Pope hands working document of African synod to the continent’s bishops

(March 19, 2009) Pope Benedict XVI is currently on a pastoral visit to Cameroon and Angola. The main purpose of his March 17-23 visit is to issue to the African Church the working document of the Second Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Africa, scheduled for this October in Rome. The theme of this synod is “The Church in Africa in Service to Reconciliation, Justice and Peace.” Pope Benedict handed the working document to Africa’s bishops at the end of an open-air Mass held on Thursday morning at the sports stadium of Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon.
March 19^th being the feast of St. Joseph, Pope Benedict’s homily at Mass was on St. Joseph. He wished all who like him bear the name of Joseph. Taking his cue from the scripture readings of the Mass, the Pope spoke about St. Joseph’s trust in God. The Gospel of Mathew speaks about Joseph’s trust in the angel not to be afraid of taking Mary as his wife. In the same way the Book of Samuel speaks about David’s trust in God who says he will not be able to see the heir to his throne. The Pope said parents quite rightly desire to give the best of themselves to their children, and they want to see them achieve success. One of mankind’s most cherished desires – i.e. seeing the fruits of one’s labours – is not always granted by God, the Pope explained. Yet David and Joseph put their trust in God.
Speaking in English, the Pope held out St. Joseph as a model and asked parents whether they accept that God is counting on them to pass on to their children the human and spiritual values that they themselves have received and which will prepare them to live with love and respect for His holy name. “At a time when so many people have no qualms about trying to impose the tyranny of materialism, with scant concern for the most deprived,” the Pope told parents, “you must be very careful.” “Africa in general, and Cameroon in particular, place themselves at risk if they do not recognize the True Author of Life,” the Pope said. He urged Africans not to let themselves be captivated by selfish illusions and false ideals!
Pope Benedict urged them to believe in God who alone can satisfy them and give stability to their lives. He will give married couples, the strength to raise their family as He wants. Pope Benedict observed that the family in Africa as well as in other continents “is experiencing a difficult time; but fidelity to God will help see it through.” Certain values of the traditional life have been overturned and the generation gap is preventing transmission of accumulated knowledge and inherited wisdom. Rural exodus is affecting the quality of family ties and the younger generation without gainful employment, is seeking to cure their pain by living in ephemeral and man-made paradises which can never guarantee abiding happiness. Sometimes the African people too are constrained to flee from themselves and abandon everything that once made up their interior richness, the Pope said. But in the face of all this there is still hope, he said and pointed to the remarkable work done by countless associations that promote the life of faith and the practice of charity.
The first priority, the Pope said, will consist in restoring a sense of the acceptance of life as a gift from God. “Today,” he said “it is high time to place greater emphasis on this: every human being, every tiny human person, however weak, is created “in the image and likeness of God.” “Every person must live! Death must not prevail over life! Death will never have the last word,” the Pope urged!
Pope Benedict urged Africans not to not be afraid to believe, to hope, and to love; do not be afraid to say that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and that we can be saved by him alone. ““Hoping against hope” is a magnificent description of a Christian, the Pope said, adding “ Africa is called to hope through you and in you!” “ With Jesus Christ, who trod the African soil, Africa can become the continent of hope,” the Pope said!
In moments of discouragement, anxiety, exasperation or hatred African’s should look up to St. Joseph, the Pope said. He urged husbands to look upon the love of Joseph for Mary and Jesus; those preparing for marriage to treat their future spouse as Joseph did. Particularly encouraging fathers to take Saint Joseph as their model, the Pope urged them to respect and love their spouse; and by their love and wise presence, lead their children to God.
The Pope also had a word of encouragement for young people, especially the unfortunate. “To the children who no longer have a father, or who live abandoned in the poverty of the streets, to those forcibly separated from their parents, to the maltreated and abused, to those constrained to join paramilitary forces that are terrorizing some countries, I would like to say: God loves you, he has not forgotten you, and Saint Joseph protects you,” the Pope said.
At the end of the Mass Pope Benedict handed the working document of the October synod on Africa to the presidents of the national and regional bishops’ conferences of Africa. The 60-page document will serve as the base for the synod discussions. Speaking to the bishops the Pope said the theme of the synod, viz., “The Church in Africa in Service to Reconciliation, Justice and Peace”… is of great importance not only for the life of the African continent but also for the life of the universal Church. He said the working document reflects the great dynamism of the Church in Africa, but also the challenges that must be faced. He heartily wished that the work of the Synodal Assembly will contribute to an increase in hope for their peoples and for the entire continent, and inspire each local Church with new evangelical and missionary zeal in service to reconciliation, justice and peace, according to the programme given to them by Jesus himself who said: “You are the salt of the earth … you are the light of the world.”