Vatican News 9616

By Andrea Tornielli

Anyone who exercises a ministry in the Church is asked to make room for the Lord and to intercede in the midst of the people. Pope Francis’ speech in Juba Cathedral during his meeting with the country’s bishops, clergy and religious, was profound and full of insights. The Successor of Peter first recalled the need not to think “that we are at the centre of everything”, and not to rely “on our own talents”, because ” everything we accomplish comes from God: he is the Lord, and we are called to be docile instruments in His hands “.

He then asked pastors to be compassionate and merciful, “not overlords” or “tribal chieftains”. And then he pointed to a fundamental attitude of those who are called to serve their brothers and sisters: intercession.

As the Son of God did by becoming incarnate and dying on the cross: he came down to raise us up. As Moses did, interceding for the people, putting himself inside their history to bring them closer to God. And interceding, Francis explained, echoing the words of Cardinal Martini, does not mean simply ‘praying for someone’, as we often think. Etymologically it means ‘to step in the middle’, to take a step so as to put oneself in the middle of a situation. “A lot of times it doesn’t go so well,” but you have to do it, the Pope remarked.

It was evident, listening to him, that the Bishop of Rome was speaking in the third person but from the heart of his own experience as a pastor who prays, who cries out, who intercedes, who steps into the middle to help his people. Because, as he explained, this is precisely what is required of pastors, to “walk in the midst”: in the midst of suffering, in the midst of tears, in the midst of the hunger for God and the thirst for love of their brothers and sisters.

“Our first duty,” Francis went on to say, “is not to be a Church that is perfectly organized – any company can do this”. The Church of Christ “stands in the midst of people’s troubled lives”, and “that is willing to dirty its hands for people” and its pastors exercise their ministry, “walking in the midst and alongside our people, learning to listen and dialogue, collaborating as ministers with one another and with the laity”. Together, not as privileged members of a caste. Together, following the Master and making room for Him, not as functionaries of the sacred or as managers who rely on structures and strategies. Is this not the most appropriate icon to describe synodality?

By Linda Bordoni

In a decree read on the state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation, the nation’s President, Salva Kiir Mayardit pardoned 36 inmates on death row and 35 inmates who failed to pay compensations or fines.

He reportedly ordered prison authorities to execute the order accordingly.

No reasons were given by the Head of State for the pardon, but the act of clemency comes following his meeting earlier in the day with Pope Francis, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland Rev Iain Greenshields, at the start of their Ecumenical Pilgrimage of Peace that takes place from 3 to 5 February.

Appeal for respect for human rights

The Pilgrimage takes place during the second leg of the Pope’s apostolic journey to the Democratic Republic of Congo and to South Sudan, from where he is scheduled to depart on Sunday, 5 February.

On Friday, the three religious leaders met with the political rulers in Juba and issued a plea to pursue the path to peace and reconciliation and to work to ensure their people may look to a future in which respect for human rights is upheld by law and the application of law.

Papal request for clemency

In December, in the run-up to Christmas, Pope Francis sent a letter to the world’s heads of state asking them to pardon prisoners.

In his invitation to make a “gesture of clemency” he invited world leaders to grant leniency to “those of our brothers and sisters deprived of their liberty whom they deem fit to benefit from such a measure, so that this time marked by tensions, injustices, and conflicts may be opened to the grace that comes from the Lord.”

By Vatican News

As Pope Francis spoke to the clergy and religious men and women of South Sudan on Saturday, around 4,000 Catholics gathered outside St. Theresa Cathedral in Juba to hear his words of encouragement. 

They shared their hopes and excitement for the Pope’s Apostolic Journey to their nation with Massimiliano Menichetti.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

We need courageous, generous souls ready to suffer and die for Africa.

Pope Francis stressed this when speaking to bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated persons, seminarians and lay pastoral workers, of South Sudan, in the Cathedral of Saint Therese in the African nation’s capital of Juba, on Saturday morning.

This encounter marks the first event of the Pope’s second day in the country, before meeting with his Jesuit confreres, internally displaced peoples, and participating in an ecumenical prayer gathering, later on in the day. The Pope will celebrate Mass for the nation’s faithful on Sunday morning.

The Holy Father is in South Sudan as a “pilgrim of peace,” where he is embarking upon a three-day ecumenical pilgrimage for peace, with the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

The visit to the country marks the second leg of his two-nation, 40th, Apostolic Journey abroad, and his fifth Journey to Africa.

Pope Francis visited the DRC from 31 January to 3 February, following in the footsteps of Pope St. John Paul II, who visited there in 1980 and 1985. 

So many shattered lives

In his remarks, Pope Francis recalled that in his address yesterday, he drew upon the image of the waters of the Nile, which flows through the country.  In the Bible, he recalled, water is often associated with God’s activity in creation, and cleanses and sanctifies.

From the same biblical perspective, the Pope said he wished to take another look at the waters of the Nile.  

The waters of that great river, the Pope lamented, collect “the sighs and sufferings of your communities, the pain of so many shattered lives, the tragedy of a people in flight, the sorrow and fear in the hearts and eyes of so many women and children.” 

They also, he added, bring to mind the story of Moses, “a story of liberation and salvation.” 

Ministering amid innocent blood

Remembering the story of Moses, who led God’s people through the desert, the Pope invited, “let us ask ourselves what it means for us to be ministers of God in a land scarred by war, hatred, violence, and poverty.”  

To try to answer this, the Pope suggested the clergy reflect on two aspects of Moses’ character, namely his meekness and intercession.

Moses’ meekness, “his docile response to God’s initiative,” he stressed, was exemplary, but “we must not think, though, that it was always this way.” The Pope recalled that “at first,” Moses “attempted to fight injustice and oppression on his own.”

Moses’ mistake, the Holy Father suggested, was putting himself at the centre, and relying on his strength alone, which led him “to remain trapped in the worst of our human ways of doing things,” responding “to violence with violence.”

The Pope warned clergy against the tendency to think at times that they are at the centre of everything.

All we accomplish is from the Lord

The Pope warned against when, as a Church, we sometimes think we can find an answer to people’s suffering and needs through human resources, like money, cleverness or power. 

Instead, he insisted, “everything we accomplish comes from God: He is the Lord, and we are called to be docile instruments in His hands.”

This, the Pope said, is the kind of meekness that we need in our ministry,  “a readiness to approach God in wonder and humility, to let ourselves be drawn to Him and guided by Him, and to realize that the primacy is His.”   

A Church willing to dirty its hands

The Pope then turned to the second aspect of Moses’ character, being an intercessor, pointing out that Moses’ meekness before God made him capable of interceding for them, bringing them closer to God.

The Holy Father urged pastors to work together, walk alongside the people, and never chase prestige.

He urged them to make every effort to banish the temptation of “individualism,” of pursuing “partisan interests,” and lamented how sad it is “when the Church’s pastors are incapable of communion,” “fail to cooperate,” “and even ignore one another!”

Inviting them to cultivate mutual respect, closeness and practical cooperation, the Pope asked, “If we fail to do this ourselves, how can we preach it to others?”

Violating fundamental rights, ‘an offence against Christ’

Reflecting on the art of intercession, Pope Francis said to look at Moses’ hands, noting that Scripture offers us three images in this regard: Moses with staff in hand, with outstretched hands, and with his hands raised to heaven.

The first image, Moses with staff in hand, the Pope said, tells us that he intercedes with prophecy. 

With that staff, the Holy Father observed, Moses works wonders, signs of God’s presence and power, and speaks in God’s name, forcefully denouncing the oppression that the people are suffering, and demanding Pharaoh to let them depart. 

“Brothers and sisters,” he continued, “we too are called to intercede for our people, to raise our voices against the injustice and the abuses of power that oppress and use violence to suit their own ends amid the cloud of conflicts.”

The second image, the Pope stated, is that of Moses with outstretched hands, recalling that Scripture tells us that he “stretched out his hand over the sea.”

It is necessary to extend our arms to our brothers and sisters, to support them on their journey, the Pope reflected.

