Vatican City, Sep 11, 2019 / 05:30 am (CNA).- Upon his return to the Vatican after a six-day trip to Africa, Pope Francis said Wednesday that he hopes the “seeds of peace” sown during his apostolic journey will bear fruit in Mozambique, Madagascar, and Mauritius.
“I thank God who allowed me to make this journey as a pilgrim of peace and hope,” Pope Francis said in St. Peter’s Square Sept. 11.
“The hope of the world is Christ, and his Gospel is the most powerful leaven of fraternity, freedom, justice and peace for all people. With my visit, in the footsteps of holy missionaries, I tried to bring this leaven, the leaven of Jesus, to the Mozambican, Malagasy and Mauritian populations,” he said.
Pope Francis said that the Church will continue to support the peace process in Mozambique, which advanced in August, and he thanked the Catholic community of Saint’Egidio for their continued contributions to this dialogue.
“In Mozambique I went to spread seeds of hope, peace and reconciliation in a land that has suffered so much in the recent past due to a long armed conflict, and that last spring was hit by two cyclones that caused very serious damage,” the pope said.
Mozambique fought a civil war from 1977 to 1992 between Frelimo, a socialist party that has ruled the country since it gained independence in 1975, and Renamo, an anti-communist organization. Renamo began a new insurgency in 2013, a conflict that only came to an end in August with the signing of a peace agreement in Serra da Gorongosa.
“The Church continues to accompany the peace process, which has taken a step forward on August 1st with a new agreement between the parties,” the pope said.
“Let us give thanks to God, and ask him that the seeds sown during this apostolic journey will bear abundant fruit for the people of Mozambique, Madagascar and Mauritius,” he said.
The pope reflected that there was much joy amid the rain during the Mass he celebrated in Maputo, Mozambique.
“My visit to Mozambique culminated in Mass, celebrated in the stadium in the rain, but we were all happy. The songs, the religious dances … so much happiness. The rain didn’t matter,” Francis said.
“And there resounded the appeal of the Lord Jesus: ‘Love your enemies’, the seed of true revolution, that of love, which extinguishes violence and generates fraternity,” he added.
After three days in Mozambique, Pope Francis traveled to Madagascar, where he visited the country’s “City of Friendship,” a town built through the leadership of an Argentine priest who sought solidarity with the poorest of the poor.
Pope Francis reflected that Madagascar is a country rich in natural resources and natural beauty, but marked by much poverty.
“I hope that, inspired by its traditional spirit of solidarity, the Malagasy people can overcome adversity and build a future of development by combining respect for the environment and social justice,” he said.
In his meeting with bishops in Madagascar, Pope Francis said that they renewed together a commitment to care for the poor and to be “sowers of peace and hope.”
Pope Francis ended his six-day trip to Africa on the island nation of Mauritius. “I chose it because it is a place of integration between different ethnic groups and cultures,” Pope Francis said, noting the different immigrants from India and other countries who have come to call the tourist destination home over the past two centuries.
Mauritius obtained its independence on March 12, 1968, after more than 200 years of colonization by the French and the British following years of Dutch and Portuguese settlements.
The country is made up of many different ethnic groups, primarily Indo-Mauritian, Creole, Sino-Mauritian, and Franco-Mauritian. The primary religion on the island is Hinduism, followed by Catholicism and Islam.
“There is strong inter-religious dialogue, and also friendship between the heads of different religious denominations. Something that would seem strange to us, but they thus experience the friendship that is natural,” Francis reflected.
The pope said that in Mauritius he found a beautiful bouquet of flowers upon entering the chancery. It was sent as a gift from the grand imam as a sign of brotherhood.
Francis said that he was also impressed to see Muslims and Catholics working together in an HIV treatment clinic in Mozambique run by the Community of Sant’Egidio, a lay movement centered on peace and helping the poor.
On his return flight to Rome, Pope Francis said during an in-flight press conference that he was touched by how the African people in the crowds lifted up their children for him to see.
“Africa is full of life,” Pope Francis said. “It is the treasure of the poor, the child.”
[…]
“He also said he does not like ‘extremisms, either progressive, or traditionalist ones’ but believes ‘there is a via media’ which is the ‘correct path to take, even if each of us has his own peculiarities, because, thanks be to God, we do not repeat, we are not clones'(Cardinal Ladaria SJ).” Edw Pentin voiced cautious reserve in Pope Francis’ choice. Pentin noted concern of having two Jesuits in the foremost positions of authority in the Church. It’s the “via media” that is most concerning given that he has never expressed any concern whatsoever over AL. Via media is the Pontiff’s putative approach for communion for D&R in AL. What is striking regarding a middle ground narrowly measured approach in AL is far from what has transpired in those Nat Bishops Conf that have adopted AL and gone far beyond giving sanction to reliance on conscience. It seems considering what is said here Cardinal Ladaria SJ will amount to no more than a yes man. An effectual papal puppet. At least to his great credit Cardinal Mueller had the courage to warn the German Bishops. But who would think outlaw Card Reinhold Marx who previously said he would defy Rome in the mold of Martin Luther and follow his own perspectives on moral issues would pay attention to Card Mueller. Now the Pontiff no longer needs to deal with a Gadfly. He’s appointed a Gnat.
