Join us as we discuss with Carolina and Madame Germaine the complex socio-religious landscape in Africa, particularly in Congo, amidst humanitarian crises. Through heartfelt discussions, the episode offers insight into the hopes placed upon Pope Leo XIV and explores the intersection of religion and politics in the context of a newly elected pope.
At age 10, Father Andre escaped Christian massacres by living in caves in Mount Lebanon with his family. Today, Father Andre works tirelessly to encourage American leaders to keep God in the public square, defending religious freedom at home and abroad, so that all might live in peace for the glory of God. Founder and president of the Mission of Hope and Mercy, Father Andre has learned the secret to safety, joy, and peace. Love God and one another. Now, let us spend 33 minutes on the Lord’s Day, retuning ourselves to the truth of love in the hands of God.
SPEAKER 02 :
Praise be the most holy name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, now and forever. Abemus Papam, Cardinal Prevost, is the new Pope, born on September 14, 1955, age 69, from Chicago, Illinois, the very first United States American Cardinal to be Pope in the history of Christianity. And he has the Peruvian nationality as well. And his education from Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in philosophy, in theology, and then in canon law. He was the prefect of the dicastery of the bishops. So this is the cardinal who basically was in charge. of nominating or identifying or finding bishops for the church for the catholic church for one and a half billion people in the world to help pope francis the late pope francis during his time so my friends congratulations from all of our hearts for us in the united states and for the church in the world and for everyone Fadi Bardawil, Ph.D.: : Today is a very special radio show we did tell you last Sunday that by time on the Sunday we come to join on the show Carolina and German. Fadi Bardawil, Ph.D.: : From Italy and from Congo that we were the three of us agreed that we already could have a Pope. Today is also Mother’s Day in the United States. I want to wish all mothers, all grandmothers, all godmothers, everybody who carries the title of a mother, spiritual mothers, a wonderful and happy and blessed, beautiful feast day of Mother’s Day. Again, I want to say good holy morning to you all, and I want to salute Carolina Triolo, our Mission of Hope and Mercy Director in Rome, Italy, and also Mr. Germain Touamba, a Mission of Hope and Mercy collaborator from Congo in Africa. Before we start our discussion on today’s show, I want to remind you a little bit of That we have a new pope today is the very first Sunday for this pope, basically. And on May 25th, he will take possession of his cathedra, of his seat in the Basilica of St. Peter. I have to ask Carolina in case the new pope is going to go back to wear the tiara. if the Pope is gonna wear the old tiara or the mitre with the three layers that is historically known to have been worn by the Popes all the way to Pope Paul VI, I believe. I’m not sure if after that anyone of the Popes wore the tiara. We can double check that online and check back with history. We have a new Pope and he was elected on May 8th, 2025 at 6 or 9 p.m. in Rome time. The white smoke came out from the chimney of the Cappella Sistina. It was actually many feast days on that day. In the old calendar, it was a feast day of Our Lady Mediatrix of All Grace or Dispenser of All Grace. In the old calendar as well, it was a traditional feast of the apparition of St. Michael the Angel, which was instituted by Pope Pius V in Apulia in Italy. a great apparition that basically was known in the fourth century. And also at the same time, this apparition continued through centuries. And a lot of Italian people famously, they go and they are devoted to St. Michael. St. Francis of Assisi went to the grotto of St. Michael, as well as Padre Pio used to be known that he would go to that particular grotto of St. Michael. Also, there is a connection with the name that the new Holy Father, the Pope Robert Prevost, who chose the name Leo XIV, Leo XIV. In 1884, when Pope Leo XIII was saying his private mass, he saw the vision of Satan and he fainted towards the end of the mass. He was in full ecstasy and a terrible accident happened to him. He was taken in his mind into a vision in heaven where he saw that the church and the world were given to Satan. to basically evil, was led to govern in the world and to govern in the church as well, unfortunately. With that, Pope Louis XIII dictated that everyday Christians, Catholics, when they celebrate the Mass, they have to conclude with the prayer of St. Michael