1. Africa’s commitment to the Lord Jesus
Christ is a precious treasure which I entrust at the beginning of this third
millennium to the bishops, priests, permanent deacons, consecrated persons,
catechists and lay faithful of that beloved continent and its neighbouring
islands. Through this mission, Africa is led to explore its Christian vocation
more deeply; it is called, in the name of Jesus, to live reconciliation between
individuals and communities and to promote peace and justice in truth for all.
2. It was my wish that the Second Special
Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops, held from 4 to 25 October 2009,
should continue the work of the 1994 Assembly, “which was intended to be an
occasion of hope and resurrection, at the very moment when human events seemed
to be tempting Africa to discouragement and despair.”[1] The Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Africa of
my predecessor, Blessed John Paul II, brought together the pastoral insights
and proposals of the Synod Fathers for a new evangelization of the African
continent. It was appropriate, ten years into this third millennium, to
rekindle our faith and hope, so as to help build a reconciled Africa by
pursuing the paths of truth and justice, love and peace (cf. Ps 85:11).
In union with the Synod Fathers, I recall that “unless the Lord build the
house, in vain do its builders labour”
(Ps 127:1).
(Ps 127:1).
3. Exceptional ecclesial vitality and a
theological understanding of the Church as God’s Family[2] were the most visible results of the 1994
Synod. To give a new impulse, filled with evangelical hope and charity, to the
Church of God on the African continent and the neighbouring islands, I thought
it necessary to convoke a Second Synodal Assembly. Sustained by the daily
invocation of the Holy Spirit and the prayers of countless members of the
faithful, the Synod sessions bore fruit which I would like to transmit through
this document to the universal Church, and in a particular way to the Church in
Africa,[3] that she may truly be the “salt of the
earth” and “light of the world” (cf. Mt 5:13-14).[4] Inspired by “faith working through love”
(Gal 5:6), the Church seeks to offer the fruits of love: reconciliation,
peace and justice (cf. 1 Cor 13:4-7). This is her specific mission.
4. I was impressed by the quality of the
speeches given by the Synod Fathers and the others who spoke at the sessions.
Their realistic and far-sighted contributions demonstrated the Christian
maturity of the continent. They were not afraid to face the truth and they
sought to reflect sincerely on possible solutions to the problems facing their
particular Churches and the universal Church. They also recognized that the
blessings of God, the Father of all, are beyond counting. God never abandons
his people. I see no need to dwell at length on the various socio-political,
ethnic, economic or ecological situations that Africans face daily and that
cannot be ignored. Africans know better than anyone else how difficult,
disturbing and even tragic these situations can very often be. I pay tribute to
Africans and to all the Christians of that continent who face these situations
with courage and dignity. Rightly, they want this dignity to be recognized and
respected. I can assure them that the Church loves and respects Africa.
5. In the face of the many challenges that
Africa seeks to address in order to become more and more a land of promise, the
Church, like Israel, could easily fall prey to discouragement; yet our
forebears in the faith have shown us the correct attitude to adopt. Moses, the
Lord’s servant, “by faith ... persevered as though he saw him who is invisible”
(Heb 11:27). As the author of the Letter to the Hebrews reminds
us: “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not
seen” (11:1). For this reason I call upon the whole Church to look to Africa
with faith and hope. Jesus Christ, who invites us to be “the salt of the earth”
and “the light of the world” (Mt 5:13-14), offers us the power of the
Spirit to help us come ever closer to attaining this ideal.
6. It was my intention that Christ’s words: “You
are the salt of the earth ... you are the light of the world”, would be the
unifying theme of the Synod and also of the post-synodal period. When I spoke
in Yaoundé to all the faithful of Africa, I said this: “In Jesus, some two
thousand years ago, God himself brought salt and light to Africa. From that
time on, the seed of his presence was buried deep within the hearts of the
people of this dear continent, and it has blossomed gradually, beyond and
within the vicissitudes of its human history.”[5]
7. The Exhortation Ecclesia in Africa made
its own the idea of “the Church as God’s Family”, which the Synod Fathers
“acknowledged … as an expression of the Church’s nature particularly
appropriate for Africa. For this image emphasizes care for others, solidarity,
warmth in human relationships, acceptance, dialogue and trust.”[6] The Exhortation invited Christian
families in Africa to become “domestic churches”[7] so as to help their respective
communities to recognize that they belong to one single Body. This image is
important not only for the Church in Africa, but also for the universal Church
at a time when the family is under threat from those who seek to banish God
from our lives. To deprive the African continent of God would be to make it die
a slow death, by taking away its very soul.
8. Within the Church’s living tradition and
following the desire expressed in the Exhortation Ecclesia in Africa, [8] to see the Church as a family and a
fraternity is to recover one aspect of her heritage. In this community where
Jesus Christ, “the first-born among many brethren” (Rom 8:29),
reconciled all people with God the Father (cf. Eph 2:14-18) and bestowed
the Holy Spirit (cf. Jn 20:22), the Church for her part becomes the
bearer of the Good News that every human person is a child of God. She is
called to transmit this message to all humanity by proclaiming the salvation
won for us by Christ, by celebrating our communion with God and by living in
fraternal solidarity.
9. Africa’s memory is painfully scarred as a
result of fratricidal conflicts between ethnic groups, the slave trade and
colonization. Today too, the continent has to cope with rivalries and with new
forms of enslavement and colonization. The First Special Assembly likened it to
the victim of robbers, left to die by the roadside (cf. Lk 10:25-37).
This is why it was possible to speak of the “marginalization” of Africa. A
tradition born on African soil identifies the Good Samaritan with the Lord
Jesus himself, and issues an invitation to hope. It was Clement of Alexandria
who wrote: “Who, more than he, took pity on us, when by the princes of darkness
we were all but mortally wounded by our fears, lusts, passions, pains, deceits
and pleasures? Of these wounds, the only physician is Jesus.”[9] There are thus many reasons for hope and
gratitude. For example, despite the great pandemics which decimate its
population – such as malaria, AIDS, tuberculosis and others – diseases which
medical science is still struggling to eliminate once and for all, Africa
maintains its joie de vivre, celebrating God’s gift of life by welcoming
children for the increase of the family circle and the human community. I also
see grounds for hope in Africa’s rich intellectual, cultural and religious
heritage. Africa wishes to preserve this, to deepen it and to share it with the
world. By doing so, it will make an important and positive contribution.
10. The second synodal assembly for Africa
dealt with the theme of reconciliation, justice and peace. The wealth of
documentation that was handed to me after the sessions – the Lineamenta,
the Instrumentum Laboris, the reports drawn up before and after the
discussions, the speeches and the summaries prepared by working groups – calls
for “transforming theology into pastoral care, namely into a very concrete
pastoral ministry in which the great perspectives found in sacred Scripture and
Tradition find application in the activity of bishops and priests in specific
times and places.”[10]
11. Hence it is with paternal and pastoral
concern that I address this document to the Africa of today, which has lived
through the traumas and conflicts that we know so well. Men and women are
shaped by their past, but they live and journey in the present and they look
ahead to the future. Like the rest of the world, Africa is experiencing a
culture shock which strikes at the age-old foundations of social life, and
sometimes makes it hard to come to terms with modernity. In this
anthropological crisis which the African continent is facing, paths of hope
will be discovered by fostering dialogue among the members of its constituent
religious, social, political, economic, cultural and scientific communities.
Africa will have to rediscover and promote a concept of the person and his or
her relationship with reality that is the fruit of a profound spiritual
renewal.
12. In the Exhortation Ecclesia in Africa, John
Paul II observed that “despite the modern civilization of the ‘global village’,
in Africa as elsewhere in the world the spirit of dialogue, peace and
reconciliation is far from dwelling in the hearts of everyone. Wars, conflicts
and racist and xenophobic attitudes still play too large a role in the world of
human relations.”[11] The hope that marks authentic Christian
living reminds us that the Holy Spirit is at work everywhere, in Africa as much
as anywhere else, and that the power of life, born of love, always prevails
over the power of death (cf. S of S 8:6-7). Hence the Synod Fathers
could see that the difficulties encountered by the countries and particular
Churches in Africa are not so much insurmountable obstacles, but challenges,
prompting us to draw upon the best of ourselves: our imagination, our
intelligence, our vocation to follow without compromise in the footsteps of
Jesus Christ, to seek God, “Eternal Love and Absolute Truth”.[12] Together with all sectors of African
society, the Church therefore feels called to respond to these challenges. It
is, in some sense, an imperative born of the Gospel.
13. With this document I wish to make
available the encouraging fruits proposed by the Synod, and I invite all people
of good will to look to Africa with faith and love, to help it become – through
Christ and through the Holy Spirit – the light of the world and the salt of the
earth (cf. Mt 5:13-14). A precious treasure is to be found in the soul of
Africa, where I perceive a “spiritual ‘lung’ for a humanity that appears to be
in a crisis of faith and hope”,[13] on account of the extraordinary human
and spiritual riches of its children, its variegated cultures, its soil and
sub-soil of abundant resources. However, if it is to stand erect with dignity,
Africa needs to hear the voice of Christ who today proclaims love of neighbour,
love even of one’s enemies, to the point of laying down one’s life: the voice
of Christ who prays today for the unity and communion of all people in God
(cf. Jn 17:20-21).
(cf. Jn 17:20-21).
“BEHOLD, I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW”
(Rev 21:5)
(Rev 21:5)
14. The Synod made it possible to discern the
principal parameters of mission for an Africa that seeks reconciliation,
justice and peace. It falls to the particular Churches to translate these
parameters into “resolutions and guidelines for action”.[14] For it is “in the local Churches that
the specific features of a detailed pastoral plan can be identified – goals and
methods, formation and enrichment of the people involved, the search for the
necessary resources – which will enable the proclamation of Christ to reach
people, mould communities, and have a deep and incisive influence in bringing Gospel
values to bear in [African] society and culture.”[15]
IN SERVICE TO RECONCILIATION,
JUSTICE AND PEACE
JUSTICE AND PEACE
15. An Africa that moves forward, joyful and
alive, makes manifest the praise of God, since, as Saint Irenaeus observed:
“the glory of God is man fully alive”. But he immediately added: “and the life
of man consists in beholding God”.[16] Today too, an essential task of the
Church is to bring the message of the Gospel to the heart of African societies,
to lead people to the vision of God. As salt gives flavour to food, so this
message makes those who live by it into authentic witnesses. All who grow in
this way become capable of being reconciled in Jesus Christ. They become
sources of light for their brothers and sisters. Thus, in union with the Synod
Fathers, I invite “the Church ... in Africa to be a witness in the
service of reconciliation, justice and peace, as ‘salt of the earth’ and ‘light
of the world’,”[17] so that her life may be a response to
this summons: “Arise, Church in Africa, Family of God, because you are being
called by the heavenly Father!”[18]
16. It is providential that the Second Synod
for Africa took place soon after the one dedicated to the word of God in the
life and mission of the Church. That Synod recalled the pressing duty of each
disciple to understand Christ who calls us by his word. Through this word, we,
the faithful, learn to listen to Christ and to let ourselves be guided by the
Holy Spirit, who reveals to us the meaning of all things (cf. Jn 16:13).
In fact, the “reading and meditation of the word of God root us more deeply in
Christ and guide our ministry as servants of reconciliation, justice and
peace”.[19] As that Synod reminded us, “to become
his brothers and his sisters, one must be like ‘those who hear the word of God
and put it into practice’ (Lk 8:21). Authentic hearing is obeying and
acting. It means making justice and love blossom in life. It is offering, in
life and in society, a witness like the call of the prophets, which
continuously united the word of God and life, faith and rectitude, worship and
social commitment.”[20] Listening to and meditating upon the
word of God means letting it penetrate and shape our lives so as to reconcile
us with God, allowing God to lead us towards reconciliation with our neighbour:
a necessary path for building a community of individuals and peoples. On our
faces and in our lives, may the word of God truly take flesh!
17. The three principal elements of the theme
chosen for the Synod, namely reconciliation, justice and peace, brought it face
to face with its “theological and social responsibility”,[21] and made it possible also to reflect on
the Church’s public role and her place in Africa today.[22] “One might say that reconciliation and
justice are the two essential premises of peace and that, therefore, to a
certain extent, they also define its nature.”[23] The task we have to set for ourselves is
not an easy one, situated as it is somewhere between immediate engagement in
politics – which lies outside the Church’s direct competence – and the
potential for withdrawal or evasion present in a theological and spiritual
speculation which could serve as an escape from concrete historical
responsibility.
18. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give
to you”, says the Lord, and he adds “not as the world gives do I give to you” (Jn
14:27). Human peace obtained without justice is illusory and ephemeral. Human
justice which is not the fruit of reconciliation in the “truth of love” (Eph
4:15) remains incomplete; it is not authentic justice. Love of truth – “the
whole truth”, to which the Spirit alone can lead us (cf. Jn 16:13) – is
what marks out the path that all human justice must follow if it is to succeed
in restoring the bonds of fraternity within the “human family, a community of
peace”,[24] reconciled with God through Christ.
Justice is never disembodied. It needs to be anchored in consistent human
decisions. A charity which fails to respect justice and the rights of all is
false. I therefore encourage Christians to become exemplary in the area of
justice and charity (Mt 5:19-20).
A. “Be reconciled with god”(2 Cor
5:20b)
19. “Reconciliation is a pre-political
concept and a pre-political reality, and for this very reason it is of the
greatest importance for the task of politics itself. Unless the power of
reconciliation is created in people’s hearts, political commitment to peace
lacks its inner premise. At the Synod, the Pastors of the Church strove for
that inner purification of man which is the essential prior condition for
building justice and peace. But this purification and inner development towards
true humanity cannot exist without God.”[25]
20. It is God’s grace that gives us a new
heart and reconciles us with him and with one another.[26] Christ re-established humanity in the
Father’s love. Reconciliation thus springs from this love; it is born of the
Father’s initiative in restoring his relationship with humanity, a relationship
broken by human sin. In Jesus Christ, “in his life and ministry, but especially
in his death and resurrection, the Apostle Paul saw God the Father reconciling
the world (all things in heaven and on earth) to himself, discounting the sins
of humanity (cf. 2 Cor 5:19; Rom 5:10; Col 1:21-22). Paul
saw God the Father reconciling Jews and Gentiles to himself, creating one new
man through the Cross (cf. Eph 2:15; 3:6). Thus, the experience of
reconciliation establishes communion on two levels: communion between God and
humanity; and – since the experience of reconciliation also makes us (as a
reconciled humanity) ‘ambassadors of reconciliation’ – communion among men.”[27] “Reconciliation, then, is not limited to
God’s plan to draw estranged and sinful humanity to himself in Christ through
the forgiveness of sins and out of love. It is also the restoration of
relationships between people through the settlement of differences and the
removal of obstacles to their relationships in their experience of God’s love.”[28] This is illustrated by the parable of
the prodigal son; in the return of the younger son (i.e. his conversion) the
Evangelist shows us his need to be reconciled both to his father and, through
the father’s mediation, to his older brother (cf. Lk 15:11-32). Moving
testimonies from the faithful of Africa, “accounts of concrete suffering and
reconciliation in the tragedies of the continent’s recent history”,[29] have shown the power of the Spirit to
transform the hearts of victims and their persecutors and thus to re-establish
fraternity.[30]
21. Indeed, only authentic reconciliation can
achieve lasting peace in society. This is a task incumbent on government
authorities and traditional chiefs, but also on ordinary citizens. In the wake
of a conflict, reconciliation – often pursued and achieved quietly and without
fanfare – restores a union of hearts and serene coexistence. As a result, after
long periods of war nations are able to rediscover peace, and societies deeply
rent by civil war or genocide are able to rebuild their unity. It is by
granting and receiving forgiveness[31] that the traumatized memories of
individuals and communities have found healing and families formerly divided
have rediscovered harmony. “Reconciliation overcomes crises, restores the
dignity of individuals and opens up the path to development and lasting peace between
peoples at every level”,[32] as the Synod Fathers were anxious to
emphasize. If it is to be effective, this reconciliation has to be accompanied
by a courageous and honest act: the pursuit of those responsible for these
conflicts, those who commissioned crimes and who were involved in trafficking
of all kinds, and the determination of their responsibility. Victims have a
right to truth and justice. It is important for the present and for the future
to purify memories, so as to build a better society where such tragedies are no
longer repeated.