“Our hands,” he continued, “were ‘anointed with Spirit’ not only for the sacred rites, but also to encourage, help and accompany people to leave behind whatever paralyzes them, keeps them closed in on themselves, and makes them fearful.”

Bringing struggles of the people before God

The Pope then reflected on the third image of Moses with his hands raised to heaven.

“Moses stood with the people to the very end, raising his hands on their behalf.  He did not think of saving himself alone; he did not sell out the people for his own interests!” 

The task of intercessors, the Holy Father suggested, involves bringing people’s struggles before God in prayer, obtaining forgiveness for them, and administering reconciliation as channels of God’s mercy.

“Beloved, these prophetic hands, outstretched and raised, demand great effort,” the Pope said, acknowledging, “To be prophets, companions and intercessors, to show with our life the mystery of God’s closeness to His people, can cost us our lives.”

Offering lives for the Gospel

“Many priests and religious have been victims of violence and attacks in which they lost their lives,” the Pope lamented.

In a very real way, he said, they offered their lives for the sake of the Gospel. 

“Their closeness to their brothers and sisters is a marvelous testimony that they bequeath to us, a legacy that invites us to carry forward their mission,” the Pope said. 

Need courageous souls ready to die for Africa

Pope Francis recalled Saint Daniele Comboni,  and the great work of evangelization he carried out in South Sudan with his missionary brothers.

He recalled how the saint used to say “that a missionary must be ready to do anything for the sake of Christ and the Gospel.”  

The Pope thanked the clergy before him on the behalf of the entire Church, for everything they do amid so many trials and tribulations, and especially for their dedication, courage, sacrifices and patience.  

The Holy Father prayed they “will always be generous pastors and witnesses, armed only with prayer and love,” who allow themselves to always be surprised by God’s grace and are ready to always accompany His people.

Pope Francis concluded, praying that the Blessed Mother protect them, and asking them to pray for him.

John Baptist Tumusiime, Vatican News staffer – Juba, South Sudan.

President Salva Kiir welcomed the Pope at Juba International airport. Also at the airport were First Vice President Riek Machar; the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby;  Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Rt Rev Dr Iain Greenshields as well as other religious leaders of the Catholic and Protestant faiths.  

The three Church leaders are in South Sudan to deliver a message of peace and reconciliation in continuation of a process that began in 2019 when Pope Francis, with support from Archbishop Justin Welby and the retired Moderator of the Church of Scotland, Very Rev Dr John Chalmers came together to encourage peace in South Sudan.

The Vatican Retreat

Those who took part in the 2019 retreat at the Vatican were members of the Presidency of the Republic of South Sudan who, according to the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan, included Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic; Vice-Presidents designate, Riek Machar Teny Dhurgon, Taban Deng Gai, and Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabio, widow of the Sudanese leader, John Garang.

Others who participated were ecumenical members of the Council of Churches of South Sudan. The preachers at the retreat were Archbishop John Baptist Odama of Gulu, Uganda, and Nigerian Jesuit Father Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator.

At the end of the retreat, Pope Francis kissed the feet of South Sudan’s leaders and challenged them to end the war and commit to peace.

The post-independence crisis

South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in July 2011 amidst joy and great expectations for a promising future for the citizens of the new nation. This joy was, however, short-lived because the country was plunged into civil conflict in 2013 following a power struggle between President Kiir and Riek Machar, whom Kiir had earlier removed from the position of Vice President. The ensuing armed conflict killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced more than two million others, with some seeking safety in Internally Displaced People’s camps and others fleeing to neighbouring countries as refugees.

A peace agreement was signed between the two men in 2018; although shaky, it still holds.

Three Wisemen

Many South Sudanese believe that the coming of Pope Francis, Archbishop Welby and the Rt. Rev. Dr Greenshields will strengthen the peace agreement and bring the plight of the people of South Sudan to international attention. The majority of south Sudanese have much hope in the three visiting Church leaders and have taken to referring to them as the “three wise men.”

Listen to the audio version of John Baptist’s report here.

By Linda Bordoni

Pope Francis, Justin Welby and the Reverend Dr. Iain Greenshields addressed the political leaders of South  Sudan on Friday afternoon, kicking off a long-planned ecumenical pilgrimage for peace to the ravaged east African nation.

Speaking after the Pope’s powerful address, the Archbishop of Canterbury recalled having witnessed the devastation of war in the country and the suffering and grief it caused when he visited the nation nine years ago.

Archbishop Welby reminded those present that, together with a former Moderator of the Church of Scotland, Pope Francis hosted a retreat at the Vatican in 2019 for the leaders of South Sudan.

However, the Archbishop continued, when he remembers the commitments made back in 2019, he is saddened by what he sees and hears.  

Peace is in your hands

Archbishop Welby went on to point out that “the answer to peace and reconciliation is not in visits like this but it is in your hands.”

“For the heroic and brave and courageous people of South Sudan, who fought for so long for their freedom and won it,” surely they are people “who have the courage to struggle for peace and reconciliation,” he said.

“I pray this might be a visit of hope and healing, of time spent together as one family of Christ, following the one God who brings us ever closer to each other and to him,” he concluded.

Peace is within the reach of the leaders

In his speech, the Right Reverand Dr Iain Greenshields highlighted the need for the peace of Christ.

“Today, we need that peace. We need churches and leaders who are generous of heart, liberal of love, and profligate with God’s grace,” he exclaimed. “We need leaders who care about the values by which our countries live, who care about the conditions in which people live, and who act out their faith in work amongst the most vulnerable and marginalised.”

Noting that all the people are essential co-workers in God’s desire for a world in which all people can live life in fullness, he said it is “in the reach of the President, Vice-Presidents, leaders and people of South Sudan to extend the reach of justice and compassion to the whole of this young and optimistic country, full of people ready to work for a vibrant and fulfilling future.”

By Linda Bordoni

During the Pope’s first official event in Juba, his meeting with Authorities, Civil Society and the Diplomatic Corps, President Salva Kiir reiterated an announcement made on the eve of the Holy Father’s ecumenical pilgrimage of peace to South Sudan.

“In honour of the Holy Father Pope Francis‘ historic visit to our country, and our declaration of 2023 as the year of Peace and Reconciliation, I am officially announcing the lifting of the suspension of the Rome Peace talks with the Holdout Groups.”

Mr. Kiir went on to express his hope that “his brothers from the Non-Signatories South Sudan Opposition Group will reciprocate this gesture and engage with us honestly to achieve an inclusive peace in our country.”

Suspension of Peace Talks

In November 2022, the government of South Sudan announced it was suspending its participation in the Rome peace talks, accusing the Non-Signatories South Sudanese Opposition Groups of “lacking commitment” and preparing for war.

Noting that it is the first time in the history of the nation that the head of the Catholic Church has visited South Sudan, Mr Kiir described the Pope’s presence as a “historic milestone” and expressed his deep gratitude for the visit that, he continued “will leave a positive impact on. Our national conscience and peace in our country.”

“This historic visit of these global Christian leaders must compel us to engage in deep thinking about our recent history, especially on how it relates to the noble task of peace consolidation and the important projects of reconciliation and forgiveness among our people,” he said.

Spiritual Retreat in Vatican

 The President recalled the spiritual retreat in which he participated in the Vatican in 2019 during which the Pope “kissed our feet and asked us to remain in peace.”

“That rare gesture,” he said, did not go in vain: “Today, both Dr Riek (the Vice-President) and I are seated here working collectively to implement the Revitalized Peace Agreement we signed in 2018”.

He said that guided by the desire for an inclusive political process, the Roadmap-2022 extended the transitional perio by 24 months in September last year.

“We did this to give ourselves time to plan and create institutions that will permit for holding credible and transparent elections, which are the end game of the Revitalized Peace Agreement. The fact that the Roadmap was developed exclusively by the Parties to the Agreement is itself an encouraging sign in our path to political maturity,” he explained.

