Refusing to reduce the Church to a simple catechetical mission, he advocated for concrete engagement in the face of the social, political, and human challenges of the country and the continent.
In Yaoundé, Pope Leo XIV’s tone was clear, direct, and deeply rooted in African realities. Before the faithful and authorities, the pontiff emphasized the moral responsibility of leaders: “To govern is to love one’s country, but also neighboring countries,” he stressed, calling for an open and supportive political vision.
In a context marked by tensions and conflicts, he launched an urgent appeal: “Enough of wars, with their painful procession of deaths, destruction, and exiles.” For him, peace cannot be imposed from above: “It is not decreed: it is welcomed and lived,” he affirmed, inviting everyone to become its artisan.
The Pope did not shy away from the ills that weaken African societies. He openly denounced “the chains of corruption that disfigure authority,” while warning against “this thirst for gain which is idolatry.” Behind the economic figures, he recalled, “there are faces, stories, broken hopes.”
Advocating for inclusive governance, he urged leaders to build “a social policy with the poor, never without the poor,” and to truly listen to citizens. “Public authority is called to be a bridge, and never a factor of division,” he insisted.
Finally, paying tribute to women, “often the first victims of violence but tireless artisans of peace,” the Pope concluded by recalling that “the true gain is integral human development,” quoting Saint Augustine: “Those who command are at the service of those they seem to command.”
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