Christ is not ‘a guru or a good luck charm,’ pope says at Mass in Angola
SAURIMO, Angola — Pope Leo XIV warned at Mass in Saurimo, Angola, on Monday of making God into an idol that is sought only when advantageous — “when genuine faith is replaced with superstitious practices.”
“There are erroneous motives for seeking Christ, particularly when he is considered to be a guru or a good luck charm,” the pope said on April 20, referring to how the crowds in the Gospel reading reacted after Jesus performed the miracle of the loaves and the fishes.
“They were not seeking a teacher whom they love but a leader to applaud for their own advantage,” he said.
Joyful faith in Saurimo
From the start of his arrival in Sub-Saharan Africa — first in Cameroon and then in Angola — Pope Leo has been welcomed by the warmth of the faithful. In Saurimo, a city in northeastern Angola, the atmosphere greeting the pope on Monday was marked by joyful faith. Everyone welcomed the successor of Peter with songs, dances, and applause.
Despite the intense heat, upon reaching the esplanade before Mass, Leo XIV greeted the roughly 60,000 faithful of all ages — who had come from across the region and neighboring dioceses — by making a circuit in the popemobile.
“This is the first time a pope has gone beyond Angola’s coastal belt and come — using Pope Francis’ language — to the peripheries,“ the director of the communications office of the Archdiocese of Saurimo said. ”This is a region rich in diamonds, but there is also great poverty, and he comes here to show our reality. For us, having the Holy Father in our region is a great joy.”
“This is a unique and unforgettable moment in my life and in the lives of the many pilgrims here today,” Filomena Vunda, who works in the pastoral secretariat of the Archdiocese of Malanje, told ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, at the Mass.
Vunda encouraged non-Catholics in Angola to “keep in mind our African word ‘Ubuntu’: The happiness of others depends on me; my happiness depends solely on the happiness of others.”
Ubuntu is an African philosophy about human interconnectedness. It can be translated as “I am because we are.”
‘Disciples of Christ’
In his homily at Mass, concelebrated by Angolan bishops, Pope Leo said: “In every part of the world, the Church lives as a people who walk as disciples of Christ, our brother and redeemer.”
"He, the Risen One, illumines for us the path to the Father and with the strength of the Spirit he sanctifies us so that we may transform our way of life in conformity with his love," the pope said. "This is the good news, the Gospel that courses through our veins like blood, sustaining us on the journey. A journey that has brought me here with you today!”
Commenting on the Gospel of the day, Leo reflected: “Indeed, when the Son of God became man, he performed striking miracles in order to manifest the will of the Father: He made light shine in the darkness by giving sight to the blind, he gave a voice to the oppressed by loosening the tongues of the mute, he slaked our thirst for justice by multiplying bread for the poor and weak. Anyone who heard about these works set out in search of Jesus. At the same time, the Lord looks into our heart and asks us whether we seek him out of gratitude or for our own self-interest, with calculation or with love.”
“The Lord himself says,” the pope continued, “‘you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves’ (Jn 6:26). His words reveal the designs of those who do not want to encounter a person but want to consume things. The crowd sees Jesus as means to an end, a provider of services. If he had not given them something to eat, his actions and teachings would not have interested them.”
“This happens,” Leo XIV explained, “when genuine faith is replaced with superstitious practices, in which God becomes an idol that is sought only when it is advantageous to us and only for as long as it is. Even the most beautiful gifts of the Lord, which are always for the care of his people, become a pretext, a prize or a bargaining chip, and are misinterpreted by those who receive them.”
“How different is Jesus’ attitude toward us,” the pontiff continued. “Yet, he does not reject this insincere search, but encourages its conversion ... Christ calls us to freedom: He does not want servants or clients, rather he seeks brothers and sisters to whom he can totally dedicate himself.”
“Therefore,” Leo XIV said, “the admonition that the Lord directs to the crowd is transformed into an invitation: ‘Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life’ (Jn 6:27)."
