The pope promotes human development and peaceful coexistence
By Msgr. John Wynand Katende
Posted on: Wednesday, 22nd April 2026
"I am the good shepherd"- John 10:11-18.
Following this declaration by Jesus Christ, Christians celebrate the fourth Sunday after Easter as the Good Shepherd Sunday. They intend to emphasize trust in Christ’s guidance, celebrate special vocations, like the priesthood and religious life, while reminding leaders to serve with humility rather than selfish interests.
The metaphor “Good Shepherd” highlights sacrificial love, protection, and deep care for followers, contrasting Jesus with a hireling who abandons the flock in danger. Jesus emphasizes knowing His followers personally and providing for their well-being.
It is within this context that we may appreciate Pope Leo XIV’s pastoral journeys to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea, 13-23 April 2026. While Jesus remains the Chief Shepherd, He appoints the Pope as His vicar. “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church” (Matthew 16:18). Then in John 21:15-17, Jesus asked Peter three times "Do you love me?" Peter replied three times, "Yes, Lord, you know that I do". Jesus affirmed him as shepherd of His sheep, and became the first Vicar of Christ or Pope of the Catholic Church.
The title “Vicar of Christ” is not used of the Pope alone, but extends to all bishops, with him at their head. Peter was martyred in Rome under Emperor Nero. A bishop functions within a particular geographic area. In matters of faith and morals, the bishops speak in the name of Christ, and the faithful are to accept their teaching and adhere to it with a religious assent (Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Ut unum sint, 95).
The pope is not just the leader of the Catholic Church, but also its foremost public representative. In speaking to the media and in making public announcements, he helps shape how the rest of the world perceives Catholicism. To maintain contacts with local clergymen and Catholic communities, the pope grants private audiences as well as public ones.
The pope is also head of state of Vatican City, a sovereign city-state entirely enclaved within the Italian capital city of Rome. As an international diplomat, he uses different occasions to speak on key issues such as human rights, environmental concerns, and the treatment of migrants, often visiting areas affected by these challenges. This requires that he interpret biblical passages and other religious texts using his authority to teach the faithful.
The Pope makes pastoral journeys to offer direct spiritual guidance and support to local churches, particularly in remote areas or places facing hardships. They are intended to strengthen the faith of local communities and foster unity with the entire Church. The pastoral nature of the visit also emphasizes presence and accompaniment over, or in addition to, political engagement. These visits also serve as a way to bring the papacy to people who cannot travel to Rome.
Algeria is the homeland of St. Augustine, whose theology not only shaped the pope’s own Augustinian spirituality but also that of the entire Church. Today, however, Christians are a tiny minority in a predominantly Muslim society. The trip marked the first-ever papal visit to the nation, and the Pope highlighted interfaith dialogue and peace. He hinged his message on the understanding that Muslims and Christians are seeking the same God, and must therefore learn to recognize the image of God in every human person.
Cameroon is described as currently a nation where a brutal internal conflict has been ongoing since 2017. Pope Leo XIV admonished the political leaders not to invest in the arms race, but in human development.
In Angola, Leo turned his attention to healing — both historical and ongoing. Addressing civil authorities in Luanda, he warned against economic systems that treat people and resources as commodities.
Equatorial Guinea is known as a country that remains largely absent from global attention. Yet it represents a young and growing Church navigating complex realities. President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo is widely regarded as an autocratic leader whose regime of 47 years is widespread with corruption, abuse of power, human rights violations, and nepotism.
In summary, the diplomatic role of the Pope is pivotal to promoting peace, human development, and international cooperation, particularly in regions facing instability.