Bulletins, Newsletters, and Flocknotes

After taking leave of the Apostolic Nunciature, at 8.00 local time, the Holy Father transferred by car to Yaoundé-Ville Airport for the votive Mass in honour of Our Lady, Queen of the Apostles.

At 9:30 local time, after making a tour of the faithful in the popemobile, the Pope presided over the Eucharistic celebration.

At 9.30 local time, after touring among the faithful by popemobile, the Pope presided over the Eucharistic celebration.

After the introductory rites and the liturgy of the Word, the Holy Father delivered his homily.

At the end of the Holy Mass, Archbishop Jean Mbarga of Yaoundé addressed some words of thanks to the Holy Father.

The Pope returned to the sacristy and then transferred by car to Yaoundé-Nsimalen International Airport for the farewell ceremony from Cameroon.

The following is the homily delivered by Pope Leo XIV during the celebration:

 

Homily of the Holy Father

Dear brothers and sisters, peace be with you! It is the peace of Christ, whose presence illuminates our path and calms life’s storms.

We celebrate this Holy Mass at the conclusion of my visit in Cameroon, and I am very grateful for how you have welcomed me and for the moments of joy and faith which we have experienced together.

As we heard in the Gospel, faith does not spare us from tumult and tribulations. At times, it can seem that fear has the upper hand. However, we know that even in these moments, Jesus does not abandon us, just like he did not abandon the disciples on the Sea of Galilee.

Three of the four evangelists recount the episode proclaimed today, each in their own way, with a message suited for their intended audience. Saint Mark (cf. 6:45-52) narrates that the Lord comes to the disciples while they are struggling to row against the strong wind, which ceases as soon as Jesus climbs into the boat with them. Saint Matthew (cf. 14:22-33) adds a detail: Peter wants to go to the Lord by walking on the waves. Once he steps out of the boat, however, he lets himself be overcome by fear and he begins to sink. Christ takes him by the hand, saves him and rebukes him for his incredulity.

In Saint John’s version, which was proclaimed today (cf. 6:16-21), the Savior draws near to the disciples walking on the water and says: “It is I; do not be afraid” (v. 20). The evangelist emphasizes that “it was now dark” (v. 17). According to Jewish tradition, “water” with its depth and mystery, often calls to mind the netherworld, chaos, danger and death. Together with darkness, it evokes the forces of evil, which human beings by their own power are not able to dominate. At the same time, however, by remembering the miracles wrought in the exodus, water is understood as a place of passage, a crossing through which God powerfully frees his people from slavery.

Throughout the ages, the Church has navigated many storms and “strong winds.” We too can identify with the feelings of fear and doubt experienced by the disciples while crossing the lake of Tiberias. Such is our experience in moments when we seem to be sinking, overcome by adverse forces, when everything appears bleak and we feel alone and weak. But it is not so. Jesus is with us always, stronger than any power of evil. In every storm, he comes to us and repeats: “I am here with you: do not be afraid.” This is why we can get up again after every fall, not allowing ourselves to be stopped by any tempest. Rather we go forward always with courage and trust. And it is thanks to him that, as  Pope Francis  said, so many “men and women… who honor our people, who honor our Church… are strong in carrying forward their lives, their family, their work, their faith” ( Catechesis , 14 May 2014, 2).

Jesus draws near to us. He does not immediately calm the storm, but comes to us in the midst of the danger, and invites us, in our joys and sorrows, to remain together with him, like the disciples, in the same boat. He invites us not to distance ourselves from those who suffer, but to draw near to them, to embrace them. No one must be left alone to confront life’s adversities. For this reason, every community has the obligation to create and sustain structures of solidarity and mutual aid in which, when faced with crises –– be they social, political, medical or economic –– everyone can give and receive assistance according to their own capacity and needs. The words of Jesus, “it is I,” remind us that in a society founded on respect for human dignity, everyone’s contribution is valued as important and unique, regardless of the  status  or position that each one has in the eyes of the world.

The exhortation “do not be afraid,” then, takes on a broader meaning, even at a social and political level, as an encouragement to confront problems and challenges –– particularly those associated with poverty and justice –– together, with a sense of civic and civil responsibility. Faith does not separate the spiritual from the social. Indeed, it gives Christians the strength to interact with the world, responding to the needs of others, especially the weakest. The isolated efforts of individuals are not enough for the salvation of a community: instead, what is needed is a communal commitment, which integrates the spiritual and moral dimensions of the Gospel in the heart of local institutions and structures, making them instruments for the common good, and not places of conflict, self-interest or sterile struggles.

