Background of the African Synod

  On the solemnity of the Epiphany, 6 January 1989 during the Angelus, the Holy Father John Paul II, made the announcement of the Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops, "in order to promote an organic pastoral solidarity within the entire African territory and nearby islands". The topic chosen by the Holy Father was: after many consultations, "The Church in Africa and her Evangelising Mission Towards the Year 2000: 'You shall be my witnesses' (Acts 1:8)".

  The central theme for this Synod, Evangelisation, was further divided into five topics; Proclamation of the Good News of Salvation; Inculturation; Dialogue; Justice and Peace; and Means of Social Communication. The Lineamenta was prepared and presented at the Ninth Plenary Session of SECAM in Lomé, Togo, on 25 July 1990. And, in Uganda, on 9 February 1993, the Holy Father announced the date and venue of the African Synod and unveiled the two phases: a working session in Rome and a celebration session in Africa. To show you the extent and thoroughness of the preparations: it took five years and three months from the date of the announcement to the actual Synod proceedings.

  Well-prepared after five years of reflection, discussion and planning, the representatives of the various Regional Episcopal Conferences, the Continental Episcopal Conference (SECAM), priests, religious women and men, lay men and women packed their bags and moved to Rome for one month to participate in the Special Assembly from 10 April to 8 May 1994. As we can all recall, the Synod was opened with a festive Eucharistic celebration by the Holy Father on 10 April 1994. St Peter's Basilica resounded with African musical instruments, gestures, and songs in different languages at various points during the opening, Beatification and closing liturgical celebrations.

  We remember the two sad events that occurred during the Synod: one was the outbreak of genocide in Rwanda and the other, the Pope's accident which prevented him from actively participating till the end of the Synod and from celebrating the closing liturgy. This was done by Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria.

  At the close of the Synod, there was a feeling of great jubilation. The Synod was a success, many felt, because it was an expression of the maturity of the Catholic Church in Africa and a call to proclaim the Gospel with ever greater fervour. Yes, the Synod was indeed authentically and unequivocally African, and was celebrated in full communion here in Rome with the universal Church, in a way that made the Synod Fathers feel that universality "is not uniformity but rather communion in diversity compatible with the Gospel" ("Message of the Synod", L'Osservatore Romano, 11 May 1994).

  It was a Synod of "resurrection and hope" as the Synod Fathers joyfully and enthusiastically declared in the opening words of their "Message" to the People of God at the end of the Synod, "Like Mary Magdalene on the morning of the Resurrection, like the Disciples at Emmaus with burning hearts and enlightened minds,... Christ our hope is risen. He has met us, has walked along with us... We want to say a word of hope and encouragement to you, the family of God in Africa, to you the family of God all over the world: Christ our hope is alive; we shall live" ("Message of the Synod", L'Osservatore Romano, 11 May 1994). One can see and feel the hope and encouragement of the Synod Fathers in this statement. In reading the "Message" and the Exhortation, as an African woman, my heart too burns with joy. I feel enlightened and affirmed. I experience the hope and encouragement given, and feel the urge to do something about the challenges posed!

The Church as Family

  One strong image that has stayed with me from the Synod, is of "the Church as the Family of God" ("Message of the Synod", L'Osservatore Romano, 11 May 1994). In the Documents of the Second Vatican Council, we have the image of the Church as the "People of God" which puts emphasis on the human and communal side of the Church (Lumen Gentium, n. 9). The Synod Fathers' choice of this image of the Church as Family further clearly enunciates the Second Vatican Council's image of the Church as a community - pastors, as well as the faithful, for the assimilation of the African man and woman, who of course value the concept of the family (L'Osservatore Romano, 27 September 1995, p. 8). Indeed, the Pope values this too, for he said at Uhuru Park in Nairobi, Kenya: "Why does the Pope visit Africa so often?... Africa is the continent of the family". We all know that for Evangelisation to be fully effective the members of the family must be committed to their faith in God, to the knowledge of the Person of Jesus in their life, to the knowledge of the family as Church and the Church as Family.

  As an African woman, I identify with this image very much, knowing the role each member of the family plays in the development and growth of the family at every stage, especially the place of the mother in the initial formation of the child. I see this as very important for true, deeply rooted evangelisation to take place in Africa. In my language, Yoruba, we say: "Mother is gold, father is mirror; the mother is the one who contemplates and deliberates with the child all through life". I shall return to this issue of the family later. We know the family creates, nurtures with love, tolerates and protects.

