Source: ZENIT
Here are the English-language summaries provided by the Vatican press office of the interventions given Saturday at the Tenth General Congregation of the Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops.
H. Exc. Mons. Youssef Ibrahim SARRAF, Bishop of Cairo of Chaldean Rite (EGYPT)The Oriental Churches and the Churches of North Africa and even of Ethiopia who have lived through the First Phase of Evangelization in Africa today, bear witness to the Christian vitality that they draw from their apostolic roots, especially in Egypt and Ethiopia and until the XVII Century in Nubia. We must say a long mea maxima culpa because for anthropological and historical reasons the evangelization of Africa ended in Nubia, Ethiopia and in North Africa. These North African and Oriental Churches, do they not have a role to play in the evangelization and missionary activity of the Church and also at the service of reconciliation, justice and peace in Africa as done by the political States?
It would be proper to mention the presence and the role of the Oriental Churches and those of North Africa for them to bloom in ecclesial communion and not be diminished to only “Monumenta Archeologiae Christianae”.
The entire Church-Family of God should be interested in Africa and not only the Churches that are in Africa... This is in effect a Synod of Bishops of the Universal Church... I ask how many, apart from Africa, have read “Ecclesia in Africa”? We often speak about conflicts of civilizations, cultures or religions. Why would we not mention, rather, the encounter between civilizations, cultures and religions to reach a better understanding and collaboration through dialogue?