Today’s first reading (cf.  Acts  6:1-7) speaks about this. In this passage, we see how the Church confronts its first crisis concerning growth. The rapid increase in the number of disciples (v. 1) brings new challenges for the community in the exercise of charity, which the Apostles are no longer able to carry out by themselves. Some are overlooked in the distribution of food, and for this reason the grumbling grows and a sense of injustice threatens unity. Daily service to the poor was an essential practice in the early Church, meant to support the weakest, particularly widows and orphans. However, it was necessary to balance this service with the other compelling needs to preach and teach. A solution was not simple. The Apostles, then, gathered together and shared their concerns, discussing the matters in light of Jesus’ teaching. They united themselves in prayer in order to overcome the obstacles and misunderstandings that at first sight seemed insurmountable. Thus, they gave life to something new, choosing men of “good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom” (v. 3) and appointing them, through the laying on of hands, to acts of service with a spiritual mission. Listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit and being attentive to the cry of the suffering, they not only avoided division within the community, but they also equipped it with new instruments suitable to its growth, transforming a moment of crisis into an occasion of enrichment and development for everyone.

At times, family and societal life require the courage to change mindsets and structures, so that the dignity of the human person may always remain the primary focus and so that inequality and marginalization may be overcome. After all, God who became man identified himself with the least, and this makes the preferential care for the poor a fundamental part of our Christian identity (cf. Apostolic Exhortation  Evangelii Gaudium , 198; Apostolic Exhortation  Dilexi Te , 16-17).

Brothers and sisters, today we say farewell to each other. Each one returns to his or her occupation and the ship that is the Church continues on its course towards the final goal, thanks to the grace of God and the commitment of every person. Let us keep the memory of the beautiful moments that we have experienced together alive in our hearts. Even in the midst of difficulties, let us continue to make space for Jesus, allowing him to enlighten and renew us every day by his presence. The Church in Cameroon is alive, young, blessed with gifts and enthusiasm, energetic in its variety and magnificent in its harmony. With the help of the Virgin Mary, our Mother, may your joyful presence continue to blossom. And may the strong winds, which are never lacking in life, be an occasion for growth in the joyful service of God and your brothers and sisters through sharing, listening, praying and the desire to grow together.

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Final Words of Gratitude of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV

Dear brothers and sisters, this celebration marks the conclusion of my visit to Cameroon. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Archbishop and to all the pastors of the Church in this country.

I renew my appreciation for the Civil Authorities and all those who helped prepare and organize this trip.

Thank you to everyone, especially the sick, the elderly and the nuns who offered their prayers.

People of God living and journeying in Cameroon, do not be afraid! Remain firmly united to Christ our Lord! With the power of his Spirit, you will be the salt and light of this land!

Resignation and appointment of bishop of Faenza-Modigliana, Italy

Appointment of bishop of Cabimas, Venezuela

 

Resignation and appointment of bishop of Faenza-Modigliana, Italy

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Faenza-Modigliana, Italy, presented by Bishop Mario Toso.

The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Msgr. Michele Morandi, until now vicar general and rector of the seminary of the same see.

Curriculum vitae

Msgr. Michele Morandi was born on 30 March 1976 in Alfonsine, Ravenna, in the diocese of Faenza-Modigliana. After entering the Regional Minor Seminary of Bologna, he attended the Benedetto XV Regional Major Seminary in Bologna, obtaining a bachelor’s degree. He subsequently obtained a licentiate in theology of evangelization.

He was ordained a priest on 18 October 2003 for the diocese of Faenza-Modigliana.

He has held the following offices: deputy parish priest and parish administrator in various parishes (2003-2012), head of youth and vocational pastoral care (since 2004), vice rector of the diocesan seminary (2013-2015), and head of the Preparatory Community of the dioceses of Romagna (2008-2024). He is currently vicar general of the diocese (since 2016), rector of the diocesan seminary (since 2015), canon of the Cathedral and parish administrator in various parishes, to assist in situations of hardship caused by the earthquake and floods (since 2017).

 

Appointment of bishop of Cabimas, Venezuela

The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Nicolás Gregorio Nava Rojas of Machiques as bishop of Cabimas, Venezuela.

