21st September 2025 with Cardinal Lavigerie
Link to PDF 20250921 A year with CML 200
Cardinal Lavigerie and Pope Francis: Apostles of Justice and Love
by Sr. Fides Mbabarempore As we celebrate the Jubilee of Justice in the Church, it is striking to recognize how Cardinal Charles Lavigerie, founder of the Missionaries of Africa, and Pope Francis share deep apostolic traits. Though separated by centuries, both embody a prophetic response to the needs of their times. Their witness offers us a legacy of justice, compassion, and hope. I would like to highlight two key points that especially resonate today: Closeness to the Poor and the Marginalized Cardinal Lavigerie stood courageously against slavery in Africa. His mission in Algeria opened doors to other regions of the continent, where he proclaimed the Good News with a conviction that Africans, once evangelized, would themselves become apostles. His faith and hope were remarkable, especially in a time when Africans were often dismissed as “uncivilized” and exploited without hesitation. For Lavigerie, the essential truth was the…