Posted on 10/03/2009 11:39:29 PM PDT by Steelfish
Pope To Open Africa Synod In Rome
By David Willey BBC News, Rome
The pope drew huge crowds during his visit to Angola in March Pope Benedict is to open a three-week gathering of African bishops with a Mass in St Peter's Basilica in Rome.
The Synod on Africa is aimed at discussing the continent's social and economic problems.
The Catholic Church is growing faster in Africa than in any other part of the world, nearly trebling in size to 150 million followers over 30 years. It will be the second synod of bishops organised at the Vatican to be devoted specifically to the problems of Africa.
The last one took place in 1994 at the very moment when the Rwandan genocide was beginning, but turned out to be little more than a talking shop.
This time Pope Benedict, who earlier this year visited two African countries, Cameroon and Angola, will sit in during three weeks of discussions among his African bishops on the social and economic problems of the continent.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
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Africa’s problems began when the colonialists went home.
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