“His gift sheds light on our current situation,” the pope went on. “We can see today how the hope of many people is frustrated by violence, exploited by the powerful, and defrauded by the rich. Consequently, when injustice corrupts hearts, the bread of all becomes the possession of a few."
“In the face of these evils, Christ hears the cry of the people and renews our history by lifting us up from every fall, comforting us in every suffering, and encouraging us in our mission," he said.
“All this,” the pope exhorted, “means that, in light of our discipleship, the ecclesial journey is a ‘synod of resurrection and hope,’ as St. John Paul II affirmed in his apostolic exhortation Ecclesia in Africa. Let us proceed in this wise direction! Christ himself guides and strengthens our journey, a journey that we want to learn to live more and more as it should be, that is, in a synodal manner.”
The pope concluded by recalling the importance of the martyrs and saints, whose witness “encourages us and pushes us onto a path of hope, reconciliation, and peace, along which the gift of God becomes the responsibility of the head of the household, in the Christian community, in civil society.”
"The vitality of the vocations that you experience [in Angola]," he said, "is a sign that you are responding to the Lord’s gift, which is always abundant for those who welcome it with pure hearts.”
ACI Africa reporter Raúl Kangombe Sapiti contributed to this report.
This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
10 powerful quotes from Mother Angelica about faith and the love of Jesus
Mother Angelica was a Poor Clare nun and the dynamic foundress of EWTN, whose bold faith and candid teaching style brought millions closer to Christ through her television ministry. Born on April 20, 1923, she would have turned 103 years old this year.
In honor of her birthday, here are 10 quotes from Mother Angelica about the love of Jesus and the beauty and challenge of living a life of faith:
- “Faith is often most alive when everything feels dark. That is when you choose to believe that God is there, even when you cannot see him or feel him. That kind of faith pleases God the most — because it is pure trust.”
- “Holiness is not for wimps and the cross is not negotiable, sweetheart — it’s a requirement.”
- “Jesus asks me to go to him when I am overburdened. He did not promise to take away those burdens, for I must carry mine as he carried his.”
- “Every Christian who strives for holiness of life experiences dryness of soul. It is to most people a heartrending experience. It is a paradox, for the soul becomes confused when it realizes the harder it strives the further away Jesus seems to be.”
- “The heart of Jesus is compassionate and understanding. It has felt the sting of ingratitude, and when my heart suffers from that same offense, I can turn to him, and he understands my feelings.”
- “Jesus feels my sorrow greater than I, for his love is infinite, and he suffers in an infinite way.”
- “Sometimes my worst day — one filled with pain and suffering — in the eyes of God, is my best day if Iʼve born it cheerfully and Iʼve born it with love.”
- “Faith is what gets you started. Hope is what keeps you going. Love is what brings you to the end.”
- “Faith is one foot on the ground, one foot in the air, and a queasy feeling in the stomach.”
- “You see, God expects his people to do the ridiculous so he can do the miraculous.”
Pope Leo visits nursing home in Angola: The elderly ‘need to be listened to’
SAURIMO, Angola — Pope Leo XIV flew to Saurimo, Angola, on Monday, where he visited a home for the elderly, whom he said have a wisdom that should be listened to.
The pope began his brief greeting by thanking those present for the faith-filled welcome, saying it "touched my heart" and "is a great comfort to me as I carry out my mission.”
“It struck me to learn that you call this place ‘lar,’ which means ‘home,’” he said. “I thank God for this, and I hope that all of you are truly able to live here in a family atmosphere as much as possible.”
“Jesus loved to be at the home of his friends," he recalled. "I would like to think that Jesus also lives here, in this home. Yes, he dwells among you whenever you try to love one another and help one another as brothers and sisters."
“When you forgive each other and seek reconciliation after a misunderstanding or a small offense, he is here among you. When all of you, or even some of you, pray together with simplicity and humility, he is here among you,” the pope said.
“The care of the weakest,” he concluded, “is a very important sign of the quality of the social life of a nation. Let us not forget that the elderly are not only in need of assistance, but first and foremost need to be listened to, because they preserve the wisdom of a people."
