Salvatore Cernuzio – Flight to Luanda, Dorota Abdelmoula-Viet – Vatican
He emphasized that his speeches were prepared in advance and should not be interpreted as attempts to polemicize with the President of the United States. “That is not my intention at all,” he added.
Speaking to journalists shortly after departing from Yaoundé, Leo XIV referred to his three-day visit to Cameroon and stressed that the country “is in many ways the heart of Africa: Anglo- and French-speaking, with about 250 local languages and great ethnic diversity.” Thanking the members of the papal flight for their work, he also clarified some issues related to the interpretation that the media gives to his speeches.
Imprecise Narrative
The Pope drew attention to the “not entirely precise narrative” that spread in the media, “due to the political situation that arose when, on the first day of [my] journey, the President of the United States made certain declarations addressed to me.” This referred to a statement by Donald Trump, which Leo XIV had briefly addressed already on the plane en route to Algeria. “I do not see my role as that of a politician, I am not a politician, I do not want to enter into a discussion with him,” he said then, answering journalists’ questions. From his side, it was a clear and definitive explanation, although the President and Vice President of the United States made further comments in the following days. Hence today’s statement by the Pope.
“Most of what has been written since then [since the Pope’s first comment – editor’s note] is nothing more than another comment on a comment and an attempt to interpret what has already been said,” said Leo XIV. An example is his speech, delivered on April 16 during a peace meeting in Bamenda, Cameroon. As the Pope explained, it was “prepared two weeks earlier, long before the president commented on me and the message of peace I was proclaiming. And yet it [the Pope’s speech – editor’s note] was interpreted as if I was again trying to enter into a polemic with the president, which is not my intention at all.”
Building peace and dialogue between religions
The Pope once again recalled the mission that guides his current journey. “I come to Africa primarily as a pastor, as the head of the Catholic Church, to be together, to participate in celebrations together, to strengthen and accompany all African Catholics,” he said. His journey also has other dimensions, which the Pope spoke about, mentioning the “excellent meeting” he had at the Cameroonian nunciature with a group of imams and speaking about the need to “further promote dialogue and fraternity, understanding, acceptance, and building peace with people of all faiths; just as we already do in other places and as Pope Francis did during his pontificate.” The Holy Father also fondly recalled yesterday’s meeting at the Catholic University of Central Africa, where he dedicated a monument depicting the African continent with the figure of St. Augustine in the center. “This monument partly shows what this Church represents.”
Preaching the Gospel
The Pope also touched on the topic of “unequal distribution of wealth,” a phenomenon that can be found throughout Africa. As he said, Cameroon in this context is “a country rich in opportunities, but also difficult.”
The Holy Father also referred to the upcoming visit to Angola. “We continue to preach the message of the Gospel,” he announced, emphasizing the beauty of being Christians, which means “following Christ, promoting fraternity and fraternal relations, entrusting oneself to the Lord, but also seeking ways to promote justice in our world. To promote peace in our world.”
Thanks to Cameroon
Among the journalists accompanying the Pope is one representative of the Cameroonian media, Charles Ebune, from Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV). Through him, Leo XIV conveyed his gratitude to the entire Cameroonian nation, thanking them for the “wonderful reception, immense enthusiasm, and joy of the people. It was absolutely fantastic!”
According to the Pope, it was also extraordinary that through this shared enthusiasm, many people discovered “how wonderful it is to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and to profess our faith together.” “I am very happy to have experienced this,” he said. He also assured all journalists of his gratitude for their work. “I hope the Lord will continue to bless everyone on this journey. See you in Angola!” he added at the end.
