PREVIEW
From Yaoundé to Luanda, Pope Leo XIV's African tour has evolved into an indictment of resource exploitation, elite corruption and the use of religion to sanctify war
Pope Leo XIV has emerged as an unlikely political figure on his first trip to Africa as pontiff. After stirring the anger of United States President Donald Trump by stating that the world was being ‘ravaged by a handful of tyrants’, the Pope spoke in Angola and Cameroon, accusing foreign powers and companies of pillaging Africa of its natural resources. The Yaoundé stop continued the priority that the Vatican has given to Cameroon for several decades (AC Vol 54 No 22, Biya and the Bishops).
The forthright sermons in Luanda and Yaoundé have marked Leo XIV’s tour of Africa as one of the most consequential since the Pope John-Paul II some two decades ago (AC Vol 46 No 8, Papabile).
During a Mass and a meeting with students and faculty at the Catholic University of Central Africa in Yaoundé attended by 120,000 people, Leo said ‘Africa, indeed, must be freed from the scourge of corruption'. He also urged young Africans not to leave their countries but stay to improve them.
There was a similar message in Luanda when Leo urged Angolans to work for a society free from the ‘slavery imposed by the elite who are laden with much wealth but false joys.’ He added philosophically: ‘The greatness of a nation cannot be measured solely by the abundance of its natural resources, nor even by the material wealth of its institutions.’
Africa is the only continent where Catholic worshippers are increasing; current trends suggest that more than half the world’s Catholics will be Africans by 2066.
Yet Leo did not address the political divisions within the Church’s leadership, notably the fact that African countries account for just 14 of the 121 senior church leaders who advise and elect popes (AC Vol 44 No 21, Conclave expectations).
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