Malabo - A heartfelt tribute to Pope Francis on the first anniversary of his death, cooperation between Church and State on health and education in Angola, the prospect - not immediate - of creating a new Angolan cardinal, and the possibility of new dioceses for a country where the faith is growing. These were the themes Pope Leo XIV addressed this morning during his brief meeting with journalists aboard the aircraft carrying him from Luanda to Malabo, the fourth leg of his Apostolic Journey to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea.
The farewell from Luanda
After celebrating Mass in private and taking his leave of the Apostolic Nunciature, the Holy Father was driven, at around 8.30 a.m., to Luanda International Airport for the departure ceremony from Angola. Waiting to greet him on the tarmac was the President of the Republic of Angola, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço. Following the playing of the national anthems, the review of the Guard of Honour and greetings between the respective delegations, the Pontiff boarded an ITA A330-900neo, which took off at 9.19 a.m. local time bound for Equatorial Guinea.
Remembering Pope Francis
Once airborne, addressing the journalists on board, Leo XIV first wished to remember his predecessor, Pope Francis, on the first anniversary of his death. "He gave so much to the Church through his life, his witness, his words and his deeds," said the Holy Father, pointing to the closeness "to the poorest, the most vulnerable, the sick, children and the elderly" that marked Bergoglio's pontificate.
Two legacies in particular were singled out by the Pope: universal fraternity - "seeking to foster genuine respect for all men and women" - and the message of mercy. Leo XIV specifically recalled the homily of 17 March 2013, before the inauguration of the pontificate, when Francis preached on the Gospel episode of the woman caught in adultery, "how he spoke from the heart of God's mercy, how he spoke from the heart of this great love, of forgiveness". He also evoked the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. "Let us pray," the Pontiff concluded on this point, "that he is already enjoying the Lord's mercy, and let us thank the Lord for the great gift of Francis's life to the whole Church and to the whole world."
The Angolan journalists' questions
Moderated by the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, three Angolan journalists then put their questions. The first, from Adelina Domingos of Angolan Television, concerned the Church's possible contribution to improving the country's healthcare and education systems. Leo XIV confirmed that these were precisely the subjects he had discussed with President Lourenço: "How we can also work together, where possible, to improve the services that the State, in the case of Angola, offers above all to the people: the construction of new hospitals, new facilities." The Church, he added, has a responsibility for a "courageous proclamation of the word of God" that helps to recognise and promote universal rights.
To Mauro Romeo, of the Angolan Press Agency, who recalled the recent loss of the Angolan Cardinal and the people's expectation, the Pope answered candidly: "It has not yet been decided when new Cardinals will be appointed. We need to look at the matter from a global perspective." Without committing to a timetable, Leo XIV nevertheless left the door ajar: "We hope that for Africa, and perhaps even for Angola in the future - I am not saying in the immediate future, but a little further down the line - the appointment of a new Cardinal for Angola might also be considered." Finally, to Cornelio Bento of Angolan Catholic Radio - who pointed out that the current dioceses are proving insufficient in the face of the growing number of faithful - the Holy Father replied: "It is always a joy to see places around the world where the Church is growing. And we all know that there are other places in the world where the opposite is the case." Hence the call to press on with evangelisation not through "proselytism", to borrow the phrase dear to Pope Francis, but through "the beauty and appeal of the faith". As for the concrete request, Leo XIV pointed to the institutional route: it will fall to the Angolan Bishops, in cooperation with the Apostolic Nuncio, to put forward any proposals, identifying "where it would be important to create new Dioceses for the good of the people, to have the opportunity for more Bishops to be closer to the people as shepherds". Before taking his leave, the Pope asked that good wishes be passed on to the journalists in the accompanying party who were celebrating their birthdays during the flight. "Have a safe flight, have a safe journey! Good wishes to you all!" - his parting words before landing in Malabo, where the fourth and final leg of the Apostolic Journey on African soil got under way.
fr.B.C.
Silere non possum