pope francis visits uganda

A timeline of papal visits to Africa: From Paul VI to Francis

As Pope Francis visits the DRC and South Sudan, we take a look at previous papal voyages to the continent.

Pope Francis is visiting the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan, his fifth trip to Africa since being elected head of the Catholic Church in 2013.

The 86-year-old had to postpone the trip last year after suffering knee problems. But he was determined to undertake the visit, which will bring to 10 the number of African countries he has visited.

Keep reading

What did the pope say in his ‘state of the world’ address, ‘we are all children of god’: pope says homosexuality not a crime, south sudan’s displaced hope pope’s visit will bring peace.

We take a look at previous papal visits to the continent.

Pope Paul VI

1960: uganda.

In the 1960s, popes didn’t travel much outside Vatican City. Pope Paul VI bucked the trend and became the first reigning pope to visit Africa.

It was a major event when he visited Uganda in 1969. Among other activities, Paul VI made a pilgrimage to the Uganda Martyrs Shrine Namugongo. During his visit, twenty-two Catholic martyrs were canonised.

Pope John Paul II

Pope John Paul II travelled widely throughout Africa during his more than 26-year pontificate. His first tour was in 1980.

1980: The Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Ivory Coast

During his first African tour, he visited six countries in 11 days. At the time the Democratic Republic of the Congo was known as Zaire and Burkina Faso was known as Upper Volta.

In Ouagadougou, the capital of Upper Volta, he made an appeal for international assistance for the country as it suffered a devastating drought. The donations received set in place the foundations for the establishment of the John Paul II Foundation for the Sahel in 1984.

During his trip, he reportedly criticised Marxism as an ideology and welcomed the religious enthusiasm he encountered.

On his last day, he also said : “There is a great temptation to demolish instead of building, to procure weapons at a great price for populations that need bread, to want to seize power – sometimes confronting one ethnic group with another … while the poor sigh for peace, succumb to the desire for profit benefitting a privileged class.”

1982: Nigeria, Benin, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea

John Paul II’s second tour took place in February 1982, nine months after an attempt on his life.

In Benin where church-state relations were rocky, he listened as President Matthieu Kerekou delivered a lecture on ‘the socialist struggle’, according to the UPI news agency. He then celebrated mass for approximately 20,000 people at the stadium in Cotonou.

After five days in five Nigerian cities, including Lagos and Onitsha, the pope said the visit left him with “‘an unforgettable memory of a country which is a credit to Africa, to the world and to the church of Jesus Christ”.

In the northern city of Kaduna, he called for unity at a gathering of Muslim religious leaders, saying: “All of us, Christians and Muslims, live under the sun of the one merciful God.”

1985: Togo, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Morocco

This third tour of Africa was in August 1985, and his 27th trip outside Italy.

During this tour, he dedicated the biggest church in the world, the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Yamoussoukro, the capital of Ivory Coast. During his visit to the country five years earlier, he had blessed the foundation stone as construction began.

In a homily in Lome, the Togolese capital, he said he wanted to preach a faith that was ”authentically Christian and authentically African” in response to the matter of Catholicism adapting to traditional African practices.

He ended the tour with a plea to Muslims and Christians to put aside their differences and work together to create a better world.

1988: Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique

During this trip, Pope John Paul II arrived in the Kingdom of Lesotho before a bloody shootout between police and gunmen who hijacked a busload of nuns and children while demanding to see the pope.

The pope arrived in Lesotho eight hours behind schedule and just 20 minutes before the tense hostage drama was resolved. One hostage died and eleven others were wounded but the others were rescued.

According to reports, the religious leader condemned apartheid in South Africa during this trip – in Lesotho.

“A civilization of justice, peace and love mean recognition of the dignity of each human being,” he was quoted as saying. “It means each human being can exercise fundamental rights without restrictions or limitations supposedly justified by racial segregation or by social discrimination.”

He also visited eSwatini, then still known as Swaziland.

1989: Madagascar, Reunion, Zambia, Malawi

This was his fifth trip to Africa as a Pope and his 41st trip outside Italy.

According to reports, his interest in Africa was driven largely by the rapid expansion of the Church during those years. Vatican sources said the church gained 2.5 million new adherents in Africa in 1989 alone.

There was also the beatification of Victoria Rasoamanarivo – a member of the Malagasy elite who encouraged Catholica communities at a time when Christianity was outlawed in the country –  as a saint in Antananarivo, Madagascar.

1990: Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Ivory Coast

In 1990, John Paul II made two trips to Africa. In January that year, he went to Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Chad.

In September, he travelled to Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda and Ivory Coast.

In Tanzania, where one million of its 24 million people were living with AIDS, the pope stressed the need for a ”supreme effort of cooperation among governments as well as the scientific and medical communities”.

1992: Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Angola

This was his 8th tour of Africa.

His visit to Angola coincided with the 500th anniversary of the coming of Christianity to the Central African country.

1993: Benin, Uganda, Sudan

During his 9th tour to Africa, John Paul II said the Vatican would strongly resist the imposition of Islamic law on Christians in Sudan.

“You absolutely cannot impose this law on those of other faiths who are Christian,” the 72-year-old Pope told reporters, according to a report by the New York Times.

“The role of the church, the Holy See and the bishops is to remind leaders of Muslim countries that Islamic law can be applied only to the Muslim faithful,” he said.

1995: Cameroon, South Africa, Kenya

Catholics in South Africa will long remember the historic visit by Pope John Paul II.

A longstanding opponent of apartheid, the pope refused several invitations to visit South Africa. But this time, he was received by the late President Nelson Mandela, the country’s first Black president, who praised his stand against apartheid.

“Today my journey brings me to a new South Africa, a ‘rainbow nation,’ indicating the diversity of races, ethnic groups, languages and culture which characterise it,” the pope said.

1998: Nigeria

This was his last trip to sub-Saharan Africa at the age of 77.

During his trip, he encouraged human rights within the country which was then under the authoritarian rule of the late Sani Abacha.

“Respect for every human person, for his dignity and rights, must ever be the inspiration and guiding principle behind your efforts to increase democracy and strengthen the social fabric of your country,” he said in a mass in Abuja.

“The dignity of every human being, his inalienable fundamental rights, the inviolability of life, freedom and justice, the sense of solidarity and the rejection of discrimination: these must be the building blocks of a new and better Nigeria,” he added.

2000: Egypt 

This trip was his first visit to the country.

The pope was greeted by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak with a handshake at the foot of the plane’s stairs as he stepped onto the tarmac at Cairo International Airport.

A band played the processional from Verdi’s Aida, an opera associated with Egypt, as Mubarak then escorted the pope, leaning on a walking stick, to stand before the flags of Egypt and the Vatican.

“We never could have imagined that we would have the pope under our roof,″ said Samir Yassa, who designed the New Cathedral of Our Lady of Egypt where the pope met with Orthodox and Coptic clergymen in a display of their shared roots. “A brother is returning to a land where Christ walked.″

Pope Benedict XVI

2009: cameroon, angola.

On Pope Benedict’s first trip to Africa, he urged Angolans, still recovering from nearly three decades of civil war in their oil-rich country, to build peace and understanding between peoples.

“Dear Angolans, your land is abundant, and your nation is mighty. Make use of these advantages to build peace and understanding between peoples,” the pope said.

“To this end, I ask you: do not yield to the law of the strongest! God has enabled human beings to fly, over and above their natural tendencies, on the wings of reason and faith.”

The Pope’s rejection of the use of condoms in the fight against HIV/AIDS sparked controversy during this trip.

2011: Benin 

His last tour to Africa was a three-day visit to Benin at a time when the Catholic Church was growing faster than on any other continent.

At the end of 2011, the Catholic population worldwide reached 1.2 billion. According to America Magazine, there was a 4.1 percent increase in Catholics in Africa, twice the change in Asia, the second fastest-growing Catholic population globally.

Pope Francis

2015: kenya, uganda and central african republic.

