Vatican City, 7 February 2015 (VIS) –
Providing “a common response to the new challenges facing the
continent,allowing the Church to speak with one voice and to witness
to her vocation as a sign and instrument of salvation, peace,
dialogue and reconciliation” is the mission of the Symposium of
Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), the
institution conceived and promoted following Vatican Council II to be
at the service of the local churches in Africa. This morning Pope
Francis received in audience representatives from the Symposium and,
in his address, he emphasised that the institution must “remain
faithful to its identity as a vibrant experience of communion and of
service to the poorest of the poor”.
“To this end, pastors must remain
free from worldly and political concerns, that they continually
strengthen the bonds of fraternal communion with the Successor of
Peter, through cooperation with the Apostolic Nunciatures, and easy
and direct communication with other Church bodies. At the same time,
it is necessary to maintain the simple ecclesial experiences
available to all, as well as streamlined pastoral structures.
Experience teaches that large bureaucratic structures approach
problems in the abstract and risk distancing the Church from people.
For this reason, it is important to be concrete: that which is
concrete is in touch with reality”.
“Above all, it is the youth who need
your witness. Young men and women look to us. In Africa, the future
is in the hands of the young, who need to be protected from new and
unscrupulous forms of 'colonisation' such as the pursuit of success,
riches, and power at all costs, as well as fundamentalism and the
distorted use of religion, in addition to new ideologies which
destroy the identity of individuals and of families. The most
effective way to overcome the temptation to give in to harmful
lifestyles is by investing in education. Education will also help to
overcome a widespread mentality of injustice and violence, as well as
ethnic divisions. The greatest need is for a model of education which
teaches the young to think critically and encourages growth in moral
values. An important component in this educational process is the
pastoral care of students: in Catholic or public schools there is a
need to unite academic studies with the explicit proclamation of the
Gospel”.
“There are various reasons why we are
seeing, also in Africa, a trend towards the breakdown of the family.
In response, the Church is called to evaluate and encourage every
initiative to strengthen the family, which is the real source of all
forms of fraternity and the foundation and primary way of peace. More
recently, many priests, men and women religious as well as members of
the lay faithful have admirably taken responsibility for the care of
families, with a special concern for the elderly, the sick and the
handicapped. Even in the most distant and remote regions, your local
Churches have proclaimed the Gospel of Life and, following the
example of the Good Samaritan, have come to the help of those most in
need. A magnificent witness to charity has been given in response to
the recent outbreak of the Ebola virus, which has struck many
communities, parishes and hospitals. Many African missionaries have
generously given their lives by remaining close to those suffering
from this disease. This path must be followed with renewed apostolic
zeal! As followers of Christ, we cannot fail to be concerned for the
welfare of the weakest; we must also draw the attention of society
and the civil authorities to their plight”.
“Dear brothers, I express my
appreciation for the invaluable contribution made by so many priests,
men and women religious and lay faithful to the proclamation of the
Gospel and the social advancement of your people. SECAM is also a
means of promoting respect for the law, so as to ensure that the ills
of corruption and fatalism may be healed, and to encourage the
efforts of Christians in society as a whole, always in view of the
common good. The great work of evangelisation consists in striving to
make the Gospel permeate every aspect of our lives so that we, in
turn, can bring it to others. For this reason, it must always be
borne in mind that evangelisation implies conversion, that is,
interior renewal. The process of purification, which is inherent in
evangelisation, means accepting the call of Christ to 'repent and
believe the Good News'. As a result of this conversion to
salvation,not only individuals but the entire ecclesial community is
transformed, and becomes an ever greater and more vital expression of
faith and charity.
“May the light and the strength of
the Holy Spirit sustain your pastoral efforts. May the Virgin Mary
protect you and intercede for you and for the entire continent of
Africa. To each of you, I give my Apostolic Blessing. Please pray for
me”.
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