the Archangel. And the prayer of St. Michael the Archangel states, Saint Michael, the archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and the snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the divine power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the other evil spirits who crawl about the world, seeking the ruins of souls. And of course, you know, this traditional feast of the apparition of St. Michael, which was instituted by St. Pius V, who was in 1570, 1569, in Rug Hills in Apulia, Italy, left till today a wonderful sanctuary of St. Michele Arcangelo, uh an area known as uh monte cargano and uh stands as a statement to one of christianity’s most enduring tradition as a matter of fact these apparitions of saint michael the archangel which happened between 490 and 493 of our lord and then a later event in 1656 where there were divine encounters in a remote cave. They transformed that cave into a pilgrimage site, shaping the devotion to Saint Michael the Archangel, the protector of God’s people. And it is celebrated on May 8, the Monte Cargano apparitions reveal the Archangel’s roles as a guardian, as a warrior, as an intercessor, leaving a lasting spiritual and cultural legacy. And of course, Padre Pio was famously known to his devotion to St. Michael the Archangel. So did Pope Leo XIII. So on May 8, on the feast day of St. Michael the Archangel, on the old calendar, it happened that Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected by the College of Cardinals to be the 267th Pope or the Bishop of Rome, the Vicar of Christ and successor of Saint Peter. And in such a way, he is a shepherd of the universal church. So truthfully, Habemus Papam also on a feast day of Our Lady of Pompeii. In a new calendar, May 8th, Catholics celebrated the feast day of Our Lady of Pompeii. So imagine… between the divine grace and between the incarnation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the feast of Our Lady of Pompeii, where the prayer of the rosary actually started. This is where the sanctuary right at the foothill of Mount Vesuvio in the area of Napoli, where there was this kingdom of Pompeii, which was known to be a bad kingdom, a kingdom that is known to filth. Basically, it is Sodom and Gomorrah of the West. Our Lady there required that the devotion of the Holy Rosary will begin in order to trample and to crush the kingdom of Satan and of the devil. And we know how famous now the prayer of the Rosary is. And in fact, the prayer of the Rosary was also instituted by Pope Pius V. He instituted the Tridentine Mass, he instituted the prayer of the Rosary, and of course the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. He is a famous Pope who prayed with the people of Rome in 1569 when the Turks and the Arabs were trying to siege and to occupy Rome, and they fell at the gates of Rome. They couldn’t actually win the war, and therefore the Christendom remained free. and the foreign religion who came to kill the Christianity, to occupy the sanctuaries, specifically the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome, they failed because of these many devotions and these many prayers. So, Carolina and Germaine, I want to say good evening to you and congratulations on a new father. I would like to start with… Good evening. Carolina.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yes, it’s a very happy day for all the Christians in the world. And the new Pope was very… exciting um i i i don’t uh i i saw by by tv uh i’m not going uh directly to san peter square but uh i saw uh he was quietly crying in uh in the time when they they he was Okay, okay. And there are many differences. We don’t think that it will be possible that this cardinal can be the new pope, just because it’s always the same. It’s always many, many other people. name but at the end the holy decide
SPEAKER 02 :
right so um with the help of the holy spirit they end up the side on the candidate usually i know they say many many strong faces enter as papabile but they actually they exit as basically except that the name is always concealed in somehow to the very last moment even though there were some some annotations speaking about in the united states and on social media talking about the possibility of Cardinal Robert Prevost to be the Pope, but he was not amongst the first runners of the Papabile.
SPEAKER 04 :
It was not one of the Papabile, but at the end it began, the new Pope. So I saw a little difference from him and Papa Francesco. First of all, on his image. So Papa Francesco was very Francescano, very simple. And Papa Leone XIV decided to, as they say,
SPEAKER 02 :
I don’t know in English. Yes, he actually, the cross of the Vatican that he carried.