Mr. Kiir concluded saying that the Roadmap will be used “to fast-track the implementation of outstanding provisions in the Revitalized Peace Agreement and to build on the successes we have already achieved, such as the graduation of unified forces.”

By Linda Bordoni  

In his first official discourse after landing in South Sudan’s capital city, Pope Francis issued an appeal for peace and reminded those in power that their purpose is to serve the community.

Addressing the nation’s Authorities, Civil Society and Diplomatic Corps at the Presidential Palace of Juba on Friday afternoon, shortly after his arrival in the ravaged East African nation, the Pope reminded them he has come “as a pilgrim of reconciliation, in the hope of accompanying you on your journey of peace.”

Pilgrim of reconciliation and peace

He noted that his is an ecumenical pilgrimage undertaken in the company of two brothers: the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

“We undertook this ecumenical pilgrimage of peace after hearing the plea of an entire people that, with great dignity, weeps for the violence it endures, its persistent lack of security, its poverty and the natural disasters that it has experienced,” he said.

The Pope decried the fact that the “years of war and conflict seem never to end,” and noted that, “even yesterday” lives were lost in bitter clashes.

He expressed his hope that the protracted suffering of the people is not in vain, that their patience and sacrifices challenge everyone and, “allow peace to blossom and bear fruit.”

Appeal to leaders

Pope Francis then directed a direct call to South Sudan’s belligerent political leaders saying that they, “the fathers and mothers of this young country”, are called to “renew the life of society as pure sources of prosperity and peace, so greatly needed for the sons and daughters of South Sudan.” 

“May the time that followed the birth of the country, its painful childhood, lead to a peaceful maturity,” he said. 

The Holy Father reminded the leaders “that those “sons and daughters”, and history itself, will remember you if you work for the benefit of this people that you have been called to serve.”

No more of this!

Developing his powerful appeal, Pope Francis directly addressed the President and Vice-President with the words: “In the name of God, in whom so many people of this beloved country believe, now is the time to say “No more of this”.

The purpose of power

The Pope invited them to see themselves as truly “public”, “of the people”. Those who are entrusted with the responsibility of presiding over and governing the state, he explained, “have the duty to place themselves at the service of the common good.”

He remarked on the temptation to use power for one’s own advantage, and warned against restricting the abundant resources of the land to few.

Those resources, he said, should be “recognized as the legacy of all, and plans for economic recovery should coincide with proposals for an equitable distribution of wealth.”

Promoting democracy

Pope Francis recalled that at the basis of democracy is the respect for human rights, upheld by law and the application of law, particularly the right to the freedom of self-expression, and said “there is no justice without freedom.”

He expressed the hope that the Republic’s path to peace will “not be bogged down by inertia”, and said “It is time to move from words to deeds.  It is time to turn the page: it is the time for commitment to an urgent and much-needed transformation.”

The Holy Father noted that “In a world scarred by divisions and conflict,” the fact that the country is hosting an ecumenical pilgrimage of peace, is something rare.”

“It represents a change of direction,” he said, “an opportunity for South Sudan to resume sailing in calm waters, taking up dialogue, without duplicity and opportunism.”

Dialogue and encounter

Calling on those present to undertake a path of respect, dialogue and encounter, the Pope said that “Behind every form of violence, there is anger and resentment, and behind every form of anger and resentment, there is the unhealed memory of wounds, humiliations and wrongs.” 

Thus, “the only way to break free of these is through encounter: by accepting others as our brothers and sisters and making room for them, even if it means taking a step backwards.”

The role of young people and women

He said this attitude is essential for any peace process and for the cohesive development of society and noted that young people have a key role to play in the  “passage from the barbarity of confrontation to a culture of vital encounter.”

Women also have a fundamental role, the Pope noted, and “need to be increasingly involved in political life and decision-making processes.”

In his untiring appeal for good governance, Pope Francis did not neglect to mention the need to care for creation “for the sake of future generations.”

Corruption, poverty, displacement

And he called for action against corruption noting “The inequitable distribution of funds, secret schemes to get rich, patronage deals, lack of transparency.”

“Before all else, there is a need to combat poverty, which serves as the fertile soil in which hatred, divisions and violence take root,” he said. 

And reiterating the fact that “the pressing need of any civilized country is to care for its citizens, especially the most vulnerable and the disadvantaged, he said he thinks especially “of the millions of displaced persons who live here:

The arms trade

The Pope’s all-embracing vision on the problems and needs of the country even touched on the need “to control the flow of weapons that, despite bans, continue to arrive in many countries in the area, including South Sudan.”

Development

He called for the development of suitable healthcare policies, the need for vital infrastructures and the promotion of literacy and education: “the only way that the children of this land will be able take their future into their own hands.” 

Pope Francis wound down his speech shining the light on the fostering of positive relationships with other countries, and acknowledging “the precious contribution made by the international community to this country, (…) and expressing gratitude for the efforts made to promote reconciliation and development.”

“I realize that some of what I have had to say may appear blunt and direct,” he concluded, assuring those present that together with his brothers with whom he has undertaken this pilgrimage of peace, he offers “heartfelt prayers and support, so that South Sudan can experience reconciliation and a change of direction.”

By Massimiliano Menichetti – Kinshasa

Africa, seen from the Democratic Republic of Congo, is very different than when viewed from the outside. All it takes is a day to completely change your perspective, and make it possible to recognise what from many other latitudes, paradoxically, escapes your notice and is forgotten: here the human heart is capable of rejoicing at an encounter.

Peace, harmony, and fraternity, indeed, arise from relationships, which here can be touched and seen. In the land of diamonds you celebrate if a friend comes to visit, you’re honoured by the visit of a relative, a grandfather, who shares his story, the wisdom of a lifetime. The word joy has not been emptied of meaning, it is not superficial: it’s rich, because it’s not attached to an ephemeral moment, but to humankind. It is the joy of the encounter which filled the streets, the flyovers, the airport in N’dolo, and the Martyrs’ Stadium during the visit of Pope Francis.

In this country, where a European would probably not find the ‘indispensable comforts’ to which they’re accustomed, it’s possible to get to the living root of everything, both good and bad. Perhaps this is because people have not been anaesthetised by the opulence of well-being, or because here time is not yet entirely marked by the frenzy of doing, but by the breath of the sun, of nature. Kinshasa is a chaotic and disorderly city, where shacks, on dirt and asphalt roads, alternate with piles of rubbish, buildings under construction, neat houses and concrete skeletons.

The traffic seems to have no rules, and the vehicles, if they’re not bottled up, move quickly, darting continuously left and right. Most of the cars are dented, their wing mirrors tied on with wires and tape, and the doors of the buses are often open to allow as many people as possible to be crammed in, some sticking out. The police and military man the streets with long truncheons which they wave at those who violate directives. Sometimes four people travel on one motorbike. Children play behind coloured metal sheets marking out empty spaces, and women carry sacks of all sizes on their heads. The gaze of the inhabitants is always the same: it pierces you.

In this land, where the contradictions of mineral wealth and poverty, war and the beauty of nature, live side by side, what prevails is the unstoppable drive of the people, all projected forward. ‘The Democratic Republic of Congo will be a paradise’. This hope is not an expectation, a chimera, but what one hears from an entire generation, from those who, carrying Christ, build day after day amidst the rubble, corruption, the discarded people, violence, abuse, exploitation and tribal division. But perhaps it is precisely this that frightens those who plunder, crush and silence Africa, those who seek to relegate it to a problem to be solved or states to be helped.

Everyone here remembers the two visits of St John Paul II, but also the very recent one by Cardinal Parolin, who came in July to represent Francis, who had postponed his trip because of knee pain. The Vatican’s Secretary of State brought with him the promise that the Holy Father would come. ‘It has been a year,’ sighed the Pontiff on the plane to Kinshasa. The Pope has been true to his word, and this people has not forgotten it; they feel honoured, respected, loved. Francis has nourished the certainty of a brighter future in this country,  where the church is thriving, nourished the awareness of the bond in Christ.

