All posts tagged: Bless

Pope Leo’s delicate task in Equatorial Guinea: Bless the faithful, not the regime

Pope Leo’s delicate task in Equatorial Guinea: Bless the faithful, not the regime

Published by Sam Flores

MALABO, Equatorial Guinea (RNS) — Pope Leo XIV arrived in Equatorial Guinea on Tuesday morning (April 21), greeted by cheering crowds and a Catholic Church that sees his visit as both a spiritual embrace and a moment for national reflection. “This visit is like a sign that God has not forgotten His people,” said Malabo Archbishop Juan Nsue Edjang Mayé, ahead of the pope’s arrival. “It brings encouragement not only to Catholics, but to the whole nation, especially in times that call for unity and hope.” The pontiff landed in Malabo after concluding his visit to Angola, marking the final leg of a multicountry African tour that has consistently emphasized peace, accountability and the moral responsibilities of leadership. Observers say the pope’s visit comes at a sensitive moment in Equatorial Guinea, as growing economic pressures and long-standing governance concerns continue to shape daily life for many citizens. The Vatican has indicated that Pope Leo will address these issues during his visit. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the pope is expected to speak about corruption, governance …

‘Bless you, Alfred Wainwright … and you, Rishi Sunak’: England’s Coast to Coast walk gets an upgrade | Walking holidays

‘Bless you, Alfred Wainwright … and you, Rishi Sunak’: England’s Coast to Coast walk gets an upgrade | Walking holidays

Published by Sam Flores

A soft breeze tickled the waters of Innominate Tarn, sending ripples dashing across the pool, bogbean and tussock grass dancing at its fringes. From my rocky perch atop Haystacks, I gazed down on Buttermere and Crummock Water glistening to the north, the round-shouldered hulks of Pillar and Great Gable looming to the south. A pair of ravens cronked indignantly, protesting against the intrusion on their eyrie; otherwise, stillness reigned. Bless you, Alfred Wainwright, I murmured, picturing the hiking legend whose ashes are scattered around this lonely tarn. And then, surprising myself: you too, Rishi Sunak. In very different ways, both had brought me to this most spectacular of Lakeland crags. Coast to Coast Wainwright walk map showing the route It’s a little over half a century since Wainwright, patron saint of fell walkers, sketched a line on the map linking the Cumbria and Yorkshire shores. Not, of course, at random. “The route follows an approximate beeline … from St Bees Head on the Irish Sea to Robin Hood’s Bay on the North Sea,” he wrote. …