B. Becoming just and building a just social
order
22. There is no doubt that the building of a
just social order is part of the competence of the political sphere.[33] Yet one of the tasks of the Church in
Africa consists in forming upright consciences receptive to the demands of
justice, so as to produce men and women willing and able to build this just
social order by their responsible conduct. The model par excellence
underlying the Church’s thinking and reasoning, which she proposes to all, is
Christ.[34] According to her social teaching, “the
Church does not have technical solutions to offer and does not claim ‘to
interfere in any way in the politics of states.’ She does, however, have a
mission of truth to accomplish ... [one] that the Church can never renounce.
Her social doctrine is a particular dimension of this proclamation: it is a
service to the truth which sets us free.”[35]
23. Through her Justice and Peace
Commissions, the Church is engaged in the civic formation of citizens and in
assisting with the electoral process in a number of countries. In this way she
contributes to the education of peoples, awakening their consciences and their
civic responsibility. This particular educational role is appreciated by a
great many countries which recognize the Church as a peacemaker, an agent of
reconciliation and a herald of justice. It is worth repeating that, while a
distinction must be made between the role of pastors and that of the lay
faithful, the Church’s mission is not political in nature.[36] Her task is to open the world to the
religious sense by proclaiming Christ. The Church wishes to be the sign and
safeguard of the human person’s transcendence. She must also enable people to
seek the supreme truth regarding their deepest identity and their questions, so
that just solutions can be found to their problems.[37]
1. Living in accordance with Christ’s
justice
24. On the social plane, human consciences
are challenged by the grave injustices existing in our world as a whole and
within Africa in particular. The plundering of the goods of the earth by a
minority to the detriment of entire peoples is unacceptable, because it is
immoral. Justice obliges us to “render to each his due”: ius suum unicuique
tribuere.[38] It is an issue, then, of rendering
justice to whole peoples. Africa is capable of providing every individual and
every nation of the continent with the basic conditions which will enable them
to share in development.[39] Africans will thus be able to place
their God-given talents and riches at the service of their land and their
brothers and sisters. If justice is to prevail in all areas of life, private
and public, economic and social, it needs to be sustained by subsidiarity and
solidarity, and still more, to be inspired by charity. “In accordance with the
principle of subsidiarity, neither the state nor any larger society should
substitute itself for the initiative and responsibility of individuals and
intermediary bodies.”[40] Solidarity is the guarantee of justice
and peace, and hence of unity, so that “the abundance of some compensates for
the want of others”.[41] Charity, which ensures a bond with God,
goes beyond distributive justice. For if “justice is the virtue which assigns
to each his due ... anything that takes man away from the true God cannot be
justice”.[42]
25. God himself shows us what true justice
is, for example when we see Jesus entering the life of Zacchaeus and offering
the sinner the grace of his presence (cf. Lk 19:1-10). What, then, is
this justice of Christ? Those present at the encounter with Zacchaeus observe
Jesus (cf. Lk 19:7); their murmurs of disapproval purport to be an
expression of their love of justice. However, they do not know the
justice of love which gives itself to the utmost, to taking upon itself the
“curse” laid upon men, that they may receive in exchange the “blessing” which
is God’s gift (cf. Gal 3:13-14). Divine justice indicates to human
justice, limited and imperfect as it is, the horizon to which it must tend if
it is to become perfect. Moreover, it makes us aware of our own poverty, our
need for forgiveness and for God’s friendship. This is what we experience in
the sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist, which flow from the saving work of
Christ. That saving work brings us to a justice by which we receive far more
than we were entitled to expect, since in Christ, charity is the fullness of
the law (cf. Rom 13:8-10).[43] Through Christ, their one model, the
just are invited to enter the order of love – agape.
2. Creating a just order in the spirit of
the Beatitudes
26. The disciple of Christ, in union with his
Master, must help to create a just society where all will be able to
participate actively, using their particular talents, in social and economic
life. They will thus be able to obtain what they need in order to live in
accordance with their human dignity in a society where justice is animated by
love.[44] Christ does not propose a revolution of
a social or political kind, but a revolution of love, brought about by his
complete self-giving through his death on the Cross and his resurrection. The
Beatitudes are built upon on this revolution of love (cf. Mt 5:3-10).
They provide a new horizon of justice, inaugurated in the paschal mystery,
through which we can become just and can build a better world. God’s justice,
revealed to us in the Beatitudes, raises the lowly and humbles those who exalt
themselves. It will be perfected, it is true, in the kingdom of God which is to
be fully realized at the end of time. But God’s justice is already manifest
here and now, wherever the poor are consoled and admitted to the banquet of
life.
27. In the spirit of the Beatitudes,
preferential attention is to be given to the poor, the hungry, the sick – for
example, those with AIDS, tuberculosis or malaria – to the stranger, the
disadvantaged, the prisoner, the immigrant who is looked down upon, the refugee
or displaced person (cf. Mt 25:31-46). The response to these people’s
needs in justice and charity depends on everyone. Africa expects this attention
from the whole human family as from herself.[45] However, it will have to begin by
resolutely implementing political, social and administrative justice at home;
this is part of the political culture needed for development and for peace. For
her part, the Church will make her specific contribution on the basis of the
teaching of the Beatitudes.
C. Love in truth: the source of peace
28. The social horizon opened up by Christ’s
work, based on love, surpasses the minimum demands of human justice, that is to
say, giving the other his due. The inner logic of love goes beyond this
justice, even to the point of giving away one’s possessions:[46] “Let us not love in word or speech but
in deed and in truth” (1 Jn 3:18). In the image of his Master, the
disciple of Christ will go further still, to the point of laying down his life
for his brethren (cf. 1 Jn 3:16). This is the price of true peace in God
(cf. Eph 2:14).
1. Concrete fraternal service
29. No society, however developed it may be,
can do without fraternal service inspired by love. “Whoever wants to eliminate
love is preparing to eliminate man as such. There will always be suffering
which cries out for consolation and help. There will always be loneliness.
There will always be situations of material need where help in the form of
concrete love of neighbour is indispensable.”[47] It is love which soothes hearts that are
hurt, forlorn or abandoned. It is love which brings or restores peace to human
hearts and establishes it in our midst.
2. The Church as a sentinel
30. In Africa’s present situation the Church
is called to make the voice of Christ heard. She wishes to follow Jesus’
counsel to Nicodemus, who asked him whether it was possible to be born again:
“You must be born from above” (Jn 3:7). It was the missionaries who
offered Africans this new birth “of water and the Spirit” (Jn 3:5), Good
News that everyone has a right to hear in order to realize his vocation fully.[48] The Church in Africa draws her life from
this heritage. For the sake of Christ and in fidelity to the lesson of life
which he taught us, she feels the duty to be present wherever human suffering
exists and to make heard the silent cry of the innocent who suffer persecution,
or of peoples whose governments mortgage the present and the future for
personal interests.[49] Through her ability to see the face of
Christ on the face of children, the sick, the needy and those who suffer, the
Church is helping slowly but surely to forge a new Africa. In her prophetic
role, whenever peoples cry out to her: “Watchman, what of the night?” (Is
21:11), the Church wants to be ready to give a reason for the hope she bears
within her (cf. 1 Pet 3:15), because a new dawn is breaking on the
horizon (cf. Rev 22:5). Only by rejecting people’s dehumanization and
every compromise prompted by fear of suffering or martyrdom can the cause of
the Gospel of truth be served. “In the world”, said Christ, “you will have
tribulation. But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (Jn
16:33). True peace comes from Christ (cf. Jn 14:27). It cannot be
compared with the peace that the world gives. It is not the fruit of
negotiations and diplomatic agreements based on particular interests. It is the
peace of a humanity reconciled with itself in God, a peace of which the Church
is the sacrament.[50]
PATHS TOWARDS RECONCILIATION,
JUSTICE AND PEACE
JUSTICE AND PEACE
31. At this point, I would like to indicate
some of the paths that the Synod Fathers identified for the Church’s mission
today in her concern to help Africa be freed from the forces that are
paralyzing her. Did not Christ say first of all to the paralytic: “Your sins
are forgiven” and then “Rise!” (Lk 5:20, 24)?
A. Metanoia: an authentic conversion
32. The principal concern of the Synod
members, as they looked to the situation of the continent, was to seek ways of
inspiring in Christ’s disciples in Africa the will to become effectively
committed to living out the Gospel in their daily lives and in society. Christ
calls constantly for metanoia, conversion.[51] Christians are affected by the spirit
and customs of their time and place. But by the grace of their Baptism they are
called to reject harmful prevailing currents and to swim against the tide. This
kind of witness demands unswerving commitment in “ongoing conversion to the
Father, the source of true life, who alone is capable of delivering us from
evil and all temptations, and keeping us in his Spirit, in the very heart of
the struggle against the forces of evil.”[52] Such conversion is possible only if one
is sustained by the convictions of faith, supported by a genuine catechesis. It
is right, then, to “maintain a living connection between memorized catechism
and lived catechesis, which leads to a profound and permanent conversion of
life.”[53] Conversion is experienced in a unique
way through the sacrament of Reconciliation, which calls for particular
attention so that it can serve as a genuine “school of the heart”. At this
school, the disciple of Christ gradually forges an adult Christian life marked
by an attention to the spiritual and moral dimensions of his actions, and thus
becomes capable of “confronting the difficulties of social, political, economic
and cultural life”[54] through a life permeated with the spirit
of the Gospel. The contribution of Christians in Africa will only be decisive
if their understanding of the faith shapes their understanding of the world.[55] For that to happen, education in the
faith is indispensable, lest Christ become just one more name to adorn our
theories. The word of God and the testimony of life go together.[56] But testimony on its own is not enough
either, for “even the finest witness will prove ineffective in the long run if
it is not explained and justified – what Peter called always having ‘your
answer ready for people who ask you the reason for the hope that you all have’
– and made explicit by a clear and unequivocal proclamation of the Lord Jesus.”[57]
B. Experiencing the truth of the sacrament of
penance and reconciliation
33. The Synod members also emphasized the
fact that a great many Christians in Africa take an ambivalent stance towards
the sacrament of Reconciliation, whereas these same Christians are often very
scrupulous in the use of traditional rites of reconciliation. In order to
assist the Catholic faithful to walk an authentic path of metanoia in
celebrating this sacrament, through which the whole person is refocused upon
the goal of encounter with Christ,[58] it would be helpful if the bishops were
to commission a serious study of traditional African reconciliation ceremonies
in order to evaluate their positive aspects and their limitations. These
traditional pedagogical forms of mediation[59] cannot in any way take the place of the
sacrament. The Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Reconciliatio et Paenitentia
of Blessed John Paul II clearly restated the proper minister and forms of the
sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation.[60] The only way that traditional
pedagogical forms of mediation can serve to reduce the anguish experienced by
certain members of the faithful is by helping them to open themselves more
deeply and more truly to Christ, the one great Mediator, and to receive the
grace of the sacrament of Penance. Celebrated in faith, this sacrament has the
power to reconcile us with God and with our neighbour.[61] It is God who, in his Son, definitively
reconciles us with himself and with one another.
C. A spirituality of communion
34. Reconciliation is not an isolated act but
a lengthy process by which all parties are re-established in love – a love that
heals through the working of God’s word. Reconciliation then becomes at once a
way of life and a mission. In order to arrive at genuine reconciliation and to
live out the spirituality of communion that flows from it, the Church needs
witnesses who are profoundly rooted in Christ and find nourishment in his word
and the sacraments. As they strive to grow in holiness, these witnesses can
become engaged in building communion among God’s family, communicating to the
world – if necessary even to the point of martyrdom – the spirit of
reconciliation, justice and peace, after the example of Christ.
35. Here I would like to mention the conditions
for a spirituality of communion which Pope John Paul II proposed to the whole
Church: the ability to perceive the light of the mystery of the Trinity shining
on the faces of brothers and sisters around us,[62] to be attentive to “our brothers and
sisters in faith within the profound unity of the Mystical Body, and therefore
as ‘those who are a part of me’, in order to share their joys and sufferings,
to sense their desires and attend to their needs, to offer them deep and
genuine friendship”;[63] the ability as well to recognize all
that is positive in the other so as to welcome it and prize it as a gift that
God gives me through that person, in a way that transcends by far the
individual concerned, who thus becomes a channel of divine graces; and finally,
the ability “to ‘make room’ for our brothers and sisters, bearing ‘each other’s
burdens’ (Gal 6:2) and resisting the selfish temptations which
constantly beset us and provoke competition, careerism, distrust and jealousy.”[64]
In this way, men and women mature in faith
and communion, demonstrating courage in the truth and in self-denial,
enlightened by joy. Thus they bear prophetic witness to a life consistent with
their faith. They have a model in Mary, Mother of the Church, who welcomed the
word of God: by listening to that word, she was able to understand our needs
and to intercede for us in her compassion.[65]
D. The inculturation of the Gospel and
the evangelization of culture
36. In order to bring about this communion,
it would be helpful to recall that the First Synodal Assembly for Africa spoke
of the need for an in-depth study of African traditions and cultures. The Synod
members noted a dichotomy between certain traditional practices of African
cultures and the specific demands of Christ’s message. In her concern for
relevance and credibility, the Church needs to carry out a thorough discernment
in order to identify those aspects of the culture which represent an obstacle
to the incarnation of Gospel values, as well as those aspects which promote
them.[66]
37. Nonetheless, we must always remember that
the Holy Spirit is the true agent of inculturation, “presiding in a fruitful
way at the dialogue between the word of God, revealed in Christ, and the
deepest questions which arise among the multitude of human beings and cultures.
