What you failed to read at the National Sodomotic Reporter is that the presidents of Africa’s conferences of bishops met in Accra. Card. Sarah, one of my favorites, was there. They met in the open, by the way… not in a secret cabal.
Pliny the Elder wrote, “Semper aliquid novi Africam adferre”, which is usually boiled down to “Ex Africa semper aliquid novi…. there’s always something new coming out of Africa.”
Remember that, in the terms of the Church’s historical view, innovation goes hand in hand with heresy. Perhaps we should say “Ex Germania semper aliquid novi“!
Africa is defending the Faith against the Germans. Again.
For a report see Sandro Magister’s piece. HERE.
Synod. Africa’s Hour
The presidents of the continent’s episcopal conferences have met in Accra. With Robert Sarah and four other cardinals. Unanimous in opposing “the strategy of the Enemy of the human race” on divorce and homosexual unions.
What’s really interesting, is the language used by the African bishops. “The Enemy”… Watch what they say about the Germans!
ROME, June 15, 2015 – They were five cardinals and forty-five bishops from as many African countries who met in Accra, the capital of Ghana, from June 8-11. All in the clear light of day, not almost in secret like some of their colleagues from Germany, France, and Switzerland, who had gathered a few days before at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
But while at the Gregorian the objective was changing the Church’s stance on divorce and homosexuality, in Accra the push was in the other direction.
The marching route was indicated from the very first remarks by Guinean cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect of the congregation for divine worship:
– “not to be afraid of reiterating the teaching of Christ on marriage”;
– “to speak at the synod with clarity and with just one voice, in filial love of the Church.”
– “to protect the family from all the ideologies that want to destroy it, and therefore also from the national and international policies that impede the promotion of positive values.”On this marching route there has been complete consensus. [!] The only bishop of black Africa who has spoken out in recent months in favor of “openness” to divorce, Gabriel Charles Palmer-Buckle of Accra, although designated months ago as a delegate to the synod did not take part in this meeting because it was among presidents of episcopal conferences, and in Ghana the president is not he but the bishop of Konongo-Mampong, Joseph Osei-Bonsu.
[…]To respond to the question in the title, on the first day the participants held a discussion on the basis of four thematic introductions, splitting up afterward into working groups, and on the following day on the basis of five more outlines of discussion.
One of these, entitled “The expectations of the synod,” was read to those present by the theologian and anthropologist Edouard Ade, secretary general of the Catholic University of Western Africa, with campuses in Cotonou, Benin and Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
And he did not fail to criticize the influence that the Church of Germany has had and continues to have in the unfolding of the synod, on a worldwide level. [Do I hear an “Amen!”? I love this. Fishwrap will support the Germans, but they are in a dilemma in that Africa is the “periphery”. So, Fishwrap will pirouette. Using euphemisms for how backward Africa is about homosexuals and women, they will say that Africa has a long way to go. We’ve seen this movie before: Anglicans. Then they will seek out the two people – probably a Jesuit and lay woman LGBT theologian – in Africa who support homosexual rights. Show division in the ranks of the “faithful”, not among the male-dominated patriarchal hierarchy. They’ll point to the lay faithful who already think the way Fishwrap thinks. “Change will come from the faithful!”]
After making reference to the unprecedented evaporation of the Christian faith that has taken place in Germany in recent decades, Professor Ade’s talk focused on what he called “the strategy of the Enemy of the human race.” [Amen!]
Given that the maximum objectives of the blessing of second marriages and of homosexual couples appear to be out of reach, this “strategy” would consist of opening loopholes that could be expanded later, naturally while affirming in words that there is no intention to change anything about doctrine. [Creeping incrementalism.]
These loopholes would be, for example, the “particular cases” illustrated by the innovators, knowing very well that they would by no means remain isolated cases.
Another clever stratagem would be that of presenting the changes as a solution “of balance” between the impatience, on one side, of those who would like divorce and homosexual marriage right away, and on the other the rigorism devoid of mercy of the discipline of the Catholic Church on marriage. [Which is, of course, a canard. The Church’s present process is not devoid of mercy. But… note what is going on here. What we will see is that the circle around Kasper, Marx and the Germans, will begin to approach their opponents (defenders of marriage and natural sex) with offers of “compromise”. “Can’t we work together? Can’t we find a way through this impasse?” You are allowed to imagine the voice of the late Christopher Lee as Saruman.]
Yet another loophole would be that, already in use in many places, of giving communion to the divorced and remarried and to all couples outside of marriage, without even waiting for any decision on this matter on the part of the synod and the pope. [This is a serious problem. The expectations have been raised, especially by the MSM and catholic media. Expectations were raised before Humanae vitae. Liberals revolted when they didn’t get their way. That’ll happen again, because bishops don’t have any fight in them these days.]
Moreover, Professor Ade [This guy is smart!] warned against the “Trojan horses” adopted by the innovators, like that of always attributing a positive value to all relationships of life in common outside of marriage, or that of considering indissolubility as an “ideal” that cannot always be attained by everyone, or yet again of the use of new language that ends up changing the reality. [Brilliant. This is something I harped about for years while I was writing my “What Does The Prayer Really Say?” column for The Wanderer. Lex orandi – Lex credendi. If you change the way we pray, you change what we believe. Change the words of the prayers of Mass, and you change what people believe. Never forget that the Latin prayers were changed, not just the translation.]
Ade’s talk was highly appreciated by the bishops and cardinals present. So much so that there are traces of it in the final statement, where it says that “we must begin from the faith, reaffirm it and live it for the sake of evangelizing cultures in depth,” taking care not to adopt or legitimize “the language of the movements that are fighting for the destruction of the family.”
In a major six-page interview released during these same days in France in the magazine “Famille Chrétienne,” Cardinal Sarah said among other things:
“At the synod next October we will address, I hope, the question of marriage in an entirely positive manner, seeking to promote the family and the values that it bears. The African bishops will act to support that which God asks of man concerning the family, and to receive that which the Church has always taught.”
And again:
“Why should we think that only the Western vision of man, of the world, of society is good, just, universal? The Church must fight to say no to this new colonization.” [Fantastic. Watch the nithings at Fishwrap blow an artery. Card. Sarah is suggesting that we should be – GASP! – culture warriors!]
The title of the interview as it appears on the newsstand states:
> Le cardinal Sarah: “Qu’on nous écoute ou pas, nous parlerons”
“Whether we are listened to or not, we will speak.”
The meeting in Accra is proof that the coalition of African bishops will be a real player at the synod. As never before.
___________
The final statement of the meeting in Accra, in French:
And the relation of Edouard Ade:
> Les attendus du Synode sur la Famille
Fr. John Zuhlsdorf on ROME 26/10-11 – Day 36: Ultimate: “I spoke with the sisters in Rome who do these corporals. I was told that they use a particular kind…”