After concluding his visit to the nursing home, the pope will go to the open esplanade in Saurimo for the celebration of Mass. Saurimo, erected as a diocese by Pope Paul VI in 1975, was later elevated to the rank of archdiocese by Pope Benedict XVI, two years after his apostolic journey to Angola in March 2009.
This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
PHOTOS: Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass, leads rosary in Angola
Pope Leo XIV continued his apostolic journey in Africa on April 19 in Angola, celebrating Mass in Kilamba before leading the rosary in a gathering at the Marian shrine of Mama Muxima.
Addressing young people, members of the Legion of Mary, and other pilgrims gathered at the shrine, the pope said he was “pleased to share this moment of Marian prayer” with them.
Here are some of the highlights of Pope Leo’s activities on Sunday:
Pope Leo XIV urges Angola’s young people to build a world free of war, injustice, and poverty
KIMBAXE, Angola — Pope Leo XIV on Sunday urged young people in Angola to help build “a better, welcoming world, where there is no more war, injustice, poverty, or dishonesty,” during a rosary gathering at the Marian shrine of Mama Muxima.
The shrine, whose name means “Mother of the Heart” in Kimbundu, is one of Angola’s best-known Marian sanctuaries. Built by the Portuguese in the 17th century on a hill overlooking the Kwanza River, it has long been a place of pilgrimage and prayer for Angolan Catholics.
Addressing young people, members of the Legion of Mary, and other pilgrims gathered at the shrine, the pope said he was “pleased to share this moment of Marian prayer” with them.
“Together we have recited the holy rosary, an ancient and simple devotion that originated in the Church as a form of prayer for everyone,” Leo said.
Quoting St. John Paul II, the pope described the rosary as the prayer of a Christianity that has preserved the “freshness of its beginnings and feels drawn by the Spirit of God to ‘set out into the deep’ ... to proclaim, and even cry out, before the world that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior.”
Leo said that in the “living and young Church of Angola,” one can “truly feel the freshness of faith and the power of the Spirit.”
He reflected on the history of the shrine, saying it has been a place where “for centuries, many men and women have prayed in times of joy and also in moments of sorrow and great suffering in the history of this country.”
“For a long time now, Mama Muxima has quietly worked to keep the heart of the Church alive and beating,” he said. “Her heart contains a multitude of hearts: yours, and those of many people who love, pray, celebrate, weep, and sometimes — even when unable to come in person — entrust their requests and petitions to letters and postal messages.”
“Mama Muxima welcomes everyone, listens to everyone, and prays for everyone,” he added.
Meditating on the glorious mysteries, the pope said the faithful were contemplating both their destiny in Christ and their mission in his love.
“At Easter, Christ conquered death, showing us the way back to the Father,” Leo said. “And so that we too may walk this luminous and demanding path, sharing its beauty with the whole world, he has given us his Spirit, who animates and sustains us on our journey and in our mission.”
“Like Mary, we too are made for heaven,” he continued. “As we journey toward heaven with joy, we look to her as our good Mother and model of holiness. Following her example, we bring the light of the risen One to the brothers and sisters we meet.”
The pope also reflected on the popular title of the shrine, saying that although it is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, the faithful have spontaneously renamed it the shrine of the “Mother of the Heart.”
“It is a beautiful title, which makes us reflect on the heart of Mary: a pure and wise heart, capable of treasuring and pondering the extraordinary events in the life of the Son of God,” he said.
Leo said praying the rosary means taking on a concrete responsibility toward others.
“Praying the rosary, then, commits us to loving every person with a mother’s heart — concretely and generously — and to dedicating ourselves to the good of one another, especially the poorest,” he said.
“A mother loves all her children in the same way and with her whole heart, even though each one is different,” the pope continued. “In the presence of the Mother of the Heart, we too want to promise to do likewise.”
“We strive without measure so that no one may lack love,” he said. “We also seek to provide the necessities for living with dignity and happiness: that the hungry may have enough to eat, that the sick may receive the necessary care, that children may be guaranteed a proper education, and that the elderly may live their later years in peace.”
“A mother thinks of all these things. Indeed, Mary thinks of all these things, and she also invites us to share in her maternal concern,” he added.