In this way, the Pentecost-event continues in history, in the unity of one and
the same faith, enriched by the diversity of languages and cultures.”[67] The Holy Spirit enables the Gospel to
permeate all cultures, without becoming subservient to any.[68] Bishops should be vigilant over this
need for inculturation, respecting the norms established by the Church. By
discerning which cultural elements and traditions are contrary to the Gospel,
they will be able to separate the good seed from the weeds (cf. Mt
13:26). While remaining true to itself, in total fidelity to the Gospel message
and the Church’s tradition, Christianity will thus adopt the face of the
countless cultures and peoples among whom it has found a welcome and taken
root. The Church will then become an icon of the future which the Spirit of God
is preparing for us,[69] an icon to which Africa has a
contribution of her own to make. In this process of inculturation, it is
important not to forget the equally essential task of evangelizing the world of
contemporary African culture.
38. The Church’s initiatives for a positive
appreciation and safeguarding of African cultures are well known. It is very important
that this continue, at a time when the intermingling of peoples, while a source
of enrichment, often weakens cultures and societies. The identity of African
communities is at stake in these intercultural encounters. It is imperative
therefore to make a commitment to transmit the values that the Creator has
instilled in the hearts of Africans since the dawn of time. These have served
as a matrix for fashioning societies marked by a degree of harmony, since they
embody traditional formulae for peaceful coexistence. These positive elements
therefore need to be emphasized, lit up from within (cf. Jn 8:12), so
that Christians may truly receive the message of Christ, and in this way God’s
light may shine before the eyes of all. Then, seeing the good deeds of
Christians, men and women will be able to give glory to “the Father who is in
heaven” (Mt 5:16).
E. The gift of Christ: the Eucharist and the
word of God
39. Beyond differences of origin or culture,
the great challenge facing us all is to discern in the human person, loved by
God, the basis of a communion that respects and integrates the particular
contributions of different cultures.[70] We “must really open these boundaries
between tribes, ethnic groups and religions to the universality of God’s love.”[71] Men and women, in the variety of their
origins, cultures, languages and religions, are capable of living together in
harmony.
40. Truly, the Son of God has pitched his
tent among us; he has poured out his blood for us. In accordance with his
promise to remain with us until the end of time (cf. Mt 28:20), he gives
himself to us every day as nourishment in the Eucharist and in the Scriptures.
In my Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Verbum Domini, I wrote
that “word and Eucharist are so deeply bound together that we cannot understand
one without the other: the word of God takes flesh sacramentally in the event
of the Eucharist. The Eucharist opens us to an understanding of Scripture, just
as Scripture for its part illumines and explains the mystery of the Eucharist.”[72]
41. Sacred Scripture testifies that the blood
which Christ shed for us becomes, through Baptism, the principle and bond of a
new fraternity. This is the very antithesis of division, tribalism, racism and
ethnocentrism (cf. Gal 3:26-28). The Eucharist is the force which brings
together the scattered children of God and maintains them in communion,[73] “since in our veins there circulates the
very Blood of Christ, who makes us children of God, members of God’s Family.”[74] As we receive Jesus in the Eucharist and
in the Scriptures, we are sent out into the world to proclaim Christ by placing
ourselves at the service of others (cf. Jn 13:15; 1 Jn 3:16).[75]
A. The family
42. The family is the “sanctuary of life” and
a vital cell of society and of the Church. It is here that “the features of a
people take shape; it is here that its members acquire basic teachings. They
learn to love inasmuch as they are unconditionally loved, they learn respect
for others inasmuch as they are respected, they learn to know the face of God
inasmuch as they receive a first revelation of it from a father and a mother
full of attention in their regard. Whenever these fundamental experiences are lacking,
society as a whole suffers violence and becomes in turn the progenitor of more
violence.”[76]
43. The family is the best setting for
learning and applying the culture of forgiveness, peace and reconciliation. “In
a healthy family life we experience some of the fundamental elements of peace:
justice and love between brothers and sisters, the role of authority expressed
by parents, loving concern for the members who are weaker because of youth,
sickness or old age, mutual help in the necessities of life, readiness to
accept others and, if necessary, to forgive them. For this reason, the family
is the first and indispensable teacher of peace.”[77] By virtue of its central importance and
the various threats looming over it – distortion of the very notion of marriage
and family, devaluation of maternity and trivialization of abortion, easy
divorce and the relativism of a “new ethics” – the family needs to be protected
and defended,[78] so that it may offer society the service
expected of it, that of providing men and women capable of building a social
fabric of peace and harmony.
44. I therefore strongly encourage families
to draw inspiration and strength from the sacrament of the Eucharist, so as to
live the radical newness brought by Christ into the heart of everyday life,
leading each person to be a radiant witness in his or her working environment
and in the whole of society. “The love between man and woman, openness to life,
and the raising of children are privileged spheres in which the Eucharist can
reveal its power to transform life and give it its full meaning.”[79] It is clear that participation in the
Sunday Eucharist is both demanded by the Christian conscience and at the same
time serves to form it.[80]
45. Moreover, to give prayer – individual and
communal – its rightful place within the family is to respect an essential
principle of the Christian vision of life: the primacy of grace. Prayer
constantly reminds us of Christ’s primacy and, linked to this, the primacy of
the interior life and holiness. Dialogue with God opens the heart to streams of
grace and allows the word of Christ to be channelled through us with all its
strength. For this, assiduous listening and attentive reading of sacred
Scripture within families is necessary.[81]
46. In addition, “the educational mission of
the Christian family” is “a true ministry through which the Gospel is
transmitted and radiated, so that family life itself becomes an itinerary of
faith and in some way a Christian initiation and a school of following Christ.
In the family conscious of this gift, as Pope Paul VI noted, ‘all
the members evangelize and are evangelized’. By virtue of their ministry of
educating, parents are, through the witness of their lives, the first heralds
of the Gospel for their children... they become fully parents, in that they are
begetters not only of bodily life but also of the life that through the
Spirit’s renewal flows from the Cross and Resurrection of Christ.”[82]
B. The elderly
47. In Africa, the elderly are held in
particular veneration. They are not banished from families or marginalized as
in other cultures. On the contrary, they are esteemed and perfectly integrated
within their families, of which they are indeed the pinnacle. This beautiful
African appreciation of old age should inspire Western societies to treat the
elderly with greater dignity. Sacred Scripture speaks frequently of the
elderly. “Rich in experience is the crown of the aged, and their boast is the
fear of the Lord” (Sir 25:6). Old age, despite the frailty which seems
to accompany it, is a gift that should be lived each day in serene openness to
God and neighbour. It is also a time of wisdom, since length of years teaches
one the grandeur and the fragility of life. As a man of faith, the elderly
Simeon with joy and wisdom offers not a sorrowful farewell to life but rather a
song of thanksgiving to the Saviour of the world (cf. Lk 2:25-32).
48. It is because of this wisdom, sometimes
obtained at a high price, that the elderly can influence the family in a
variety of ways. Their experience naturally leads them not only to bridge the
generation gap, but also to affirm the need for mutual support. They are an
enrichment for all elements of the family, especially for young couples and for
children who find in them understanding and love. Not only have they given
life, but they contribute by their actions to building up their family (cf. Tit
2:2-5), and by their prayer and their life of faith, they spiritually enrich
every member of their family and community.
49. In Africa, stability and social order are
still frequently entrusted to a council of elders or traditional chiefs.
Through this structure, the elderly can contribute effectively to the building
of a more just society which evolves, not on the basis of whatever experiences
happen to come its way, but gradually and with a prudent equilibrium. The
elderly are thus able to participate in the reconciliation of individuals and
communities through their wisdom and experience.
50. The Church regards the elderly with great
esteem. Echoing the words of Blessed John Paul II, let me repeat that “the
Church needs you! … But civil society also needs you! ... May you be able to
use generously the time you have at your disposal and the talents God has
granted to you ... Help proclaim the Gospel ... Devote time and energy to
prayer.”[83]
C. Men
51. In the family, men have received a
particular mission. In their role as husbands and fathers, they exercise the
noble responsibility of giving society the values it needs through marriage and
the raising of children.
52. In union with the Synod Fathers, I
encourage Catholic men, within their families, to make a real contribution to
the human and Christian upbringing of their children, and to the welcoming and
protection of life from the moment of conception. [84] I invite them to adopt a Christian style
of life, rooted and grounded in love (cf. Eph 3:17). With Saint Paul, I
exhort them once more: “Love your wives, as Christ loved the Church and gave
himself up for her ... husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He
who loves his wife loves himself. For no man ever hates his own flesh, but
nourishes and cherishes it, as Christ does the Church” (Eph 5:25, 28).
Do not be afraid to demonstrate tangibly that there is no greater love than to
lay down one’s life for those one loves (cf. Jn 15:13), that is to say,
first and foremost, for one’s wife and children. Cultivate a serene atmosphere
of joy in your home! Marriage is a “gift from the Lord”, in the words of Saint
Fulgentius of Ruspe.[85] Your witness to the inviolable dignity
of every human person will serve as an effective antidote to traditional
practices which are contrary to the Gospel and oppressive to women in
particular.
53. In manifesting and in living on earth
God’s own fatherhood (cf. Eph 3:15), you are called to guarantee the
personal development of all members of the family, which is the cradle and most
effective means for humanizing society, and the place of encounter for
different generations.[86] By the creative dynamic of the word of
God itself,[87] may your sense of responsibility grow to
the point where you make concrete commitments in the Church. She needs
convinced and effective witnesses of the faith who will promote reconciliation,
justice and peace,[88] and will offer their enthusiastic and
courageous contribution to the transformation of their own milieu and of society
as a whole. You are these witnesses through your work, which enables you
constantly to provide for yourselves and for your families. What is more, by
offering this work to God, you are associated with the redemptive work of Jesus
Christ who gave an eminent dignity to labour by the work of his own hands at
Nazareth.[89]
54. The quality and impact of your Christian
lives depend on a life of profound prayer, nourished by the word of God and the
sacraments. So be vigilant in keeping alive this essential dimension of your
Christian commitment; it is there that your witness of faith in everyday tasks
and your participation in ecclesial movements find their source! In the
process, you also become models whom the young will want to imitate, and so you
will be able to help them embark upon a responsible adult life. Do not be
afraid to speak to them about God and to introduce them, by your own example,
to the life of faith and to commitment in social or charitable activities, and
in this way lead them to discover that they are truly created in the image and
likeness of God. “The signs of this divine image in man can be recognized, not
in the form of the body, which is subject to corruption, but in the prudence of
intelligence, in justice, moderation, courage, wisdom, education.”[90]
D. Women
55. Women in Africa make a great contribution
to the family, to society and to the Church by their many talents and unique
gifts. As John Paul II said: “woman is the one in whom the order of love in the
created world of persons takes first root.”[91] The Church and society need women to
take their full place in the world “so that the human race can live in the
world without completely losing its humanity.”[92]
56. While it is undeniable that in certain
African countries progress has been made towards the advancement of women and
their education, it remains the case that, overall, women’s dignity and rights
as well as their essential contribution to the family and to society have not
been fully acknowledged or appreciated. Thus women and girls are often afforded
fewer opportunities than men and boys. There are still too many practices that
debase and degrade women in the name of ancestral tradition. With the Synod
Fathers, I urge all Christians to combat all acts of violence against women,
speaking out and condemning them.[93] In this area, the conduct of the members
of the Church ought to be a model for society as a whole.
57. When I visited Africa, I insisted that:
“we must recognize, affirm and defend the equal dignity of man and woman: they
are both persons, utterly unique among all the living beings found in the
world.”[94] Unfortunately, the evolution of ways of
thinking in this area is much too slow. The Church has the duty to contribute
to the recognition and liberation of women, following the example of Christ’s
own esteem for them (cf. Mt 15:21-28; Lk 7:36-50; 8:1-3;
10:38-42; Jn 4:7-42). Giving women opportunities to make their voice
heard and to express their talents through initiatives which reinforce their
worth, their self-esteem and their uniqueness would enable them to occupy a
place in society equal to that of men – without confusing or conflating the
specific character of each – since both men and women are the “image” of the
Creator (cf. Gen 1:27). Bishops should encourage and promote the
formation of women so that they may assume “their proper share of
responsibility and participation in the community life of society and ... of
the Church.”[95] Women will thus contribute to the
humanization of society.
58. You, Catholic women, carry on the Gospel
tradition of those women who assisted Jesus and the apostles (cf. Lk
8:3). In the local Churches, you are a kind of “backbone”,[96] because your numbers, your active
presence and your organizations are a great support for the Church’s
apostolate. When peace is under threat, when justice is flouted, when poverty
increases, you stand up to defend human dignity, the family and the values of
religion. May the Holy Spirit unceasingly call forth holy and courageous women
in the Church, who can make their precious spiritual contribution to the growth
of our communities!
59. Dear daughters of the Church, sit
constantly at the school of Christ, like Mary of Bethany, and learn to
recognize his word (cf. Lk 10:39). Grow in knowledge of the catechism
and the Church’s social teaching, so as to acquire for yourselves the
principles that will assist you in acting as true disciples. Thus you will be
able to engage with discernment in the various projects involving women.
Continue to defend life, for God has made you channels of life. The Church will
always support you. Help young girls by your counsel and example, so that they
may approach adult life serenely. Support one another! Show respect to the
elderly in your midst. The Church counts on you to create a “human ecology”[97] through your sympathetic love, your
friendly and thoughtful demeanour, and finally through mercy, values that you
know how to instil in your children, values that the world so badly needs. In
this way, by the wealth of your specifically feminine gifts,[98] you will foster the reconciliation of
individuals and communities.
E. Young people
60. Young people make up the majority of
Africa’s population. This youthfulness is a gift and a treasure from God for
which the whole Church is grateful to the Lord of life.[99] Young people should be loved, esteemed
and respected. “Whatever their possible ambiguities, [they] have a profound
longing for those genuine values which find their fullness in Christ. Is not
Christ the secret of true freedom and profound joy of heart? Is not Christ the
supreme friend and the teacher of all genuine friendship? If Christ is
presented to young people as he really is, they experience him as an answer
that is convincing and they can accept his message, even when it is demanding
and bears the mark of the Cross.”[100]
61. As I said on the subject of young people
in the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Verbum Domini: “Youth
is a time when genuine and irrepressible questions arise about the
meaning of life and the direction our own lives should take. Only God can give
the true answer to these questions. Concern for young people calls for courage
and clarity in the message we proclaim; we need to help young people to gain
confidence and familiarity with sacred Scripture so it can become a compass
pointing out the path to follow. Young people need witnesses and teachers who
can walk with them, teaching them to love the Gospel and to share it,
especially with their peers, and thus to become authentic and credible messengers.”[101]
62. In his Rule, Saint Benedict asks the
abbot of the monastery to listen to the youngest monks. As he says: “It is
often to a younger brother that the Lord reveals the best course”.[102] So we should make every effort to
involve young people directly in the life of society and of the Church, so that
they do not fall prey to feelings of frustration and rejection in the face of
their inability to shape their own future, especially in those situations where
young people are vulnerable due to lack of education, unemployment, political
exploitation and various kinds of addiction.[103]
63. Dear young people, enticements of all
kinds may tempt you: ideologies, sects, money, drugs, casual sex, violence...
