On April 16, the Vatican released a message from Pope Leo XIV on the occasion of the Second National Meeting of Local Representatives for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults of the Italian Bishops’ Conference being held in Rome April 16–18 under the theme “Forming Authentic Relationships.”

In his message, addressed to Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, and signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, the Holy Father warned that a lack of respect for and recognition of the dignity of every person “may cause serious harm.”

He clarified that respect is “a demanding form of charity, expressed in safeguarding others without possessing them, accompanying them without dominating them, and serving them without humiliating them.”

He pointed out that the protection of minors and vulnerable adults “cannot be understood merely as a set of rules to apply or procedures to follow” but instead requires a wisdom "that shapes the style of communities, the exercise of authority, the formation of educators, vigilance over contexts, and transparency of behavior.”

For the Holy Father, the presence of the youngest and most vulnerable “challenges the conscience of the Church and measures its ability to express authentic care.”

Leo XIV urged that special attention be paid to those who have suffered abuse. “Their wounds,” he noted, “call for sincere closeness, humble listening, and perseverance in seeking what is right and possible for repair.”

The pope emphasized that a Christian community lives out evangelical conversion “when it does not shield itself from the pain of those who have suffered but allows itself to be questioned by it; when it does not minimize evil but acknowledges it; when it does not become closed in on itself in fear of scandal but accepts the demanding paths of truth, justice, and healing.”

According to the pontiff, the meeting being held in Rome reminds the Church of the need “to grow in a culture of prevention that is, above all, a culture of evangelical care.”

Finally, he encouraged the participants to continue their work with confidence, “that communities may grow in which the most fragile are welcomed, protected, and loved.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

YAOUNDE, Cameroon — Pope Leo XIV on Friday encouraged Catholic university students in Cameroon to let their study be informed by “the light of faith, joined to the truth of love” as St. John Henry Newman taught.

“Professors and students are called to embrace as both their aim and their way of life the common search for truth, for, as St. John Henry Newman wrote, ‘All true principles run over with God, all phenomena converge to him,’” the pope said during an encounter at the Catholic Academic Institution of Central Africa (UCAC) in Yaoundé, Cameroon’s capital.

UCAC, founded following an agreement between the Holy See and the Republic of Cameroon in 1989, serves more than 2,000 students from the six countries of central Africa: Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and Chad.

To mark the pope’s visit April 17, the university inaugurated a square on campus, naming it after St. Augustine in honor of Leo.

Plans are also underway for the construction of a university hospital dedicated to the pope: It will become the Leo XIV Catholic University Center.

Pope Leo XIV addresses students, faculty, and others during a visit to the Catholic Academic Institution of Central Africa (UCAC) in Yaoundé, Cameroon, on April 17, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

Upon Pope Leo XIV’s arrival, songs of joy and jubilation filled the air. A celebration of music and chanting erupted as the pope arrived at the campus, where many of the young people were wearing yellow and green T-shirts, the colors of Cameroon. Authorities say 8,000 people were in attendance.

In his address, the pontiff responded to the concerns of many young people, emphasizing that universities — Catholic universities in particular — can become “true communities of life and research,” introducing “students and professors alike to a fraternity in knowledge.”

Through knowledge — which above all means dialogue — it becomes possible to set aside individualism, superficiality, and hypocrisy: “The university stands out as a privileged place of friendship, cooperation, and, at the same time, of interiority and reflection,” Leo underscored.

What makes a university truly significant, he recalled, is the shared search for truth. Quoting from Pope Francis’ encyclical Lumen Fidei, he said, faith, in this way, succeeds in “illuminating” the gaze of science: “Faith encourages the scientist to remain constantly open to reality in all its inexhaustible richness. Faith awakens the critical sense by preventing research from being satisfied with its own formulae and helps it to realize that nature is always greater.”

Speaking about the African continent, he added: "Today, moreover, there is an urgent need to think about faith within the framework of contemporary cultural contexts and present challenges, so that its beauty and credibility may emerge in diverse settings, especially in those most marked by injustice, inequality, conflict, and both material and spiritual degradation.”

AI and a new humanism

“Christians, and especially young African Catholics, must not be afraid of ‘new things,’” the pope said, a reference to Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum Novarum.

He invited African youth to become pioneers of “a new humanism in the context of the digital revolution.”

“While the African continent is well acquainted with its alluring aspects, it also knows the darker side of the environmental and social devastation caused by the relentless pursuit of raw materials and rare earths,” Leo said. “Do not look the other way: This is a service to the truth and to all humanity. Without this demanding educational effort, passive adaptation to dominant paradigms will be mistaken for competence, and the loss of freedom for progress.”

He said the spread of artificial intelligence systems, “like every great historical transformation,” call for not only “technical competence but also for a humanistic formation.”

Pope Leo XIV addresses students, faculty, and others during a visit to the Catholic Academic Institution of Central Africa (UCAC) in Yaoundé, Cameroon, on April 17, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

He warned against superficial misunderstandings of this new digital tool: “When simulation becomes the norm, it weakens the human capacity for discernment. As a result, our social bonds close in upon themselves, forming self-referential circuits that no longer expose us to reality. We thus come to live within bubbles, impermeable to one another.”

“Feeling threatened by anyone who is different, we grow unaccustomed to encounter and dialogue,” he said. “In this way, polarization, conflict, fear, and violence spread. What is at stake is not merely the risk of error but a transformation in our very relationship with truth.”

Hence, he invited Catholic universities to “assume a responsibility of the highest order. For it does not merely transmit specialized knowledge but shapes minds capable of discernment and hearts ready for love and service.”

One of the many challenges facing Cameroon is the “understandable tendency to migrate — which may lead one to believe that elsewhere a better future may be more easily found,” the pope said.

The Holy Father instead invited young people “to respond with an ardent desire to serve your country and to apply the knowledge you are acquiring here to the benefit of your fellow citizens.”

This, he said, is the very reason for the existence of a major African university like the one he is visiting today.

Addressing the university’s faculty and leadership, he said: “Spiritual and human accompaniment constitutes an essential dimension of the identity of the Catholic university.”

“Whatever our role or our age, we must always remember that we are all disciples — that is, fellow learners with one Teacher, who so loved the world that he gave his life,” the pope concluded.

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

ROME — Catholic students in Rome on Thursday bore witness to the Eucharist during a solemn procession to commemorate 25 years of its student-led adoration program.

During the April 16 procession on the campus of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas — “the Angelicum” — students and clergy offered visible testimony to faith in the Real Presence.

Students and faculty of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome participate in a Eucharistic procession on the university’s campus on April 16, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibanez/EWTN News

Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, led the procession. In his homily beforehand, Mamberti referenced the soon-to-be Blessed Archbishop Fulton Sheen, calling adoration an experience that “mysteriously transforms our heart.” He later spoke to EWTN News about the need for such practices to be developed in the wider Church.

The cardinal said it is beautiful when youth gatherings dedicate a part of their time to adoration of the Lord in the Eucharist. “We recognize him as truly present, under the Eucharistic species, and this is an integral part of our faith,” he said. “Otherwise our faith is in vain … Because if Christ is not present in the bread and in the Eucharist and in the wine of the Eucharist, it means that he is not resurrected, as St. Paul says.”

Faith amid challenges

Amid challenges in Eucharistic faith, Dominican Father Thomas Joseph White, rector of the Angelicum, described the procession as indicative of a revival among the young. The Angelicum established student-led adoration in 2001 in response to the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas and St. John Paul II.