  The Holy Father with the assistance of the Council of twelve African Bishops transformed the "Message", the sixty-four "Propositions" and the two reports of the General Secretary, after prayerfully studying and modifying them, into the Final Document presented to the Church in Africa, the post-Synodal Exhortation: Ecclesia in Africa. This brings to a conclusion the first phase of the Synod and marks the beginning of the second phase.

  Then the Pope started the celebration of the next phase of the Synod on African soil from 14 to 20 September 1995. He visited three capitals of three different nations: he signed the document at Yaoundé, in Cameroon - Cameroon was chosen for the countries of West and Central Africa; then he went on the Johannesburg in South Africa for the Southern part of Africa including Madagascar and the islands; and lastly he went to Nairobi in Kenya for East Africa.

  All the way, it was a three-in-one celebration: Three arrivals and departures; three Eucharistic celebrations, characterised by colour, melodious music, song and dance; and three mini-Synodal sessions. At the end of each Eucharistic celebration, the Pope handed over the post-Synodal Exhortation, which he constantly referred to as the fruit of the work not only of the Bishops but also of all the members of the Family of God on the continent, to representatives of Bishops, priests, religious men and women, catechists, lay men and women and the family.

  Each time, he accompanied the symbolic gesture with the following words: "I hand over to you the Apostolic Exhortation, gift of the Synod for Africa...Meditate on it; live it in your homes, in your grasslands, in your villages, on your farms, in your cities, in your streets, in your workplaces. Pass it on to your children, to your children's children and to all generations to come" (SECAM Newsletter, December 1995). This indeed is my hope for the Church in Africa as she plans the implementation of the Exhortation for the Third Millennium.

  Ecclesia in Africa

  Here is a quick summary of the Exhortation. This "pastoral plan of action" is elaborated in 150 pages with an introduction, seven chapters and a conclusion. It is significant to note that in the Old Testament, there are 150 psalms and in the Book of Revelation the number "seven" embodies fullness.

  Briefly the Exhortation includes the following: In Chapter I, the Holy Father enunciates why the Synod is "an historic Ecclesial event". It is a moment of grace, lived by the Synod Fathers fully conscious of being Catholic and African.

  Chapter II gives a brief history of evangelisation in Africa, beginning from the first Christian centuries to the present era. Here it pays glowing tributes to the missionaries of various eras and nationalities who gave their lives for the spread of the Church in Africa. It calls on the Church to be evangelised herself in order to evangelise.

  The third Chapter deals with the major tasks of evangelisation in terms of the five main topics of the Synod: proclamation, inculturation, dialogue, justice and peace and the means of social communication. In Chapter IV the Pope examines the challenges faced by the Church in Africa in the light of the third Christian millennium.

  The fifth Chapter goes on to review some strategies for confronting the challenges identified in the previous chapters.

  In Chapter VI the Pope analyses the prophetic role of the Church in building God's kingdom of justice, peace and love within the realities facing Africa today.

  Chapter VII dwells on the all-important issue of mission not only to ourselves in Africa but also to the whole world.

  In the concluding section, the Holy Father assures us that God has not abandoned Africa and that the Gospel of Christ is Good News also for our continent.

  Thus, in the Exhortation and visit of the Holy Father, the Synod has finally come home to Africa. In the words of the Pope: "The document... is only an instrument and a beginning. What counts is the effective renewal of the Church's members and their ever more generous ministry and service". Again, as an African women, I find the Exhortation very affirming of the African Church, its cultural values and contributions to the universal Church; as well as challenging us to further growth by making the Gospel message our own as we move towards the year 2000.

My View as an African Woman Religious

  As a woman reading this text, I ask myself what does it say to me about being African and a woman? What does it say to other Africans - women, men, youth and children? What does it say to all those ministering in Africa? I agree with the Synod Fathers in this statement: "The main question facing the Church in Africa consists in delineating as clearly as possible what it is (identity) and what it must fully carry out (Mission), in order that its message may be relevant and credible" (L'Osservatore Romano, 13 April 1994, p. 5).

  The statement, too, is particularly striking: "The most important (resource) after the grace of Christ is the people. The whole community needs to be trained, motivated and empowered for evangelisation, each according to his or her specific role within the Church" (n. 53). It is in the light of these quotations that I express my views. I must add that I appreciate the emphasis on integral evangelisation which includes concern for the promotion of justice and peace, as well as the denunciation of abuse.