Be vigilant: those who propose these things to you want to destroy your future!
In spite of difficulties, do not be discouraged and do not give up your ideals,
your hard work and your commitment to your human, intellectual and spiritual
formation! In order to grow in discernment, along with the strength and the
freedom needed to resist these pressures, I encourage you to place Jesus Christ
at the centre of your lives through prayer, but also through the study of
sacred Scripture, frequent recourse to the sacraments, formation in the
Church’s social teaching, and your active and enthusiastic participation in
ecclesial groups and movements. Cultivate a yearning for fraternity, justice
and peace. The future is in the hands of those who find powerful reasons to
live and to hope. If you want it, the future is in your hands, because the
gifts that the Lord has bestowed upon each one of you, strengthened by your
encounter with Christ, can bring genuine hope to the world![104]
64. When it comes to making life choices,
when you find yourselves considering the question of a total consecration to
Christ – in the ministerial priesthood or the consecrated life – turn to him,
take him as your model, and listen to his word by meditating regularly. During
the homily of the inaugural Mass of my
pontificate, I spoke words to you that I want to repeat now, for
they remain timely: “If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing,
absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful and great. No! Only in
this friendship are the doors of life opened wide. Only in this friendship is
the great potential of human existence truly revealed ... Dear young people: Do
not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away, and he gives you everything.
When we give ourselves to him, we receive a hundredfold in return. Yes, open,
open wide the doors to Christ – and you will find true life.”[105]
F. Children
65. Like young people, children are a gift of
God to humanity, and they must be the object of particular concern on the part
of their families, the Church, society and governments, for they are a source
of hope and renewed life. God is particularly close to them and their lives are
precious in his eyes, even when circumstances seem difficult or impossible (cf.
Gen 17:17-18; 18:12, Mt 18:10).
66. Indeed, “as far as the right to life is
concerned, every innocent human being is absolutely equal to all others. This
equality is the basis of all authentic social relationships which, to be truly
such, can only be founded on truth and justice, recognizing and protecting
every man and woman as a person and not as an object to be used.”[106]
67. This being the case, how can we fail to
deplore and forcefully denounce the intolerable treatment to which so many
children in Africa are subjected?[107] The Church is Mother and could never
abandon a single one of them. It is our task to let Christ’s light shine in
their lives by offering them his love, so that they can hear him say to them:
“You are precious in my eyes, and honoured, and I love you” (Is 43:4).
God wants every child to be happy and to smile, and his favour rests upon them,
“for to such belongs the kingdom of God” (Mk 10:14).
68. Christ Jesus always manifested his
preferential love for the little ones (cf. Mk 10:13-16). The Gospel
itself is deeply permeated by the truth about children. What, indeed, is meant
by these words: “unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter
the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 18:3)? Does not Jesus make the child a model,
even for adults? The child has something which must never be lacking in those
who would enter the kingdom of heaven. Heaven is promised to all who are
simple, like children, to all who, like them, are filled with a spirit of
trusting abandonment, pure and rich in goodness. They alone can find in God a
Father and become, through Jesus, children of God. Sons and daughters of our parents,
God wants us all to become his adopted children by grace![108]
69. In the African worldview, life is
perceived as something that embraces and includes ancestors, the living and
those yet to be born, the whole of creation and all beings: those that speak
and those that are mute, those that think and those lacking thought. The
visible and invisible universe is regarded as a living-space for human beings,
but also as a space of communion where past generations invisibly flank present
generations, themselves the mothers of future generations. This great openness
of heart and spirit in the African tradition predisposes you, dear brothers and
sisters, to hear and to receive Christ’s message, to appreciate the mystery of
the Church, and thus to value human life to the full, along with the conditions
in which it is lived.
A. The protection of life
70. Among the initiatives aimed at protecting
human life on the African continent, the Synod members took into consideration
the efforts expended by international institutions to promote certain aspects
of development.[109] Yet they noted with concern a lack of
ethical clarity at international meetings, and specifically the use of
confusing language conveying values at odds with Catholic moral teaching. The
Church is perennially concerned for the integral development of “every man and
the whole man”, as Pope Paul VI put it.[110] That is why the Synod Fathers took
pains to emphasize the questionable elements found in certain international
documents, especially those concerned with women’s reproductive health. The
Church’s position on the matter of abortion is unambiguous. The child in his or
her mother’s womb is a human life which must be protected. Abortion, which is
the destruction of an innocent unborn child, is contrary to God’s will, for the
value and dignity of human life must be protected from conception to natural
death. The Church in Africa and the neighbouring islands must be committed to
offering help and support to women and couples tempted to seek an abortion,
while remaining close to those who have had this tragic experience and helping
them to grow in respect for life. She acknowledges the courage of governments
that have legislated against the culture of death – of which abortion is a
dramatic expression – in favour of the culture of life.[111]
71. The Church knows that many individuals,
associations, specialized groups and states reject sound teaching on this
subject. “We must not fear hostility or unpopularity, and we must refuse any
compromise or ambiguity which might conform us to the thinking of this world
(cf. Rom 12:2). We must be in the world but not of the world (cf.
Jn 15:19; 17:16), drawing our strength from Christ, who by his death and
resurrection has overcome the world (cf. Jn 16:33).”[112]
72. Serious threats loom over human life in
Africa. Here, as elsewhere, one can only deplore the ravages of drug and
alcohol abuse which destroy the continent’s human potential and afflict young
people in particular.[113] Malaria,[114] as well as tuberculosis and AIDS,
decimate the African peoples and gravely compromise their socio-economic life.
The problem of AIDS, in particular, clearly calls for a medical and
pharmaceutical response. This is not enough, however: the problem goes deeper.
Above all, it is an ethical problem. The change of behaviour that it requires –
for example, sexual abstinence, rejection of sexual promiscuity, fidelity
within marriage – ultimately involves the question of integral development,
which demands a global approach and a global response from the Church. For if
it is to be effective, the prevention of AIDS must be based on a sex education
that is itself grounded in an anthropology anchored in the natural law and
enlightened by the word of God and the Church’s teaching.
73. In the name of life – which it is the
Church’s duty to defend and protect – and in union with the Synod Fathers, I
offer an expression of renewed encouragement and support to all the Church’s
institutions and movements that are working in the field of healthcare,
especially with regard to AIDS. You are doing wonderful and important work. I ask
international agencies to acknowledge you and to offer you assistance,
respecting your specific character and acting in a spirit of collaboration.
Once again, I warmly encourage those institutes and programmes of therapeutic
and pharmaceutical research which seek to eradicate pandemics. Spare no effort
to arrive at results as swiftly as possible, out of love for the precious gift
of life.[115] May you discover solutions and provide
everyone with access to treatments and medicines, taking account of uncertain
situations! The Church, indeed, has been pleading for a long time for high
quality medical treatment to be made available at minimum cost to all
concerned.[116]
74. The defence of life also entails the
elimination of ignorance through literacy programmes and quality education that
embraces the whole person. Throughout her history, the Catholic Church has
shown particular concern for education. She has always raised awareness among
parents, providing them with encouragement and assistance in carrying out their
responsibility as the first educators of their children in life and in faith.
In Africa, the Church’s teaching establishments – her schools, colleges, high
schools, professional schools, universities and so forth – place tools for
learning at people’s disposal without discrimination on the basis of origin,
financial means or religion. The Church’s makes her own contribution by
recognizing and making fruitful the talents that God has placed in the heart of
each person. Many religious congregations were founded with this end in view.
Countless holy men and women understood that leading people to holiness first
entailed promoting their dignity through education.
75. The Synod members noted that Africa, like
the rest of the world, is experiencing a crisis of education.[117] They stressed the need for educational
programmes combining faith and reason so as to prepare children and young
people for adult life. These solid foundations will be able to help them
address the daily decisions arising in every adult life on the affective,
social, professional and political plane.
76. Illiteracy represents one of the
principal obstacles to development. It is a scourge on a par with that of the
pandemics. True, it does not kill directly, but it contributes actively to the
marginalization of the person – which is a form of social death – and it blocks
access to knowledge. Teaching people to read and write makes them full members
of the res publica and enables them to play their part in building it
up;[118] for Christians it provides access to
the inestimable treasure of the sacred Scriptures that nourish their life of
faith.
77. I ask Catholic communities and
institutions to respond generously to this great challenge, which is a real
testing ground for civilization, and in accordance with their means, I ask them
to multiply their efforts, independently or in collaboration with other
organizations, to develop effective programmes adapted to people’s needs.
Catholic communities and institutions will only be able to meet this challenge
if they maintain their ecclesial identity and remain zealously faithful to the
Gospel message and the charism of their founder. This Christian identity is a
precious good which must be preserved and safeguarded, lest the salt lose its
flavour and end up being trampled underfoot (cf. Mt 5:13).
78. It is surely necessary to raise the
awareness of governments so that they will increase their support for
schooling. The Church recognizes and respects the role of the state in the
educational domain. She nevertheless affirms her legitimate right to play her
part, offering her particular contribution. And it would be helpful to remind
the state that the Church has a right to educate according to her own rules and
in her own buildings. This is a right which is part of that freedom of action
“which her responsibility for human salvation requires”.[119] Many African states recognize the
eminent and disinterested role played by the Church through her educational
structures in building up their nations. I therefore strongly encourage
governments in their efforts to support this educational work.
B. Respect for creation and the ecosystem
79. Together with the Synod Fathers, I ask
all the members of the Church to work and speak out in favour of an economy
that cares for the poor and is resolutely opposed to an unjust order which,
under the pretext of reducing poverty, has often helped to aggravate it.[120] God has given Africa important natural
resources. Given the chronic poverty of its people, who suffer the effects of
exploitation and embezzlement of funds both locally and abroad, the opulence of
certain groups shocks the human conscience. Organized for the creation of
wealth in their homelands, and not infrequently with the complicity of those in
power in Africa, these groups too often ensure their own prosperity at the
expense of the well-being of the local population.[121] Acting in concert with all other
components of civil society, the Church must speak out against the unjust order
that prevents the peoples of Africa from consolidating their economies[122] and “from developing according to their
cultural characteristics”.[123] Moreover, it is incumbent upon the
Church to strive that “every people may be the principal agent of its own
economic and social progress ... and may help to bring about the universal
common good as an active and responsible member of the human family, on an
equal footing with other peoples.”[124]
80. Some business men and women, governments
and financial groups are involved in programmes of exploitation which pollute
the environment and cause unprecedented desertification. Serious damage is done
to nature, to the forests, to flora and fauna, and countless species risk
extinction. All of this threatens the entire ecosystem and consequently the
survival of humanity.[125] I call upon the Church in Africa to
encourage political leaders to protect such fundamental goods as land and water
for the human life of present and future generations[126] and for peace between peoples.
C. The good governance of states
81. The body politic, whose essential duty is
the implementation and administration of a just order, can be a major
instrument at the service of reconciliation, justice and peace.[127] This order, in its turn, is at the
service of the “vocation to the communion of persons”.[128] In order to put this ideal into
practice, the Church in Africa must help to build up society in cooperation
with government authorities and public and private institutions that are
engaged in building up the common good.[129] Traditional chiefs have a very positive
contribution to make to good governance. The Church, for her part, is committed
to promoting within her own ranks and within society a culture that respects
the rule of law.[130] By way of example, elections represent
a platform for the expression of a people’s political decisions, and they are a
sign of legitimacy for the exercise of power. They provide a privileged
opportunity for healthy and serene public political debate, marked by respect for
different opinions and different political groupings. If conducted well,
elections call forth and encourage real and active participation by citizens in
political and social life. Failure to respect the national constitution, the
law or the outcome of the vote, when elections have been free, fair and
transparent, would signal a grave failure in governance and a lack of
competence in the administration of public affairs.[131]
82. Today, many decision makers, both
political and economic, assume that they owe nothing to anyone other than
themselves. “They are concerned only with their rights, and they often have
great difficulty in taking responsibility for their own and other people’s
integral development. Hence it is important to call for a renewed reflection on
how rights presuppose duties, if they are not to become mere licence.”[132]
83. Rising crime rates in increasingly urban
societies are a cause of great concern for all leaders and governments.
Independent judiciary and prison systems are urgently needed, therefore, for
the restoration of justice and the rehabilitation of offenders. It is time to
put a stop to “miscarriages of justice and ill-treatment of prisoners”, and
“the widespread non-enforcement of the law ... which represents a violation of
human rights,”[133] as well as imprisonment either without
trial or else with much-delayed trial. “The Church in Africa ... recognizes her
prophetic mission towards all those affected by crime and their need for
reconciliation, justice and peace.”[134] Prisoners are human persons who,
despite their crime, deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. They need
our care. With this in mind, the Church must provide for pastoral care in
prisons, for the material and spiritual welfare of the prisoners. This pastoral
activity is a real service that the Church offers to society, and it is one
that the state should support for the sake of the common good. Together with
the Synod members, I draw the attention of society’s leaders to the need to
make every effort to eliminate the death penalty[135] and to reform the penal system in a way
that ensures respect for the prisoners’ human dignity. Pastoral workers have
the task of studying and recommending restorative justice as a means and
a process for promoting reconciliation, justice and peace, and the return of
victims and offenders to the community.[136]
D. Migrants, displaced persons and refugees
84. Millions of migrants, displaced persons
and refugees are searching for a homeland and a peaceful country in Africa or
elsewhere. The scale of this movement, which affects every country, reveals the
hidden magnitude of the different types of poverty produced by deficiencies in
public administration. Thousands of people have tried and continue trying to
cross deserts and seas, searching for an oasis of peace and prosperity, better
education and greater freedom. Unfortunately, many refugees and displaced
persons encounter all kinds of violence and exploitation, even prison, and all
too often, death. Some states have responded to this dramatic situation with
repressive legislation.[137] The precarious situation of these poor
people should awaken everyone’s compassion and generous solidarity; yet it
often gives rise to fear and anxiety. Many regard migrants as a burden and view
them with suspicion, seeing them only as a source of danger, insecurity and
threat. This perception provokes reactions of intolerance, xenophobia and
racism. As a result, these migrants are forced, through the precariousness of
their situation, to do low-paid work that is often illegal, humiliating or
degrading. The human conscience can only respond with indignation to these situations.
