Not everything would be bad news for Catholicism in this decade. At least in terms of numbers and power. Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, gave an example this morning of how Africa has become, in the muscle fiber, the main engine of believers and vocations in the world in recent years. The only place where faith is growing at a rate that invites some optimism in a church that has seen Evangelicals, Protestants, or Muslims accelerate lately. All ills are cured by this flood of people who awaited the Pope at the old airport of N’Dolo, which could accommodate more than a million people. Many of them had spent the night waiting for the doors of the compound to open where the most massive Mass of this pontificate would take place, after the Mass celebrated in the Philippines in January 2015 and celebrated in the special Congolese rite: a modality accepted at the Council Vatican II and which makes it possible to bring this continent even closer to the Catholic Church.
Africa is the future of the Church, no one doubts that. And the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a majority Catholic country. But the reception of the Pope, who landed on the streets on Tuesday as a true idol of the masses, surprised even the Holy See. Perhaps the frustrated visit in July helped increase the illusion even more. The country, with a 90% Christian population, is also by far the most Catholic country in Africa: half of its 105 million people are Catholic, and it has more than 6,000 priests, 10,000 nuns and more than 4,000 seminarians – 3.6% of them the world total of young people studying the priesthood. “For us he is the reference,” says Marie Ndubele, a 17-year-old student, pointing to her priest brother. “He’s a person everyone respects,” he insists, while not losing the details of the pope’s homily after a lengthy welcome party.
Pope Francis will celebrate a major Mass at N’Dolo Airport in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, this Wednesday, February 1. VATICAN MEDIA (via Portal)
Some women celebrate the arrival of Pope Francis before Mass celebrated in Kinsasa this Wednesday YARA NARDI (Portal)
Several people in an old plane as Pope Francis celebrates a mass at Ndolo Airport during his apostolic journey in Kinshasa this Wednesday YARA NARDI (Portal)
Pope Francis focused his words on the idea of forgiveness in a nation torn by war and ethnic strife in a dynamic, colorful and intensely musical mass held in Kinshasa this Wednesday. “We must not allow resignation and fatalism. If we breathe this climate around us, let’s not go like this.” VATICAN MEDIA (via Portal)
Some girls are impatiently awaiting the arrival of the Pope before Mass is celebrated this Wednesday in the city of Kinshasa. The reception of the Pope, who landed on the streets on Tuesday as a true idol of the masses, surprised even the Holy See. CIRO FUSCO (EFE)
The Pope welcomes his arrival before celebrating Holy Mass in the city of Kinshasa this Wednesday.CIRO FUSCO (EFE)
The Pope celebrated the great Mass this Wednesday according to the Congolese rite, which has many differences in liturgy and traditional dances and songs. This form of celebration, which basically makes the Mass an unusually joyful and open celebration, was adopted by the Second Vatican Council Cristina Cabrejas (EFE)
Pope Francis in the Popemobile arriving at Ndolo Airport before presiding over Holy Mass this Wednesday in the city of Kinshasa. The country, with a 90% Christian population, is also by far the most Catholic country in Africa: half of its 105 million people are Catholic, and it has more than 6,000 priests, 10,000 nuns and more than 4,000 seminarians. Gregory Borgia (AP)
Some agents are controlling the area ahead of the massive fair to be held in the Congolese capital this Wednesday, where nearly a million people are expected amid tight security measures. CIRO FUSCO (EFE)
The Pope during his ride in the Popemobile through the Congolese airport where Mass was celebrated, this Wednesday in the city of Kinsasa TIZIANA FABI (AFP)
Pope Francis focused his words on the idea of forgiveness in a nation torn by war and ethnic strife in a dynamic, colorful and intensely musical Mass (it felt like a Catholic rave for a few moments before the homily). “We must not allow resignation and fatalism. If this climate is breathed around us, let it not be so for us. In a world plagued by violence and war, Christians like Jesus. Peace comes when the wounds suffered do not leave scars of hate, but become a place where others are made way and their weaknesses accepted. Then weaknesses become opportunities and forgiveness becomes the path to peace. It’s not about leaving everything behind as if nothing happened, but about opening your heart with love to others.
After a few hours, the Pope had a meeting with a group of survivors of the armed conflicts that ravaged the east of the country. Before he saw her, he addressed the problem and the perpetrators of the violence. “In this country one calls oneself a Christian, but one commits acts of violence; The Lord says to you: “Lay down your arms, have mercy”. And to all the injured and oppressed of this city he says: ‘Don’t be afraid to put your wounds in my wounds, your wounds in my wounds.’ Let’s do it, brothers and sisters. […] Christians are called to work together with everyone, to break the vicious circle of violence, to smash hate plots”.
A woman celebrates the arrival of the Pope at Mass in Kinsasa.Moses Sawasawa (AP)
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Congolese rite
The Pope celebrated the great Mass according to the Congolese rite, which has many differences in liturgy and traditional dances and songs. This form of celebration, which basically turns the Mass into an unusually joyful and open festival, was accepted by the Second Vatican Council and has probably caused some irritation in the more conservative area of the Church, which Francis recommended to no longer use the traditional rite, which meant that Mass was held in Latin, responding to pre-conciliar premises. However, the Congolese language is gaining strength and is a way of bringing African communities closer to the Catholic Church, even outside the continent. In many European countries, such as Spain, these communities celebrate it.
The strength of Africa remains underrepresented at the head of the church, despite Francisco’s efforts to give meaning to the new realities of Catholicism. Apart from Oceania, it is the continent with the fewest cardinals: 26 in total, of which only 10 are voters as they are under 80 years old. Latin America has 32; North America, 27; Asian, 31; and Europe, 105.
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