One of the speakers at the symposium

In order to prepare future witnesses of the Gospel, prophetical witnesses in a post-modern world, it is important to know what type of spirituality and perspectives should be reinvented to address the basic issues of development, justice and peace. 

This is what will be discussed during this morning with the last speakers.

Father Remi Kouassi FATCHEOUN, professor of exegesis and director of studies at CFMA, raised up the question of what spirituality of mission as the foundation of the New Evangelization. All Christian spirituality have a Trinitarian source he said. Taking further his presentation, he analysed in turn challenges in a society where money reigns. He defined such spirituality as kenotic, making reference to Christ from the experience of Saint Paul focusing on the specificity of the proclamation of the Gospel as a missionary.

But what is the place of charisms in pastoral projects? Father Yvon ELENGA, Rector of the Theological Institute of the Society of Jesus in Abidjan address the need of reinvention of charisms and pastoral projects. How to reinvent the charisms? The second Vatican council allowed to glance on how to be a Christian in our world. Charisms are always at the service of the community as vitality prospects. He called the audience to return to the triad: “Diakonia -Kerygma – Koïniona” to find appropriate responses to the missionary creativity, prophecy. Nothing can be done without the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

If today rediscovering the mission of Christ in Africa is a challenge for all of us, the baptized, in the service of the Church, what will Theology and Pastoral?

His Exc. Bishop Louis Portella MBUYU, Bishop of KINKALA, Congo Brazzaville, the First Vice President of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar invited participants to see the Church in Africa as one that takes the measure of what it should say, do or share. It is necessary that the Church knows what the Church is all about. It is born of the Trinity as St. Irenaeus says with the “two hands of the Father”: Son and Spirit.

The Church is to be seen as home and school of communion. Through the sacraments the Church lets herself be gradually shaped, hence the link between it and the Trinitarian mystery:
Trinity the origin of the Church, Trinity as model of the Church and Trinity as the end of the Church, the fullness of eschatology. The ongoing conversion of the Church is to be Trinitarian. The missionary mandate of the Church comes from the heart of God the Father. How would this Trinitarian epiphany happen? By evangelising. And what are the evangelisation dimensions of Jesus:
– It’s the paramount of the influence of our community witness, the new way of behaving. The New Evangelisation (94 Synod Fathers) must be centred on the person of Jesus Christ without forgetting the culture that characterizes these people.
– Human Promotion as an integral part of the proclamation of the Gospel. It is left to people to take their destiny in hand. Poverty becomes scandalous. To enable people access their dignity. For example: witchcraft as a barrier to the African society. We need researchers to research on this world. Apparently this subject does not interest people.

The Church in Africa needs a spirituality, a sharp intellectual mobilization, an oriented technology. The Church in Africa needs human and spiritual resources the coming days.

Thereafter began the usual procedures ending a symposium: amendment and approval of the general report, the closing ceremony speech of Father Paul Ennin thanking the speakers, guests and all participants and all the organizers of this symposium. Father Ignatius ANIPU, Chairman of the Board of the CFMA, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, did equally deliver a speech that closed fruitful and dense work of this international symposium on the New Evangelisation.

The symposium could not end without thanking the Lord around the Table of the Word and the Bread shared like the disciples of Emmaus, while recognizing Him at the breaking of the bread and as the One who sends all on the roads of Galilee.

JL THERON, sma
Director of BIRD