We have come to the end of our programme. We have worked hard and well for eleven days. We also enjoyed a very pleasant outing to Elmina last Sunday. I can confidently say that we have achieved our task.

We have conducted a comprehensive mid-mandate review: I believe our final text will be one of the most extensive texts ever to come out of a Plenary Council. We examined the Actions Plans of GA13, PC14 and PC15 in the light of three key questions. We have confidently endorsed the view that the continent of Africa remains central to living out the charism of SMA. We have made concrete decisions about our appointment system that should aid stability in mission assignments. We have made even greater commitments than ever before to financial solidarity within the Society.

We were truly blessed this year to have the presence of Helene and Anysie throughout the session. They engaged with us not just in questions of lay participation but in the entire mission strategy. I am grateful to both of you for your willing and generous participation. Hopefully it will result is ever greater levels of participation in the one charismatic family for the African Mission.

We did not shy away from robust debate and tough decisions. As I remarked in my opening address, debates on structure will necessarily continue in the coming years. As we prepare a study process towards 2019, I pray that the new arrangements agreed regarding the former Bight of Benin District-in-formation will bear fruit in a more wholesome mission outreach.

Each of us is implicated in the decision made at this Plenary Council. Many areas have been referred to the General Council for further elaboration. The General Council will do its best to honour these demands and I know that it can count on the cooperation of all in their execution.

Robust debate is a healthy sign of any organisation. No one is a repository of all truth and wisdom. What ensured that our robust debates never generated into personal animosities was the overall convivial atmosphere in which the entire meeting was conducted. For that we have to thank our hosts in the Gulf of Guinea District-in-formation and Fr James and his staff here at the Regional house of Accra. Last night’s gathering was a suitable testimony to the appreciation that all of us have for the manner in which our needs were catered for. Accommodation, food, health, internet, domestic service were all excellent. I wish to thank James especially for the planning and efforts made on so many levels to help this meeting run so smoothly.

I wish to thank some others too for their good work. The facilitators and secretaries of the groups; our translators, Sylvere and Walter, for the excellence of their work – the simultaneous translation worked in a manner that was very unobtrusive. (A sign of the increased collaboration between OLA/SMA is the translation equipment loaned to us by the OLA in Rome). I wish to thank Rozario and Francois de Paul for their work on redacting the texts and their willingness to bring this forward to completion; it meant very few siesta possibilities and long evenings at their computers.

I thank our four seminarians who helped out over these two weeks. They made sure the watering hole was always well stocked and, as Fabian mentioned last night, they led us admirably in the liturgy. To Aracio, Modeste, Patrice and Paul, a sincere thank you.

I wish to thank our secretaries, Paul and Steve. You will see that there is a huge amount of work done by the secretaries in preparation for a meeting such as this. Our paperless meeting succeeded without a single glitch. Thanks and congratulations to your both for this. I seize this opportunity to say bon voyage to Paul as he leaves his post as Secretary General. Paul completes his mandate at the Generalate at the end of July. I thank you Paul on behalf of all the members who have benefited from your generous service over the past years, and I wish you every blessing in the next stage of your journey in SMA mission.

And I say of word of welcome to Sylvere as he embarks on a new assignment as successor to Paul as Secretary General. The benefit of Sylvere’s presence at this meeting is that now all of you will be able to put a face with the name. I am confident that you will all pray for him and give him every support as he settles into this demanding role at the Generalate.

Lastly it remains for me to say a word of thanks to Antionio for his excellent facilitation of our gathering. Antonio is a man of endless patience; it is very hard to ruffle him and he keeps his calm and composure through long sessions when others might be tempted to lose their cool. His careful attention to detail meant the task we set before us was achieved.

Tomorrow we will celebrate with three of our brothers as they receive ordination to priesthood. May they be inspired by us and we by them, as missionary brothers we strive to make God’s kingdom more real in our world.

I wish you all travelling mercies as you return to your place of work.

With these few words I declare Plenary Council 2016 closed.

 

Fachtna O’Driscoll SMA

10 June 2016