  Let me quickly say here that I have much greater admiration for the Pope since his Letter to Women. These words still ring in my ears, "Thank you, every woman, for the simple fact of being a woman! Through the insight which is so much a part of your womanhood you enrich the world's understanding and help to make human relations more honest and authentic" (Letter to Women, n. 2, 25 May 1995). In this Letter he set out his reflection on the advancement of women and the relationship between the sexes today. He followed up the acknowledgement of women's gifts by appointing very eminent women to represent the Vatican at the World Conference on Women in Beijing, (the head of the Vatican Delegation being Mary Ann Glendon). We know the Delegation's challenging contributions made a difference there. Again, that spirit of affirmation of woman is evident in the Exhortation (as well as in the African Synod's "Message" and the "Propositions"). One would hope that the gifts of women would be used to their full potential at every level of the Church's planning and implementation of the Exhortation; that the three Rs of Recognition, Respect and Responsibility will be mutually shared with all the members of the Church as Family, especially with the women.

  The Exhortation generally used the African language of inclusivity. Each group was recognised, acclaimed and encouraged: children, youth, men and women. I found myself affirming in most places the use of the words like people, men, women, youth and children. This is the language of most African people. I believe each group can easily identify with it. And I feel when it is translated into African languages for people at the grass roots level to read and understand, there would be a lot of jubilation. As an expression of my excitement for the Church in Africa in this post-Synodal era I envisage the implementation of the Exhortation in the image of a family celebration of every man, woman, youth and child dancing, (even the baby on the mother's back dances) to the rhythm of the African evangelisation/inculturation music.

Hopes and Expectations

  In order of preference I will share the areas I would love to see given immediate attention. In Chapter II, where emphasis is placed on the strength of witness of life, the essential role of marriage and vocation, and the need for adequate formation for all agents of evangelisation, I feel energised, as an African woman, and I am sure many Africans do, to take up this challenge. I hope that the criteria for the theological discernment on inculturation will be given emphasis in the Church as Family of God especially in the area of liturgy, Eucharistic celebrations and in the administering of some of the Sacraments - Baptism and Matrimony. I believe the most important challenge for the Church in Africa is to know its unique identity and its mission as we move towards the year 2000. I found it interesting to note that the "dignity of the African Woman" appeared under the heading of "some worrisome problems" in Chapter VI. As an African women, what sign do I see in this layout? It is that our Elder recognises our plight and empowers and encourages us to "Arise" (like Jesus in Lk 8:40-56 - the curing of the woman with the haemorrhage). The affirmation and hope expressed in this section of the Exhortation stir up many other specific hopes in me, not just for African women but also men and for the whole Church. To me, it means that all the worrisome problems of Africa can be overcome if women move to the forefront side by side with men and utilise their qualities of good human relations, affectivity, nurturing, caring, loving, showing understanding and sharing their deep insights for a better Africa as we move into the 21st Century.

  Again I emphasise, for all men and women, that there needs to be promotion of mutual respect, shared responsibility and affirmation of each other's uniqueness, interdependence and connectedness. I hope that the theological formation of the members of the family of God will not be exclusive to the chosen few, but shared with women, and of course, men and youth. I hope that in the appointment and training of agents of evangelisation, women will be considered and given financial support when needed, especially in the training of catechists.

  The Pope encourages the Church, "through special commissions (headed by women) to study women's problems in co-operation with interested Government agencies" (n. 21). I hope that the Church will encourage and champion the advancement of women in society and promote their involvement when it comes to political, religious and other social and/or conflictual situations. Has the Church in Africa sufficiently formed "the lay faithful, enabling them to assume competently their civic responsibilities and to consider social or political problems in the light of the Gospel and of faith in God?" (n. 54). Not yet! I hope that we may be humble enough to admit that "the members of our family as Church - the laity at most levels - still lack deep grounding in the Catholic doctrine, in their understanding of the Bible, and in speaking confidently about their faith" (n. 54). We need to map our family-oriented programme of training our people to be custodians of the faith and to lead a fully integrated life.

