Pope's African Visit Excludes Key Catholic Nations

Intersociety, a civil rights organization, condemned the exclusion of Nigeria and other major Catholic nations from Pope Leo XIV's upcoming African visit, labeling it a fundamental omission. The statement, signed by Emeka Umeagbalasi and other leaders, expressed disappointment over the Pope's itinerary, which includes Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea but omits Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Kenya: countries with significant Catholic populations.

The organization highlighted that these nations collectively have an estimated 141 million Catholics and face severe threats from jihadist attacks. They called for urgent reforms within the Catholic Church, including the appointment of cardinals from these nations to better represent African Catholics.

Intersociety stressed the importance of the Pope advocating for peace and addressing the challenges faced by Christians in Africa, urging that the Church's reforms begin at home.