Turning again to the young people gathered at the shrine, Leo pointed to the construction of a new sanctuary there as a sign of a larger calling.
“Dear young people, members of the Legion of Mary, brothers and sisters, Our Lady asks us to let ourselves be moved by the sentiments of her heart, so that like her, we may be workers for justice and bearers of peace,” he said.
“Here, a great project is underway: the construction of a new shrine, able to welcome all who come on pilgrimage. Everyone — especially you young people — should take this as a sign,” the pope said.
“For the Mother of Heaven entrusts a great project to you as well: to build a better, welcoming world, where there is no more war, injustice, poverty or dishonesty, and where the principles of the Gospel increasingly inspire and shape hearts, structures, and programs, for the good of all.”
“It is love that must triumph, not war!” Leo said. “This is what the heart of Mary — the heart of the Mother of all — teaches us.”
“Let us set out, then, from this shrine as ‘messenger angels’ of life, bringing Mary’s tender embrace and God’s blessing to everyone,” he said.
At the end of his address, the pope invoked a hymn familiar to devotees of Mama Muxima: “Mother of the Heart, we come to you to offer you everything.”
“Dearest friends, let us offer everything to Mary, giving ourselves entirely to our brothers and sisters, and let us joyfully receive, through her intercession, the Lord’s blessing, so that we may bring it to everyone we meet,” he said. “Amen.”
In his greeting, Bishop Emilio Sumbelelo of Viana highlighted the importance of devotion to Mama Muxima in Angola and noted that in 2022 the cornerstone of a future basilica was laid by the president of the republic and blessed by the late Cardinal Alexandre do Nascimento. The basilica will be dedicated to Our Lady of the Conception of Muxima, fulfilling a promise made by the Angolan government to the Catholic Church during St. John Paul II’s 1992 visit to the country.
For many Angolans, the shrine remains a powerful symbol of faith, national memory, and hope.
This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
National Infertility Awareness Week: 4 Catholic ministries walking with couples
According to the World Health Organization, about 1 in 6 people globally experience infertility in their lifetime. In the United States, 1 in 8 couples deal with infertility.
This year, National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW) runs from April 19–25. Established in 1989 by RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, NIAW is an annual initiative held each April that raises public awareness, promotes policy change — especially regarding insurance coverage — and fosters open conversations to support those struggling to build their families.
RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association was founded in 1974 as a nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals and couples facing infertility through education, advocacy, and community support.
The Catholic Church offers couples struggling with infertility a wide range of resources that aim to address the root of the issue in a holistic manner and in a way that aligns with Church teaching.
Here are four Catholic ministries that work with couples carrying the cross of infertility:
Springs in the Desert
Springs in the Desert is a Catholic infertility ministry founded in 2019 by Kimberly Henkel and Ann Koshute after they recognized how isolating infertility can be and how little pastoral support existed within the Church.
The ministry exists to accompany women and couples spiritually and emotionally, helping them encounter God’s love and discover a broader understanding of fruitfulness beyond biological parenthood.
Rooted deeply in Catholic teaching on marriage, human dignity, and reproductive ethics, it also works to educate clergy and lay leaders about the unique grief and needs associated with infertility.
The ministry offers a wide range of resources, including retreats, small groups, blog reflections, a podcast, and virtual and in-person events designed to foster community and healing.
For this year’s National Infertility Awareness Week, Springs in the Desert has partnered with Ascension to launch two free spiritual resources designed specifically for couples experiencing this hardship. They are a 15-part “Scripture and Saints” audio series featuring biblical figures such as Sarah and Abraham, Ruth and Naomi, Hannah and Elkanah, St. Joseph, Elizabeth and Zechariah, the woman with the hemorrhage, and St. Paul who connect the listener to the lived experience of infertility, and a novena inviting couples to pray with titles of Our Lady such as Our Lady of Sorrows and Queen of Families in order to invoke the Blessed Mother during times of grief and loss.
Both resources will be available beginning April 19 in the Ascension app.
