Pope Francis will make his fourth journey to Africa on January 31. Hopes are high that Francis’ visit may kick-start the struggling peace processes in both countries.

He called for dialogue “immediately and without delay.”

Pope Benedict’s German biographer, Peter Seewald, confirmed that nine weeks before he died, Benedict revealed that insomnia was the “central motive” for his resignation.

“On this joyful occasion,” Pope Francis said he also wished to express his “spiritual closeness to all those who are going through moments of trial caused by the coronavirus pandemic.”

A leading Australian Catholic and close advisor to Pope Francis, the cardinal had participated in the funeral of his friend, Pope Benedict XVI, just last week.

Pope Francis also flatly rejected that there is a “right to abortion” and hit out strongly against what he called “ideological colonization” as well as gender theory.