SPEAKER 04 :
And that, I think, means a great significance.
SPEAKER 02 :
Because he wore all the papal outfit, the white and the red, and the stole of St. Peter and Paul and the pallium. And he spoke. He’s the first pope who actually did not speak abraccio, no? He did not speak.
SPEAKER 04 :
No, in fact, in fact. Until now, no. But I think I’m sure it will be, it will speak abraccio. In time.
SPEAKER 02 :
Madame Germaine, I want to salute you. And I hope, how is, first of all, the situation in Congo? To our listeners, on a good Sunday morning with Father Andre and 33 minutes on a lowest day. We have Madame Germaine, she runs a beautiful charity organization in Congo. She is in Kinshasa. And she is a friend of the Mission of Hope and Mercy as well. And she is connected in Italy and with us here in the US, in Denver, Colorado, and in Rome, and in Africa as well. She speaks perfect French and beside the African slangs and languages. and Italian. So she will be talking in French and I will be translating in English in this conversation with Madame Germaine.
SPEAKER 03 :
Good evening, Padre. Good evening, Carolina.
SPEAKER 02 :
Good evening, Padre. Good evening, Carolina. Madame Germaine, how is the situation in Congo? Because that’s the first thing. We must pray for the situation in Congo. Before talking about our Pope, the election of the new Pope, Leo XIV, how is the situation for Christians, for Congolese, and for the human state, for families? I’m asking Germaine, how is, first of all, the situation in Congo? Because, you know, we’ve been hearing about a lot of massacres. We’ve been hearing about a lot of lack of food, a lot of lack of medicine. Many people have been internally displaced. There are about 12 million children in danger. because of the internal displacement and because of the potential massacres. And thousands of people, unfortunately, have been killed. So, Madame Germain, give us a little idea about the situation, please.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yes, the security and humanitarian situation in the RDC is really at its peak.
SPEAKER 02 :
The security situation and humanitarian situation in Congo is in a very drastic place.
SPEAKER 03 :
Surtout dans la partie est.
SPEAKER 02 :
Obviously in the east part of the Congo.
SPEAKER 03 :
M23.
SPEAKER 02 :
Because of the mob known as M23.
SPEAKER 03 :
Avec plusieurs conséquences sur le plan humanitaire.
SPEAKER 02 :
and there are many consequences on the humanitarian level. there are multi-sectorial consequences on the humanitarian, the human, the social, the economic, the educational, and the safety and the religious level as consequences, basically, for these attacks. Madame Germaine, what do you think the new Pope will bring for Congo and Africa? I’m asking Germaine, what does she think the new Pope, the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, will bring for Congo, or will be able to accomplish for Congo and for Africa?
SPEAKER 03 :
Pope Leo XIV, in fact, is a missionary pope. He has visited Africa and the areas of Congo many times. So being in the spirit of a missionary, that’s an advantage. And as he is always on the path of Pope Francis, that is to say, he always had the orientations, that is to say, the pastoral orientations of Pope Francis, that is to say, and we expect from him several expectations.
SPEAKER 02 :
And we are comfortable. We have multiple anticipations and expectations from him because he, in fact, is walking in his shoes and following the footsteps of Pope Francis as a good shepherd and obviously who is close to his people and care for the pains and the humanitarian and social issues and security issues. And I’m explaining what Madame Germain briefly was trying to say in French, they feel comfortable and they have a lot of expectations from him since he follows the footsteps of Pope Francis in this regard. Madame Germaine, another question please. Are you a little disappointed that this election did not bring a Pope from Africa? ou bien il y a une consolation dans la figure, dans la face du pape Léo XIV. Qu’est-ce que vous en pensez? I’m asking Germaine if they are a little bit disappointed that because the world was talking about the first black pope, most likely an African pope, if they are disappointed or they have been consoled in this election knowing that the name was Cardinal Prévost or Pope Leo XIV. Madame Germaine.
