Date Published: 07/07/09
AFRICA IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE CHURCH
By Rev. Fr. Michael Otto Ekpenyong
Secretary-General, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria
“You are the salt of the earth...” You are the light of the world” (Mt 5: 13-14)
Introduction: In 1994, from 10 April to 8 May, the First Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops took place on the theme: “The Church in Africa and Her Evangelizing Mission Towards the Year 2000: ‘You shall be my witnesses (Acts 1:8)” The Servant of God, Pope John Paul II, had, since January 6, 1989, expressed his intention to convene that important meeting for the Church.
An important feature of the First Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Africa was that it was significantly elitist both in its preparation in its content. That feature constitutes the defining distinction between the First Special Assembly and the Second Special Assembly, to which we look forward in October of this year. In effect, the fact that the African Church is participating from the grassroots level in the build-up to the Second Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Africa is an important expression of the value and significance of Africa to the Church today as well as a vital challenge to the African Church.
The opportunity of ownership, by the African Church, of the forthcoming Second Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Africa also imposes higher responsibility on the Church in Africa. I expect higher enthusiasm to greet the post-synodal exhortations of the Second Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Africa in relation to the level of enthusiasm that greeted the post-synodal exhortations of the First Special Assembly. The proceeding from this Special Assembly should engage every member of the Catholic Church in Africa, in the dioceses, parishes and Church movements. We should expect the proceeding of this Special Assembly to challenge other Churches and Christian Communities, as well as representatives of non-Christian religions as well as people of good will from every continent.
We know that this Second Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Africa is the Consequence of the positive results recorded and the response of the bishops, priests and laity to the post-Synod Apostolic Exhortations of the First Special Assembly. As a result, Pope John Paul II in November 2004 announced his intention to organize the second Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Africa. In June 2005, the Holy Father Benedict XVI confirmed the project of his predecessor by declaring his intention to convene in Rome, the Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops.
The focus of this Second Special Assembly is on the Church in Africa at the service of reconciliation, justice and peace. The watch phrase that was decided by the Holy Father is: “You are the salt of the earth...you are the light of the world” (Mathew 5, 13 and 14). This makes it the logical consequence of the First Special Assembly.
The Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops should provide opportunity for the evaluation of the results of the First Special Assembly, obtained at all levels. This evaluation was adequately anticipated in the Lineamenta of the Second Special Assembly.
1. The Challenges of the African Church: Since the First Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Africa, the African Church has witnessed several changes and significant growth in the numbers of both clergy and lay faithful. The life of the Church in Africa includes considerable challenges. This is why the working document of the Second Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops calls for a united effort among Catholics to help end the rampant injustices that fuel conflicts on the continent and to usher in an era of peace. According to the InstrumentumLaboris, the synod would have to find ways to better prepare the faithful in Africa for a more visible and active role in promoting unity in the church and in society and in working for the common good.
The working document is highly critical of the impact of globalization on the continent. We are witnesses to the fact that globalization infringes on Africa’s rights and tends to be the vehicle for the domination of a single, cultural model and a culture of death.
In the same respect, we must accept responsibility for many of the ills in the continent. The evils in the hearts of people, especially among our political leaders, make them thirsty for riches, power and revenge.
I have no doubt that the Second Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Africa will challenge the Church Hierarchy in Africa to address the continent’s changing religious, demographic, social and political scenes and discuss new ways to proclaim the Gospel by being “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world.”
In a similar respect, the Synod will provide the opportunity to assess what has been accomplished since the post-synodal papal document “Ecclesia in Africa” (“The Church in Africa”) and to look at what remains to be done in response to the changing situations in Africa.
We know that since the promulgation of Ecclesia in Africa in 1995, the document has
been put into action and continues to be a timely and useful guide for the church in
Africa. However, it has not been adequately distributed and implemented in many places.
This is an added challenge to the Second Special Assembly.
2 The Expectations of the Special assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Africa:
The InstrumentumLaboris lists a number of shared expectations for the synod. These — include:
> Finding ways through which the Gospel can be inculturated or better grounded in African cultures.
