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Hands Off Africa, Pope Francis Says at DR Congo Mass

Presiding over a mass in Kinshasa on Wednesday February 1, 2023, Pope Francis urged the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo to forgive those who have harmed them and denounced the "poison of greed" driving conflicts in Africa.

RFI reports that an estimated 1 million people flocked to hear Pontiff speak on the airfields of Ndolo airport.

Pope Francis is visiting the Democratic Republic of Congo and its neighbouring state, South Sudan. The 86-year-old Roman Catholic pontiff planned to visit in 2022 but postponed due to ill health. Pope Francis will be in DR Congo from January 31 to February 3, 2023 and will then spend two days in South Sudan before returning to the Vatican City.

According to Vatican's statistics, the DR Congo has more than 52 million Catholic believers - more than half of the country's total population. The Catholic Church supports more than 13,100 elementary schools in the country and 40% of its healthcare facilities.

The Pope's visit comes at a time when DR Congo is experiencing deadly clashes between the military and M23 rebels. On February 1, 2023 a celebratory Mass will be held in capital city Kinshasa.

In South Sudan, Pope Francis will meet with internally displaced persons and take part in an ecumenical prayer service at the John Garang Mausoleum in Juba, where he will also celebrate Mass on Sunday February 5, 2023.

Africa: Stop Choking Africa, Pope Says During DR Congo Service

RFI, 1 February 2023

Presiding over a Mass in the Congolese capital Kinshasa on Wednesday, Pope Francis urged the nation's people to forgive those who have harmed them and denounced the "poison of… Read more »

Jonas Gerding / Deutsche Welle

Pope Francis in his popemobile at Ndolo Airport in Kinshasa in 2023.

Africa: The Papal Theory of Underdevelopment

CFR, 6 February 2023

Pope Francis' diagnosis of the causes of African underdevelopment is simplistic, condescending, and ahistorical. Read more »
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UN News, 2 February 2023

As crowds in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) thronged on Thursday to hear Pope Francis's message of hope and solidarity on day three of his official visit to Central… Read more »
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DW, 2 February 2023

A papal mass drew a crowd of over a million people to Kinshasa this week. Prayers were said for peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the power of the Catholic Church is… Read more »
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The Conversation Africa, 30 January 2023

On 31 January, Pope Francis departed from Rome to central Africa, to visit the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and its neighbouring state South Sudan. The visit was previously… Read more »
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DW, 29 January 2023

The first pontiff to travel to Congo in 37 years will bring a simple message of peace, perhaps strengthening the sense of community in a nation where the Catholic Church has long… Read more »
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Agenzia Fides, 27 January 2023

As part of an ecumenical visit, Pope Francis will visit South Sudan together with the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, Primate of the Anglican Communion, and Pastor… Read more »
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VOA, 18 January 2023

Pope Francis is set travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan at the end of the month - a visit the pontiff had earlier been forced to postpone due to health… Read more »
Congo-Kinshasa: Pope Francis to Visit DRC and South Sudan in February 2023

RFI, 2 December 2022

Pope Francis I has rescheduled his long-delayed trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan for 31 January to 5 February 2023 - cutting out a stop over in the troubled… Read more »