The Fruitful Hollow
The Fruitful Hollow is an online Catholic infertility ministry founded in 2021 by Lauren Allen after her own experience of infertility inspired her to create a space rooted in Church teaching and authentic support.
The ministry focuses on helping women and couples live out their vocation with purpose during infertility, emphasizing that fruitfulness is not limited to having children but can be lived out in many spiritual and relational ways. It aims to address the lack of conversation and resources within Catholic circles and to guide people toward holiness in the midst of suffering.
The ministry provides weekly blog reflections, a mentorship program titled “Sisters of Hannah,” and a wide range of downloadable resources that address grief, medical decisions, marriage, and spiritual growth. It also offers tools for prayer, education on ethical fertility treatments, and even a memorial space for those who have experienced loss.
Lily of the Valley
Lily of the Valley is a Catholic lay ministry founded in 2022 to support families facing infertility, pregnancy loss, and difficult prenatal or postnatal diagnoses. Rooted in Catholic teaching and devotion — especially to St. Gianna Molla — the ministry’s mission is to accompany those carrying the cross of early-life suffering with prayer, compassion, and spiritual solidarity.
The ministry’s work focuses on providing both spiritual and community-based support, particularly through tangible and relational resources. One of its most distinctive offerings is personalized prayer care packages, which include sacramentals, prayer cards, and handwritten notes designed to bring comfort and encourage prayer during difficult times.
In addition, Lily of the Valley offers online support groups, curated spiritual resources, and opportunities for prayer accompaniment, helping women and families feel less alone and more supported within a faith-filled community as they navigate infertility and related struggles.
Elizabeth Ministry
A parish-based Catholic outreach founded in 1991 in Wisconsin, Elizabeth Ministry is designed to support women and families during critical reproductive and family life experiences, including infertility, miscarriage, pregnancy, and adoption.
The ministry is inspired by the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth, emphasizing accompaniment, presence, and shared faith. Its mission is to affirm the dignity of life and provide emotional, spiritual, and practical care to women navigating difficult or unexpected journeys.
The ministry operates primarily through local parish chapters, offering one-on-one mentoring, meal support, prayer networks, and companionship for women experiencing infertility or loss. It also provides training materials, spiritual reflections, and structured programs to help parishes build supportive communities.
Elizabeth Ministry’s work is especially valuable for women seeking in-person, relational support within their local Catholic community rather than solely online resources.
Several parishes and dioceses have their own programs for couples struggling with infertility. For example, the Archdiocese of Denver and the Diocese of Des Moines, Iowa, have a program called Behold Your Child, which offers spiritual and emotional support for those experiencing infertility and hosts memorial Masses for those who have lost a child due to miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss.
Beloved Catholic kids book series ‘Chime Travelers’ becomes animated TV show
The beloved children’s book series “Chime Travelers” has now made an exciting leap from page to screen with its development into an animated TV series, bringing its imaginative world to life in a whole new way.
Known for its blend of adventure, time travel, and meaningful life lessons, the Catholic series has captivated young readers with its charming characters and heartfelt storytelling for over 10 years.
“Chime Travelers,” written by Catholic author Lisa Hendey, follows twins Patrick and Katie as they travel to different places and time periods — all thanks to some magical church bells — to learn valuable life lessons from the saints.
Developed by Family Theater Productions and Herald Entertainment, the new animated series depicts the same stories from the book series and includes episodes on St. Patrick, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Clare of Assisi, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, and the Holy Family.
In an interview with EWTN News, Hendey said she’s “absolutely thrilled with the outcome” of the animated series.
She shared that she had been in conversations with Family Theater Productions — a Catholic production studio in Hollywood — since 2017 about adapting the books for television.
“They really saw at an early point the potential for the books to become a very dynamic [series], something even bigger than what they were as books, and itʼs been a long path enough to get to where we are now,” Hendey said.
Father David Guffey, executive producer of “Chime Travelers” and the national director of Family Theater Productions, told EWTN News that he believed this series needed to be made because there aren’t many options in terms of Catholic media for children.