Curriculum vitae

Bishop Nava Rojas was born on 8 December 1963 in Maracaibo, in the archdiocese of the same name. He was awarded a licentiate in theology and a licentiate in pedagogy in Caracas.

He was ordained a priest on 22 July 1989, and incardinated into the diocese of Cabimas.

He has held the following offices: parish priest of Saint Anthony of Padua , Nuestra Señora de Altagracia , and Santo Niño Jesús in Cabimas, head of vocational pastoral care, deputy administrative director and professor at the Caracas Major Seminary, diocesan bursar and head of diocesan missionary pastoral care, parish priest of Saint Anthony of Padua in El Consejo de Ziruma, head of the Convenio ME , professor at the Maracaibo Major Seminary and vicar general.

He was appointed bishop of Machiques on 19 October 2019, and received episcopal ordination on the following 14 December.

At 8.05 (local time), the Holy Father travelled by car to Yaoundé-Nsimalen International Airport from where, after taking leave of some local leaders, he departed on board an ITA Airways Airbus A330-900neo, bound for Douala.

Upon arriving at Douala International Airport at 9.24, the Pope was received by some local authorities. He then transferred by car to Japoma Stadium for Holy Mass on the Friday of the second week of Easter.

At 11.00, after a tour among the faithful by popemobile, the Pope presided over the Eucharistic celebration.

After the introductory rites and the liturgy of the Word, the Holy Father delivered his homily.

At the end of Holy Mass, Archbishop Samuel Kleda of Douala addressed some words of thanks to the Holy Father.

The Pope will return to the sacristy and then, at 13.00, he will transfer by car to the Catholic Hospital of Saint Paul in Douala, where he will be received by the director of the structure.

Following the private visit, the Holy Father will return by car to Douala International Airport where, after taking leave of some local authorities, he is scheduled to depart at 14.10, bound for Yaoundé.

Upon arrival, expected at 15.20 local time, the Pope will return to the Apostolic Nunciature.

The following is the homily delivered by Pope Leo XIV during the celebration:

 

Homily of the Holy Father

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The Gospel we have heard ( Jn  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.

The Apostle John describes a large crowd (cf. vv. 2-5), just as we are here now.  For all those people, however, there is very little food: only “five barley loaves and two fish” (v. 9).  Observing this disproportion, 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?

This question is posed to each one of us. 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.  We need to eat in order to live.  We are not God: but where is God in the face of people’s hunger?

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” (v. 11).  A serious problem was solved by blessing the little food that was present and sharing it with all who were hungry.  The multiplication of the loaves and the fish happened while sharing: that is the miracle!  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.  Let us observe Jesus’ gesture closely:  when the Son of God took the bread and the fish, he first gave thanks.  He was grateful to the Father for that which would become a gift and a blessing for all the people.

In this way, the food was abundant.  It was not rationed out of necessity.  It was not stolen in strife.  It was not wasted by those who gorge themselves in the presence of those who have nothing to eat.  Passing from the hands of Christ to those of his disciples, the food increased for everyone; indeed, it was superabundant (cf. vv. 12-13).  Amazed by what Jesus had done, the people exclaimed:  “This is indeed the prophet!” (v. 14), that is, the one who speaks in God’s name, the Word of the Almighty.  It was true!  However, Jesus did not use those words for personal gain.  He did not want to become king (cf. v. 15), because he had come to serve with love, not to dominate.

The miracle he performed is a sign of this love.  It 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.  Each act of solidarity and forgiveness, every good effort, becomes a morsel of bread for humanity in need of care.  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.

Sisters and brothers, the Eucharist that we are celebrating is the source of renewed faith, because Jesus becomes present among us.  The Sacrament does not merely revive a distant memory; it brings about a “companionship” that transforms us because it sanctifies us.  Blessed are those invited to the Supper of the Lord!  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.

The Lord embraces heaven and earth.  He knows our hearts and all the situations — joyful or sorrowful — that we experience.  By becoming man to save us, he chose to share in the simplest and most everyday needs of humanity.  Hunger thus speaks to us not only of our poverty but, above all, of his love.  Let us remember this every time we see in their eyes a brother or sister who lacks life’s necessities.  Through their eyes, the question that Jesus posed to his disciples is repeated:  “What are you going to do for all these people?”  Being witnesses of Christ and imitating his acts of love certainly involves difficulties and obstacles, from without and from within us, where pride can corrupt the heart.  In those circumstances, however, let us repeat with the psalmist: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” ( Ps  27:1).  Even if we sometimes falter, God always encourages us.  “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord” (v. 14).

