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Cape Coast (Agenzia Fides)- The Seminar for African and European Bishops continues in Cape Coast, in Ghana, on the theme of new forms of slavery (see Fides 14/11/2007). The Seminar is a new step in collaboration among the Churches on the two continents, said Archbishop Aldo Giordano, secretary general of the Council of European Bishops' Conferences CCEE, who traced the development of this collaboration started with a Symposium of African and European Bishops held in Rome in 2004.
“The idea of a symposium of African and European Bishops had circulated for some years among some African bishops, the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, the Synod of Bishops, the Pontifical Council Cor Unum and some organisations for solidarity” Archbishop Giordano recalled. “The first special continental Synod of Bishops dedicated to Africa in 1994 gave rise to great hopes for the Church on a continent too neglected by the rest of the world ”.
After a series of meetings and discussion the Symposium was held in 2004 on the theme “Communion and Solidarity between Africa and Europe” organised by the CCEE and the Symposium of the Bishops' Conferences of Africa and Madagascar SECAM.
The Symposium has essentially three objectives. The first was to live an experience of communion among African and European bishops, on the basis of sacramental fraternity. A second was to discuss common responsibility for evangelisation, mission and pastoral care in the new situation of a globalised world and in the face of the challenges of secularisation.
The third objective was to reflect together on the understanding of the human person, view of social relations, the situation of evangelisation, the manner of understanding the faith, the understanding of problems in Europe and Africa in order to find paths for collaboration, mutual assistance and sharing of gifts among Churches of the north and the south of the world, in view of the major challenges facing both Europe and Africa: migration, poverty, family, relations with Islam, economic solidarity, AIDS...and to discuss how Africa and Europe can work together to contribute towards promoting peace, justice, development all over the world.
This reflection continues with the Seminar dedicated to old and new forms of slavery: a sad phenomenon in which once again Africa and Europe are united by the sin of exploitation of human persons. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 15/11/2007 righe 32 parole 396)
