I don't know if anyone was expecting a sweet speech on the third day of Pope Leo's stay in Angola. If so, they will have been disappointed. Before the last meeting with the Catholic community, in Our Lady of Fatima, and his departure tomorrow, the Pope criticized, for example, corruption and violence.
“We were not born to become slaves either to the corruption of the flesh or to that of the soul: every form of oppression, violence, exploitation and lie denies the resurrection of Christ, the supreme gift of our freedom,” the Pontiff said.
Today we see, in fact, that many people's desires are frustrated “by the violent, exploited by the arrogant and deceived by wealth. When injustice corrupts hearts, the bread of all becomes the possession of a few,” he continued.
“Christ hears the cry of the peoples”.”
In the face of these evils, “Christ hears the cry of the people and renews our history; from every fall he raises us up, in every suffering he consoles us and in mission he encourages us. Like the living bread that he always gives us - the Eucharist - his history knows no end, and therefore he removes the end, that is, death, from our history, which the Risen One opens with the power of his Spirit. Christ lives! He is our Redeemer”.
“This is the Gospel that we share, making brothers and sisters of all the peoples of the earth. This is the proclamation that transforms sin into forgiveness. This is the faith that saves life!” the Pope added.
Call to build justice and peace in Africa
On the eve of his departure for Equatorial Guinea, the Successor of Peter wanted to send a final message in Saurimo, after thanking “the bishops, and with them the priests and deacons, as well as the consecrated and lay faithful, for having prepared my visit”, and also “the Angolan civil authorities for the great organizational effort”.
“Angola, remain faithful to your Christian roots! In this way you will be able to continue to offer your help ever better for the construction of justice and peace in Africa and in the whole world. Thank you very much!” the Pope encouraged.
The last meeting, with the Catholic community
After the Holy Mass in Saurimo, the Holy Father returned to the capital, Luanda, where he held his last meeting in Angola, in the Parish of Our Lady of Fatima, with bishops, priests, men and women religious and pastoral workers.
José Manuel Imbamba, the president of the Episcopal Conference, thanked for the welcome and listened to some testimonies, such as that of catechist Manuel Almeida, married and father of seven children, or that of some religious sisters.
Thanks from the Pope
The Pope's first words were words of thanksgiving. “I express my gratitude to all those who have served and continue to serve the Gospel in Angola. Thank you for the work of evangelization carried out in this country, for the hope of Christ sown in the hearts of the people, for the charity towards the poorest.” “Thank you because you continue to contribute constantly to the progress of this nation on the solid foundations of reconciliation and peace.”.
“Open wide the doors to Christ.”
The Pontiff assured that the Lord knows “the generosity with which you have embraced your vocation and he is not indifferent to all that, out of love for him, you do to nourish his people with the truth of the Gospel. For this reason, it is worthwhile to open our hearts completely to Christ.
“He takes nothing away, and gives everything. Whoever gives himself to him receives a hundredfold. Yes, open, open wide the doors to Christ, and you will find true life (Benedict XVI, Homily at the beginning of the Petrine ministry, 24 April 2005)”.
To seminarians: “Do not be afraid to say “yes” to Christ”.”
The Pope then addressed “the many young people in your seminaries and houses of formation: don't be afraid to say “yes” to Christ, to shape your life entirely according to his,” he encouraged them.
“Do not be afraid of tomorrow: you belong totally to the Lord. It is worthwhile to follow him in obedience, in poverty, in chastity. He takes nothing from you! The only thing he takes from us and takes upon himself is sin,” he said.
“Missionary disciples: everything is a gift.”
“Dear brothers and sisters, the Lord gives you the joy of being his missionary disciples, the strength to overcome the wiles of the evil one, the hope of eternal life. All this is yours, all this is a gift. A gift that ennobles you and makes you great, that commits you and makes you responsible”.
“A free, reconciled, beautiful and great Angolan society.”
And the greatest gift is the Holy Spirit who, poured into their hearts at Baptism, with a view to mission, “has conformed them in a special way to
Christ, who sent them to build a free, reconciled, beautiful and great Angolan society on the basis of the Gospel,” Leo XIV stressed. “How important is, in this mission, the ministry of catechists!”.
“The first way is from faithfulness to Christ”.”
