African priests hope for more church reform under Pope Francis

KENYA
Afrique en Ligue

Nairobi, Kenya – African priests have welcomed the choice of Pope Francis saying he would bring new vibrancy to the evangelization of the Gospel and institute broad reforms within the church.

The new Pontiff, elected against the backdrop of a series of graft allegations and the leakage of key documents within the Vatican, comes to the scene amid growing threats from paganism in Africa and the sexuality challenges facing the Church.

Religious experts say Pope Francis’ choice of name, in itself, is not only a sign of his readiness to confront those challenges through the ministry of the word of God, but also an expression of his readiness to open up the Church towards greater scrutiny.

‘He is a pure breath of fresh air,’ said the Reverend Father Dominic Wamugunda, the Chaplain of the Nairobi University.

Father Mario Porto, a Comboni Missionaries priest ministering in the cattle rustling-prone West Pokot region in Northern Kenya, said the new Pope must also work towards linking the evangelization of the world by implementing a series of measures.

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