Pope names presidents
and secretaries of second special
Synodal assembly for Africa
Oct. 2, 2009
The Holy Father Benedict XVI has nominated the following Cardinals as President Delegates of the second Special Assembly for Africa of the Bishops' Synod:
- Francis ARINZE, Prefect Emeritus for the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments:
- Théodore-Adrien SARR, Archbishop of Dakar, Senegal, and
- Wilfrid Fox NAPIER, O.F.M., Archbishop of Durban, South Africa.
At the same time, His Holiness nominated two Special Secretaries: His Excellency Mons. António Damião FRANKLIN, Archbishop of Luanda, Angola, and His Excellency Mons. Edond DJITANGAR, Bishop of Sarh, Chad.
Pope Benedict opens
Special Synod assembly
on Africa this Sunday
VATICAN CITY, Oct. 2 (SIR) - "Being increasingly the salt of the earth and the light of the world is the grace that is obtained through prayer”. Because of this, “the celebration of the Synodal Assembly will be accompanied by intense moments of prayer”.
The “meaning and conduct” of the II Special Assembly for Africa of the Episcopal Synod (Vatican, 4-25 October) were explained by Mons. Nikola Eterovic, secretary general of the Synod, who briefed journalists at the Vatican today in advance of the assembly.
“Benedict XVI," said Mons. Eterovic, "will officiate at three Eucharistic celebrations in Saint Peter’s Basilica. In addition to the first one, on Sunday October 4th – which will have some African touch – and the final one at the end of the Synodal assembly on Sunday October 25th, the Pope will canonise 5 blessed souls on Sunday October 11th: Zygmunt Szczêsny Feliñski, Francisco Coll y Guitart, Josef Daamian de Veuster Rafael Arnáiz Barón, Marie de la Croix (Jeanne) Jugan. These saints effectively show how one becomes the salt of the earth and the light of the world”.
He also said that “a special event has been planned for the evening of October 10th”, when “the Pope will pray the Rosary with the university students of 9 African capitals: Cairo (Egypt), Antananarivo (Madagascar), Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo), Nairobi (Kenya), Johannesburg (South-Africa), Maputo (Mozambique), Khartoun (Sudan), Onitsha (Nigeria) and Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)”.
Earlier, the Secretary-General of the Bishops' Synod said that “the urgent need for evangelisation, which is closely connected with human promotion in the context of the African continent”, is the “priority” at the heart of special assembly's work on the theme “The Church in Africa at the Service of Reconciliation, Justice and Peace"
He said it is significant that the second special assembly for picks up the title of the post-Synodal apostolic Exhortation “Ecclesia in Africa”, John Paul II's summary of the First Special Assembly for Africa held in 1994.
That first Synodal Assembly for Africa “provided a general framework describing the situation of the Catholic Church on the continent”, explained Mgr Eteroviæ. “It also faced some challenges, ecclesial, social and political, many of which, unfortunately, are still topical”.
Starting from “this framework which is still valid, the Synodal Fathers, guided by Benedict XVI, want the second Special Assembly to be the place to discuss the mission of the Church at the service of reconciliation, justice and peace...These are fundamental issues for the present and future of the Catholic Church in Africa”.
In this “urgent task, the Church is ready to collaborate with other non-Christian religions as well as with all men of good will”. To this regard, concluded Mgr Eteroviæ,
There will be a 30-minute briefing on the reception of “Ecclesia in Africa” followed by a free debate on the subject on the first day of work for this assembly, he said.
More from Bishop Eterovic's briefing:
Facts and figures on
the Synodal Assembly
244 Synod Fathers will participate at the II Special Assembly for Africa, of whom 228 are bishops. These will take part in various roles: 79 will be taking part ex officio, 129 are elected and 36 are nominated by the Pontiff. Among these there are 33 cardinals, 75 archbishops, 120 bishops and 8 religious, elected by the Union of Superiors General.
As to their positions, there are 37 Presidents of Episcopal Conferences, 189 Ordinary Bishops, 4 coadjutors, 2 auxiliaries and 8 emeritus (arch)bishops.
With reference to Art. VII of the Ordo Synodi Episcoporum, the Holy Father Benedict XVI established that participating in the Synod of Bishops ex officio, along with the 25 department heads of the Roman Curia, there would also be all the African cardinals, presently 14, the Presidents of the Episcopal Conferences, national, regional and the international reunions.
In choosing the Synod Fathers the criterion followed was that of electing one bishop in five. In any case, an attempt was made to have at least one bishop from each of the 53 Africa countries.
The majority of the Synod Fathers, 197 of them, are from Africa. Another 47 come from other continents: 34 from Europe, 10 from America, 2 from Asia and 1 from Oceania.
Among these are the Presidents of the Episcopal Conferences from the other 4 continents who will address the Assembly at the start of its work. This fact will underline that the II Special Assembly for Africa concerns the whole Church.
As regards the work of the Synod, 20 General Congregations are foreseen along with 9 Sessions of the Circoli Minori, divided into the three official languages of the Synod: French, English and Portuguese. The Synod Fathers can also use Italian.
Four press officers will use these languages to regularly update journalists on the work of the Synod. The first press conference will take place on Monday October 5th. Card. Peter Kodwo Appiah TURKSON, Archbishop of Cape Coast, Ghana and the General Relator, will take part.
The full English translation of Mons. Eterovic's presentation at today's briefing, along with the calendar for the Synodal assembly can be found on
www.vatican.va/news_services/press/sinodo/documents/bollettino_23_ii_speciale-africa-2009/02_inglese/b02...
and has also been posted in the CHURCH&VATICAN thread
benedettoxviforum.freeforumzone.leonardo.it/discussione.aspx?idd=8593821&p=7&#idm...
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 04/10/2009 13:46]