Presentation of the 2010 Strenna
STRENNA 2010, by Pascual Chávez Villanueva
The 2009 Second Synod for Africa ended on 25th October after having started on the 4th of the same month. Bishops from around the world gave more than three weeks of their time in Rome, and it was no holiday. They reflected on the theme, “The Church in Africa in Service to Reconciliation, Justice and Peace: ‘You are the salt of the earth... You are the light of the world’. The synod gave an opportunity to take a look back to see the progress, development, growth and mission of the Church in Africa. There are both blessings and challenges that mark this growth. They took a serious look at issues ranging from challenges for family, to resource exploitation, trade imbalances, debt, climate change, women in Africa, conflicts, poor governance, migration, corruption, globalization, health challenges, and insufficient media coverage of the real Africa with all its lights and shadows.
Statistical data that was presented at the Assembly by the General Secretary, Archbishop Nikola Eterovi,ć clearly shows that the Church in Africa is vibrantly alive. The data from 2007 shows that there are about 34,658 priests (up from 23,363 in 1994), 61,886 consecrated religious women (up from 46,664 in 1994), 578 members of secular institutes (up from 390 in 1994), 3,590 Lay Missionaries (up from 1,847 in 1994), and 399,932 Catechists (from 299,994 in 1994) ministering to the Church and society in Africa. Out of 943,743,000 inhabitants of Africa, the number of Catholics is 164,925,000 (which is 17.5% of the population, slightly higher than the 17.3% Catholics of the world population) (See, L’Osservatore Romano, English Edition, Wednesday 14th October 2009, p. 10-13). Certainly everyone wishes and prays that the growth in numbers is equally matched with growth in quality as well.
Recently, Fr. Maurice Makumba, the Bishop-elect of Nakuru, wrote: “Here in Kenya this synod could not have come at a better time. In the recent past, the problem of conflict in Africa has been replayed on the Kenyan scene in a most dreadful way. Since the end of 2007 the survival of Kenya as a nation has been hanging by a thread. Ethnic tensions have hit the roof, violence of unprecedented magnitude displayed, selfish political manipulation perfected, and as a consequence a battered economy almost brought to its knees. Almost everything has seemed to conspire against Kenya’s national cohesion, providing all the ingredients for civil strife and disintegration.”
Reflecting further on the wider African situation, Fr. Maurice confirmed, “It has by now become increasingly clear that the question of justice, peace and reconciliation in Africa, more than anywhere else, is closely linked to the problem of ethnicity. There has been experienced the manipulation of ethnic identities for individual political gain, which comes packaged with discrimination based on ethnic affiliation. It goes without saying that by engaging in reconciliation, the problem of ethnicity is by that very fact inescapable.”
The challenges that the Bishops spoke of during the Synod are many and indeed demanding. Cutting across all the discussions was an experience of real solidarity, true attention to each other and concern that stirred hope and possibility for all in the face of significant challenges that Africa faces today. Participants are convinced that this was the greatest gift of those days. The Bishops felt it and harnessing on this sense of solidarity offered a Message to the People of God.
Those who participated in the Synod and those who watched keenly from far have testified to the excitement and hope that was generated through this Synod. The Fathers felt that Africa calls for everyone’s keen attention. Africa offers the world much in terms of resources, both human and more. Africa is not the sick child that many perceive it to be. It is the young giant whose peoples and countries are coming of age and are calling for an equal place at the table. The Pope concluded the Synod with a Mass, homily and lunch. During the homily he called out to the African Continent: “Courage! Get on Your Feet, Continent of Africa.”
The synod is a process and not just an event. The process continues, and the main agents are those who continue to commit time and talent to this Synod. The process goes on with you and me, as we study, reflect, pray and personalize the message (and later the Post-Synodal Document when it will be published) and implement it to the best of our ability!
