Brazzaville, 21 October, 2022 / 9:08 pm (ACI Africa).
Synodality is “a pastoral imperative” for the people of God in Congo Brazzaville as they participate in the ongoing preparations for the Synod on Synodality, Catholic Bishops in the Central African nation have said.
In a statement shared with ACI Africa Wednesday, October 19, members of the Episcopal Conference of Congo-Brazzaville (CEC) say, “Adopting the notion of synodality means opting for ‘us’, thinking and acting as a team, in synergy, in communion, combining our efforts for the same cause and the same mission.”
“Our local Church feels the need to rediscover synodality, to walk together against the temptation of pastoral narcissism, of turning in on oneself, of identarian or cultural confinement, of isolation and rejection,” CEC members say.
They add, “In the light of the multiple crises in the Church and society, synodality appears to be a pastoral imperative both at the level of the universal Church and at the level of our local Church.”
“As far as we are concerned, we received the Gospel of Jesus Christ almost 140 years ago (1883-2023). The Church in Congo has come a long way. We are already looking towards the second centenary of our evangelization,” Catholic Bishops in Congo Brazzaville say in their statement dated October 17.