  Women/Girl Issues: "The Liberation of Women and Children" Issues related to women/girls specifically are of great concern to the Church as Family. The Pope says: "The Church deplores and condemns...all customs and practices which deprive women of their rights and respect due to them" (n. 121), for example, widowhood rites, bride price, teenage pregnancies, single mothers, injustice in marriage especially in regard to women caught in the web of polygamy, and adequate remuneration for work. The plight of the girl-child is still terrible: genital mutilation is most prevalent in Somalia and Djibouti - 98 per cent of girls there are affected; in Ethiopia, Sierra Leone and Eritrea 90 per cent; in Sudan 89 per cent, Mali 75 per cent and Burkina Faso 70 per cent (New Internationalist, June 1995, p. 14). Ninety million girls altogether are still deprived of formal schooling. About 75 per cent of girls in Burkina Faso, Burundi, Mali and Niger are affected, and over 50 per cent in Guinea, Morocco and Senegal. I hope that women's groups themselves, with proper integral formation, education and with encouragement from other groups - pastors, men and youth - will find ways to address this issue. The Pope stressed: "Women should be properly trained so that they can participate at appropriate levels in the Church's apostolic activities" (n. 121).

"The Problems of Refugees and Displaced Persons" - "Fratricidal Wars"

  As an African women, I cannot but grieve at the terrible situations facing that continent. One major one is the problem of refugees because of wars and ethnic strife. In Zaire, more than 800,000 people have been displaced; up to 50,000 killed in Burundi in 1993, Rwanda lost an estimated 200-500,000 at the time of the genocide; fifteen million people, mostly women and children, many from African countries (Somalia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Sudan) seek refuge in neighbouring countries. The Church's response to all these situations has been marvellous in terms of creating refugee camps, providing health care, education and other facilities. But I believe the greatest need is to conscientise our people to find non-violent ways of resolving differences instead of taking up arms.

  The Pope challenged us as a Family during his visit to Yaoundé: "Do not let the differences and distances between you crystallise into divisive barriers but rather... share the extraordinary riches of Christ's heart... Be witnesses of Christ; tirelessly forgive" (L'Osservatore Romano, 27 September 1995, pp. 2-3). Like a truly African Family, we as Church will need to seek ways to appreciate, promote, nourish and cherish that "variegated mosaic of races (ethnic groups)" in order to relish our unity in diversity. These plans will also counteract the negative sides of the family life of today and some of the African cultures.

  Hunger Problems: "Increasing Poverty, Malnutrition caused by Widespread Deterioration in the Standard of Living" (n. 114)

 "A hungry person is an angry person" so the saying goes. As a woman, I am worried to see that there are many who face persistent everyday hunger in Africa today. The number of undernourished in 1970 was 94 million = 35 per cent, in 1975 it was 112 million = 37 per cent, in 1980 it was 128 million = 36 per cent, in 1990 it was 175 million =37 per cent. I am sure the number has grown in recent years to 200 million. In most countries very few can afford to eat two meals a day. The Church as Family needs to ask herself: "What unnecessary demands do we make on the poor? How prophetic are we in our lifestyle?" The Exhortation challenges us to look at this: "It is necessary therefore to examine with care the procedures, the possessions and the life style of the Church" (n. 106). There is a spirit of sharing in the African family. How can we encourage and challenge one another to be prophetic, honest Christians, in our places of work and to share our gifts generously?
  Education is the key to success and enlightenment. As an educator, my heart aches to see that literacy rates have fallen in 30 out of 39 sub-Saharan African countries. Generally, new schools are not being built, while drop-out rates run as high as 45 per cent in Senegal, for example.
  Enrolment in higher education is 21 students per 100,000 inhabitants in Tanzania New Internationalist, December 1994, p. 29). University students in Ghana and Nigeria in recent years have lost a whole year because of strike actions. Primary and Secondary schools are closed for months, teachers and students go in search of other means of making a livelihood because of lack of an adequate living wage. What can the Church as Family of God do to fulfill her prophetic role in this area? The Pope's challenge to the Church as Family is to foster "education for all" (n. 102).

Economics

  As an African woman, I do care about the plight of many of our people who experience in a terrible way the effects of the Structural Adjustment Programmes. At present the former middle-class and lower middle-class seem to have been wiped out. Many families are feeling the pinch. In fact twenty-five out of the fifty-four countries of Africa are feeling this severe effect of the Structural Adjustment Programmes imposed by the International Monetary Fund. This devaluation favours the First World market, in that it determines the price of African cash-crops like cocoa, coffee, bananas, to name but a few. There is "need for a compassionate ear" from First World countries to the cries of the poor nations" (n. 114).
  I remember the Synod Fathers wrote an open letter to their Brother Bishops in Europe and North America on the issue of the foreign debt entitled "Forgive Us Our Debt". The U.S. Bishops responded with a programme of action, calling for systemic changes and co-responsibility from their Governments and the banks (SECAM Newsletter, August 1995). Groups working for justice and peace, too, have been very outspoken on this issue of the Third World Debt. I am told, "The Bank Members are faceless, so nothing can be done". As a Church, we have our Church Family members in strategic positions and we need to encourage them to put pressure on their Governments not to go into further debt and to learn to spend wisely and honestly, being able to differentiate between private, individual pockets and the public fund. The Pope's pressing appeal in this area was very encouraging and challenging (n. 120).

