Pope: I am in Africa to encourage Catholics, not to debate with Trump

By Salvatore Cernuzio – On the Yaoundé/Luanda flight

Pope Leo XIV gave a positive assessment of the three days just spent in Cameroon, a country that “represents the heart of Africa, in many different ways, both English-speaking and French-speaking, around 250 local languages, ethnicities."

On the flight to Angola, the third leg of his Apostolic Journey across Africa, the Pope greeted the journalists traveling with him, just minutes after take-off, in order to thank them for their work, but also to clarify some issues regarding how his words in recent days have been interpreted.

READ POPE LEO'S FULL REMARKS ON THE FLIGHT HERE

An inaccurate narrative

“There has been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all of its aspects, but because of the political situation created when, on the first day of the trip, the President of the United States made some comments about myself,” Pope Leo said.

He was referring to accusations that U.S. President Donald Trump had directed at him at the beginning of the week, to which the Pope had already responded during the flight departing from Rome.

But while the U.S. president—and also Vice President JD Vance—continued in the following days with comments criticising the Pope, for Pope Leo, the matter was already closed from the first day. Hence his remark to journalists.

“Much of what has been written since then has been more commentary on commentary trying to interpret what has been said," Pope Leo XIV stressed.

One example is the important speech delivered at the Prayer Meeting for Peace on April 16. That speech, the Pope explained, “was prepared two weeks ago, well before the President ever commented on myself and on the message of peace that I am promoting. And yet, as it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate again the President, which is not in my interest at all."

Building peace and dialogue among faiths

As he did on the outbound journey, Pope Leo reiterated his mission: “I primarily come to Africa as a pastor, as the head of the Catholic Church, to be with, to celebrate with, to encourage and accompany all of the Catholics throughout Africa."

The visit also has other dimensions, and the Pope mentioned in this regard the “very fine meeting” he had with a group of imams at the Apostolic Nunciature in Yaoundé. He emphasized the need to “to promote –- continue to promote, as we have done in other places already and as Pope Francis has done during his pontificate –– the dialogue, promotion of fraternity, through understanding, acceptance, peace-building with people of all faiths." 

The Pope also expressed satisfaction with yesterday’s meeting at the Catholic University of Central Africa, where he blessed a “beautiful monument” featuring a map of Africa with Saint Augustine at the center. This sculpture, he explained, “it expresses part of what this trip is about."

Proclaiming the Gospel

In his greeting, the Pope also addressed the pressing issue of the “unequal distribution of wealth” found across the African continent. Cameroon, in particular, he noted, is a country that is rich in opportunities.  

So now, he said, we go on the journey to Angola and continue proclaiming the Gospel message, highlighting the beauty of being Christian, “of what it is about to be Christian, of what it is about to follow Christ, of what it is about to promote fraternity, brotherhood, trusting in the Lord, but also looking for ways to promote justice in our world, promote peace in our world." 

A word of thanks to Cameroon

Through the only Cameroonian journalist present on the papal flight, Charles Ebune of Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV), Pope Leo XIV expressed his gratitude to all the people of Cameroon: “for the wonderful welcome, the great enthusiasm, the joy of the people. It was absolutely fantastic. The experience of a faith community people who really discovered in the shared enthusiasm, if you will, how wonderful it is to experience what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ and to celebrate our faith together.” The Pope expressed how “very happy” he is “to have had this experience.”

Finally, another word of gratitude to the approximately 70 journalists on board the plane: “I am very happy to greet all of you, and thank you for the work that you are doing, and I hope that the Lord will continue to bless all of us on this trip. Thank you very much.”