This continent is growing enormously, and not only in terms of GDP. Opportunities, however, will not come from coltan, oil, or precious stones – although these will certainly be tools – but from human memory, the desire for encounter, vitality, youthfulness, from the desire of these peoples, which will allow all of humanity to experience new challenges, to change, to grow, to develop. This is the reversal of perspective brought by the Pope, who has indicated the light of Christ as the beacon to follow, because in Him colonial and predatory logics are dissolved, allowing humanity to become itself, in relation with others.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov 

Pope Francis has arrived in South Sudan, where he is embarking upon an ecumenical pilgrimage.

The Pope’s flight landed at Juba International Airport at 2:45 PM local time.

The plane had departed from the “Ndjili” International Airport in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital of Kinshasa at 10:39 AM local time, carrying the Holy Father and more than 70 journalists.

The Pope’s farewell to the Democratic Republic of Congo, marked the end of the first leg of his two-nation, 40th, Apostolic Journey abroad, and his fifth Journey to Africa.

Pope Francis visited the DRC from 31 January to 3 February, following in the footsteps of Pope St. John Paul II, who visited there in 1980 and 1985. 

Much-desired ecumenical pilgrimage

The Pope will spend three days in South Sudan on an ecumenical pilgrimage for peace with the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

For years, Pope Francis has expressed his strong desire to travel to predominantly-Christian South Sudan, but the unstable situation in the country, along with the pandemic, complicated plans for a visit.

In April 2019, the Pope hosted a spiritual retreat in the Vatican for the political leaders and ecclesiastical authorities of South Sudan.

At the retreat in the Casa Santa Marta, he knelt at their feet and begged them to work for peace and to be worthy fathers of their nation.

What to expect

The Holy Father will stay in the nation’s capital of Juba, and will have meetings with various Church and civil groups, including several internally displaced people.

Following a Mass for the country’s faithful on Sunday morning, Pope Francis will return to Rome. 

At the completion of this Journey on Sunday, the Pope will have visited 60 countries since the start of his pontificate.

Pope’s closeness to Africa

This visit marks the Holy Father’s fifth Apostolic Journey to the African continent.

In 2015, he went to Kenya, Uganda and the Central African Republic, and in 2017 visited Egypt. Then, in March 2019, he made an Apostolic Journey to Morocco, and later in the same year to Mozambique, Madagascar and Mauritius in September 2019.

The Pope was forced to postpone this visit to DRC and South Sudan, originally scheduled for July 2022, due to intense knee pain.

At the time, the Holy Father sent the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to both countries on his behalf, expressing his disappointment to have been unable to make the visit, as well as his great desire to travel to both nations as soon as possible.

By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp

The Federation of Catholic Bishop’s Conferences of Oceania (FCBCO) has organized its Continental Assembly in Suva, Fiji. This Federation is made up of the Episcopal Conferences of New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, Australia, and the Pacific. The Synod process has been guided by an Executive Committee of eight bishops, a five-member theological working group, and a nine-member Task Force, in close connection with the FCBCO headquarters in Suva.

Local stage of the synodal process

As with the rest of the universal Church, the Synod kicked off in October 2020 with the Local or National Stage of the Synod. Each diocese was invited to organize consultations of not only members of the Catholic faith of whatever walk of life, but also of those who do not participate actively in the life of the Church, or who are members of other Christian confessions, of other religions, or who profess no religion. All of these consultations were requested by Pope Francis himself in order to understand how the Church is walking together and how it can better walk together with each person.

Each Episcopal Conference then submitted a Synthesis of these consultations (Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, Pacific). These syntheses contributed to the Working Document for the Continental Stage (DCS) which launched the Continental Stage of the Synodal Process.

Continental stage of the synodal process

As the DCS states, this phase is meant to continue the synodal “process of listening, dialogue and discernment, the reflection will focus on three questions”. The Episcopal Conferences, in union with their local Church and the universal Church, were asked to carry out a consultation using the DCS as the basis for reflecting on these three questions. They were asked to identify the intuitions contained in the DCS, that resonate the most with the experience of their territory, the questions or issues that need further attention in the next steps of the synodal process, and the priorities or recurring themes they would like to be discussed in the First Session of the Synod to be held in October 2023.

The Continental Stage process undertaken by the FCBCO consisted of:

 – Discernment process on the document within each entity making up the FCBCO (27 November – 9 December)

 – Gathering of the 20-member Discernment and Writing Group to pray, reflect and synthesize the submitted material (9-13 January)

 – Assembly in Suva which will consist of two discernment sessions on the draft of the synthesize prepared by the Discernment and Writing Group in January (5-10 February)

Suva Assembly of the Continental Stage

Just a few days ago, Cardinals Mario Grech, Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, and Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich,  Archbishop of Luxembourg and general rapporteur for the Synod on Synodality, wrote a letter to Bishops communicating “a few considerations for a common understanding of the synodal process, its progress, and the meaning of the current Continental stage.”

The Suva Assembly is one more step in the Continental Stage. It will begin on Sunday with the Celebration of Holy Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral, followed by a traditional Fijian welcome ceremony. Later on Sunday, Cardinal Michael Czerny, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, and Archbishop Loy Chong, President of the FCBCO, will welcome those gathered and explain what they can expect during the week. Various live transmissions are scheduled to take place throughout the week, including:

 – Opening Mass on Sunday (10 am local time on Sunday, 4 February; 5 pm EST Saturday, 4 February)

 – Traditional Welcome Ceremony on Sunday (12 pm local time on Sunday, 4 February; 7 pm EST, Saturday, 4 February)

 – Fijian Itaukei inculturated Mass (5 pm on Tuesday, 7 February; Midnight EST, Tuesday, 7 February)

 – Missioning Mass (4 pm local time on Friday, February 10; 11 pm EST, Thursday, February 9)

All live transmissions will be live-streamed through the FCBCO website.

Suva Assembly Follow-up

In mid-March, the revised draft of the Oceania Submission worked on at the Suva Assembly will be reviewed, discussed, and verified by the Executive members of the FCBCO, members of the Oceania Task Force, and the Discernment Writing Group. The final draft will then be submitted to the General Secretariat for the Synod by 31 March. This submission, as well as the other six submissions from the other Continents, will then form the basis of the Instrumentum laboris which will be discussed at the First Session of the Synod in October.

Stanislas Kambashi, SJ – Kinshasa, DRC.

Joining in a tradition sometimes seen in Saint Peter’s Square, the Congolese faithful sent a message to Pope Francis about two of Africa’s most beloved Blesseds still in the queue for canonisation as saints of the Church.

Catechists and the young people of DRC

The Stade des Martyrs de la Pentecôte (Martyrs of Pentecost Stadium), in the centre of Kinshasa, was filled to capacity on Thursday, 2 February, for Pope Francis’ meeting with young people and Catechists. These two categories of the Catholic faithful flocked from all corners and parishes of Congo to listen to the Holy Father on this occasion that was particularly dedicated to them.

Congolese Prime Minister Jean Michel Sama Lukonde and several other authorities were also present, as well as delegations from other countries. In the stadium, a banner with the Italian language inscription “Santi subito” – “Saints at once,” accompanied by images of Blessed Anuarite and Bakanja was displayed. On two sides of the podium from which Pope Francis spoke were images of the two Congolese martyrs. The animation of the crowd before the Pope’s arrival testified to the living faith and remarkable vitality of the Church of the DRC.

Anuarite and Bakanja, models of faith and forgiveness

Blessed Anuarite and Blessed Bakanja were beatified by John Paul II: The first in 1985 in Kinshasa, on the occasion of the Pope’s second visit to Congo (then known as Zaire) and the second in Rome in 1995. Since then, many Congolese and the Catholic faithful in Africa have nourished a great devotion to the two Blesseds of Congo, who died as martyrs for their faithfulness to Christ. In his address on Thursday, Pope Francis mentioned them as models of faith, courage, perseverance and forgiveness. Addressing himself to the young people, the Pope also referenced Saint Kizito, a young Ugandan saint.