Further on, the Pope asked. “What paths does the Lord open to the Church in Angola? Surely there will be many. Try to follow them all! But the first path is that of fidelity to Christ. To this end, continue to value ongoing formation, ensure consistency of life and, especially in these times, persevere in proclaiming the Good News of peace.”.
Fifty years after the independence of your country, the present and the future of Angola belong to you, he said, but you belong to Christ.
“You are the salt and light of this earth because you are members of the Body of Christ and, therefore, your gestures, your words and your actions, reflecting the charity of the Lord, build communities from within and edify for eternity.”.
Priestly or religious family
Later, after quoting St. Paul VI, St. John Paul II, and Pope Francis, he entrusted them, as a true Father, to “nourish fraternity among yourselves with frankness and transparency, do not give in to arrogance or self-referentiality, do not distance yourselves from the people, especially the poor, flee from the search for privileges.
For his fidelity and, therefore, for his mission, the priestly or religious family is indispensable, but so is the family in which we were born and grew up, he said.
The Church's esteem for the institution of the family
“The Church holds the institution of the family in great esteem, teaching that the home is the place of sanctification of all its members,” the Pope also recalled. “For many of you, undoubtedly, the cradle of vocation has been precisely the family, which has appreciated and cared for the emergence of that special call received. To your families, therefore, I address my sincere thanks for having cared for, sustained and protected your vocation.”.
At the same time, “I exhort you to always help them to remain faithful to the
Gospel, not to seek personal advantage in their ecclesial service. May they support them with their prayers and infuse them with enthusiasm with the good advice of a father and a mother, so that they may be saints and never forget that, in the image of Jesus, they are servants of all,” he encouraged.
“Your commitment to peace is not over: promote a reconciled memory”.”
Finally, their fidelity, here in Angola, as it must be throughout the world, “is today particularly linked to the proclamation of peace”, and “this commitment has not ended,” he reminded them.
In this sense, he said: “Promote, therefore, a reconciled memory, educating everyone to harmony and valuing, in your midst, the serene witness of those brothers and sisters who, after having gone through painful tribulations, have forgiven everything. Rejoice with them, celebrate peace! Moreover, do not forget that, in the words of St. Paul VI, «development is the new name for peace» (Encyclical Letter Popolorum Progressio, 87)”.
It is therefore essential that, “in interpreting reality with wisdom, they do not fail to denounce injustices, offering proposals inspired by Christian charity,” he advised.
“Continue to be a generous Church that cooperates in the integral development of your country. That is why everything you do in the areas of education and health has been and continues to be decisive”.
“Remember the heroic testimony of the faith of the Angolan people.”
In this sense, when difficulties arise, “remember the heroic witness of faith of Angolan men and women, missionaries born here or coming from abroad, who had the courage to give their lives for this people and for the Gospel, preferring death to betraying the justice, truth, mercy, charity and peace of Christ,” said Pope Leo XIV.
You too, “dear brothers, beginning with each Eucharist, are a body offered and blood poured out for the life and salvation of your brothers and sisters. At your side is always the Virgin Mary, Mama Muxima, and may God bless and make your dedication and your mission bear fruit!.
Caring for the frail, an indicator of the quality of social life
Yesterday, at the Saurimo Home for the Elderly, the Pope expressed his gratitude to the Angolan authorities “for the initiatives in favor of the most needy elderly, as well as to all the collaborators and volunteers”.
“Care for the frail is a very important indicator of the quality of a country's social life,” he added. “And let us not forget that the elderly must not only be assisted, but above all they must be listened to, because they are the custodians of the wisdom of a people. And we owe them gratitude, because they have faced great difficulties for the good of the community”.
Prayer of the rosary at Mama Muxima's Shrine
Yesterday, Pope Leo XIV prayed the rosary at the most visited Catholic Marian shrine in Angola, together with tens of thousands of Angolan Catholics.
The Holy Father made the pilgrimage to the Shrine of Mama Muxima, which means “Mother of the Heart” in the local Kimbundu language, after celebrating morning Mass for approximately 100,000 faithful in Kilamba, a district near Luanda, the capital of Angola.
“For a long time now, Mama Muxima has worked quietly to keep the heart of the Church alive and beating,” the pope said, as reported by Courtney Mares, Vatican editor for OSV News.
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