The Argentine-born pontiff made his first trip to Africa in November 2015, with a six-day visit to Kenya, Uganda and Central African Republic (CAR).

He brought with him a message of peace, social justice and dialogue with Islam on a trip that included a visit to a Nairobi slum and a mosque in the CAR capital Bangui.

In CAR, he urged warring factors to lay down their weapons and hailed Africa as “the continent of hope”.

2017: Egypt

In April 2017,  Pope Francis paid a two-day visit to Cairo in support of the largest Christian community in the Middle East, the Coptic minority in Egypt, who have been subject to marginalisation and deadly attacks for years.

He also reached out to Islamic leaders, visiting Al Azhar, the centre of Sunni Muslim learning presided over by its grand imam, Ahmed al-Tayeb – one of Islam’s leading religious authorities.

2019: Morocco

At the invitation of King Mohammed VI, Francis visited the North African country of Morocco in March 2019.

His trip was marked by calls for religious tolerance, freedom of religion and also respect for the rights of refugees and migrants.

He also warned the Christian faithful against trying to convert others, preaching “no proselytism” ahead of a mass for thousands of Catholics in Rabat.

2019:  Mozambique, Madagascar and Mauritius

In September 2019, the pope visited Mozambique and the Indian Ocean nations of Madagascar and Mauritius, again calling for peace and social justice.

In Madagascar, 30 years after the last papal visit made by John Paul II, Francis made an impassioned plea for the environmental protection of the island known for its immense diversity of flora and fauna.

Watch CBS News

Pope Francis urges Catholics to follow zeal of Uganda martyrs

November 28, 2015 / 10:51 AM EST / CBS/AP

NAMUGONGO, Uganda -- Pope Francis on Saturday honored the Ugandan Christians who were burned alive rather than renounce their faith a century ago, urging today's Catholics to follow in their missionary zeal and spread the faith at home and abroad.

A somber Francis prayed at shrines dedicated to the 23 Anglican and 22 Catholic martyrs who were killed between 1885 and 1887 on the orders of a local king trying to thwart the influence of Christianity in his central Ugandan kingdom. According to historians, the Christians were also killed because they refused the king's sexual advances, citing the church's opposition to homosexuality.

At Namugongo, outside the capital, Kampala, where most of the martyrs were burned alive, Francis prayed first at the gruesome sanctuary dedicated to the Anglicans, kneeling before part of the same tree where they were tortured before being executed. He then prayed at the Catholic shrine and celebrated Mass in their honor to mark the 50th anniversary of the Catholics' canonization.

How badly the faithful wanted to see and hear the pope was evidenced by prime spots packed literally cheek to cheek, CBS News correspondent Allen Pizzey reports.

But the church isn't having it all its own way here, Pizzey reports. Some 40 percent of Ugandans are Catholics, but a mere 20 percent of couples are legally married. The rest cohabit in what the church delicately terms "irregular situations."

It's more or less the way the church also refers to homosexuality, which is a raging issue here, Pizzey reports. Uganda has some of the most severe anti-homosexuality laws in Africa, including a proposed one that would have imposed the death penalty but which the church successfully lobbied against.

As many as 2 million people were expected to attend the Mass, including Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, the president of South Sudan and the descendant of the king who ordered the deaths.

Francis urged them to use the martyrs' example of faith to be missionaries at home by taking care of "the elderly, the poor, the widowed and the abandoned."

"This legacy is not served by an occasional remembrance or by being enshrined in a museum as a precious jewel," he said. "Rather we honor them and all the saints when we carry on their witness to Christ, in our homes and neighborhoods, in our workplaces and civil society, whether we never leave our homes or we go to the farthest corner of the world."

The Argentine pope knows of what he speaks. When he joined the Jesuit order as a young man, he longed to be a missionary in Japan. But his superior told him to stay home for health reasons, and he later developed a ministry in the slums of Buenos Aires that has formed the basis of his papacy.

During his two days in Uganda, Francis is expected to touch on some of the same themes he emphasized during the first leg of his trip in Kenya: corruption, poverty and giving young Christians hope and encouragement. After the Mass on Saturday, Francis has a rally with young people, a visit to a charity and a meeting with local priests, seminarians and nuns on his agenda.

Some of the pilgrims attending the Mass had been here all night to honor the martyrs and see the pope, braving rains and sleeping on mats to guard against the mud that turned the grounds into chocolate-colored muck.

"They are so important because they sacrificed their life because of their religion," said Beneh Ssanyu, 27, who showed off the mud encrusting her sandals and pants - evidence of her arrival at 1 p.m. Friday that scored her a prime front-row seat.

Security at the shrine was tight, with those entering the main area passing through metal detectors and police boats monitoring the moat surrounding the altar where Francis celebrated the service.

Francis has made a point on his foreign travels to honor local martyrs in hopes of inspiring a new generation of missionaries. When he was in South Korea, for example, he beatified 124 missionaries who helped bring the faith to the Korean Peninsula. He has also spoken out frequently about today's martyrs, the Christians in the Middle East and Africa who have been slaughtered by Muslim militants.

The history of Uganda's martyrs has helped shape the Catholic Church here, with huge numbers of pilgrims flocking to the Namugongo shrine, many of them Africans arriving from as far away as Congo and Tanzania. Most of the pilgrims walk long distances to the site to underscore their faith.

King Mwanga II of Buganda Kingdom ordered the martyrs killed during a period of political and religious turmoil as he tried to assert his authority amid the growing influence of missionaries from Europe.

But the history of the martyrs also shows a personal grudge Mwanga held against them: After the martyrs converted to Christianity, they began rebuffing his sexual advances since church teaching forbid homosexuality - a humiliation that was part of the reason they were ordered killed, according to the history of the killings, "African Holocaust" by J.F. Faupel.

"It is absolutely true. It is a fact," said Bishop Giuseppe Franzelli, a longtime Italian missionary in Uganda. "When they became Christians, they saw that this was not according to the Gospel, the teaching of Christ and they said no."

The little-known history might help explain why homosexuality remains so taboo today in Uganda.

The Vatican has refused to say whether Francis will discuss gay rights openly while here.

On Sunday, Francis heads to his final destination, the Central African Republic.

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Pope Francis' Africa Visits: Timeline

Pope Francis arrived Friday in South Sudan to promote peace and reconciliation in the world's youngest nation and will stay through Sunday before returning to Rome. The pope is on the second leg of his African tour following a stop in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Francis' past visits, including to some of the most troubled countries in Africa, have been widely perceived as courageous and vital in fostering peace, reconciliation and interfaith dialogue. Catholicism is practiced throughout the continent which boasts a significant population of followers.

Here is a timeline of Francis' visits to Africa.

Third Africa Tour: 2023

Francis' trip to South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which began on Jan. 31, has been long-waited as it previously was postponed due to the pontiff's health concerns.

South Sudan: 3-5 Feb.

Upon his arrival at Juba International Airport, Francis is warmly received by a high-level delegation, including President Salva Kiir.

At the start of his two-day visit to the conflict-ridden nation, the pope calls on the leaders of the country to start a new peace effort and said that history will remember them for what they do.

“Future generations will either venerate your names or cancel their memory, based on what you now do,” Francis said. “For just as the Nile leaves its sources to begin its course, so the course of history will leave behind the enemies of peace and bring renown to those who are true peacemakers.”

Thousands of Christians and Muslims line the route of Francis' motorcade, waving flags in celebration.

“The pope is closest to God,” Poni Jadalla, 45, told AP as she waited to welcome Francis on the first-ever papal visit to the country. “Let the pope give us peace so that this country can develop and no more bloodshed.”

Analysis: Pope Francis' 'Pilgrimage for Peace' in SSudan [5:34]

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South Sudan is still grappling with the effects of intercommunal conflicts, causing extensive violence and displacement of communities, despite the 2018 peace agreement that ended the civil war. The pope's visit is seen as an opportunity to address these conflicts and promote a lasting peace.

DRC: 31 Jan-3 Feb.

