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.