This morning's General Audience began at 10:00am in Saint Peter's Square, where the Holy Father, Pope Francis met with groups of pilgrims and the faithful from Italy and from every other part of the world.
During his speech, the Pope focused on his recent Apostolic Voyage to Africa.
Following the usual summaries of his catechesis presented in various languages, the Holy Father addressed particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic Blessing.
In these past days I completed my first Apostolic Voyage to Africa. Africa is beautiful! I want to thank the Lord for his great gift, which allowed me to see three countries: Kenya first, then Uganda and finally the Central African Republic. Once again, I renew my thanks to the civil authorities and to the bishops of these countries for having welcomed me, and I thank all those who helped in so many ways. Thank you, with all my heart!
Kenya is a country that represents very well the global challenge of our times: to care for creation by changing the development model so that it can be more equitable, inclusive and sustainable. All of this is reflected in Nairobi, the largest city in East Africa, where wealth and poverty coexist: but this is a scandal! Not only in Africa: here too, and everywhere. The coexistence of wealth and poverty is a scandal, a source of shame for all humanity. In Nairobi, we find the United Nations' Office for the Environment, which I visited. In Kenya, I met with Authorities and Diplomats, and also with residents from one of the neighbourhoods; I met with the leaders of various Christian confessions and of other religions, with priests and consecrated men and women, and I met with young people, so many young people! On every occasion, I encouraged them to treasure the great richness of their country: natural and spiritual riches, including earthly resources, new generations and the values that create the wisdom of a people. In this context which is so dramatically current, I had the joy of taking Jesus' words of hope: Be strong in your faith, don't be afraid. This was the motto of the visit. A word that is relived every day by so many humble and simple people, with noble dignity: a word which is known in a particularly tragic way to the young people at the University of Garissa, who were killed on April 2nd of this past year because they were Christians. Their blood is a seed of peace and of fraternity for all of Kenya, for Africa and for the entire world.
Then, in Uganda my visit took place as a sign of the Martyrs of that country, fifty years after their historic canonization by Blessed Paul VI. For this reason, the motto was: You will be my witnesses (Acts 1:8). This is a motto that presupposes the words that immediately precede it: You will receive strength from the Holy Spirit, for it is the Spirit that enlivens the hearts and the hands of the missionary disciples. And the entire visit to Uganda took place in the fervour of witness animated by the Holy Spirit. Witness in its explicit sense is the service of catechists, who I thanked and encouraged for their commitment, which is often shared also by the members of their families. Witness is an act of charity, which I touched with my own hands at the Casa di Nalukolongo, but which can be seen in the commitment of so many communities and associations in service to the poor, the disabled and the sick. Witness is the work of the young who, despite their own difficulties, maintain the gift of hope and seek to live according to the gospel and not according to the temptations of the world, going against the tide. Witnesses include the priests and the consecrated men and women who renew day after day their total yes to Christ and dedicate themselves with joy to the service of the holy people of God. There is another group of witnesses, but I will speak about them afterwards. All of this multi-faceted witness, animated by the same Holy Spirit, is a leaven for all of society, as is demonstrated by the efficient work in Uganda in the fight against AIDS and in the welcoming of refugees.
The third stage of the trip was in the Central African Republic, in the geographic heart of the continent: truly the heart of Africa. This visit was in reality the first on my list, because that country has been seeking to overcome a very difficult period of violent conflicts and much suffering by its population. For this reason, I wanted to open there, in Bangui, a week ahead of time, the first Holy Door of the Jubilee of Mercy, as a sign of faith and of hope for those people, and symbolically for the entire African population who are most in need of redemption and comfort. The invitation issued by Jesus to the disciples: Let us pass over to the other side (Lk 8:22) was the motto for Central Africa. To pass over to the other side, in a civil sense, signifies leaving behind war, division and poverty and choosing peace, reconciliation and development. But this presupposes a passage that takes place in one's conscience, attitudes and personal intentions. At this level, the contributions of religious communities has been decisive. This is why I met with the Evangelical and the Muslim communities, with whom we share prayer and a commitment to peace. With the priests and consecrated men and women, but also with the youth, we shared the joy of knowing that the risen Lord is with us in the barque, and it is He who guides it to the other side. Finally, at the last Mass, in the stadium in Bangui on the feast of the Apostle Andrew, we renewed our commitment to follow Jesus, our hope, our peace, the face of divine mercy. This final Mass was marvelous: it was filled with young people, a stadium of youth! More than half of the population of the Central African Republic are minors, younger than 18 years of age: a promise for the future!