Francis visits the Democratic Republic of the Congo — a nation plagued by years of conflict and political instability — where he meets with President Felix Tshisekedi, officials, diplomats, religious and civil society leaders and victims of conflict.

On the first day of his Africa tour that kicked off Tuesday in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Francis condemns “economic colonialism” and the “political exploitation” of the DRC and Africa.

“Hands off the Democratic Republic of the Congo! Hands off Africa! Stop choking Africa,” the pontiff said in an address at the presidential palace in the country's capital Kinshasa.

On the second day of his visit, over a million people turn out for a papal mass, according to organizers.

Over One Million Attend Pope Francis DRC Mass  

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In addition, the pope addresses an audience of around 65,000 people at Kinshasa's Martyrs' Stadium on the third day of his visit, where he urges Congolese youth to denounce corruption and promote peace.

Francis has a moment with the enthusiastic crowd when he asked them to chant "let's say no corruption,” after him.

The speech is interrupted often by applause and cheers.

"Enough!" to Abuse, Exploitation: Pope in DRC

The pontiff's visit to the central African country, where about 40% of the population practice Catholicism, marks the first papal visit since 1985.

Second Africa Tour: 2019

Francis has a busy year in 2019 with several trips to Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

Mozambique: 4-6 Sept.

On a three-day visit, Francis meets with President Filipe Nyusi and celebrates mass at the Independence Square in Maputo, where he calls on Mozambicans to work towards peace and reconciliation following years of civil war. He also visits the country's largest mosque and meets with the Muslim community.

Madagascar: 7-9 Sept.

Upon his arrival to the capital of Madagascar, Antananarivo, Francis celebrates a large open-air mass attended by an estimated 1 million people.

Despite Madagascar's vast and unique natural resources, it is one of the poorest countries in the world. The World Bank says 75% of its 24 million people live on less than $2 a day; only 13% of the population has access to electricity.

Throughout this historic visit, Francis highlights two main issues: the urgent need to address the environmental crisis and its impact on the poor and vulnerable communities in Madagascar.

Mauritius: 9-10 Sept.

Francis visits the Indian Ocean nation of Mauritius to celebrate its diversity, encourage a more ethical development and honor a 19th century French missionary who ministered to freed slaves.

Thousands of Mauritians waved palm branches as Francis arrived in his popemobile to celebrate a Mass honoring the Rev. Jacques-Desire Laval. While Catholics represent less than a third of Mauritius' population of 1.3 million, Laval is seen as a unifying figure for all Mauritians, most of whom are Hindu of Indian descent.

Visit to Morocco: 2019

During his visit to Morocco in March of 2019, Francis meets with King Mohammed VI and praises the country's approach of promoting respect and harmony among Moroccans of all faiths.

He also visits the Hassan Tower and the mausoleum of King Mohammed V, where he pays tribute to the former leader's role in promoting religious tolerance and the protection of Moroccan Jews during the Holocaust.

Francis also meets with representatives of the Jewish and Muslim communities, where he emphasizes the importance of interfaith dialogue and cooperation.

Visit to Egypt: 2017

Francis travels to Egypt in April of 2017. His trip takes place as the North African country grapples with Islamic extremism, political turmoil and economic hardship.

Francis meets with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed el-Tayeb, and participates in an inter-religious peace conference, where he emphasizes the need for dialogue and understanding between different religions.

Pope Francis Visits Egypt (2017)

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The pope also visits the St. Peter and St. Paul Church in Cairo, which had been the site of a bombing in December 2016, resulting in 29 deaths and many injuries. He offers his condolences to the victims and their families, denouncing the violence as an attack on all Egyptians, regardless of their religion.

First Africa Tour: 2015

In 2015, Francis says on many occasions that he intends to travel to Africa. The Vatican website states the pope's seven-day tour would include Kenya, Uganda and the Central African Republic (CAR).

Kenya: 25-27 Nov.

During his visit to Nairobi, Kenya, Francis meets with President Uhuru Kenyatta and addresses the Kenyan parliament, urging leaders to fight corruption and promote peace and unity.

He also visits the slums of Kangemi where he denounces the conditions dwellers are forced to live in, saying that everyone should have dignified and adequate housing.

Francis was welcomed by a large crowd at the University of Nairobi where he urges Christian and Muslim leaders to engage in dialogue as a means against brutal attacks by Islamic extremists that have plagued the country. He also encourages young people to take on the role of change-makers and reject violence and extremism.

Uganda: 27–29 Nov.

Francis visits to Uganda, marking the first time a pope visited the East African country in almost 30 years.

In his speeches, Francis emphasizes the importance of unity and reconciliation and called on Ugandans to work together to build a more peaceful and prosperous society.

CAR: 29-30 Nov.

During his trip to the Central African Republic, Francis meets with President Catherine Samba-Panza and celebrates mass at the Bangui Municipal Stadium, where he calls for peace, reconciliation and forgiveness in the nation's journey to achieve stability.

He also visits a mosque in the PK5 neighborhood, which had previously been a site of clashes between Muslims and Christians. Francis encourages interfaith dialogue and cooperation as essential elements in the pursuit of lasting peace and harmony.

Francis' visit to CAR is highly regarded, as it marked the first time a pope visited the country, which has been suffering a civil war and sectarian violence for several years.

Some of the information in this report came from The Associated Press. This report was compiled by VOA's Hassuna Baishu .

South Sudan Prepares to Receive Pope Francis [4:24]

Pope Francis to Visit Africa

Pope Francis to Listen to African Women, Youth

Sudan Sudan Prepares for Pope Francis Visit

DRC Demolishes Market Stalls for Pope Visit

How the Pope Could Play Peacemaker on His Africa Visit

O n Wednesday, Pope Francis embarks on his inaugural visit to Africa with an ambitious itinerary that includes three countries with 87 million people and encompasses some of the biggest issues facing not only the Catholic Church, but also the world. During his six-day visit he will meet with regional leaders in Kenya, Uganda and the violence-wracked Central African Republic—his first visit to an active war zone. In public celebrations of Mass and in private meetings with religious leaders and speeches to representatives from the United Nation’s Environment Program, which is based in Nairobi, Pope Francis is expected to address climate change, poverty, religious extremism and refugees.

True to his reputation as a man of the people, he will spend much of his time with the poor, the downtrodden and the marginalized, meeting child soldiers, ministering to people with HIV, spending time with refugees fleeing religious violence, meeting Muslim leaders and touring one of Kenya’s biggest shantytowns. Francis isn’t coming to Africa on official Catholic Church business so much as he is using the continent to demonstrate the urgency of finding practical solutions to global concerns.

The reception in Africa, where millions are expected to attend his open-air masses and hundreds of millions more to watch on TV, is a demonstration of how Pope Francis’ appeal transcends religion and speaks to a continent-wide craving for recognition and compassion. “There is a huge sense of excitement and anticipation,” says Lane Bunkers, the Kenya and Somalia country representative for the U.S. based Catholic Relief Services aid organization, by telephone from Nairobi. “This guy has a message that has crossed all religious boundaries and resonates with many people.”

In Kenya, where a third of the population is Catholic, the pope will encounter outsize expectations. According to a recent report by the Infotrak polling organization, more than 75 percent of Kenyans from all religious backgrounds hope to see the pope tackle corruption, accountability and tribal biases among Kenyan leaders. That’s a lot to ask of Francis. While the topic of responsible leadership may come up in his sermons and speeches, he is not one to criticize leaders directly, as U.S. President Barack Obama did in his recent trip to Kenya, where he raised the issue of government corruption as an impediment to growth and stability.

Instead, says Bunkers, Francis may be more effective as a role model. The Pontiff’s first stop in Kenya will be at Nairobi’s State House, which will provide a good opportunity to stress the importance of Christian service to elected officials, says Bunkers. “Those who suffer the most from corruption are the most vulnerable—the poor who aren’t getting an education or health care or welfare because of the misuse of public funds. So I think the message needs to be service to the poor, and the responsibility that comes with the trust and faith that the people have put in these officials.”

