Pope Benedict XVI's final appointment on the Feast of Christ the King was the Holy
Mass he presided over in Cotonou , concelebrating with over 200 Bishops from across
the continent. To whom , following Mass, he presented the Post -Synodal exhortation
: "Africae Munus" , which he had already signed the previous day . Veronica Scarisbrick
reports :
The atmosphere was prayerful but joyful in the “Stade de
l’amitié” , the friendship stadium just outside Cotonou , the Republic of Benin’s
economic capital on Sunday morning .
It’s a structure which can hold up
to 30 .000 people . But on Sunday to attend Mass presided over by Pope Benedict XVI
there wasn’t space enough for everyone , 80 .000 more spilled out around the stadium
. An orderly congregation, not just from Benin but from different parts of Africa,
eager to welcome the Successor of Peter. They came from neighbouring countries : Togo,
Nigeria, Burkina Faso Niger . And the languages used during this mass were often local.
But the outreach of this mass wasn’t just local , it was to the entire African
continent. Two hundred bishops from across Africa concelebrated . They were here
with the Holy Father , on the Feast of Christ the King for a special moment. One
during which Benedict XVI would personally present them with a document: the Post
Synodal Exhortation 'Africae Munus' of which he’d signed four copies the previous
day at the Minor Basilica in nearby Ouidah. One in Latin, the universal language of
the Catholic Church, and the remaining three in languages commonly spoken across
Africa : French , Portuguese and English.
This exhortation I mentioned, is
the concluding document of the 2009 October Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops
which took place in the Vatican to discuss the themes of reconciliation, justice and
peace..
Many of the African bishops who were present at the Stadium de L’amitié
in Cotonou were the same who attended that Synod . There are 36 Bishop’s conferences
across Africa ,7 regional Bishops conferences and a Special Council for Africa .
We bring you the Pope’s words in English on the occasion of this presentation
of the Post Synodal Exhortation which took place following the Eucharistic celebration:
"One
of the first missions of the Church is the proclamation of Jesus Christ and his Gospel
ad gentes, that is the evangelization of those at a distance from the Church in one
way or another. I hope that this Exhortation will guide you in the proclamation of
the Good News of Jesus in Africa. It is not just a message or a word. It is above
all openness and adhesion to a person: Jesus Christ the incarnate Word. He alone possesses
the words of life eternal (cf. Jn 6:68)! Following the example of Christ, all Christians
are called to reflect the mercy of the Father and the light of the Holy Spirit. Evangelization
presupposes and brings with it reconciliation and it promotes peace and justice".
As
well as those Benedict XVI pronounced in English during mass :
"On this feast
day, we rejoice together in the reign of Christ the King over the whole world. He
is the one who removes all that hinders reconciliation, justice and peace. We are
reminded that true royalty does not consist in a show of power, but in the humility
of service; not in the oppression of the weak, but in the ability to protect them
and to lead them to life in abundance (cf. Jn 10:10). Christ reigns from the Cross
and, with his arms open wide, he embraces all the peoples of the world and draws them
into unity. Through the Cross, he breaks down the walls of division, he reconciles
us with each other and with the Father. We pray today for the people of Africa, that
all may be able to live in justice, peace and the joy of the Kingdom of God (cf. Rom
14:17). With these sentiments I affectionately greet all the English-speaking faithful
who have come from Ghana and Nigeria and neighbouring countries. May God bless all
of you!".