Dominican Father Thomas Joseph White, rector of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, speaks to EWTN News on April 16, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibanez/EWTN News

“Eucharistic adoration has become more prominent in at least areas of the Church in recent decades. Some of that had to do with initiatives at the time of the pontificate of John Paul II when [student adoration] began here,” White said.

“St. Thomas understood this mystery [of the Eucharist] deeply; he contemplated it, he wrote about it, and studying his thinking about the Eucharist here leads our students into a deeper appreciation of the Eucharist,” the priest said. It also helps students to pray more deeply “and explain the mystery of the Eucharist to the world today as missionaries of the 21st century.”

Impact of program on students

Marcia Vanderstraaten, who is from Singapore and studying for a theology licentiate (similar to a master’s degree), described the student adoration program as a blessing, giving students the opportunity to pray between classes.

Students “take great comfort in being able to see Jesus during their breaks, praying and reflecting. Having the Eucharistic presence in the midst of our community is something that really matters to a lot of us,” she said.

Students of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome participate in a Eucharistic procession on the university’s campus on April 16, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibanez/EWTN News

ROME — It is “intolerable” that Christians are being targeted for persecution in Nigeria, said U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch during an event in Rome on Friday.

The group Solidarity with the Persecuted Church (SPC) and the Embassy of the United States to the Holy See organized the April 17 conference at the embassy on threats to religious freedom in Nigeria.

Burch spoke to EWTN News on the sidelines about the stance of the U.S. on religious violence in Nigeria. He described the current situation as a “conflict between radical Islamic groups and Christians because of their faith.”

“The United States is the greatest friend of religious liberty,” Burch said. “The purpose of this event is to call attention to the plight of Christians who are being targeted and killed in Nigeria. Unfortunately, there are extremist Islamic groups that have been targeting Christians specifically in their churches and their homes, and the scale and size of the persecution of Christians there is intolerable.”

Asked about the denial by some Nigerian government officials that Christians specifically are being targeted, Burch insisted that the current violence against Christians is alarming, citing U.S. President Donald Trump, who designated Nigeria as a country of particular concern in 2025.

“The president has said that Christians face an existential crisis in Nigeria, and thanks to his leadership, he is now acting to bring an end to this. We have called on the Nigerian government to take necessary steps to protect Christians, and the United States government is now working in partnership with the Nigerian government to assist them in doing just that,” he said.

Steven Wagner, president of SPC, underscored the importance of Nigeria for Christianity in Africa and the need for the Holy See to be involved in raising awareness.

“As Nigeria goes, so goes Africa. More Christians are martyred for their faith in Nigeria than in any other country on earth. There is a huge crisis of internally displaced persons. We are calling on the Vatican to increase public awareness of the problem and to continue to encourage the government of Nigeria to make progress in protecting its people,” Wagner said.

Burch responds to Trump’s comments on the pope

In his opening remarks at the conference, Burch commented for the first time on the recent tensions between Trump and Pope Leo XIV. He emphasized their difference in approach to armed conflicts and their shared goal of eliminating evil.

“In recent days, President Trump and Pope Leo have exchanged, shall we say, sharp words. We must not pretend there is no disagreement. But both men are driven by an unshakable belief in protecting the innocent. One leads with the sword and shield of American power, the other with the cross of sacrificial love. But both are saying in their own languages, ‘Evil must not triumph and innocence must not be abandoned,’” Burch said.

Papal trip in Africa

The pontiff is currently on his first apostolic journey to Africa — visiting Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea.

Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization and a presenter at the conference, described the trip as a moment of profound unity for all Africans.

“This is Africa, and much of the divisions, according to countries in Africa, are artificial divisions that were imposed on the continent,” Nwachukwu told EWTN News. “Africans quite often feel united even beyond the boundaries. So the popeʼs message to these churches and these populations will also be a message to the population in Nigeria and to the Church in Nigeria.”

Many of the issues the pope is addressing on his trip “are shared in common in Nigeria,” Burch added. The Holy See and the United States “certainly share this deep, fundamental commitment to religious liberty.”

For more than a quarter-century, popes have periodically visited Islamic mosques as part of official voyages and papal visits.

The tradition began with Pope John Paul II, who in 2001 became the first pope in history known to have entered a mosque when he visited the Great Mosque of Damascus in the capital of Syria.

The subsequent Popes Benedict XVI, Francis, and Leo XIV have all paid visits to mosques to hold ecumenical dialogues and host diplomatic meetings.

Yet the practice is not without some controversy. Indeed, Leo XIVʼs visit to the Great Mosque of Algiers on April 13 drew some backlash on social media by critics incredulous over the leader of the Catholic Church visiting a major Islamic holy site. (This was Leoʼs second visit to a mosque; he also visited the famed “Blue Mosque” in Istanbul in late 2025.)

Pope Leo XIV stands with Rector Mohamed Mamoun Al Qasimi at the Great Mosque in Algiers, Monday, April 13, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

So why do popes make visits to mosques, courting controversy and criticism for making a point to go to holy sites of another religion?

‘We can live together in peace’

Pope Leo XIV himself addressed criticism directed toward him on April 15 on board the papal plane after leaving Algiers bound for Cameroon.

“I think the visit to the mosque was significant [and showed] that although we have different beliefs, we have different ways of worshipping, we have different ways of living, we can [still] live together in peace,” the Holy Father said. 

“I think that to promote that kind of image is something which the world needs to hear today,” he said, arguing that such visits show that “together we can continue to offer in our witness as we continue on this apostolic voyage.”

Gabriel Said Reynolds, a theology professor at the University of Notre Dame who has written multiple works on the Quran and its relationship to Christianity, told EWTN News that interpreting papal visits to mosques should include an understanding of “the Churchʼs vision of God in the world.”

“What is God’s relationship to the world? That’s been important to all of the recent popes,” he said.

Reynolds pointed out that an Islamic mosque is “fundamentally different from a church.”

“A Catholic church is a sort of temple in which God is present in the tabernacle — body, blood, soul, and divinity,” he said. “It’s a sacred space in the deepest sense of the word.”

“What Muslims would say of a mosque is fundamentally different,” he said. “A mosque is for communal prayer, but the communal prayer that takes place in a mosque is no different than the ritual prayer that’s more often done at home.”

He likened a mosque to a “gathering place” with just a few features that set it apart as a distinct site — such as a pulpit for occasional sermons and an alcove that denotes the direction of Mecca to which Muslims orient themselves during prayer.

Reynolds said popes visit mosques in no small part as a “pastoral concern” for Christians living in majority-Muslim countries, such as Algeria.

“Algerian society is thoroughly Islamic,” he said. “It’s not generally marked by notions of rights and responsibilities and citizenship in the same way the U.S. is. Cultivating positive relationships with Muslim leaders is absolutely essential for Christians.”

Reynolds said the Churchʼs view about human dignity has “fundamental implications with its relationship toward non-Christians.” He pointed out, for instance, that the pope “could show up at an atheist convention and meet the people there and have dialogue with them.”

“John 3:16 says God loves the world,” he said. “It’s not that God loves believers and doesn’t love the unbelievers. All people are children of God, according to Catholic teaching.”

The declaration Nostra Aetate, meanwhile — issued by the Second Vatican Council in 1965 to address Catholicismʼs relationship with non-Christians — affirmed that the Church “regards [Muslims] with esteem.”

