MESSAGE TO SYMPOSIUM OF AFRICAN EPISCOPAL CONFERENCES

VATICAN CITY, OCT 6, 2000 (VIS) - Published today was a Message from Pope John Paul to Archbishop Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya of Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo, who is president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar, which is now meeting near Rome for its 12th plenary assembly.

The Pope's Message, written in French and dated October 4, recalls that the theme of the plenary is "The Church-Family of God, place and sacrament of reconciliation, pardon and peace in Africa."

The Holy Father also recalls that it has been six years since the Synod for Africa, and five since the promulgation of the Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation "Ecclesia in Africa." He writes that "the overall situation on the continent, as it was expressed in that document, has not substantially changed since then. Numerous nations continue to be theatres of conflicts whose innocent victims are the populations. ... These conflicts, due both to internal and external causes, constitute disdain for the human person, his rights and dignity. This attitude is in great part at the origin of many other evils which afflict the continent, such as economic under-development, poverty, forced migrations, the spreading of AIDS and pandemics that were thought to be totally eradicated, the pillaging of natural resources and the degradation of the environment."

John Paul II points out that "the history filled with the sufferings of the African people is also that of the Church on this continent," and he lists the persecutions and assassinations of religious and lay people, and the sacking or destruction of Church structures. He highlighted the "sad news" of the recent and "unexpected death" of Archbishop Kataliko of Bukavu.

The Holy Father goes on to say that the current symposium is an occasion to prepare a fitting pastoral and "to confirm the option of the Church as the family of God." He writes that the Church is engaged in numerous fields for the good of the men and women of Africa, "notably to contribute to reconciliation among persons and peoples, as well as to establish justice, solidarity, democracy and peace."

For the Church to give authentic witness, says the Pope, "there must be a spiritually and humanly well-formed laity, taking the place that is rightfully theirs in public life in order to be the salt of the earth." He adds that, to build a better world, "it is first up to the Africans themselves to take into their own hands the future of their nations, I invite the international community not to abandon Africa."

John Paul II closes by "strongly exhorting all leaders to seek tirelessly and with sincerity the paths of reconciliation."

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