Dear young people, I would like to extend this invitation especially to you, as you are the beloved children of the African continent!  As brothers and sisters of Jesus, multiply your talents through the faith, perseverance, and friendship that inspire you.  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.

Despite the richness of the land in Cameroon, many experience both material and spiritual poverty.  Do not give in to distrust and discouragement.  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.  Be, therefore, protagonists of the future, following the vocation that God gives to each of you.  Do not let yourselves be corrupted by temptations that waste your energies and do not serve the progress of society.

In order to make your noble spirit the prophetic voice of a new world, learn from the example that we have just heard in the Acts of the Apostles.  The first Christians gave courageous witness to the Lord Jesus in the face of difficulties and threats, and persevered even amid persecution (cf.  Acts  5:40-41).  The disciples “every day in the temple and at home… did not cease to teach and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah” (v. 42), that is, the Christ, the Liberator of the world.  Yes, the Lord frees us from sin and death.  Proclaiming this Gospel unceasingly is the mission of every Christian, and it is a mission that I entrust especially to you, dear young people, and to the entire Church in Cameroon.  Become Good News for your country, just like Blessed Floribert Bwana Chui is for the Congolese people.

Brothers and sisters, teaching leaves a sign, like the mark of the farmer’s plow in the field, which enables what is sown to bear fruit.  In a similar way, Christian proclamation changes our lives, transforming minds and hearts.  Proclaiming the risen Jesus means leaving signs of justice in a suffering and oppressed land, signs of peace amid rivalry and corruption, signs of faith that free us from superstition and indifference.  With this Gospel message in our hearts, we will shortly share the Eucharistic Bread that sustains us for eternity.  With joyful faith, let us ask the Lord to multiply his gift among us for the good of all.

Upon arrival in Yaoundé, the Holy Father transferred to the Catholic University of Central Africa for the meeting with university students and staff.

As he arrived in the courtyard of the university campus, the Pope was received by the Rector Magnificus, Thomas Bienvenu Tchoungui.

After the welcome bymn, the greeting from the Rector Magnificus and some testimonies, interspersed with musical interludes, Pope Leo XIV delivered his address.

At the end of the meeting, after the blessing and the closing hymn, the Holy Father returned to the apostolic nunciature, where dined privately.

The following is the address delivered by the Pope to those present during the meeting:



Address of the Holy Father

Grand Chancellor, Dear brothers in the Episcopate, Reverend Rector, Distinguished members of the faculty, Dear students, Distinguished academic authorities, Ladies and Gentlemen!

It gives me great joy to address you at the Catholic University of Central Africa, a center of excellence for research, the transmission of knowledge and the formation of so many young people.  I express my gratitude to the academic authorities for their warm welcome and for their constant commitment to the service of education.  It is a source of hope that this institution, founded in 1989 by the Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa, may serve as a beacon for the Church and for Africa in its search for truth, as well as its promotion of justice and solidarity.

Today more than ever, it is necessary that universities — and all the more so Catholic institutions of higher learning — become true communities of life and research, introducing students and professors alike to a fraternity in knowledge, “as an intrinsic requirement for experiencing in community the joy of the Truth and appreciating more fully its meaning and practical implications.  Today our proclamation of the Gospel and the Church’s doctrine are called to promote a culture of encounter, in generous and open cooperation with all the positive forces that contribute to the growth of universal human consciousness.  A culture, we might say, of encounter between all the authentic and vital cultures, thanks to a reciprocal exchange of the gifts of each in that luminous space opened up by God’s love for all his creatures.  As Pope  Benedict XVI  pointed out, ‘truth, in fact, is  logos  which creates  dia-logos , and hence communication and communion’” (Francis, Apostolic Constitution  Veritatis Gaudium , 4b).

Indeed, at a time when many in the world seem to be losing their spiritual and ethical points of reference, finding themselves imprisoned in individualism, superficiality and hypocrisy, the university stands out as a privileged place of friendship, cooperation and, at the same time, of interiority and reflection.  From its very origins in the Middle Ages, its founders set Truth as its goal.  Today still, professors and students are called to embrace as both their aim and their way of life the common search for truth, for, as Saint John Henry Newman wrote, “All true principles run over with God, all phenomena converge to him” ( The Idea of a University , Discourse II).

