Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya will preach on the theme “The Christian’s communion with God,” taken from the First Letter of John (1:3): “for our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.”
The 72-year-old native of Mongobele, Democratic Republic of Congo, has been a key player in promoting peace in Africa.
He has served in the episcopate since being named an auxiliary bishop at the age of 40, in 1980. He was made a cardinal in the November 2010 consistory.
In 2009, another African cardinal, Francis Arinze, the retired prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, preached Benedict XVI’s retreat.
