James O'Reilly
After his brief visit to Douala, the Pope boarded the papal plane again to return to Yaoundé, where he was scheduled to hold an event at the Catholic university together with all its students.
In 35 years, it has grown from 135 students to a network of more than ten campuses, over 8,000 students, over 1,000 faculty members, and over 200 administrative staff.
Upon arriving at the campus, the pope was welcomed with flowers. Then, accompanied by the rector, the event began with an opening song.
The song—composed for this specific occasion—included lyrics describing, “Pope Leo XIV as a man of peace who comes to renew the faith of this country and of Africa.”
The rector’s speech carried the event onward, during which he made an announcement that stirred excitement among those present:
THOMAS BIENVENU TCHOUNGUI
Rector of the Catholic University
The University Hospital Center currently under construction will bear the name Pope Leo XIV University Hospital Center, in memory of your historic visit.
To this end, we request your mediation so that the State of Cameroon may grant us the right to open a Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, which are greatly needed by the population and by young people.
In a region facing significant security, social, and economic challenges, students expressed gratitude for the quality of their education and for the ongoing efforts of their professors and families.
They conveyed to the pope their hope for support through scholarships and university infrastructure, trusting that his visit would help mobilize support for the Church’s educational mission.
Taking a turn to speak, Pope Leo focused part of his message on the moral formation of new generations and the ethical challenges facing the continent, issuing a particularly firm warning:
POPE LEO XIV
Africa indeed needs to be freed from the scourge of corruption. And this awareness must be strengthened in young people from their years of formation, thanks to the moral rigor, selflessness, and consistency of life of their educators and teachers.
In this same address, he emphasized the important, everyday role of the educational community in building a more just and coherent society:
POPE LEO XIV
By bearing witness to the truth, especially in the face of the illusions of ideology and passing trends, create an environment where academic excellence naturally goes hand in hand with human integrity.
After his remarks, the pope gave his blessing to those present and left the venue to head to his place of rest during his stay in Yaoundé. His next event will take place at the city’s airport, where he will celebrate the final Mass of his visit before heading to his third destination: Angola.
