Pan-African Congress of Catholic Laity concludes in Cameroon
(Vatican Radio) The Pontifical Council for the Laity has issued a press release on
the conclusion of the Pan African Congress of Catholic Laity, which took place last
week in Cameroon.
The Congress, following in the wake of the apostolic exhortations
Ecclesia in Africa of Blessed John Paul II and Africae Munus of Benedict
XVI, served as an event of hope in the evangelising mission and a help in rediscovering
the beauty of being Christians in the African continent, in the midst of several challenges
the lay faithful face in the witness of Christ in the various fields of society.
The
theme of the Congress, “Being witnesses of Jesus Christ in Africa today: Salt of the
earth… light of the world,” was highlighted by addresses by the president of the Pontifical
Council for the Laity, Cardinal Stanisław Rylko and by interventions by Catholic leaders
from throughout Africa.
Cardinal Christian Tumi, Emeritus Archbishop of Douala
in Cameroon, presided at Sunday’s closing Mass, which took place in Mvolye Basilica
in Yaoundé.
Below please find the complete text of the press release
from the Pontifical Council for the laity.
PONTIFICAL
COUNCIL FOR THE LAITY Pan African Congress of Catholic Laity Being
witnesses of Jesus Christ in Africa today “Salt of the earth...light of the
World (Mt. 5:13-14)
9 September 2012 Yaoundé, Cameroon
Press
release
“Go, you too, to my vineyard…” (Mt 20, 3-4) Cardinal
Stanisław Rylko described the experience of the continental congress of the laity
as a moment of particular epiphany of the Church in Africa. “We discovered her numerous
spiritual resources, her great religious and human vitality, and the strong missionary
dynamism of her laity”, he said during his closing discourse.
He also emphasised
that the formation of a mature laity is not a privilege but a right and a duty in
the Church, and a matter of great urgency. Cardinal Rylko also stated that the Church
in Africa can benefit greatly from the charisms, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and
sign of hope given to those in great need.
“Africa extremely needs this kind
of laity. Being witnesses of Christ in the heart of the world is not an easy duty
because it requires a lot of courage to go against the current in relationship with
dominant the cultural tendencies following the example of the Master, a sign of contradiction”,
He highlighted.
In agreement with the morning congress presentations by Cardinal
Peter Turkson and Professor Marguerite Peeters, Cardinal Rylko challenged the Catholic
laity to defend the dignity of the human person and the inalienable rights like the
right to life, which no individual, groups, authorities, states can change because
it is supreme and comes from God.
Earlier in the morning Cardinal Turkson
reminded the congress of the affirmation that in the life of the faithful, Christian
social commitment and social action flow from the spirituality of discipleship. He
also underlined the need for lay commitment to social action especially in places
where only they can be the salt and light of the world.
“To all who are suffering,
we want to say: you are not alone and abandoned! Christ is with you! The Church is
with you!”, Cardinal Rylko closed the conference sessions of the Pan African congress
which started on 4th September 2012.
Cardinal Christian Tumi, Emeritus
Archbishop of Douala in Cameroon, presided over the Eucharistic celebration, punctuated
by African liturgical tunes, held at Mvolye Basilica in Yaoundé to mark the end of
the continental laity congress.