Pope Francis' Pastoral Trip to Africa: Spiritual and Political Significance
Channel: Africa Faith and Justice Network
Date: 2023-01-31

The spiritual and Political significance of Pope’s Francis Pastoral Trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan.
Since his election to lead the Catholic faithful, Pope Francis has been to Africa 5 times.  
1.  In 2015, he visited Kenya, Uganda and Central African Republic 
2.  In 2017, he went to Egypt
3.  In March 2019 he went to Morocco  and
4.  in September 2019 he visited Mozambique, Madagascar and Mauritius
Africa Faith and Justice Network wishes to express its full communion with the pope during his pastoral trip to the DRC and South Sudan from 2/31st to 2/5th.  With a number of organizations wrote to the pope ahead of this trip when it was first planned for July 2022. We have resent the latter. In that letter we called his attention to some of the current challenges the continent is facing. We ask that he use his offices to mobilize the whole of Africa to find adequate solutions to some these urgent issues facing the continent. It is particularly:
· The growing deterioration of security,
· The urgent need for good governance,
· The fight against corruption and the lack of accountability of leaders to build the Africa that Africans want.
·  Land grabbing (often disguised as investment), which is just a new form of
colonization of Africa.
Other equally important issues confronting the continent are human trafficking, women's economic empowerment, arms trade, illicit financial flows and unemployment. During his trip we ask that he mentions these problems in his message to the citizens of the host countries, to African political leaders, and to all people of good will in the world. We wish to let our affected brother and sisters know that we are not indifferent to their suffering and do not wish to be complicit by remaining silent.

Photo Credit: Radio TV 10 Rwanda.