I have a hunch that the Catholic Church in Africa is taking
Pope Francis’ initiative “A Synod on Synodality” more seriously and more
successfully than the Catholic Church’s representatives in the United States
and Canada.
African Catholics are currently engaged in a conference to
discuss what synodality implies and to encourage some 200 participants
(including nine cardinals, 29 bishops and 41 priests as well as laity) “to
listen to each other about what the Holy Spirit is commanding the Church family
of God in Africa in order to start a new era of evangelization.”
We are currently in the “Continental Phase,” the process in
which seven continental meetings (Africa, Oceana, Asia, Middle east, Latin
America, Europe and North America) will produce seven Final Documents that will
serve as basis for the Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in October 2023.
The African Catholics’ continental meeting is lively, open,
prayerful, and attune to African mentality. The participants are intent on
making the meeting truly synodal, that is, an authentic process calling
people to listen to the Holy Spirit and share what they hear.
Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich of Luxembourg came to Africa
to address and to listen to the participants of this conference. He reminded
the assembly that “Synod is not about power. It is not about democracy. It is
about the Holy Spirit. It is about a Church which is open to the world. Its
mission is to all humanity. It is a Church which knows how to pray. It is a Church
in line with the Holy Spirit.”
I have a hunch that some conferences of bishops have paid only lip-service to Pope Francis’
call for synodality, and have reluctantly and half-heartedly engaged in the
process which was designed to listen to God’s people and offer recommendations
to the bishops who will be engaging in the Bishops Synodal meeting in October 2023.
