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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3 Families (n. 92) Priests (n. 39) Permanent deacons (nn. 115-<br />
116)<br />
4 Youth (n. 93) Sem<strong>in</strong>arians (n. 40) Consecr<strong>at</strong>ed Persons (nn. 117-<br />
120)<br />
5 Consecr<strong>at</strong>ed Persons (n. 94) Permanent deacons (n. 41) Sem<strong>in</strong>arians (nn. 121-124)<br />
6 Sem<strong>in</strong>arians s (n. 95) Religious (n. 42) C<strong>at</strong>ech<strong>is</strong>ts (nn. 125-127)<br />
7 Deacons (n. 96) C<strong>at</strong>ech<strong>is</strong>ts (nn. 43-44) Laity (nn. 128-131)<br />
8 Priests (n. 97)<br />
9 B<strong>is</strong>hops (n. 98)<br />
Ecclesia <strong>in</strong> Africa <strong>is</strong> placed <strong>in</strong> cont<strong>in</strong>uity with <strong>the</strong> Second V<strong>at</strong>ican Council with its image <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
Church People <strong>of</strong> God (used 18 times <strong>in</strong> John Paul II’s Exhort<strong>at</strong>ion) <strong>and</strong> <strong>is</strong> addressed to <strong>the</strong> entire<br />
People <strong>of</strong> God (EIA, n. 14) as agents <strong>of</strong> Evangel<strong>is</strong><strong>at</strong>ion (EIA, n. 88). It seems to me th<strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong> Synod<br />
F<strong>at</strong>hers <strong>and</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r men <strong>and</strong> women participants repe<strong>at</strong>ed th<strong>is</strong> image <strong>of</strong> a Church communion <strong>in</strong><br />
Africa <strong>and</strong> its neighbour<strong>in</strong>g <strong>is</strong>l<strong>and</strong>s. Moreover, <strong>the</strong>y accorded a significant role to <strong>the</strong> laity (Prop.<br />
37-38) as agents <strong>of</strong> reconcili<strong>at</strong>ion.<br />
At <strong>the</strong> open<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Exhort<strong>at</strong>ion <strong>of</strong> Benedict XVI, by contrast, we read:<br />
Africa’s commitment to <strong>the</strong> Lord Jesus Chr<strong>is</strong>t <strong>is</strong> a precious treasure which I entrust <strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> th<strong>is</strong> third millennium to <strong>the</strong> b<strong>is</strong>hops, priests, permanent deacons, consecr<strong>at</strong>ed<br />
persons, c<strong>at</strong>ech<strong>is</strong>ts <strong>and</strong> lay faithful <strong>of</strong> th<strong>at</strong> beloved cont<strong>in</strong>ent <strong>and</strong> its neighbour<strong>in</strong>g <strong>is</strong>l<strong>and</strong>s<br />
(AM, n. 1).<br />
It <strong>is</strong> true th<strong>at</strong> <strong>in</strong> some parts <strong>of</strong> Africa, even if <strong>the</strong>re are only two people, <strong>the</strong>y absolutely must<br />
have a chief. There <strong>is</strong> a story th<strong>at</strong> <strong>in</strong> some part <strong>of</strong> West Africa, someone fell <strong>in</strong>to a deep hole.<br />
While he was lament<strong>in</strong>g h<strong>is</strong> f<strong>at</strong>e, ano<strong>the</strong>r person fell <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> same hole. When <strong>the</strong> second began<br />
to lament, <strong>the</strong> first one told him, ‘Be quiet; I am <strong>the</strong> chief here because I arrived be<strong>for</strong>e you!’<br />
It <strong>is</strong> also true th<strong>at</strong> s<strong>in</strong>ce <strong>the</strong> challenges to take up are considerable, a cool head <strong>is</strong> required. A<br />
Ch<strong>in</strong>ese proverb says th<strong>at</strong> ‘a f<strong>is</strong>h rots by <strong>the</strong> head’. I do not deny th<strong>at</strong> we have to start somewhere<br />
<strong>and</strong> someone has to be <strong>in</strong> charge, not everyone. When everyone <strong>is</strong> <strong>in</strong> charge, ultim<strong>at</strong>ely no one <strong>is</strong>.<br />
When <strong>the</strong> bo<strong>at</strong> s<strong>in</strong>ks, <strong>the</strong> capta<strong>in</strong> <strong>is</strong> blamed, not h<strong>is</strong> crew, even if he says he was adv<strong>is</strong>ed to act as<br />
he did by <strong>the</strong> (even very competent) crew! Pope Bendict XVI sought, through th<strong>is</strong> ecclesiology, to<br />
<strong>in</strong>dic<strong>at</strong>e th<strong>at</strong> <strong>the</strong> B<strong>is</strong>hops are <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> first place responsible!<br />
As he st<strong>at</strong>ed:<br />
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