Universal Church thinks differently from the German Church

"Missio" Archbishop: Do not interpret mission only under the aspect of colonialism - African Church wants to contribute "clearly and self-confidently" at the World Synod - Archbishop of the Curia warned against the danger of a division of faith in the German-speaking language area and

"The universal Church thinks differently and does not experience the faith in the way one hears it from the German-speaking area at the moment": This has been pointed out by the Nigerian Archbishop of the Curia, Fortunatus A. Nwachukwu. In a conversation with the Innsbruck "Missio" diocesan director Johannes Laichner, he emphasised that the non-European perspective was different. The African Church therefore wants to participate in the World Synod "clearly and self-confidently". "We are convinced: listening to one another in the spirit of the Gospel begins with listening to God's will, not to the shrillest voices in the concert of the many. That is synodality understood biblically: Listening together to the Lord!"

For the 62-year-old African clergyman, this also includes, without trivialising the mistakes and aberrations of mission history, not only interpreting mission under the aspect of colonialism. The cardinal in charge of evangelisation and new local churches in the Vatican's Dicastery for Evangelisation said that there was a historical shortening of church missionary activity.

At present, church missionary work is mainly associated with negative experiences and events. As an African, he sometimes felt hurt by this historical narrative, since European missionaries had brought Christ and the Church to Africa, he was quoted as saying by the Pontifical Mission Societies in a press release on Tuesday. Nwachukwu pointed out that the fruits of this mission are remarkable: nowhere is the Catholic Church growing as strongly as in African countries.

Secretary for Evangelisation

The 62-year-old was only appointed by Pope Francis in March as "secretary" in the section for initial evangelisation and new local churches in the dicastery for evangelisation. This includes responsibility for the Papal mission works. Previously, the Vatican diplomat represented the Holy See as a permanent observer at UN and international bodies in Geneva, and at the World Trade Organisation as nuncio.

Turning to the current debates surrounding the Synodal Process, Nwachukwu said that it is not structures and pastoral plans that are crucial, but the living witness of Christians to the faith. "Europe would be well advised to remember the witness of her first missionaries who brought the gift of faith to my African homeland." The Nigerian cardinal referred to the "tried and tested means of evangelisation", love for the Lord, listening to his word and reverence for the sacraments.

Europe would have to change its perspective, the Cardinal demanded. There are not too few priests in the universal Church, "but they must be distributed correctly". The Church could learn from the economy how to employ qualified staff. But it is necessary to "train priests accordingly and to prepare them adequately for their work in other countries and peoples", the priest added.

The Church therefore does not have to invent anything new, but merely cultivate what has already proven itself in Church history, Nwachukwu said. "In the past, Europe brought the faith to the African continent; today, Africa can give back a living and faithful faith."

Danger of faith division

Nwachukwu described as a danger a possible "division of faith" in the German-speaking world due to "widely discussed theological disputes in the West". However, he said, it had always been the case in the history of the Church "that those who wanted to secede, even if they were in the majority, sooner or later realised that they had taken the wrong path."

The faithful would meet in simple places "while the great historic buildings and properties would remain in the hands of those who seceded". The latter, however, would become massively less important, he predicted.

Source