Pope Francis’ speech to the UN agency in charge of environmental protection will have a global audience, coming just three days before world leaders convene in Paris for a conference on climate change. The pope has already proved himself an ardent environmentalist with the release of his encyclical on environmental protection in June, which calls for a more responsible use of nature’s riches. His speech, coming in a country especially vulnerable to climate change brought about largely by consumption in the rich nations of the world, serves as the second half of that message, and will help drive his points home.

So too will Pope Francis’ visit to a church in Nairobi’s Kangemi slum, home to an estimated 100,000 residents who live largely off the grid and with limited access to sewage and sanitation services. “It is God’s gift the pope is coming to this church,” Father Melchior Marandu of the St. Joseph the Worker Church told The Star , a Kenyan newspaper. “This is not a rich area, it is just a slum. That’s a powerful sign: he is telling us we are not forgotten.”

Francis may have more difficulty navigating official Catholic doctrine that pits Africa’s highly conservative church leaders against the pope’s more liberal message of tolerance on controversial issues such as homosexuality and divorce. Gay sex is illegal in several African countries, including both Kenya and Uganda, and discrimination against homosexuals is both widespread and, in some cases, encouraged by church leaders.

Though not on the official agenda, homosexual rights may come up on the pope’s visit to Uganda, where a small but determined group of gay rights activists continues to fight anti-gay legislation . They are hoping that Pope Francis will share his message of relative acceptance—“Who am I to judge?” he once said in response to a question about homosexuality—during his visit. “We pray that this pope can be successful in bringing a message of tolerance for those who are different from us as far as their human sexuality is concerned,” says Uganda’s former Anglican Bishop Disani Christopher Senyonjo. Now retired, Senyonjo has campaigned tirelessly on behalf of Uganda’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender population, saying that they are all equal before God. “If the pope can demonstrate understanding of people who are different, that would a good example for the people of Uganda to follow,” he says. Especially since nearly half the population of Uganda is Catholic.

On November 29, Pope Francis flies to his final, and most dangerous, destination in Africa: Bangui, the war-torn capital of the Central African Republic (CAR), Bangui. CAR has been embroiled in violence ever since the newly-elected president, François Bozize, was deposed in 2013 by a group of disgruntled Muslim rebels. A Christian militia rose up in response, and both sides have engaged in a series of reprisal attacks that have left an estimated 6,000 dead.

Pope Francis plans to visit a camp for people displaced by the violence, and then to pray at Bangui’s central mosque. In a French-language radio message released on November 23, the pope told residents of the Central African Republic that, “I hope with all my heart that my visit may contribute, in one way or another, to alleviate your wounds and to favor conditions for a better, more serene future.”

Unlike his diplomatic work on Cuba , in which he encouraged the U.S. to normalize relations with an historic enemy, Pope Francis has a limited political role to play between the CAR’s warring militias. But his call for inter-religous harmony just a month before presidential elections could calm tensions enough to ensure a stable transition. “Seeing him shake hands and pray with Muslim leaders would go a long way towards encouraging inter-faith dialogue,” says Bunkers of Catholic Relief Services, which promotes such dialogues among divided communities throughout Africa.

Despite the fact that the United Nations has deployed 300 extra personnel to provide security for the pope’s visit, tensions are still high, and the papal security team says that it may have to cancel the pope’s visit at the last minute. “The pope wants to go to the Central African Republic, [and] the plan is still for him to go,” papal spokesperson Federico Lombardi told journalists on Friday. But, he added, “As every wise person would, we’re monitoring the situation.” If there is a change of plans, he noted, it would be out of concern for people attending papal event, and not for the pope himself. That would disappoint CAR’s majority Christian population, but it could also derail the country’s best chance at bringing the warring sides together in a peace-building mission that could save thousands more lives.

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Pope Francis in Africa: what should be on his agenda?

From the plight of refugees, religious extremism to gay rights, Global Voices surveys the key issues likely to dominate the pontiff’s historic trip

Pope Francis makes his first visit to Africa this week, starting on Wednesday when his delegation will visit Kenya, then Uganda and the Central African Republic.

During the five-day trip the pope is expected to deliver public masses, meet religious and political leaders and promote a message of reconciliation and unity.

But concerns have lingered over whether his visit to Central African Republic (CAR) will go ahead. The country is currently embroiled in a civil war between the predominantly Muslim Séléka rebel coalition and Christian government forces.

His visit there – where he will meet representatives from the Muslim community at mosque in the capital, Bangui – will make him the first pope to travel to an active war zone, according to Global Post .

Speculation over what the head of the Roman Catholic Church can achieve with this visit is being hotly debated online. From escalating religious tensions to pushing for LGBT equality, here are a few of the common themes being discussed.

Religious tensions

Christian militias in CAR have carried out attacks on the country’s Muslim population during the ongoing conflict, leading some people to question whether the pope’s visit could in fact escalate religious tensions.

Peter Fabricius, a security consultant at the South African-based Institute for Security Studies, argued that the pope should have planned a joint visit with a Muslim leader.

“It is a pity that Francis does not have a Muslim counterpart who could partner him on his missions of peace and reconciliation among religions,” he said.

“Nevertheless, by his highly active and increasingly visible political interventions around the world in the name of peace, reconciliation and mercy, Pope Francis may just still be inspiring and emboldening the leaders of other religions to follow his example.”

In Kenya , members of the militant Islamist group al-Shabaab killed 147 people at Garissa University College, allowing Muslims to go free but killing those who identified as Christian.

Kenyan blogger Daniel Ominde suggested the pope might transform other areas with his message of peace. “Frequent terror attacks in Nairobi, Mombasa and most recently Garissa University significantly drove down Kenya’s earnings from [tourism], the sector which was for a long time the country’s biggest foreign exchange earner.

“It is my hope that the pope will use this visit to remind the world that terror is a problem in Africa just like it is in the western world where hundreds of lives have also been lost,” Ominde wrote.

The blogger praised the pope’s “conciliatory agenda” and suggested that visiting regions with a high Muslim population “should provide him with an opportunity to reach out to Muslims, and set the stone rolling for a process of inter-religious unity in the fight against extremism.”

LGBT rights

On the issue of homosexuality, Ominde argued : “While we do not expect him to push for the legalisation of homosexuality, Pope Francis will almost definitely encourage African governments to deal with homosexuals in more a humane manner.”

Uganda is notorious for its tough laws criminalising homosexuality. In an interview in 2014 given shortly after signing a bill that made some homosexual acts punishable by life in prison, the country’s president Yoweri Museveni reportedly told CNN : “They’re disgusting. What sort of people are they?”

In CAR, homosexuality is not illegal, and the country has signed a UN statement committed to ending acts of violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

However, according to the Library of Congress “public expressions of love” between persons of the same sex is punishable by six months to two years imprisonment or a fine, and there is currently no legal recognition of same-sex relationships.

In July 2013, Pope Francis showed understanding toward the LGBT community when he said : “If someone is gay and searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?”

But Emma Were Tinka’s tweet from Uganda , quoting the country’s Archbishop of Gulu, suggested senior religious figures would stand firm in their opposition.

Archbishop Odama: On homosexuality, 'i don't think the Pope can divert from the teachings of the church' #PopeInUganda — Emma Were Tinka (@EmmaTinka) November 10, 2015

The plight of refugees

The Irish Jesuit Mission has asked the pope to keep the plight of refugees in mind during his visit:

Consider the Invisible:We ask #PopeFrancis remember refugee messages as he journeys thro Africa @miseancara #Jesuits https://t.co/wyilVgqFTF — Irish Jesuit Mission (@IrishJMissions) November 12, 2015

Civil war and violence in Africa have forced many people to flee countries across the continent. Figures released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that by mid-2014 there were 13 million refugees of concern to the organisation, 28% of them fleeing conflicts in African countries.

According to the organisation, there are 460,000 refugees from Central African Republic – 10% of the country’s population – currently living in Cameroon, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Republic of Congo.