Martyred in 1964 in the northeast of the DRC for having preserved her purity until death, Blessed Anuarite was a religious of the Sisters of the Holy Family, Bafwabaka. Anuarite is a model of fidelity in following Christ as a consecrated person. Her feast is celebrated on 1 December.

Blessed Bakanja is patron of the Congolese laity and the youth. He died on 15 August 1909 due to the wounds inflicted on him as “punishment” for his faith, which he bore patiently while forgiving his aggressor. Bakanja was beatified by Pope John Paul II on 24 April 1994. His feast is placed on 15 August, in the liturgical calendar.

Pope Francis cited Bakanja as a model of faith for young people in his apostolic exhortation, Christus Vivit. Bakanja was known as a young Catechist who spent his free time teaching his neighbours and friends the rosary and other prayers. Bishop Timothée Bodika Mansiyai, President of the Congolese Episcopal Commission for the Laity, recalled the virtues of Bakanja in his introductory remarks before Pope Francis.

The faithful of the DRC continue to offer their prayers for the canonisation of these two blessed martyrs. On thursday, this week, they found a way to convey their yearning to Pope Francis.

The Church of the DRC is also awaiting the beatification of the Servant of God, Christophe Munzihirwa Mwene Ngabo, the Congolese Jesuit Archbishop of Bukavu Diocese who was killed in 1996.

By Sr Margaret Scott, RNDM with Sr Bernadette Reis, FSP

In 2008, the Sudanese Bishops’ Conference sent out a request for help. Both the Union of Superiors General (USG) and the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), representing men and women religious, responded immediately with the creation of Solidarity with South Sudan. Sr Margaret Scott, a member of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions, tells her story regarding her personal participating in this inter-congregational mission, and shares what Pope Francis’s visit means for the people of South Sudan.

Solidarity with South Sudan is born

I was participating in meetings in Rome in 2006/7 when the first USG/UISG delegations shared what they had seen and experienced in Southern Sudan. Our congregation decided to get involved and I was asked if I would like to do that. I went to South Sudan in August 2008 with four other sisters–we had a community of five Our Lady of the Mission Sisters living together in Riimenze, in Tombura-Yambio Diocese. Solidarity planned to set up teacher training colleges in Malakal and Riimenze and a health training institute in Wau, and to train pastoral agents.

Setting up the teacher training college

Two of us were asked to work with the teacher training in Yambio Diocese itself. Initially we began offering in-service training. Around 2011, the community started to develop with members of other congregations. We ended up moving to the main town, Yambio, and a college was built on Church land. In 2012, we began pre-service training in this purpose-built College. Our main aim was to train primary school teachers because that was the huge need at that time.

South Sudan becomes a nation

There was great excitement among the people when South Sudan gained independence in 2011. They thought that would solve all problems – they would be independent, and could run the country for themselves. People were full of hope and enthusiasm; but over the years, we’ve seen huge difficulties. In some ways there’s a bit of disappointment that things didn’t go as well as expected. In many ways it was natural. There are all sorts of elements that came into play within the country as they began to work together as an independent country.

Education vital to new country

Most people saw that if there was going to be any development, a good education system needed to be in place. At that time, there were very few trained teachers due to a lack of teacher training colleges. Those that existed were not operational due to lack of funding. We were one little piece contributing to building up that puzzle to provide trained teachers. Across the country, there was a desire for learning, for education, and to have teachers trained so they could teach future generations.

From the very beginning we found that many of the teachers in the schools who hadn’t been trained had a great desire to be educated. So, we worked in two modes: in-service and pre-service. Students we had at the college who had no prior training ranged from their mid-20s through to sometimes 50. They were enthusiastic and eager to learn. When they graduated, they were eager to go back to their schools, or to get into the system and be teachers, because they wanted something better for the young ones. The positivity was amazing even though they worked under extremely poor conditions. Even today you find people teaching under trees. But they want to teach.

Teacher training program bears fruit

The people we taught enthusiastically went places and undertook to be teachers. They would prepare their work, and make posters, and charts, and all sorts of games – and they delivered something really worthwhile. Anyone we had trained were often snapped up by the government to work in education departments. While supervising our students in schools I witnessed the children’s participation and excitement and energy because they had teachers they could rely on. You could see endless possibilities of progress for the future. So, it was really, really helpful for the country.

Three church leaders visiting South Sudan

The Pope, Archbishop Welby, and the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church feel compassion for the people of South Sudan and want to show their solidarity with them, to stand with them. Their visit is an incredible symbol of support. Those people and Churches who have been praying for peace are hopeful for peace in this fledgling, struggling country. These three leaders from different Churches are showing that it is possible for people to come together. And if it’s possible for Churches to come together, it’s possible for people to come together to develop a country. It is a hugely symbolic gesture, and I think the people really appreciate them coming.

People of incredible faith

The people of South Sudan have an incredible faith. They believe in God; they know God loves them and the Pope’s visit is another way of experiencing that. We don’t often hear about how difficult it is in South Sudan and the fact that millions of people are at risk of starvation at the moment. For this period of time the focus will be on the Democratic Republic of Congo and on South Sudan. I hope that will raise awareness for the millions of people in South Sudan who are suffering and need the support of the world to help them move peacefully and productively into the future.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

According to the agencies, 27 civilians were killed and several others injured in a cattle-related attack in the African country’s Kajo-Keji County in Lire Payam on Thursday.

Anglican Archbishop Paul Yugusuk of the Central Equatoria Internal Province of the Episcopal Conference of South Sudan denounced the violence, marking the latest communal violence between cattle herders and other residents.

Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury, likewise, expressed his closeness in a tweet.

The Head of the Anglican Church tweeted his sorrow for those killed in Kajo-Keji “on the eve of our Pilgrimage of Peace.”

“It is a story too often heard across South Sudan. I again appeal for a different way: for South Sudan to come together for a just peace,” he wrote.

Imminent papal visit

Pope Francis has bid farewell to the Democratic Republic of Congo, marking the end of the first leg of his two-nation 40th Apostolic Journey abroad.

The Pope’s flight departed from the “Ndjili” International Airport in the DRC’s capital of Kinshasa at 10:49 AM local time.

It was carrying the Pope and more than 70 journalists. 

The Holy Father visited the DRC from 31 January to 3 February,  and the papal flight lands in South Sudan this afternoon.

For years, Pope Francis has expressed his strong desire to travel to predominantly-Christian South Sudan, but the unstable situation in the country, along with the pandemic, complicated plans for a visit.

In April 2019, the Pope hosted a spiritual retreat in the Vatican for the political leaders and ecclesiastical authorities of South Sudan.

At the retreat in the Casa Santa Marta, the Pope knelt at their feet and begged them to work for peace and to be worthy fathers of their nation.

The Pope will spend three days in South Sudan on an ecumenical pilgrimage for peace with the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Iain Greenshields, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, before returning to the Vatican.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov 

Pope Francis has bid farewell to the Democratic Republic of Congo, marking the end of the first leg of his two-nation 40th Apostolic Journey abroad.

The Pope’s flight departed from the “Ndjili” International Airport in the DRC’s capital of Kinshasa on Friday at 10:49 AM local time.

It was carrying the Pope and more than 70 journalists. 

The Holy Father visited the DRC from 31 January to 3 February, following in the footsteps of Pope St. John Paul II, who visited the Central African nation in 1980 and 1985. 

Meaningful visit to DR Congo

In the country, the Pope was warmly received. For his Mass at Ndolo Airport, more than one million people gathered, and the Bishops from the neighbouring countries, which have suffered unspeakable violence and conflict, united around Pope Francis.

The Holy Father urged the nation to forgive others, themselves, and their history, insisting Jesus would enable them to start over, and encouraged them to be “missionaries of peace” and to live out “a great amnesty of the heart.”

The Pope also addressed words for those who call themselves Christians but are engaged in violence, telling them to “lay down the arms, and welcome mercy.”