  Environment

  It is impressive to see that many all over the world are championing the cause of Africa, calling for a ban on the dumping and import of toxic and solid waste, nuclear weapons and the sale of arms, calling for investment in renewable energy resources - use of solar energy for cooking and lighting in Africa, inclusion in decision-making processes on environmental issues and education of rural women and men about alternative sources of energy which reduce men and women's work while protecting the environment. Can anyone tell me why solar energy is not used in every household in Africa?
  Many have urged that strong measures be meted out to African Heads of State who are dictators: freezing the foreign bank accounts of the individuals concerned, and those of their family members and associates; formally suspending these countries from the IMF and the World Bank; placing embargoes on the countries' exports; banning weapon sales to the regimes; expelling their ambassadors from Western capitals... (New Internationalist, September 1994, p. 25). I think some of these measures would only make life more unbearable for the ordinary people. What other strategic plans can the Church as Family make? I hope the image of Church as Family will move and empower people to address these problems individually and as a community.

  Mass Media

  A teacher once said "When I listen, I know; when I read, I understand; when I see, I am enriched". But the effect of hearing and seeing can be negative - which is often the effect of most mass media programmes today. The Vatican Radio and Television is a powerful force in Italy and indeed in the world for spreading the Good News of the love of God, especially Good News in Africa - which is rarely proclaimed elsewhere. As an African women living in Rome, I see the potential for our Church as Family in this area to produce good and challenging media coverage that would educate, conscientise and liberate our people, and also train them in the area of media-critiquing.

  Health - Demographic Concerns and Threats to the Family "Lack of Elementary Health and Social Services, Resulting in Endemic Disease, the Scourge of AIDS"

  In the field of health there are also grave concerns. Many of our members from all over the world, including Africans both lay and religious, have responded very generously to the cry of African countries for help in the area of primary health care, e.g., those attacked by Ebola disease in Zaire, victims of AIDS in East Africa, the refugee centres in Burundi, Liberia, Rwanda, Uganda and Sierra Leone, to name a few. Much more needs to be done in the area of preventive medicine. The Exhortation calls for more education and involvement in this area.

  Politics and Government: Political Instability

  "I feel it my duty to express heartfelt thanks to the Church... as a promoter of peace and reconcili-ation in many situations of conflict, political turmoil and civil wars" (n. 45). As a woman, I acknowledge with great admiration what the Bishops' Conferences of many African countries had done before, and more so after the Synod, in the area of political conscientisation, by posing very challenging questions to African Governments. Through their communiqu,s they address unjust structures in various countries. Letters have been written to Governments and regimes by Bishops' Conferences on democratic rule, justice and peace, etc.; they are, of course, a strong force to be reckoned with. They are in many places the voice of the voiceless. How can the different groups in the family be mobilised to do the same in this non-violent prophetic way? I would hope that more education will be available at all levels to conscientise our people on their voting rights and obligations, too. With the Synod Fathers and the Pope I pray fervently that "holy politicians" (n. 111) will arise in Africa as we move towards the year 2000. Evil triumphs when good people stand by and do nothing.
  These are some of the major areas of concern which the Church as Family must continue to find ways to deal with.

