africae munus and what is at stake for mission in the church-family of ...
africae munus and what is at stake for mission in the church-family of ...
africae munus and what is at stake for mission in the church-family of ...
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Youth: we need to help young people to ga<strong>in</strong> confidence <strong>and</strong> familiarity with sacred<br />
Scripture so it can become a compass po<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g out <strong>the</strong> p<strong>at</strong>h to follow. (AM, n. 61).<br />
Youth: I encourage you to place Jesus Chr<strong>is</strong>t <strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong> centre <strong>of</strong> your lives through<br />
prayer, but also through <strong>the</strong> study <strong>of</strong> sacred Scripture, frequent recourse to <strong>the</strong><br />
sacraments, <strong>for</strong>m<strong>at</strong>ion <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Church’s social teach<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>and</strong> your active <strong>and</strong> enthusiastic<br />
particip<strong>at</strong>ion <strong>in</strong> ecclesial groups <strong>and</strong> movements. Cultiv<strong>at</strong>e a yearn<strong>in</strong>g <strong>for</strong> fr<strong>at</strong>ernity,<br />
justice <strong>and</strong> peace. (AM, n. 63).<br />
From <strong>the</strong> above <strong>and</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r texts, we can identify 4 pr<strong>in</strong>icpal sources:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Union with Chr<strong>is</strong>t: through personal <strong>and</strong> communal prayer;<br />
Familiarity with <strong>the</strong> Sacred Scriptures, studied <strong>and</strong> prayed;<br />
Knowledge <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> teach<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Church especially <strong>the</strong> Social teach<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Church;<br />
A sacramental life (especially <strong>the</strong> Euchar<strong>is</strong>t <strong>and</strong> reconcili<strong>at</strong>ion);<br />
3. Can we go fur<strong>the</strong>r?<br />
It <strong>is</strong> <strong>in</strong>evitable th<strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong> f<strong>in</strong>al document, Africae <strong>munus</strong>, could not reflect all <strong>the</strong> richness <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> Proposals <strong>and</strong> F<strong>in</strong>al Message <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Second African Synod. Pope Benedict XVI himself<br />
recogn<strong>is</strong>ed th<strong>at</strong>:<br />
‘I was impressed by <strong>the</strong> quality <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> speeches given by <strong>the</strong> Synod F<strong>at</strong>hers <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs<br />
who spoke <strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong> sessions. Their real<strong>is</strong>tic <strong>and</strong> far-sighted contributions demonstr<strong>at</strong>ed <strong>the</strong><br />
Chr<strong>is</strong>tian m<strong>at</strong>urity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> cont<strong>in</strong>ent. They were not afraid to face <strong>the</strong> truth <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>y sought<br />
to reflect s<strong>in</strong>cerely on possible solutions to <strong>the</strong> problems fac<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>ir particular Churches<br />
<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Universal Church.’ (AM, n. 4).<br />
As he says <strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Introduction to <strong>the</strong> Exhort<strong>at</strong>ion:<br />
‘With th<strong>is</strong> document I w<strong>is</strong>h to make available <strong>the</strong> encourag<strong>in</strong>g fruits proposed by <strong>the</strong> Synod, <strong>and</strong> I<br />
<strong>in</strong>vite all people <strong>of</strong> good will to look to Africa with faith <strong>and</strong> love, to help it become – through Chr<strong>is</strong>t<br />
<strong>and</strong> through <strong>the</strong> Holy Spirit – <strong>the</strong> light <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> world <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> salt <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> earth (cf. Mt 5:13-14)’ (AM,<br />
n. 13).<br />
Never<strong>the</strong>less, <strong>the</strong> read<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Exhort<strong>at</strong>ion ra<strong>is</strong>ed a few questions: 17 why were some fruits <strong>and</strong><br />
encouragements, reckoned opportune by <strong>the</strong> Assembly, not emphas<strong>is</strong>ed by <strong>the</strong> Pope <strong>in</strong> h<strong>is</strong><br />
Exhort<strong>at</strong>ion to <strong>the</strong> Church-Family <strong>of</strong> God <strong>in</strong> Africa? Does th<strong>is</strong> demonstr<strong>at</strong>e some d<strong>is</strong>agreement?<br />
17 Cf. Here I take <strong>in</strong>spir<strong>at</strong>ion here <strong>and</strong> elsewhere from <strong>the</strong> article by Franco Moretti, ‘Secondo S<strong>in</strong>odo africano / due<br />
documenti a confronto’, <strong>in</strong> Nigrizia (February 2012), pp. 58-64. For o<strong>the</strong>r critiques, see Peter Henriot, SJ.,’Steps<br />
<strong>for</strong>ward <strong>and</strong> backward’, The Tablet 3 (December 2011), p.11-12; Paul<strong>in</strong> Poucouta, ‘Africae <strong>munus</strong>: deux idées <strong>for</strong>ce!’.<br />
<strong>in</strong> Afrique et Parole, n. 94 (March 2012), pp. 1-13; <strong>and</strong> Maurice Cheza, ‘ Africae <strong>munus</strong>’ <strong>in</strong> Afrique et Parole 94 (March<br />
2012), pp. 3-4.<br />
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