Second Symposium of the European and African Bishops opens in Rome

(February 11.2012) The Second Symposium of the European and African Bishops opens in Rome, Monday. The 13-15 meeting is on the theme "Evangelization Today: Communion and pastoral cooperation between Africa and Europe. The human person and God: the Church's mission to proclaim the presence and love of God". The event will be jointly opened by Cardinal Polycarp Pengo and Angelo Bagnasco, respectively President of the Symposium of the Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) and Vice-President of the Council of the European Episcopal Conferences (CCEE), followed by the presentation of a post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation Africae Munus on behalf of Cardinal Peter K. A. Turkson, President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. During the opening session, the Cardinals Theodore-Adrien Sarr, Vice-President of SECAM, and Josip Bozanic, former Vice-President of the CCEE, who have followed the whole process of collaboration between the two continental bodies since 2004, will present the results of previous meetings and the challenges that have emerged, and will talk about what is expected from this Symposium.