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The Church in Africa

As I go round in America I do hear comments about Africa, like: Isn't Africa one big hopeless place? Isn't it just a messed up region? Is there any hope at all? I want to put things into perspective.
Africa is a big continent. It is THREE times the size of United States. And there are 55 countries on the continent.At one time it was even referred to as a dark continent. Very little was known about Africa. To many people today it is STILL a dark continent….
Africa cannot be classified or categorized just from one aspect or dimension. It has varied or a multitude of climates. It is black and white. It is multi-religious. It is weak and sick but it also hearty and healthy. We all know it is a poor continent and the media portrays it as such.But Africa is also very rich in its own ways- rich in petroleum, potassium, gold and diamonds; rich in human capital; rich in time and place, stories and legends. Plus it has a wealth of religions from traditional western religions to Middle Eastern religions to Asian religions, and of course local religions. In fact one of the great African scholars of our time, Prof. Mbithi, said, Africans are notoriously religious. I keep telling people that though I was baptised at the age of 17, I was very religious….
The expression of one's faith is part of the people in Africa for the reason the people are very receptive to any faith. Wherever I have worked, I have found the sincerity and enthusiasm of the people in sharing their meager resources in the ministry to be overwhelming.
For example, one day my pastor in Malawi went out for Mass. Before Mass started he found he had not brought his glasses with him. He mentioned it to the people and suddenly there were 4 pairs of glasses on the altar for his use. One of these donors was an old lady who could not get back to the seat without her glasses! The Church is ever receiving new members, both young and old, as catechumens. Every new member comes with joy. The joy and happiness is signified by their names-in Malawi, names like Lovemore, Everjoy, Perfect and Bright are very common, and they say it all. It is a happy church.

Due to the large numbers of catechumens, the RCIA method is not practical, so as a result the depth of the teaching of Catholicism is low. The old Question and Answer method is still used in many African countries. There is also a tremendous shortage of catechists. This is not that there are no men and women ready to do the job- even to volunteer- but funds are not available for training and paying them. The volunteer system common here in the rest of the developed world doesn't work due to the extreme poverty. A young man might be willing to volunteer but he has a family to provide for. He will need to be on a salary.
I was in this parish in Malawi with a population of 40,000 Catholics. We were two priests and 4 full time catechists and no Eucharistic ministers. The priests and the religious in the diocese have recommended for lay ministry in the diocese but the bishop has never accepted it, and that leaves all the workload in the hands of the priests in the parish. That leaves us with the question-who becomes a bishop in the African church today? The one who does what Rome will say.

The Church in Africa-I would describe it as both liberal and conservative. The following examples say it. One time I had confirmations in the parish and they coincided with the initiation rite for boys among the Tugen people. I thought it was an opportunity to do some enculturation, bringing the two rites together. Before I did anything I went to the bishop to know his opinion. His answer was, Kiriti, if you want to succeed in pastoral work, never go to ask for permission from a bishop. Do it and go to report the progress. A young missionary priest was working among the Efiks of Nigeria. The naming of a child among the Efiks is done when it is raining. The child is held to the water as it drops from the roof of the house or hut. As the water falls on the child, the new name is pronounced. The priest thought this is the way Jesus should have been baptised. He thought of Christianizing the culture of the people, only to get a shock from his local bishop who said, No, that's too primitive. The bishop was a local person. In some parts of Africa, some bishops are more traditional and conservative than the Irish themselves. Most critics of the Church will agree that the Church has done more than any other human organization in human development. This is truer in Africa. Without Church development, Africa would not have reached where it is today. The missionaries started all the good schools and hospitals. I have worked in very remote places both in Kenya and Malawi and in those places the church is the center for health, education, water, transport and human rights. Whenever I needed a hand from the locals in these areas, they came in large numbers-and they gave from their poverty. Their giving meant that they sacrificed. The love and thanks I have received from people is beyond words. Couples have relinquished their bed for me. I have learned what sharing is from the people.
People out there do not sit and wait for the bishop, priest or government officers to do things for them; they have come to know that God will not ask government or institutions, Did you feed the hungry or go to see the see the sick?, but he will ask individuals these questions and listen to them responding.
There are a lot of good things happening in the continent. No wonder the Lord Jesus visited his people in Africa. Indeed, the Church is experiencing what we can call a sign of the times, an acceptable time, a day of salvation. We need courageous women and men who will take Christ's invitation to launch out into the deep and cast their nets for the catch (Luke 5: 4).

Apart from the chaos we hear of in many parts of the continent, we also hear of democratic processes taking place. The Church has been at the forefront in this process. In almost every diocese, there is an active department of Peace and Justice. The winds of change are blowing strongly in these places. People are demanding ever more insistently the recognition and promotion of human rights and freedom. The church has been a large part of this awareness but not without a cost. Church ministers have suffered political deaths all over for standing up.
...Against the background of widespread poverty and inadequate medical services, the tragic scourge of AIDS is sowing suffering and death in many parts of Africa. I know we are used to hearing about the negative parts of the continent-like one third of Malawi population is HIV positive. Remember though, that is only one third, but there is the other two thirds that is healthy ... and we don't hear about it. The Church has responded to the challenges of AIDS. Through the ministry of home-based care, the church brings joy, happiness, peace and hope to those affected by AIDS. In every community there is a group of Christians who bring together those suffering and they form a support group. They also create AIDS awareness in the villages.

What is our job as we gather here this evening? One is to stay informed, to be generous, encourage direct investment, to zero in on the next generation-Africa's youthful masses-and help them know new behaviours, new skills, new attitudes, responsibility for their actions, what life can be like without graft and infidelity in marriage to combat HIV/AIDS. Also to help African girls get into, and stay in, school. Here I wish to thank Francois and Edna [Jamati] for journeying with Ann, an orphan in Kenya, through high school and make it possible for her to qualify for college. I with also thank the TMC community for supporting my youth program while in Kenya...
Another way we can get involved out there would be through twinning our community with some groups in parishes or twinning our parish with a parish in Africa. Through writing and visits, the two communities can learn from one another. That for me will be a direct involvement. And now something that is very, very hard for me. I need your help. In my 15 yrs of priesthood, I have discovered that reliable transportation is an absolute necessity. Often the car I was using would break down but it was only I who was inconvenienced. To think this could happen in the middle of the night while transporting a parishioner patient to the hospital is frightening. Don't get me wrong-the parish priest is not a taxi service in the village. But we are an emergency resource, on call 24 hours a day, to comfort those in distress and if necessary use the only car in the parish as an emergency vehicle. Frankly a priest is more effective shepherding the flock with a reliable means of transport. In my diocese, the policy is that each parish takes care of its transport. As I go back to my diocese and into parish work, I will face the problem of buying a car for my work. My resources for doing this will be Christians in the parish- and, I hope, you people here as my friends. Would you be so kind as to help me buy a car?