“If you look at all the media thatʼs out there, thereʼs not much for Catholic children,” he said. “Thereʼs a lot for Catholic teens. Thereʼs a lot for Catholic adults. Thereʼs not a lot of Catholic childrenʼs programming. And we decided just to take a risk on this animated series so that thereʼd be another option for parents that wanted something solid to show their children.”
While the book series only included five stories, the animated series will have more saint stories made into episodes for future seasons. For these additional stories, Hendey is serving as a consultant.
“Iʼm so delighted that they continue to involve my voice and to give me the chance to say, ‘Well, I donʼt think my character would say that, or have we tried this, or have we thought about this?’ But the new stories are — theyʼre so exciting because theyʼre brand-new. I didnʼt write books about them,” she said. “And now the question will be, do we adapt books from those or what happens next?”
Guffey, who is also a biblical consultant on the hit series “The Chosen," said he believes the rise in popularity in faith-based movies and shows being created has “been a long time in coming.”
“For a long time, executives in Hollywood didnʼt believe that Christians were an audience,” he explained. “They didnʼt believe there was a faith-based audience and so they were very reluctant to fund or distribute projects. Weʼve had some big signs that there is an audience. Christians have proved themselves.”
He highlighted “The Passion of the Christ” as the faith-based movie that opened the doors for other faith-based films to be created and “The Chosen” for doing the same for faith-based television series.
“Christians and Catholics are showing they will seek out the kind of content that suits their families and their faith. And thatʼs going to change Hollywood — the business side of Hollywood especially,” Guffey added.
The Catholic priest also emphasized the importance of creating faith-based media specifically for children.
“With an adult show, adults will watch it once and theyʼre done. But with childrenʼs shows, if theyʼre of any quality at all, children will watch them over and over and over again. So, these shows and these stories really form young people in a really significant way,” he said.
Hendey added that she’s grateful “we have now programming thatʼs not only faithful — because we always wanted to be faithful and we always wanted to really speak to the truth and the beauty and the goodness of our Church — but also thatʼs fun, thatʼs compelling, that kids want to watch over and over again.”
As for her hopes for the series, Hendey said: “I hope that the kids who watch this, in particular, understand the agency that they have in their own lives to learn valuable lessons from the community of saints and to be a force for good in our world. We need them. We need their hearts and their purity and the love that they have, and so I hope they feel emboldened to realize that they really can make change in their world and in our world.”
Guffey added: “When youʼre a kid, you think the problem youʼre going through, youʼre the only one that ever had it and you think you can be a very lonely place. I hope the series shows that first of all, Katie and Patrick go through some of the things they go through at school or at home, but also that the saints and the people whoʼve gone before us have gone through the same thing. And we can draw on the wisdom and the experience of others to gracefully move through the problems, the troubles that we encounter in our lives today.”
“The lives of the saints are the lives of the Gospel in action. And I think itʼs important that children see how faith is put into practice,” Guffey shared. “And when we tell the stories of the saints, we are really telling the story of people who put their faith into practice in the good times and in the more difficult times.”
Pope Leo XIV in Angola: ‘Build the hope of the future’
KILAMBA, Angola — Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first Mass in Angola on Sunday in Kilamba, a fast-growing city about 20 miles from the capital, Luanda, telling the faithful that Angola must “look to the future with hope” and “build the hope of the future.”
Kilamba, inaugurated in 2011, has grown into a city of about 130,000 inhabitants, according to the most recent Angolan government census. Built with financing tied to a Chinese public investment company, the city’s layout and architecture evoke the urban planning of Chinese population centers more than that of a typical African city.
Yet the atmosphere at the papal Mass was unmistakably African.
About 100,000 faithful packed the large esplanade where the Eucharistic celebration took place. Many wore traditional Angolan dress. Scouts were present in large numbers, along with members of the military, doctors, nurses, priests, and missionaries — lay and religious — who have worked in Angola for years and did not want to miss the occasion.
“This visit is an occasion of celebration and hope, for us and for this beautiful land that is Angola,” a Polish missionary from the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary told EWTN News.
