SECOND AFRICAN SYNOD Zambian Pastoral Implications

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SECOND AFRICAN SYNOD Zambian Pastoral
Implications

• Peter Henriot, S.J.
• Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection
• Diocese of Monze -- Pastoral Meeting
• St. Kizito 12 May 2009

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• The Synod is not an event but a process!
• Preparation, participation, follow-up
• The Synod is not just for Africa but for the
  whole Church
• What happens here matters to the world because of
  growth and vitality of African Church
• The Second Special Assembly for Africa of the
  Synod of Bishops

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• SYNOD PROCESS
• Post-Vatican II governance and pastoral process
• Topic decided by Vatican (Pope)
• Guidelines for local discussion (Lineamenta)
• Agenda for Synod action (Instrumentum Laboris)
• Preparations in conferences and dioceses
• Actual Synod discussion and recommendations
• Letter from Pope (Apostolic Exhortation)
• Local implementations synods, workshops,
  courses, plans, actions, etc

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• First African Synod (April 1994)
• The Church in Africa and Its Evangelising
  Mission towards the Year 2000 You Shall Be My
  Witnesses (Acts 18)
• Proclamation
• Inculturation
• Dialogue
• Justice and Peace
• Communication

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Evaluation
• In your opinion, from your experience, what has
  been the impact of the First African Synod,
  highpoints and low points, successes and
  failures?
• Why has it gone that way?
• Any important lessons to learn as we go into the
  Second African Synod?

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Successes and Challenges of First African Synod,
  on Continent and in Zambia
• Maturing of African Church
• Model of Family of God
• Small Christian Communities
• Inculturation in theology and liturgy
• Justice and peace structures
• Dialogue internal, ecumenical and
  inter-religious
• Communication radio, magazines

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Failures and shortcomings.
• Faith has not influenced life as it should,
  especially relating to political systems
• We depend too much on donors
• Documents not distributed widely and hence
  Synods recommendations not widely known
• Implementation has lacked any strategic plan, and
  laity not much involved
• Inculturation has not deeply touched minds and
  hearts
• Corruption still rampant

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Process of Second African Synod
• Indeed, it is process, not simply event!
• Discussion guidelines (Lineamenta) 2006
• Agenda (Instrumentum Laboris) 2009
• Synod in Rome October 2009
• Letter of Pope (Apostolic Exhortation) 2010?
• Local implementations synods, workshops,
  courses, plans, actions, etc.

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Second African Synod (October 2009)
• The Church in Africa in Service to
  Reconciliation, Justice and Peace You Are the
  Salt of the Earth You are the light of the World
  (Mt 513-14)
• How be a church that is relevant and credible?
  Salt and light?
• What does reconciliation mean?
• What is the context of reconciliation in Zambia?
• What are the tasks of reconciliation in Zambia,
  here in our own parishes?
• What is a spirituality of reconciliation that
  promotes justice and peace?

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Guidelines (Lineamenta)
• Review of implementation of 1 so-so
• Journey through socio-political, socio-economic,
  socio-cultural
• Emphasis on formation, CST, witnessing in
  politics and economy
• Reconciliation and healing
• Questions for discussion what is being done,
  what needs to be done?

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• What did ZEC do with Guidelines?
• Example of activities around 1
• Pastoral office summary version, scriptural
  pamphlet, diocesan actions, parishes?
• National Catholic Forum November 2008
• What was actually forwarded to Vatican and how?
• Zs distractions Constitution, elections,
  poverty, tired ?? Need to self-evaluate

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• AMECEA Workshops
• Lusaka June-July 2008
• Nairobi March 2009
• SECAM September 2009
• Important influence of Benedicts visit to Africa
  and coming social encyclical

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Possible Agenda Items
• In your view, from your pastoral experiences here
  in Zambia, what should be the major agenda items
  for the Synod?

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• What should be key agenda issues for Synod, on
  Continent and in Zambia? (AMECEA)
• Impoverishment and development
• Women and gender issues
• Role of laity within church and society
• HIV and AIDS holistic approach
• Accountability and transparency
• Conflict prevention and resolution
• Environmental issues
• Etc, etc...

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Agenda (IL) four chapters
• I Context of Africa since 1994, critical
  places (conflicts), theology of church
• II Need for reconciliation, justice and peace
  concrete experiences in society and church
• III Church as salt and light grounded in
  culture challenged by globalisation strength of
  faith in Christ
• IV Church as witness life, agents,
  institutions, faithfuls
• relevant and credible?

