AFRICA - First meeting of directors of Catholic cultural centres in Africa

Vatican City (Fides Service) - The first meeting for directors of Catholic Cultural centres in Africa is taking place in Lusaka, Zambia 18- 22 April. Thirty four directors from different parts of Africa are reflecting on the theme di “Catholic cultural centres: Cultural resources for Reconciliation and Forgiveness”.
In a letter dated 14 March addressed to Cardinal Paul Poupard, President of the Pontifical Council for Culture, Cardinal Angelo Sodano secretary of state said Pope Benedict XVI congratulated the directors of Catholic cultural centres in Africa for “striving to spread the light of the Gospel in the realities of daily life all over the Continent”.
The meeting was organised under the auspices of the Pontifical Council for Culture to foster the encounter of faith and culture following a first fruitful meeting in 1993 Chantilly, France. Since then there have been 14 meetings in various parts of the world. This is the first one to be held in Africa. The work of the meeting will be guided by the post synodal exhortation Ecclesia in Africa which stressed the potential of these resources for new evangelisation: “Catholic Cultural Centres offer the Church an opportunity to be present and active in the field of cultural changes.” (Ecclesia in Africa 103). (AP) (20/4/2006 Agenzia Fides; Righe:22; Parole:229)