THIRTEENTH GENERAL CONGREGATION

VATICAN CITY, 13 OCT 2009 (VIS) - The Thirteenth General Congregation of the Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops was held this morning in the Vatican's Synod Hall in the presence of 220 Synod Fathers. The president delegate on duty was Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

  Extracts from some of the Synod Father's speeches are given below:

BISHOP ERNESTO MAGUENGUE OF PEMBA, MOZAMBIQUE. "The principle source of wealth of the continent is its people, especially the young, adolescents and children. ... Many young people are drawn into violence, prostitution, the trafficking and consumption of drugs, organised crime, ethnic and tribal conflicts, religious fundamentalism and satanic sects, among other things. ... In such a context, I suggest that the synodal assembly: (1) Sends out a message of trust and encouragement to the young. ... (2) Denounces the marginalisation, manipulation and violation of children's rights as one of the most terrible forms of injustice. (3) Highlights the need for a serious study of African youth, ... and for the integral education and formation of the young. ... (4) Revises the content and method of catechesis and of the various catechisms".

BISHOP SERVILIEN NZAKAMWITA OF BYUMBA, RWANDA. "The Church in Rwanda, in her pastoral care of reconciliation, justice and peace following the terrible events of the genocide of the Tutsi and others - and in the wake of the challenges she has encountered and has partly overcome - is convinced that the work of reconciliation is God's initiative. ... The Justice and Peace Commission, in collaboration with other commissions and pastoral care agencies, has accompanied the process of reconciliation with various programmes aimed at educating people in values and at forming agents of reconciliation. ... In this pastoral care of reconciliation, the Catholic Church ... collaborates closely with other religious confessions and with public and private institutions that operate in the field of post-genocide reconciliation".

ARCHBISHOP EDWARD TAMBA CHARLES OF FREETOWN AND BO, SIERRA LEONE. "The multinational extractives are causing so much injustice in Africa that the Church can no longer remain silent about them. In their desire to exploit the continent's rich natural and mineral resources, these companies can do anything, including the fomenting of inter ethnic conflicts, sale of arms and ammunition, and the overthrow of legitimate governments. The oil rich Delta States in Nigeria and the eastern and southern regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo are clear examples of this. Confronted by such hostile forces, many local Churches cannot do much to ensure that the companies accept their corporate responsibility. Therefore I am appealing that local Churches and episcopal conferences of the affected regions intervene to ensure that just mining policies are established to ensure that African States and their populations benefit from their own natural and mineral resources. I am also appealing to local Churches of countries from which those multinationals come to intervene on behalf of Africa and its people. Those companies may be bringing home cheap oil and cheap tropical hard wood, but they are causing untold sufferings for our people in Africa. In the name of God and of our ecclesial communion, we appeal to you to help us to stop their injustices against our people".

FR. JAN GEERITS S.D.S., APOSTOLIC ADMINISTRATOR OF THE COMORES. "There are barriers and limitations in the work of evangelization in the Comores. ... As we are a minority, there is a real danger that our small Catholic communities become tired and discouraged. Nevertheless, the smallness of our Catholic communities spurs us to invest in the mission of being the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Not being allowed to evangelise with the mouth and the word, nothing stops us from speaking with our hands, that is: serving the population in all humility through works of charity. Each man is unique and has the ability to choose freely to be (or not to be) the image of his Creator. God constantly invites us to say yes with a patience that is beyond us, without ever obligating or forcing His creatures. ... Thus, it is an injustice to obligate one's fellow man to become a Muslim and to exclude salvation a priori to all those who do not follow Islam. This injustice can never lead to reconciliation and profound peace with Muslims and must be recognised one day as an ... error, both by their and by the simple faithful, so that this separating wall may finally fall as others fell in the past".

ARCHBISHOP LIBORIUS NDUMBUKUTI NASHENDA O.M.I., OF WINDHOEK, PRESIDENT OF THE NAMIBIAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS' CONFERENCE. "Namibia is basically enjoying political and economic stability, but the Church is nevertheless called upon to be a vigilant and prophetic watchdog with regard to the issues of reconciliation, justice and peace. ... We have tried to embark upon two projects which I would like share with you: (1) We have called upon the clergy, religious and faithful to encourage both the faithful and people of good will; to exercise their democratic right to vote in order to elect as their future leaders those who will be good servants and ... will fight against all forms of corruption. ... We have been meeting with all political parties to call upon them to uphold the principle of democracy in their campaigning in a spirit of tolerance and mutual respect in order to maintain our hard won peace, ... while affirming the fact that, in any race, there is always a winner and a loser, and that the latter should accept the result with dignity and humility. African leaders should therefore learn to relinquish power gracefully. (2) Special ministry to sex workers   prostitution   for which we have a priest with this charism. In many situations these sex workers, of whom 80 percent are infected by the HIV/AIDS virus, are forced into this life style by poverty and are sexually abused by well salaried people".

FR. ZEFERINO ZECA MARTINS S.V.D., PROVINCIAL FOR ANGOLA OF THE SOCIETY OF THE DIVINE WORD. "I wish to refer to the Chinese workers who are to be found all over Africa. Certainly for the Chinese State they are workers who are sent outside the borders to increase their hegemony in the worldwide economic panorama. For our States, they are no more than the manpower required for a speedy reconstruction of the infrastructures destroyed by war. I therefore propose that the episcopal conferences work with those dioceses in which the pastoral care of immigrants is a necessity in order to create a pastoral programme for bringing the Gospel of Christ to Chinese workers in African countries".
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