AFRICA/BURKINA FASO - A Bishop President of the Transition? The official position of the Church

Ouagadougou (Agenzia Fides) - The Church in Burkina Faso is honored by the fact that a Catholic Bishop was suggested to take on the position of "President of the transition," but in accordance with the Canon Law, an ecclesiastic cannot accept political or trade union positions. This was stated by Fr. Joseph Kinda, in charge of Social Communications of the Episcopal Conference of Burkina Faso and Niger.
"The plan launched by Colonel Zida (head of the military junta that took power after the resignation of President Blaise Compaore at the end of October), in agreement with all the living forces of the nation, is being finalized", says Fr. Kinda. On November 10, the "Charter of the Transition" the provisional Constitution, waiting to determine who will lead the country until the general elections of November 2015, was in fact approved.
"It seems that one of the main protagonists of the transition is the appointment of a clergyman who will lead Burkina Faso in the next 12 months", recalls Fr. Kinda, who on behalf of Cardinal Philippe Ouédraogo, Archbishop of Ouagadougou, stresses the Church's position on the matter.
Citing Canons 285 and 287 of the Canon Law, the head of Social Communications said that a cleric cannot take on political and trade union positions "unless, according to the competent ecclesiastical authority, the defense of the rights of the Church and the promotion of the common good does not require it"."The Cardinal wants to tell us that by choosing to imitate Christ in the preferential option for the poor, a priest must avoid creating new forms of exclusion by being too partisan. The risk is enormous, as demonstrated by the experience lived by some local churches. So in addition to the canonical regulation, the position of the Cardinal is eminently pragmatic", concludes Fr. Kinda. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 11/11/2014)