{"id":53737,"date":"2023-04-12T16:28:10","date_gmt":"2023-04-12T14:28:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mdipime.org\/missionary-life\/assemblea-sinodale-continentale-a-addis-abeba\/"},"modified":"2024-02-23T11:50:11","modified_gmt":"2024-02-23T10:50:11","slug":"continental-synodal-assembly-in-addis-abeba","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mdipime.org\/en\/missionary-life\/continental-synodal-assembly-in-addis-abeba\/","title":{"rendered":"Continental synodal assembly in Addis Abeba"},"content":{"rendered":"

In Prague for the European continent, in Suva in the Fiji Islands for Oceania, in Bangkok for Asia, in Beirut for the Middle East, in Orlando for North America and in Bogota for South America, in Addis Ababa for Africa: These places welcomed the continental Assemblies in preparation for the October synod<\/a>. Sr. Gabriella has the opportunity to participate in the assembly for Africa, in Ethiopia, from 1 to 6 March, with the delegation of CERNA, the episcopal conference of North Africa.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"AssembleaThe first interesting thing I experienced was the composition of our delegation. There were ten of us. From Morocco, the cardinal of Rabat and George, a university student from Guinea Conakry; from Tunisia: Hatem, a Muslim journalist, Abderrazak a Tunisian Christian from Islam, Olivia, a consecrated laywoman. From Algeria, in addition to Bishop Msgr. John, of the diocese of Ghardaia, there was the representative of the bishops of Cerna al Secam, and Fr. Michel, secretary of Cerna. For the diocese of Algiers, we were three: Algerian lay woman Linda, Fr. Th\u00e9oneste, Rwandan, and me as the coordinator of the team for the work of preparation for the synod.<\/p>\n

We all did not know each other and we created a small active and fraternal group with three zoom meetings before departure, commenting together on the Kampala document and the continental one of the synod. We arrived in Ethiopia two days before the Assembly. We were guests of the Petits Freres de saint Jean<\/em>. We visited the city and its surroundings and above all, we became friends.<\/p>\n

At an altitude of between 2,300 and 2,600 meters, Addis Ababa, seat of the African Union, is the highest capital in Africa, with almost 9,000,000 inhabitants. Out of 110 million Ethiopians, about 50% are Orthodox, 20% Protestant, 1% Catholic, 20% Muslim and the rest belonging to traditional religions. Coexistence between religions, and an extraordinary history.<\/p>\n

\"Sr.

Sr. Gabriella Tripani at the synod<\/p><\/div>\n

At the assembly, organized by the Symposium of the Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), there were 209 participants from 41 countries of the African continent. There were some guests from the General Secretariat of the Synod, from sister Christian churches and from other religions such as our Muslim Hatem and someone from traditional African religions.\u00a09 cardinals, 29 bishops, 41 priests; more than half of the participants were lay people, including 50 women and 35 young people. Absolutely the first time that such a varied assembly met in Africa: previously the continental meetings were only of the bishops of the various episcopal conferences.<\/p>\n

Day after day we mingled more and more, at the table, in small study groups, in the corridor moments, on trips to visit the headquarters of the African Union or for shopping\u2026<\/p>\n

Jesuit Father Giacomo Costa explained the method of spiritual conversation that we used in small groups, each of about fifteen people, carefully chosen from different countries and vocations: perhaps the most precious moment that gave everyone the opportunity to express themselves.<\/p>\n

Father Emmanuel Orobator, also a Jesuit, proposed a lively and suggestive reading of the Continental Synodal Document and handed over the questions for work in the groups: what is the intuition that resonates most in us and can help us grow as a synodal missionary Church? What question or anxiety the bishops should address next October in the universal phase of the synod?<\/p>\n

Each group was invited to justify the priorities they highlight.\u00a0Following the group work and the plenary meetings, an initial draft of the final document to which the groups are still invited to react was presented.<\/p>\n

To those of us from Maghreb, it seemed that a discourse on relationship with the Muslim world, on the theme of dialogue, of working together for the values of the Kingdom was not present sufficiently. Rather, it was in favor of an ecclesial insistence ad intra<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The Continental Synodal Assembly was the experience of a living Church, aware of its wounds and its values, open and inclusive, but also fearful of the negative influences of the West, eager to widen its tent without replacing the beloved image of the family church, which emphasizes attention to the other, solidarity, warmth in relationships, acceptance, dialogue and trust. Cardinal Ambongo of Kinshasa, who is part of the small College of Cardinals that the Pope consults regularly, insisted on this idea – the strength of the Church, the synodal family of God, also referring to the bitter experiences of the continent (Kampala Document 56), to conflicts, racial tensions, injustices, political instability. He expressed the desire that the synodal journey lead to concrete transformations, valuing listening, the ability of all, pastors and faithful, to enter the world of the other and understand the voice of the Spirit.<\/p>\n

Sr. Gabriella Tripani, Algeria and Tunisia Delegation<\/p>\n

From the final communicate – French<\/strong><\/p>\n

L’\u00c9glise synodale en Afrique<\/strong><\/p>\n

En tant que Famille Synodale de Dieu en Afrique, nous affirmons et c\u00e9l\u00e9brons notre dignit\u00e9 baptismale commune qui nous fait vraiment nous sentir pleinement chez nous dans une \u00c9glise Synodale, o\u00f9 toutes les vocations sont valoris\u00e9es.<\/p>\n

