Pope: The peace of Christ calms life's storms, helps us go forward without fear

Presiding over the concluding Mass in Cameroon, Pope Leo XIV expressed his profound gratitude for the welcome he recieved and the moments of joy and faith experienced together.

Around two hundred thousand people gathered for the festive celebration, many camping out the night before, and hundreds of thsouands of others followed it in areas surrounding the venue. The celebration marked the culmination of the Pope's four day visit to Cameroon before heading to Angola, the next destination in his pastoral journey to Africa.In his homily given in French, the Pope reflected on the Gospel reading recounting on how Jesus' disciples navigated the strong winds while crossing the lake of Tiberias with feelings of fear and doubt. The Pope recalled how the Church down through the ages has "navigated many storms and 'strong winds'", just as we must in our own lives. At times, life's tribulations can make us feel overcome by adverse forces, he acknowledged. Yet, we must always remember, he said, that  "Jesus is with us always, stronger than any power of evil" and "Jesus does not abandon us, just like he did not abandon the disciples on the Sea of Galilee.