Opening
Address by
Cardinal
Francis Arinze
African
Synod President Delegate
Most Holy Father,
Venerable
Brothers,
Dear Brothers
and Sisters in Christ,
1. The hour has come. Jesus Christ is calling Africa. It is the Risen Christ who calls, He who conquered sin and death, He who is the source of life. And Africa, as you said, Most Holy Father, in your Angelus Message of 6 March of this year, is ready for Christ. Africa wants to continue to give ever more credible witness to Christ, as we approach the year 2000 and enter the next millennium.
2. Most Holy Father, the Church in Africa, and indeed the whole of Africa, is grateful to you for calling this august assembly in recognition of the expressed desire of Africa for a major reflection on our response to the proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ. We appreciate very much your leadership, presence and participation.
3. Respected brothers and sisters, for more than five years, preparation for this Synod have been on. Meetings, symposia, conferences and congresses have been held at various levels. Prayers and sacrifices have been offered for the success of this Synod. Fears of possible mistakes, by omission or commission, have not been absent. Yet hopes are high. The expressed interest is intense, both in Africa and throughout the universal Church.
Now the hour has come. We have come together to speak, to listen, to give, to receive, to discuss, to reflect, to discern, to plan how the Church in Africa can give ever greater witness to our Lord and Saviour.
We want prayerfully to listen to "what the Spirit is saying to the Churches" (Rev. 2,79) particularly to the Churches in Africa. We love our faith. We thank God for it. We want to share it with everyone in Africa and beyond.
4. May I say a word of warm welcome to all the members of the Synod - Cardinals, Archbishops, Superiors General and Priests. You represent the Church both in Africa and in other parts of the world, as a sign of that communion which provides the context for our reflection. No less welcome are the Auditors and Experts, both men and women, whose contribution to the proceedings will be indispensable. To the Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops and to his staff I would like already to say thank you for the excellent work of preparation accomplished, and to express my best wishes for the task which will be yours during the four weeks of the Synod and afterwards.
5. It gives us special pleasure to welcome you, the Fraternal Delegates from other Churches who have come to share in this Assembly. In your persons we see represented the various Christian denominations to be found in Africa. Your presence will be a constant reminder to us to bear in mind the ecumenical dimension of our witness.
Nor do we forget the followers of African Traditional Religion, the Muslim of the African Continent, and indeed all the inhabitants of the continent whatever may be their creed. They will be present in our hearts and minds as we deliberate.
6. The work ahead of us is immense. We pray the most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church and Queen of Africa, to intercede for us, so that we may all do our part at this historic gathering. May the Holy Spirit, the chief agent of evangelisation, give us light and guide us to understand better the situation, to appreciate the problems and challenges, and not to miss the opportunities, so that Jesus Christ may be more and more known, loved and followed, all over Africa.
