In front of a crowd overflowing with religiosity, with African songs and dances, which the authorities estimate at one million people gathered in an airport in the capital Kinshasa, the Congolese people celebrated the presence of Pope Francis who asked them to “break the cycle of violence” and achieve peace in a country that has it more than three decades at war.
In one of the busiest masses of his ten-year pontificate, the 86-year-old Argentine pope told them to follow “three springs” to achieve peace, “which are forgiveness, community and mission”.
“How much good it does to purify our hearts of anger, remorse and all resentment and envy!” Jorge Bergoglio added, on his second day in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a country of over 90 million inhabitants. and the one with the largest number of Catholics on the continent, with 45 million faithful.
“Dear friends, may today be the moment of grace to welcome and experience Jesus’ forgiveness! May it be the right time for you, that you carry a heavy burden on your heart and need it removed in order to breathe again.
During his homily to the crowd, he stopped singing and dancing and devoted himself to listening to the Pope and approve with applause and shouts to the pontiff.
The Congolese suffer from the resurgence of violence, especially in the east of the country, where more than one hundred armed groups operate. The Pope has launched an appeal. “Lay down your arms, embrace mercy”She said.
Addressing the members of the Church, he told them that they too run the risk of “being together but walking alone, seeking power, career and ambition in society and also in the Church”.
In order not to fall into the false illusions of power and money, Francisco affirmed that “the path it is sharing with the poor”.
“Let’s start again from the poor and we will discover that we all share inner poverty. With God’s help we build a Church empty of worldly spirit and full of the Holy Spirit, free of riches for herself, free of riches for herself and full of brotherly love.
“Hands off Africa!”
On Tuesday, the first day of his visit, in 40. Francis’ apostolic journey and fifth to Africa, Jorge Bergoglio made one of the most resounding speeches of his pontificate.
Speaking before President Felix Tshisekedi at the Government Palace, where he received an official welcome, Francis exclaimed “Hands off Africa! Stop choking her!”, attacking what he called “economic colonialism” which makes fabulous profits from the exploitation of the continent.
His call had a direct impact on the inhabitants of this country. Of the 90 million inhabitants, a good part lives on only two dollars a day. A country with an impressive territory of more than two million square kilometers has enormous wealth, but with such unfair exploitation that it does not exceed an annual production of 55 billion dollars.
In a train of comparisons, Argentina, with 47 million inhabitants and one of the worst economic crises in its history, has an annual wealth of 455 billion dollars.
The Pope said on Tuesday that “it is tragic that these places continue to suffer forms of exploitation. After political colonialism, an equally enslaving economic colonialism was unleashed.
Francis said the Democratic Republic of Congo (there is another smaller country called the Republic of Congo) is “a country abundantly plundered” that fails to “enough to benefit from its immense fruits”.
This Wednesday’s appeal gave a peaceful and merciful direction, oriented towards the poor, to the path of social reclamation of the Congolese.
In his homily to mit is a camp in Kinshasa, capital of 16 million inhabitants, the Pope continued with another appeal to “brothers and sisters” to be “missionaries of peace”. “This will give us peace.”
“It is a decision, it is making room for our heart for everyone, it is believing that ethnic, regional, social and religious differences come later and are not obstacles”.
Francis invited Christians “to break the cycle of violence and dismantle the plots of hatred”.
Dad he partially presided over the massbecause he cannot fully celebrate the ceremony due to problems with his right knee.
After the religious ceremony, which according to a bishop present “makes the history of Congolese Catholicism due to the presence of the Pope and an imposing crowd”, Francis returned to the embassy of the Holy See in Kinshasa.
In the afternoon, meetings were scheduled with the victims and their families in the tormented East of the country, victims of violence and wars caused by armed groups, received by the Pope who had to cancel his visit to the city of Goma, capital of eastern Congolese, due to Of escalation of violence.
The Pope has also expected to receive this Wednesday the solidarity and charity organizations that give important help to the poor Congolese.
On Friday, the Argentine pontiff will conclude his visit to the Republic of Congo e will travel to South Sudan. He will return to Rome on Sunday.
Vatican correspondent
ap
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.