Pope Francis on the priorities and concerns of the Church in Africa

Pope Francis may not have visited Africa since his election in March 2013 but judging from the many audiences he had with the continent’s political and religious leaders, during the course of the past year and his numerous appeals for peace in the continent’s hotspots, one can say that he has Africa close to his heart. Between March and November 2014, the pope received in audience bishops  from 22 African countries as they marked their five-yearly Ad limina visits.

The themes that dominated his discourses and interactions with the bishops were: unity, the Christian family, inter-religious dialogue, reconciliation, justice, peace, young people, formation and the wider mandate of evangelization in the context of the challenges facing the continent.

The first group of bishops Pope Francis met were those from Guinea. In remarks delivered to them on 24 of March,  he urged them to encourage the faithful, especially the young, to bear witness to their faith in their commitment to society and nation. By collaborating with various actors of society, Pope Francis told the bishops, the laity build peace and reconciliation by fighting extreme poverty that is afflicting the nation which has recently seen political instability. The pope also urged the bishops of Guinea to build deeper relations with the majority Muslim population, reciprocally learning to accept differences in their living, thinking and expression.

The next group of bishops to be received that same month were those from Madagascar. In remarks prepared for the occasion, the pope among others things, praised the vitality of the Church in the Indian Ocean Island nation and the commitment of the dioceses to human development despite the difficult circumstances in which the country finds itself.

During the month of April alone, Pope Francis met bishops from the following six African countries, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Africa, Botswana, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe.

To the bishops of Rwanda, a country that suffered the 1994 genocide, Pope Francis among other things encouraged them to continue in their commitment to healing and reconciliation.

And in a meeting on 7th April with bishops from Tanzania who were concluding their ad limina visits to Rome, Pope Francis in his prepared remarks urged them to “foster the missionary imperative” among clergy, religious, and lay people alike.

He noted that the Church in the east African nation bears concrete witness to the Gospel by working with the sick—especially those with AIDS—and with the poor, especially “destitute women and children.”

He renewed a call made by the Second African Synod for a more energetic apostolate to the family, through uncompromising and selfless spiritual and material assistance. By promoting prayer, marital fidelity, monogamy, purity and humble service of one another within families, continued Pope Francis, the Church continues to make an invaluable contribution to the social welfare of Tanzania.

He also asked the bishops to ensure that catechists are fully formed in the faith, with a full grasp of Church teachings, so that they are prepared to meet “the challenges of superstition, aggressive sects, and secularism.” He also praised the bishops of Tanzania for their commitment to ensuring the freedom that followers of various religions enjoy to practice their faith.

A call to a profound personal conversion in Zimbabwe

In remarks prepared for the bishops of Zimbabwe, the pope recalled the difficulties the country has faced in recent years, observing that the Church in the country has stood fast with her people both before and after independence, and now also in “the years of overwhelming suffering as millions have left the country in frustration and desperation, as many lives have been lost, so many tears shed.” He pointed in particular to the Bishops’ 2007 Pastoral Letter entitled: God Hears the Cry of the Oppressed. He said in that letter the bishops “ showed how the crisis is both spiritual and moral, stretching from colonial times through the present moment, and how the “structures of sin” embedded in the social order are ultimately rooted in personal sin, requiring of all a profound personal conversion and a renewed moral sense enlightened by the Gospel.”

Noting that Christians find themselves on all sides in the conflict in Zimbabwe, Pope Francis urged them “to guide everyone with great tenderness towards unity and healing.” He also called on the bishops to promote the formation of the faithful, saying the Church needs “zealous, well-formed catechists,” so that the Church can live what she believes. The Holy Father also spoke about the need to encourage and support religious brothers and sisters, and spoke about the importance of preparing young Catholics for Christian marriage.

The Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC) was among the episcopal conferences met by Pope Francis during the month of April. The SACBC groups the bishops of South Africa, Botswana and Swaziland.

In his wide ranging remarks prepared for the occasion, Pope Francis noted the great blessings experienced by the Church in Southern Africa, despite very great challenges.

