John Paul outlines evangelization in Africa - Pope John Paul II

Christian Century, Oct 11, 1995

Pope John Paul II, saying that the Roman Catholic Church's task in Africa "is immense," called recently for sweeping political reforms throughout the continent aimed a promoting human rights, improving economic conditions and eliminating wars and violence. "I must note with great sadness that many African nations still labor under authoritarian and oppressive regimes which deny their subjects personal freedom and fundamental human rights," the pope said in a message to African clergy during a visit to Cameroon on the second day of a six-day pilgrimage. The pontiff also traveled to South Africa and Kenya.

The comments on the need for political change were among the pope's most forceful remarks in a wide-ranging, 150-page document on the church's evangelization efforts in Africa. Publication of the text came as the pope, making his 11th pilgrimage to Africa, consulted with church leaders, conducted mass and met with government officials.

The backdrop for all his activities is a papal document on Africa, known as the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, which is essentially the framework that African clergy will use to promote Catholic ideals in the years ahead. The text closely reflects the comments and recommendations made by African bishops at the end of their recent assembly, which was intended to plot a course for the church in the continent.

In his message the pope lauded Africa's rich diversity, outlined the church's challenges on the continent, and discussed the social and political climate there. He called for reconciliation among warring parties, appealed to the international community to cease its weapons sales to the region, urged greater aid for refugees, and called for increased efforts to battle Africa's mounting AIDS epidemic. He also attacked a corrupt political class: "Africa's economic problems are compounded by the dishonesty of corrupt government leaders who, in connivance with domestic or foreign private interests, divert national resources for their own profit and transfer public funds to private accounts in foreign banks. This is plain theft, whatever the legal camouflage may be.

The pope made clear that he regards Africa to be among the world's most important regions for the church. While Catholics constitute only 14 percent of the population, the growth rate for new converts has been accelerating markedly. The Catholic Church is in stiff competition with Islam for converts throughout the continent. By most estimates Islam counts more members than Catholicism in Africa. But the church has countered that its presence can be noted in other ways, such as the large number of health facilities and charity groups that it owns and operates.

Mindful of the church's aim to attract converts, the pope wrote that he favors some forms of "inculturation," or the incorporation of African rituals and customs, such as dances and music, into Catholic liturgy; he feels that the church in Africa should become, in essence, more African. But he did not specify which rites would be acceptable, noting that "inculturation is a difficult and delicate task, since it raises the question of the church's fidelity to the gospel and the apostoLic tradition amidst the constant evolution of cultures."

Instead, the pope essentially turned the issue over to the various episcopal conferences, saying they should set up commissions to decide which rituals would be acceptable. He also charged the panels with the problematic task of deciding whether African Catholics can have multiple spouses, which many do. The pope did not specifically rule out polygamy. Clearly, he is concerned that if the church does not allow for inculturation, many African Catholics could become alienated from the church.

John Paul also showed sensitivity over the issue of priestly celibacy, which, according to the church's canon law, is mandatory. While he wrote in his message that priests should be celibate, his language was less of a command than an attempt at persuasion. A number of Catholic priests in Africa are married, and the church is making an effort to balance its universal rule requiring celibacy with African reality. The pope suggested that priests could live "a certain common life," or in "some kind of community life in the different forms suggested by real personal and pastoral needs." But he was not specific.

The pope ended his trip to Africa September 20 by calling for Africans to respect human rights and for industrialized nations to stop selling arms to African leaders and to aid the continent's economic development. "Africa has had a long, sad history of exploitation at the hand of others," the pope said during a mass in Johannesburg, South Africa. "Today this situation continues in new forms." He accused the West of continuing to undermine Africa through "crushing" foreign debt, one-sided trade policies, dumping of hazardous waste and "overly demanding" requirements by foreign lenders for economic austerity and free-market reforms .