I want to say a word about the missionaries. Men and women who have left their countries, everything ... From their youth, they have gone there, led lives which involve so much work, even at times sleeping on the ground. At a certain moment, I found a sister in Bangui. She was Italian. We could tell that she was elderly: How old are you, I asked. 81 - But, that's not possible, two years older than I am. - That sister has been there from the time she was 23 or 24 years old - what a life! And there are so many more, just like her. She was with a child, and the child said, in Italian: Nonna. The sister told me: I, I'n not from that place, from another country close by, from Congo; but I came in a canoe, with this child. This is what it means to be a missionary: courageous. And what do you do, sister? - I am a nurse and I have studied a bit here and I became an obstetrician; I've helped with 3,280 births. That's what she told me. An entire life dedicated to life, to the lives of others. And just like this sister, there are many others, many: many sisters, many priests, many religious who spend their lives proclaiming Jesus Christ. It's beautiful to see this. Beautiful!
I want to say a word to the youth. But, there are only a few of you here because it seems that the birthrate is a luxury here in Europe: births zero, birthrate 1%. I want to say to the young: think about what you are doing with your lives. Think about that sister and about the many others who are just like her, who have given their lives and so many have died there. To be a missionary does not mean to proselytize: that sister was telling me that Muslim women go to them because they know that the sisters are good nurses who will take good care of them, and will not try to convert them! They bear witness, and they catechize those who want to learn more. But they give witness: this is the great missionary heroism of the Church. To proclaim Jesus Christ with one's own life! I say to young people: think about what you are doing with your lives. This is the time to think and to ask the Lord to help you to learn his will for you. Please don't exclude the possibility of becoming missionaries, to proclaim love, humanity and faith in other countries - not to proselytize, no. There are many others who seek something else. Faith begins primarily with witness and then with words. Slowly.
Together, let us praise the Lord for this pilgrimage to the African land, and let us allow ourselves to be guided by his key words: Be strong in your faith, do not be afraid. Be my witnesses. Let us pass over to the other side.
At the conclusion of his catechesis, the Holy Father's teaching was summarized in various languages and he himself spoke greetings to each group of pilgrims in attendance. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, including those from England, Australia, Korea and the United States of America. My special greeting goes to the group “Up with People” for sharing with us their music. Upon you and your families I invoke the Lord’s blessings of joy and peace. God bless you all!
During his speech, the Pope focused on his recent Apostolic Voyage to Africa.
Following the usual summaries of his catechesis presented in various languages, the Holy Father addressed particular greetings to each group of the faithful in attendance.
The General Audience concluded with the chanting of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic Blessing.
Catechesis of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the General Audience
In these past days I completed my first Apostolic Voyage to Africa. Africa is beautiful! I want to thank the Lord for his great gift, which allowed me to see three countries: Kenya first, then Uganda and finally the Central African Republic. Once again, I renew my thanks to the civil authorities and to the bishops of these countries for having welcomed me, and I thank all those who helped in so many ways. Thank you, with all my heart!
Kenya is a country that represents very well the global challenge of our times: to care for creation by changing the development model so that it can be more equitable, inclusive and sustainable. All of this is reflected in Nairobi, the largest city in East Africa, where wealth and poverty coexist: but this is a scandal! Not only in Africa: here too, and everywhere. The coexistence of wealth and poverty is a scandal, a source of shame for all humanity. In Nairobi, we find the United Nations' Office for the Environment, which I visited. In Kenya, I met with Authorities and Diplomats, and also with residents from one of the neighbourhoods; I met with the leaders of various Christian confessions and of other religions, with priests and consecrated men and women, and I met with young people, so many young people! On every occasion, I encouraged them to treasure the great richness of their country: natural and spiritual riches, including earthly resources, new generations and the values that create the wisdom of a people. In this context which is so dramatically current, I had the joy of taking Jesus' words of hope: Be strong in your faith, don't be afraid. This was the motto of the visit. A word that is relived every day by so many humble and simple people, with noble dignity: a word which is known in a particularly tragic way to the young people at the University of Garissa, who were killed on April 2nd of this past year because they were Christians. Their blood is a seed of peace and of fraternity for all of Kenya, for Africa and for the entire world.
