Synod on Africa to open Sunday; discussions will include Church growth, social problems
October 02, 2009
The Synod for Africa will begin on Sunday, October 4, with Pope Benedict XVI presiding at the opening Eucharistic liturgy in St. Peter's basilica. On October 2 Archbishop Nikola Eterovic, the secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, briefed reporters at the Vatican about the organization of the Synod, which will run from October 4 to 25.
Archbishop Eterovic pointed out that the Church has experienced enormous growth in Africa over the past generation, with the Catholic population soaring form 55 million in 1978 to 146 million in 2007. At the same time, the faithful experience grave problems, including not only poverty and disease, and warfare but persistent violence against believers.
There will be 228 bishops participating in the Synod, with 197 of them from Africa. There will also 29 experts and 49 observers. Among the guests expected to address the Synod are Abuna Paulos, the patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church; Rudolph Adada, the former head of UN peacekeeping efforts in Darfur; and Jacques Diouf, the director of the UN's Food and Agricultural Organization.
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