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Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) – How has Africa evolved since 1994, the year of the First Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Africa, looking back now from 2009, on the eve of the II Synod on the continent? This is the question that the Bishops of the AMECEA (Association of Member Episcopal Conferences of Eastern Africa, which includes Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia) try to answer in the first part of a statement they have published on the eve of the II Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Africa, which will take place in Rome, October 4-25.
In the document, which was also sent to Agenzia Fides, they highlight the challenges and hopeful signs that have been observed in these 15 years between the two Special Assemblies: the impact of the economic crisis (which places in doubt the capacity to reach the Millennium Goals by 2015); the hope that was raised by the birth of multi-party democracies in 1990s has been tempered by poor leadership, chaotic electoral politics and weak shared power arrangements. Corruption at every level undercuts service for the people”; ecological disasters of global warming (with consequent floods and draughts), with consequences for food security and displacement of people; armed conflicts continue to threaten people in Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia and Uganda, in addition to post-election violence in Kenya and in neighboring countries (South Africa and Zimbabwe); increase of fundamentalists in several AMECEA countries which implies the adoption of Kadhi Courts, introduction of Sharia legislation; the pandemia of AIDS that continues to threaten the lives of millions of people, however which no longer seems to be a priority for “governments, civil society and even the churches”; membership in the Church continues to increase in numbers each year but this has not always been accompanied by deepened faith and spirituality with solid inculturation efforts; the maturation and development of strong ecclesial institutions, as a positive fact that should also be accompanied by further efforts in training of the personnel and a evaluation of the journey made up til now; the economic problems from the poverty of the population and insufficient formation of the faithful; the growth of sects and an increased discontent among women and youth.
In facing these problems, the Bishops of AMECEA try to offer several proposals, in light of the Synod. Among them are: a deepening in the evangelization effort, especially for formation in the Social Doctrine of the Church; a reinforcement of spirituality and reconciliation; the centrality of the Christian ecclesial base communities; ecumenical and interreligious dialogue; a renewed effort to favor the family; greater attention to the role of the woman in the Church (among 70-80% of the ecclesial collaborators are women); greater care in formation of young people; an integral approach in solving the AIDS problem.
The Bishops of AMECEA hope that “conclusions and recommendations of the Synod to be very practical, very concrete, very realizable” and call for precise strategic planning in order to place the recommendations of the Synod in practice. “The synod must be seen as a process and not simply as an event. That is, we should communicate to our people that the synod may have finished its task in Rome but that it continues its spirit and life in all the activities of our church institutions and gatherings.”
“We come to the Synod accompanied by the prayers and interest of millions of our fellow Christians. Our hope is real because it is founded on the promise of Jesus to be with us at all times. With that promise we can continue in the process of the Second African Synod with great confidence!” the Bishops conclude. (LM) (Agenzia Fides 1/10/2009)
