Present at the International Military Pilgrimage (PMI) at Lourdes from May 22 to 24, a few weeks after the visit of Léon XIV to Cameroon, Colonel Thierry from the Cameroonian army staff reflects on his country’s challenges in seeking peace, and the momentum inspired by the Pope.
In a world marked by conflicts, the question of peace resonates particularly strongly for the military. In this context, the presence of the Cameroonian delegation at the International Military Pilgrimage (PMI) in Lourdes resonates in a special way. For several years, their country has been facing multiple forms of violence: Boko Haram terrorism in the Far North, separatist tensions in the Anglophone regions, social fractures, and a political crisis. A few weeks after Pope Léon XIV’s visit to Cameroon, with his strong calls for peace, dialogue, and reconciliation in Bamenda and Douala, Colonel Thierry from the Cameroonian army staff and head of the Cameroonian delegation at the PMI, shares with Aleteia about his country’s quest for peace and the momentum generated by the Pope’s visit.
Aleteia: Cameroon has been participating in the International Military Pilgrimage since 2022. What does this meeting in Lourdes represent for you? Colonel Thierry: The International Military Pilgrimage is very important for our country. Cameroon is a secular state, but deeply influenced by a Christian tradition and a culture of living together. For us, this gathering has both a spiritual and human significance.
Personally, as a Catholic, I experience this PMI with great pleasure. This pilgrimage represents a great fraternity among the world’s armies. It is a time for reflection, renewal, and sharing, which allows us to transcend borders and differences to come together around a common desire for peace.
Today, Cameroon faces several security and social challenges. In this context, what gives you hope to build lasting peace? Cameroon is a country in constant construction. It is often called “Africa in miniature” due to its cultural, linguistic, and geographical diversity, as well as its abundant resources. Like many other nations in the world, we are confronted with security and social challenges that are neither unique nor atypical.
Cameroon is working with the authorities in place to try to overcome these challenges. Despite these trials, our country is a blessed land that has already received the visits of three Popes: John Paul II in 1985 and 1995; Benedict XVI in 2009; and most recently, Pope Léon XIV.
Indeed, after the strong words of the Pope on peace and dialogue, have you felt a new momentum emerging in your country? Yes, absolutely! Our country is filled with peace and brotherhood. Peace is our main motivation, it is what we strive for, behind our head of state and all the country’s institutions.
At Lourdes, we have prayed for our country and our families, in communion with all other military communities. We hope that these prayers will bear fruit, not only for Cameroon, but also for the entire world, which is currently facing many threats and tensions. Now more than ever, we must work together for peace.