He pointed to flourishing parishes, the growth of the diaconate, and the service to “God’s most vulnerable sons and daughters.” Where missionaries from distant countries once carried the burden of the Gospel, now the local Catholic faithful “are having to rely more and more on their own support.” They are “a sign of hope for the whole Church,” the Pope said, praying that “they will continue to persevere in building up the Lord’s Kingdom with their lives that testify to the truth, and with the work of their hands that ease the sufferings of so many.”

Pope Francis also addressed the challenges faced by the Church in southern Africa, mentioning the decline in Catholic families and a corresponding drop in vocations, as well as defections from the Church.

Peaceful coexistence is necessary in Burundi following years of conflict

The month of May opened with the ad-limina visit of the Bishops of Burundi followed by the bishops of the joint episcopal conference of Ethiopia and Eritrea.

To the bishops from central African nation of Burundi, the Holy Father expressed gratitude to them for their efforts in evangelization and commended their courageous hard work. He encouraged them to maintain good relations with the state, saying it is necessary for fruitful evangelization. Recalling the conflict in Burundi between 1993 and 2005 in which over 300,000 people were killed and over a million displaced, Pope Francis called for a spirit of reconciliation and peaceful co-existence. The pope further encouraged the bishops of to go ahead with their offer to mediate in a dispute over presidential term limits.

He also reminded them that the profound evangelization of the faithful should take priority in the pastoral ministry because the Church needs witnesses who are deeply rooted in Christ. He noted that evangelization presupposes a well-trained clergy and urged the bishops to take care of the formation of seminarians, who in addition to the intellectual training, should also receive human, pastoral and solid spiritual formation. He expressed appreciation for the work of the religious in the country, especially in the fields of education, health and assistance to refugees.

Witness and unity in Ethiopia and Eritrea

Then, it was the turn of the Horn of Africa nations of Ethiopia and Eritrea.

In his prepared remarks, the Pope pointed to the unique example of “witness to the unity of the People of God” of the two Horn of Africa nations. He said: “Though you are from different countries and belong to different rites, each with its own particular richness, your mission in service of Christ and his Church is the same: to proclaim the Gospel and to build up the faithful in holiness, unity and charity.”

The pope continued: “Confronted by so many challenges in contemporary society, including an increasingly secularized culture and fewer opportunities for dignified work, it is essential that wise and committed lay men and women guide young people in discerning the direction of their lives and in securing their future.” He also called on the bishops to identify and prepare qualified lay leaders to assist in forming the faithful to bring them close to Christ.

The bishops of Cameroon were the first to be received at the beginning of September, followed by those from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Then came the catholic bishops of Ivory Coast followed by Ghana. The last group to be received in September were the bishops of Chad. In early November, Pope Francis received in audience the bishops of the southern African nation of Malawi followed immediately by the Catholic bishops from the west African nations of Senegal, Cape Verde, Mauritania and Guinea Bissau.

The bishops of Zambia closed the ad liminas of African bishops when they were received in audience by Pope Francis on 17 of November.

In remarks delivered to them, Pope Francis spoke about the importance of the family and the need to reach out to the poorest and most afflicted and in society in Zambia. The Pope Writes: I ask you, with your priests, to form strong Christian families, who – by your catechizing – will know, understand and love the truths of the faith more deeply, and thus be protected from those currents which may tempt them to fall away. He also spoke to the Bishops about encouraging young people to play an active role in the life of the Church.

“I pray that you will foster ever greater cooperation with Zambia’s networks of active Catholic youth, who can in turn lead many others into the Church’s family,” the pope said.

Generous and courageous witness to the gospel in predominantly Muslim countries

In remarks to the leaders of the catholic church in Senegal, Mauritania, Cape Verde and Guinea Bissau accompanied by the Apostolic nuncio to those countries, Archbishop Luis Mariano Montemayor, the Holy Father pointed out that in these four West African nations, Christians are a minority and yet offer a generous and courageous witness to the Gospel. He urged the Bishops to work for a constructive dialogue with Moslems.

The Holy Father also spoke of the need to form the laity and called on the Bishops to continue paying attention to Family ministry since the family is the basic cell of society and the Church. The pope also invited the bishops to be close to their priests and to form them well saying, “Priestly formation is decisive for the future.”