The document points out that although Muslims “do not acknowledge Jesus as God,” they still “adore the one God” and “revere [Jesus] as a prophet” while giving honor to the Virgin Mother as well.

The Second Vatican Council acknowledged that “in the course of centuries not a few quarrels and hostilities have arisen” between Christians and Muslims, but the document “urge[d] all to forget the past and to work sincerely for mutual understanding.”

It further called on religious adherents to “preserve as well as to promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom.”

DOUALA, Cameroon — Physical food is not enough, the soul needs the nourishment of the Eucharist, which sustains us in times of fear and suffering, Pope Leo XIV said at a Mass in Douala, Cameroon, on Friday.

Celebrating Mass for more than 120,000 people outside Japoma Stadium, in Cameroon’s economic capital, the pope said in his homily that Jesus’ miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes is a sign he came to serve with love, not domination.

The miracle “shows us not only how God provides humanity with the bread of life, but how we can share this sustenance with all men and women who, like ourselves, hunger for peace, freedom and justice,” Leo said.

“Each act of solidarity and forgiveness, every good effort, becomes a morsel of bread for humanity in need of care,” the pope added.

“Yet this alone is not enough: the food that sustains the body must be accompanied, with equal charity, by nourishment for the soul — a nourishment that sustains our conscience and steadies us in dark hours of fear and amid the shadows of suffering. This food is Christ himself, who always gives his Church abundant sustenance and strengthens us on our journey by giving us his Eucharistic Body," he said.

Leo celebrated Mass in French in Douala on his third day in Cameroon. On April 18, he will celebrate Mass in the country’s capital, Yaoundé, before departing for the third country of his apostolic journey in Africa — Angola.

In his homily, delivered mostly in French, the pope reflected on miracle of the loaves and fished, comparing the crowd in the Gospel to those present at the Mass.

“The Gospel we have heard (John 6:1-15) is the word of salvation for all humanity. This Good News is proclaimed today throughout the world; for the Church in Cameroon, it resounds as a providential proclamation of God’s love and of our communion,” he said.

Describing the scene in the Gospel, Pope Leo focused on the crowd and the lack of food: “Jesus asks us today, just as he asked his disciples then: how will you solve this problem? Look at all these hungry people, weighed down by fatigue. What will you do?”

The pope stressed that this question concerns everyone: “It is posed to the fathers and mothers who care for their families. It is directed to the shepherds of the Church, who watch over the Lord’s flock, and also to those who bear social and political responsibility for the people and seek their well-being. Christ asks this question to the powerful and the weak, to the rich and the poor, to the young and the elderly, because we all hunger in the same way.”

“Our necessity reminds us that we are creatures,” he continued. “We need to eat in order to live. We are not God: but where is God in the face of people’s hunger?”

Turning to Christ’s response, Leo underlined the meaning of thanksgiving and sharing: “While awaiting our answers, Jesus gives his own: ‘Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted.’ A serious problem was solved by blessing the little food that was present and sharing it with all who were hungry.”

He said the miracle is that “there is bread for everyone if it is given to everyone. There is bread for everyone if it is taken, not with a hand that snatches away, but with a hand that gives.”

Pointing to the Mass being celebrated, the pope highlighted its transforming power as “a source of renewed faith, because Jesus becomes present among us. The sacrament [of the Eucharist] does not merely revive a distant memory; it brings about a ‘companionship’ that transforms us because it sanctifies us.”

“This very altar, around which we gather for the Eucharist, becomes a proclamation of hope amid the trials of history and the injustices we see around us. It is a sign of God’s love; in Christ, the Father invites us to share what we have, so that it may be multiplied in ecclesial fellowship,” Leo said.

Switching to English, Pope Leo addressed young people, asking them to “be the first faces and hands that bring the bread of life to your neighbors, providing them with the food of wisdom and deliverance from all that does not nourish them, but rather obscures good desires and robs them of their dignity.”

Acknowledging the realities of poverty, he issued a warning against violence and corruption, urging them to “not give in to distrust and discouragement” and to “reject every form of abuse or violence, which deceives by promising easy gains but hardens the heart and makes it insensitive.”

“Do not forget that your people are even richer than this land, for your treasure lies in your values: faith, family, hospitality and work,” he said.

This story was originally published by ACI Stampa, EWTN News’ Italian-language sister service. It was translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV spent his first full day in Cameroon on April 16 meeting with local Catholics and other officials, hosting a meeting for peace and saying Mass in the central African country.

The Holy Father will ultimately spend several days in Cameroon before heading on to Angola and then Equatorial Guinea during his first apostolic journey to Africa. The trip is scheduled to last through April 23.

Here is a look at the popeʼs activities in Cameroon:

Crowds greet Pope Leo XIV upon his arrival at Yaoundé-Nsimalen International Airport in Cameroon on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Crowds greet Pope Leo XIV as he rides through Bamenda, Cameroon, on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV waves outside of St. Joseph Cathedral in Bamenda, Cameroon, on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV waves to crowds at St. Joseph Cathedral in Bamenda, Cameroon, during a peace meeting on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV leads a meeting for peace and reconciliation at St. Joseph Cathedral in Bamenda, Cameroon, on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV prays in adoration before the Eucharist in the Holy Sacrament Chapel of St. Joseph Cathedral in Bamenda, Cameroon, on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV leads a peace meeting at St. Joseph Cathedral in Bamenda, Cameroon, on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV releases a dove outside of St. Joseph Cathedral in Bamenda, Cameroon, on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV processes during Mass at Bamenda Airport in Cameroon on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Hundreds of Catholics pray at the Mass celebrated by Pope Leo XIV at Bamenda Airport in Cameroon on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV elevates the Eucharist during the papal Mass at Bamenda Airport in Cameroon on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets Catholics at Bamenda Airport in Cameroon on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV waves to crowds while departing Bamenda, Cameroon, on Thursday, April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

BAMENDA, Cameroon — Despite bad weather, at least 20,000 people gathered on the runways of Bamenda International Airport on Wednesday to take part in the Mass celebrated by Pope Leo XIV, concluding the second day of the pontiff’s visit to Cameroon.

In his homily, Pope Leo praised the faith of the local Church, saying: “The festive celebrations that accompany your liturgies and the joy that flows from the prayers you raise are signs of your trusting surrender to God, of your unshakeable hope and of your clinging, with all your strength, to the love of the Father who draws near and looks with compassion upon the sufferings of his children.”

Quoting Psalm 34, the pope reminded the crowd that “the Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

He then turned to the wounds afflicting the country and the region.

“Brothers and sisters, there are many situations in life that break our hearts and plunge us into sorrow,” Leo said. “Our hope for a future of peace and reconciliation, in which the dignity of every person is respected and their fundamental rights guaranteed, is continually disappointed by the many problems afflicting this beautiful land.”

The pope pointed to “the numerous forms of poverty,” including an ongoing food crisis, as well as “moral, social, and political corruption, seen above all in the management of wealth, which hinders the development of institutions and infrastructure.”

He also cited “the serious problems affecting the education and health care systems, as well as large-scale migration to foreign countries, particularly of young people.”

“Added to these internal problems, which are often fueled by hatred and violence, is the damage caused from outside, by those who, in the name of profit, continue to lay their hands on the African continent to exploit and plunder it,” he said.

Even so, Leo insisted that the present moment is one for action, not despair.

“Yet this is the moment to change, to transform the story of this country,” he said. “The time has come, today and not tomorrow, now and not in the future, to restore the mosaic of unity by bringing together the diversity and riches of the country and the continent. In this way, it will be possible to create a society in which peace and reconciliation reign.”

The pope warned that when difficult situations persist for a long time, people can fall into resignation and helplessness. But, he said, “the word of the Lord opens up new possibilities and brings about transformation and healing.”

“It is capable of stirring our hearts, of challenging the normal course of events to which we so easily risk becoming accustomed, and of making us active agents of change,” he said. “Let us remember this: God is newness, God creates new things, God makes us courageous people who, by confronting evil, build up the good.”

Reflecting on the Acts of the Apostles, Leo said the apostles’ courage became “a voice of conscience, a prophecy, a denunciation of evil,” calling that witness “the first step towards changing things.”

“In fact, obeying God is not an act of submission that oppresses us or nullifies our freedom; on the contrary, obedience to God sets us free, because it means entrusting our lives to him and allowing his word to inspire our way of thinking and acting,” he said.

Those “who obey God rather than human beings and earthly ways of thinking,” he continued, “rediscover their inner freedom, succeed in discovering the value of goodness, and do not resign themselves to evil. They find anew their way in life and become builders of peace and fraternity.”

The pope also cautioned Catholics to remain vigilant in their faith.

“We must, however, always keep the apostle Peter’s exhortation in our hearts and bring it to mind: Obey God, not human beings. To obey him, because he alone is God,” Leo said.

“This calls us to foster inculturation of the Gospel. It also calls us to be vigilant, even regarding our own religious practices, so as not to fall into the trap of mixing the Catholic faith with other beliefs and traditions of an esoteric or Gnostic nature, which in reality often serve political and economic ends.”

“Only God sets us free; only his word opens paths to freedom; only his Spirit makes us new people capable of changing this country,” he said.

At the end of the Mass, Archbishop Andrew Nkea Fuanya of Bamenda thanked the pope for visiting the region “during this time of insecurity, uncertainty, and discouragement,” saying his presence had brought “spiritual uplift, moral encouragement, psychological boost, and physical consolation.”

The archbishop said the people of Bamenda were confident that “the peace you have come to pray for shall return once again” to the ecclesiastical province and pledged, on behalf of the bishops of the region, filial loyalty to the pope.

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

BAMENDA, Cameroon — From Bamendaʼs Catholic cathedral on Thursday, Pope Leo XIV urged both Christians and Muslims to heal wounds of conflict in Cameroon.

When Leo arrived at the Cathedral of St. Joseph, on the fourth day of his trip in Africa, he first visited the Blessed Sacrament Chapel for a moment of prayer together with Archbishop Andrew Nkea Fuanya of Bamenda.

During the interreligious peace gathering, Nkea said the popeʼs presence was consoling for the people. The meeting included testimonies from local people, including Catholics, Protestants, and Muslims.

"Holy Father, help us to have peace,” Imam Mohammad Abubakar of the Central Mosque of Buea said after speaking about violent episodes that have taken place in recent years.

Pope Leo XIV prays in adoration before the Eucharist in the Holy Sacrament Chapel of St. Joseph Cathedral in Bamenda, Cameroon, on April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

“It is a joy for me to be with you in this region that has suffered so greatly. As your testimonies have just demonstrated, the lived experience of suffering by your community has only made stronger your conviction that God has never abandoned us! In God, in his peace, we can always begin anew!" the pope said.

“May we all continue on the path of goodness which leads to peace,” he continued. “I am grateful for your words of welcome, because it is true: I am here to proclaim peace. Yet I find it is you who are proclaiming peace to me, and to the entire world.”

Leo praised the witness of local Muslims and Christians in working for peace and said he wishes “this would happen in so many other places of the world.”

“Jesus told us: Blessed are the peacemakers! But woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic, or political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth,” Leo said.

The Holy Father also expressed his gratitude to all the laypeople and religious women who care for those traumatized by violence — a work that is dangerous and unseen.

Pope Leo XIV gets emotional during a peace meeting at St. Joseph Cathedral in Bamenda, Cameroon, on April 16, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

“The masters of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet a lifetime is often not enough to rebuild,” he said. “We must make a decisive change of course — a true conversion — that will lead us in the opposite direction, onto a sustainable path rich in human fraternity.”

“Peace is not something we must invent: It is something we must embrace by accepting our neighbor as our brother and as our sister. We do not choose our brothers and sisters: We simply must accept one another!” he urged.

The pope said: “Let us walk together, in love, searching always for peace.”

Outside of the cathedral at the end of the meeting, Pope Leo, accompanied by representatives of the Bamenda community, released seven doves as a sign of peace.

“My dear brothers and sisters, today the Lord has chosen all of us to be workers who bring peace to this land! Let us all say a prayer to the Lord, that peace will truly reign among us, that as we release these white doves — a symbol of peace — that God’s peace will be upon all of us, upon this land, and keep us all united in his peace. Praise the Lord!” he said.

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV finished the first leg of his papal trip to Africa on April 15, wrapping up meetings with Catholics and local religious and civic leaders in Algeria before heading south to Cameroon.

The Holy Father will spend several days in Cameroon before heading on to Angola and Equatorial Guinea during his first apostolic journey to Africa. The trip is scheduled to last through April 23.

Here is a look at the popeʼs activities in both Algeria and Cameroon:

Pope Leo XIV watches a performance by children at the Notre Dame d’Afrique Kindergarten, run by the Missionary Sisters of Charity, near Algiers, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets a child at the Notre Dame d’Afrique Kindergarten, run by the Missionary Sisters of Charity, near Algiers, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV poses with religious sisters at the Notre Dame d’Afrique Kindergarten, run by the Missionary Sisters of Charity, near Algiers, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV speaks to Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune at Houari Boumediene International Airport before departing Algeria, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV shakes hands with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune at Houari Boumediene International Airport before departing Algeria, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV boards the papal airplane at Houari Boumediene International Airport while departing Algeria, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV is greeted by a young Catholic upon his arrival at Yaoundé-Nsimalen International Airport near Yaoundé, Cameroon, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV is given a ceremonial greeting upon arriving at Yaoundé-Nsimalen International Airport near Yaoundé, Cameroon, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets crowds after landing at Yaoundé-Nsimalen International Airport in Cameroon, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV meets with Cameroon President Paul Biya at the Presidential Palace in Yaounde on the third day of an 11-day apostolic journey to Africa, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. | Credit: Alberto PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images Pope Leo XIV speaks with Cameroon President Paul Biya at the Presidential Palace in Yaounde, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV meets with clergy and Cameroonian officials at the Presidential Palace in Yaoundé, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV speaks to clergy and Cameroonian officials at the Presidential Palace in Yaoundé, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV speaks to children at the Ngul Zamba Orphanage in Yaoundé, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Children pray with Pope Leo XIV at the Ngul Zamba Orphanage in Yaoundé, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

YAOUNDE, Cameroon — Pope Leo XIV was welcomed by the happy chatter of children on Wednesday at the Ngul Zamba Orphanage in Yaoundé, Cameroon, where he shared a message of Godʼs presence.

“Dear children, I know that many of you have endured difficult trials. Some of you have known the pain of loss through the death of parents or loved ones. Others have experienced fear, rejection, abandonment, deprivation, and uncertainty. Yet, you are called to a future that is greater than your wounds. You are bearers of a promise," the pope said April 15.

Run for 40 years by the religious congregation the Daughters of Mary, the Ngul Zamba Orphanage — whose name means “Strength of God” — provides food, lodging, and education to poor or abandoned children.