At the same time, what Newman called the “kindly light” — that is, “the light of faith, joined to the truth of love” — is not “extraneous to the material world, for love is always lived out in body and spirit; the light of faith is an incarnate light radiating from the luminous life of Jesus.  It also illumines the material world, trusts its inherent order and knows that it calls us to an ever widening path of harmony and understanding.  The gaze of science thus benefits from faith: 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.  By stimulating wonder before the profound mystery of creation, faith broadens the horizons of reason to shed greater light on the world which discloses itself to scientific investigation” (Francis, Encyclical Letter  Lumen Fidei , 34).

Dear friends, Africa can make a fundamental contribution to broadening the overly narrow horizons of a humanity that struggles to hope.  In your magnificent continent, researchers are especially called to open themselves to interdisciplinary, international and intercultural perspectives.  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.

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.  No society, in fact, can flourish unless it is grounded in upright consciences, formed in the truth.  In this sense, the motto of your university — “In the service of truth and justice” — reminds you that the human conscience, understood as the inner sanctuary where men and women discover themselves drawn by the voice of God, is the very ground upon which just and stable foundations for every society must be laid.  To form consciences that are free and endowed with a holy restlessness is a necessary condition for the Christian faith to appear as a fully human proposal.  Such a faith is capable of transforming the lives of individuals and of society, of inspiring prophetic change in the face of the tragedies and forms of poverty of our time, and of encouraging a continual search for God that is never satisfied.

It is indeed within the conscience that moral discernment is formed, by which we freely seek what is true and upright.  When the conscience takes care to be enlightened and rightly formed, it becomes the source of a coherent way of acting, directed toward the good, justice and peace.

In contemporary societies, and therefore in Cameroon too, we can witness an erosion of the moral values that once guided community life.  As a result, today there is a tendency to approve casually certain practices that were once considered unacceptable.  This dynamic can be explained in part by social changes, economic pressures and political forces that shape individual and collective behavior.  Christians, and especially young African Catholics, must not be afraid of “new things.”  Your university, in particular, can form 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.  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.

This is all the more true in light of the spread of artificial intelligence systems, which increasingly shape and permeate our mentality and social environments.  Like every great historical transformation, this too calls not only for technical competence, but also for a humanistic formation capable of making visible the logic behind economics, embedded biases and forms of power that shape our perception of reality.  Within digital environments — structured to persuade — interaction is optimized to the point of rendering a real encounter superfluous; the otherness of persons in the flesh is neutralized, and relationships are reduced to functional responses.  Dear friends, you, however, are real persons!  Creation itself has a body, a breath, a life to be listened to and safeguarded.  It “groans and suffers” (cf.  Rom  8:22), just as each one of us does.

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.  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.

It is precisely in this sphere that the Catholic university is called 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.  Above all, it prepares future leaders, public officials, professionals and other actors in society to carry out with integrity the responsibilities entrusted to them, to exercise their duties with uprightness and to situate their activity within an ethical framework at the service of the common good.

Dear sons and daughters of Cameroon, dear students, in the face of the understandable tendency to migrate — which may lead one to believe that elsewhere a better future may be more easily found — I invite you, first and foremost, 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 is the  raison d’être  of your university, founded thirty-five years ago to form pastors of souls and lay people committed to society: these are the witnesses of wisdom and justice, of which the African continent needs.

In this regard, I would like to recall an expression of  Saint John Paul II : the Catholic university is “born from the heart of the Church” (Apostolic Constitution  Ex Corde Ecclesiae , 15 August 1990, 1) and shares in her mission to proclaim the truth that sets us free.  This affirmation refers primarily to an intellectual and spiritual imperative: to seek the truth in all its dimensions, with the conviction that faith and reason are not opposed, but rather support one another.  Moreover, it reminds us that professors and students of the university are involved in the Church’s task of “proclaiming the good news of Christ to all, in dialogue with the different sciences and in the service of a deeper understanding and application of truth in the life of individuals and society” (Francis, Apostolic Constitution  Veritatis Gaudium , 8 December 2017, 5).

