Catholic Bible Federation in Solidarity with Africa

(25 June 08 - RV) Pope Benedict has sent a letter to the participants of the 7th General Assembly of the Catholic Bible Federation which is underway in Dar – es Salaam, Tanzania.

In his letter, the Pope says the fact that the meeting is being held in Dar-es-Salaam is an important gesture of solidarity with the Church in Africa, especially in light of next year’s special Synod for the Continent.

The message you bring adds the Holy Father is clearly a message of love of the Bible and love of Africa.

May the African Continent, he continues, set the context for the lectio divina which will assist you in these days and may your efforts help the Church in Africa to “pursue its evangelizing mission, in order to bring the peoples of the Continent to the Lord, teaching them to observe all that he has commanded.

Pope Benedict goes on to write about Christianity being the Religion of the Word of God.

It is only Christ, he says the eternal Word of the living God, who through the Holy Spirit, can open our minds to understand the Scriptures.

In word’s of encouragement to the participants the Pope invites them lead Catholics and particularly younger generations to interpret the scriptures from the central perspective of Christ and his Paschal mystery.
 The assembly runs until July the 3rd.