Morocco

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Pope Francis begins a three-nation visit to Africa on Wednesday later.

It will be his fourth visit to The Continent , since he is The Head of The Roman Catholic Church in the year 2013, in comparison to two of his predecessors, Pope Benedict XVI, during his eight-year pontificate.

The importance of Africa for the Catholic Church can be summed up in one word - growth.

Africa has the fastest growing Catholic population in The World , while according to the US-American Pew Research Center

And many of those That call themselves Christians to identify the visit in Western Europe regularly in The Church .

In contrast to this, Christianity in its various denominations, is growing in Africa . The Pew Research Center predicts That by 2060, More Than four in 10 Christians of the Sahara in Africa to the South.

The Roman Catholic Church is the increase of his flock in Africa

a study published by the American center for Applied research has shown That in the period between 1980 and 2012 by 57% to 1. 2 billion, but the growth in Europe is only 6%, compared to 283% in Africa . It put The Number of Catholics in Africa to almost 200 million Euro.

"I think Africa is The Future really [the Catholic Church ]," says Nicolette Manglos-Weber, Assistant Professor of Religion and society at Boston University School of Theology.

construction of schools and hospitals

The growth in Africa is partly because their entire population is growing faster than in any other continent.

However, there are also other Reasons - including the fact That by saying a part of the Catholic Church , the people are part of "a social institution That provides a lot of support and security in places where precarious life-is very common and widely used," Dr. Manglos-Weber.

"The Church hospitals, schools, [and] other social services. [These are ] Things That the post-colonial governments in Africa ,... had a difficult time on a widespread scale. "

The Role of Catholics in such services "exceeds offer by far what have been two Protestant churches and Islamic communities in the location," says Dr. Manglos-Weber.

Pope Francis has also increased African representation in the upper echelons of the Catholic Church .

Although the majority of cardinals are still from Europe and South America , he has appointed 10 African cardinals, compared to the six in the appeal by his predecessor.

Pope Francis is The First Pontiff from the Global South, a term used to describe low and middle income countries in Africa , Asia and Latin America .

The Argentine reputation, as a Pope for the disenfranchised and the poor, and on issues such as Climate Change and inequality in Africa .

The Pope has already visited five African countries - Kenya , Uganda, the Central African Republic, Egypt and Morocco - and on this last trip, the Pontiff to the people of Mozambique and The Island States of Madagascar and Mauritius. His predecessor visited three African countries.

"The Holy father wanted a very simple hotel, and had the First Choice , sent to ask the Vatican for less expensive accommodation for its secretaries, the secretaries of state, bishops and cardinals," was quoted a leader of The Church in Mozambique by local media as saying.

On his 2015 visit to Kenya , Pope Francis went to Kangemi slum on The Outskirts of the capital Nairobi, and spoke about what he called "new forms of colonialism".

He told the audience That he wanted to "against the injustices they suffer", and refers to slums as "wounds" inflicted by The Elite .

Pope Francis , in a short

During the Pope for The Cause of the poor " has been widely welcomed, The Church has also been hit by allegations of clergy sexual abuse in Africa .

Last year, the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference (SACBC) acknowledged That in 35 cases of clerical abuse of minors have been reported in South Africa since 2003.

Three priests were defrocked, and serves said a Life Sentence for the offense, the SACBC,.

In Liberia, a former priest wrote to the Vatican, the alleged sexually predatory behavior of two bishops.

On his 2015 trip to Kenya , Pope Francis advocated for the poor

Overall, The Scandals seem to be "more sporadic and irregular, is certainly not on the same scale as in North America , Europe or even South America ," Professor Garth Abraham, head of South Africa is the only Catholic University, says.

But That does not mean That sex abuse by the Catholic clergy is less widely used in Africa .

"Pretty, I guess, the problem remains hidden," Professor Abraham said.

The reason for this is unclear, but it may be to do with the fact That "traditionally, Africans to respect those in positions of authority and influence" and reported "violations", requires courage and fearlessness, That those "who are vulnerable, not necessarily," he adds.

Although his critics would not argue disagree with Professor Abraham, That the cases of abuse are "astray".

"There are hundreds of thousands of Good Men and women who have dedicated their lives to the service of the Catholic Church .

"This is particularly the case in Africa , where, apart from the spiritual nourishment, which the Catholic Church presents to you says a important and positive Contribution - sometimes the only Contribution to the improvement of the lives of the poor and the weak," Professor Abraham.

And this is - in addition to the huge demographic boost to The Continent is always to explain helps, why The Future of the Catholic Church has, in fact, in Africa .

mozambique, mauritius, pope francis, roman catholic church, madagascar

Source of news: bbc.com