How Ugandans are preparing for #PopeinAfrica Visit to the country on Nov 27-29 in Pictures. @Pope_news @BBCAfrica pic.twitter.com/z47ppsKg6s — Ignatius Bahizi (@bahizi_i) November 20, 2015

I hope #PopeinKenya visit inspires the Church to play a greater role in enhancing democracy as it did in the 90s #EqualityFridays — Cera Njagi (@Kenyanfeminist) November 20, 2015

‘Corruption, impunity, tribalism, insecurity’

Kenya-based Abdimalik Odowa shared a cartoon of Kenya’s prayer requests to the pope:

Kenya's prayer request: corruption, impunity, tribalism, insecurity... #PopeInKenya @StandardKenya :) pic.twitter.com/RbyUeunqkz — AMB. Abdimalik Odowa (@AbdimalikOdowa) November 11, 2015

Alvin Akoko in Nairobi pointed out three main issues he would like the pope to discuss during the Kenyan leg of his visit:

@Pontifex , I understand you wont discuss ethnicity, but please address CORRUPTION, MEDIA FREEDOM & ACCOUNTABILITY #PopeInKenya #FreeNgirachu — Alvin AKOKO (@akokoalvin) November 10, 2015

Comparing US president Barack Obama’s trip to the pope’s imminent visit, Twitter user @TsarNjoroge observed:

When @POTUS comes to Nairobi, people are told to leave city but when @Pontifex comes to Nairobi, people are welcomed in city #PopeInKenya — DUKE OF GATANGASHIRE (@TsarNjoroge) November 11, 2015

During Obama’s visit, the Kenyan government reportedly removed homeless people and street vendors from the city.

Reflecting on the same subject, Emmanuel Ngumbi remarked:

when #Obama visited Kenya he chose to meet a few at@KenyattaUni during #PopeInKenya trip he will celebrate mass with masses at #UoN grounds — Emmanuel Ngumbi (@ngumbijunior) November 10, 2015

It is expected that 1.4 million people will attend his mass in Kenya alone.

A version of this article first appeared on Global Voices online

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Pope Francis and Archbishop Stanley Ntagali at the Anglican Shrine to the Ugandan Martyrs in Namugongo. Photo: Petero Buyondo and Francis Emorut

[Anglican Communion News Service] Pope Francis has made a visit to the Anglican shrine to the Ugandan Martyrs in Namugongo, and spoke of the “ecumenism of blood”.

The Pope looked visibly pained and shocked as Archbishop Stanley Ntagali, primate of the Anglican Church of Uganda, explained how the martyrs were put to death on the orders of the King of Buganda in the late 19th Century for refusing to renounce their faith.

Later, in a sermon during a Papal Mass outside the Catholic shrine, Pope Francis spoke of the sacrifice of the 45 men – 23 Anglicans and 22 Roman Catholics – saying that their “witness of love for Christ and his Church has truly gone ‘to the end of the earth.’

“We remember also the Anglican martyrs whose deaths for Christ testify to the ecumenism of blood. All these witnesses nurtured the gift of the Holy Spirit in their lives and freely gave testimony of their faith in Jesus Christ, even at the cost of their lives, many at such a young age.

“The gift of the Holy Spirit is a gift which is meant to be shared. It unites us to one another as believers and living members of Christ’s mystical Body. We do not receive the gift of the Spirit for ourselves alone, but to build up one another in faith, hope and love.”

He said that the Ugandan Martyrs “had tended to their faith and deepened their love of God, they were fearless in bringing Christ to others, even at the cost of their lives. Their faith became witness; today, venerated as martyrs, their example continues to inspire people throughout the world. They continue to proclaim Jesus Christ and the power of his Cross.

“Like the Apostles and the Uganda martyrs before us, we have received the gift of the Holy Spirit to become missionary disciples called to go forth and bring the Gospel to all. At times this may take us to the end of the earth, as missionaries to faraway lands.

This is essential to the spread of God’s Kingdom, and I ask always for your generous response to this need. But we do not need to travel to be missionary disciples. In fact, we need only to open our eyes and see the needs in our homes and our local communities to realize how many opportunities await us.

“Here too the Uganda martyrs show us the way. Their faith sought the good of all people, including the very King who condemned them for their Christian beliefs. Their response was to meet hatred with love, and thus to radiate the splendour of the Gospel. They did not simply tell the King what the Gospel does not allow, but showed through their lives what saying ‘yes’ to Jesus really means. It means mercy and purity of heart, being meek and poor in spirit, and thirsting for righteousness in the hope of an eternal reward.”

During the tour of the new Uganda Martyrs Museum at the Anglican Shrine, Pope Francis and Archbishop Stanley paused at the fire pit where the twenty-three Anglicans and twenty-two Roman Catholic converts to Christianity were brutally martyred on 3rd June 1886. “This is ecumenism,” Pope Francis told Archbishop Stanley.

Pope Francis and Archbishop Stanley Ntagali enter the Anglican Shrine to the Ugandan Martyrs in Namugongo. Photo: Petero Buyondo and Francis Emorut

“The Roman Catholic martyrs died for the same Jesus Christ as the Anglican martyrs,” Archbishop Stanley said. “Together, they suffered; together, they sacrificed; together, they sang. Together, their blood has been the seed of the church in Uganda.”

It is a message that echoed Pope Francis’ words in July this year in St peter’s Square in Rome as he anticipated his visit to Uganda. “The blood of the martyrs makes us one,” he said. “We know that those who kill Christians in hatred of Jesus Christ, before killing, do not ask: ‘Are you an Evangelical, or [Anglican], or Orthodox?’ They say: ‘You are Christian,’ and behead them.”

Last week, the same message was repeated by the Preacher to the Papal Household, Father Raniero Cantalamessa, in a sermon at Westminster Abbey ahead of the Church of England’s General Synod: “In many parts of the world people are killed and churches burned not because they are Catholic, or Anglican, or Pentecostals, but because they are Christians,” he said. “In their eyes we are already one! Let us be one also in our eyes and in the eyes of God.”

Alluding to a traditional African proverb, Archbishop Stanley said, “If we want to go fast, let us go alone. As the wider Christian community in Uganda, however, if we want to go far, let us go together. This is why we were very happy to welcome the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church to the [Anglican] Church of Uganda.”

During the Pope’s brief visit to the Anglican Martyrs’ Shrine, he also emphasised the importance of prayer by kneeling at the torture tree and offering a personal prayer.

Pope Francis prays at the torture tree at the Anglican Shrine to the Ugandan Martyrs in Namugongo. Photo: Petero Buyondo and Francis Emorut

When he emerged from his private tour of the museum, he was welcomed by a very large, enthusiastic, and ululating crowd. He responded by inviting everyone to pray The Lord’s Prayer together.

The assembled congregation then received a double apostolic blessing with Pope Francis and Archbishop Stanley together conferring on everyone the Blessing of God Almighty: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The House of Bishops of the Church of Uganda, along with the Provincial Heads of Laity and Clergy, the Provincial President of Mother’s Union, and several thousand Anglican clergy and laity arrived at the Martyrs’ Shrine at sunrise to prepare to welcome the Pope.

Retired Archbishop Livingstone Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo has spearheaded the development of the Uganda Martyrs’ Museum to ensure their legacy for future generations.

Pope Francis unveiled a dedication stone and offered a prayer that the Uganda Martyrs would continue to inspire generations of youth to follow Christ. Later in the afternoon he met thousands of Ugandan youth in Kampala to encourage them to pray and be faithful to Christ.

The President of Uganda and the First Lady were also present at the Anglican Martyrs’ Shrine.

Pope Francis is the third Pope to visit the Anglican shrine. Paul VI visited on 2nd August 1969; five years earlier, in 1964, he had canonized the Roman Catholic martyrs. Pope John Paul II visited on 7th March 1993.

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Pope Francis’ visit to Africa

The Independent January 25, 2023 In The Magazine , NEWS ANALYSIS Leave a comment

It comes at a defining moment for the Catholic Church

Kampala, Uganda | Stan Chu Ilo |  Pope Francis plans to visit the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Sudan in February 2023. During the visit, the Pope intends to be in dialogue with African Catholics – but also to listen to political leaders and young Africans.