En tant que Famille synodale de Dieu, nous sommes une \u00c9glise \u00e0 l’\u00e9coute. Nous \u00e9coutons sans juger, surtout ceux qui ne se sentent pas suffisamment reconnus dans l’\u00c9glise. Nous acceptons l’invitation de la synodalit\u00e9 \u00e0 \u00e9couter ceux qui se sentent exil\u00e9s, d\u00e9laiss\u00e9s et exclus de l’\u00c9glise. Nous reconnaissons que lorsque nous faisons cela, les autres se sentent les bienvenus et sont libres de partager leur propre cheminement spirituel.<\/p>\n

En tant que Famille synodale de Dieu, nous recherchons une conversion et une r\u00e9forme authentiques. Nous nous engageons \u00e0 surmonter les structures hi\u00e9rarchiques rigides, les tendances autocratiques malsaines, le cl\u00e9ricalisme nuisible et l’individualisme isolant qui minent et affaiblissent les relations entre \u00e9v\u00eaques, pr\u00eatres et la\u00efcs. Ces mauvaises herbes nous confrontent au d\u00e9fi d’approfondir notre exp\u00e9rience de la synodalit\u00e9, de r\u00e9fl\u00e9chir \u00e0 ce que signifie marcher ensemble dans des moments de tension.<\/p>\n

Une Famille Synodale de Dieu en Mission<\/strong><\/p>\n

En tant que Famille synodale de Dieu en Afrique, nous ne fuyons pas les r\u00e9alit\u00e9s v\u00e9cues de notre continent : les blessures des Africains sont aussi les blessures de la Famille synodale de Dieu. Au cours de notre Assembl\u00e9e Synodale Continentale, nous avons ressenti la douleur et la souffrance de nos s\u0153urs et fr\u00e8res d’Afrique. La Famille synodale de Dieu marche avec ceux qui sont touch\u00e9s par la guerre, les conflits ethniques, l’intol\u00e9rance religieuse, le terrorisme et toutes les formes de conflit, de tension et de violence. Avec solidarit\u00e9, compassion et charit\u00e9, l’\u00c9glise synodale en Afrique chemine avec nos s\u0153urs et nos fr\u00e8res en d\u00e9tresse.<\/p>\n

Lors de notre Assembl\u00e9e Synodale Continentale, nous avons entendu la voix des jeunes. L’\u00c9glise en Afrique est dynamique gr\u00e2ce \u00e0 l’\u00e9nergie, la passion et la cr\u00e9ativit\u00e9 des jeunes. Leur contribution \u00e0 la mission et au minist\u00e8re de l’\u00c9glise est un don pour l’\u00e9dification d’une v\u00e9ritable \u00c9glise synodale en Afrique. Les jeunes ont une place importante et un r\u00f4le central dans la Famille synodale de Dieu en Afrique.<\/p>\n

Au cours de notre Assembl\u00e9e Synodale Continentale, nous avons chemin\u00e9 avec les femmes qui ont particip\u00e9 activement au processus d’\u00e9coute, de dialogue et de discernement. Nous avons appris d’eux comment \u00eatre une \u00c9glise synodale. Les femmes africaines maintiennent l’\u00c9glise ensemble; ils sont majoritaires. Les femmes africaines sont l’\u00e9pine dorsale de l’\u00c9glise. Cheminer ensemble en tant qu’\u00c9glise synodale signifie reconna\u00eetre leurs dons, leurs talents, leurs charismes et leurs contributions. Pour les femmes d’Afrique et du monde entier, la synodalit\u00e9 est une opportunit\u00e9 de \u00ab participation pleine et \u00e9gale \u00bb \u00e0 la vie de l’\u00c9glise. Les femmes sont un don pour l’\u00c9glise. Il est impossible qu’une v\u00e9ritable synodalit\u00e9 puisse se produire dans l’\u00c9glise si les femmes ne sont pas consid\u00e9r\u00e9es comme des partenaires \u00e9gales.<\/p>\n

Une \u00c9glise synodale de conversion et de r\u00e9forme<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pour vaincre et extirper les mauvaises herbes du cl\u00e9ricalisme, de l’autoritarisme et de l’indiff\u00e9rence, nous d\u00e9sirons engendrer de nouvelles formes de leadership \u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026Nous d\u00e9sirons faire na\u00eetre une culture de la synodalit\u00e9 comme mani\u00e8re habituelle de proc\u00e9der dans l’\u00c9glise.<\/p>\n

\u2026 Anim\u00e9s par l’esprit d’interculturalit\u00e9, d’\u0153cum\u00e9nisme et de rencontre interreligieuse, nous marchons ensemble, appr\u00e9ciant les diff\u00e9rences culturelles, comprenant ces particularit\u00e9s comme des \u00e9l\u00e9ments qui nous aident \u00e0 grandir. Nous \u00e9coutons la spiritualit\u00e9 et la sagesse des peuples autochtones et des cultures locales.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2026 En tant que Famille synodale de Dieu en Afrique, nous voulons marcher ensemble dans la joie. Nous remercions Dieu qui nous a r\u00e9unis et guid\u00e9s par l’Esprit du Christ ressuscit\u00e9. \u2026<\/p>\n

Que Dieu b\u00e9nisse l’Afrique !<\/p>\n

5 mars 2023, Addis-Abeba, \u00c9thiopie<\/p>\n

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Infographic of the continental stage<\/strong><\/p>\n

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