Be close to those in distress

In a meeting with the Bishops of Malawi, a country of over 16 million, of whom around 20% are Catholic, Pope Francis in prepared remarks expressed his “appreciation” for the “admirable spirit” of the Malawian people, noting that despite “serious obstacles, have remained strong in their commitment to family life.

“It is in the family, with its unique capacity to form each member, particularly the young, into persons of love, sacrifice, commitment and fidelity, that the Church and society in Malawi will find the resources necessary to renew and build up a culture of solidarity,” Pope Francis said.

The pope said “As the Church in Malawi continues to mature, it is imperative that the strong foundations laid by generations of faithful missionaries be built upon by local men and women evangelizers.”  He asked the bishops to be close to their priests and young people and concluded his address by speaking of those suffering from HIV/AIDS, particularly to the orphaned children and parents left without love and support as a result of this illness. He urged the bishops to “Continue to be close to those in distress, to the sick, and especially to the children” and asked them to offer his gratitude to the many men and women “who present Christ’s tenderness and love in Catholic healthcare institutions.”

The importance good formation for clergy, seminarians and lay people, protecting the family and promoting inter-religious dialogue with the Muslim community was stressed by Pope Francis in his meeting with the bishops of Chad.

Remembering the victims of the Ebola Virus Disease

Solidarity with the countries hardest it by the Ebola virus in West Africa was a dominant theme during Pope Francis’ meeting with the Catholic bishops of Ghana when he received them on the 23rd of September. In prepared remarks the Pope Francis said “I think in a particular way about the importance of the Church’s health care apostolate, not only in Ghana, but throughout western Africa, which is suffering at this time from the outbreak of Ebola.”

“I pray for the repose of the souls of all who have died in this epidemic, among whom are priests, men and women religious and healthcare workers who contracted this terrible disease while caring for those suffering,” Pope Francis continued. “May God strengthen all healthcare workers there and bring an end to this tragedy!”

The bishop as spiritual guide and the principal actor in national reconciliation

The role of the bishop as spiritual sustainer of the faithful and inter-religious dialogue featured prominently in the Holy Father’s prepared remarks to the bishops of Ivory Coast, a country that is still mending the wounds of post-election violence after the its last presidential election.

Pope Francis said especially in the wake of the country’s brief but intense civil war after the2010 elections, the bishops are called, “to take full responsibility for their part in the work of national reconciliation,” he said, “avoiding personal involvement in political (maneuvering) gamesmanship at the expense of the common good.”

“In that same spirit of reconciliation,” said Pope Francis, “I encourage you to continue the dialogue with Muslims, so as to discourage tendencies toward violence and religious misinterpretation of the conflict that you experienced.”

Educate the young to overcome violence and inequality

Before the Ivorian Bishops, Pope Francis met on 12 September with the Bishops of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and encouraged them to intensify their efforts in the education of the young people of their country in order to overcome violence and inequality. The pope also touched on several topics including the participation of the Church in building society, in caring for those in need and the consolidation of peace. Bishop Philibert Tembo Nlandu of Budjala Diocese in the northern part of the vast country spoke to me about the apostolate of the youth in his country; the challenges in evangelization and inculturation of the gospel; and the pastoral care for the family.

Ensure the correct formation of priests

The Cameroonian bishops opened the succession of ad limina visits of the bishops of Africa after the summer break. In remarks delivered to them during their visit from the 1-6 of September the Holy father reiterated the urgent need for an ongoing dialogue with Muslims, in an atmosphere of mutual trust, saying it is essential for maintaining peaceful co-existence and preventing the violence of which Christians are the victims in some areas of Africa.

In the address, written partly in French and partly in English, the Pope also stressed the importance of formation, particularly in these times where relativism and secularization are beginning to take root in Africa. Noting that vocations to the priesthood are numerous in Cameroon, Pope Francis urged the Bishops to be vigilant when it came to ensuring the correct formation of future priests in the midst of worldly temptations like power, honour and money and urged them to give a good example in their own lives. He said that poor management of church assets, personal enrichment or waste would be especially scandalous in a region where poverty is so widespread.

By Festus Tarawalie (adapted from the Radio Vatican reports that we carried during that period of the ad liminas).