This visit comes at a defining moment in what is regarded as a fairly progressive papacy.

Pope Francis has convened a worldwide consultation on the future of the Catholic Church. This consultation, called a synodal process, began in 2021 and will conclude in 2024.

It is the most ambitious dialogue ever undertaken on bringing changes in Catholic beliefs and practices since the Second Vatican Council’s reforms in 1965. It is exciting for reform-minded Catholics, but distressing for conservative Catholics.

The ongoing synodal process has exposed the fault lines in modern Catholicism on the issues of women, celibacy, sexuality, marriage, clericalism and hierarchism. How Pope Francis – who marks a decade of his papacy this year – manages these increasingly divisive issues will, in my judgement, largely define his legacy.

My research has focused on how African Catholics can bring about a consensus approach in managing these contested issues.

The big questions for me are how another papal visit to Africa at this point will address the challenges and opportunities that Africans are identifying through the synodal process – and how this plays into the state of Catholicism in Africa.

The influence of African Catholicism

The Catholic Church is witnessing its fastest growth in Africa (recent statistics show 2.1% growth between 2019 and 2020). Out of a global population of 1.36 billion Catholics, 236 million are African (20% of the total).

African Catholics are not simply growing in number. They are reinventing and reinterpreting Christianity. They are infusing it with new language and spiritual vibrancy through unique ways of worshipping God.

Given its expansion, the Catholic Church in Africa is well placed to be a central driver of social, political and spiritual life. In many settings, the church provides a community of hope where the fabric of society is weak because of war, humanitarian disasters and disease.

The DRC, for instance, has the highest number of Catholic health facilities in Africa at 2,185. It is followed by Kenya with 1,092 and Nigeria with 524 facilities. Additionally, bishops have mobilised peaceful protests against violence in the DRC and Nigeria.

Another major feature of Catholicism on the continent is that it is witnessing a “youth bulge”. Central to Pope Francis’ advocacy for Africa is his appeal that churches, religious groups and governments show solidarity with young people. He calls them “the church of now”.

The pope expressed this most recently in November 2022 during a synodal consultation with African youth. He denounced the exploitation of Africa by external forces and its destruction by wars, ideologies of violence and policies that rob young people of their future.

Why DRC and South Sudan?

Pope Francis comes to Africa as part of the synodal consultation. He takes the message of a humble and merciful church to some of the most challenging parts of Africa: the DRC and South Sudan.

These two countries illustrate the impact of neo-liberal capitalism and the effects of slavery, colonialism and imperialism. Together, they have unleashed the most destructive economic, social and political upheaval in modern African history.

Pope Francis is coming to listen especially to the poor, to young people and to women who have been violated in conflicts. He also hopes to address the hidden wounds of clerical sexual abuse in the church.

Pope Francis will see how war, dictatorship and ecological disasters have denied ordinary people access to land, labour and lodging. These are the “three Ls” he proposes as vital in giving agency to the poor.

Pope Francis will no doubt receive a warm welcome during his visit. Most African Catholics embrace his message of a poor and merciful church because it speaks to their challenges.

But there are many African Catholics, particularly high-ranking church leaders, who are yet to embrace this reform agenda. The previous two popes encouraged a centralising tendency, which promoted unquestioning loyalty to Rome by African bishops. As a result, these bishops resisted attempts by African theologians to modernise and Africanise Catholic beliefs and practices to meet local needs and circumstances.

This has led to some African bishops being uncomfortable with Pope Francis’ progressive agenda on liberation theology, openness to gay Catholics, condemnation of clerical privilege and power, and inclusion of women in mainstream leadership.

Rather than being a strong church that looks like Africa, some of the Catholic dioceses on the continent have embraced medieval traditions – like Roman rituals and Latin – that alienate ordinary African Catholics, especially young people.

Africa’s future role

Pope Francis has often spoken of giving Africa a voice in the church and in the world.

Many African Catholics wonder how this will happen when, for the first time in more than 30 years, there is just one African holding an important executive function at the Vatican. This is Archbishop Protase Rugambwa of Tanzania, the secretary of the Dicastery for the Evangelisation of Peoples, a department at the Vatican’s central offices.

Many African Catholics hope that Pope Francis will announce some African appointments to the Vatican during his February 2023 visit.

They also are hoping he will create a pontifical commission for Africa, similar to the Latin American commission created in 1958. This will be a significant way of giving African Catholics a voice in the Church of Rome.

Pope Francis has not fully recovered from the health challenges that led to the cancellation of the trip last July. But he is making this trip because he believes that Africa matters.

Through the sessions that the pope will conduct with Africans, especially young people, it’s hoped that the Catholic Church in Africa can help address the causes of war and suffering in the DRC and South Sudan, and the obstacles to reforming the church in Africa.

Pope hailed

Pope Francis was hailed around the world as a “messenger of hope” during his historic visit to Kenya, Uganda and Central African Republic in 2015. The visit to the three African countries was replete with gestures of reconciliation and peace.

He pushed all the right buttons on religious liberty, climate change and reforms to the annulment process of divorced Catholics.

Pope Francis took a stand against poaching in Africa as well as corruption. He even visited a mosque in Central Africa. This had particular significance given the ongoing inter-religious conflict and violence in the region.

The pope’s visit then was profiled as a “message to the world”. The explosive growth of the Catholic population in Africa despite religious, ethnic and political conflicts is a hint of the growing significance of Africa for the Catholic Church.

Given Pope Francis particular historical roots in Latin America, specifically Argentina, it is not surprising that his speeches are leaning toward social and political transformation with key words such as “solidarity” and “justice”, according to P. Pratap Kumar, Professor of Hinduism and Comparative Religion, University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Writing in the Conversation at the time of the Pope’s visit to Africa in 2015, Prof. Kumar pointed out how since 1961, with the papal encyclical (Mater et Magistra of Pope John Paul XXIII), which is a formal pronouncement from the pope’s office, the social teaching of the Catholic Church has become increasingly significant.

The Catholic Church’s gradual move towards socialistic thinking really began in 1849 with Pope Pius IX, Kumar said. But whether socialism is contrary to Catholic doctrine is an interesting question and has particular reference to the conflict- and poverty-ridden continent of Africa.

Scholars have pointed out that what the Catholic Church was against was not so much socialism, but Marxism as embedded in the critique of Pope Leo XIII.

Kumar said Africans need to ask if Pope Francis has a clear socialist message for Africa that he can send to the West and to the rest of the continent.

“If the recent papal visit is hailed as a “message to the world”, we need to figure out what the content of that message really is and what structures can facilitate it to become a reality,” he wrote.

Pope Francis has spent a great deal of time visiting conflict and poverty stricken regions. This is obviously in line with his socialist leanings.

“But socialism is not only about economic issues. It is also about fundamental equality in society in religious and cultural realms.” Kumar said.

On a broader level, Pope Francis rightly sits squarely in the middle of an evolving socialist message of the Catholic Church. But it would remain a mirage if the Catholic Church does not engage governments – in Africa and in the West – to bring about urgently needed political and economic changes.

If the Catholic Church is growing faster in Africa than elsewhere in the world, it means that the people of Africa expect the Catholic Church to be with them in their struggle for daily existence.

“The ongoing realities of African migration to the west forces the Catholic Church to deliver on its promise of economic and social liberation in the post liberation period,” Kumar said.

He added: “Political liberation has done nothing more than change faces of political leadership in Africa. What needs to be achieved is for people to realise their simple dreams of a society where their children and women can be safe and fed.

The pope’s visit has perhaps unwittingly thrust the Church into solidarity with the people and committed itself to fight corruption and poverty as well as all forms of social inequality on the continent”.

By Stan Chu Ilo, Research Professor, World Christianity and African Studies, DePaul University

Source: The Conversation

Parts of this article have been re-written for context – Editor

Tags africa Pope pope francis Stan Chu Ilo

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Do You remember Pope Francis’ 2015 visit to Uganda?