At around 10:15 a.m. local time, Pope Leo began the Mass. The entrance procession was accompanied by a hymn marked by both faith and enthusiasm, hallmarks of the African crowds that have greeted the pontiff throughout this trip.
“I celebrate the Eucharist here among you with a grateful heart. Thanks be to God for this gift, and thank you for your warm welcome!” the pope said at the start of his homily.
Reflecting on the Gospel account of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, Leo said he saw in that scene “a reflection of the history of Angola, of this beautiful yet wounded country, which hungers and thirsts for hope, peace, and fraternity.”
He continued: “Indeed, the conversation along the road between the two disciples, who reflected with sorrow on what had happened to their Master, brings to mind the pain that has marked your country: a long civil war with its aftermath of enmities and divisions, of squandered resources and poverty.”
“When one is long immersed in a history so characterized by pain, one can risk losing hope and remaining paralyzed by discouragement, just like the two disciples,” he said.
The pope then pointed to what he called the central Christian answer to such suffering: “Dear friends, the good news of the Lord, even for us today, is precisely this: He is alive, he has risen, and he walks beside us as we journey along the path of suffering and bitterness, opening our eyes so that we may recognize his work and granting us the grace to start afresh and rebuild the future.”
Recalling how Christ accompanied the two disciples in their disappointment, Leo said the same path is now set before Angola.
“Here, too, is the path laid out for us, for you, dear Angolan brothers and sisters, to begin anew. On the one hand, there is the certainty that the Lord accompanies us and has compassion on us, and on the other, the commitment that he asks from us,” he said.
The pope stressed prayer, Scripture, and especially the Eucharist as the place where believers encounter God and renew hope. He also warned against distortions of faith.
“For this reason, we must always be vigilant regarding those forms of traditional religiosity that certainly belong to the roots of your culture, but at the same time risk confusing and mixing magical and superstitious elements that do not aid your spiritual journey,” he said.
“Remain faithful to what the Church teaches, trust your pastors, and keep your gaze fixed on Jesus, who reveals himself in the word and in the Eucharist,” he added.
Leo then turned to the mission of the Church in Angola, saying the country’s continuing hardships require “the presence of a Church that knows how to walk alongside you and how to heed the cry of its children.”
“A Church that, with the light of the word and the nourishment of the Eucharist, knows how to rekindle lost hope,” he said. “A Church made up of people like you who give of themselves just as Jesus gave of himself in the breaking of the bread for the two disciples on the road to Emmaus.”
“Angola needs bishops, priests, missionaries, men and women religious, and laypeople who carry in their hearts the desire to ‘break’ their own lives and give them to others, to commit themselves to mutual love and forgiveness, to build spaces of fraternity and peace, and to perform acts of compassion and solidarity towards those most in need,” the pope said.
In the final part of the homily, Leo appealed for national renewal, saying that “it is possible to build together a country where old divisions are overcome once and for all, where hatred and violence disappear, and where the scourge of corruption is healed by a new culture of justice and sharing.”
“Only in this way will a promising future be possible, especially for the many young people who have lost hope,” he said.
He concluded with a direct appeal: “Brothers and sisters, today we need to look to the future with hope and to build the hope of the future. Do not be afraid to do so!”
The pope assured those present of his closeness and prayers and entrusted the people of Angola to the protection of the Virgin Mary, under the title of Our Lady of Muxima.
Before leading the “Regina Coeli” after the Mass, Pope Leo turned to several international crises. He lamented the “recent intensification of attacks against Ukraine,” noting that civilians continue to suffer, and said: “I express my closeness to all who suffer and assure my prayers for all the Ukrainian people. I renew my appeal for the weapons to fall silent and for the path of dialogue to be followed.”
The pope also referred to the announced truce in Lebanon, saying it “is a cause for hope” and “a sign of relief for the Lebanese people.”
He added: “I encourage those engaged in a diplomatic solution to continue peace talks for the end of hostilities throughout the Middle East.”
Even after the celebration ended, the enthusiasm of the faithful did not fade. The crowd seemed reluctant to let the pope go, continuing with songs, dancing, and jubilant cries as the color and joy of the occasion carried on across the vast gathering space.