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Reconciliation means
• Settlement, forgiveness, understanding,
  resolution, compromise, reunion, agreement,
  consensus, peace
• Patch up, square off, cease fire, bring together
• Relates to attitudes, emotions/feelings, actions,
  structures
• Fundamental sign of living as children of God,
  sisters and brothers, able to say Lords Prayer

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Five levels of reconciliation in Africa
• With myself
• With my neighbour
• With my ancestors
• With my earth
• With my God
• Expanded meaning of ubuntu?

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Justice
• Relationships both personal and structural that
  respect human dignity, promote human development
  in full society
• Is Zambian society just?
• Peace
• Not simply absence of conflict but presence of
  justice
• Is Zambian society peaceful?

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Seven contexts of reconciliation Zambia
• Political after elections
• Governance amidst corruption
• Economic prosperity threatened
• Social gap between rich and poor
• Ecological threat to community of creation
• Cultural African values challenged
• Ecclesial for relevant and credible church

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Political context challenges for reconciliation
• Are political leaders trusted servants?
• Do we have mature multi-partyism or is Opposition
  seen as undesirable enemies?
• Are elections free and fair and acceptable?
• What is general feeling of the people about the
  Government of the Day? (PIG?)
• Where are we with NCC and basic constitutional
  issues? Bill of Rights? Death penalty? Electoral
  reforms? Presidential powers?

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Governance context challenges for reconciliation
• Is there a democratic culture of, by, for
  people?
• What has happened to One Zambia, One Nation?
  Effects of tribalism, regionalism?
• Does public service really serve the people?
• How localised, decentralised is government?
• What is extent and consequence of corruption at
  various levels? Grand, middle, petty?

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Economic context challenges for reconciliation
• How will Zambia feel consequences of global
  economic crisis?
• Will copper prices rise or decline, with what
  consequences for expected royalty revenues?
• What are projections for agricultural futures?
• Why has the Kwacha fluctuated and where will it
  land? Fuel and food prices?
• Can our FNDP and Vision 2030 still be considered
  realistic?

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Social context challenges for reconciliation
• Do we recognize the growing gap between rich and
  poor, urban and rural? (Gini co-efficient?)
• Do we challenge economic model that doesnt
  prioritise social indicators?
• How do we promote gender equity in church and
  society? Youth empowerment?
• Do we see HIV and AIDS as a development and
  justice issue?
• How does church identify with the poor?

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Ecological context challenges for reconciliation
• Does our government, CSOs, church prioritise
  environmental issues?
• Is there a trade-off between promotion of foreign
  investment and ecological concerns?
• Do our church patterns promote a green culture?
  (Example of Benedict XIV)
• What effect do our personal life-style choices
  have on environment?

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Cultural context challenges for reconciliation
• What is Zambian culture? Should we keep it?
• Are values entering our society that threaten
  traditional culture? Impact of globalisation?
• Are there cultural elements we shouldchallenge?
• Are our youth becoming deculturated?
• Within our church, are there clashes of
  culture?
• Where are we with inculturation in the Church?
  More crucial than ever (Instr Labor)

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Ecclesial context challenges for reconciliation
• Is our church experienced as really relevant and
  credible? Our SCCs? Examples?
• Are we Church as Family of God? (First African
  Synod) Ecumenical spirit?
• Is justice and peace ministry a priority?
• Are laity respected and involved as responsible
  Christians?
• Do youth feel at home in our church?
• Are women recognised fully in our church?
• Are our clergy and women/men religious respected
  in their commitments and life styles?

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Spirituality of reconciliation
• Salt and light sustains and guides, transforms
  and examplifies (Instr Labor)
• Spirituality of ministry of reconciliation (2
  Cor 518)
• Rooted in Jesus mission of restoration of the
  Kingdom values of justice and peace
• Necessary to assure that our justice and peace is
  not a project but a way of life
• Does this mark our worship, catechesis,
  prayer-life, making our church relevant and
  credible?

