Pope addresses Bishops of Angola and São Tomé

(October 29, 2011) Pope Benedict XVI, on Saturday, strongly defended the absolute sacredness of life, at all its stages and conditions, against the abominable practices of witchcraft, and the ritual sacrifice of children and aged in Angola and elsewhere in Africa. He was addressing a group of 26 prelates of Angola, and São Tomé on their five-yearly ad limina visit to Rome, to report on the status of their respective dioceses. The Angolan bishops shared with the Pope their great concern that the hearts of the baptized were torn between Christianity and traditional African religions. The Pontiff encouraged them to join forces with all men of goodwill in civil and ecclesial society to educate the faithful in the basic tenets of Christianity. The Pope also urged Christians to oppose society customs that threaten the values of marriage and the family. He called upon all church communities to work towards the eradication of all ethnic ritual practices contrary to humanity. And he finally summoned the faithful of Angola and São Tomé, to maintain Christian unity that rises above ethnic differences, and readily accepts pastors and faithful of other ethnical groups that enter their areas.