This story was first published in two parts by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
Young professional Catholics build community amid Toronto’s secular landscape
In Toronto, Canadaʼs largest city, a growing community of young Catholic professionals is quietly reshaping what it means to live out faith in the modern world.
Young Professional Catholics of Toronto (YPCT), which has become an official lay association of the Archdiocese of Toronto, brings together ambitious individuals navigating careers and personal growth, all while remaining rooted in shared Catholic values.
Through networking events, service initiatives, and faith-centered gatherings, the group offers more than just social connection — it provides purpose and belonging as it redefines how Catholic identity can thrive among the next generation of leaders.
Founded in 2024 by Kateryna Sphir and Francis Odum, the latter of whom also currently serves as the groupʼs president, YPCT attracts men and women in the age range of 18 to 39 who meet monthly at different parishes and event spaces across the city.
Kathleen Muggeridge, who serves as the group’s vice president, spoke to EWTN News about the group’s purpose and the challenges young Catholics face in Toronto today. She explained that she sees Toronto as a “spiritually desolate place.”
“Medical assistance in dying [MAID] is being legalized across the country — thereʼs a lot of hopelessness,” she said. “One of the main reasons why [itʼs] being legalized is because of loneliness. And that loneliness doesnʼt just exist in the senior population, it also exists in the young adult population. Thereʼs a lot of isolation.”
Against this backdrop, YPCT aims to serve not only as a resource for young professional Catholics but also as a community where the members “can grow in their faith together.”
Non-Catholics are also welcome to join the group and hopefully “be inspired to start practicing their faith,” Muggeridge said.
Roughly 200 people attend each YPCT event, and for the first time the group plans to host a professional networking conference in the fall for about 500 attendees.
In addition to its monthly events, YPCT hopes to start a mentorship program where professional Catholics who are established in their careers serve as mentors and guides to younger individuals interested in the same field of work.
The group also plans to expand to other cities across Canada. Muggeridge explained that in order to do that they’re building a larger team in Toronto that includes a social media team, a stakeholder relations team, a finance team, a board of directors, and a spiritual director.
“Weʼre hoping to create a structured team format and then once we meet people who are interested in starting YPC in other provinces, we will be able to share that format with them,” she said.
Muggeridge highlighted the many challenges Catholics face in Canada right now. In addition to the legalization of assisted suicide, these include abortion being legal through all nine months of pregnancy and bubble zone laws preventing advocacy outside of abortion clinics.
With this in mind, Muggeridge said she hopes YPCT will “inspire these people to be passionate on certain issues that are related to the spiritual desolation [in the country].”
“So in addition to spiritual nourishment and community and networking, getting involved in these social issues is definitely something that is very important for us,” she added.
She also pointed out the difficulties many young people face in trying to find employment.
“Itʼs hard to build up a career on your own, especially if youʼre a newcomer or you donʼt have a lot of resources,” Muggeridge explained. “Even if youʼve gone to school for something, and youʼre certified in a specific field, itʼs hard to get a job in Canada these days. And so the networking that weʼre able to provide young Catholics, I think has been very valuable and especially when we launch our mentorship program, I think that will provide even more value for people.”
Muggeridge said the group’s main goal “is to just be a channel where people can come closer to Christ by the spiritual nourishment and community that we provide because we want to be in communion with Christ and with our brothers and sisters.”
“Our No. 2 goal is to just be a place where people can grow and develop in their field,” she added. “Work is something that is good and itʼs beautiful, and weʼre made to work and weʼre made to sanctify our work. So, we hope to inspire our members to do that as well.”
PHOTOS: Pope Leo XIV departs Cameroon, journeys to Angola
Pope Leo XIV continued his apostolic journey in Africa on April 18, saying Mass in Cameroon before departing for Angola on the next leg of his visit.
The Holy Father will spend several days in Angola before finishing his trip in Equatorial Guinea. This is his first papal trip to the continent.
Here are some of the highlights of Pope Leoʼs latest activities during his trip:
