Walter Wilson Nana
27 October 2008
Pope Benedict XVI is scheduled to visit Cameroon in March, 2009, according to information published on October 26 by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano.According to the Vatican tabloid, the pontiff's maiden visit to Africa will also take him to Angola in the same month.
The 81-year-old prelate made the surprise announcement at St. Peter's Basilica, during a ceremony closing three weeks of discussions by Bishops from around the world, about the Bible's importance in the life of the Church.
"It is my intention to go next March to Cameroon as part of preparations for an October 2009 Bishops' meeting at the Vatican dealing with Africa," the Pope said at the end of his homily.
"God willing, I will also go to Angola, to solemnly celebrate the 500th anniversary of the evangelisation of that country," Benedict said.The Apostolic Nuncio to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, resident in Yaounde, Eliseo Ariotti, in a press briefing after the Pope's declaration said Pope Benedict XVI will be coming to Cameroon at the invitation of President Paul Biya.
"That is a gift to Cameroon because the Catholic Church has demonstrated that they are very dynamic in the country. It will also be a moment when the Holy Father will be holding the Episcopal Conference of Africa to begin the struggle for justice, peace and reconciliation in the continent," he said.
However, the Pope did not give a specific date for the trip, which will likely be announced later by the Vatican.Reacting to the news of the Pope's visit to Cameroon, Fr. Aloysius Ituka Ndifor, the Principal of Saint Joseph's College Sasse, Buea, said it was a pastor coming to visit his people.
"Cameroonians should take the visit as a special favour from the successor of St. Peter on earth. We look forward to that maiden visit with great excitement, joy and continuous prayers," he said.
Pope Benedict's predecessor, Pope John Paul II visited Cameroon twice; 1985 and 1995.
Since he was elected pontiff in 2005, Benedict has visited several European countries, including France in September, his latest foreign trip.He also travelled to Brazil, the US and Australia earlier this year.
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I also wanted to add that religious leader usually go to poor countries where most of the population is is under-educated hence prone to believe in super-natural phenomenon.
Although religion has its goods since it can be used to teach children those fundamental notions that are compation, truth, etc...
My fellow Africans and Cameroonians in particular watch out for this coming , last time Paul came and left us with economic crisis we don't what next. maybe this one will come and leave us with food crisis . But God knows we will fast on their Evil and it will follow them as they are trying to retard Africa's Development . Cameroonians, Don't trust these people they don't love u . where were they when Rwandans start killing their brothers? . Where are they now that Dafur is on fire . please stop waiting for these people . get the bull by the horn and face the world on your own like China deed 30yrs back . You all seems to have forgotten for how long u have being begging these same people . Ask your self what has being done , what has being solved and what is left to be solved ? where are going to Africa ? your life is like a scalar quantity. God bless cameron, God bless Africa
Metugefranklin and ftwilliams, or whoever you may be. I think you are the bulls that must be taken by the horn! Devil's Advocates! this man of God is not coming for Paul Biya or his dirty politics, he is coming for cameroonians. your knowledge of church history or colonisation is surely in a vacuum and therefore, inexistent! you surely dont have any idea who this pope is or his predecessor and i can understand that sometimes it is good to have the other side to a story but do you even think about the audience you are addressing this faulty ideas to? you talk about the church being watched in china...laugh!...tell me what is not being watched in china! please i get sickened when you supporters of Pilate keep saying 'crucify Him!, crucify Him!' i understand your frustrations, idleness has made it possible for anything to be attackable in cameroon today!
rockyblack74 I see u are still suffering from mental slavery. u guys have being kept away from the truth of history. But u don't care to digg out the truth about ur forefathers . the History u study or read at the university is fixed to paint the west as an angel and Africa as black . to me i think that a curse was placed on that name Africa. can you remember way back in history when this same popes and bishops said that even though a black is baptized they are still slave and regarded as a second class humans.
I don't why you guys can't think rightly in that country . I think nits the beer in that country someone needs to blow off that damn fucking brewery. God bless Africa nad God bless Cameroon in particular
The pope is not needed in Cameroon.
During colonization religion was used to win the mind of Africans. Eventually you ended up seeing Africans turning against each other on ideologies.
In china the Catholic church is monitored.