The Bishop of Cameroon, the Rt Revd Thomas-Babyngton Elango Dibo, and his wife Estelle – who are visiting Rome as guests of the Anglican Centre – this morning had the pleasure of meeting with Pope Leo XIV at his general audience in St Peter’s Square.  Bishop and Mrs Dibo first met Pope Leo only two weeks ago in Cameroon, during his apostolic journey to Africa.

This journey, also encompassing Algeria, Angola and Equatorial Guinea, was the focus of the Pope’s address to those attending the audience today.

“Since the very beginning of my Pontificate, I have thought about a journey in Africa,” he said.  “I thank the Lord for granting me the opportunity to undertake it, as Shepherd, to meet and encourage the people of God; and also to experience it as a message of peace at a moment in history marked by conflicts and serious and frequent violations of international law. And I express my heartfelt thanks to the Bishops and civil authorities who welcomed me, and to all those who helped organize the visit.”

In relation to his visit to Cameroon, he noted his call for working together for reconciliation and peace in the city of Bamenda, in its Anglophone region.  Cameroon, he added, is known as ‘Africa in miniature’ due to the variety and richness of its natural environment and its resources, and is also a place of great need.  The Pope stated: “I thank the Church in Cameroon and all the Cameroonian people, who welcomed me with such love, and I pray that the spirit of unity which was evident during my visit may be kept alive and guide future choices and actions.”

Bishop and Mrs Dibo were accompanied by Bishop Anthony Ball, the Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Representative to the Holy See.  He told Pope Leo that he previously served as Bishop of North Africa which included responsibility for the Anglican Church in Algeria.

In his address at the audience, Pope Leo recalled that, in this country, he had found himself “revisiting the roots” of his spiritual identity (as an Augustinian) and also crossing and strengthening bridges with the “very fruitful age of the Fathers of the Church” and with the Islamic world and with the African continent.

“In Algeria,” he remarked, “I received a welcome that was not only respectful but warm, and we were able to experience first-hand and show the world that it is possible to live together as brothers and sisters, even of different religions, when we recognize ourselves as children of the same merciful Father.”

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