Pope insists in Cameroon: “Those in charge are at the service” of everyone

- Courtney Mares, OSV News / F. Otamendi

Pope Leo XIV spoke to journalists aboard the papal plane on April 15 during the five-hour flight from Algeria to Cameroon, underscoring the enduring importance of St. Augustine today and affirming that the saint's invitation “to seek God and to seek the truth is something very much needed today.”.

Reflecting on the last two days in Algeria, the Pontiff said that his return to the modern Algerian city of Annaba and the ruins of the Roman city of Hippo was not only “a special blessing for me personally”. But it also has “a strong symbolic value,” to “offer to the Church and to the world a vision that St. Augustine offers us in terms of that search for God and the effort to build community.”.

St. Augustine: seeking God and seeking the truth

Speaking in English, Pope Leo said St. Augustine “remains a very important figure today.” “His writings, his teaching, his spirituality, his invitation to seek God and to seek the truth is something very necessary today, a very real message for all of us today, as believers in Jesus Christ, but also for every person.”.

“And as you have seen, even the people of Algeria, the vast majority of whom are not Christian, honor and deeply respect the memory of St. Augustine as one of the great sons of their land,” Pope Leo added.

“I am happy to greet you all this morning after what I personally consider to have been a truly blessed trip and visit to Algeria,” Pope Leo said.

“Continue to build bridges”

Pope Leo described his stay in Algeria as a great opportunity to «continue to build bridges» and promote interreligious dialogue between Catholics and Muslims.” “I think the visit to the mosque was significant in saying that, although we have different beliefs, different ways of praying and different ways of living, we can live together in peace,» the Pope said.

Once in the capital of Cameroon, the Pope was warmly received by the authorities and the people. In his address to the President, civil society and the diplomatic corps, the Pontiff thanked them “from the bottom of my heart for the warm welcome you have given me and for the words of welcome you have addressed to me”.

‘Africa in miniature’: its variety is a treasure trove 

“It is with deep joy that I find myself in Cameroon, often defined as “Africa in miniature” because of the richness of its territories, its cultures, its languages and its traditions. This variety is not a fragility; it is a treasure. It constitutes a promise of fraternity and a solid foundation for building lasting peace. I come among you as a pastor and as a servant of dialogue, fraternity and peace.” Thus began the Pope's address.

Visits of St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI in memory

Leo XIV expressed the will to strengthen the ties of cooperation between the Holy See and the Republic of Cameroon, “founded on mutual respect, on the dignity of every human person and on religious freedom”. 

It is a country that “retains in its memory the visits of my predecessors: that of St. John Paul II, The message of hope for all the peoples of Africa, and that of Benedict XVI, He stressed the importance of reconciliation, justice and peace, as well as the moral responsibility of those in power.

Authority according to St. Augustine

Then, among other questions, the Augustinian Pope, as he has done several times in recent weeks, recalled two important ideas of his spiritual father, St. Augustine.

   1) “Public authority is called to be a bridge, never a dividing factor, even where insecurity seems to reign. Security is a priority, but it must always be exercised with respect for human rights, combining rigor and magnanimity, with particular attention to the most vulnerable.”.

   2) Sixteen hundred years ago, St. Augustine wrote words of great timeliness: “Even those who command are at the service of those who, according to appearances, are commanded. And they do not command them out of a desire to dominate, but out of their obligation to look after them; not out of pride to excel, but out of a service full of goodness”.

Complex trials in Cameroon: tensions, violence and suffering

The Successor of Peter then referred to the “complex trials” that Cameroon is going through. “The tensions and violence that have affected some regions in the northwest, southwest and far north have caused deep suffering: lives lost, families displaced, children deprived of school, young people who see no future.”. 

In the face of such dramatic situations, “at the beginning of this year I invited humanity to reject the logic of violence and war, to embrace a peace founded on love and justice,” said Leo XIV. 

“A peace that is unarmed, i.e., not based on fear, threat or weaponry; and 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 personal and institutional style that repudiates all forms of violence. That is why I strongly reiterate: ‘The world thirsts for peace.

 “Enough with the wars!”

 “Enough wars, with their painful accumulation of deaths, destruction and exiles,” he repeated the cry of these days. “This cry wants to be an appeal to the will to contribute to a genuine peace, putting it before any particular interest.”

Peace, in fact, is not decreed: it is welcomed and lived, he stressed yesterday in Cameroon. “It is a gift of God, which is developed in a patient and collective work. It is everyone's responsibility.

Civil society, a vital force

In addition, the Pope stated, in French, like his entire speech, that “civil society must be considered a vital force for national cohesion. It is a step for which Cameroon is also prepared”.

“Associations, women's and youth organizations, trade unions, humanitarian NGOs, traditional and religious leaders: all play an irreplaceable role in building social peace,” he reiterated.

God bless Cameroon

In his conclusion, the Pontiff ended before the large audience: “May God bless Cameroon, sustain its leaders, inspire civil society, enlighten the work of the diplomatic corps and grant all the Cameroonian people - Christians and non-Christians, political leaders and citizens - to welcome the Kingdom of God, building together a future of justice and peace”.

The Pope will visit three cities in Cameroon: Yaoundé, its capital, starting today; the northwestern city of Bamenda, on April 16, where separatists operating in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon announced a temporary cessation of hostilities; and Douala, the country's largest city and economic center, on the 17th.

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Courtney Mares is Vatican editor for OSV News. Follow her on X @catholicourtney.

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