Societies flourish on the foundation of upright consciences that seek the truth, Pope tells university students
April 18, 2026
Pope Leo XIV met with students and professors at the Catholic University of Central Africa (video) and told them that no society can “flourish unless it is grounded in upright consciences, formed in the truth.”
The university is located in Yaoundé, Cameroon’s capital. The visit to the university was the Pope’s last public event on April 17, the fifth day of the Pontiff’s apostolic journey to four African nations, and his third day in Cameroon.
“The greatness of a nation cannot be measured solely by the abundance of its natural resources, nor even by the material wealth of its institutions,” Pope Leo said. “No society, in fact, can flourish unless it is grounded in upright consciences, formed in the truth.”
The Pope added:
The human conscience, understood as the inner sanctuary where men and women discover themselves drawn by the voice of God, is the very ground upon which just and stable foundations for every society must be laid. To form consciences that are free and endowed with a holy restlessness is a necessary condition for the Christian faith to appear as a fully human proposal.
Such a faith is capable of transforming the lives of individuals and of society, of inspiring prophetic change in the face of the tragedies and forms of poverty of our time, and of encouraging a continual search for God that is never satisfied. It is indeed within the conscience that moral discernment is formed, by which we freely seek what is true and upright. When the conscience takes care to be enlightened and rightly formed, it becomes the source of a coherent way of acting, directed toward the good, justice and peace.
The Pope also spoke of the “intellectual and spiritual imperative to seek the truth in all its dimensions, with the conviction that faith and reason are not opposed, but rather support one another.” He warned:
Within digital environments—structured to persuade—interaction is optimized to the point of rendering a real encounter superfluous; the otherness of persons in the flesh is neutralized, and relationships are reduced to functional responses. Dear friends, you, however, are real persons! ...
When simulation becomes the norm, it weakens the human capacity for discernment. As a result, our social bonds close in upon themselves, forming self-referential circuits that no longer expose us to reality. We thus come to live within bubbles, impermeable to one another. Feeling threatened by anyone who is different, we grow unaccustomed to encounter and dialogue. In this way, polarization, conflict, fear and violence spread. What is at stake is not merely the risk of error, but a transformation in our very relationship with truth.
Citing St. John Henry Newman, Pope St. John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis, the Pontiff also reflected on the nature of the university, encouraged students not to emigrate, and asked professors to be models of moral integrity:
As well as being intellectual guides, be role models whose scientific rigor and personal integrity form the consciences of your students. Africa, indeed, must be freed from the scourge of corruption. For young people, this awareness must take root from their years of formation, thanks to the moral rigor, selflessness and coherence of life shown by their educators and teachers. Day by day, lay the indispensable foundations for the building of a consistent moral and intellectual identity. By bearing witness to the truth—especially in the face of the illusions of ideology and passing fashions—you will foster an environment in which academic excellence is naturally united with human uprightness.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the principal virtue that must animate the university community is humility,” Pope Leo concluded. “Whatever our role or our age, we must always remember that we are all disciples—that is, fellow learners with one Teacher, who so loved the world that he gave his life. I thank you, and I impart to you my heartfelt blessing!”
Following his address, Pope Leo went to the apostolic nunciature, where he met with nine superiors of religious institutes.
CWN coverage of Pope Leo’s apostolic journey to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea:
Day 1 (April 13)
- Pope departs for Africa
- Pope Leo: ‘I have no fear of the Trump administration’
- I am ‘very happy’ to visit the land of St. Augustine, Pope says on flight to Algeria
- ‘The future belongs to men and women of peace,’ Pope says in first Algerian address
- Pope calls on Algeria’s leaders to promote ‘vibrant, dynamic, and free civil society’
- Pope visits Great Mosque of Algiers, recalls St. Augustine’s search for truth
- Pope emphasizes prayer, charity, unity in address to Algerian Catholics
Day 2 (April 14)
Day 3 (April 15)
- Pope bids farewell to Algeria, departs for Cameroon
- Pope, in remarks to journalists, highlights importance, relevance of St. Augustine
- Pope calls on Cameroon to embrace peace, break chains of corruption
- ‘Jesus cares especially for children like you,’ Pope tells orphans in Cameroon
Day 4 (April 16)
- Pope hails peacemaking efforts of Christian, Muslim leaders in Cameroon
- Now is the time to change this country, Pope preaches in Cameroon
- Pope meets with several Muslim leaders in Cameroon
Day 5 (April 17)
- ‘Bring the bread of life to your neighbors,’ Pope preaches in Cameroon’s largest city
- Societies flourish on the foundation of upright consciences that seek the truth, Pope tells university students
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