During the visit, the pope listened with delight to the various songs of welcome. He applauded with satisfaction, smiling in return at the many smiles of the children. He was also moved by the recitation of a verse from Psalm 27: “Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even should mothers forget, I will never forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before my eyes.”

Leo also listened to two testimonies from staff members, one of whom is a former student, who expressed his gratitude for all that the Daughters of Mary of Yaoundé did for him and concluded by reaffirming his commitment to promoting an “education for all,” without exclusion.

Pope Leo then addressed the children and staff: “I am very happy to visit this orphanage, which has become your home. Here, above all, it is our heavenly Father who welcomes you with love as his children. He wants to show you his tenderness and to draw you close to his heart. In his name, I too wish to do the same. Indeed, you form a true family here, with brothers and sisters who all share a similar history marked by suffering. In this family, your eldest brother is Jesus! It is living as brothers and sisters gathered around him that makes you strong, helps you to carry life’s burdens together, and allows you to experience true joy.”

“In a world often marked by indifference and selfishness, this home reminds us that we are the ones who need to look after our brothers and sisters, and that, in God’s great family, no one is ever a stranger or forgotten, no matter how small he or she may be.”

Turning directly to the children, the Holy Father acknowledged the weight of their experiences:

“Dear children, I know that many of you have endured difficult trials. Some of you have known the pain of loss through the death of parents or loved ones. Others have experienced fear, rejection, abandonment, deprivation, and uncertainty. Yet, you are called to a future that is greater than your wounds. You are bearers of a promise. For wherever there is misery, suffering, or injustice, God is present; and he knows each of your faces and is very close to you. The Gospel reminds us that Jesus cares especially for children like you, and he would often place them at the center of a gathering. Know that he looks upon each one of you today with that same affection.”

Finally, the pope addressed all those who care daily for the children of the orphanage:

“I would also like to greet with gratitude all those who take care of these children: the directors, educators, staff, volunteers, and, of course, the sisters. Your faithful dedication is a beautiful testimony of love. By caring for these children, you are getting a foretaste of the joy that the Lord has promised to those who serve the little ones. Your patience reflects the face of divine mercy. Through your patience and dedication, you offer much more than mere material support: You offer these children a presence, a listening ear, a family, and a future. Through you, God’s tenderness is made manifest — a faithful tenderness that does not falter in times of trial and never disappoints. I thank you for all that you do, and I encourage you to persevere courageously in this beautiful work that you have undertaken.”

He concluded by entrusting everyone to Mary’s care: “As I impart my heartfelt blessing, I entrust each of you to the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our mother. May she always watch over you, console you in moments of sadness, and help you to grow as true friends of her son, Jesus.”

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

YAOUNDE, Cameroon — “Peace, in fact, cannot be decreed: It must be embraced and lived," Pope Leo XIV emphasized on Wednesday in a meeting with government authorities, the diplomatic corps, and civil society in Cameroon — the second stop of his journey in Africa.

In a dense address, the pope expressed confidence in Cameroonʼs society, often described as “Africa in miniature” because of the richness of its lands, cultures, languages, and traditions. A country marked by conflict, even recent conflict, but whose civil society, the pope said, is ready to take responsibility for a rebirth, together with its young people.

Leo arrived in Cameroonʼs capital, Yaoundé, for the second leg of his 11-day papal journey to Africa. President Paul Biya, in power for nearly four decades, welcomed the pope. Yet beneath a political system that has endured, conflicts have also taken root. In particular, the so‑called Anglophone crisis remains in the background, a topic the pope will address when he visits Bamenda on Thursday.

The Anglophone crisis erupted in 2016 when Cameroon’s Anglophone minority launched a campaign calling for greater autonomy and was rejected by Biya. From that point onward, the situation deteriorated, resulting in deaths and displacement, culminating in a “declaration of independence” proclaimed in October 2017 in a territory referred to as Ambazonia. At the height of the crisis, mediation by the Holy See was also requested.

The Church remains present in Cameroon and carries out extensive work. Leo XIV recalled that he is the third pope to visit the country, following two visits by St. John Paul II and one by Pope Benedict XVI. In 1995, John Paul II chose Yaoundé, the country’s capital, to promulgate the postsynodal apostolic exhortation Ecclesia in Africa, which emerged from the Synod for Africa.

‘A hunger and thirst for justice’

This was the backdrop of Leoʼs address on April 15, which was not only as a message of peace but also an encouragement to Catholics in Cameroon to continue building the common good.

“I come among you as a shepherd and as a servant of dialogue, fraternity, and peace,” he said. “We are living, in fact, at a time when hopelessness is rampant and a sense of powerlessness tends to paralyze the renewal so deeply desired by peoples. There is such a hunger and thirst for justice! A thirst for getting involved, for a vision, for courageous choices and for peace!”

The pope expressed his desire to reach everyone, especially the young, “who are called to help shape a world that is more just, including in the political sphere.” He recalled the visits of his predecessors and asked where the country stands today, quoting St. Augustine: “Those who rule serve those whom they seem to command; for they rule not from a love of power but from a sense of the duty they owe to others — not because they are proud of authority, but because they love mercy.”

From this perspective, he said, serving one’s country means dedicating oneself, with clarity of mind and upright conscience, to the common good of all people, including both the majority and minorities, and their mutual harmony.

Leo acknowledged that Cameroon is facing complex difficulties. Violence and tensions in the northwest, southwest, and far north regions have caused profound suffering: lives lost, families displaced, children deprived of education. In response, he recalled his appeal to reject violence and war and to embrace peace founded on love and justice: “A peace that is unarmed, that is, not based on fear, threats or weapons, and at the same time disarming, because it is capable of resolving conflicts, opening hearts, and generating trust, empathy, and hope.”

“Peace cannot be reduced to a slogan: It must be embodied in a way of life that renounces all forms of violence, both personally and institutionally,” the pontiff continued. He forcefully reiterated that “the world is thirsting for peace… Enough of war, with all the pain it causes through death, destruction, and exile!”

“Peace, in fact, cannot be decreed: It must be embraced and lived. It is a gift from God, which unfolds through patient and collective effort. It is everyone’s responsibility, beginning with civil authorities,” he said. To govern, the pope added, means to love one’s own country and neighboring countries, applying the commandment “love your neighbor as yourself” even to international relations. Governing also means truly listening to citizens and valuing their ability to help build lasting solutions. In this context, he recalled Pope Francis’ call to move beyond “the idea of social policies being a policy for the poor, but never with the poor and never of the poor, much less part of a project which can bring people back together.”

Civil society, the pope stressed, must be recognized as a vital force for national cohesion. “Cameroon is ready for this transition!” Associations, women’s and youth organizations, trade unions, humanitarian nongovernmental organizations, and traditional and religious leaders, he said, play an irreplaceable role in social peace. They are often the first to intervene during tensions, to assist the displaced, support victims, open spaces for dialogue, and encourage local mediation. Their closeness to communities allows them to identify the root causes of conflict and appropriate solutions.

Leo expressed particular gratitude for women, who are frequently the first victims of prejudice and violence yet remain tireless peacemakers. Their commitment to education, mediation, and rebuilding the social fabric curbs corruption and abuse of power and requires that their voices be fully recognized in decision‑making processes.

Transparency in managing public resources and respect for the rule of law, he said, are essential to restoring trust.