Migration inside and outside the continent thus becomes a complex drama which
seriously affects Africa’s human capital, leading to the destabilization or
destruction of families.
85. The Church remembers that Africa offered
a place of refuge for the Holy Family when they were fleeing the murderous
political power of Herod,[138] in search of a land that could offer
them security and peace. The Church will continue to make her voice heard and
to campaign for the defence of all people.[139]
E. Globalization and international aid
86. The Synod Fathers expressed their
misgivings and concern with regard to globalization. I have already drawn
attention to this phenomenon as a challenge that needs to be addressed. “The
truth of globalization as a process and its fundamental ethical criterion are
given by the unity of the human family and its development towards what is
good. Hence a sustained commitment is needed so as to promote a person-based
and community-oriented cultural process of world-wide integration that is open
to transcendence.”[140] The Church is eager to see the
globalization of solidarity progress to the point where it inscribes “in commercial
relationships the principle of gratuitousness and the logic of gift as an
expression of fraternity”,[141] while avoiding the temptation to regard
globalization as the only lens through which to view life, culture, politics
and the economy, and fostering an ongoing ethical respect for the variety of
human situations in the interests of effective solidarity.
87. This globalization of solidarity is
already demonstrated to some extent in the area of international aid. Today,
news of a disaster spreads rapidly around the world and often leads to an
upsurge of compassion and concrete acts of generosity. The Church provides a
service of great charity by protecting the real needs of the beneficiary.
Defending the rights of the needy and those who have no voice, and in the name
of the respect and solidarity that they deserve, she asks that “international
agencies and non-governmental organizations commit themselves to complete
transparency” in their work.[142]
88. As many social movements indicate, peace
in Africa, as elsewhere, is conditioned by interreligious relations. Hence it
is important for the Church to promote dialogue as a spiritual disposition, so
that believers may learn to work together, for example in associations for
justice and peace, in a spirit of trust and mutual help. Families must be educated
in attentive listening, fraternity and respect without fear of the other.[143] One thing only is necessary (cf. Lk
10:42) and capable of quenching every human person’s thirst for eternity and
all humanity’s desire for unity: love and contemplation of him before whom
Saint Augustine cried out: “Eternal Truth, true Love, beloved Eternity!”[144]
A. Ecumenical dialogue and the challenge of
new religious movements
89. By inviting to the Synodal Assembly our
fellow Christians – Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Lutheran, Anglican, Methodist,
and in particular His Holiness Abuna Paulos, Patriarch of the Tewahedo Orthodox
Church of Ethiopia, one of the most ancient Christian communities of the
African continent – I wanted to make clear that the path to reconciliation must
first pass through the communion of Christ’s disciples. A divided Christianity
remains a scandal, since it de facto contradicts the will of the Divine Master
(cf. Jn 17:21). Ecumenical dialogue therefore seeks to direct our common
journey towards Christian unity, as we listen assiduously to the word of God,
faithful to fraternal communion, the breaking of bread and the prayers (cf. Acts
2:42). I call upon the whole ecclesial family – particular Churches, institutes
of consecrated life as well as lay movements and associations – to pursue this
path with ever greater determination, in the spirit of, and on the basis of,
the guidelines given in the Ecumenical Directory and through the various
existing ecumenical associations. I also ask that new ones be set up wherever
this could serve as an aid for mission. Together let us undertake works of
charity and protect our religious patrimonies, through which Christ’s disciples
find the spiritual strength that they need for building up the human family![145]
90. In recent decades, the Church in Africa
has been asking itself a great many questions about the emergence and growth of
non-Catholic communities sometimes known as African Independent Churches.
Frequently an offshoot of traditional Christian Churches and ecclesial
communities, they adopt elements of traditional African cultures. These groups
have recently made an appearance in the ecumenical field. The Pastors of the
Catholic Church will have to take into account this new phenomenon affecting
the promotion of Christian unity in Africa, and they will consequently have to
find a response suited to the context, for the sake of deeper evangelization as
a way of effectively communicating Christ’s truth to the people of Africa.
91. Various syncretistic movements and sects
have sprung up in Africa in recent decades. Sometimes it is hard to discern
whether they are of authentically Christian inspiration or whether they are
simply the fruit of sudden infatuation with a leader claiming to have
exceptional gifts. Their nomenclature and vocabulary easily give rise to
confusion, and they can lead people in good faith astray. These many sects take
advantage of an incomplete social infrastructure, the erosion of traditional
family solidarity and inadequate catechesis in order to exploit people’s
credulity, and they offer a religious veneer to a variety of heterodox,
non-Christian beliefs. They shatter the peace of couples and families through
false prophecies and visions. They even seduce political leaders. The Church’s
theology and pastoral care must determine the causes of this phenomenon, not
only in order to stem the haemorrhage of the faithful from the parishes to the
sects, but also in order to lay the foundations of a suitable pastoral response
to the attraction that these movements and sects exert. Once again, this points
to the need for a profound evangelization of the African soul.
B. Interreligious dialogue
1. Traditional African religions
92. The Church lives daily alongside the
followers of traditional African religions. With their reference to ancestors
and to a form of mediation between man and Immanence, these religions are the
cultural and spiritual soil from which most Christian converts spring and with
which they continue to have daily contact. It is worth singling out
knowledgeable individual converts, who could provide the Church with guidance
in gaining a deeper and more accurate knowledge of the traditions, the culture
and the traditional religions. This would make it easier to identify points of
real divergence. It would also help to clarify the vital distinction between
culture and cult and to discard those magical elements which cause division and
ruin for families and societies. In this regard, the Second Vatican Council
taught that the Church “urges her sons and daughters to enter with prudence and
charity into discussion and collaboration with members of other religions. Let
Christians, while witnessing to their own faith and way of life, acknowledge,
preserve and encourage the spiritual and moral truths found among
non-Christians, together with their life and culture.”[146] It would help to manifest the treasures
of the Church’s sacramental life and spirituality in all their depth and to
pass them on more effectively in catechesis, if the Church were to carry out a
theological study of those elements of the traditional African cultures in
conformity with Christ’s teaching.
93. Witchcraft, which is based on the
traditional religions, is currently experiencing a certain revival. Old fears
are re-surfacing and creating paralyzing bonds of subjection. Anxiety over
health, well-being, children, the climate, and protection from evil spirits at
times lead people to have recourse to practices of traditional African
religions that are incompatible with Christian teaching. The problem of “dual
affiliation” – to Christianity and to the traditional African religions –
remains a challenge. Through profound catechesis and inculturation, the Church
in Africa needs to help people to discover the fullness of Gospel values. It is
important to determine the profound meaning of these practices of witchcraft by
identifying the many theological, social and pastoral implications of this
scourge.
2. Islam
94. The Synod Fathers highlighted the
complexity of the Muslim presence on the African continent. In some countries,
good relations exist between Christians and Muslims; in others, the local
Christians are merely second-class citizens, and Catholics from abroad,
religious and lay, have difficulty obtaining visas and residence permits; in
some, there is insufficient distinction between the religious and political
spheres, while in others, finally, there is a climate of hostility. I call upon
the Church, in every situation, to persist in esteem for Muslims, who “worship
God who is one, living and subsistent; merciful and almighty, the creator of
heaven and earth, who has also spoken to humanity.”[147] If all of us who believe in God desire
to promote reconciliation, justice and peace, we must work together to banish
every form of discrimination, intolerance and religious fundamentalism. In her
social apostolate, the Church does not make religious distinctions. She comes
to the help of those in need, be they Christian, Muslim or animist. In this way
she bears witness to the love of God, creator of all, and she invites the
followers of other religions to demonstrate respect and to practise reciprocity
in a spirit of esteem. I ask the whole Church, through patient dialogue with
Muslims, to seek juridical and practical recognition of religious freedom, so
that every citizen in Africa may enjoy not only the right to choose his
religion freely[148] and to engage in worship, but also the
right to freedom of conscience.[149] Religious freedom is the road to peace.[150]
C. Becoming “the salt of the earth” and “the
light of the world”
95. For her mission of evangelization, the
Church in Africa draws upon several sources: sacred Scripture, Tradition and
the sacramental life. As a great many Synod Fathers remarked, the Church’s
ministry builds effectively upon the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Moreover,
the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church is a guide to the
Church’s mission as “Mother and Teacher” in the world and in society, and is
therefore a pastoral tool of the first rank.[151] Christians who draw nourishment from
the authentic source, Christ, are transformed by him into “the light of the
world” (Mt 5:14), and they transmit the one who is himself “the Light of
the world” (Jn 8:12). Their knowledge must be shaped by charity.
Knowledge, in fact, “if it aspires to be wisdom capable of directing man in the
light of his first beginnings and his final ends ... must be ‘seasoned’ with
the ‘salt’ of charity.”[152]
96. In order to accomplish the task that we
are called to carry out, let us make our own the exhortation of Saint Paul:
“Stand, therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the
breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the equipment of
the Gospel of peace, besides all these, taking the shield of faith, with which
you can quench all the flaming darts of the evil one. And take the helmet of
salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray at all
times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication” (Eph 6:14-18).
“TO EACH IS GIVEN
THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SPIRIT FOR THE COMMON GOOD”
(1 Cor 12:7)
THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SPIRIT FOR THE COMMON GOOD”
(1 Cor 12:7)
97. The guidelines for mission that I have
just indicated will only become a reality if the Church acts, on the one hand,
under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and on the other, as a single
body, to use the image of Saint Paul, who presents these two conditions in an
integrated way. In Africa, marked as it is by contrasts, the Church must
clearly point out the path towards Christ. She must show how to live, in total
fidelity to Christ Jesus, the unity in diversity taught by the Apostle: “Now
there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of
service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of working, but it is the
same God who inspires them all in every one. To each is given the manifestation
of the Spirit for the common good” (1 Cor 12:4-7). By exhorting each
member of the Church family to be “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the
world” (Mt 5:13-14), I wish to stress that in “being so”, they should
act, through the Spirit, for the common good. One can never be a Christian
alone. The gifts given by the Lord to each – bishops, priests, deacons and
religious, catechists and lay people – must all contribute to harmony,
communion and peace in the Church herself and in society.
98. We are all very familiar with the episode
of the paralytic who was brought to Jesus to be cured (cf. Mk 2:1-12).
For us today, this man represents all our brothers and sisters in Africa and
elsewhere who are paralyzed in different ways and, sadly, often in great
distress. In the light of the challenges that I have described briefly, drawing
on the comments of the Synod Fathers, let us reflect on the attitude of those
who carry the paralytic. He himself cannot come close to Jesus without the
assistance of those four people of faith who braved the physical obstacle
of the crowd as a sign of their solidarity and their complete trust in Jesus.
Christ “saw their faith”. He then removes the spiritual obstacle when he
says to the paralysed man: “Your sins are forgiven”. He removes what prevents
the man from rising. This example invites us to grow in faith and, in turn, to
show solidarity and creativity in relieving those who bear heavy
burdens, thus opening them to the fullness of life in Christ (cf. Mt
11:28). Before the obstacles, both physical and spiritual, that stand before
us, let us mobilize the spiritual energies and the material resources of the
whole body which is the Church, convinced that Christ will act through the Holy
Spirit in each of her members.
Chapter I
99. Dear sons and daughters of the Church,
especially you, the beloved faithful of Africa, the love of God has blessed you
in so many ways and has made you capable of acting as the salt of the earth.
All of you, as members of the Church, should be aware that peace and justice
come first from the reconciliation of each human being with himself and with
God. Christ himself is the one true “Prince of Peace”. His birth is the pledge
of the messianic peace proclaimed by the prophets (cf. Is 9:5-6; 57:19; Mic
5:4; Eph 2:14-17). This peace does not come from ourselves but from God.
It is the messianic gift par excellence. This peace leads us to the
justice of the kingdom, which is to be sought in season and out of season, in
all that we do (cf. Mt 6:33), so that in everything glory may be given
to God (cf. Mt 5:16). We know that the just person is faithful to God’s
law because he has been converted (cf. Lk 15:7; 18:14). This new
faithfulness has been brought by Christ so as to make us “blameless and
innocent” (cf. Phil 2:15).
100. Dear brother bishops, the holiness to
which the bishop is called requires the exercise of the virtues – in the first
place, of the theological virtues – and the exercise of the evangelical
counsels.[153] Your own holiness must be outstanding,
to the benefit of those entrusted to your pastoral care, those whom you must
serve. Your life of prayer will nourish your apostolate from within. The bishop
must be someone in love with Christ. The moral authority and the prestige that
uphold the exercise of your juridical power can only come from the holiness of
your life.
101. Saint Cyprian of Carthage, in the middle
of the third century, stated: “The Church rests on the bishops, and all her
conduct follows the direction of those same rulers”.[154] Communion, unity and cooperation with
the presbyterate will be a safeguard against the seeds of division and will
assist you in listening together to the Holy Spirit. He will lead you on the
right path (cf. Ps 22:3). Love and respect your priests! They are esteemed
co-workers in your episcopal ministry. Imitate Christ! He created around
himself a circle of friendship, fraternal affection and communion which he drew
from the depths of the Trinitarian mystery. “I invite you to take continuous
care to help your priests to live in intimate communion with Christ. Their
spiritual life is the foundation of their apostolic life. Exhort them gently to
daily prayer, to the worthy celebration of the sacraments, especially those of
the Eucharist and Reconciliation, as Saint Francis de Sales did for his priests
… Your priests need your affection, your encouragement and your concern.”[155]
102. Be one with the Successor of Peter,
together with your priests and all the faithful. Do not waste your human and
pastoral energies in the vain search for answers to questions which are not of
your direct competence, or in the twists and turns of a nationalism that can
easily blind. It is easier to follow this idol, or to absolutize African
culture, than to follow the demands of Christ. Such idols are illusions. Even
more, they are a temptation, that believing that human efforts alone can bring
the kingdom of eternal happiness to earth.
103. Your first duty is to bring the good
news of salvation to all, and to offer the faithful a catechesis which leads
them to a deeper knowledge of Jesus Christ. See to it that laypeople acquire a
genuine awareness of their ecclesial mission and encourage them to engage in it
with responsibility, always seeking the common good. The permanent formation
programmes offered to lay people, and above all to political or economic
leaders, must insist on conversion as a necessary condition for the
transformation of the world. It is fitting that they should begin with prayer
and continue with a catechesis that will lead to concrete action. The creation
of structures, if truly needed, will come later; since they can never replace
the power of prayer!
104. Dear brother bishops, following in the
footsteps of Christ the Good Shepherd, be good pastors and servants of the
flock entrusted to your care, exemplary in life and conduct. The good
administration of your dioceses requires your presence. To make your message
credible, see to it that your dioceses become models in the conduct of
personnel, in transparency and good financial management. Do not hesitate to
seek help from experts in auditing, so as to give example to the faithful and
to society at large. Promote the good functioning of the ecclesial bodies
provided for by Church law on the diocesan and parochial level. To you in the
first place belongs the task of seeking unity, justice and peace since you have
the responsibility for the local Churches.
