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Connecting to the Church in Africa through Catholic Relief Services
By CRS Global Fellow Desmond Drummer
| Print Version | Discuss Online

When Atlanta Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory offered his intervention at the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Africa in October 2009, he made specific reference to Catholic Relief Services (CRS) as one of the most important links U.S. Catholics have with the Catholic Church in Africa. As a CRS Global Fellow, seminarian Desmond Drummer had the privilege of spending a week in Ethiopia with CRS, witnessing first hand the bonds of cooperation to which Archbishop Gregory testified. Drummer says that through Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Black Americans can renew and enhance their commitment to their brothers and sisters on the continent of Africa and throughout the world.

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PART I: The Significance of Archbishop Gregory's Participation in the 2009 Synod for Africa

In June of 2007, Pope Benedict XVI announced that a Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops focusing on Africa would be held in October 2009. This special assembly was to be the second one of its kind. The first synod for Africa was held in 1994.

Since the Second Vatican Council, the Synod of Bishops has been the convergence of the bishops in the Catholic Church to offer their pastoral expertise in support of the Holy Father's ministry to the universal Church. Ordinary assemblies of the Synod of Bishops address broad, Church-wide issues, while special assemblies gather bishops of a particular world region to address local matters.

The second Special Assembly for Africa had as its theme, "The Church in Africa at the Service of Reconciliation, Justice and Peace. 'You are the salt of the earth ... You are the light of the world' (Matthew 5:13,14)." In many ways, the Catholic Church on the continent of Africa stands as an exemplar for what it means to be a community of salt and light, and the goal of the 2009 synod was to affirm the Church in Africa as it faces new social, cultural, economic, political, and religious challenges.

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In that the Church must never forget its global scope, the Synod for Africa also involved representative bishops from throughout the world. Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory of Atlanta was the only bishop in the United States appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to participate in the Synod. In effect, he represented the Catholic Church in North America and communicated our collective interest in the wellbeing of the Church in Africa.

In a special way, however, we Black American Catholics were doubly represented. Archbishop Gregory stands now as the highest ranking Black American bishop in the U.S., and so his presence at the assembly also served as a witness to how far we have come as a people in this national Church. More importantly, however, the African bishops who participated in the 2009 Synod caught a glimpse of another face of the Church in the United States-our face.

Catholic Black Americans are just as much a part of the Church in the United States as any other, and with this reality come responsibilities. In his floor statement offered during the opening days of the Synod gathering, Archbishop Gregory stated:

The Church in the USA is also deeply grateful for the opportunity to assist the local Churches in Africa through the support of Catholic Relief Services, by the many and varied missionary cooperative ventures that spring from the generous heart of our people and frequently bind diocese to diocese and parish to parish in mutual prayer, financial assistance, and by personal contacts.

To what extend can the Catholic Black American community own what Archbishop Gregory stated on behalf of the Church in the United States? What have we done to assist our brothers and sisters in Africa? What more can we do?

PART II: Catholic Relief Services: An Opportunity

It is significant that Archbishop Gregory made explicit reference to CRS in his intervention at the 2009 Synod for Africa. Indeed, he mentioned "varied missionary cooperative ventures," but CRS was given pride of place because it is the official international relief and development arm of the Catholic Church in the United States. Through Catholic Relief Services, U.S. Catholics make a statement of solidarity in 100 countries throughout the world.

CRS carries out its mission in two ways. CRS promotes the dignity of every human person through emergency relief and an assortment of developmental activities in the areas of food, water, economics, and community building, to name a few. These efforts are accomplished in collaboration with local partners-communities and organizations in the countries served. That is, CRS does not arrive in an area of need simply to accomplish a short-term aid project. Rather, CRS partners with the local leaders, institutions, and communities that are on the ground and close to the people served. CRS supports local partners by supplying finances, technology, and human resources toward the end of enhancing the capacity of communities to create and sustain their own solutions to the developmental challenges they experience. For this reason, communities across the world see CRS-and as a result the Catholic Church in the U.S.-as a trusted companion on the journey toward a new and bright horizon of hope for the present and especially the future.

It is clear that the work of CRS is utterly necessary, indeed mandated by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Because of its Gospel-based approach to meeting needs around the world, CRS also seeks to educate Catholics here in the United States about the social and moral teachings of the Catholic Church, calling them to a deeper Christian witness through solidarity. A wide variety of CRS programs are offered for U.S. Catholics to not only learn more about social issues around the world, but also to turn information, prayer, and faith into action.

The most widely-recognized CRS program here in the U.S. is Operation Rice Bowl, an annual Lenten season justice education program that raises awareness and generates funds to support CRS projects. There is always more that can be done with Operation Rice Bowl at parishes and in schools. Now is the time to begin planning for next year's Operation Rice Bowl.

Additionally, CRS and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops have developed the Catholics Confront Global Poverty program as a means for parishes, schools, and other Catholic communities to "pray, learn, share, and advocate on key issues affecting poor and vulnerable people in developing countries." So much of what we believe to be at the forefront of God's concern is often put into perspective when we realize the degree to which so many in the world are suffering, and how we can participate in the improvement of these conditions.

There are many more CRS programs for parishes and communities, and these same communities are encouraged to contact their CRS Diocesan Director to learn more about the possibilities for participation.

The question returns. To what extent have we Catholic Black Americans participated in this tremendous work of our Church? It will be up to us to reach out by participating in this wonderful work that is already being done in our name. Our task is to contribute, participate, and pray for CRS, thereby making it more completely an activity of the Church in the U.S.

Catholic Black Americans are in a position to demonstrate to our brothers and sisters in Africa-and indeed around the world-that we are a people who desire to walk with them on the road to justice and peace. We will do this because God loves each and every person on this planet. In the end, a verdict will be rendered according to how we participated in this same love. Let our report say that we were called to witness to God's love by addressing the challenges and concerns facing our brothers and sisters in the human family.

CRS Global Fellow Desmond Drummer is a seminarian of the Archdiocese of Atlanta studying at Mundelein Seminary near Chicago.

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