Mirabel Azangeh Tandafor
The National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon held its 29th Annual Seminar, on January 15, at the Diocesan Training Centre of Nguélémendouka, East Province, with a call on all the Bishops to be bearers of hope. Coming barely one day after the solemnity marking the 50th anniversary celebrations of the creation of the Diocese of Doumé-Abong Mbang, the main theme of the seminar was focused on the examination of the Catechism of the Catholic Church in Cameroon.
The Archbishop of Yaounde and President of the National
Episcopal Conference of Cameroon, Mgr Victor Tonye Bakot, who chaired
the seminar, reminded the Bishops present, of the importance of the
Catechism of the Catholic Church in Cameroon.
Also present were some members of government, political, administration and traditional authorities, and the Apostolic Nuncio to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, His Excellency Mgr Eliseo Antonio Ariotti.
Archbishop Bakot said that the responsibility of a growing Church like that which is in Cameroon, is to nurture its faithful with an enriching Catechism document that has all the fundamentals of the Roman Catholic Faith; reason why the outcome of the seminar had to radiate hope. The final document ought not to be too independent of the global Catholic doctrine, he concluded.
Final Communiqué
According to the final communiqué, signed by Mgr Patrick Lafon, Secretary of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon, the seminar started with the presentation of a working document by Fr Clement Ndjewel; member of the National Evangelisation Committee, to whom the document was entrusted.
The goal of the Catechism could be summarised thus: "The Catechism of the Catholic Church is offered to all the faithful and to everyone who wants to know the beliefs of the Catholic Church. In a particular manner, it is intended to encourage and to help in the composition of new local Catechisms that take into consideration the diverse situations and cultures; but, which preserves the unity of faith and fidelity to the Catholic Doctrine." (Directory for Catechism, 131).
This therefore implies that the catechism has to be a synthesis of acts of faith proclaimed, celebrated, lived and prayed in our context; and received in the midst of our culture in rapport with the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
This Catechism has to contain the evangelisation message, synchronize the different cultures, ages and social and ecclesial situation of the recipients and propose a summary of the faith depending on the cultural milieu.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church in Cameroon would therefore become a reference document for the documentation of provincial and diocesan Catechisms.
After the fruitful deliberations between the bishops, four commissions were set up to re-examine the document. After picking out some corrections, and amending the working document, it was adopted and the final rewriting entrusted to an ad hoc committee.
This 29th seminar also gave the Bishops the opportunity to prepare for their next visit "Ad Limina" to Rome; scheduled for March 12 to 22, 2006. At the end of the seminar, the Bishops thanked Mgr Jan Ozga and all the clergy, Reverend Brothers and Sisters, all the Faithful of that Diocese for the warn welcome given them.
They congratulated the Church in Doumé-Abong-Mbang, and implored on it God's blessings.
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