Synod for Africa: 5th report from Fr O'Leary
Thursday, 22 October 2009 09:10
We have entered the home stretch and there are two dynamics at play. The first is what is called 'The Message'. This is the document that the Synod Fathers take home with them, to show that they were doing something in Rome for the last 3 weeks. The second dynamic is the finalizing of 'Propositions' that will form the bases for 'The Apostolic Exhortation' that will only come out in about a year and a half.
Cardinal Wilfrid Napier and Fr Sean O'Leary during a break
Let us begin with 'The Message'. A draft was written and presented by Archbishop Onaiyekan from Nigeria, a few other Bishops and some of the experts present. It has 42 paragraphs and is in general good. However, out of the blue, like it fell from the sky, never mentioned in the Synod to date, came the issue of 'the condom' only here in the Vatican it is called 'a prophylactic'. It came in the context of HIV/AIDS prevention and obviously was saying that was not the way to go. There were 17 interventions in Assembly (no group work) on 'The Message' and I was amazed that a Bishop, obviously with no ecclesial ambitions, stood up and said that if this is not removed the whole document will be hijacked by the press around the 'condom', known in the Vatican as 'a prophylactic'. A sentiment supported by many. Much of the good of 'The Message' risks to be lost, which is a real pity.
The 'Curia' had strong reactions! The ex Secretary of State Cardinal Sodano argued the text was far too long and too comprehensive taking away as it does from the final 'Apostolic Exhortation', to which the African Bishops replied it was not long enough and they wanted something substantial to go home with. A second 'Curia' Bishops said the language was too much like that of a politician and far too blunt, to which again the African Bishops replied it was not blunt enough.
An example would be: 'A change is called for with regard to the burden of debt against poor nations, which literally kills children. Multinationals have to stop their criminal devastation of the environment in their greedy exploitation of natural resources. It is a shortsighted policy to foment wars in order to make fast gains from chaos, at the cost of human lives and blood. Is there no one out there able and willing to stop all these crimes against humanity?' That as you can well imagine is music to my ears. 'The Message' ends with: "Africa, rise up, take up your pallet, and walk".
The final text of 'The Message' will be given to us on Friday October 23rd. Will 'the condom', 'prophylactic' in the Vatican survive remains to be see. Watch this space!
There were in all 272 'proposotions' made by 12 groups, and over 3 days and nights these were reduced by the Secretariate to 54 and presented in book form to us. Again in general they were good. There are for example 'propositions' one after the other on the laity, family, priests, seminarians, permanent deacons, consecrated life and catechists. At first I thought they had left the women out, but no, low and behold there they were tucked in after 'the proposition' on drugs and before care for prisoners and the death penalty. They fall within the issues to be addressed by the Synod Fathers and I mean 'fathers' not 'mothers'. The 'Sisters and women' present protested so much I thought they were going to burn their veils.
I was a little sad to see my wonderful intervention on an 'African Peace Council' was lost in the final propositions. But who do you think came to my rescue? The Archbishop from the Philippians was so upset that the Blessed Virgin Mary had been axed in the propositions that he intended submitting a new proposition at this late hour. So says I to myself, if 'Our Lady' can be resurrected why can an 'African Peace Council' not be resurected! But I had another problem; only full Synod Fathers could make amendments or new propostions, Auditors like me could not. They had to be hand written signed and voted for by the group. During all the group work I was sitting beside the Archbishop of Lusaka, Teresfore Mpundu and he kindly signed my proposition and present it to the group as his own. Now Our Lady and the African Peace Council are back in and neck and neck for acceptance by the assembly or the hatchet. All propositions have to be voted on in assembly one by one. Saturday morning the October 23rd we will know the outcome.
Finally, my new friend, the Pope, has invited us for another mighty lunch on Saturday. The end is indeed near.
With best wishes,
The 'Curia' had strong reactions! The ex Secretary of State Cardinal Sodano argued the text was far too long and too comprehensive taking away as it does from the final 'Apostolic Exhortation', to which the African Bishops replied it was not long enough and they wanted something substantial to go home with. A second 'Curia' Bishops said the language was too much like that of a politician and far too blunt, to which again the African Bishops replied it was not blunt enough.
An example would be: 'A change is called for with regard to the burden of debt against poor nations, which literally kills children. Multinationals have to stop their criminal devastation of the environment in their greedy exploitation of natural resources. It is a shortsighted policy to foment wars in order to make fast gains from chaos, at the cost of human lives and blood. Is there no one out there able and willing to stop all these crimes against humanity?' That as you can well imagine is music to my ears. 'The Message' ends with: "Africa, rise up, take up your pallet, and walk".
The final text of 'The Message' will be given to us on Friday October 23rd. Will 'the condom', 'prophylactic' in the Vatican survive remains to be see. Watch this space!
There were in all 272 'proposotions' made by 12 groups, and over 3 days and nights these were reduced by the Secretariate to 54 and presented in book form to us. Again in general they were good. There are for example 'propositions' one after the other on the laity, family, priests, seminarians, permanent deacons, consecrated life and catechists. At first I thought they had left the women out, but no, low and behold there they were tucked in after 'the proposition' on drugs and before care for prisoners and the death penalty. They fall within the issues to be addressed by the Synod Fathers and I mean 'fathers' not 'mothers'. The 'Sisters and women' present protested so much I thought they were going to burn their veils.
I was a little sad to see my wonderful intervention on an 'African Peace Council' was lost in the final propositions. But who do you think came to my rescue? The Archbishop from the Philippians was so upset that the Blessed Virgin Mary had been axed in the propositions that he intended submitting a new proposition at this late hour. So says I to myself, if 'Our Lady' can be resurrected why can an 'African Peace Council' not be resurected! But I had another problem; only full Synod Fathers could make amendments or new propostions, Auditors like me could not. They had to be hand written signed and voted for by the group. During all the group work I was sitting beside the Archbishop of Lusaka, Teresfore Mpundu and he kindly signed my proposition and present it to the group as his own. Now Our Lady and the African Peace Council are back in and neck and neck for acceptance by the assembly or the hatchet. All propositions have to be voted on in assembly one by one. Saturday morning the October 23rd we will know the outcome.
Finally, my new friend, the Pope, has invited us for another mighty lunch on Saturday. The end is indeed near.
With best wishes,
Fr Seán O'Leary
To read the other news from the Synod for Africa (October 2009), click here.
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Comments (3)
Thank you
written by anne, October 27, 2009
written by anne, October 27, 2009
Not surprising that women were hardly mentioned. The fact that Sisters hold up the Church is no appreciated by the Church 'Fathers'. But a great update. Thanks
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