During the flight between Luanda and Malabo aboard the papal plane, Leo XIV held a private meeting with the media, including three Angolan journalists, to reflect on his stay in Angola before landing in Equatorial Guinea. With a hopeful yet firm tone, the Pope elaborated on the continent’s social challenges and the key role the Church must play in the coming years.

A strategic alliance: Health and Education

One of the highlights of the conversation was the revelation of the topics discussed in his private audience with the President of Angola. The Holy Father confirmed that they had discussed the need to strengthen close collaboration between Church and State.

According to the Pope, this cooperation should focus on two fundamental pillars:  health and education . “The Church in Angola is growing and has the capacity to contribute to the country’s progress,” he noted. Leo XIV emphasized that Catholic institutions already perform essential work in these areas, but that it is vital to formalize this support so that it reaches the most vulnerable areas of the country, where state infrastructure is still limited.

The living memory of his predecessor

The flight coincided with a date of great emotional significance for the universal Church: the first anniversary of the death of the previous Pope. Leo XIV wished to dedicate a moment of silence and words of deep affection to his predecessor, remembering him as a guide whose influence remains present in the current teachings.

“His example of dedication continues to light my way,” he told reporters, highlighting the spiritual legacy he has received and which he tries to apply in his travels through the “peripheries of the world,” as is the case with this African tour.

A Church that grows with its own identity

When asked by local journalists about the state of faith in Angola, the Pope expressed his admiration for the vitality of the communities. However, he reiterated the importance of evangelization that respects local culture while remaining firm in Gospel values, avoiding falling into sectarianism or practices that distort the message of peace.

For the Pope, the growth of the Church in Angola is not only numerical, but qualitative, and can serve as a model for other African nations seeking to balance tradition with modernity and social justice.

With his gaze fixed on Malabo, Pope Leo XIV concluded the talk by reaffirming his commitment to Africa, a continent that, in his words, does not ask for charity, but for dignity and tools to build its own destiny.