A common mission

It is "an opportunity to strengthen our communion and our friendly relations, and to jointly analyze our common pastoral and evangelizing mission. We are aware that in the present historical circumstances we are facing the challenge of the New Evangelization". These were the welcoming remarks delivered by Cardinal Josip Bozanic, Archbishop of Zagreb, in the opening session of the Second Symposium of African and European bishops, (ongoing until Feb 17) co-organized by the Council of Episcopal Conferences of Europe (CCEE) and by the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM). The theme of the meeting is: "Evangelisation today: communion and pastoral collaboration between Africa and Europe. The human person and God: the Church’s mission to proclaim God’s presence". participants include about 70 bishop-delegates from the Bishops’ Conferences in Africa and Europe, as well as representatives of Vatican dicasteries and partner agencies like Aid to the Church in need and Missio. Active dialogue. "The most pressing question in the Church today is the question of faith. Not the faith of those who are still in want of it, but of those who have it!" underlined Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, President of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, CCEE vice-president, in his introductory remarks. For the prelate, "this is a demanding realm, since Europe’s cultural stream is polluted with veritative scepticism that eventuates in ethical nihilism: both engender sadness and anguish. Not even material progress can curb such profound unhappiness, lacking hope in the future, characterising veritable old-agedness". But "perhaps, this cultural trend could to some extent involve also the large African continent. The violent invasion of unbridled consumerism, conceived as an end in itself, depletes thought, expectations, great traditions, authentic values, the sense of belonging to a community or a people, and even fraternal solidarity". Globalization "rapidly extends all over", bringing "positive as well as negative dynamisms that must be countered, and if possible even prevented, through the relentless proclamation of the Gospel of Christ". From this perspective, His Eminence said, "it is ever more evident that Europe’s relationship with Africa occurs not only at the level of material solidarity with those who are unjustly excluded from attaining well-being", but also at the level of "cultural and ecclesial reciprocity, namely, through active dialogue". Indeed, through its "praiseworthy witness of joy and faith, despite economic, political, cultural and even religious difficulties, Africa offers to European Churches the service of numerous priests: fidei donum presbyters or students constitute a precious pastoral presence for many of our Christian communities".The challenge of evangelization. "We intend to address the theme of evangelization taking as our starting point a life experience – our communion – directed at a specific mission, that of the pastor. This mission, which consists in the pastoral care of the human person, encompasses social and spiritual concerns alike. In fact, these are not separate concerns. Rather, these dimensions equally pertain to the integral development of the human person and of human society as a whole", said Cardinal Bozaniæ. His Eminence presented the opening session of the Symposium, and pointed out that the starting point is "an understanding of the human person – in Africa and in Europe – through the lenses of faith, created to the image and likeness of God, cherishing the fundamental needs that only God can fulfil". African and European bishops "feel the need to join forces and capabilities to better proclaim the Gospel to the men and women of our day, in all countries and continents", Cardinal Théodore Adrien Sarr, Archbishop of Dakar, reiterated in his address. This Second Symposium, he said, "will certainly offer the bishops the opportunity to live the experience of the great joy of fraternal communion in the Church, to deepen their old friendships and make new ones, to rekindle the awareness of their common mission of shepherds of the Universal Church". Also Cardinal Policarpo Pengo, SECAM president, took the floor in the opening session: "We will endeavour to deepen our call to communion and solidarity and we are going to try to live up to expectation, in order to become daily an ever greater blessing for the African continent and for the entire world. I surely expect that this Symposium will afford us the opportunity to further deepen our mutual responsibility, communion and collaboration, and the exchange of our spiritual, human and material resources among the people in our two continents".Working agenda. The Symposium is part of a project of collaboration between the two continental bodies which began following the First Symposium that took place in Rome in November 2004. During the five-day meeting the bishops will address sub-themes such as communion, pastoral cooperation between Africa and Europe (relations between parishes and dioceses, youth, families). On Thursday 16 February, the participants will be received in audience by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI; while on Friday 17 February they will go on pilgrimage to the Shrine of the Holy Face at Manoppello, Italy. The bishops will issue a joint message at the end of the Symposium.