Pope Leo XIV keeps providing leadership during his Africa trip. In the last leg of his trip, in Equatorial Guinea, he again condemned those who wage war in the name of God. “His holy Name must not be profaned by the will to dominate, by arrogance or by discrimination; above all, it must never be invoked to justify choices and actions of death,” Leo said.
In a meeting with the authorities, civil society and the diplomatic corps, Leo cited the Social Doctrine of the Church and reminded his audience that “the gap between a ‘small minority’—1% of the population—and the overwhelming majority has widened dramatically” and that “it is the imperative duty of civil authorities and of sound politics to dismantle the obstacles to integral human development.” He condemned speculation on raw materials, stating: “It is even more evident today than in years past that the proliferation of armed conflicts is often driven by the exploitation of oil and mineral deposits, occurring with no regard for international law or the self-determination of peoples.”
The Pope welcomed the decision taken by the authorities, to name the new capital city being built, “Ciudad de la Paz” (Peace City). “You know that Saint Augustine interpreted events and history according to the model of two cities: the ‘city of God‘, eternal and characterized by God’s unconditional love (amor Dei), as well as love for one’s neighbor, especially the poor; and the ‘earthly city,‘ which is a temporary dwelling place, where men and women live until death. From this perspective, the two cities coexist until the end of time (cf. De civitate Dei, 19,14), and every human being, through the decisions he or she manifests day by day, belongs to one or the other of them.
