Synod Final Communiqué

Issued in Douala this 21st day of November in the year of Our Lord 2009
Signed by Father Oscar Eone Eone, General Secretary of the Diocesan Synod

The Diocesan Synod on  receiving and living the Word of God held in Douala from November 19 through 21, 2009.From November 19 through 21, 2009, at the Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral of Douala, His Excellency Monsignor Samuel Kleda, Archbishop of Douala, presided over the closing celebration of the first session of the three-yearly Diocesan Synod under the theme: Receiving and living the Word of God.

Drawing inspiration jointly from the last Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the Word of God and from the deliberations of the Pauline Year, the Diocesan Synod’s objective was to focus everyone’s attention on rediscovering the Word of God and its impact on the daily life of each baptised Christian.

After the opening ceremony, which was marked by the enthronement of the Bible, the invocation of the Holy Spirit, a word from the Chairman, and the profession of faith by the participants, deliberations continued as planned.

For three days running, participants followed with satisfaction three papers that were very rich in doctrine lessons on the following themes:
•    The practice of divine reading (‘lectio divina’) in Church;
•    The Word of God – the Eucharist – Mission;
•    The Biblical Apostolate.

Questions arising from these papers as well as from the summary of the reports presented by the different pastoral zones gave rise to a number of concrete proposals aimed at enhancing the Biblical Apostolate in the Archdiocese of Douala. It should be noted that the Biblical Apostolate is the area the new Archbishop of Douala has selected to focus attention on. 

From the said proposals, the following suggestions, among others, can be highlighted:
•    That the Bible be enthroned in all parish churches to give as equal a weight to the Word of God as to the Blessed Eucharist.
•    That the practice of divine reading, individually or collectively, be encouraged, especially in Small Christian Communities.
•    That each family and each Christian be encouraged to buy and read the Bible attentively so as to better understand the Word of God.
•    That the Word of God be translated into local languages in writing or orally (through doctrine lessons and homilies) for the benefit of Christians who do not understand English or French.
•    That illustrated Bibles be made available to children.
•    That extraordinary ministers of the Word and of the Eucharist be formed in conformity with the instructions of the Apostolic See in the matter.
•    That the different categories of God’s people in Douala be systematically formed on an ongoing basis.
•    That biblical study groups be created.

The session ended with a thanksgiving Mass presided over by the Archbishop Emeritus, His Eminence Christian Cardinal Tumi, concelebrated by His Excellency Monsignor Samuel Kleda, Archbishop of Douala, and numerous priests of the Archdiocese of Douala.

        

Comments

[Neil Emon]

I lived with Abbe Rene Ngon Tonye at St. Alfred Parish in Taylor, Michigan, USA.

I wonder how he is> Father Rene was ordained on May 30, 1998. It would be a blessing to contact him.

Neil Emon, OSC