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“Church of our time needs to listen to the Spirit”: Congolese Archbishop on Synodality

Archbishop Marcel Utembi Tapa, the President of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO). Credit: Vatican Media

Archbishop Marcel Utembi Tapa, the President of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) who participated in the October 4-29 XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Rome has underlined the need for the Church “to listen to the Spirit” and to foster “participation for all.” 

In an interview with DIACENCO, the newsletter of Catholic Bishops in DRC, Archbishop Utembi shared his experience of the synod in Rome, including the meeting’s atmosphere of prayer.

His biggest take-away from the synod, he said, was the need to promote a Church that encourages community discernment and listening.

 “The synodal Church is one that listens to all, promotes community discernment, and fosters the participation of all, co-responsibility in the exercise of the mission of salvation,” Archbishop Utembi said in the interview that was published Monday, November 6.

He added, “It's worth noting that the theme of synodality, having initially appeared as an abstract or theoretical notion, is beginning to be embodied in concrete experience. From listening to the People of God, a progressive appropriation and understanding of synodality is emerging,” 

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“The Church of our time increasingly needs to listen to the Spirit, and to each other,” the Congolese Archbishop said.

According to the Archbishop, the starting point of synodality is the Church’s readiness to enter into a dynamic process of constructive, respectful and prayerful listening to the Word of God, and of humanizing dialogue that respects the baptismal dignity of all.

The Local Ordinary of Kisangani Archdiocese admitted that during the synod in Rome, participants grappled with “numerous solicitations from journalists and the media.”

He said, “During this synodal assembly, the atmosphere of prayer and concentration on the essentials, while avoiding the numerous solicitations from journalists and the media seeking at all costs to extract information on the matters dealt with in the Working Group or the General Assembly, enabled and favored the smooth progress of the work.”

Reflecting on the participation of lay men and women during the synod, the 64-year-old Archbishop who started his Episcopal Ministry in January 2002 as Bishop of DRC’s Mahagi-Nioka Diocese said, “The contribution of lay men and women has been substantial and edifying in the perspective of the synodal Church, called to count on the contribution of all.”

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“During this synodal assembly, we have truly experienced the beauty of complementarity and reciprocity between women and men,” he said, and added, “Women, as we know, make up the majority of the faithful and are often the first missionaries of the faith within the family. Consecrated women in contemplative and apostolic life are a gift, a sign and a witness of fundamental importance among us.”

Archbishop Utembi noted that participation of women at the synod had been “an added value” who had enriched the participants’ understanding of the nature and mission of the Church.

Asked if synodality is a reality in DRC, the Archbishop of Kisangani said, “The practice of synodality, of walking together, is alive and well in the Church-Family of God in DRC.”

He said that various structures already exist in the Church in DRC as “privileged places where the experience of walking together is practiced.” The Archbishop said that the Church in DRC has structures such as Small Christian Communities (SCCs), parish councils, diocesan councils, Catholic action movements, associations of the faithful, provincial and national episcopal assemblies, the Conference of Major Superiors (COSUMA), among others.

The synod, he said, further stressed the challenge of co-responsibility in the Church for Priests, lay people and religious.

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“Co-responsibility in mission is constitutive of the synodal Church,” the Archbishop said, and added, “To avoid conflicts in the exercise of roles, it is important to recognize and respect each person's place and field of intervention in the ecclesial community.”

On involvement of women in management structures of the Church, Archbishop Utembi said, “Their presence could be strengthened in the discernment process and in administrative responsibilities, taking into account their competence and probity.”

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.