices heard and to express the joy of being God’s people,” he said.
As had been customary by his predecessors, Leo used his first general audience after his April 13-23 trip to four nations in Africa to tell people about the purpose of his visit and what struck him most about his travels.
Addressing thousands of people in St Peter’s Square yesterday, the Pope said in English that his time there “was meant to offer the world a message of peace at a moment marked by conflicts and frequent violations of international law”.
“Along with the call for peace, I also denounced the grave injustices that exist in those countries that are so rich in natural resources, urging the international community to overcome neo-colonial attitudes and engage in authentic collaboration,” he said.
On his journey, the Pope visited Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea.
“From the very beginning of my pontificate, I have thought about a journey in Africa,” he said in his main address in Italian. “I thank the Lord for granting me the opportunity to undertake it, as shepherd, to meet and encourage the people of God.”
In Algeria, a predominantly Muslim country, the Pope said he wanted to “show the world that it is possible to live together as brothers and sisters, even of different religions, when we recognise ourselves as children of the same merciful Father.”
The northern African country is also the birthplace of his “spiritual father,” St Augustine, and by “revisiting the roots of my spiritual identity,” it offered a way to highlight his legacy, he said. “He is a master in the search for God and for truth. A testimony that is more important than ever today for Christians and for every person.”
The other three countries were predominantly Christian, he said, and “I, therefore, found myself immersed in an atmosphere of celebration of the faith.”
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Papal trip put spotlight on local injustices, joy of Christian faith, Pope says (By Carol Glatz, OSV News via NCR Online)
