Africae munus

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Africae munus ( Eng .: The commitment of Africa ) is the title of the post-synodal apostolic letter of Pope Benedict XVI. It was signed on November 19, 2011, during the papal trip, in Ouidah ( Benin ) as the final document for the Second Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on Africa .

Two special assemblies for Africa

The First Special Assembly for Africa was held from April 10th to May 8th, 1994. It was under the motto "The Church in Africa and her evangelizing mission with a view to the year 2000". With the publication of the post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Africa on September 14, 1995, Pope John Paul II defined Africa's prospects and engagement at the beginning of the third century .

The second special event took place from October 4 to October 25, 2009. Its theme was "The Church in Africa at the Service of Reconciliation, Justice and Peace" and had the leitmotif: "You are the salt of the earth ... You are the light of the world" ( Mt 5 : 13-14  EU )

The final document

“In the letter Pope Benedict takes up ideas and suggestions that were expressed at the Synod. It ties in with the discussions of the Synod Fathers and the results of the assembly. Nevertheless, the apostolic letter is something different from a report or protocol, something different from a program or a church political agenda. Rather, the result is a thoroughly spiritual document in which the theology of Pope Benedict is expressed and the basic perspectives of his pontificate appear almost like a leitmotif and precisely makes the voice of the Synod of Bishops audible "

- Archbishop Robert Zollitsch, chairman of the German Bishops' Conference

Brief description

The main structure of the document consists of the introduction and the conclusion in two parts. In the introduction the Pope goes back to the results of the First Special Assembly for Africa and explains the statements of his predecessor John Paul II. In the final part he takes up a thought from the Gospel according to Mark and begins with the words “Have only courage, get up, he calls you ”( Mk 10.49  EU ) the final part of his exhortation .

First part

Here the Pope addresses the question of how the Church of Africa can live and work “in the service of reconciliation, justice and peace”. He takes up the African situation and touches on some “fields of work for reconciliation, justice and peace”. These, as he calls it, fields of work include “paying attention to the person” (numbers 32–41) and “living together” (42–68). The “African view of life” (69–87) and “dialogue and communion among believers” (88–96) fall under this consideration.

Second part

In the 1st chapter (99-131) Benedict XVI deals. with the “members of the Church” represented by bishops , priests , missionaries , permanent deacons , consecrated persons , seminarians , catechists and lay people . In the second chapter he then leads on to the “main areas of the apostolate” (132–146) and finally in the third chapter he goes into the “ new evangelization ” (159–171).

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Eucharistic celebration in St. Peter's Basilica at the opening of the Second Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Africa: Sermon by Benedict XVI. . vatican.va. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
  2. ↑ The numbers are named after the letter published by the Vatican