Pope's Mass in Angola for clergy, catechists and ecclesial movements

(March 21, 2009) Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday invited Angola’s Catholics all to know Jesus Christ, true God and true man, full of mercy, and to proclaim Him to their brothers and sisters. Celebrating Mass in Luanda’s St. Paul Church with the clergy, catechists and members of ecclesial movement, the Pope pointed to St. Paul as a model, saying he personally came to experience this God who is rich in mercy. Paul acknowledged he was the foremost sinner, but Jesus in his infinite mercy chose him to demonstrate His perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in Him. And so, in the course of the centuries, the number of people touched by grace has continually grown, including all those present there at the Mass, the Pope said. After encountering the Risen Jesus, the Pope said, all the values that Paul had cherished as essential and fundamental were inverted. He now saw everything in the light of this perfect stature of humanity in Christ. While one form of life died in him a new form was born with the Risen Christ.
While thanking all those working in the vineyard of the Lord like him, Pope Benedict invited them to make haste to know the Lord, the Risen One, the perfect man as well as true God. Through faith and baptism, the Pope said, all believers become one in Christ. He urged all to offer the Risen Christ to their fellow citizens, many of whom, he said, believe in witchcraft and who live in fear of spirits and evil powers of sorcery. Confused, they end up even condemning street children and the elderly as alleged sorcerers, the Pope said.
Eighty percent of Angola's 16 million people are Christian, about 65 percent Catholic. In Africa, some churchgoings Catholics also follows traditional African religions and consult medicine men and diviners who are condemned by the Church.
In such a situation, the Pope said, some might think, “Why not leave believers in sorcery in peace? They have their truth, and we have ours. Let us all try to live in peace, leaving everyone as they are, so they can best be themselves.” “But,” the Pontiff argued, “if we are convinced and have come to experience that without Christ life lacks something real… then we must also be convinced that we do no injustice to anyone if we present Christ to them and thus grant them the opportunity of finding their truest and most authentic selves, the joy of finding life. Indeed, he said, we must do this. It is our duty to offer everyone this possibility of attaining eternal life. Let us enable human poverty to encounter divine mercy, the Pope added.