‘Integral human development’

Addressing those in positions of authority, Leo XIV spoke of a twofold witness: collaboration among institutions in service of the people, especially the poor, and integrity of personal conduct. To allow peace and justice to flourish, he said, the chains of corruption must be broken and hearts freed from idolatrous pursuit of profit. True profit lies in integral human development.

Looking ahead, the Holy Father highlighted Cameroon’s human, cultural, and spiritual resources and emphasized that “young people represent the hope of the country and of the Church. Their energy and creativity are priceless treasures.” While unemployment and exclusion can fuel frustration and violence, investing in education, training, and entrepreneurship, he said, is a strategic path to peace and the only way to stem the loss of talent and counter the scourges of drugs, prostitution, and apathy.

Cameroonian youth, he added, possess a “deep spirituality that still resists the homogenizing influence of the market.”

Through its educational, health care, and charitable efforts, the Catholic Church in Cameroon wishes to continue serving all without distinction, collaborating with civil authorities and strengthening ties between Cameroonians worldwide and their communities of origin, the pope concluded.

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

YAOUNDE, Cameroon — Pope Leo XIV arrived Wednesday in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, after a five-hour flight. While meeting with journalists aboard the papal plane, he delivered a brief address, thanking the Algerian authorities and reflecting on the first leg of the journey.

Leo, speaking in English, expressed his “gratitude to all the authorities in Algeria, who made this visit possible. As youʼve seen, theyʼve even granted us the full honor of an escort as we fly over Algerian airspace.”

This, the pope said, is “a sign of the goodness, of the generosity, of the respect that the Algerian people and the Algerian government have wished to show to the Holy See, to myself. And so I want to say a word of thanks to them, as well as a word of thanks to the very small but very significant presence of the Catholic Church in Algeria.”

The pontiff then reflected on the journey.

“We had, as you know,” he said, “some very special visits both in the Basilica Notre Dame dʼAfrique as well as in Annaba yesterday, in the Basilica of St. Augustine on the hill overlooking both the modern city of Annaba and the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Ippona. And that in itself, I would say, is also symbolically significant, because St. Augustine, who was bishop, as you know, of Hippo for more than 30 years, actually is a figure which is very much from the past and speaks to us of tradition, speaks to us of the life, the Church, as the Church grew in the early centuries.”

Continuing to speak about St. Augustine, Leo said that he is “a very important figure today as his writings, his teaching, his spirituality, his invitation to search for God and to search for truth is something that is very much needed today — a message that is very real for all of us today, as believers in Jesus Christ, but for all people. And as youʼve seen, even the people of Algeria, the vast majority of whom are not Christian, they very much honor and respect the memory of St. Augustine as one of the great sons of their land."

"So it was a special blessing for me personally to return once again to Annaba yesterday," he said, "but also to offer to the Church and the world a vision that St. Augustine offers us in terms of the search for God and the struggle to build community, to seek for unity among all peoples and respect for all peoples in spite of the differences.”

The pope concluded: “In two days in Algeria I think weʼve really had a wonderful opportunity to, if you will, continue to build bridges, to promote dialogue. I think the visit to the mosque was significant and to say that it showed that although we have different beliefs, we have different ways of worshipping, we have different ways of living, we can live together in peace. And so I think that promoting that kind of image is something which the world needs to hear today, and that together we can continue to offer in our witness through as we continue on this apostolic voyage.”

Pope Leo XIV is the third pope to visit Cameroon.

Leo will first meet with 92-year-old President Biya, elected to an eighth term and in power for 40 years. After his address to the diplomatic corps — a standard stop at the beginning of every trip — the pope will visit the Ngul Zamba orphanage, a historic point of reference for the care and education of orphaned children and minors in situations of serious social vulnerability.

In addition to Yaoundé, Leo XIV will also visit the city of Bamenda, around 230 miles from the capital, at the center of the Anglophone crisis — a complex situation in which English-speaking separatists have also called for the formation of their own state.

The pope will also visit Douala, Cameroon’s economic capital, thus touching all the major realities of the country before departing for Angola on April 18.

ANNABA, Algeria — Pope Leo XIV met privately Tuesday with fellow members of the Augustinian order, sharing lunch with the local community in what the order described as a “beautiful and pleasant” fraternal encounter.

A statement from the Order of St. Augustine said the meeting reflected the joy of brothers dwelling together in unity.

“After visiting the ruins of Hippo and the home of the Little Sisters of the Poor, the Pope arrives in Annaba as a brother among brothers,” the statement said. “Here he meets the Augustinian friars who care for the Basilica of St. Augustine, sharing with them one common heart rooted in the spirit of St. Augustine of Hippo.”

The gathering was marked by a shared meal, smiles, and fraternity, according to the statement.

Also present with the pontiff were Father Joseph Farrell, prior general of the Order of St. Augustine, and Father Martin Davakan, OSA, vicar general.

The statement highlighted the international character of the Augustinian community in Annaba, saying it reflects unity amid the diversity of nations.

“The community of Annaba (Hippo) itself reflects this diversity, with the presence of Father Dominic Juma Habakuk from South Sudan, Father Shailong Leviticus Longzem from Nigeria, and the rector, Father Frederick Wekesa from Kenya,” the statement said. “They are brothers, coming from different lands, but united in heart and soul.”

Father Augustine Ugbomah, who serves in the Pontifical Sacristy, was also present.

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, EWTN News’ Italian-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV toured several major religious sites in Algeria on April 13 and 14, visiting with the local Catholic community and meeting with Islamic dignitaries during the first leg of his papal trip to Africa.

The Holy Father is scheduled to continue his visit with trips to Angola, Equatorial Guinea, and Cameroon on his first apostolic journey to the continent lasting April 13–23.

Here is a look at the popeʼs time in Algeria in photos:

Pope Leo XIV arrives at El Mouradia Presidential Palace in Algiers, Algeria, Monday, April 13, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV shakes hands with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune at the Presidential Palace in Algiers, Monday, April 13, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV stands with Rector Mohamed Mamoun Al Qasimi at the Great Mosque in Algiers, Monday, April 13, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV stands with Rector Mohamed Mamoun Al Qasimi and others at the Great Mosque in Algiers, Monday, April 13, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV stands with guests at the Great Mosque of Algiers, Monday, April 13, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV visits a monument to those who perished at sea at the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa in Algiers, Algeria, Monday, April 13, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets young Catholics at the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa in Algiers, Algeria, Monday, April 13, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets a member of the Algerian Catholic community at the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa in Algiers, Algeria, Monday, April 13, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV speaks at the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa in Algiers, Algeria, Monday, April 13, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV meets with members of the Augustinian Missionary Sisters’ Center for Hospitality and Friendship near Algiers, Algeria, Monday, April 13, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV prays at the Augustinian Missionary Sisters' Center for Hospitality and Friendship near Algiers, Algeria, Monday, April 13, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV visits the historic archeological site of Hippo in modern-day Annaba, Algeria, Tuesday, April 14, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV visits with residents of a care home for the elderly in Annaba, Algeria, Tuesday, April 14, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV says Mass at the Basilica of St. Augustine in Annaba, Algeria, Tuesday, April 14, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV receives a painting at the Basilica of St. Augustine in Annaba, Algeria, Tuesday, April 14, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

ANNABA, Algeria — Pope Leo XIV concluded his visit to the land of St. Augustine by celebrating Mass at the Basilica of St. Augustine in Annaba, where he said the Church is continually reborn when it brings hope to the despairing, dignity to the poor, and reconciliation where there is conflict.

