(ANS - Nairobi) - The papal visit to Kenya will begin on Wednesday 25 November and will continue then in Uganda and the Republic of Central Africa. The Salesians in Kenya are preparing for the important event. Here are some excerpts from an interview with Fr Gianni Rolandi, Provincial of East Africa.

About eight months ago there was the massacre of Garissa. How is the security situation for the Pope's visit?

Kenya has taken the Pope's visit very seriously and the government is trying to focus on security. There are very real fears that the Somali terrorist group Al Shabaab may take advantage of the coming of the Pope to strike again at Christians in Kenya. This would be a disaster, and the police are trying to do everything to take the necessary precautions.

In what way are the members of the Salesian community involved?

Our Vice-Provincial, Fr Simon Asira Lipuku, is President of the Commission that is organizing the meeting of the Pope with the youth on 27 November, before he leaves for Uganda. We are impressed by the fact that the Episcopal Conference thought of the Salesians for this task! It gives us the opportunity to get to know in more detail the situation of the youth of the Catholic Church in Kenya.

What there are expectations for the visit?

The expectations are to come into contact more directly with a "man of God", who with great simplicity says things that are shaking the "mighty on their thrones." The Catholic Church and members of the consecrated life in particular are waiting for his words. They are planning to spread them after the visit in order to make the authoritative voice of the Church heard on many points of interest, in particular on the social and political injustices and the ethnic differences that are dividing the country.

If you had the chance to speak the Holy Father, what would you say to him?

I would say: "Holy Father, I stand before you, to offer you the greetings all the members of the Salesian Family who live and work in Kenya. We want to thank you for your constant invitation to us to be where the most marginalized young people are, on the outskirts of society ... Here the disadvantaged areas are huge: there really is room for everyone who is ready to go there. Help us with your prayers to be apostles of the young always smiling, not because we are not aware of the problems, but because we refuse to be saddened by all the negativity that we see around us."

The full interview is available in Italian, on Zenit.

Published 23/11/2015