and ways of thinking which can fuel spiritual complacency. We need to examine
our consciences, as individuals and as communities.
As I mentioned, we are entering the season of Advent, which is a time of new
beginnings. In the Church we like to say that Africa is the continent of hope,
and with good reason. The Church in these lands is blessed with an abundant
harvest of religious vocations. This evening I would offer a special word of
encouragement to the young seminarians and religious present. The Lord's call
is
a source of joy and a summons to serve. Jesus tells us that 'it is out of the
abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks'. May the fire of the Holy Spirit
purify your hearts, so that you can be joyful and convincing witnesses to the
hope of the Gospel. You have a beautiful word to speak! May you always speak
it,
above all, by the integrity and conviction of your lives.
Dear brothers and sisters, my visit to Uganda is brief, and today was a very
long day! But I consider our meeting tonight to be the crowning of this
beautiful day when I was able to go as a pilgrim to the Shrine of the Uganda
Martyrs at Namugongo, and to meet with the many young people who are the future
of the nation and our Church. Truly I leave Africa with great hope in the
harvest of grace which God is preparing in your midst! I ask all of you to pray
for an outpouring of apostolic zeal, for joyful perseverance in the calling you
have received, and, above all, for the gift of a pure heart ever open to the
needs of all our brothers and sisters. In this way the Church in Uganda will
truly prove worthy of its glorious heritage and face the challenges of the
future with sure hope in Christ's promises. I will remember all of you in my
prayers, and I ask you, please, to pray for me!".
___________________________________________________________
The Pope arrives in the Central African Republic as a pilgrim of peace and an
apostle of hope
Vatican City, 29 November 2015 (VIS) - This morning, at 9.15 local time (7.15
in Rome), the Holy Father left Uganda to embark on the final phase of his
eleventh apostolic trip, in the Central African Republic, reaching the capital
Bangui at 10 am local time, the same as in Rome. The Pope was received by the
Head of State of the Transition of the Central African Republic, Catherine
Samba-Panza, who is also the deputy president of the Association of African
Women Jurists. The Head of State, mayor of the capital during the 2012- 2013
armed conflict, was elected as interim president to govern the country during
the phase of transition between civil war and the upcoming presidential and
parliamentary elections, scheduled to take place in December.
From the airport the Pope proceeded to the Palais de la Renaissance, where
after meeting with the family of the president in private, he encountered the
ruling class and diplomatic corps accredited to the country, to whom he
expressed his sympathy and spiritual closeness to all Central Africans. The
bishop of Rome also greeted the representatives of international organisations
whose work evokes "the ideal of solidarity and cooperation which needs to be
cultivated between peoples and nations".
"As the Central African Republic progressively moves, in spite of
difficulties,
towards the normalisation of its social and political life, I come to this land
for the first time, following my predecessor St. John Paul II. I come as a
pilgrim of peace and an apostle of hope. For this reason, I express my
appreciation of the efforts made by the different national and international
authorities, beginning with Madam Interim Head of State, to guide the country
to
this point. It is my fervent wish that the various national consultations to be
held in coming weeks will enable the country to embark serenely on new chapter
of its history".
"To brighten the horizon, there is the motto of the Central African Republic,
which translates the hope of pioneers and the dream of the founding fathers:
'Unity-Dignity-Labour'. Today, more than ever, this trilogy expresses the
aspirations of each Central African. Consequently, it is a sure compass for the
authorities called to guide the destiny of the country. Unity, dignity, labour!
Three very significant words, each of which represents as much a building
project as a unending programme, something to be ceaselessly crafted".
"First, unity. This, we know, is a cardinal value for the harmony of peoples.
It is to be lived and built up on the basis of the marvellous diversity of our
environment, avoiding the temptation of fear of others, of the unfamiliar, of
what is not part of our ethnic group, our political views or our religious
confession. Unity, on the contrary, calls for creating and promoting a
synthesis
of the richness which each person has to offer. Unity in diversity is a
constant
challenge, one which demands creativity, generosity, self-sacrifice and respect
for others".