We recall some of what transpired during the visit.

Pope Francis arrived in Uganda on Friday 27th November 2015 on the second leg of his 6-day pastoral visit to Africa till 29th November 2015. During his 2-day stay in the Ugandan capital Kampala, the Pope visited Anglican and Catholic shrines of Namugongo martyrs and celebrated a Mass in their honor. The 45 martyrs (23 Anglicans and 22 Catholics) were killed during the persecution of Christians in the region from 1885-1887. The Pope also had engagements in Kampala includes; a courtesy visit to Uganda’s President plus a series of meetings with diplomats, catechists and teachers, young people, bishops, religious and seminarians as well as a visit to a Catholic Care Home for poor and destitute people.

Pope Francis celebrated Mass in front of an audience of hundreds of thousands of Ugandan faithful.

He spoke at a Catholic shrine dedicated to Christians martyred for their faith in the 19th Century, on the second stage of his three-country Africa tour.

The Mass marked the 50th anniversary of the martyrs’ canonisation.After the mass he addressed thousands of young people, encouraging them to turn to their faith when faced with difficulties.

After the mass more than 150,000 young Ugandans gathered on the outskirts of Kampala Kololo Airstrip for the Pope’s other public event of the day.

Pope Francis urged them to use their faith to confront life’s difficulties and turn negative experiences into strength.

Pope ends visit to Uganda, travels to Central African Republic

Pope Francis has ended his visit to Uganda and tomorrow morning he will board the plane that will take him to the conflict-ridden Central African Republic, as “a messenger of peace.”

On his last day in Uganda, he repeatedly urged Christians here to draw inspiration from their martyrs. From early morning to late evening, Saturday Nov. 28, Pope Francis highlighted in different ways the cost of Christian discipleship, yesterday and today, in this land that is known as "the pearl of Africa."

As he had explained on arrival, his main purpose in coming to Uganda was to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the canonization of the Catholic martyrs of Uganda. But aware that there were also Anglican martyrs who were executed in the same place and at the same time, Francis set out to honor the memory of both, and what he likes to call “the ecumenism of blood.”

He began the day by traveling ten miles from Kampala to Namungongo, where there are both Catholic and Anglican shrines. He went first to the Anglican one and was welcomed by the Anglican bishops, one of whom gave him a guided tour of the shrine. The bishop showed him the recently created museum that offers striking representations of the torture and death that the martyrs had suffered. 

Francis’ face betrayed inner anguish as he listened to what had happened and at the end of the explanation he knelt down in front of a tree at the spot where the 45 martyrs, both Anglican and Catholic, were tortured before being executed between 1885 and 1887. He prayed there in silence for several minutes, and when he got up he appeared to be in another dimension, one might say in a state of profound reflection. He then walked downstairs to the crypt, to pray at the tomb of the Anglican martyrs.

From the Anglican shrine, Francis traveled by popemobile to the Catholic shrine to celebrate Mass for some three hundred thousand faithful gathered there at a specially constructed altar, overlooking an artificial lake in a large park not far from the actual shrine.

Uganda’s Catholics were truly delighted that he had come among them, and they gave full expression to that joy during the Mass by applauding enthusiastically after every prayer and reading, and even when the pope began the Mass with the sign of the cross. It was a real festive celebration, and followed on the sense of fiesta evident on his arrival, which I mention in my report yesterday.

Francis delivered his homily in Spanish, and the Vatican monsignor accompanying him—Mark Myles—provided the English translation. In it, he recalled how from the time of the apostles “a great cloud of witnesses had been raised up to proclaim Jesus and show forth the power of the Holy Spirit.” Among them were the Ugandan martyrs—“both Catholic and Anglican”—who gave ecumenical witness to Christ. The Catholic martyrs were all laypeople, and the Francis mentioned two of them—Saints Joseph Mkasa and Charles Lwanga “who after being catechized by others, wanted to pass on the gift they had received.”

Francis likes this “missionary zeal”—something he emphasized also in the last public event of his stay here in Uganda. He did so when he spoke in the cathedral to priests, men and women religious as well as seminarians. He wants the church to be “missionary.” He recalled how the two martyrs “were fearless in bringing Christ to others, even at the cost of their lives.”

He said the faith of the Ugandan martyrs “became witness” and “their example continues to inspire people throughout the world.”

Pope Francis told the Catholics of Uganda “the witness of the martyrs shows to all who have heard their story, then and now, that worldly 
pleasures and earthly power do not bring lasting joy or peace.” 

On the other hand, he said, “fidelity to God, honesty and integrity of life, and genuine concern for the good of others bring us that peace which the world cannot give.”

This, he said, “does not diminish our concern for this world, as if we only look to the life to come. Instead, it 
gives purpose to our lives in this world, and helps us to reach out to those in need,” in particular “to the widows and the orphans,” and “to cooperate with 
others for the common good, and to build a more just society which promotes human dignity, defends 
God’s gift of life and protects the wonders of nature, his creation and our common home.” 

That is “the legacy” that Christians in this land “have received from the Uganda martyrs,” Francis declared. Later that day he made the same point in the cathedral when he told the priests and religious “this legacy is not served by an occasional remembrance, or by being 
enshrined in a museum as a precious jewel.”

Instead, he said, “we honor them, and all the saints, when we carry on 
their witness to Christ, in our homes and neighborhoods, in our workplaces and civil society, whether 
we never leave our homes or we go to the farthest corner of the world. ”


His message did not need interpreters. He reinforced it that same afternoon when he spoke to 150,000 young people, among them Protestants and Muslims, at a former airfield on the outskirts of Kampala, at a rally marked by excitement, enthusiasm and obvious love for Francis. After listening to testimonies from two of them—a young woman whose family was destroyed by HIV and a young man who had been a prisoner of the Lord’s Resistance Army, Francis reminded them that they have “the blood of the martyrs in your veins” and should take inspiration for their lives from that memory. He told them that with the help of Jesus they can—like those two young people—transform negative experiences in their lives into positive ones. He assured them that if they pray to Jesus regularly, then they would get that help.

He communicated that same message to the priests, men and women religious, and seminarians when at the end of the day he met them in the cathedral, and reminded them that they too, like all the Catholics of Uganda, “have the blood of the martyrs in your veins.” 

Putting aside his prepared text, he offered “three pillars” on which to build their lives as witnesses to the Gospel. Those pillars are: Do not forget (the memory of the Ugandan martyrs); be faithful (to that memory and to their own vocations); and pray. If they build their lives on those three pillars, he said, then the memory of the martyrs will not be something that is consigned to a museum.

It is clear from what he said here in Uganda, and what he said last year in South Korea, that Francis believes firmly that the blood of the martyrs is “a seed” that can lead to change, and to the revolution of tenderness and love that he is repeatedly calling for in the lives of Christians and in the church.

Pope Francis developed his message even further in the brief talk that he gave when he visited a famous charitable center at Nalukolongo, run by the Good Samaritan Sisters, which cares for more than 100 poor people—Christians and Muslims alike, with various disabilities and ages ranging from 12 to 107, many of whom have been discarded by society.

He issued an appeal from this center to all parishes and communities in Uganda, and in the rest of Africa, “not to forget the poor.”

He reminded everyone that “the Gospel commands us to go out to the peripheries of society, and to find Christ in the suffering and those in need.” He said many of them are “victims of today’s throwaway culture, which breeds contempt above all towards the unborn, the young and the elderly! ”

Pope Francis concluded by affirming that “as Christians we cannot simply stand by. Something must change! Our families need to become ever more evident signs of God’s patient and merciful love, not only for our children and elders, but for all those in need. Our parishes must not close their doors, or their ears, to the cry of the poor.”

After giving his talk, Francis made a private visit, far from the gaze of the media, to 10 young children at the center that are suffering from serious illnesses and disabilities. He kissed each of them, and sought to communicate his closeness to them. His witness here, as on other occasions, gives real credibility to his words and makes his message even more attractive.

