The People Speak Out

Local voices connecting globally

This is important: to get to know people, listen, expand the circle of ideas. The world is crisscrossed by roads that come closer together and move apart, but the important thing is that they lead towards the Good.  (Pope Francis)

Canon Law 212 calls upon the laity to speak up:

2 - The Christian faithful are free to make known to the pastors of the Church their needs, especially spiritual ones, and their desires.

§3. - According to the knowledge, competence, and prestige which they possess, they have the right and even at times the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known to the rest of the Christian faithful, without prejudice to the integrity of faith and morals, with reverence toward their pastors, and attentive to common advantage and the dignity of persons.

The African Continental Ecclesial Assembly (Synodal Gathering) will be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from Wednesday, 1 March to Tuesday, 7 March 2023. This assembly will involve 100 delegates -- bishops, priests, deacons, religious and lay Catholics. The delegates will be chosen by the SECAM Office in Accra, Ghana in consultation with others. The Working Document is the Document for the Continental Stage (DCS) that will be published by the Synod Office in Rome in late October, 2022. This assembly is a chance to deepen the listening and discernment of the synod process and demonstrate that the synod is designed as an ongoing process rather than a one-off occurrence.

The Document for the Continental Stage (DCS) is a compilation of the National Syntheses worldwide including over 30 countries in Africa. Just one example: The Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference released its synthesis document for the synod on synodality at the end of August, 2022. The conference represents the Catholic bishops of three countries -- South Africa, Botswana and Eswatini: The report recommended: “Widen the preaching circle to women and other laypeople, change the leadership style from autocratic and bureaucratic, move away from clericalism, and build more inclusive and welcoming communities. This synodal process has been invaluable in helping reflection on the implementation of our Pastoral Plans. It encourages the Local Church to enter a phase of studying the diocesan reports so that, where possible, they can implement practical ideas and suggestions. This will give people the confidence that there is action." The Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference's Report seems quite different from the reports of the Bishops' Conferences of Eastern Africa -- more open to reading the signs of times and practically responding to them.

The Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) in their National Synthesis file:///C:/Users/Father%20Joe/Downloads/SACBC-Synod-Synthesis-FINAL-REPORT.doc.pdf of the synodal process in the country emphasized that the process can only be successful through the quality of listening, dialogue and a desire to relate in new ways. The bishops said there was a need for a change in the style of formation at all levels for new ways to emerge, postulating the formation and training of adults, catechists, liturgy groups, parish pastoral and finance committees as well as Small Christian Communities (SCCs).

Peace, Joe Healey