Then, dignity. This moral value is rightly synonymous with the honesty,
loyalty, graciousness and honour which characterise men and women conscious of
their rights and duties, and which lead them to mutual respect. Each person has
dignity. I was interested to learn that Central Africa is the country of the
'Zo
kwe zo', the country where everybody is somebody. Everything must be done to
protect the status and dignity of the human person. Those who have the means to
enjoy a decent life, rather than being concerned with privileges, must seek to
help those poorer than themselves to attain dignified living conditions,
particularly through the development of their human, cultural, economic and
social potential. Consequently, access to education and to health care, the
fight against malnutrition and efforts to ensure decent housing for everyone
must be at the forefront of a development concerned for human dignity. In
effect, our human dignity is expressed by our working for the dignity of our
fellow man".
"Finally, labour. It is by working that you are able to improve the lives of
your families. St. Paul tells us that 'children ought not to lay up for their
parents, but parents for their children'. The work of parents expresses their
love for their children. And you again, Central Africans, can improve this
marvellous land by wisely exploiting its many resources. Your country is
located
in a region considered to be one of the two lungs of mankind on account of its
exceptionally rich biodiversity. In this regard, echoing my cncyclical 'Laudato
Si'', I would like particularly to draw the attention of everyone, citizens and
national leaders, international partners and multinational societies, to their
grave responsibility in making use of environmental resources, in development
decisions and projects which in any way affect the entire planet. The work of
building a prosperous society must be a cooperative effort. The wisdom of your
people has long understood this truth, as seen in the proverb: 'The ants are
little, but since they are so many, they can bring their hoard home'".
"It is no doubt superfluous to underline the capital importance of upright
conduct and administration on the part of public authorities. They must be the
first to embody consistently the values of unity, dignity and labour, serving
as
models for their compatriots".
"The history of the evangelisation of this land and the socio-political
history
of this country attest to the commitment of the Church in promoting the values
of unity, dignity and labour. In recalling the pioneers of evangelisation in
the
Central African Republic, I greet my brother bishops, who now carry on this
work. With them, I express once more the readiness of the local Church to
contribute even more to the promotion of the common good, particularly by
working for peace and reconciliation. I do not doubt that the Central African
authorities, present and future, will work tirelessly to ensure that the Church
enjoys favourable conditions for the fulfilment of her spiritual mission. In
this way she will be able to contribute increasingly to 'promoting the good of
every man and of the whole man', to use the felicitous expression of my
predecessor, Blessed Paul VI, who fifty years ago was the first Pope of modern
times to come to Africa, to encourage and confirm the continent in goodness at
the dawn of a new age".
"For my part, I express my appreciation for the efforts made by the
international community, represented here by the Diplomatic Corps and the
members of the various Missions of the International Organisations. I heartily
encourage them to continue along the path of solidarity, in the hope that their
commitment, together with the activity of the Central African authorities, will
help the country to advance, especially in the areas of reconciliation,
disarmament, peacekeeping, health care and the cultivation of a sound
administration at all levels".
"To conclude, I would like to express once more my joy to visit this
marvellous
country, located in the heart of Africa, home to a people profoundly religious
and blessed with so such natural and cultural richness. Here I see a country
filled with God's gifts! May the Central African people, its leaders and its
partners, always appreciate the value of these gifts by working ceaselessly for
unity, human dignity and a peace based on justice. May God bless you all! Thank
you".
After his meeting with the country's leaders, the Holy Father travelled by
popemobile to the refugee camp in the parish of St. Sauveur, where he was
welcomed by the children who live there and greeted by a woman residing there.
The Pope greeted all present and addressed the following words to them: "We
must
work and pray to do everything possible for peace, but peace without love,
without friendship, without tolerance and without forgiveness, is not possible.
Each one of us must do something. I wish peace upon all of you and for all
Central Africans, a great peace among you; that you may live in peace
regardless
of ethnic group, culture, religion or social status. Peace to all, as we are
all
brothers and sisters. I would like us all to say together that we are all
brothers and sisters, and therefore we want peace. I bring you the Lord's
blessing".
This afternoon, after lunching with the bishops of the Central African
Republic
at the apostolic nunciature, he will visit the faculty of theology in Bangui,
where he will pronounce a discourse before the country's evangelical
communities.
___________________________________________________________
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the source: V. I. S. - Vatican Information Service.
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* Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Huntsville AL=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)
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