SPEAKER 03 :
His election reflects first the universality of the Catholic Church and then certain conservatives, so he will value the role of the Church in Africa.
SPEAKER 02 :
So, two things make us very consoled in Africa. Madame Germaine has always the right and precise answers. She’s a great, great, great person to have conversation with. Je disais que vous êtes une très bonne personne et intelligente à faire une conversation avec vous parce que toujours vous donnez des réponses justes, des réponses précises. So she was saying they’re not afraid. They are consoled by the election of Pope Leo XIV because Cardinal Prevost, Cardinal Robert Prevost, the Chicago-born and the first American pope, is already a shepherd with universal outlook on the church. And this was one of the interests and priorities that the church in Africa would want a Pope to be. They wanted them to have a universal outreach, a universal dimension, universal and international understanding, and they are very comfortable that Pope Leo XIV has this dimension. Two, the second element that makes him consoled and happy with the election of pope leo xiv cardinal prevost according to madame germain is the fact that he comes out so far as a straight forward on the tradition he is not compromising conservative values of the church he is very straightforward and direct and protecting the tradition and also he’s coming across as a traditional not traditionalist as a traditional so as conservative as conservative as a matter of fact and those two factors are also very appealing to the church in africa um So, in the rites after the voting for the new pope, after the smoke comes out of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, there are rites, rites of acceptance, orderitum conclavis, and then the conclave is concluded. Today, hope basically concludes the conclave by celebrating Mass with the brothers Cardinals. um how how is it in italy so far um the news about the election of the very first united states born pope especially that in italy we have to a vc basically a proposito di trump you know uh united and president trump We have a lot of lovers for President Trump. And now you have a Pope and President Trump from the United States of America. How is Italy doing since May 8th?
SPEAKER 04 :
So it’s possible I speak in Italian and then you can translate because it’s very hard to… Absolutely, me le frase corti. Si, si. In Italy there was a lot of talk about this American Pope. and they are trying to understand how politically relevant this role of the American Pope is to the American president.
SPEAKER 02 :
Wow, and they’re trying to assess actually in the Italian media how important it is his political role, his political value vis-à-vis the political role of the President Trump of the United States.
SPEAKER 04 :
But in Italy we are usually controversial. So, the media want to find contradictions or connections.
SPEAKER 02 :
Now, basically, knowing that the Italian media usually likes controversy, likes polemic, we call them, they like… They’re already searching for either basically contradictions or things that they are mutual. What is a mutual between Pope Leo XIV and President Trump versus what is contradictory? They’re trying to put them either in contradiction with one another or in similarity in the same camp with one another. That’s fantastic. And did they succeed doing anything?
SPEAKER 04 :
But I think it’s only Italian media that do that. Yes. Yeah, I know. Anyway, anyway, the Pope is a Pope and the President Trump, obviously, is the President of all the America. A nice message I read on an Italian media was that Trump had said that he would make America big again, so…
SPEAKER 02 :
So there was a very sympathetic, very nice message in one of the local medias in Italy stated, basically introduced the new pope. Trump have promised us that he will make America great again. And here you go. He’s making America great or greater with the introduction of the new pope. And now, my friends, we shall continue with our few minutes with KLZ, 33 minutes on the Lord’s Day. I’m asking Carolina if she can repeat the message in English. I wish she can send me a copy of the article. I’d like to put it actually.
SPEAKER 04 :
Of course I can. So President Trump promised America great again. So also with the Pope, we will be great again. So we have all the possibilities now.
SPEAKER 02 :
We have all the possibilities. Madame Germaine, the associations of Catholic bishops in Congo, the Cardinal in fact, did he speak? Did he say something? Did he give his opinion after the papal elections? Did he make a call in Congo? Did he say something? I’m asking Madame Germaine if the Cardinal in Congo have commented on the election of the new Pope or any of the assembly of Catholic bishops in the Congo or in Africa. Madame Germaine.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yes, Padre. There was the reaction of the Secretary of the Cinco, Jolie, who were really happy about this election, as I said before, it reflects the university of the Church. And then for Africa, there are several expectations. There are several expectations from Pope Leon XIV on several dimensions, on several religious, geopolitical, socioculturel, et puis plusieurs questions transversales.
