Bishops from around the world, learning from each other

(Vatican Radio) One of the most useful aspects of a General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops is the encounter between bishops from around the world. Different areas are often facing similar issues, and the bishops get a chance to learn from one another. During the XIII General Assembly on the New Evangelization, bishops are discovering that all areas of the globe are in need of a new Evangelization.

In Ghana, for example, the first missionaries arrived over a century ago. Bishop Gabriel Akwasi Ababio Mante, Bishop of the Diocese of Jasikan told Vatican Radio his people often face the same challenges to deepening their faith as in Europe and America.

“For me, for that matter for the Church in Ghana and probably for the whole continent of Africa, New Evangelization is timely and very relevant, especially given there are so many…forces, some of them coming from Europe – secularization, consumerism, and others…which I must say are arising against the Church,” he said.

“Even though the faith has been around for over 100 years, its roots are not deep enough in the life of the Catholics,” said Bishop Mante. “Although you may find individuals and groups who are very ardent in their faith…and therefore are an inspiration and kind of magnet for their fellow Catholics, but generally speaking, the roots of the faith have not sunk enough.”

Another area under discussion is how to make the culture more Christian.

“Evangelization of culture means we have to allow the Gospel to speak to the culture and if it does so, the Gospel will try to purify the culture because some of the cultures are what we would describe as anti-Christian,” Bishop Otto Separy, Bishop of Aitape in Papua New Guinea.

Bishop Separy said New Guinea has a tradition of “bride price”, which can lead to women being viewed as property.

“In some parts of the country people are allowed to marry more than one wife, which is of course against the [Gospel] belief and understanding,” he said.

Of course, he concept of a New Evangelization began in Europe, which has seen a rapid secularization, and with it a marginalization of the voice of the Church.

Yet in the Netherlands, where this process of secularization is very advanced, one bishop does not think the New Evangelization should forget the past.

“There is a real necessity of bringing the Gospel to the people of our times in the Netherlands,” said Bishop Everardus Johannes de Jong, Auxiliary Bishop and Vicar General of the Diocese of Roermond. “[I]n these days we should use some more new methods, but also take into account that there are older methods which have been proven to be very effective.”

During his intervention at the Synod, Bishop de Jong mentioned prayers and novenas to the Holy Spirit and the invocation of angels as practices which should be encouraged by the bishops.

When questioned whether such things are too old fashioned, he told Vatican Radio even the most secularized people are hungering for something spiritual.

“All of the bookstores in Holland have at least one shelf on Angels, all kinds of book, all kinds of cards, all kinds of images of angels,” he said. “I think that is very positive, but we need discernment on which are the good and the bad angels…Why would God send us angels if we don’t use them?”

Listen to the full interview by Charles Collins with Bishop Mante:

Listen to the full interview by Charles Collins with Bishop Separy:

Listen to the full interview by Charles Collins with Bishop de Jong: