Mutual support” “

“Communion and solidarity between Africa and Europe” is the theme of the Symposium promoted by the Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) and the Council of the Episcopal Conferences of Europe (CCEE), held under the auspices of the Holy See’s Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in Rome from 10 to 13 November. 150 bishops from Africa and Europe, representing some 62 countries, representatives of 7 Vatican offices, and delegates of church organizations in Asia, Latin America and North America, met together to discuss the problems of Africa and possible forms of pastoral cooperation. In this regard, the bishops announced the setting up of a reflection group to follow up the work conducted at this meeting. “Your Symposium – said JOHN PAUL II on receiving the participants in audience on 13 November – has favoured the meeting and dialogue between the European and African cultures and mentality. It is a question of fostering the various cultural traditions in a complementary way to permit the various ecclesial communities to tackle jointly such issues as the conception of man and society, and aspects of pastoral work such as evangelization and ecumenical and inter-religious relations. Moreover, the consciousness of performing the same mission at the service of the gospel in Europe and Africa will make you ever more attentive to the hopes and fears of the family of peoples”. A brief summary of the final message is given below. CHALLENGES TO BE OVERCOME. “Unemployment, exclusion, the crippling burden of debt, corruption, the exploitation of people, the plundering of natural resources, the pandemic of Aids, the lack of access to medical treatment and illiteracy”: these are the challenges that need to be tackled in future relations between Europe and Africa. The African and European bishops who participated in the Symposium stressed the point in their final message. To overcome these challenges the bishops appeal to the African Union and the European Union “to fix for the next decade the objective of eradicating the tragedy of famine” and remind “the rich countries of their commitment to devolve 0.7% of their GDP to state aid for development”. “Respect for the millennium development objectives – says the message – represents the best opportunity to put an end to poverty in Africa. We will continue to appeal to our governments and to the European Union on the need to write off the debts [of the poor countries] and the need for just rules of trade and a form of globalization with a human face”. But the Churches too are called to play their part: “let us work for justice and peace, with efforts of reconciliation and the defence of human rights. Let us render thanks for the exchange between people, priests, men and women religious and laypeople who work for the mission in our two continents. In the life of our Churches, we must, even more so today than in the past, accompany the gift and reception of the faith in a more effective way, and combine it with a concern to provide mutual support for the formation of these protagonists of evangelization”. THE COMMITMENT OF THE CHURCHES AND THE LAITY. The bishops also encouraged the laity of the Churches of the two continents “to bear witness to their faith, to give an account of their hope and promote concrete gestures of sharing and solidarity through a balanced partnership that may respond to the pastoral needs at the service of the mission of the Church and the imperatives of an integral development of man”. “In our two continents – says the final message – we are called to dialogue with other religions, in particular with Islam, albeit in different fields. We must reconcile the respect due to religious freedom, mutual esteem and the willingness to collaborate, with the serene and unambiguous proclamation of our faith in Christ and our Christian tradition. This dialogue ought to take place in reciprocity”. Faced by the “multiple causes of death in Africa and Europe”, the message appeals for the promotion of the “culture of life” on the basis of “common values”, such as “the primacy of God, of transcendence, the meaning of life and the family”. Conscious that “Europe has a need for Africa and Africa has a need for Europe, and that Europe and Africa together have a service to perform to the world” the bishops conclude by inviting “the Catholics” of their respective countries “to enter into renewed relation, and to act together in a spirit of communion, since the future of Africa depends on that of Europe and vice versa. Let us light the torch of solidarity with the flame of Christian love. Let us work for the advent of a new world order by building with ardour the civilization of love”.