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Reconciliation to God gives believersaccess to
  the power of the Holy Spirit so they can be
  reconciled to others. The work of reconciliation
  goes beyond relations among persons and peoples
  and extends itself to all creation (Rom 819). In
  fact, through Jesus Christ, God the Father has
  reconciled all things to himself, the things of
  heaven and the things of earth (Col 120). If
  Church is to fulfill well the ministry of
  reconciliation entrusted to it by the Lord Jesus,
  it itself must become more and more a reconciled
  community, a place where reconciliation is
  proclaimed to all people of good will. (Instr
  Labor)

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Reconciliation with an Inculturated Spirit
• Working Paper of JCTR Inculturation Task Force
  (April 2008)
• Many issues of conflicts to be dealt with
• Methods of mediation, meetings, feelings,
  forgiveness, amendment, prayer
• Symbols, rituals e.g., white maize flour, white
  chicken, eating and drinking from same plate,
  salt, green leaves, etc.

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Sacrament of Reconciliation
• Intense moment of prayer honesty, humility,
  readiness, love, trust
• Communal experience of personal forgiveness
• Possible ways of pastoral adaptations
• Always with the loving action of Father of
  Prodigal Son (Luke 15 11-32)

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Pastoral Challenges (IL)
• 104. In this regard, the most fitting response
  from Christs disciples (bishops, priests,
  consecrated persons and the lay faithful) is to
  employ the arms of faith and seek a more profound
  conversion in their pursuit of holiness through
  hearing the Word frequenting the sacraments
  participating in spiritual exercises addressing
  the questions posed by ones neighbour, society
  and events renewing efforts towards moral
  conversion maintaining a consistency between
  ones actions and the Word which is proclaimed
  exercising faithfully the responsibilities
  entrusted to each undertaking works of penance,
  mercy and charity becoming involved in society
  so as to counteract an earthly criteria and
  following a simple life-style inspired by the
  Gospel. The core of evangelization is a personal
  encounter with Jesus in daily prayer, the
  sacraments and the spiritual life, fully
  convinced that unless the Lord build the house,
  those who build it labour in vain (Ps 1271).

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Women Religious and Pastoral Work (IL)
• 127. The formation of consecrated women, who are
  able to wholeheartedly collaborate in the
  vineyard of the Lord, requires that their
  programme of formation be re-evaluated to require
  both the philosophical and theological
  disciplines. The value and efficacy of the
  Churchs teaching on working with women can be
  seen in how consecrated women collaborate in
  pastoral programmes.

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Church and politics
• 138. As lights of the world, Catholics live
  according to the spirit of the Gospel. These
  women and men, seized with a spirit of service, a
  concern for the common good and a respect for
  human rights, selflessly and courageously take up
  the cause against dictatorship and corruption and
  work for a sound and honest management of all
  natural and human resources. They sacrifice
  themselves to build and strengthen the principles
  of democracy so that the rule-of-law may govern
  the State. The Christian witness of men and
  women, who give credibility to political
  activity, will forge a culture of life, peace and
  justice in African societies. A greater presence
  of Catholic women and men in leadership
  positions, who bear witness to the values of
  credibility, responsibility, justice, probity,
  etc., will give added flavour to African
  political life

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• What do you think could be some practical
  pastoral responses in dioceses across Zambia?

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Some practical pastoral responses
• Train JP teams in reconcilation at local levels
• Pick an issue and pursue it in letters, homilies,
  lessons, etc.
• Use Agenda (IL) for renewals simplify,
  translate, study papers
• Compose prayers, bless delegates
• Put in place Synod Commission for pre, during
  and post Synod
• Especially focus on follow-up

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Path to African Synod in October
• Exciting moments in days ahead, with focus on
  Church in Africa in Service to Reconciliation,
  Justice and Peace
• Learning about it SCCs focus?
• Praying about it every Mass, special services
• Acting about it practising reconciliation,
  promoting justice and peace

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• The Church in Africa in Service to
  Reconciliation, Justice and Peace You Are the
  Salt of the Earth You are the light of the World
  (Mt 513-14)
• This is our challenge!
• This is our privilege!
• This is our prayer!

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
• Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection
• JCTR
• 20 Years of Promoting Faith And Justice
  1988-2008
• www.jctr.org.zm

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Synod Pastoral Implications

• Questions for discussion in groups
• How have I experienced reconciliation in any way
  in my life?
• How can my Church be an instrument of
  reconciliation here in Zambia, in Lusaka?
• What area of reconciliation is most important?
• What more do I need to know about the coming
  Second African Synod?
• Are the any points in the presentation that need
  further clarification?