Claretian Priest Sees Papal Visit as Turning Point for Church in Equatorial Guinea

Claretian priest reflects on Pope Leo XIV’s visit and the transformation of the Catholic Church in Equatorial Guinea since 1982.

Newsroom (22/04/2026 Gaudium Press ) In Malabo, where anticipation has been building for months, Fr Inocencio Moisés stands at the center of a historic moment for Equatorial Guinea’s Catholic faithful. As archdiocesan coordinator of Pope Leo XIV’s visit, the Claretian priest is not only organizing a landmark event—he is witnessing what he describes as a profound turning point in the life of the Church.

More than four decades have passed since a Pope last set foot in this Central African nation. When Saint Pope John Paul II visited in 1982, Moisés was just a child. The visit, though memorable, was fleeting. “It was like a flash,” he recalls, noting that the pontiff did not even remain overnight. Today, 44 years later, the return of a Pope carries a weight that extends far beyond ceremony.

“Truly, for us this is a special moment,” Moisés said in Malabo, speaking on the sidelines of the inauguration of the National University’s new ‘Pope Leo XIV Campus.’ In a country where Catholicism is the majority faith, the visit is being experienced not simply as an event, but as a source of “hope and joy.”

That sense of renewal comes at a time when Equatorial Guinea, like much of the African continent, faces complex social challenges. “We live in a context of many family difficulties… marked by armed conflicts, much hatred, but also hope,” he explained. Against this backdrop, the papal visit is seen as a unifying force—an opportunity to strengthen faith and reinforce a shared spiritual identity.

While some may interpret the visit as a cultural spectacle, Moisés insists its meaning runs deeper. “It is clearly a pastoral visit,” he said. “A great majority have been waiting for it for a long time as another source of renewal—not only for the laity, but also for us religious and priests. He is our shepherd.”

The visit also casts a spotlight on how much the Catholic Church in Equatorial Guinea has evolved since 1982. Once heavily reliant on foreign missionaries—particularly the Claretians, who led much of the early evangelization—the Church has undergone a significant process of localization.

“The Church has changed a great deal,” Moisés noted. Today, numerous religious congregations are active in the country, including the Missionaries of Mary Immaculate and the Missionaries of the Immaculate Conception. More striking, however, is the shift in leadership and identity.

“It is truly a more local Church,” he said. “Missionaries from other countries are fewer each day, and the fact that our dioceses now have Equatoguinean bishops is also a sign of the maturity of the Catholic Church.”

This transformation is evident even within Moisés’ own congregation. Of approximately 50 Claretians in Equatorial Guinea, only two are foreigners. The rest are Guinean—a development he attributes to the enduring influence of earlier missionaries who inspired local vocations.

That growth is perhaps most visible among young men entering religious life. The interdiocesan seminary in Bata has reached capacity and required expansion. “There are many young people,” Moisés said, pointing to what he described as a strengthening of faith across the country.

Yet this trend is not uniform. Female religious vocations, he noted, have not kept pace—a disparity that raises questions within the Church. “We do not know why—it requires serious analysis,” he admitted.

Offering a personal perspective, Moisés suggested that educational expectations may play a role. In a changing society where more young women aspire to higher education, some may find religious life limiting if it does not accommodate academic advancement.

“If a 17- or 18-year-old girl who has completed secondary school does not aspire to higher education, that becomes a difficulty,” he explained. Unlike male clergy, who often pursue university studies, women in some congregations may face fewer academic opportunities—potentially discouraging vocations.

Beyond structural issues, Moisés also pointed to the need for renewed pastoral strategies. “Perhaps we have become somewhat relaxed,” he said, emphasizing the importance of communicating the Gospel in ways that resonate with contemporary realities. This includes adapting language and methods without compromising core teachings.

“We cannot remain stuck in the past,” he added, invoking the concept of inculturation—presenting the Christian message in ways that are deeply rooted in local culture and experience.

As Equatorial Guinea prepares to welcome Pope Leo XIV, Moisés sees more than a symbolic return. For him, it is a moment that captures both the journey and the future of the Church: from missionary beginnings to a locally rooted, evolving community of faith.

“It is a reason for hope,” he said, echoing the words of a hymn composed for the occasion. In a nation shaped by both struggle and resilience, that hope now finds expression in a long-awaited papal presence—one that may help define the next chapter of Catholic life in Equatorial Guinea.

• Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News

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