Francis’ visit to Uganda effectively concluded at the cathedral. There is a brief farewell ceremony at Entebbe airport tomorrow morning, Sunday, Nov. 29, after which he boards the Alitalia plane that will take him to the Central African Republic.

There has been opposition to his visit here, and it has become clear that some with vested interests do not want him to come because his presence here will bring international attention to the dramatic situation in this country, which is rich in minerals such as uranium, diamonds and oil, but at the present moment it is to all intents and purposes a failed state.

Pope Francis is deeply concerned at the dramatic situation of children, women and men in this country, and all along he has been determined to go to the Central African Republic in the hope that he can make a contribution to bringing a just and lasting peace here.

An indicator of his determination emerged on the flight from Rome to Nairobi when, talking with the pilots of the Alitalia plane that he is using on this trip, Francis in his humorous way told them, “if you don’t want to take me to Bangui then give me a parachute and I will parachute in!”

There is no need for the parachute. His plane is scheduled to touch down at 10.00 a.m. (local time) at Bangui’s international airport tomorrow, Sunday, Nov. 29.

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Dear Pope Francis, As You Visit Uganda, Here's What You Should Know

James Kassaga Arinaitwe

Viviane Rutabingwa

A vendor arranges portraits of Pope Francis outside the Lubaga Cathedral in Kampala, Uganda, in preparation for the papal visit. Isaac Kasamani/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

A vendor arranges portraits of Pope Francis outside the Lubaga Cathedral in Kampala, Uganda, in preparation for the papal visit.

Dear Pope Francis,

We're excited to welcome you to Uganda. Catholics make up nearly half of the Christian population here — and they're eager to meet you!

Our's is a lovely country. Buzzfeed ranked us the 13th most beautiful country in the world! (But of course, we think it's No. 1.)

Still, Uganda has got its fair share of problems — especially when it comes to health care, human rights and education. We're hoping you can use your influence to galvanize our young people and push our nation's leaders to fix some of these issues. Here's what we're thinking about:

Health Care

When you arrive at our infamous Entebbe International Airport, it may reassure you to know that just a few months ago, Uganda initiated heightened Ebola screening for everyone coming into the country. This set-up includes a mobile medical center that offers counseling and clinical screening, a stand-by ambulance and protective gear.

But our health care system is far from perfect. That's why our leaders and wealthy citizens travel to India, Dubai and Europe for their health care. Not to mention that a study in 2013 found that nearly 50 percent of our registered medical practitioners have left the country over the past 10 years.

So as the presidential elections draw close, we would love to see our leaders put more emphasis on improving our health system. Right now, patients are forced to pay bribes or go without care. Our leaders must fight this sort of corruption , which undermines the health of millions of vulnerable citizens

Infrastructure

Our nice new highways were made possible by Chinese loans . We are happy to be rid of aid from the International Monetary Fund, which came with generally higher interest rates and and lots of strings attached.

But our roads could use some improvement: We lose thousands of lives annually to traffic accidents. We need safety standards for pedestrians and cyclists and better traffic laws.

As you pass by our city schools, know that we have an 89 percent youth literacy rate . Ugandans are passionate about learning.

A Pope's Visit May Bring Hope, But Does It Also Bring Change?

But due to our underfunded public education system , many kids are falling through the cracks. No child should go to school hungry or attend class under a mango tree. Yet this still happens.

We hope you mention that to our leaders. If they really want Uganda to become a middle-income nation by 2020, they must invest in education for all.

And while you're at it, could you maybe nudge our leadership to build up job training centers and bring in more industries that will employ our unemployed? Vibrant, energetic young people make up more than three-quarters of our population — and many of them need to work.

When you visit the Namugongo shrines, which commemorate Ugandan martyrs who died for their Christian faith, remember how deeply spiritual Ugandans of all faiths are. We have a long tradition of religious diversity; Uganda is home to everyone from Bahais to Orthodox Christians.

Lately American evangelical missionary groups have exploited our spirituality by promoting bigotry and funding Ugandan campaigns to limit gay rights. We hope you, as a spiritual leader, keep spreading your message of acceptance. As you told a journalist recently: "If a person is gay and searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?"

We hope you will inspire Ugandan clergy, politicians and youth and challenge our leadership to go beyond the hype of their rhetoric and ensure all East Africans will soon live in dignity, peace and tranquility.

James Kassaga Arinaitwe and Viviane Rutabingwa

James Kassaga Arinaitwe is the cofounder of Teach for Uganda, and a 2014 Aspen Institute New Voices fellow and 2015 Global Fellow at Acumen . Viviane Rutabingwa is a public health professional with a focus on the uninsured and refugees. She is a Global Health Corps alumni and a founding member of A Place for Books. You can follow them on Twitter: @JamesArinaitwe and @Rootsi.

• Pope Francis

Pope Fancis’ Visit to boost Uganda’s tourism

• July 1, 2015
• Uncategorized

Pope Fancis’ Visit to Uganda to boost its tourism Following this year’s announcement by Pope Francis that he will visit Uganda in November, there have been excitements from different parts of the country and also from foreign countries. Many nationals especially Christians welcomed the good news with celebrations since it has been a long time since Uganda last hosted a pope. This year’s visit will be a record breaking visit in Africa with Uganda becoming the fourth most visited country by the pope on the planet. It will be the third time for this East African country to have a chance of hosting the religious leader. Few countries in Africa have had a chance of hosting the pope at least two times and these include; – Angola, Cameroon and Benin.

It should be noted that Uganda first hosted a pope in 1969 five years after the martyrs were canonized. He visited the various places were martyrs were killed from and also other holy places. Pope Paul VI again visited Uganda in 1993.From then; this pearl of Africa has been yearning to see the pope again. Last year, there was some hope but this was shattered after pope Francis announced that due to their busy schedule he could not make it. Ugandans never lost hope and this year their faith has been rewarded by the acceptance of the man on God to visit the nation.

However, tour operators too are expecting to gain from this visit as it will market the country’s fraternities to the rest of the world. Many people from different continents will be persuaded to explore more about this East African country as a result of pope’s visit. Being the fact the he will visit some cultural and religious sites like Namugongo shrine, it will help in boosting the country’s tourism as tourists will pick interest in visiting the place too. Off course he will come together with other delegates and one thing for sure is that they will be amazed by the breathtaking atmosphere in the country full of natural wonders. They will go back to their home countries and spread the gospel about this wonderful country hence acting as tourism marketing agents.

Hopefully this upcoming event will help in boosting the country’s tourism which has of lately been affected by various happenings in the world.

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Pope Francis to visit 4 nations across Asia and Oceania in September

By Devin Watkins

The Holy See Press Office announced on Friday that Pope Francis will visit three nations in Asia and one in Oceania in early September.

He accepted the invitation of the Heads of State and local Church authorities to make what will be his 45th Apostolic Journey abroad.

The Pope is scheduled to depart Rome on September 2 and return on September 13.

He travels first to Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, where he will land on September 3 and remain until September 6.

Pope Francis will then fly east to visit Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, and Vanimo on September 6-9.

His next stop will be in Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste, on September 9-11.

From there, the Pope will travel to Singapore for a 3-day visit on September 11-13.

According to the Holy See Press Office, the full programme of his Apostolic Journey will be published at a later date.

Local Catholic population

Pope Francis first mentioned the possibility of traveling to the region in December 2023.

In an interview with the Mexican broadcaster N+, he said he hoped to travel to “Polynesia” in August and to his native Argentina later in the year.

Then, in January 2024, the Pope told an interviewer with the Italian newspaper La Stampa that he would visit Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia.

Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, and Catholics number over 8 million, or 3.1 percent of the population.

Around 32 percent of Papua New Guinea’s population are Catholic, numbering around 2 million.

Timor-Leste is overwhelmingly Catholic, accounting for around 96 percent of the population, counting over 1 million people.

Some 395,000 Catholics live in Singapore, representing around 3 percent of the population.

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