“I am coming as a minister of the Gospel, to proclaim the love of Jesus Christ and his message of reconciliation, forgiveness and peace”, Pope Francis said in separate message to the people of Kenya and Uganda. Homosexual sex is illegal in many of African countries and discrimination against homosexuals is prevalent through the continent.
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Okello, an organizer of the pope’s visit to Kenya who also did groundwork for John Paul’s trip there in 1995, said he expects Francis will promote harmony despite Africa’s often contentious issues.
Hundreds of thousands are expected to welcome the pontiff when he arrives in Kenya on Wednesday, the first stop in his three-country tour that also includes Uganda, and the Central African Republic (CAR). Extremist organizations, poverty and a deep rift between Christians and Muslims pose serious problems for the Catholic church, as well as some priests choosing to leave the church rather than practicing celibacy. South Africa is the only African nation that permits gay or lesbian marriage.
“If he starts talking about rights, then Ugandans are going to be very defensive”, said Mugisha, a Catholic.
“I think he will talk about relations between Muslims and Christians – that terrorists can be from any religion….”
In Uganda, security forces say they too are ready, including preparing for some 100,000 people to see the pope at the Kololo Independence grounds in Kampala on Saturday.
“We don’t view homosexuality as a normal lifestyle but also we have chosen not to persecute those who have fallen victim to it”, he said. While the topic of responsible leadership may come up in his sermons and speeches, he is not one to criticize leaders directly, as U.S. President Barack Obama did in his recent trip to Kenya, where he raised the issue of government corruption as an impediment to growth and stability. Jo-Renee Formicola, a political science professor at Seton Hall University, believes Pope Francis will ask that people “rise above their humanity” by refusing themselves to allow their hearts to harden against the atrocities spreading across their nation.
Expressing his desire to encounter and offer a “word of encouragement” the Kenyan and Ugandan people, the Pope noted the need for today’s people of faith and good will to support one another as children of God. In 2013, he described his position on gay priests as “Who am I to judge?”
“If he opens the Holy Door in Bangui, a Jubilee Year will begin for the first time ever in the periphery” rather than the church’s seat in the Vatican, said Giulio Albanese, an African expert with Radio Vatican, AFP reported.
Although many Kenyan Christians are deeply conservative, the country has been comparatively tolerant and now hosts about 500 gay refugees from neighboring Uganda.
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The Pope made the remarks six days after the November 13 Paris shootings and suicide bombings that left 130 people dead.