105. The Synod recalled that “the Church is a
communion that gives rise to an organic pastoral solidarity. The bishops, in
communion with the Bishop of Rome, are the first promoters of communion and
cooperation in the Church’s apostolate.”[156] The national and regional Bishops’
Conferences are charged with the mission of consolidating that ecclesial
communion and promoting this pastoral solidarity.
106. In order to ensure greater visibility,
coherence and effectiveness to the Church’s pastoral activity in society, the
Synod felt the need for greater solidarity in action at all levels. It would be
good for regional and national Bishops’ Conferences, as well as the Assembly of
the Catholic Hierarchy of Egypt (ACHE), to renew their commitment to collegial
solidarity.[157] Practically speaking, this entails
participation in the activities of these structures, with regard to both
personnel and finances. In this way the Church will bear witness to the unity
for which Christ prayed (cf. Jn 17:20-21).
107. I also consider it important for the
bishops to help support, effectively and affectively, the Symposium of Bishops’
Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) as a continental structure of
solidarity and ecclesial communion.[158] Likewise, good relations should be
maintained with the Confederation of Conferences of Major Superiors of Africa
and Madagascar (COMSAM), with the Associations of Catholic Universities and
other continental ecclesial structures.
108. As close and indispensable co-workers of
the bishop, priests[159] are charged with carrying out the work
of evangelization. The Second Assembly of the Synod for Africa took place
during the year that I dedicated to the priesthood, appealing in a special way
for growth in holiness. Dear priests, remember that your witness to living
together in peace, over ethnic and racial lines, can touch hearts.[160] The call to holiness bids us become
pastors according to the heart of God,[161] feeding our flock with justice (cf. Ez
34:16). To yield to the temptation of becoming political leaders[162] or social agents would be to betray
your priestly mission and to do a disservice to society, which expects of you
prophetic words and deeds. As Saint Cyprian put it in his own day: “Those who
bear the honour of the divine priesthood… should lend their ministry only to
the service of the altar and give their time to prayer alone”.[163]
109. By devoting yourselves to those whom the
Lord entrusts to you for their formation in Christian virtues and their growth
in holiness, you not only win them to the cause of Christ but also make them
protagonists of a renewed African society. Given the complex situations that
you encounter, I ask you to deepen your life of prayer and your ongoing
intellectual and spiritual formation. Become ever more familiar with sacred
Scripture, the word of God which you daily meditate upon and explain to the
faithful. Grow in your knowledge of the Catechism, the documents of the
magisterium and the Church’s social doctrine. You will then be capable of
forming the members of the Christian community for whom you are immediately
responsible, so that they can become authentic disciples and witnesses of
Christ.
110. Live obedience to your diocesan bishop
in simplicity, humility and filial love. “Out of respect for the One who has
loved us, it is proper that we obey without hypocrisy, for it is not the bishop
whom we see that we are deceiving, but the One who is unseen. In this case, it
is not a matter of the flesh, but of God who knows what is hidden.”[164] In the context of the ongoing formation
of clergy, I consider it important to reread and meditate on such documents as
the conciliar Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests Presbyterorum Ordinis,
the 1992 Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Pastores Dabo Vobis,
the 1994 Directory on the Ministry and Life of
Priests and the 2002 Instruction The Priest, Pastor and Guide of the
Parish Community.
111. Build up the Christian communities by
your example, living in truth and joy your priestly commitments, celibacy in
chastity and detachment from material possessions. When lived in maturity and
peace, these signs, so consonant with the lifestyle of Jesus, express “total
and exclusive gift of self to Christ, to the Church and to the kingdom of God”.[165] Devote yourselves intensely to putting
into practice the diocesan pastoral plan for re-conciliation, justice and
peace, especially through the celebration of the sacraments of Penance and the
Eucharist, catechesis, the formation of lay people and ongoing dialogue with
those holding positions of responsibility in society. Every priest should feel
happy to serve the Church.
112. Following Christ on the path of the
priesthood entails making decisions. It is not always easy to live up to these.
The evangelical commitments codified through the centuries by the teaching of
the magisterium appear radical to the eyes of the world. It is sometimes
difficult to follow them, yet not impossible. Christ tells us that we cannot
serve two masters (cf. Mt 6:24). He is clearly speaking of money, the
worldly treasure that can captivate our hearts (cf. Lk 12:34), but he is
also speaking of the countless other goods we possess, such as our life, our
family, our education, our personal relationships. These are all important and
fine goods which are constitutive of our persons. But Christ asks those whom he
calls to abandon themselves completely to divine Providence. He demands a
radical decision (cf. Mt 7:13-14) which we sometimes find difficult to
understand and live out. Yet if God is our real treasure – that pearl of great
price which must be acquired at any cost, even that of great sacrifices (cf. Mt
13:45-46) – then we want our hearts and our bodies, our minds and our
thoughts to be for him alone. This act of faith enables us to see every-thing
that appears important to us in a different light, and to experience our
relationship with our bodies, and our relationships in family or among friends,
in the light of God’s call and of what it demands in the service of the Church.
This calls for deep reflection. That reflection should begin in the seminary
and continue throughout our priestly lives. Christ tells us, by way of encouragement,
for he knows the strengths and weaknesses of our hearts: “Strive first for the
kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all these things will be given to you
as well” (Mt 6:33).
113. Non-African missionaries, responding
generously to the Lord’s call with ardent apostolic zeal, came to share the joy
of revelation. Following in their footsteps, Africans are today missionaries on
other continents. How can we fail here to pay them special tribute? The
missionaries who came to Africa – priests, men and women religious and lay
people – built churches, schools and dispensaries, and did much to shape the
face of today’s African culture, but above all they built up the Body of Christ
and enriched the Lord’s dwelling place. They knew well how to share the salt of
the word and spread the light of the sacraments. Most of all, they gave to
Africa their most precious treasure: Jesus Christ. Thanks to them numerous
traditional cultures were freed from ancestral fears and from unclean spirits
(cf. Mt 10:1). From the good seed that they sowed (cf. Mt 13:24)
arose many African saints, who still serve as models and ought to inspire us
all the more. It would be profitable to renew and promote devotion to these
saints. Their commitment to the cause of the Gospel was at times shown in a
heroic manner, even at the cost of their lives. Once again the words of
Tertullian proved true: “the blood of martyrs is the seed of Christians”.[166] I give thanks to God for all these holy
men and women, signs of the vitality of the Church in Africa.
114. I encourage the Pastors of the local
Churches to recognize among servants of the Gospel in Africa those who could be
canonized according to the norms of the Church, not only in order to increase
the number of African saints, but also to obtain new intercessors in heaven to
accompany the Church on her pilgrim journey and to plead before God for the
African continent. I entrust to Our Lady of Africa and to the saints of this
beloved continent the Church that dwells there.
115. The grandeur of the call received by
permanent deacons deserves to be emphasized. In fidelity to their age-old
mission, I invite them to work with humility and in close cooperation with the
bishops.[167] I ask them affectionately to continue
offering what Christ teaches us in the Gospel: rigour in work well done,[168] moral strength in respect for values,
honesty, truthfulness, the joy of adding one’s stone to the building of Church
and society, the protection of nature, a sense of the common good. Assist
African society at every level to encourage responsibility on the part of men
who are husbands and fathers, respect for women who are equal to men in
dignity, and concern for children left to fend for themselves without education.
116. Do not fail to pay particular attention
to those who are ill, mentally or physically,[169] those who are frail and the poor of
your communities. Let your charity be imaginative! In the pastoral activity of
parishes, remember that a healthy spirituality allows the Spirit of Christ to
free the human person to act effectively in society. Bishops will take care to
ensure your ongoing formation so that it can contribute to the exercise of your
ministry.[170] Like Saint Stephen, Saint Lawrence and
Saint Vincent, deacons and martyrs, seek to recognize and encounter Christ in
the Eucharist and in the poor. This service of the altar and of charity will
make you look forward to encountering the Lord present on the altar and in the
poor. You will then be capable of giving your life for him even to death.
117. Through the vows of chastity, poverty
and obedience, the life of consecrated persons becomes a prophetic witness. Hence
they can be examples in the area of reconciliation, justice and peace, even in
circumstances marked by great tension.[171] Community life shows us that it is
possible to live as brothers and sisters, and to be united even when coming
from different ethnic or racial backgrounds (cf. Ps 133:1). It can and
must enable people to see and believe that today in Africa, those men and women
who follow Christ Jesus find in him the secret of living happily together:
mutual love and fraternal communion, strengthened daily by the Eucharist and
the Liturgy of the Hours.
118. Dear consecrated persons, may you continue
to live your charism with truly apostolic zeal in the different fields
indicated by your founders or foundresses! Thus you will be all the more
vigilant in keeping your lamps alight! Your founders and foundresses wanted to
follow Christ truly and respond to his call. The different good works that came
about as a result are gems that adorn the Church.[172] You must therefore carry them on by
following as faithfully as possible the charism of your founders, their ideas
and their vision. Here I would like to emphasize the important role of
consecrated persons in the life of the Church and in her missionary endeavour.
They are a necessary and precious aid to the Church’s pastoral activity but
also a manifestation of the deepest nature of our Christian vocation.[173] For this reason I invite you, dear
consecrated persons, to continue in close communion with the local Church and
with its head, the bishop. I also invite you to strengthen your communion with
the Bishop of Rome.
119. Africa is the cradle of the Christian
contemplative life. Present from earliest times in North Africa, especially in
Egypt and Ethiopia, it took root in sub-Saharan Africa during the last century.
May the Lord bless the men and women who have decided to follow him
unconditionally! Their hidden life is like leaven in the dough. Their constant
prayer will sustain the apostolic efforts of the bishops, priests, other
consecrated persons, catechists and of the entire Church.
120. The meetings of the different National
Conferences of Major Superiors and those of COMSAM help pool your reflections
and resources, not only in order to pursue the goals of the various Institutes,
while preserving their autonomy, character and individual spirit, but also to
help deal with common concerns in a climate of fraternity and solidarity. It is
fitting to foster an ecclesial spirit based on a sound coordination and proper
cooperation with the Bishops’ Conferences.
121. The Synod Fathers gave particular
attention to seminarians. Without neglecting theological and spiritual
formation, which are obviously primary, they emphasized the importance of the
psychological and human growth of each candidate. Future priests must develop a
correct understanding of their own culture while not being locked within their
own ethnic and cultural limits.[174] They must become ever more deeply
rooted in Gospel values so as to strengthen their commitment in faithfulness
and devotion to Christ. The fruitfulness of their future mission will greatly
depend on their profound union with Christ, on the quality of their life of
prayer and their interior life, and on the human, spiritual and moral values
assimilated during their time of formation. May all seminarians become men of
God who seek and practise “righteousness, godliness, faith, love,
steadfastness, gentleness” (1 Tim 6:11).
122. “Seminarians must learn to live in
community in such a way that the common life may later lead to an authentic
experience of the priesthood as close priestly fraternity.”[175] The seminary staff and formators will
work together, following the bishops’ indications, to guarantee an integral
formation of the seminarians entrusted to them. In selecting candidates,
careful discernment and quality guidance must be ensured, so that those
admitted to the priesthood will be true disciples of Christ and authentic
servants of the Church. Care should be taken to initiate them in the unlimited
richness of the Church’s biblical, theological, spiritual, liturgical, moral
and juridical patrimony.
123. At the conclusion of the Year for Priests, in June
2010, I wrote a letter to seminarians,[176] in which I dealt with the identity,
spirituality and apostolate of the priest. I heartily recommend that each
seminarian read and meditate on this brief document directed to him personally;
formators will make the text readily available. The seminary represents a time
of preparation for the priesthood, a time of study. It is a time of
discernment, formation and human and spiritual development. May seminarians use
wisely this time which is provided for them to build up the spiritual and human
resources from which they will draw throughout their priestly life.
124. Dear seminarians, be apostles of the
young people of your own generation by inviting them to follow Christ in the
priestly life. Do not be afraid! The prayer of many people accompanies and
sustains you (cf. Mt 9:37-38).
125. Catechists are invaluable pastoral
agents in the mission of evangelization. Their role was very important during
the first evangelization, the preparation of catechumens and the direction and
support of communities. “In a natural way they brought about a successful
inculturation that has produced marvellous fruits (cf. Mk 4:20).
Catechists have allowed their ‘light to shine before men’ (Mt 5:16),
because seeing the good that they do, whole populations were able to give glory
to our Father in heaven. Indeed, Africans have evangelized Africans.”[177] This role, so important in the past,
remains essential for the present and the future of the Church. I thank them
for their love of the Church.
126. I urge bishops and priests to be
concerned for the human, intellectual, doctrinal, moral, spiritual and pastoral
formation of catechists. They should pay great attention to the living
conditions of catechists,[178] in order to ensure their dignity. Nor
should they overlook their legitimate material needs, since the faithful worker
in the Lord’s vineyard has a right to a just recompense (cf. Mt 20:1-16),
while awaiting their due from the Lord, for he alone is just and knows our
hearts.
127. Dear catechists, remember that for many
communities you are the first embodiment of the zealous disciple and a model of
Christian life. I encourage you to proclaim, by your example, that family life
merits great esteem, that a Christian upbringing prepares young people to live
in society as persons who are honest and trustworthy in their dealings with
others. Be welcoming to all without discrimination: rich and poor, native and
foreign, Catholic and non-Catholic (cf. Jas 2:1). Do not show partiality
(cf. Acts 10:34; Rom 2:11; Gal 2:6; Eph 6:9). By
your own assimilation of sacred Scripture and the teachings of the magisterium
you will be able to offer solid catechesis, guide prayer groups and propose lectio
divina to the communities in your care. Your activity will then become
consistent, persevering and a source of inspiration. As I gratefully evoke the
glorious memories of your predecessors, I salute all of you and I encourage you
to toil today with the same selflessness, the same apostolic courage and the
same faith. By striving to be faithful to your mission, you will contribute not
only to your own holiness, but also in an effective way, to building up the Body
of Christ, the Church.
128. Through her lay members, the Church is
present and active in the world. Lay people have an important role to play in
the Church and in society. To enable them properly to take up this role, it is
fitting that centres of biblical, spiritual, liturgical and pastoral formation
be organized in the dioceses. It is my heartfelt desire that lay people with
responsibility in the political, economic and social fields be equipped with a
solid knowledge of the Church’s social doctrine, which can provide them with
principles for acting in conformity with the Gospel. Lay men and women, in
fact, are “ambassadors of Christ” (2 Cor 5:20) in the public sphere, in
the heart of the world![179] Their Christian witness will be
credible only if they are competent and honest professional people.
