Programme of the Holy Father's trip to Kenya, Uganda and the Central African Republic

Vatican City, 17 October 2015 (VIS) – Today the programme was published for Pope Francis' apostolic trip to Kenya, Uganda and the Central African Republic, to take place from 25 to 30 November.

The Holy Father will depart from Rome's Fiumicino airport on 7.45 a.m. on Wednesday 25 November, destined for “Jomo Kenyatta” airport in Nairobi, Kenya, where he is due to arrive at 5 p.m. Following the welcome ceremony at State House, he will pay a courtesy visit to the president of the Republic and will meet with the authorities and diplomatic corps.

On Thursday 26 November, the Pope will attend an interreligious and ecumenical meeting in the apostolic nunciature in Nairobi, after which he will celebrate Holy Mass on the University of Nairobi campus. This will be followed by a meeting with the clergy, men and women religious and seminarians at the St. Mary's School sports field. The day will conclude with a visit to the United Nations Office at Nairobi.

Friday 27 November will begin with a visit to the poor quarter of Kangemi in Nairobi, after which he will meet first with young people in the Kasarani Stadium, and then with Kenyan bishops. After the farewell ceremony at “Jomo Kenyatta” airport, the Pope will depart for Entebbe, Uganda at 3.30 p.m, where he will arrive at 4.50 p.m.

After the welcome ceremony at Entebbe International airport, the Pope will pay a courtesy visit to the president in the State House, and will meet the authorities and diplomatic corps in the conference hall. The third day of his apostolic trip will conclude with a visit to Munyonyo and greetings to catechists and teachers.

On Saturday 28 November, the Pope will visit the Anglican and Catholic shrines to martyrs in Namugongo, and will celebrate Mass for the martyrs of Uganda in the area of the Catholic shrine. After meeting with the young at the Kololo Air Strip at Kampala, he will visit the Nalukolongo House of Charity. At 6 p.m. he will meet with Ugandan bishops in the archbishop's residence, followed by an encounter with the clergy, men and women religious and seminarians in the cathedral.

After a farewell ceremony at Entebbe airport, at 9.15 a.m. the Holy Father will depart for the Central African Republic, the third leg of his apostolic trip, where he is scheduled to arrive at the International “M'Poko” airport of Bangui at 10 a.m. He will first pay a courtesy visit to the Head of State of the Transition in the presidential palace “de la Renaissance” and will meet with members of the governing class and diplomatic corps. This will be followed by a visit to a refugee camp and an encounter with the bishops of the country. In the afternoon he will meet with evangelical communities at the faculty of evangelical theology in Bangui, and will celebrate Mass with the clergy, men and women religious, catechists and the young in the cathedral of Bangui. He will then confess some young faithful and, in the evening, will inaugurate a prayer vigil outside the Cathedral.

On Monday 30 November, Pope Francis will begin the final day of his eleventh apostolic trip with a meeting with the Muslim community in the central mosque of Koudoukou in Bangui. After celebrating Mass in the Stadium of the Barthelemy Boganda Sports Complex, he will transfer to “M'Poko” International airport and at 12.30 p.m., following a brief farewell ceremony, he will depart for Rome where he is expected to arrive at Ciampino airport at 6.45 p.m.

Cardinal Maung Bo to take possession of his titular church

Vatican City, 19 October 2015 (VIS) – The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff today announced that on Wednesday, 21 October, at 6.30 p.m., Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, S.D.B., archbishop of Yangon, Myanmar, will take possession of the title of Sant'Ireneo a Centocelle (Via dei Castani, 291).

Audiences

Vatican City, 19 October 2015 (VIS) – Today, the Holy Father received in audience Archbishop Paolo Pezzi of Madre di Dio a Mosca, Moscow, Russian Federation.

Other Pontifical Acts

Vatican City, 17 October 2015 (VIS) – The Holy Father has appointed:

- Msgr. Francesco Manenti as bishop of Senigallia, (area 580, population 130,012, Catholics 121,260, priests 86, permanent deacons 11, religious 110), Italy. The bishop-elect was born in Sergnano, Italy in 1963 and was ordained a priest in 1975. He holds a licentiate in theology from the theological faculty of northern Italy in Milan, and has served in a number of pastoral roles in the diocese of Crema, including parish vicar at the Cathedral, chaplain, spiritual director of the episcopal seminary, teacher at the “Dante Alighieri” diocesan school, head of the diocesan centre for spirituality and diocesan director of the family office. He is currently vicar general of the diocese of Crema, parish priest, lecturer in theology and member of the Commission for the permanent formation of the clergy. He succeeds Bishop Giuseppe Orlandoni, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese upon reaching the age limit was accepted by the Holy Father.