In the DRC, the Pope paid a courtesy visit to President Felix Tshisekedi, giving a discourse to the country’s authorities, civil society, and diplomatic corps, and also addressed young people, bishops, clergy and religious, consecrated men and women.

He urged young people to dream of a new future, and to resist corruption, hatred and ethnic rivalries.

The Holy Father also listened to the heartwrenching stories of victims of violence in the east of the country, which has been plagued by ethnic and territorial struggles.

Throughout these intense days, Pope Francis constantly expressed his closeness to the poor and exploited, appealing for the turning of a new page.

‘En route’ to South Sudan

The Holy Father’s flight will land in South Sudan this afternoon.

At the completion of this Journey on Sunday, marking Pope Francis’ fifth Apostolic Visit to the African continent, he will have visited 60 countries since the start of his pontificate.

In 2015, he went to Kenya, Uganda and the Central African Republic, and in 2017 he visited Egypt. Then, in March 2019, he made an Apostolic Journey to Morocco, and later to Mozambique, Madagascar and Mauritius in September 2019.

Next stop, ecumenical pilgrimage

For years, Pope Francis has expressed his strong desire to travel to predominantly-Christian South Sudan, but the unstable situation in the country, along with the pandemic, complicated plans for a visit.

In April 2019, the Pope hosted a spiritual retreat in the Vatican for the political leaders and ecclesiastical authorities of South Sudan.

At the retreat in the Casa Santa Marta, the Pope knelt at their feet and begged them to work for peace and to be worthy fathers of their nation.

The Pope will spend three days in South Sudan on an ecumenical pilgrimage for peace with the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, before returning to the Vatican.

Long-awaited Journey

The Pope was forced to postpone this visit to DRC and South Sudan, originally scheduled for July 2022, due to intense knee pain.

At the time, the Holy Father sent the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to both countries on his behalf, expressing his disappointment to have been unable to make the visit, as well as his great desire to travel to both nations as soon as possible.

Some 20% of the world’s Catholic live on the African continent, and that percentage is increasing.

By Linda Bordoni

“Solidarity with South Sudan” has been providing basic services to millions of impoverished South Sudanese, even before the nation became independent in 2011.

It’s a project and collaborative effort that brings together men and women religious following a request from the Sudanese Bishops’ Conference in 2008 that saw the need for support and training programmes for development.

Thus, the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), and Union of Superiors General (USG) have since been involved in training primary school teachers, nurses and midwives, farmers and pastoral agents, of bringing the closeness and solidarity of the Church to millions of people who struggle to work, to learn, to grow their crops, to live in peace.

As the Mission Promoter for “Solidarity with South Sudan” told Vatican News, the long-suffering people are in dire need of the Pope’s comforting presence and closeness.

Father David Gentry also painted a picture of daily life for the majority of the people in South Sudan and reiterated their excitement as they prepare to welcome Pope Francis.

Asked what country the Pope will find upon his arrival in Juba, Fr Dave chose to quote his friend and associate, Sr Patricia Murray, the first Executive Director of Solidarity with South Sudan before being appointed UISG Executive Secretary.  

“She often uses an image from an American novelist by the name of Willa Cather who wrote a book called O Pioneers! about settling in Nebraska, which is one of the Western states in the US:

Father Dave said he first visited South Sudan in the fall of 2021 and was able to travel to all “Solidarity” sites and meet the religious and priests working with the project.

A divided nation

He explained that one of the biggest challenges for the young nation is the fact that the population belongs to “64 different tribes, all of whom speak their tribal language, have their own cultural, social, linguistic horizons.”

This means, Fr Dave added, that for many “their world is their tribe, and is very difficult to “help people transcend that, so it’s very challenging to build a nation without education and a common language.”

In fact, he continued, the official languages of South Sudan are English and Arabic, but a large number of people do not speak either.

So, he commented, “how do you begin to build a nation where people have that sense of ‘I belong to my tribe and that’s all well and good, but all of our tribes are a part of something larger,’ and try to create a better future for all of us?’.”

Of course, Fr Dave continued, political strife has been one of the main problems in South Sudan.

“I think that what that country needs, what many of the countries in Africa, need are visionary and prophetic leaders who put the interests of the nation ahead of their own interests,” he said.

In 2018, a new peace agreement to allow for the unification of the armed forces, the creation of a new constitution, and time to prepare for elections to avoid a return to war was signed. However, that process is encountering many obstacles and the people continue to suffer far from the international spotlight.

Fr Dave expressed the belief that the Pope’s presence in a nation will elicit a lot of international attention, and said one positive effect of the visit is that “it will bring the spotlight back on this country that falls out of the news cycle,” but above all, he added, “What I see coming out of the visit is a great source of comfort and encouragement for the people themselves who are suffering to such a great extent.”

Need for a conversion of hearts

Reiterating his view that “what really needs to happen is a radical conversion,” he said, “There needs to be a way of bringing all of those tribes into the conversation about the future of the country and helping them all to feel that they have a stake, and that their voices and their own cultural and legacies are being respected, that they are all building something together.”

Compounding the serious political issues and their devastating impact on the people, the country is also dealing with the effects of climate change, with a lack of adequate and enough food, with an almost total absence of infrastructure.

“Solidarity with South Sudan”

Faith-based groups, including the Catholic Church, are the main providers of services in the country. It’s what “Solidarity with South Sudan” does following the request by the Sudanese Episcopal Conference to the UISG and the USG in 2008, which sent a fact-finding mission to the country and picked up the challenge to help the neglected and impoverished Christian south, known as southern Sudan, before its independence from Khartoum in 2011.

“After that fact-finding trip, the group came back here to Rome And on May 29, they met with the larger group of leaders from these two unions (male and female) and took the decision to do something to address the situation,” he explained.

So the numerous religious congregations that make up the union “started making substantial contributions of money and personnel,” and then set out a plan to establish institutions and projects.

Teachers Training College

A Teachers Training College was the first institution to be set up in the city of Malakal. It was destroyed in the civil war, Fr Dave said, but “Solidarity” didn’t give up and since then they have started another in Yambio that is still functioning.

“It’s a wonderful place,” he said.

Health Care Training

In a town called Wau, Fr Dave continued, “We have the Catholic Health Training Institute that trains young South Sudanese men and women to be nurses and midwives.

In that same town, the Comboni Sisters operate a hospital, which is the teaching hospital, so the students are getting their on-hand experience there.

Sustainable Farming

In a town called Riimenze, “Solidarity” has an agricultural project that is designed to teach people sustainable methods of agriculture. 

“Because the people have been at war and have been traumatized for so long,” Fr Dave explained that “even the very basic kinds of things that we would expect a rural people to know how to do, have been lost, or they haven’t been passed on because of the state of conflict and anxiety: the normal patterns of life have not carried on.”

Pastoral initiatives

In Kit, near Juba, the “Good Shepherd Peace Centre” trains catechists, provides ongoing formation for deacons, offers workshops in trauma healing, and offers retreats and conferences for Religious.

An extension of that pastoral project is the service “Solidarity” has for displaced people in the camp for IDPs in Malakal.

Reflecting on how the Church – in many instances – is providing the infrastructure in place of a sorely deficient state, Fr Dave said “Solidarity” is operating its projects, using and implementing its budgets thanks to the funds received from religious congregations, Foundations, and so forth.

“We are held accountable for it and we provide very good financial accounting, and we’re very good stewards of those funds, very careful about how they’re spent,” he said.

Lack of future

But, Fr Dave continued, even when provided with training, there is no tomorrow for young people who may find jobs but struggle to be paid, and this inevitably causes them to flee the country in quest of “places that are more stable, where they can build a future for themselves.”

Lack of infrastructure, he added, also means there are no roads, and criminality is rife.

It’s being taken out of the country,” he said.

Last, but not least, the local currency is worthless, and except for fruits, vegetables and some “meat, beef or chicken” everything else – all manufactured products like coffee, sugar, and flour – are imported from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Saudi Arabia, China.

