Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Fides Service) - The Church in African received much from missionaries. Now Africans must be missionaries. This conviction was voiced by two African prelates Archbishop Godefroid Mukeng’a Kalond of Katanga Democratic Congo and Archbishop Antoine Ntalou of Garoua in Cameroon, in Rome to take part in an International Convention on 40th anniversary of Vatican II ad gentes decree organised by the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples and the Pontifical Urban University. The Archbishops spoke on 10 March about the challenges and prospects for mission in Africa.
“We will need help from missionaries for a few more years and then, thanks to God, local vocations will enable us to manage with our own clergy” said Archbishop Ntalou. “In Democratic Congo the Church is not only gradually operating at home with its own clergy it is also opening to the dimension of universal mission” added Archbishop Mukeng’a Kalond.
The Bishops stress that these young Churches have only just set out on this new path aware that “the unchanging missionary nature of the Church takes on new forms to suit the times. Yesterday European missionaries evangelised Africa. Today they are flanked by local missionaries and there are African Fidei Donum priests operating in Europe. Evangelisation in Congo and Central Africa was started by religious institutes. In the future mission in Africa will be entrusted to the local Churches called to go beyond their frontiers and show solidarity sharing personnel and resources”.
“My diocese - says Archbishop Mukeng’a Kalond - has a number of Fidei Donum priests in France, Belgium and Italy. I myself had this experience in Sicily. These new forms of cooperation among sister Churches are fruitful for both partners. The priests grow in knowledge and experience and form lasting brotherly relations”.
“With Fidei Donum priests - says Archbishop Ntalou - we have twinning of dioceses, another form of missionary action”. “In Africa now we are promoting twinning among dioceses on the same continent and in the same country” says Archbishop Mukeng’a Kalond. “In Democratic Congo, in fact we have many vocations but they are not evenly distributed. Twinning diocese means we can have priests where they are most needed”.
“In the African context the role of the laity is indispensable” the Archbishops agree. “It should be remembered that lay people were the first to work with the missionaries. Today catechists are the backbone of our communities. Their role is so important that some Bishops for the moment prefer to concentrate more on the formation of catechists than that of permanent deacons. This formation must be ever more open to mission. We have set only just set out on this path which will be long, but we are confident that this is the future for missionary activity”.
“I would also mention - Archbishop Ntalou concluded- the role of women in Africa at the individual and associative level who are a wonderful source of energy and availability for animation and inculturation of the Gospel, leading prayer groups, teaching catechism and for the cultural and material organisation of Christian community”.(L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 11/3/2006 righe 47 parole 567)
