Pope Benedict XVI’s Address to Bishops at the Basilica of Immaculate Conception, Ouidah
(November 19, 2011) Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday addressed the Bishops at the Basilica
of the Immaculate Conception, Ouidah, before the signing and presentation of the Post
Synodal Exhortation. Here is the text of the Discourse: I cordially thank the
Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, Archbishop Nikola Eterović, for his words
of welcome and presentation, as well as all the members of the Special Council for
Africa who helped to collate the results of the Synodal Assembly in preparation for
the publication of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation. Today, the celebration
of the Synod concludes with the signing of the Exhortation Africae Munus. The Synod
gave an impetus to the Catholic Church in Africa, which prayed, reflected on and discussed
the theme of reconciliation, justice and peace. This process was marked by a special
closeness uniting the Successor of Peter and the Particular Churches in Africa. Bishops,
but also experts, auditors, special guests and fraternal delegates, all came to Rome
to celebrate this important ecclesial event. I myself went to Yaoundé to present
the Instrumentum Laboris of the Synod to the Presidents of the Bishops’ Conferences,
as a sign of my interest and concern for all the peoples of the African continent
and the neighbouring islands. I now have the joy of returning to Africa, and particularly
to Benin, to consign this final document, which takes up the reflections of the Synod
Fathers and presents them synthetically as part of a broad pastoral vision.