(Bishop of Moshi, Tanzania)
I make this intervention in the name of and on behalf of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference.
The Instrumentum Laboris no. 15 states: "The first form of proclamation is the witness of a truly Christian life - by individuals and communities - in response to the demands and values of the Gospel."
The truth of this statement should be foremost applicable to the religious as individuals and communities. However, when one observes the situation in Africa we find deficiencies which weaken the role of the religious as agents of proclamation and true witnesses of Christian life. There are, for instance, communities in which the material side of life is over-emphasised to the detriment of the spiritual side. There are still others who are pre-occupied with building structures which are not so essential.
Furthermore, the indigenous Congregations seem to have handicaps each according to its nature and mission; but generally many suffer from low education of the members and lack of well-defined charisms. There are some still which were started with the aim of providing workers for local needs without sufficient attention to religious formation. As a result the members could not be true signs of the call to perfection as presented in the Gospel "Be perfect as my Father in heaven is perfect." (Mt. 5,48)
On the part of the international Congregations there are some which are pre-occupied with recruiting local candidates without sufficient scrutiny of the candidates. In some cases the candidates are rejects from local Congregations or Indigenous seminaries. Such candidates are accepted in spite of negative recommendations from the local Churches.
The general low standard of education in many Congregations is a grave handicap to proper formation in the spiritual, theological or professional fields. Low education affects the whole life of the religious.
We propose that a new program of formation for the religious to become real witnesses of Christian life be initiated. Essentially it will centre on spiritual and religious renewal. The program should include:
1) Careful discernment of the motives of the candidates desiring to enter the religious life.
2) To establish a National Standard of Education for admission to religious life. The candidates should acquire basic Christian formation based on theological and spiritual knowledge before joining a particular Congregation. This could be given in a kind of preparatory seminary.
3) There is need to establish national Catechetical and liturgical program for aspirants before they join any particular Congregation. This will provide common basis of formation for all religious in a country.
4) Each institute should have a well-defined and approved charism and adherence to the spirit of the founder.
5) The Pontifical and International Institutes have to come to an understanding with each Bishop on the needs of a particular Church, especially in recruitment and training of local candidates. The African background and cultural values of the candidates should not be ignored.
6) The leaders including the Bishops should have a special concern for the authentic faith and spirituality of the members.
Original
text: English
