Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Paris (Agenzia Fides) – Solidarity with the African churches will be at the heart of the celebration of Epiphany, which will be celebrated in France on Sunday, January 4.
“We are all invited to support the African Churches, who are experiencing an unprecedented economic and humanitarian crisis. It is a situation that affects our Christian communities,” says a statement sent to Agenzia Fides from the association “Aide aux Église d'Afrique,” which is inviting all French parishes to take up collections for African Catholic communities during the Masses on Epiphany.
“The funds collected,” the statement says, “will be sent to the African dioceses with a shortage of financial resources. It is a concrete manner for the Church in France to respond to the desire expressed by Benedict XVI in his address to the Bishops of the Republic of Central Africa on their ad limina visit: “that Africa may never be forgotten by this world that is undergoing profound change, and that an authentic hope may come to the people of that continent.”
Thanks to the funds collected by the Catholic Church in France during Epiphany 2008, 214 dioceses in 28 African countries received 4,200 Euros each.
“Thus, Christians in France are called to manifest once more, through an act of solidarity, their support for the evangelization of Africa, 'fount of peace,' giving to those who carry out the work of evangelization, the pastoral means necessary to carry out their mission,” the statement affirmed.
“This gesture of solidarity is even more important,” the group says, “in that 2009 is the year of the Continental Synod and the first visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Africa, scheduled for March, 10 years after the last visit made by Pope John Paul II in 1998.”
“Aide aux Église d'Afrique” is an association whose goal is to “promote and contribute to the progress of all activities of assistance and charity towards African Churches” (article 1 of the Statutes of March 2000). The association was founded in Paris in 1888 by Cardinal Charles Lavigerie, with the name “Société anti-esclavagiste de France” to fight against slavery in Africa and help freed slaves. In 1967, with the change of social and political conditions, the association was re-named “Aide aux Missions d’Afrique,” to support the mission in Africa, and recognized by the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. Its Director is the Pontifical Mission Societies Director in France. In 1992, the association changed its name to “Aide aux Église d'Afrique.” (LM) (Agenzia Fides 9/12/2008)