The basilica, dedicated to the bishop of ancient Hippo, was built between 1881 and 1907 at the initiative of Algiers Archbishop Charles-Martial-Allemand Lavigerie and was elevated to the rank of minor basilica on April 24, 1914, by Pope Pius X. Restoration work was completed in 2013, with support that included a personal donation from Pope Benedict XVI.

In his homily, the pope reflected on the Gospel account of Jesus’ nighttime encounter with Nicodemus, presenting it as a summons to renewal for the whole Church and especially for Algeria’s Christian community.

“Today we listen to the Gospel, the good news for all time, in this basilica in Annaba dedicated to St. Augustine, bishop of the ancient city of Hippo,” the pope said. “Over the centuries, the names of the places that welcome us have changed, but the saints continue to serve as our patrons and faithful witnesses of a connection to the land that comes from heaven.”

Leo said Jesus’ words to Nicodemus — “You must be born from above” — are not a burden but an invitation to freedom and new life in God.

“Such is the invitation for every man and woman who seeks salvation!” he said. “Jesus’ invitation gives rise to the mission of the whole Church, and consequently to the Christian community in Algeria: to be born again from above, that is, from God. In this perspective, faith overcomes earthly hardships and the Lord’s grace makes the desert blossom.”

The pope acknowledged that Christ’s command can sound impossible at first but said it reveals God’s power to renew human life.

“On the contrary, the obligation expressed by Jesus is a gift of freedom for us, because it reveals an unexpected possibility: We can be born anew from above thanks to God,” Leo said. “We should do so, then, according to his loving will, which desires to renew humanity by calling us to a communion of life that begins with faith. While Christ invites us to renew our lives completely, he also gives us the strength to do so.”

He then asked whether life can truly begin again and answered with hope rooted in the cross and Resurrection.

“Yes! The Lord’s response, so full of love, fills our hearts with hope,” the pope said. “No matter how weighed down we are by pain or sin: The crucified One carries all these burdens with us and for us. No matter how discouraged we are by our own weaknesses: It is precisely then that God manifests his strength, the God who has raised Christ from the dead in order to give life to the world.”

“Each one of us can experience the freedom of new life that comes from faith in the Redeemer,” he added. “Once again, St. Augustine offers us an example of this: We revere him for his conversion even more than for his wisdom.”

Turning to the Acts of the Apostles, Leo said the life of the early Church remains the model for genuine ecclesial reform.

“Even today, we must embrace this apostolic rule and put it into practice, meditating on it as an authentic criterion for ecclesial reform: a reform that must begin in the heart, if it is to be genuine, and must encompass everyone if it is to be effective,” he said.

The pope said the first Christian community was not founded on a merely human agreement but on communion in Christ.

“The early Church, therefore, was not based on a social contract but rather on the harmony of faith, affections, ideas, and life decisions centered on the love of God who became man to save all the peoples of the earth,” he said.

That unity, he said, must bear fruit in charity, especially amid poverty and oppression.

“Therefore, in the face of poverty and oppression, the guiding principle above all for Christians is charity: Let us do to those around us, as we would have them do to us,” Leo said. “Inspired by this law, inscribed in our hearts by God, the Church is continually reborn, for where there is despair she kindles hope, where there is misery she brings dignity, and where there is conflict she brings reconciliation.”

Addressing bishops and priests, the pope said pastors are called above all to bear witness to God without fear or compromise.

“The primary task of pastors as ministers of the Gospel is therefore to bear witness to God before the world with one heart and one soul, not permitting our concerns to lead us astray through fear, nor trends to undermine us through compromise,” he said.

“Together with you, brothers in the episcopate and the priesthood, let us constantly renew this mission for the sake of those entrusted to us, so that through her service, the whole Church may be a message of new life for those we encounter,” he added.

In his closing appeal, Leo addressed Algeria’s Christians directly, praising their fidelity and urging them to continue witnessing to the Gospel in ordinary life.

“Dearest Christians of Algeria, you remain a humble and faithful sign of Christ’s love in this land,” he said. “Bear witness to the Gospel through simple gestures, genuine relationships, and a dialogue lived out day by day: In this way, you bring flavor and light to the places where you live.”

He also praised their perseverance through hardship and invoked the example of the martyrs and of St. Augustine.

“Your history is one of generous hospitality and resilience in times of trial,” the pope said. “Here the martyrs prayed; here St. Augustine loved his flock, fervently seeking the truth and serving Christ with ardent faith. Be heirs to this tradition, bearing witness through fraternal charity to the freedom of those born from above as a hope of salvation for the world.”

Several cardinals concelebrated the Mass with the pope, including Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco, archbishop of Algiers; Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero, archbishop of Rabat; and curial cardinals Pietro Parolin, George Koovakad, Luis Antonio Tagle, Peter Turkson, and Robert Sarah. Also among the concelebrants were Archbishop Paul Gallagher and Father Joseph Farrell, prior general of the Augustinians.

Before the Mass, the pope visited the Augustinian community house and later had lunch with his confreres.

At the end of the celebration, Bishop Michel Jean-Paul Guillaud of Constantine offered words of thanks to the pope.

“Holy Father, your visit to this place, a source of your Augustinian roots, was brief, but it was an encouragement for us,” Guillaud said. “First of all, it strengthened our Christian community in its faith and in its trust in the goodwill and respect of the Algerian people. We could not have welcomed you without the support and active collaboration of the authorities and the joyful hospitality of our Algerian brothers and sisters.”

The exchange of gifts followed: The pope received a ceramic work made by an Algerian artist, and he in turn gave a chalice.

Leo then offered brief words of thanks of his own.

“This journey has been for me a particular gift of God’s providence, a gift that the Lord has wished to make to the whole Church,” the pope said. “And it seems to me that I can sum it up this way: God is love; he is the Father of all men and women. Let us return to God with humility…”

He continued: “We acknowledge that the current situation of the world is caught in a negative spiral that ultimately depends on our pride. We need him, we need his mercy, because only in him is the peace of the human heart found, and with him we will all be able to live together.”

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV emphasized that technological, economic, and military power must be directed toward the common good.

In an address to the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, the pontiff discussed authority in the context of Catholic social teaching and described it as grounded not in strength but in moral virtue.

“Catholic social teaching regards power not as an end in itself but as a means ordered toward the common good,” the pope wrote in his message. “This implies that the legitimacy of authority depends not on the accumulation of economic or technological strength but on the wisdom and virtue with which it is exercised.”

Leo’s message follows his remarks at a Vatican prayer vigil for peace on April 11, where he denounced the “delusion of omnipotence” among global leaders amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. In his letter, he criticized the imbalance of economic and military power among nations, calling it a threat to democracy.

“The concentration of technological, economic, and military power in a few hands threatens both democratic participation among peoples and international concord. Divine power does not dominate but rather heals and restores. It is precisely this logic of charity that must animate history, for human activity inspired by charity helps to shape the ‘earthly city’ in unity and peace,” Leo wrote.

Referring to Centesimus Annus, St. John Paul II’s encyclical on Catholic social teaching, Leo stated that legitimate power “finds one of its highest expressions in authentic democracy,” a democracy that recognizes human dignity and is not dominated by “economic and technological elites.”

“Far from being a mere procedure, democracy recognizes the dignity of every person and calls each citizen to participate responsibly in the pursuit of the common good,” Leo wrote. “Reflecting this conviction, St. John Paul II affirmed that the Church values democracy because it ensures participation in political choices and ‘the possibility both of electing and holding accountable those who govern them, and of replacing them through peaceful means when appropriate.’”