“And so the money is, all going out of the country. It’s not being used to build up the country.”

Prayers

Fr Dave concluded with a request to continue to pray for the people of South Sudan, noting that “One of the greatest challenges in the spiritual life is learning to see God in people different from ourselves.”

By Devin Watkins

On the fourth and final day of his Apostolic Journey to the DRC, Pope Francis met with the country’s Bishops at the headquarters of the National Bishops’ Conference (CENCO).

In his address, the Pope apologized for making the Bishops prepare twice for his visit, since he was originally scheduled to visit in July 2022.

He also spoke to them about their mission to build up the Congolese people’s faith and to protect “the beauty of Creation” in the vastness of DR Congo’s verdant forest.

The local Church, he added, also suffers with her people in their trials, as well as rejoicing their joys.

Closeness to God in prayer

Pope Francis went on to speak to the Bishops about the “closeness of God and prophecy for the people.”

He urged them to find consolation in God’s closeness, in order to help others “draw closer to the Good Shepherd”.

The Pope denounced all trappings of power and self-advancement among the Bishops, saying such attitudes lead them to neglect their relationship with Christ in prayer.

“When we cherish our closeness to God,” he said, “we feel drawn towards our people and will always feel compassion for those entrusted to our care.”

The pastoral ministry of Bishops must “touch wounds and communicate God’s closeness”, so that the Congolese people may be lifted from their “humiliation and oppression.”

Prophets to root out injustice

The Pope then turned to the theme of prophecy, which the Bishops should embrace so that the word might awaken within them an “unbridled restlessness” to lead others to God.

Pope Francis said God calls His prophets to help build a new chapter of history in the midst of a world filled with perversity and injustice.

The poisons of hatred, resentment, and violence must be rooted from society, along with corruption and exploitation, he added.

Proclaiming the word, not politics

Yet, said the Pope, Christian prophecy should not be confused with political activism, since Bishops are called to “proclaim the word, awaken consciences, denounce evil, and encourage those who are broken-hearted and lacking hope.”

He invited the Bishops to remain close to their priests and pastoral workers and to set a good example of forgiveness and evangelical simplicity.

Witnesses of mercy in face of violence

In conclusion, Pope Francis urged the Bishops of the Democratic Republic of Congo to look to the example of the late Archbishop Christophe Munzihirwa.

The Jesuit Archbishop was “a courageous shepherd and prophetic voice” and was murdered in a city square in 1996 for defending his people.

“Be witnesses,” he said, “of mercy and reconciliation amid the violence unleashed not only by the exploitation of resources and by ethnic and tribal conflicts, but also and above all by the dark power of the evil one, the enemy of God and humanity.”

By Lisa Zengarini

As the Church marks  the 27th World Day for Consecrated Life on Thursday, Pope Francis has encouraged world’s religious men and women to go forward in their “prophetic mission” with the richness of their charisms.

The annual observance was instituted in 1997 by Pope Saint John Paul II, and is celebrated on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, 2 February. The theme chosen this year is: “Brothers and Sisters for the mission”.

In Rome, the Day was marked by a Eucharistic celebration presided on Wednesday evening in St. Mary Major Basilica by the Prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz,  who read out a message by Pope Francis addressed to consecrated men and women.

Consecrated persons’ special gift

In the message the Pope, who is currently visiting the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, remarked, that among the People of God sent to bring the Gospel to all men, consecrated persons have “a special role”, which derives from the particular gift they have received of being “entirely dedicated to God and to his Kingdom, in poverty, virginity and obedience”.

“While in the Church everyone is a mission, each and every one of you” is even more so “as a consecrated person”, he noted.  noted.

A wonderful variety of charisms

Pope Francis  further highlighted that their mission is enriched by the charisms of their respective institutes and societies. “In their wonderful variety, they are all given for the edification of the Church and for her mission”, he said.

Pope Francis concluded the message by invoking the intercession of the Blessed Virgin so that the life of consecrated persons may always “be a feast of the encounter with Christ”, and thus, like her, be able to bring the light of her love and of God to everyone.

By Vatican News staff reporter

Since the publication of his Encyclical Letter Laudato si’, on Care for Our Common Home in 2015, Pope Francis has insisted on the crucial importance of ecological education for an authentic “ecological conversion”, defined as the “transformation of hearts and minds toward greater love of God, each other, and creation”.  

Educating to integral ecology

As a concrete contribution to this effort, the Holy Father has launched the “Borgo Laudato Si’” Project, an education center on integral ecology hosted in the beautiful setting of the pontifical residence in Castel Gandolfo, 24 kilometers south of Rome.

A statement by the Vatican Governorate explains that the centre will be open to all people of good will and that “The activities and initiatives to be implemented in the coming months aim to combine training in integral ecology, circular and generative economy, and environmental sustainability”.

Establishment of the the Laudato Si’ Centre for Higher Education

The Pope has entrusted the implementation of the project to the Laudato Si’ Centre for Higher Education, which he formally established with a Chirograph issued on Thursday as “a scientific, educational and social organization, working for integral formation”, with its own Statute.   

According to the papal decree, the Centre will also gradually take over some of the competencies of the Directorate of the Pontifical Villas of Castel Gandolfo, including the Papal Palace and the Pontifical Gardens.

Caring for creation and for the least of our brothers and sisters are inseparable

In the introduction to the decree, Pope Francis recalls Laudato Si’, reiterating that “Caring for our ‘Common Home’ is a way of taking responsibility for our neighbour, and at the same time recognizing the infinite beauty of God and contemplating the mystery of the universe”. The creative work of God, he stresses citing the Encyclical,  is “inseparable from caring for the least of our brothers and sisters and those who have been abandoned”.

In a second Chirograph, the Holy Father the members of the Laudato Si’ Centre for Higher Education.   They include: Fr.  Fabio Baggio (Director General), Sr.  Alessandra Smerilli t FMA, and Ms Francesca Romana Busnelli, (members of the Board of Directors)  and Mr Antonio Errigo(Secretary).

By Christopher Wells

On the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, Pope Francis met with priests, deacons, consecrated persons, and seminarians in Kinshasa’s Cathedral of Our Lady of the Congo.

Reflecting on the encounter between Simeon and the Christ Child, which is commemorated in the feast, the Holy Father drew out the lesson: “When we place Jesus at the centre of our lives, our outlook changes, and despite all our efforts and difficulties, we feel enveloped by His light, comforted by His Spirit, encouraged by His Word, and sustained by His love.”

He reminded those with religious vocations that, despite “enormous challenges,” there is nonetheless “great joy in the service of the Gospel.” Clergy and religious, the Pope said, are called to be witnesses of God’s love, by anointing His people today “with the balm of consolation and hope.

Servants of the people

Pope Francis emphasized that priests, sisters, missionaries, and others called to religious service are called to be servants of the people, “to act as signs of Christ’s presence, of His unconditional love, His reconciliation and forgiveness, and His compassionate concern for the needs of the poor.”

But this service, he said, will always be lived in the face of challenges and difficulties, including spiritual mediocrity, worldly comfort, and superficiality.

These challenges can be overcome, he said, through prayer, both public and private; through forgetting oneself and devoting one’s life to others; and by being “educated, well-trained, and passionate” witnesses of the Gospel.

“These challenges have to be faced” he continued, “if we want to serve people as witnesses of God’s love.”

‘You are precious and important!’

Acknowledging the difficulties faced by the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Pope Francis reminded the clergy and religious of Jesus, the Good Samaritan, pausing to care for the wounds of the oppressed.

“Brothers and sisters, the ministry to which you are called is precisely this,” he said: “To offer closeness and consolation, like a light that keeps shining amid the encircling gloom.”

Offering his heartfelt thanks to priests, deacons, religious men and women, and seminarians, Pope Francis urged them not to be discouraged “because we need you!”

Speaking in the name of the whole Church, he insisted, “You are precious and important.” And he invited them to “always be channels of the Lord’s consoling presence, joyous witnesses of the Gospel, prophets of peace amid the storms of violence, disciples of love, ever ready to care for the wounds of the poor and suffering.”

