Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Biblical Federation in Tanzania
(4 Missionaries of Africa take part in this meeting)
Pope to Catholic Biblical Federation
Reconciliation, Justice and Peace: What Can the Bible Contribute Today?
More than 200 experts in Biblical Pastoral Ministry from all over the world
are meeting for the Seventh Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Biblical
Federation in Dar es Salaam(Stuttgart, June 24, 2008) Under the motto "Word of God - Source of
Reconciliation, Justice and Peace" 230 specialists in biblical pastoral
ministry from over 80 countries are meeting from June 24th on for the
Seventh Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Biblical Federation. For the first
time in the nearly 40-year history of this organization the meeting is
taking place in Africa. It will last till July 3rd.Every six years the more than 320 member organizations of the Catholic
Biblical Federation meet for their Plenary Assembly. These regular meetings
offer a place of encounter and exchange of biblical pastoral specialists and
assets from all over the world. During the Plenary Assembly committee
members are elected and the ongoing work of the Federation discussed. But
this is not all. More important are the common Lectio Divina and Mass, and
particularly the exchanges on relevant biblical pastoral themes and ideas,
the building of international networks and the planning of new initiatives
that often transcend individual countries and continents.With the Tanzanian metropolis Dar es Salaam, Africa is for the first time
hosting a Plenary Assembly. This means that the meeting is taking place in a
country, which in spite of all the efforts in the struggle against poverty
remains one of the economically poorest countries of the world, and which
like so many countries of Africa is also hard hit by the AIDS/HIV virus. It
is taking place in a country which, unlike many neighboring countries, has
managed to overcome any of its tribal conflicts, whose form of government
favors good social interaction between Christians and Moslems, but which
sees itself increasingly confronted with the challenges of fundamentalism.
And it is taking place in a country whose Church is extraordinarily vibrant
by reason of its proliferation of groups and movements, and particularly in
the Small Christian communities..The theme of this year's Plenary Assembly is "Word of God: Source of
Reconciliation, Justice and Peace," with the complementary biblical motto:
"We are ambassadors for Christ (cf. 2 Cor 5:19-20). This theme takes into
account the particular context of Africa even as it takes up current
challenges of pastoral ministry in the Church throughout the world. Openness
to reconciliation, a yearning for justice and the pursuit of peace are
central dimensions of Christian action that are of burning relevancy not
only in Africa. At the same time a deliberate connection is being made to
the Second African Synod of Bishops, which will take place in 2009, and
which will concern itself with the theme "The Church in Africa at the
Service of Reconciliation, Justice and Peace."As regards the contents of the work, its starting point will be the
sociological analysis of existing social, political and ecclesial structures
in the regions of the world. With this as a foundation, measures and
concrete steps should be developed that will contribute to a concerted
advocacy of reconciliation, justice and peace in the world of today from the
perspective of the Bible. Most in the foreground here is the question as to
what role the Bible as God's Word of hope and of life can play in this
regard. The meeting will end with the approval of a final statement on the
theme.The Catholic Biblical Federation is the international consortium of now 328
organizations and institutions active in the areas of Bible translation,
biblical pastoral ministry and biblical scholarship. Its members all feel
bound to the mandate given by the Second Vatican Council to help as many
people as possible find an open access to the Bible which is relevant to
their lives and to their life-situations, and which at the same time
respects the diversity of different cultures and hermeneutical methods. The
Catholic Biblical Federation is represented in 133 countries. The General
Secretariat is located in Stuttgart, Germany.
Catholic Biblical Federation
General Secretariat
Postfach 10 52 22
D-70045 Stuttgart
Germany
tel: +49(0)711-169240
fax:+49(0)711-1692424
e-mail: gensec@c-b-f.org(4 Missionaries of Africa take part in this meeting: Richard Baawobr 1st Assistant General, Quinbert Kinunda, Laurent Balas and Aloysius Ssekamatte )
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Pope to Catholic Biblical Federation
"God's Word Can Restore Humanity"VATICAN CITY, JUNE 24, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Here is the letter Benedict XVI sent to the VII General Assembly of the Catholic Biblical Federation, underway until July 3 in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. The theme of the conference is "Word of God: Source of Reconciliation, Justice and Peace."
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To the Most Reverend
Vincenzo Paglia
President of the Catholic Biblical Federation"Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace" (Eph 6:14-15). With these words of the Apostle Paul, I am pleased to greet the delegates and all those attending the Seventh General Assembly of the Catholic Biblical Federation taking place in Dar-es-Salaam from 24 June to 3 July 2008, dedicated to the theme: Word of God -- Source of Reconciliation, Justice and Peace. The General Assembly is always a privileged opportunity for the members of the Catholic Biblical Federation to listen together to the word of God and renew their service to the Church, called to proclaim the gospel of peace.
The fact that your meeting is being held in Dar-es-Salaam is an important gesture of solidarity with the Church in Africa, more so in view of next year's special Synod for Africa. "The Church has always had the duty of scrutinizing the signs of the times and of interpreting them in the light of the Gospel" ("Gaudium et Spes," 4). The message you bring to Dar-es-Salaam is clearly a message of love of the Bible and love of Africa. The theme of your General Assembly draws attention to how God's word can restore humanity in reconciliation, justice and peace. This is the word of life that the Church has to offer to a broken world. "So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God" (2 Cor 5:19-20). May the African Continent set the context for the lectio divina which will assist you in these days and may your efforts help the Church in Africa to "pursue its evangelizing mission, in order to bring the peoples of the Continent to the Lord, teaching them to observe all that he has commanded [cf. Mt 28:20]" (cf. "Ecclesia in Africa," 6).
Christianity is the Religion of the Word of God, "not a written and mute word, but incarnate and living" (Saint Bernard, S. Missus est 4, 11 PL 183, 86). It is only Christ, the eternal Word of the living God, who through the Holy Spirit, can open our minds to understand the Scriptures (cf. Lk 24:15, Catechism, 108). I warmly encourage you therefore not only to continue to make known the profound relevance of the Scriptures to the contemporary experience of Catholics and particularly to the younger generations, but also to lead them to interpret them from the central perspective of Christ and his Paschal mystery. The community of believers can be the leaven of reconciliation, but only if "she remains docile to the Spirit and bears witness to the Gospel, only if she carries the Cross like Jesus and with Jesus" (Homily, Solemnity of Pentecost, 11 May 2008). In this regard, I wish to make my own a reflection from the Servant of God, Pope John Paul ii, who observed: "How indeed can we proclaim the Gospel of reconciliation without at the same time being committed to working for reconciliation between Christians?" (Ut Unum Sint, 98). Let this observation also find its way into your undertakings these days. May your hearts be guided always by the Holy Spirit in the unifying power of the word of God.
All Christians are called to imitate the openness of Mary who received the Word of God "in her heart and in her body and gave Life to the world" (Lumen Gentium, 53). May the peoples of Africa receive this Word as the life-giving source of reconciliation and justice, and especially of the true peace that comes only from the Risen Lord. Commending to the same Virgin Mary, the Seat of Wisdom, all those gathered for this General Assembly, I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing.
From the Vatican, 12 June 2008
