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ADDRESS OF PAUL VI
TO H.E.
JOSEPH DÉSIRÉ MOBUTU,
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CONGO*

Monday, 3 June 1968

 

It is a joy for Us to receive you in Our home today, with your well-beloved wife and children. In your persons We take pleasure in greeting the whole Republic of the Congo.

Your noble nation has certainly gone through harsh ordeals in its past, and the future is not without problems. But, We know, it is the declared purpose of all men of goodwill to pool their energies to build this future in respect for persons and natural communities, to promote the common good of the country, in peace. Our venerated Predecessor specified in his memorable Encyclical Pacem in terris that this peace, in order to be fruitful and lasting, must rest on truth, justice, charity and freedom. May all Congolese work together in brotherhood to accomplish this peaceful ideal, the ideal of the Congo, of Africa, of the whole world! The Catholic Church for its part, as you know, in bringing Christ's message has no other ambition than to help in this integral development of man, and in the development of mankind as one race, ends which We formulates in Our Encyclical Populorum progressio, and in Our Message to Africa. And it pleases Us to assure you that all Our sons desire to walk generously in this way and cooperate unselfishly in the building of a fraternal world, where men and nations unite their efforts so that each one may freely come to fulfilment in God's presence.

So it is with pleasure, Mr. President, that through your person and that of your family, We invoke upon all the noble Congolese people an abundance of divine paces, and in pledge of this We give to the whole Nation Our Apostolic Blessing.


 

*ORa n.11 p.5.

 



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