Then, in Uganda my visit took place as a sign of the Martyrs of that country, fifty years after their historic canonization by Blessed Paul VI. For this reason, the motto was: You will be my witnesses (Acts 1:8). This is a motto that presupposes the words that immediately precede it: You will receive strength from the Holy Spirit, for it is the Spirit that enlivens the hearts and the hands of the missionary disciples. And the entire visit to Uganda took place in the fervour of witness animated by the Holy Spirit. Witness in its explicit sense is the service of catechists, who I thanked and encouraged for their commitment, which is often shared also by the members of their families. Witness is an act of charity, which I touched with my own hands at the Casa di Nalukolongo, but which can be seen in the commitment of so many communities and associations in service to the poor, the disabled and the sick. Witness is the work of the young who, despite their own difficulties, maintain the gift of hope and seek to live according to the gospel and not according to the temptations of the world, going against the tide. Witnesses include the priests and the consecrated men and women who renew day after day their total yes to Christ and dedicate themselves with joy to the service of the holy people of God. There is another group of witnesses, but I will speak about them afterwards. All of this multi-faceted witness, animated by the same Holy Spirit, is a leaven for all of society, as is demonstrated by the efficient work in Uganda in the fight against AIDS and in the welcoming of refugees.
The third stage of the trip was in the Central African Republic, in the geographic heart of the continent: truly the heart of Africa. This visit was in reality the first on my list, because that country has been seeking to overcome a very difficult period of violent conflicts and much suffering by its population. For this reason, I wanted to open there, in Bangui, a week ahead of time, the first Holy Door of the Jubilee of Mercy, as a sign of faith and of hope for those people, and symbolically for the entire African population who are most in need of redemption and comfort. The invitation issued by Jesus to the disciples: Let us pass over to the other side (Lk 8:22) was the motto for Central Africa. To pass over to the other side, in a civil sense, signifies leaving behind war, division and poverty and choosing peace, reconciliation and development. But this presupposes a passage that takes place in one's conscience, attitudes and personal intentions. At this level, the contributions of religious communities has been decisive. This is why I met with the Evangelical and the Muslim communities, with whom we share prayer and a commitment to peace. With the priests and consecrated men and women, but also with the youth, we shared the joy of knowing that the risen Lord is with us in the barque, and it is He who guides it to the other side. Finally, at the last Mass, in the stadium in Bangui on the feast of the Apostle Andrew, we renewed our commitment to follow Jesus, our hope, our peace, the face of divine mercy. This final Mass was marvelous: it was filled with young people, a stadium of youth! More than half of the population of the Central African Republic are minors, younger than 18 years of age: a promise for the future!
I want to say a word about the missionaries. Men and women who have left their countries, everything ... From their youth, they have gone there, led lives which involve so much work, even at times sleeping on the ground. At a certain moment, I found a sister in Bangui. She was Italian. We could tell that she was elderly: How old are you, I asked. 81 - But, that's not possible, two years older than I am. - That sister has been there from the time she was 23 or 24 years old - what a life! And there are so many more, just like her. She was with a child, and the child said, in Italian: Nonna. The sister told me: I, I'n not from that place, from another country close by, from Congo; but I came in a canoe, with this child. This is what it means to be a missionary: courageous. And what do you do, sister? - I am a nurse and I have studied a bit here and I became an obstetrician; I've helped with 3,280 births. That's what she told me. An entire life dedicated to life, to the lives of others. And just like this sister, there are many others, many: many sisters, many priests, many religious who spend their lives proclaiming Jesus Christ. It's beautiful to see this. Beautiful!
I want to say a word to the youth. But, there are only a few of you here because it seems that the birthrate is a luxury here in Europe: births zero, birthrate 1%. I want to say to the young: think about what you are doing with your lives. Think about that sister and about the many others who are just like her, who have given their lives and so many have died there. To be a missionary does not mean to proselytize: that sister was telling me that Muslim women go to them because they know that the sisters are good nurses who will take good care of them, and will not try to convert them! They bear witness, and they catechize those who want to learn more. But they give witness: this is the great missionary heroism of the Church. To proclaim Jesus Christ with one's own life! I say to young people: think about what you are doing with your lives. This is the time to think and to ask the Lord to help you to learn his will for you. Please don't exclude the possibility of becoming missionaries, to proclaim love, humanity and faith in other countries - not to proselytize, no. There are many others who seek something else. Faith begins primarily with witness and then with words. Slowly.
Together, let us praise the Lord for this pilgrimage to the African land, and let us allow ourselves to be guided by his key words: Be strong in your faith, do not be afraid. Be my witnesses. Let us pass over to the other side.
At the conclusion of his catechesis, the Holy Father's teaching was summarized in various languages and he himself spoke greetings to each group of pilgrims in attendance. To English-speaking pilgrims, he said:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, including those from England, Australia, Korea and the United States of America. My special greeting goes to the group “Up with People” for sharing with us their music. Upon you and your families I invoke the Lord’s blessings of joy and peace. God bless you all!
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