AFRICA/SOUTH AFRICA - First Cape Town Archdiocesan Synod: “a foundation on which to build in the years ahead” says Archbishop Lawrence Henry

Thursday, 27 September 2007

Cape Town (Agenzia Fides)- “The discussions over the past four days have provided a foundation on which to build in the years ahead’ said Archbishop Lawrence Henry of Cape Town at the end of the first ever synod of the Roman Catholic Church in Cape Town.

The event opened on 23 September and closed yesterday 26 September. Fr Chris Townsend, Information Officer Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference reported to Fides. Some 200 delegates of parishes and lay associations gathered with priests, deacons and members of religious congregations to discuss the challenges facing the Catholic Church. The delegates formed commissions on various themes including: youth, family, the Church and the world.
Delegates asked the church in particular to develop a policy on various environmental issues including the use of energy and encouraged the church to continue its intense engagement in the area of HIV/Aids. "At present the Church is the second largest provider, after the government, of care for those infected and affected." Fr. Townsend underlined.
The synod, which began on Sunday evening with a liturgy that included spiritual dancers from thirty different parishes, also placed a special emphasis on support for family life and for providing for special care for single parent families and the need for training for peer counselling for families in distress. Delegates affirmed the need for making different forms of prayer available to people and for returning to traditional family prayers as a means for empowering families.
Fr. Chris Clohessy, Rector of the Cape Town Catholic Seminary said that both the insights and the fruits of the synod would shape the way in which students are being trained for their work as priests in Cape Town.
A committee will oversee the implementation of the synod’s resolutions. The synod also expressed warm and prayerful congratulations to Bishop Thabo Makgoba on his election as Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town. Archbishop Henry expressed the hope that the friendship and co operation which marked his relationship with Bishop Makgoba’s predecessors would continue with the new Archbishop. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 27/9/2007 righe 28 parole 357)


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