Pope Francis said at
his weekly General Audience Wednesday that in his just-concluded
Apostolic Journey to Mozambique, Madagascar and Mauritius, as a
pilgrim of peace and hope, he tried to bring the leaven of Jesus
to the people of the three countries, Vatican News reported.
In his catechesis during Wednesday's General Audience in the
Vatican, Pope Francis recalled the various events of his
memorable to Mozambique, Madagascar and Mauritius, 4-10
September.
"I thank God who has allowed me to complete this journey as a
pilgrim of peace and hope," the Pope said, adding, "Christ is
the hope of the world, and His Gospel is the most powerful
leaven of brotherhood, freedom, justice and peace for all
peoples." He said that with his visit, in the footsteps of the
holy evangelizers, he tried "to bring this leaven, the leaven of
Jesus, to the people of Mozambique, Madagascar and Mauritius".
The Pope said he went to "sow seeds of hope, peace and
reconciliation" in Mozambique, "a land that has suffered so much
in the recent past because of a protracted armed conflict, and
that last spring was hit by two devastating cyclones. The local
Church, he said, "continues to accompany the peace process,
which took a step forward on 1 August with a new Agreement
between the parties". In this regard, the Pope particularly
thanked the Community of Sant'Egidio, a lay Catholic group,
which, he said worked very hard in this peace process.
The Pope encouraged the authorities of the country on the
path of peace, "urging them to work together for the common
good". "And I encouraged the young people, who have gathered
from different religious backgrounds, to build the country,
overcoming pessimism and anxiety, spreading social friendship
and building on the traditions of the elderly."
In his encounter with Mozambican bishops, priests and
consecrated persons in the Cathedral of the Immaculate
Conception in Maputo, the Pope said he proposed to them the "way
of Nazareth, the way of the generous "yes" to God, in the
grateful memory of her call".
A strong sign of this evangelical presence, he said, is the
Hospital of Zimpeto, on the outskirts of Maputo, that the
Community of Sant'Egidio helped build. He said the important
thing there was that everyone works for the sick who belong to
various religious faiths. The director of the hospital is a
Muslim woman specialized in AIDS and all work together as
brothers for the sick.
The culminating Mass in Mozambique in a stadium was a joyous
event with songs and dances, despite the rain. And the message
of the Lord that echoed loud at the Mass was, "Love your
enemies" (Lk 6:27), which the Pope said, is the "seed of the
true revolution, that of love, which extinguishes violence and
generates brotherhood".
In Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, the Pope found a
country rich in beauty and natural resources but marked by much
poverty.
Animated by their traditional spirit of solidarity, the
Malagasy people, the Pope said, can overcome adversity and build
a future of development by combining respect for the environment
and social justice.
"As a prophetic sign in this direction," the Holy Father said
he visited Akamaso, the "City of Friendship", where they try to
combine work, dignity, care for the poor and education for
children, in the spirit of the Gospel. There, at the granite
quarry, the Pope prayed for the workers.
The Pope also met the contemplative nuns of different
congregations in the Carmelite monastery, to underscore the fact
that without faith and prayer one cannot build a city worthy of
man.
In his encounter with bishops of the country, they renewed
their commitment to be "sowers of peace and hope", in caring for
God's people, especially the poor, and their priests. Together
with the bishops, the Pope venerated the Blessed Victoire
Rasoamanarivo, the first Malagasy woman to be elevated to the
altars. In also joined an evening vigil with young people, full
of testimonies, songs and dances.
In Antananarivo, the Pope celebrated Sunday Mass in the vast
"Diocesan Field" with a large crowd, and later met Madagascar's
priests, consecrated women and men and the seminarians calling
it "an encounter as a sign of praise to God".
Monday was dedicated to Mauritius, a well-known tourist
destination, which the Pope chose to visit as a "place of
integration between different ethnic groups and cultures". The
Pope noted a strong inter-religious dialogue and friendship
between the various faith communities. An example of this is
that when he entered the bishop's house, he found a beautiful
bouquet for him sent by the Great Imam as a sign of brotherhood.
The Holy Mass in Mauritius was celebrated in memory of
Blessed Jacques-Désiré Laval, known as the "apostle of Mauritian
unity". "The Gospel of the Beatitudes, the identity card of
Christ's disciples, in that context," the Pope said, "is an
antidote to the temptation to selfish and discriminatory
well-being. It is also the leaven of true happiness, imbued with
mercy, justice and peace.
The Pope said he was struck by the work of evangelization by
the bishops for the poor. In his meeting with the country's
authorities, the Pope appreciated their commitment to harmonize
differences as a common enterprise and encouraged them to
continue in their efforts to welcome people even today and
maintain and develop their democratic life.
The Pope said that before and after every foreign apostolic
visit, he always goes to Our Lady in the Basilica of St Mary
Major in Rome, praying that she accompany him on his journey
like a Mother, telling him what to do and say. "With Our Lady, I
am safe," he said.
In conclusion, Pope Francis urged those present to thank God
and ask Him that the seeds sown in this apostolic journey may
bring abundant fruit for the peoples of Mozambique, Madagascar
and Mauritius.
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