“The Vatican announced July 1 that taking Müller’s place will be Jesuit Archbishop Luis Ladaria, who was appointed secretary to the CDF by Benedict XVI in 2008, and is known to be simple, orthodox in his theology, highly intellectual and is described by those who know him as not being a ‘yes man’.”
http://www.catholicworldreport.com/2017/07/02/cardinal-mller-theres-no-problem-between-me-pope-francis/
I hope he is a good Jesuit and not a bad one.
Oh, brother.
I don’t see how Ladaria is anything but a
“Yes” man as Fr. Morello’s excellent comment declares.
At some point, as Christ promised, the Holy Spirit will have to intervene because Pope Francis will actively move to deny Church doctrine.
“The Vatican announced July 1 that taking Müller’s place will be Jesuit Archbishop Luis Ladaria, who was appointed secretary to the CDF by Benedict XVI in 2008, and is known to be simple, orthodox in his theology, highly intellectual and is described by those who know him as not being a ‘yes man’.”
http://www.catholicworldreport.com/2017/07/02/cardinal-mller-theres-no-problem-between-me-pope-francis/
The SJ is about the sexual revolution and their world-wide zeitgeist brand.
With exceptions for the orthodox ones I know I can trust, like Fathers Schall, Fessio and others like them, I begin with total distrust of anyone of SJ.
I wish their decadent order would disappear faster than they already are.
Just what Pope Francis wants – another yes man carrying water for his decadent 1960s “Kasper-Kirk” the new Church of man as god:
Quote Kasper: ” The God who sits enthroned over the world and history as a changeless being is an offense to man.” (Kasper, God in History, 1967).
Total arrogance.
I reject Pope F until the day he answers the dubia by unambiguously affirming FC, and upholding the word of Jesus against his henchman Kasper and his neo-Pharisee demand for divorce.
I thin a correction should be made in the article and instead of saying: “the most important dicastery in the Roman Curia”, it should be “formerly the most important dicastery…”, as it seems clear that the Pontiff doesn’t have much patience with doctrine. Otherwise, why would be refuse to answer the “dubia”? He is gung ho on changing the doctrine surreptitiously by means pastoral practice. Maybe Ladaria, being aJesuit, will be more docile, according to the Ignatian doctrine of “blind obedience”, or at least he will keep his mouth shut on AL. He is certainly not heterodox.
Oh I doubt Father Ladaria would be intimidated by his fellow Jesuit. Look at Father Fessio–he’s not ever been intimated
by his fellow priests, including his fellow Jesuit, the Pope.
Sick and tired of this man who sits in St. Peter’s chair.
He is not my pope until he answers the dubia.
How could one be concerned about the 4th of July celebrations when a whole new scandal is breaking about the sexual abuse of children, wholesale gay parties in the Vatican and how two of the advisors close to the pope are deeply involved in ongoing sexual activities in a place owned by the Vatican. Amazing, we thought the church had entered into a new era obviously nothing ever changes. These priests and even cardinals involved who practice the gay lifestyle in grand style are rife in the Vatican even those who direct the Liturgy are involved and many others. Some from Australia, Pell for one with many cases against him and those from America who have brought new gay life to the Vatican. It has been all over the radio today is Los Angeles, Radio KFI. Tomorrow it will be all over NY news. They were those that pushed the investigations against Cardinal Mahoney. Evidently, the time has come to leave the church as only a nod is given to these unforgivable acts and life goes on starting with the pope and ending with the lowest priest in any diocese. Obviously, there is no cure for these sins. Well, this will never be posted. God help us, evidently, this is just another Jesuits will be Jesuits. The elites? We don’t think so.
Kathy,I believe that God issues the call, but until these molesters and the bishops who shield them face justice,men who want to live a holy life will stay away from the priesthood. Thank God Pope Francis sent Pell back to Australia to face the music and answer to the law for his misdeeds.
Kathy,thank God Pope Francis sent Pell back to Australia to face the music. Men who want to to serve God will stay away from a priesthood where sin is allowed to flourish.
I hope this man is like Father Fessio an not like Bergoglio,I hope he is Orthodox an a Loyal Son of Jesus Christ……