129. Lay men and women are called, above all,
to holiness, a holiness which is to be lived in the world. Dear members of the
faithful: cultivate your interior life and your relationship with God, so that
the Holy Spirit may enlighten you in all circumstances. In order to ensure that
the human person and the common good remain effectively at the centre of all
human, political, economic or social activity, deepen your union with Christ,
so as to know and love him by devoting time to God in prayer and in the
reception of the sacraments. Allow yourselves to be enlightened and instructed
by God and by his word.
130. I would like to dwell again on the
distinctive feature of a Christian’s professional life. In a word, it means
bearing witness to Christ in the world by showing, through your example, that
work can be a very positive setting for personal development and not primarily
a means of making profit. Your work enables you to participate in the work of
creation and to serve your brothers and sisters. Acting in this way, you will
be “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world”, as the Lord asks of
us. In daily life, put into practice the preferential option for the poor,
whatever your position in society, in accordance with the spirit of the
Beatitudes (cf. Mt 5:3-12), so as to see in them the face of Jesus who
calls you to serve him (cf. Mt 25:31-46).
131. It can be helpful for you to form
associations in order to continue shaping your Christian conscience and
supporting one another in the struggle for justice and peace. The Small
Christian Communities (SCCs) and the “new communities”[180] are fundamental structures for fanning
the flame of your Baptism. Bring your areas of competence to the life and
activity of the Catholic universities, which continue to grow following the
recommendations of the Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Africa.[181] I also encourage you to have an active
and courageous presence in the areas of political life, culture, the arts, the
media and various associations. Do not be hesitant or ashamed about this
presence, but be proud of it and conscious of the valuable contribution it can
offer to the common good!
Chapter II
132. The Lord has entrusted us with a
specific mission, and he has not left us without the means of accomplishing it.
Not only has he granted each of us personal gifts for the building up of his
Body which is the Church, but he has also granted the whole ecclesial community
particular gifts which enable it to carry out its mission. His supreme gift is
the Holy Spirit. Through the Spirit we form one Body and “only in the power of
the Holy Spirit can we discover what is right and then do it”.[182] Certain means are needed if we are to
act, yet these remain insufficient unless God himself disposes us to cooperate
in his work of reconciliation through “our ability to think, to speak, to
listen and to act”.[183] Thanks to the Holy Spirit, we become
truly “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” (Mt 5:13-14).
133. The Church is “in Christ, a sacrament –
a sign and instrument, that is, of communion with God and of the unity of the
entire human race”.[184] As the community of Christ’s disciples,
we are able to make visible and share the love of God. Love “is the light – and
in the end, the only light – that can always illuminate a world grown dim and
grant us the courage needed to keep living and working”.[185] This is clearly seen in the universal
Church, in dioceses and parishes, in the SCCs,[186] in movements and associations, and even
in the Christian family itself, which is “called to be a ‘domestic church’, a
place of faith, of prayer and of loving concern for the true and enduring good
of each of its members”,[187] a community which lives the sign of
peace.[188] Together with the parish, the SCCs and
the movements and associations can be helpful places for accepting and living
the gift of reconciliation offered by Christ our peace. Each member of the
community must become a “guardian and host” to the other: this is the meaning
of the sign of peace in the celebration of the Eucharist.[189]
134. Catholic schools are a precious resource
for learning from childhood how to create bonds of peace and harmony in
society, since they train children in the African values that are taken up by
those of the Gospel. I encourage bishops and institutes of consecrated persons
to enable children of the proper age to receive schooling: this is a matter of
justice for each child and indeed the future of Africa depends on it.
Christians, and young people in particular, should study the educational sciences
with a view to passing down knowledge full of truth: not mere know-how but
genuine knowledge of life, inspired by a Christian consciousness shaped by the
Church’s social doctrine. It will also be fitting to ensure that personnel in
the Church’s educational institutions, and indeed all Church personnel, receive
just remuneration, in order to strengthen the Church’s credibility.
135. Given the great ferment of peoples,
cultures and religions which marks our age, Catholic universities and academic
institutions play an essential role in the patient, rigorous and humble search
for the light which comes from Truth. Only a truth capable of transcending
human standards of measure, conditioned by their own limitations, brings peace
to individuals and reconciliation to societies. For this reason, it would help
to establish new Catholic universities wherever these do not yet exist. Dear
brothers and sisters in Catholic universities and academic institutions, it
falls to you, on the one hand, to shape the minds and hearts of the younger
generation in the light of the Gospel and, on the other, to help African
societies better to understand the challenges confronting them today by
providing Africa, through your research and analyses, with the light she needs.
136. The mission which the Apostolic
Exhortation Ecclesia in Africa
entrusted to Catholic institutions of higher education is as pertinent as ever.
In it my blessed predecessor wrote: “The Catholic Universities and Higher
Institutes in Africa have a prominent role to play in the proclamation of the
salvific Word of God. They are a sign of the growth of the Church insofar as their
research integrates the truths and experiences of the faith and helps to
internalize them. They serve the Church by providing trained personnel, by
studying important theological and social questions for the benefit of the
Church, by developing an African theology, by promoting the work of
inculturation, by publishing books and publicizing Catholic truth, by
undertaking assignments given by the bishops and by contributing to the
scientific study of cultures. Catholic cultural centres offer to the Church the
possibility of presence and action in the field of cultural exchange. They
constitute in effect public forums which allow the Church to make widely known,
in creative dialogue, Christian convictions about man, woman, family, work,
economy, society, politics, international life, the environment. Thus they are
places of listening, respect and tolerance.”[190] Bishops will take care that these
institutions of higher education maintain their Catholic identity by always
moving in directions faithful to the teaching of the Church’s magisterium.
137. In order to make a solid and proper
contribution to African society, it is indispensable that students be taught
the Church’s social doctrine. This will help the Church in Africa serenely to
prepare a pastoral plan which speaks to the heart of Africans and enables them
to be reconciled to themselves by following Christ. Once again, it is up to
bishops to support a pastoral outreach to the life of the intellect and reason
so as to foster a habit of rational dialogue and critical analysis within
society and in the Church. As I said in Yaoundé:
“Perhaps this century will permit, by God’s grace, the rebirth on your
continent, albeit surely in a new and different form, of the prestigious School
of Alexandria. Why should we not hope that it could furnish today’s Africans
and the universal Church with great theologians and spiritual masters who could
contribute to the sanctification of the inhabitants of this continent and of
the whole Church?”[191]
138. It is good that bishops support
chaplaincies within the Church’s universities and schools, and establish them
in their public counterparts. The chapel will be, as it were, the heart of
those institutions. It will enable students to encounter God and to stand in
his sight. It will also allow the chaplain, who should be carefully selected
for his priestly virtues, to exercise his pastoral ministry of teaching and
sanctification.
139. The Church has always been concerned
with health. She follows the example of Christ himself who proclaimed the word
and healed the sick, and then gave his disciples the same authority “to heal
every disease and every infirmity” (Mt 10:1; cf. 14:35; Mk 1:32,
34; 6:13, 55). Through her health care institutions the Church continues to
show this same concern for the sick and for all who suffer. As the Synod
Fathers stressed, the Church is resolutely engaged in the fight against
infirmities, disease and the great pandemics.[192]
140. The Church’s health care institutions
and all their personnel should strive to see in each sick person a suffering
member of Christ’s Body. Difficulties of every kind rise up along the way: the
growing numbers of the sick, inadequate material and financial resources, the
withdrawal of support by organizations which had helped you for years and are
now abandoning you; at times all this can give you the impression that your
work produces no tangible results. Dear healthcare workers, bring Jesus’
compassionate love to those who suffer! Be patient, stand firm and do not lose
heart! As far as pandemics are concerned, while financial and material
resources remain indispensable, seek also constantly to form and inform people,
especially the young.[193]
141. Health care institutions need to be
managed in compliance with the Church’s ethical norms, providing services which
conform to her teaching and are exclusively pro-life. They must not become a
source of enrichment for a few. The management of grant monies must aim at
transparency and primarily serve the good of the sick. Finally, each health
care institution ought to have a chapel, the presence of which will remind all
who work there (management, staff, physicians and nurses), as well as the sick
themselves, that God alone is the Lord of life and death. It would also be
fitting to increase, to the extent possible, the number of smaller dispensaries
which provide local care and emergency aid.
142. The Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Africa saw
the modern media not only as means of communication, but themselves a world to
be evangelized.[194] The media should stand at the service
of an authentic communication, which is a priority in Africa, since they are a
significant force for the development of the continent[195] and for evangelization. “The media can
make an important contribution towards the growth in communion of the human
family and the ethos of society when they are used to promote universal
participation in the common search for what is just.”[196]
143. Everyone knows that the new information
technologies are capable of being powerful instruments for unity and peace, but
also for destruction and division. From a moral standpoint they can offer
either a service or a disservice, propagate truth as well as falsehood, propose
what is base as well as what is beautiful. The flood of news or non-news, to
say nothing of images, can be informative but also powerfully manipulative.
Information can readily become disinformation, and formation deformation. The
media can be a force for authentic humanization, but just as easily prove
dehumanizing.
144. The media can avoid this danger if “they
are geared towards a vision of the person and the common good that reflects
truly universal values. Just because social communications increase the
possibilities of interconnection and the dissemination of ideas, it does not
follow that they promote freedom or internationalize development and democracy
for all. To achieve goals of this kind, they need to focus on promoting the
dignity of persons and peoples; they need to be clearly inspired by charity and
placed at the service of truth, of the good, and of natural and supernatural
fraternity.”[197]
145. The Church needs to be increasingly
present in the media so as to make them not only a tool for the spread of the
Gospel but also for educating the African peoples to reconciliation in truth,
and the promotion of justice and peace. A solid formation in ethics and
truthfulness will help journalists to avoid the attraction of the sensational,
as well as the temptation to manipulate information and to make easy money.
Christian journalists should not be afraid to show their faith! They should be
proud of it! The presence and activity of competent lay faithful in the world
of public and private communications should also be encouraged. Like leaven in
the dough, they will continue to testify to the positive and constructive
contribution which the teaching of Christ and his Church makes to the world.
146. In this way, the decision of the First
Special Assembly for Africa to consider communications as a major axis of
evangelization has proved fruitful for the development of Catholic media. It
would perhaps also be suitable to coordinate existing structures, as is already
being done in certain areas. Such an improvement in the use of media will
contribute to a greater promotion of the values upheld at the Synod: peace,
justice and reconciliation in Africa,[198] and will enable the continent to share
in the present development of the world.
Chapter III
(Jn 5:8)
147. Dear brother bishops, dear sons and
daughters of Africa, after having reviewed the principal actions and some of
the means which the Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops
proposed for carrying out the Church’s mission, I would like to return to
certain points to which I have already alluded.
148. The fifth chapter of Saint John’s Gospel
presents a striking scene: the pool of Bethzatha, with its five porticoes in
which “lay many invalids – blind, lame, and paralyzed” (v. 3). This is the
setting for the healing about to take place. “One man was there who had been
ill for thirty-eight years” (v. 5), but had no one to put him into the pool.
Then Jesus walks into his life. Everything changes as soon as Jesus says to
him: “Stand up, take your mat and walk!” (v. 8). “At once”, the evangelist
tells us, “the man was healed” (v. 9). He no longer needed the water of the
pool.
149. By accepting Jesus, Africa can receive
incomparably effective and deep healing. Echoing the Apostle Peter in the Acts
of the Apostles (3:6), I repeat: what Africa needs most is neither gold nor
silver; she wants to stand up, like the man at the pool of Bethzatha; she wants
to have confidence in herself and in her dignity as a people loved by her God.
It is this encounter with Jesus which the Church must offer to bruised and
wounded hearts yearning for reconciliation and peace, and thirsting for
justice. We must provide and proclaim the word of Christ which heals, sets free
and reconciles.
A. The sacred Scriptures
150. According to Saint Jerome, “ignorance of
the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ”.[199] Reading and meditating on the word of
God not only gives us “the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus” (Phil
3:8), but also roots us more deeply in Christ and guides our service of
reconciliation, justice and peace. The celebration of the Eucharist, whose
first part is the Liturgy of the Word, is its source and summit. For this
reason, I recommend that the biblical apostolate be promoted in each Christian
community, in the family and in the ecclesial movements.
151. Each member of Christ’s faithful should
grow accustomed to reading the Bible daily! An attentive reading of the recent
Apostolic Exhortation Verbum Domini can
provide some useful pastoral indications. Care should be taken to initiate the
faithful into the ancient and fruitful tradition of lectio divina. The
word of God can lead to the knowledge of Jesus Christ and bring about
conversions which produce reconciliation, since it is able to sift “the
thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb 4:12). The Synod Fathers
encouraged Christian parish communities, SCCs, families and associations and
ecclesial movements to set aside times for sharing the word of God.[200] In this way, they will increasingly
become places where God’s word, which builds up the community of Christ’s
disciples, is read, meditated on and celebrated. This word constantly enlivens
fraternal communion (cf. 1 Pet 1:22-25).
B. The Eucharist
152. The most effective means for building a
reconciled, just and peaceful society is a life of profound communion with God
and with others. The table of the Lord gathers together men and women of
different origins, cultures, races, languages and ethnic groups. Thanks to the
Body and Blood of Christ, they become truly one. In the eucharistic Christ,
they become blood relations and thus true brothers and sisters, thanks to the
word and to the Body and Blood of the same Jesus Christ. This bond of
fraternity is stronger than that of human families, than that of our tribes.
“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of
his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom
8:29). The example of Jesus enables them to love one another and to give their
lives for one another, since the love by which one is loved is meant to be
shared in deed and in truth.[201] Consequently, the community celebration
of Sunday, the Lord’s Day, and holydays of obligation is indispensable.
153. I do not intend to present here a
theological treatise on the Eucharist. In the Post-Synodal Apostolic
Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis I
had traced some of its main lines. Here I exhort the whole Church in Africa to
show particular care for the celebration of the Eucharist, memorial of the
sacrifice of Christ Jesus, sign of unity and bond of charity, paschal banquet
and pledge of eternal life. The Eucharist should be celebrated with dignity and
beauty, in compliance with the established norms. Eucharistic adoration,
individually and in community, will lead to a deeper appreciation of this great
mystery. Along these lines, a continental Eucharistic Congress could be
celebrated. This would bolster the effort of Christians to testify to the
fundamental values of communion in every African society.[202]
154. To ensure respect for the eucharistic
mystery, the Synod Fathers recalled that churches and chapels are sacred
places, to be used solely for liturgical celebrations, avoiding to the extent
possible that they become simply places for socializing or cultural spaces.