By Devin Watkins

On the third day of his Apostolic Journey to the DRC, Pope Francis held a lively encounter with young people and the local Church’s catechists.

The meeting took place in the Martyr’s Stadium in Kinshasa on Thursday morning, and the Pope thanked the Congolese youth for their shows of affection and dancing.

In his address, the Holy Father invited the young people of the Democratic Republic of Congo to look at their hands and reflected on how each finger represents a different “ingredient for the future”.

First of all, he noted, no one’s hands are the same as anyone else’s, just as each person is a unique and unrepeatable treasure. At the same time, each of us have to choose whether to clench our hand into a fist or to open it in an offering to God and others.

Living prayer

Our thumb, said Pope Francis, is closest to our heart and therefore symbolizes prayer, which provides the driving force for our life.

Prayer, he added, is the basic ingredient for our future, and we need to listen to the word of God and cultivate a “living prayer” in order to grow inwardly.

We should speak to Jesus as our best friend, entrust our fears to Him, and tell Him the “deepest secrets of your life,” added the Pope.

“God loves this kind of living, concrete and heartfelt prayer,” he said. “It allows Him to intervene, to enter into your daily life in a special way, to come with his ‘power of peace’,” which is the Holy Spirit.

Community-building

Pope Francis then turned to the index finger, which represents “the community”.

He urged the young people of DR Congo not to isolate themselves from one another but to embrace those around them who seem lonely or are suffering.

The Pope offered the negative examples of drug-use or witchcraft, which makes the addict feel all-powerful but in reality ends up depriving the person of everything they hold dear.

Social media, he added, can also disorient those who spend excessive amounts of time scrolling or swiping. “Nothing can ever be a replacement for the energy that we get from being together, the sparkle in our eyes, the joy of exchanging ideas!” he said.

Rather, young Congolese are called to build community, champion fraternity, and dream of a more united world.

Honesty to combat corruption

Honesty, said the Pope, offers the third ingredient for a better future, and provides an antidote to the “cancer of corruption”.

Speaking off-the-cuff, Pope Francis launched a heartfelt appeal for the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo to refuse any form of corruption, urging, in French, “say no to corruption!”

“Do not be overcome by evil,” he said. “Overcome evil with good.” he said.

The Pope recalled a 26-year-old young man, Floribert Bwana Chui, who was killed 15 years ago in Goma for having blocked the passage of spoiled foodstuffs which would have harmed people’s health. The young Christian man, said the Pope, prayed for guidance and said no to the “filth of corruption.”

Forgiveness to not repeat the past

The Pope turned to the ring finger, symbolizing “forgiveness”, and recalled that all the greatest goods in our life involve “weakness, weariness, and hardship.” 

“Forgiveness,” he said, “means being able to start over. To forgive does not mean forgetting the past; it means refusing to repeat it.”

Service in littleness

Pope Francis noted that the pinky finger is our last and smallest finger, and represents our “service”.

Our actions for others, he said, often seem like a drop in the ocean, but “it is precisely littleness, our decision to become little, that attracts God.”

Refuse to grow discouraged

In conclusion, the Pope urged young Congolese Catholics to work for a better future in their nation by reflecting frequently on these five ingredients: prayer, community, honesty, forgiveness, and service.

By Andrea Tornielli

“Together, we believe that Jesus always gives us the possibility of being forgiven and starting over, but also the strength to forgive ourselves, others and history!” Christ “wants to anoint us with His forgiveness” to “give us the peace and courage to forgive in turn, the courage to grant others a great amnesty of the heart.”

When Pope Francis spoke these words in his homily at Mass at the Ndolo Airport in Kinshasa, celebrating the Eucharist with him were the Bishops of countries, with warring militias and rebel groups, that have been, and are, the scene of unspeakable violence and wars, fuelled not only by external forces, but also from forces within.

Together with their brethren from the Democratic Republic of Congo, at the altar and then at a shared meal, were the Bishops of Rwanda, Burundi and Congo Brazzaville.

Before departing for their respective countries, some of them gathered around a table in a hotel and recounted this experience to Vatican Media, explaining how their presence in the DRC, and episcopal communion, can help the peace processes.

“We are living a special moment, a kairos. We must not let politics divide us, but see what we can do together,” Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, the Archbishop of Kinshasa, told us.

Cardinal Ambongo thanked his brothers from Rwanda “for coming here to Kinshasa. It took courage to do so, the courage to carry out a common mission.”

His sentiment was echoed by Rwandan Cardinal Antoine Kambanda, Archbishop of Kigali, who recalls Pope Francis’ desire to also go to Goma, on the border with Rwanda, a journey that was not possible because of the violence and clashes that are ongoing in that region.

With emotion, the Cardinal recalled the genocide that took place in his country in 1994, when in 100 days, at least 800,000 people were killed because of an ethnic-political conflict.

“It was not a genocide caused by others, from outside. It was perpetrated by Rwandans. By people living together on the same hills. Each hill had its own tragedy. And we can ask ourselves today: how do you live together after going through a genocide?” he asked.

Forgiveness is a grace from God

Cardinal Kambanda’s answer echoed the one just given by the Pope: “Forgiveness is the way to coexistence. To coexist, one must forgive oneself. Forgiveness is the key. Forgiveness is a grace from God, and concerns everyone: individuals, individual offenders, but also families.’

The road to forgiveness, the Rwandan Cardinal added, “is compassion, realising that the other person also suffers and that my suffering is connected to his. This is the pedagogy of the Cross”. The lived experience of his country, “we share it with our brothers in the episcopate. Forgiveness also allows for a pacification of memory”.

“Reconciliation is the key to living together,” says the Archbishop of Gitega, Bonaventure Nahimana, President of the Burundi Bishops’ Conference.

“All the dioceses got involved. We must live in forgiveness to truly have open, welcoming, fraternal communities. Open also in welcoming the other as a brother, even when he is a foreigner. We have many Congolese refugees in Burundi. We will be credible through the way we live this.”

Impact of Pope’s visit

“We are here with a large delegation, not just of Bishops, but of people,” explained the Archbishop of Brazaville, Bienvenu Manamika, President of the Congo Brazaville Bishops’ Conference.

“The Pope’s visit will have a great impact in the region,” he said.

“Although our country is not directly affected by the conflicts, we are nevertheless involved. There is a saying that ‘if the Democratic Republic of Congo coughs, we in Congo Brazzaville sneeze and catch the flu’.”

“We all need peace,” he added, “The ongoing conflict in the east of the DRC does not leave us calm. It is reminiscent of war traumas already experienced.”

Archbishop Manamika noted that the mere presence of the Successor of Peter brings hope and concerns everyone.

“I hope that his words are also heard by the multinational companies behind the extractive industry. There are peoples who suffer from this situation. Without justice, without dignity, there is no peace.” Internal conflicts, he concluded, “depend on wider interests. But when elephants fight it is the grass that suffers. And the grass is the people. That is why we must all work and pray for peace”.

The need to learn to forgive and cultivate peace

“We must all build peace. With forgiveness, with the rediscovery of the community that unites us and the mission that we have,’ emphasised the Archbishop of Kisangani, Marcel Utembi Tapa, president of the Episcopal Conference of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“We must convince ourselves that personal and institutional forgiveness are linked. As baptised, children of God, brothers and sisters, we must learn to forgive each other. The Pope is well aware of all that goes on here, and how what goes on here is a threat to peace, a problem that affects the entire sub-continental region. He invited us to develop an awareness of the fraternity that unites us and that affects not just one country but the entire region. We are all called to be missionaries of peace. His was a strong appeal to states, civil society, the Church, pastors.”

The courage of these Bishops, united together with the Successor of Peter, is a small great sign of hope for these tormented lands, where ethno-political conflicts involve Christians on both sides.

Pope Francis said in his homily at Ndolo Airport: “May it be a good time for all of you in this country who call yourselves Christians but engage in violence.”