In a message to members of the Pontifical Biblical Commission, Pope Leo XIV urged them to overcome “fear of illness and death” through faith in Christ, noting that facing these two realities can help individuals “discern in their own lives what is not essential, in order to turn toward, or return to, the Lord.”

“In the light of faith, we know, conversely, that pain and illness can make a person wiser and more mature, helping him to discern in his own life what is not essential, in order to turn toward, or return to, the Lord,” Leo observed in a letter signed March 27 and published April 13 as he began his 11-day tour of Africa.

The Pontifical Biblical Commission, which is meeting April 13–17 in Vatican City, operates under the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and is based in Rome. Its annual plenary assemblies consistently take place in the Vatican.

The pope cited several passages from the Gospel in which Jesus’ compassion toward those in need and the sick is made manifest, such as when the Lord takes pity on a leper who asks to be healed, or on the two blind men he heals after they implore him to restore their sight.

“Christ’s compassion toward all who suffer is so profound that he himself identifies with them,” noted the pope, adding that Jesus “commanded his disciples to care for the sick, to lay hands upon them, and to bless them in his name.”

“Through the experience of fragility and illness, we too can and must learn to walk together, in human and Christian solidarity, in accordance with the way God does, which is [through] compassion, closeness, tenderness, and solidarity,” the pontiff said.

In his letter, he noted that human nature “bears inscribed within itself the reality of limitations and finitude.”

“Why illness? Why suffering? Why death? Faced with these questions, even believers sometimes falter, coming to experience bewilderment and even despair and rebellion against God,” he wrote to the assembled experts, whom he exhorted to shed light on life’s most difficult aspects in the light of sacred Scripture.

The commission consists of about 20-30 leading Catholic biblical scholars from around the world, appointed by the pope, who serve in scholarly and advisory capacities, helping the Church interpret and apply Scripture faithfully to contemporary questions.

The pope invited the experts to consider in their exegetical work — in addition to illness, physical pain, and death — “also the sufferings of the poor, of migrants, and of the marginalized in society, which are present in so many pages of sacred Scripture.”

Finally, he endorsed the initiative of the Pontifical Biblical Commission to study various biblical figures who suffered. “Taken together, they will certainly become a beautiful symbol of hope for every person who unites their sufferings to the crucified Christ, renewing the manifestation of his face of love,” the Holy Father wrote.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Pope Leo XIV has confirmed that he will hold a consistory with cardinals from around the world on June 26–27, saying their previous discussions produced contributions that are “a resource of lasting value” for the Church.

In a letter to the members of the College of Cardinals dated April 12 and made public Tuesday, the Holy Father looked back on the first consistory of his pontificate, held Jan. 7–8, and highlighted the importance of the cardinals’ exchanges there.

“I greatly appreciate the work carried out in the groups, which facilitated free, concrete, and spiritually fruitful exchanges as well as the notable quality of the interventions made during the plenary,” Pope Leo wrote.

At that January meeting, the cardinals chose two of four topics proposed by the pope to guide their work. Setting aside the liturgical question — specifically the rite used before the Second Vatican Council — and the issue of relations between the Holy See and episcopal conferences, they opted to focus on “the mission of the Church in the world today” and on “synod and synodality as an instrument and style of collaboration.”

The pope also placed special emphasis on Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis’ first apostolic exhortation, published Nov. 24, 2013, and centered on proclaiming the kerygma — the Gospel with Christ at the center.

Referring to the cardinals’ contributions, Pope Leo said: “This exhortation continues to be a significant point of reference. In addition to introducing new content, it refocuses everything on the kerygma as the heart of our Christian and ecclesial identity.”

He added that it was recognized as “a ‘breath of fresh air,’ capable of initiating processes of pastoral and missionary conversion — rather than producing immediate structural reforms — and thus profoundly guiding the Church’s journey.”

The pope said this perspective challenges the Church at every level.

“On a personal level, it calls every baptized person to renew their encounter with Christ, moving from a faith merely received to a faith truly lived and experienced,” he wrote. “This journey affects the very quality of spiritual life, expressed in the primacy of prayer, in the witness that precedes words, and in the coherence between faith and life.”

At the community level, he said, the Church must move “from a pastoral approach of maintenance to one of mission.”

“This requires communities to be living agents of the proclamation — welcoming communities that use accessible language, attentive to the quality of relationships, and capable of offering places for listening, accompaniment, and healing,” he wrote.

At the diocesan level, Pope Leo stressed the duty of bishops and priests to foster missionary zeal.

“The responsibility of pastors to resolutely support missionary boldness emerges clearly, ensuring that such boldness is not weighed down or stifled by organizational excesses but is guided by a discernment that helps us to recognize what is essential,” he said.

The pope also underlined a Christ-centered understanding of mission, one that spreads “through attraction rather than conquest.”

“It is an integral mission, holding in balance explicit proclamation, witness, commitment, and dialogue, and yielding neither to the temptation of proselytism nor to a merely institutional mentality of preservation or expansion,” he wrote. “Even when the Church finds herself in a minority, she is called to live with confident courage, as a small flock bringing hope to all, mindful that the aim of mission is not its own survival but the communication of the love with which God loves the world.”

Among the proposals that emerged from the January consistory, the pope said several deserve further reflection. These include “the need to relaunch Evangelii Gaudium through an honest assessment of what has actually been embraced over the years and what, by contrast, remains unfamiliar or unimplemented,” with particular attention to “the necessary reforms of the processes of Christian initiation.”

He also pointed to “the importance of valuing apostolic and pastoral visits as authentic opportunities for kerygmatic proclamation and for a growth in the quality of relationships” and called for a reassessment of Church communications — including at the level of the Holy See — “from a more explicitly missionary perspective.”

The letter concludes with the formal announcement of the next consistory, to be held June 26–27, with further details to come later to help cardinals prepare.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

ANNABA, Algeria — Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday said that “God’s heart is not with the wicked, the arrogant, or the proud” as he visited the Ma Maison care home for the elderly in Annaba during his apostolic journey to Algeria.

After leaving the archaeological site of Hippo, the pope traveled to the home run by the Little Sisters of the Poor, where he visited residents and greeted those gathered there.

“I am pleased to make this visit because God dwells here,” Leo said. “Indeed, wherever there is love and service, God is there.”

The pope thanked the Little Sisters of the Poor, the home’s staff, Mother Philomena, and Archbishop Emeritus Paul Desfarges of Algiers.

“Having listened to you, and seeing your presence here amongst our elderly brothers and sisters, it is natural to praise God and give thanks to him,” the pope said to Desfarges. “Just as Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said: ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.’”

Leo also thanked Salah Bouchemel, an elderly Algerian Muslim, for what he called a “beautiful and comforting” testimony.

“I think that the Lord, looking down from heaven upon a house like this, where people strive to live together in fraternity, would say, ‘There is hope!’” the pope said.

“Yes, because God’s heart is torn apart by wars, violence, injustice, and lies. But our Father’s heart is not with the wicked, the arrogant or the proud. God’s heart is with the little ones, with the humble, and with them he builds up his kingdom of love and peace day by day, just as you are striving to do here in your daily service, in your friendship and life together.”

The pope concluded by thanking those present for the gathering.

“I will keep you in my prayers and I gladly impart my blessing,” he said.

Later Tuesday afternoon, Leo was scheduled to conclude his visit to Hippo by celebrating Mass at the Basilica of St. Augustine before returning to Algiers.

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.