In the face of the challenges of our time, the Catholic university occupies a unique and irreplaceable position.  In this regard, let us reflect on the pioneers of this institution, who laid the foundations upon which you build today.  Among them, I recall in a particular way the Reverend Barthélemy Nyom, who served as Rector for most of the 1990s.  Following their example, be ever mindful that, alongside the transmission of knowledge and the development of professional competencies, this university seeks to contribute to the integral formation of the human person.  Spiritual and human accompaniment constitutes an essential dimension of the identity of the Catholic university.  Through spiritual formation, the initiatives of campus pastoral ministry and moments of reflection, students are invited to deepen their interior life and to orient their engagement in society in the light of authentic and enduring values.  In this way, dear students, you learn to become builders of the future of your respective countries and of a world that is more just and humane.

Dear professors, your role is essential.  I therefore encourage you to embody the values you wish to impart — above all justice and fairness, integrity, a spirit of service, and a sense of responsibility.  Africa and the world stand in need of people who are committed to living according to the Gospel and to placing their talents at the service of the common good.  Do not betray this noble ideal!  As well as being intellectual guides, be role models whose scientific rigor and personal integrity form the consciences of your students.  Africa, indeed, must be freed from the scourge of corruption.  For young people, this awareness must take root from their years of formation, thanks to the moral rigor, selflessness and coherence of life shown by their educators and teachers.  Day by day, lay the indispensable foundations for the building of a consistent moral and intellectual identity.  By bearing witness to the truth — especially in the face of the illusions of ideology and passing fashions — you will foster an environment in which academic excellence is naturally united with human uprightness.

Ladies and gentlemen, the principal virtue that must animate the university community is humility.  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.  I thank you, and I impart to you my heartfelt blessing!

The following is the message, sent on behalf of the Holy Father Leo XIV by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, on the occasion of the Second National Meeting of local representatives for the protection of minors and vulnerable adults, taking place in Rome from 16 to 18 April 2026:

 

Message

To His Most Reverend Eminence Cardinal Matteo Zuppi President of the Italian Episcopal Conference

From the Vatican, 10 April 2026

Your Most Reverend Eminence,

I convey the cordial greetings of the Holy Father Leo XIV to Your Eminence and to the participants in the second national meeting of local representatives for the protection of minors and vulnerable adults, organized by the national service of the Italian Episcopal Conference.

The theme, “Generating authentic relationships”, points to an essential task of Christian communities. Indeed, when every person is recognised in their dignity and their freedom is safeguarded, parishes, associations and movements become trustworthy, capable of accompanying, educating and protecting; where, on the other hand, respect is lacking, relationships become impoverished, distorted and can cause serious harm.

From the Christian perspective, respect is not merely a matter of propriety: it is a demanding form of charity, expressed in safeguarding the other without appropriating them, in accompanying them without dominating them, in serving them without humiliating them. From this root springs the possibility of clear, mature and secure relationships. For this reason, protection cannot be understood merely as a set of rules to be applied or procedures to be followed: it requires a wisdom that permeates the style of communities, the way authority is exercised, the formation of educators, vigilance over contexts, and transparency in behaviour.

The presence of the youngest and the most vulnerable appeals to the conscience of the Church and measures her ability to express authentic care, that is, to protect, to listen, to prevent, and to leave no-one alone. For this reason too, the work of those who promote formation, discernment, coordination and good practice represents a valuable contribution to the development of more welcoming and aware communities.

Special attention must be given to people who have suffered abuse: their wounds call for sincere closeness, humble listening, and perseverance in seeking what is right and possible in order to make amends. A Christian community lives out evangelical conversion when she does not defend herself against the pain of those who have suffered, but allows herself to be challenged by it; when she does not minimise evil, but acknowledges it; when she does not shut herself off in fear of scandal, but accepts to walk the demanding paths of truth, justice and healing.

Your meeting therefore takes on a significance that goes beyond the practical level, calling the Church to grow in a culture of prevention that is, first and foremost, a culture of evangelical care. The performance to be premiered at your conference, Ed io avrò cura di te (“And I Will Take Care of You”), will also contribute to this.

Your Eminence, dear friends, Pope Leo XIV encourages you to continue your work with confidence, so that communities may flourish in the Italian dioceses where the most vulnerable are welcomed, protected and loved. He entrusts each of you, together with your service, to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, and cordially imparts his Apostolic Blessing upon you.

I too wish you every success in this initiative, and every blessing for your service to the Church and to society.

I take this opportunity to confirm, with the utmost respect,

Your Most Reverend Eminence

yours devotedly in the Lord

Cardinal Pietro Parolin

Secretary of State