MONGOMO, Equatorial Guinea – Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday urged Catholics in this Central African country to help shape the country’s future, saying “Christians need to take the destiny of Equatorial Guinea into their own hands.”
The second day of the Pope’s apostolic visit to the country began with the celebration of mass at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Mongomo. The Immaculate Virgin is the patroness of Equatorial Guinea.
The basilica is the largest religious building in Central Africa and the second largest on the continent after the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast.
The emotion and affection for the Pope was evident before the Mass.
“I feel very happy about the arrival of the Holy Father in our country,” said Emmanuel, a young man from Mongomo who came to attend the Mass.
“I am here with my fellow citizens and waiting for the arrival of the Pope. And I am very impressed,” said Pedro Nguema outside the basilica.
Before celebrating Mass, Leo greeted a group of children, and together they released balloons tied in the shape of a rosary into the sky. He then blessed the laying of the foundation stone of the future cathedral of Ciudad de la Paz. In brief spontaneous remarks, he thanked those in attendance and said it was “wonderful” to be united in praising the Lord. He said he wanted to ask for God’s blessing on those gathered, their families and the laying of the cornerstone symbolizing the beginning of the future cathedral.
“We want to renew our faith,” the Pope said. “We, in the Catholic Church, want to renew our commitment to faithfully follow Jesus Christ in His Church.”
In his sermon the Pope began by reflecting on the Eucharist.
Leo said, “The Eucharist truly contains every spiritual good of the Church: it is Christ, our Passover, who gives himself for us, he is the living bread that nourishes us.” “Her presence in the Eucharist reflects God’s infinite love for the entire human family and the way he faces every woman and every man today.”
The Pope said he was happy to celebrate with the faithful and “to give thanks to the Lord for these 170 years of evangelization in Equatorial Guinea.”
He said, “This is a fitting occasion to remember all the good works done by the Lord and, at the same time, I want to express my gratitude to the many missionaries, diocesan priests, catechists and lay faithful who have dedicated their lives to the service of the Gospel.”
He praised those missionaries for their testimony, saying: “Through the example of their lives, they have played their part in bringing about the Kingdom of God, without ceasing to suffer for their loyalty to Christ.”
The Pope added, “This is a history that you should never forget.” “On the one hand, it connects you to the universal and apostolic Church that came before you. On the other hand, it makes you a hero in proclaiming the Gospel and bearing witness to the faith.”
Leo said Catholics in the country are now called to continue on that path.
He said, “Each of you is invited to make a personal commitment that encompasses your entire life, so that the faith – celebrated so joyfully in your communities and in your religious rituals – may also nourish your charitable actions and your sense of responsibility towards your neighbor, so as to build up the common good.”
He said, “Such a commitment requires perseverance; it requires effort and sometimes sacrifice. Yet it is a sign that we are truly Christ’s church.”
The Pope acknowledged that personal, family and social circumstances are not always favorable, but he urged the faithful to persevere.
“Even when faced with personal, family and social circumstances that are not always favorable, we can trust that God is at work, growing the good seeds of his kingdom in ways unknown to us, including when everything around us seems barren, and even in moments of darkness,” he said.
“With a confidence that is rooted in the power of His love rather than in our own merits, we are called to be faithful to the Gospel, to proclaim it, to live it fully and to bear witness to it with joy.”
Recalling the motto of his apostolic visit – “Christ, the Light of Equatorial Guinea, towards a future of hope” – Leo said the country’s deepest hunger today is “for a future full of hope that is capable of generating a new spirit of justice and the fruits of peace and fraternity.”
He said, “This is not an unknown future that we must passively wait for, but a future that we ourselves are called to create, by the grace of God.” “The future of Equatorial Guinea depends on your choice; it is entrusted to your sense of responsibility and your shared commitment to protecting the life and dignity of every person.”
The Pope then called on all the baptized to active participation in the mission of the Church and the development of the country.
He said, “It is therefore necessary for all the baptized to feel that they are part of the work of evangelization, and therefore to be apostles of charity and witnesses of a new humanity.”
He added, “The Creator has endowed you with great natural wealth: I urge you to work together so that it may be a blessing to all.”
Leo concluded with an appeal for a more just society in which all people work to “serve the common good rather than private interests, bridging the gap between the privileged and the disadvantaged.”
“May there be more space for freedom and may the dignity of the human person always be protected,” he said. “My thoughts are with the poorest of the poor, the families facing hardship, and the prisoners who are forced to live in conditions of often troubling hygiene and sanitation.”
Then came the line at the center of the sermon: “Brothers and sisters, Christians need to take the fate of Equatorial Guinea into their own hands.”
“For this reason, I want to encourage you: Don’t be afraid to preach the gospel and bear witness to it with your life!” Pope said. “Be builders of a future of hope, peace and reconciliation, carrying on the work started by missionaries 170 years ago.”
Among those reflecting on the Pope’s visit was Ndende Njoya Souleimanou, founder and director of the Francophone Institute of Bata, who said he was particularly impressed by Leo’s repeated emphasis on peace during his African trip.
“While traveling through Cameroon, Angola and here in Equatorial Guinea, one word struck me the most,” Souleymanou said. “That word is PEACE – PEACE in capital letters. Hearing that word went straight to my heart.”
After the Mass, the Pope walked to the nearby Pope Francis Technical School for a brief visit to the training center named after his predecessor. It was decided to continue his program in Bata in the afternoon.
This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian language partner service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