There is a need to stress their primary function, which is that of being a
privileged place of encounter between God and his people, between God and his
faithful creature. There is also a need to ensure that the architecture of
these sacred edifices is worthy of the mystery they celebrate and in conformity
with ecclesiastical legislation and local style. They should be built under the
responsibility of the bishops, after the opinion of persons competent in
liturgy and architecture has been heard. May it be said upon entering them:
“Surely the Lord is in this place… This is none other than the house of God,
and this is the gate of heaven” (Gen 28:16-17)! They will also fulfil
their purpose if they help the community, reborn in the Eucharist and the other
sacraments, to prolong the celebration in the life of society by perpetuating
the example of Christ himself (cf. Jn 13:15).[203] This “eucharistic consistency”[204] challenges every Christian conscience
(cf. 1 Cor 11:17-22).
C. Reconciliation
155. To help African societies heal the
wounds of division and hatred, the Synod Fathers urged the Church to remember
that she bears within herself the same wounds and pain. Hence, she too needs
the Lord’s healing, so that she can credibly bear witness that the sacrament of
Reconciliation binds up and heals wounded hearts. This sacrament mends the
broken bonds between individuals and God, and restores bonds within society. It
also trains our hearts and our spirits to live in “unity of spirit, sympathy,
love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind” (1 Pet 3:8).
156. Here I would recall the importance of
individual confession, which no other act of reconciliation or any paraliturgy
can replace. I encourage all the Church’s faithful, clergy, consecrated persons
and laity, to restore to its true place the sacrament of Reconciliation in its
twofold dimension, personal and communitarian.[205] Communities lacking priests because of
great distances or for any other reason can experience the ecclesial character
of Penance and Reconciliation through non-sacramental forms. In this way,
Christians in irregular situations can also share in the Church’s penitential
journey. As the Synod Fathers pointed out, the non-sacramental form of Penance
can be considered a means of preparing the faithful for a fruitful reception of
the sacrament,[206] but it can never become a regular norm,
much less a substitute for the sacrament itself. I warmly encourage priests to
experience this sacrament in their own lives and to make themselves readily
available for its celebration.
157. In order to encourage reconciliation in
communities, I heartily recommend, as did the Synod Fathers, that each country
celebrate yearly “a day or week of reconciliation, particularly during Advent
or Lent”.[207] SECAM will be able to help bring this
about and, in accord with the Holy See, promote a continent-wide Year of
Reconciliation to beg of God special forgiveness for all the evils and
injuries mutually inflicted in Africa, and for the reconciliation of persons
and groups who have been hurt in the Church and in the whole of society.[208] This would be an extraordinary Jubilee
Year “during which the Church in Africa and in the neighbouring islands gives
thanks with the universal Church and implores the gifts of the Holy Spirit”,[209] especially the gift of reconciliation,
justice and peace.
158. For these celebrations, it would be
helpful to follow the advice of the Synod Fathers: “May the memory of the great
witnesses who gave their lives in service of the Gospel and the common good, or
for the defence of truth and human rights, be kept alive and faithfully
recalled”.[210] For the saints are the true stars of
our life, those “who have lived good lives. They are lights of hope. Certainly,
Jesus Christ is the true light, the sun that has risen above all the shadows of
history. But to reach him we also need lights close by – people who shine with
his light and so guide us along our way.”[211]
159. Before concluding this document, I would
like to return once more to the task facing the Church in Africa: commitment to
evangelization, to the missio ad gentes, and to the new evangelization,
so that the features of the African continent will increasingly be modelled on
the ever timely teaching of Christ, the true “light of the world” and the
authentic “salt of the earth”.
A. Bearers of Christ, “the light of the
world”
160. The urgent work of evangelization is
carried out in different ways in accordance with the diverse situations of each
country. “In its precise sense, evangelization is the missio ad gentes
directed to those who do not know Christ. In a wider sense, it is used to
describe ordinary pastoral work, while the phrase ‘new evangelization’
designates pastoral outreach to those who no longer practise the Christian
faith.”[212] Only an evangelization inspired by the
power of the Holy Spirit can become “the new law of the Gospel” and bear
spiritual fruit.[213] The heart of all evangelizing activity
is the proclamation of the person of Jesus, the incarnate Word of God (cf. Jn
1:14) who died and rose again and is ever present in the community of the
faithful, his Church (cf. Mt 28:20). This is a pressing task not only
for Africa, but for the whole world, since the mission which Christ the
Redeemer entrusted to his Church is not yet fully accomplished.
161. “The Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of
God” (Mk 1:1) is the sure path to an encounter with the person of the
Lord Jesus. Searching the Scriptures enables us increasingly to discover the
true face of Jesus, the revelation of God the Father (cf. Jn 12:45), and
his saving work. “Rediscovering the centrality of the divine word in the
Christian life leads us to appreciate anew the deepest meaning of the forceful
appeal of Pope John Paul II: to pursue the missio ad gentes and
vigorously to embark upon the new evangelization.”[214]
162. Led by the Holy Spirit, the Church in
Africa must proclaim the mystery of salvation – by living it – to those who
have not yet learned of it. The Holy Spirit whom Christians received in Baptism
is the fire of love impelling us to the work of evangelization. After
Pentecost, the disciples, “filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4), went
forth from the Upper Room, where they had taken refuge out of fear, and
proclaimed the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Pentecost event enables us better
to understand the mission of Christians as “the light of the world” and “the
salt of the earth” on the African continent. It is the property of light to be
diffused and to shine on our many brothers and sisters who are still in
darkness. The missio ad gentes calls for commitment on the part of all
Africa’s Christians. Impelled by the Spirit, they bring Jesus Christ, “the
light of the world”, to every place on the continent and to all the areas of
personal, family and social life. The Synod Fathers emphasized “the urgent need
for evangelization, which is the mission and the true identity of the Church”.[215]
B. Witnesses of the risen Christ
163. Today too, the Lord Jesus exhorts the
Christians of Africa to proclaim in his name “repentance and forgiveness of
sins to all nations” (Lk 24:47). For this reason, they are called to be
witnesses of the Risen Lord (cf. Lk 24:48). The Synod Fathers insisted
that evangelization “essentially consists in bearing witness to Christ in the
power of the Spirit by one’s life, then by one’s words, in a spirit of openness
and respectful dialogue with others, while holding fast to the values of the
Gospel”.[216] In the case of the Church in Africa,
this witness needs to be at the service of reconciliation, justice and peace.
164. The proclamation of the Gospel must
recover the ardour of the beginnings of the evangelization of the African
continent, attributed to the evangelist Mark and carried on by “countless
saints, martyrs, confessors and virgins”.[217] There is a need gratefully to remember
and imitate the enthusiasm of so many missionaries who, over the course of
several centuries, sacrificed their lives to bring the Good News to their
brothers and sisters in Africa. In recent years the Church in different
countries has commemorated the hundredth anniversary of evangelization. She has
rightly renewed her commitment to bring the Gospel to those who do not yet know
the name of Jesus Christ.
165. If this effort is to be more effective,
the missio ad gentes must keep pace with the new evangelization. In
Africa too, situations demanding a new presentation of the Gospel, “new in its
ardour, methods and expression”,[218] are not rare. In particular, the new
evangelization needs to integrate the intellectual dimension of the faith into
the living experience of the encounter with Jesus Christ present and at work in
the ecclesial community. Being Christian is born not of an ethical decision or
a lofty ideal, but an encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new
horizon and a decisive direction. Catechesis must therefore integrate its
theoretical dimension, which deals with concepts to be learned by heart, and
its practical dimension, which is experienced at the liturgical, spiritual,
ecclesial, cultural and charitable levels, in order that the seed of God’s
word, once fallen on fertile ground, can sink deep roots and grow to maturity.
166. For this to happen, it is essential to
employ new methods available to us today. With regard to the means of social
communication, of which I have already spoken, I would recall an observation
which I recently made in the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Verbum Domini: “Saint
Thomas, citing Saint Augustine, insists that ‘the letter, even that of the
Gospel, would kill, were there not the grace of healing faith’.”[219] With this in mind, it should also be
constantly kept in mind that no medium can nor should replace personal contact,
verbal proclamation and the witness of an authentic Christian life. Such
personal contact and verbal proclamation need to express a living faith which
engages and transforms one’s life, as well as the love of God which reaches and
touches everyone just as he or she is.
C. Missionaries in the footsteps of Christ
167. The pilgrim Church in Africa is also
called to contribute to the new evangelization in secularized countries which
once provided numerous missionaries but are today sadly lacking in vocations to
the priesthood and to the consecrated life. In the meantime, great numbers of
African men and women have accepted the invitation of the Lord of the harvest
(cf. Mt 9:37-38) to work in his vineyard (cf. Mt 20:1-16).
Without weakening the missionary impulse ad gentes in the different
countries, and indeed on the whole continent, the bishops of Africa should
respond generously to the requests of their confreres in countries lacking
vocations and assist the faithful deprived of priests. This form of
cooperation, which should be governed by accords between the sending and the
receiving Churches, becomes a concrete sign of the fruitfulness of the missio
ad gentes. Blessed by the Lord, the Good Shepherd (cf. Jn 10:11-18),
it provides valuable support for the new evangelization in countries of ancient
Christian tradition.
168. The proclamation of the Good News gives
birth within the Church to new expressions fitted to the needs of our times,
cultures and expectations. In Africa too, the Holy Spirit is constantly raising
up men and women who, gathered in various associations, movements and
communities, devote their lives to the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In
the light of Saint Paul's admonition: “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise
the words of prophets; but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain
from every form of evil” (1 Th 5:19-22), pastors have the duty to ensure
that these new expressions of the perennial fruitfulness of the Gospel are
integrated into the pastoral activity of parishes and dioceses.
169. Dear brothers and sisters, the theme of
the Second Special Assembly for Africa reminds us that the new evangelization
is especially concerned with the Church’s service to reconciliation, justice
and peace. Thus, there is a need to welcome the grace of the Holy Spirit who
bids us: “be reconciled to God” (2 Cor 5:20). All Christians are
admonished to be reconciled to God. In this way you will become agents of
reconciliation within the ecclesial and social communities in which you live
and work. The new evangelization presumes that Christians are reconciled with
God and with one another. It demands that we be reconciled with our neighbours,
and that we overcome every kind of barrier, including those arising from
language, culture and race. All of us are children of one God and Father, who
“makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the
righteous and on the unrighteous” (Mt 5:45).
170. God will bless a reconciled heart by
granting it his peace. Christians will thus become peacemakers (cf. Mt 5:9)
to the extent that, grounded in divine grace, they cooperate with their Maker
in creating and fostering the gift of peace. As reconciled men and women, the
faithful will also promote justice everywhere, especially in African societies
divided and threatened by violence and war, yet hungering and thirsting for
true justice. The Lord invites us: “Strive first for the kingdom of God and his
righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Mt 6:33).
171. The new evangelization is an urgent task
for Christians in Africa because they too need to reawaken their enthusiasm for
being members of the Church. Guided by the Spirit of the risen Lord, they are
called to live the Good News as individuals, in their families and in society,
and to proclaim it with fresh zeal to persons near and far, using the new
methods that divine Providence has placed at our disposal for its spread. In
praising God the Father for the wonders which he continues to work in his
Church and in each of her members, the faithful are called to fan into a flame
their Christian vocation in fidelity to the living ecclesial Tradition. Open to
the prompting of the Holy Spirit who continues to awaken different charisms in
the Church, Christians must pursue or undertake with determination the path of
holiness, and thus increasingly become apostles of reconciliation, justice and
peace.
“TAKE HEART; RISE, HE IS CALLING”
(Mk 10:49)
172. Dear brothers and sisters, the final
word of the Synod was a summons to hope addressed to Africa. This summons will
be vain unless it is rooted in the love of the Blessed Trinity. From God, the Father
of all, we receive the mission of passing on to Africa the love with
which Christ, the firstborn Son has loved us, so that our activity,
impelled by his Holy Spirit, may be guided by hope and become a source
of hope. While earnestly desiring to help implement the directives of the Synod
on such burning issues as reconciliation, justice and peace, I express my trust
that “theologians will continue to probe the depths of the trinitarian mystery
and its meaning for everyday African life”.[220] Since the vocation of all men and women
is one, we must not lose our zest for the reconciliation of humanity with God
through the mystery of our salvation in Christ. Our redemption is the reason
for the confidence and the firmness of our hope, “by virtue of which we can
face our present: the present, even if it is arduous, can be loved and accepted
if it leads towards a goal, if we can be sure of this goal, and if this goal is
great enough to justify the effort of the journey”.[221]
173. Once more I say: “Get up, Church in Africa…
because you are being called by the heavenly Father, whom your ancestors
invoked as Creator even before knowing his merciful closeness revealed in his
only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Set out on the path of a new evangelization
with the courage that comes to you from the Holy Spirit.”[222]
174. Evangelization today takes the name of
reconciliation, “an indispensable condition for instilling in Africa justice
among men and women, and building a fair and lasting peace that respects each
individual and all peoples; a peace that… is open to the contribution of all
people of good will irrespective of their religious, ethnic, linguistic,
cultural and social backgrounds.”[223] May the entire Catholic Church
accompany with affection her brothers and sisters of the African continent! May
the saints of Africa sustain them by their prayer of intercession![224]
175. May “Saint Joseph, the good master of
his house, who personally knows what it means to consider, attentively and
hopefully, the future paths of the family, [and who] lovingly heard us and ushered
us into the Synod itself”,[225] protect and accompany the Church in her
mission in service of Africa, the land where he found refuge and protection for
the Holy Family (cf. Mt 2:13-15)! May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of
the Word of God and Our Lady of Africa, continue to accompany the whole Church
by her intercession and her invitation to do whatever her Son tells us (cf. Jn
2:5)! May the prayers of Mary, Queen of Peace, whose heart is always
inclined to God’s will, sustain every effort at conversion; may she consolidate
every initiative of reconciliation and strengthen every endeavour for peace in
a world which hungers and thirsts for justice (cf. Mt 5:6).[226]
176. Dear brothers and sisters, through the
Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops, the Lord in his
goodness and mercy urgently reminds you that “you are the salt of the earth …
the light of the world” (Mt 5:13-14). May these words remind you of the
dignity of your calling as children of God and members of the one, holy,
catholic and apostolic Church! This calling consists in radiating in a world
often grown dark the clarity of the Gospel and the splendour of Jesus Christ,
the true light which “enlightens everyone” (Jn 1:9). Christians must
give all men and women a desire for God the Father, the joy of his creative
presence in the world. They are also called to cooperate with the grace of the
Holy Spirit, so that the miracle of Pentecost may spread throughout the
continent of Africa, and everyone may become ever more an apostle of
reconciliation, justice and peace.
177. May the Catholic Church in Africa always
be one of the spiritual lungs of humanity, and become daily an ever greater
blessing for the noble African continent and for the entire world.
Given at Ouidah, in Benin, on 19 November, in
the year 2011, the seventh of my Pontificate.
BENEDICT XVI