Faith stands at center court for Pope Leo XIV historic visit to Equatorial Guinea
Malabo, Equatorial Guinea (February 27, 2026) As pilgrims, visitors, diplomats and delegations prepare to descend in Equatorial Guinea for Pope Leo XIV Apostolic visit in April, Victor Mooney catches glimpse of preparations on arrival at Malabo International Airport.
Before sunset took over the horizon, the National Hotel was there to recharge his batteries for a two-week journey that awaits him.
Atlantic Ocean rower pays tribute to Rev. Jackson at African Union Headquarters
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (February 26, 2026) With humility, Victor Mooney of Queens, New York paid homage to the Rev. Jesse Jackson during a Sunrise Ceremony at the African Union Headquarters.
On Mooney’s fourth attempt — after countless miles of preparation and relentless self-reflection — he became the first African-American ever to row from the African coast to New York’s Brooklyn Bridge.
“Sunrise Ceremony” at the African Union is a ritual of remembrance for Rev. Jesse Jackson, a man whose tireless advocacy for civil rights and economic justice has long resonated with the continent’s own struggle for self-determination.
Rev. Jackson’s speeches—full of the cadence of marching drums and the timbre of gospel—have always carried a message of unity that mirrors the African Union’s own motto: “For Unity, Peace, and Development.”
Faith and Service aligned in Mooney's visit to Equatorial Guinea
MEDIA ADVISORY Malabo, Equatorial Guinea (February 27, 2026) Victor Mooney’s arrival is timed not merely with the Pope’s impending visit but with the tail end of Black History Month, a period in which the United States turns a light onto the narratives of African diaspora. In his hand, Mooney will unveil the book cover for his memoir titled El Espiritu de Malabo.
The Government of Equatorial Guinea with the unwavering support of H.E. Mr. Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, Head of State, sponsored the boat that brought Mooney from Maspalomas, Gran Canaria (Canary Islands), ending a 21-month journey at New York's Brooklyn Bridge.
Pope Leo XIV’s forthcoming apostolic journey is a milestone for the Catholic Church, underscoring its commitment to a global flock that is as diverse as it is interconnected. Mooney has spent fourteen years of building bridges between the Catholic Church in the United States and Equatorial Guinea.
When the Pope steps onto the tarmac, he will do so on soil that has already been watered by faith of countless voices. Only nine months ago, the Pontiff shared a simple word to Mooney at St. Peters Basilica during Jubilee of Sports Audience: Unity.