Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kisangani (Fides Service) - The Archdiocese of Kisangani intends to open an International African Institute of Kisangani for the formation of lay Catholics for activity in the social, political and economic fields.
In preparation for the new institute Archbishop Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya of Kisangani also President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Democratic Congo, presided the inauguration of the Catholic Conferences. Present at the ceremony Michel Camdessus, former director general of the International Monetary Fund and President of Social Weeks of France who gave a talk on “Christian morals and public life at the dawn of the 21st century”.
In his address Archbishop Monsengwo said the plan for the International African Institute of Kisangani is a response to a request made by the Special Synod for Africa and Pope John Paul II’s post synodal exhortation Ecclesia in Africa (n.90): “Christians who occupy positions of responsibility are to be carefully prepared for political, economic and social tasks by means of a solid formation in the Church's social doctrine, so that in their places of work they will be faithful witnesses to the Gospel.”.
The Archbishop said he hoped the new Institute would be a school of high level to form a political elite able to conjugate ethics and politics in the management of public life. The school is destined for students in possession of a diploma or a degree with high marks.
In his talk Michel Camdessus underlined the absence of values shared by north and south. According to the relator this affects development programmes because in the absence of common values it is impossible to reach agreements on the ends of these projects. “What values must be promoted?” Camdessus asked: “The dignity of the human person, brotherhood, equality, freedom, respect for the common good, the universal destination of the resources of the earth are values to promote”.
“The Institute promoted by Mons. Monsengwo goes in this direction because it aims to create leaders whose political action is impregnated with the spirit of the Church’s social teaching” said the former director general of the International Monetary Fund.
In a successive talk with the title “2005 and the Africa-world alliance”, Camdessus looked at the situation of NEPAD New Partnership for Africa's Development, (see Fides 21 November 2002). According to the speaker NEPAD has the merit of putting emphasis on the two main scourges in Africa, wars and the lack of good government and to pursue the objective of collaboration between African countries and Africa and the rest of the world. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 31/1/2005 righe 40 parole 447)