- Msgr. José Melitón Chávez as bishop of Añatuya (area 68,000, population 155,800, Catholics 138,000, priests 43, religious 110), Argentina. The bishop-elect was born in Romera Pozo in Argentina in 1957, and was ordained a priest in 1985. He has served in various roles in the archdiocese of Tucumán, including parish vicar, pastor, vicar forane, formator, vice rector and rector of the major seminary of Tucumán, assessor for Catholic Action, vicar general, episcopal vicar for soliarity and member of the pastoral council and college of consultors. He is currently pastor of the El Salvador parish.

- Msgr. José Luis Henao Cadavid as bishop of Libano – Honda (area 3,477, population 257,049, Catholics 238,710, priests 48, religious 83), Colombia. The bishop-elect was born in Andes, Colombia in 1954 and was ordained a priest in 1979. He holds a licentiate in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome, and has served in a number of roles, including parish vicar, pastor, rector of the minor seminary, defender of the bond, judge in the ecclesiastical tribunal of Medellin, diocesan delegate for social and lay pastoral ministry, diocesan vicar for pastoral ministry and pastor of the Cathedral. He is currently pastor of the “Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes” parish in Andes.

- Cardinal Nicolás de Jesús López Rodríguez, archbishop of Santo Domingo, as his special envoy to the celebration of the fifth centenary of the city of Cumana, Venezuela, origin of the evangelisation of South America, scheduled for 27 November 2015.

Step up the battle against hunger and malnutrition

Vatican City, 16 October 2015 (VIS) – On the occasion of the seventieth anniversary of the foundation of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the Holy Father sent a message to the director general Jose Graziano da Silva.

Noting that a great number of our brothers and sisters still suffer from hunger and malnutrition in spite of the great efforts made to combat these problems, he condemns the underlying causes: an uneven distribution of resources and the lack of agricultural development. “We live in an age in which the unfettered pursuit of profit, the concentration of particular interests and the effects of unjust policies render less effective the actions taken by States or impede effective cooperation within the international community”. He adds that much remains to be done in this area.

The theme chosen for this year's World Food Day – “Social protection and agriculture, breaking the cycle of poverty”, is an issue that affects two thirds of the world population, who lack even basic social protection. “This fact is made even more alarming by the fact that the majority of these people live in the most disadvantaged parts of countries where … the only means of survival is linked to scarce agricultural production, and small-scale fishing and animal husbandry. Indeed, the lack of social protection weighs most heavily on local farmers … and fishermen, forced to live in precarious conditions, as the fruit of their work depends largely on environmental conditions that are often outside their control, and they lack resources for facing poor harvests or for procuring the necessary technical tools. Paradoxically, even when production is abundant, they encounter serious difficulties linked to the transportation, sale and conservation of the fruits of their labour”.

Faced with this situations, “we cannot be satisfied with a generic appeal for cooperation or to the common good. Perhaps we must ask: is it still possible to conceive of a society in which the resources reside in the hands of the few, and the least privileged must make do with the leftovers? The answer cannot be limited to good intentions, but must consist rather in 'social peace, the stability and security provided by a certain order which cannot be achieved without particular concern for distributive justice; whenever this is violated, violence always ensues”, the Pope writes.

The most disadvantaged, due to the lack of social protection, “suffer the negative consequences of a persistent economic crisis or phenomena linked to corruption and poor governance, as well as climate changes”, and “ask for our support, to be able to look to the future with a minimum of hope”. However, “social protection cannot be limited to an increase in income, or be reduced to investment in means of subsistence for an improvement of agricultural production or the promotion of equitable economic development. It must be made concrete in that 'social love' that is the key to genuine development. … Social protection can foster in the most disadvantaged a capacity for resilience, to face and overcome difficulties”. For instance, he added, it is able to “support the family, whose members learn from the beginning what it means to share, to help each other, and to protect each other. Guaranteeing family life means promoting the economic growth of women, thus consolidating their role in society, as well as favouring care for the elderly and enabling the young to continue their scholastic and professional preparation”.

“The Church does not have the mission of directly dealing with such problems from a technical point of view. However, the human aspects of these situations cannot leave her indifferent”. He concludes, “May all people, in accordance with their own possibilities, give the best of themselves in a spirit of genuine service to others. In this effort, the work of the FAO will be fundamental if it has the necessary means for ensuring social protection in the framework of sustainable development and the support of those who live and work in agriculture, animal husbandry, fishing and forestry”.