  Post-Synodal Plans

  Many national Episcopal Conferences have mapped out strategies for working with the people to claim and to proclaim the post-Synodal message; for instance, calling for good and solid formation programmes in the area of Evangelisation, and in the promotion of reconciliation. Translation of the Documents of the Synod including the Exhortation have been and are being made in many countries into local languages: Swahili, Arabic, Yoruba, etc. At the Regional Conference level and SECAM, plans have also been made to implement the Synod. I hope that with all these plans more of our Church members at every level will be involved.
  I feel very positive about the Exhortation. Personally, as an African woman, I do not find it offensive, patronising or discouraging, but rather confirming and empowering.
  While there is much that is positive, there is also some disappointment regarding the Synod and the Exhortation. I see these disappointments as continuous challenges to the Church as Family:
  a. Priestly Celibacy: One would hope that ad-equate formation in the areas of spiritual and human development would be given in all institutes of initial and continuing formation. I single out this comment: "I would have thought that this should have been raised as an issue requiring the pastoral concern of the Church and perhaps requesting the Church at the universal level to look at the issue in relation to the Church tradition" (Rt. Rev. Prof. Zabion Nathamburi, a Methodist Bishop from Kenya, who was a Fraternal Delegate at the Synod: SECAM Newsletter, August 1995). My response is that celibacy is a universal challenge to the Church and the African scene is no exception.
  b. The Challenge of Polygamy: Baptism of the women and men who want to be Christians. There was surprise in some quarters that this topic was not addressed under the section on Marriage and Family, nor under the Dignity of Women. I suppose the Church in Africa as an adult Church feels that many of her members for decades have been conscientising and exploring ways of ministering to the people concerned. I hope this exploration will continue especially in the area of formation of youth in their choice of partners for Christian marriage. (Other issues like the combining of traditional marriage with Church weddings, and naming ceremonies with Baptism, are being given attention in experimentation).
  c. Youth: Some felt that the problems of youth in African society were not given priority in the Exhortation. Briefly but concisely, this topic was treated and, or course, young people are included in other areas of the Exhortation. The Exhortation encourages youth to take seriously their own personal development and that of their country. I suppose that the youth in Africa will face the next century with greater confidence if the Church as Family forms her youth to value Christianity as a way of life, and tackles some key problems such as the exodus to urban areas and other countries, respect for other Christians and religions, and ethno-centricity. Also we need to encourage adequate family supervision, provide positive media programmes, form youth to ask the right questions, and teach them to be self-reliant as was done in the traditional family.
  d. Environment: I would have loved to see more done on this topic, but then it is impossible for the Pope to touch on every area in great detail. In Yoruba we say: "A small word is enough for the wise one, for when it gets inside the person, it grows into a huge bunch".

Conclusion

  The post-Synodal Exhortation is very rich, full of possibilities and challenges for the Church in Africa as it faces the third millennium. Like an endangered species in today's world, the Church as Family in Africa must seek creative ways to face squarely its challenges of inclusivity, interdependence and inculturation in order to be deeply rooted in Christ our Elder Brother, Healer, Liberator and Friend. Evangelisation needs personal knowledge of Jesus Christ, understanding of the African culture and spirituality. In owning the Gospel message, we must be ready to be counter-cultural. The Church as Family must resist the pressure of materialism and the negative effects of the media and promote its connectedness as a united family of God with all the diversity of cultures and languages. The laity, priests, religious and Bishops as a family embody Christ, and each one needs the others to promote life in the Church. We are all called to a life of holiness as faithful followers of Christ. "The fully trained disciple will always be like the teacher" (Lk 6:39-49).
  We need to be liberated from our fear and suspicion of one another, from fear of the forces of evil spirits and of sects that entice our members away. We must find ways to include the contribution of our members in our liturgies by making the Eucharist a celebration of life in every aspect. As we move towards the year 2000, we Catholics in Africa must be empowered to see ourselves as guardians of the faith and to proclaim it confidently by our way of life. We have been commissioned "to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last" (Jn 15:16).
  In this presentation, I have shared with you the story of the African Synod at its various stages. My impression of that great Document Ecclesia in Africa has many possibilities for the "Church as Family" in Africa. My hope and expectation is that it is in the concrete strategies that the Family of God in Africa, at all levels of the Church, will map out for further exploration, experimentation and implementation, trusting that our God is with us and leading us in the dance. It is said that "It is not the size of the giver of the gift that counts, but the size of gift in the giver". The African Church is fully equipped for action! She must dance in response to the fruits and gifts of the Spirit. Indeed, I am proud to be an African and to be part of this great African Church with so many possibilities for its self-discovery and work on the eve of the third millennium. Africa continues to depend on your support and to give you hers in an interdependent way just as it is in the family.
  Yes, the stage is set, the fruit of the Synod, the FAMILY DANCE of the African Church continues. In the words of this special song, I end: "...Since Love is Lord of Heaven and earth, how can we keep from singing?" How can we keep from dancing to the rhythm of those musical instruments which are so alive that they echo on?

  (Conference given by Sister Veronica Openibo, SHCJ., at the SEDOS Annual General Assembly in Rome on 5th December 1995).