Africa: The family and marriage

The three weeks-long XIV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the family opened this morning with the first working session. Pope Francis greeted the Bishops and reminded them that a Synod was not a parliament where representatives debate and negotiate. It was, instead a place of prayer in which Bishops speak freely with courage and in openness to God.

The Ordinary Synod on the family will also be an opportunity for an exchange between the very different family realities of Catholics worldwide. This is according to Father Benezet Bujo, originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, a renown theologian, educator and professor of theology at the University of Freiburg in Switzerland.

According to Father Bujo, Africa poses to the Synod complex challenges, some which include polygamy and customary or traditional marriages. In most African societies, marriage is conceived not simply as a contract between two individuals but as an alliance between two families and even communities.

Nevertheless, Fr. Buju told Vatican Radio that African Synod fathers also have a unique opportunity to present to the world a certain sacredness of the family that still exists in Africa. In this aspect, the sacredness of family is seen as an integral part of marriage.

Father Bujo hopes that the voice of the African Synod Bishops will enrich the discussions of the Synod.

(e-mail: engafrica@vatiradio.va)