SPEAKER 02 :
Germaine is saying immediately the Secretary of the Assembly or the Conference of Catholic Bishops in Congo did actually make a statement, and they are very happy, as she said before, about the election of the new pope. And they said actually that Pope Leo XIV has plans already religious plans, spiritual plans, geopolitical plans, humanitarian plans, most likely that they anticipate he will take on very soon once he is seated on the cathedra on May 25th. And after that, I think Africa will be one of his priorities, according to Germain. I want to share with you both. I do not know if you heard his call on the lodge. So the first speech he gave on the balcony of Saint-Pierre. I don’t know if you heard, if you listened to his message. When he said peace be with all of you, all of you. What did he mean? What did this all of you mean? Who are these all of you? Who are they? When he said that peace be with you all, not only with you, but with everything. What did he indicate? Carolina, if you can start, and then we’ll take Germaine.
SPEAKER 04 :
In my opinion, he wanted to emphasize in this moment of war that peace must return to the point of reference of all humanity. And so peace be with all of you, he meant the peace of the world.
SPEAKER 02 :
So he meant the peace in the whole world, looking at countries who are at war and in conflicts. Carolina is saying he really wanted this peace to be indicating reaching all, meaning all the nations and the people, all of the humanity. Madame Germaine, your response?
SPEAKER 03 :
If there is no peace, for example in China, like in the East, there is no peace, there is no security, it is a bit difficult for the people… That is to say, the country should be developed. And I would say that Pope Leo XIV wants to put himself in the shoes of a peace promoter, that is to say, a neutral mediator.
SPEAKER 02 :
That’s important. The observation of Madame Germain, she’s saying the Pope is putting himself actually in the shoes of the people who do not have the experience of peace, people in the East who do not have the stability, the security. So he is actually through this peace be with all of you. He’s making himself a promoter. for this peace, who have no interest except to give peace. Let us wait and see what will happen in the next, between now and next Sunday, my friends. We will continue with Madame Germaine and Carolina to cover the basically first days and first weeks of the Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Prevost in the Vatican. Remember in his first homily, the Pope spoke first in English spontaneously and he said, the church needs to be the lighthouse that illuminates the nights of the world. And the central messages of the Pope’s homily is inviting the Cardinals along with himself as a Pope and the faithful to witness to the faith in environments where faith is considered to be something absurd because they prefer technology, money, success, power, and to be liked by others. The Pope continued saying that in some context, I add that Jesus has been reduced only to be a leader who is charismatic or a superhuman. The Pope said that this is a situation as well amongst many baptized Christians, unfortunately, who end up in such a way living in a practical atheism or atheism of fact. And the solution, Pope Leo XIV said, to all of these problems is what Pope Francis taught us to do, Bring the joy of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, because he is the only Savior of the world. And with that, we conclude our radio show. I want to say, Almighty God, bless us all. Protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Please do not forget to go online and show your support, missionofhopeandmercy.org. And until next Sunday, congratulations to our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, to the United States of America, to President Trump, and to our U.S. people and government, and to the Church of Rome, and to all of you.
SPEAKER 01 :
Thank you for listening to 33 Minutes on the Lord’s Day. To hear previous programs, visit the show page at missionofhopeandmercy.org. Listen to Father Andre every Sunday morning at 7.30 on KLZ as he speaks on the unity of Christians, religious freedom, and the biblical foundation of Judeo-Christian values and traditions. Join him in bringing hope and freedom to people across the globe while also strengthening your own faith, family, and community right here in Colorado. Reawaken the spiritual strength of America. Go to missionofhopeandmercy.org.
