Vatican City, 14 June, 2022 / 9:31 pm (ACI Africa).
Pope Francis has planned to celebrate Holy Mass with Congolese in Rome on the day he was previously scheduled to preside over Sunday Mass at Ndolo Airport in Kinshasa, the capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Speaking at the start of his audience with members of the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers) in the Vatican’s Clementine Hall on Monday, June 13, Pope Francis said he intends to celebrate Holy Mass with the “many” Congolese in Rome on July 3.
“We will bring Kinshasa to St. Peter’s, and there we will celebrate with all the Congolese in Rome, of which there are many,” Pope Francis told participants in the General Chapter of the Missionaries of Africa, a day after he apologized to authorities of DRC and South Sudan for having to postpone his two-African-nation pastoral visit.
He reiterated his intention to reschedule the six-day trip that was to begin in the capital city of DRC, Kinshasa on July 2, and conclude on July 7 in South Sudan’s capital city, Juba.
“Unfortunately, with great regret, I had to postpone the trip to Congo and South Sudan,” the 85-year-old Pontiff told the delegates of the General Chapter of the Missionaries of Africa.