Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Cotonou (Agenzia Fides) - The 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations with the Holy See and the 150th anniversary of the evangelization; the sighning of the African Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Africae munus; tribute to Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, son of this land, for many years at the service of the Roman Curia: these are the three reasons for the Pope’s visit in Benin, as recalled by the same Pontiff during the Welcome ceremony at the airport in Bernardin Gantin in Cotonou, at 3 p.m. on Friday 18 November. "Benin is a country of ancient and noble traditions - the Pope stressed -. Her history is significant. I am pleased to take this opportunity to greet the traditional chiefs. Their contribution is important in the construction of the country’s future ... Modernity need not provoke fear, but neither can it be constructed by neglecting be the past. It needs to be accompanied by prudence for the good of all in order to avoid the pitfalls which exist on the African continent and elsewhere, such as unconditional surrender to the law of the market or that of finance, nationalism or exacerbated and sterile tribalism which can become destructive, a politicization of inter-religious tensions to the detriment of the common good, or finally the erosion of human, cultural, ethical and religious values".
At the end of the Welcome ceremony, the Holy Father went to the Cathedral "Notre Dame de Miséricorde" in Cotonou, where the Bishops of Benin, and other Bishops and hundreds of faithful were waiting for him. The Pope dwelt in prayer over the graves of two Prelates who governed the archdiocese of Cotonou: Mgr.Christophe Adimou ( from 1971 to 1990) and Mgr. Isidore de Sousa (from 1990 to 1999). "They were courageous laborers in the Lord’s vineyard - Benedict XVI stressed in his speech - and their memory is still alive in the hearts of many Catholics and people of Benin. These two Prelates were, each in its own way, Pastors full of zeal and charity. They tirelessly spent their time at the service of the Gospel and of God's people, especially the most vulnerable. You all know that Mgr. de Sousa was a friend of the truth and that he had a key role in the transition to democracy in your Country". So the Pope paused to meditate on the theme of divine mercy, which "is not just the forgiveness of our sins: it consists in the fact that God, our Father, leads us back, sometimes not without pain, grief and fear on our behalf, on the path of truth and light, because he does not want us to lose ourselves". In particular, the Virgin Mary " experienced the mystery of divine love at the highest level" highlighted the Pope, "she is the Mother of Mercy for the participation in the mission of her Son". "In Mary, we have not only a model of perfection, but also help to fulfill communion with God and with our brothers and sisters. Mother of mercy, she is a sure guide of the disciples of her Son who want to be at the service of justice, reconciliation and peace". (SL) (Agenzia Fides 19/11/2011)
