‘The first path is fidelity to Christ,’ Pope tells Angola’s priests and religious
April 20, 2026
Pope Leo XIV met with Angolan bishops, priests, consecrated men and women, and pastoral workers this evening (video) and told them that “the first path is fidelity to Christ.”
The meeting took place at Our Lady of Fátima Parish in Luanda, the nation’s capital. The meeting followed a ninety-minute flight from Saurimo, where the Pontiff had visited a nursing home and celebrated Mass earlier in the day.
Pope Leo began by expressing his “gratitude to all those who have worked to spread and continue to spread the Gospel in Angola. Thank you for the work of evangelization carried out in this country, for the hope in Christ sown in the hearts of our brothers and sisters and for your charity to those most in need. Thank you also for your steadfast commitment to contribute to the progress of this nation on the solid foundations of reconciliation and peace.”
“Dear friends, the Lord knows the generosity with which you embrace your vocation, and he is not indifferent to all that you do, for love of him, to nourish your people with the truth of the Gospel,” the Pope continued. “It is therefore worth opening your hearts completely to Christ!”
Addressing young seminarians and religious in formation, the Pope said:
Do not be afraid to say “yes” to Christ, to model your lives entirely on his! Do not be afraid of tomorrow, for you belong completely to the Lord. It is worth following him in obedience, poverty and celibacy. He takes nothing away! The only thing he takes from us and takes upon himself is sin.
“Dear brothers and sisters, the Lord grants you the joy of being his missionary disciples, the strength to overcome the snares of the evil one and the hope of eternal life,” the Pope added. “All of this is yours, and it is all a gift ... What paths are being opened by the Lord for the Church in Angola? There will certainly be many! Try to follow them all! But the first path is fidelity to Christ.”
Pope Leo also encouraged clergy and religious to spend time in Eucharistic adoration and contemplation of the crucified Christ.
“Without this contemplative dimension, we no longer live in conformity with the Gospel, nor do we reflect the power of the Resurrection,” the Pope said.
After warning the clergy and religious against self-centeredness and the pursuit of privilege, the Pontiff concluded:
Continue to be a generous Church, cooperating in the integral development of your country. For this reason, everything you have accomplished in the fields of education and health care has been and remains crucial. In this sense, when difficulties arise, remember the heroic witness of faith given by Angolans—men and women, missionaries born here or coming from abroad—who had the courage to give their lives for this people and for the Gospel, preferring death to betraying the justice, truth, mercy, charity and peace of Christ.
Starting with every Eucharist, you too, dear friends, are the body offered and the blood shed for the life and salvation of your brothers and sisters. The Virgin Mary, Mamã Muxima [Mother of the Heart], is always at your side. May God bless you and make your commitment and mission fruitful!
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