> Helping Catholics get firmer grasp of their faith so as to make Christ more a part of their lives and inspire them to bring his transforming message to the world.
> Paying greater attention to and developing a more creative pastoral response to the spiritual and moral needs of couples and families.
> Underlining the need for greater investment in education, especially in establishing higher education programs to train not just workers but also future entrepreneurs and business people.
> Better integrating women and the laity into the Church’s leadership and pastoral planning.
> Getting the Church more involved in using traditional and news media.
> Helping the bishops to be more effective agents for overcoming ethnic and tribal divisions by being united in denouncing injustices and being a voice for the voiceless.
3.What Should be our Contribution: The Instrumentum Laboris notes that being a Christian and belonging to the universal Church helps each Catholic put aside his or her differences of origin or ethnicity and brings people closer together as brothers and sisters. This is a very important task that we must seek means and ways of accomplishing in our local context in Nigeria.
The church’s sacraments, especially the sacrament of reconciliation, should help form individuals’ consciences, inspire them to share God’s love with others, and guide them to replace fear with hope and the logic of revenge with reconciliation and forgiveness.
We know that even in the face of so many signs of renewal and reform, Africa and Nigeria in particular still faces many problems. Political instability and selfish leaders continue to compromise peace in parts of Africa. Some politicians foster divisions among their people, violate human rights or use religion to pursue their own agendas. This was our experience in Jos.
In addition, the loss of respect for common traditional African values has led, in some parts of the continent to relations between people of one religion and another “degenerating into a true Christian and Muslim rivalry.” Political and social disputes are sometimes resolved with violence and fledging democratic processes can sometimes disintegrate into “scenes of fratricide orchestrated by. rival parties,”. Decades of armed conflict in Africa have led to “a culture of violence, division and warrior heroes,” and the
We must not pretend ignorance of the fat that in our country, a true slavery still exists. This is because salaries are insufficient or sporadic and international aid comes frequently with difficult unacceptable conditions.
Our attention should. also focus on the fact that international financial programs aimed at restructuring the African economy are having a dire effect. This is because the forced restructuring has led to an extremely fragile economy and the breakdown of society as can be seen by increased crime, the widening gap between rich and poor and massive migration to already overcrowded cities.
There is no doubt that we must take responsibility for our common destiny as a Church in Africa. This is particularly in the face of the economic and social effects of globalization.
In effect, multinational corporations continue to “systematically invade the continent in search of natural resources”. This means that Africa’s rights are routinely infringed upon by nations seeking control of our enormous extractive reserves. The external interests together with “the abundance of natural resources on the African continent continue to pose a threat to peace, justice and reconciliation”.
Globalization risks seriously harming societies with its “logic of the world economy which disregards what is truly a part of the human person,” such as the spiritual, moral and cultural values and gifts of local African traditions and religious faith. In effect, “a process organized to destroy the African identity seems to be taking place under the pretext of modernity”.
Because of rampant illiteracy and a lack of investment in education, people — especially the young — are more vulnerable .to “the false values propagated by the mass media” and political propaganda. In our country this has led to the upsurge in political thuggrey.
We cannot overlook the real agricultural problems on the continent, which include a lack of cultivatable land, water, energy, credit, local markets and infrastructure for transporting products. This situation is compounded by endemic diseases and HIV and AIDS.
4. The Way Forward: As we look forward to the Second Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Africa, the Church in Africa must become more conscious of the importance of its role as a model for peace, justice and reconciliation. This means that the Church must become more just and united in itself. The church should ‘become a sign and instrument for justice and peace in the wider society. We must know and ac knowledge that peace is something that is “born from within’: when: there has been a conversion of heart because a new spirit transforms people’s outlook, mentality and behaviour.
The Church must also assume the symbol of a beacon of hope for those suffering from war, poverty and injustice, because in Christ they can “find hope and a taste for living.”
(Being Statement by the Secretary-General, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Rev. Fr. Michael Otto Ekpenyong to Members of the JDP/Caritas Nigeria working on the InstrumentumLaboris for the II Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Africa on the theme, The Church in Africa in Service to Reconciliation, Justice and Peace)
