Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Biblical Federation in Tanzania
(4 Missionaries of Africa take part in this meeting)
The Seventh Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Biblical Federation, with its
guiding preoccupation of "Word of God - Source of Reconciliation, Justice
and Peace", was officially opened yesterday with a Eucharistic liturgy
presided by Cardinal Polycarp Pengo. Approximately 240 representatives of
CBF member organisations coming from more than 80 countries attended this
Mass that was concelebrated by more than 20 bishops, among whom were Bishops
Juda Thaddaeus Ruwai'chi, president of the Tanzanian Episcopal Conference,
and Vincenzo Paglia, president of the CBF.
from left to right: Bishop Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Catholic Biblical Federation, Mr.
Pius Msekwa, former Speaker of the Tanzanian Parliament and Vice Chairman of
the CCM, Cardinal Polycarp Pengo, Archbishop of Dar es Salaam, Bishop Juda
Thaddaeus Ruwai'chi, President of the Tanzanian Episcopal Conference,
Archbishop Joseph Chennoth, Apostolic Nuntius in Tanzania
Opening Ceremony of the Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Biblical Federation in Dar es Salaam
"Clearly a message of love of the Bible and love of Africa", Pope Benedict XVI says(Dar es Salaam, June 26, 2008) The Seventh Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Biblical Federation, with its guiding preoccupation of "Word of God - Source of Reconciliation, Justice and Peace", was officially opened yesterday with a Eucharistic liturgy presided by Cardinal Polycarp Pengo. Approximately 240 representatives of CBF member organisations coming from more than 80 countries attended this Mass that was concelebrated by more than 20 bishops, among whom were Bishops Juda Thaddaeus Ruwai'chi, president of the Tanzanian Episcopal Conference, and Vincenzo Paglia, president of the CBF.
Cardinal Pengo's homily, reflecting on the narrative of the Tower of Babel, affirmed that true reconciliation between human beings can not be achieved without reconciliation between human beings and God. The Beatitudes point to the fundamental attitudes necessary for authentic reconciliation and justice, including the equitable sharing of humanity's resources. St. Paul's pressing appeal for reconciliation and peace between peoples is of continuing relevance, not only on the African continent, but in the entire world.
Following the enthronement of the Bible ceremony, Bishop Arturo Bastes, moderator of the CBF executive committee, officially opened the Plenary Assembly. Words of welcome and encouragement were spoken by Bishop Ruwai'chi and by the Apostolic Nuntius in Tanzania, Archbishop Joseph Chennoth. The latter insisted upon the necessity of open and respectful dialogue as the fundamental prerequisite for moving towards reconciliation, justice and peace.
His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI's message to the assembly was read by Father Juan Usma from the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. The Holy Father greeted the CBF's decision to hold its plenary assembly in Tanzania, "clearly a message of love of the Bible and love of Africa". Attentiveness to the African context, to the urgency of efforts for concrete reconciliation, justice and peace growing out of a prayerful dialogue with the word of God, a concern about reconciliation even between Christians - these are some of the major preoccupations that Pope Benedict conveyed to the assembly, accompanied with his apostolic blessings for the participants and their work.
Keynote speaker of the opening ceremony was Pius Msekwa, former Speaker of the Tanzanian Parliament and Vice Chairman of the CCM, ruling party in Tanzania. Recognizing the importance of the assembly devoted to the power of the Word of God to transform society, Mr. Msekwa went on to speak at length of the challenges of the African context, specifically for the Church. The decimating effects of poverty and undernourishment, in addition to the weight of colonial exploitation and ethnic conflicts and the violence that mushrooms from this seedbed seem to characterise a situation without hope. Government has often been incapable of resolving these problems, especially considering the prevalent corruption of many government officials. The Church's mission of evangelisation must seek to contribute to the healing of this situation and of the African populations, not only in the religious sphere, but also in the political, economic, cultural and social dimensions of human existence. Basic Christian communities in Africa, with their Lay leadership, should be recognised for their work on the African continent and encouraged, even empowered by the Church leadership to be "real instruments of reconciliation, justice and peace in Africa and the whole world".
The President of the CBF, Bishop Paglia, reminded the participants of the close link between the CBF Plenary Assembly and the upcoming Bishops' Synod in Rome on "The Word of God in the Life and the Mission of the Church", on the one hand, and the Special African Synod planned for 2009, on the other hand. Being attentive to the concrete African context will change our way of reading and understanding the Scriptures, so Bishop Paglia. At the end of his speech, he announced a memorandum to be elaborated in view of an improved collaboration between the United Bible Societies and the Catholic Biblical Federation.
(Tom Osborne, Dar es Salaam)
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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