July 15, 2011. (Romereports.com) The Pope is getting ready
for his upcoming trip to Benin, which will mark his second trip to
Africa. According to organizers, the Pope will arrive on November 18
and will leave on the 20th. It will be a very short trip, but also
very symbolic.
Andrè Quenum
Spokesperson, Pope's trip to Benin
“The Pope is going to Benin for all of Africa, he is not going to Benin for Benin, he's going to Benin for the benefits of the whole of Africa.”
During his meeting with
bishops, the Pope will sign an apostolic exhortation. It's a document
where all Catholics of the continent are called to engage in
reconciliation while also promoting justice and peace. The text was
done after African Bishops met back in October 2009.
Andrè Quenum
Spokesperson, Pope's
trip to Benin
"Africa
needs more than water or food reconciliation. Because potentially we
have water and food, but there are no conditions to obtain them. We
must create conditions to take advantage of our resources. "
The Pope's trip coincides
with the 150th anniversary of Christianity in Benin. In his trip,
he'll also honor Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, who died three years ago
in his native country of Benin.
That Cardinal was the only
person appointed to a high ranking Vatican post by John Paul I. He
was president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum and the Congregation
of Bishops. He was also Dean of the College of Cardinals from 1993 to
2002. At the age of 80 he returned to his home country where he died
in 2008.
JMB/KLH
RR
JM
-PN
