SUMMARY
 

During the Convivium, the President Delegate Shis Em. Card. Théodore-Adrien SARR, Archbishop of Dakar (SENEGAL) addressed words of gratitude to the Holy Father, which are published below:

Most Holy Father,
At the closing the Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops, the Cardinals, Archbishops and Bishops of Africa, Madagascar and adjacent islands, with all the faithful of Christ in their dioceses - priests, religious and laity - renew their deep gratitude to you, which they expressed on many occasions, before as during the Synodal Assembly.
They are grateful to you for having reconfirmed your predecessor’s, the dear Pope John Paul II, intention of convoking a Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops, and of having called it with the 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’ (Mt 5:13,14)”.In particular they thank you for having marked with your physical presence most of the general congregations of the Synodal Assembly. They thank you for the paternal attention, regard and solicitude thus manifested towards Africa and its populations, to the Churches of this continent and all of its members, from the opening Mass on October 4^th 2009, with the rich and very encouraging words of your homily, which will remain as a reference.
They continue to raise, towards God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, a fervent act of thanks for the fraternity of our Assembly of disciples of Christ, for the quality of reflection and exchange during these three weeks, for the fervor of prayer, which has sustained us, as well as for the enrichments and consciousness that the Divine Spirit incited in us through personal reflection and fraternal exchange.
They continue to ask for the grace of a “new Pentecost” for all the Churches of the Continent and adjacent isles, so that all their members - bishops, priests, religious and laity - may experience the encounter with the Risen Christ better and forever, and allow themselves to be evermore transformed by Him and commit to give of themselves generously for the promotion of Reconciliation, Justice and Peace, in the ecclesial communities on all levels, as well as in the different spheres of life and work in the different countries.
Most Holy Father, the Fathers of this Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops, in the joyous feeling of having lived these three weeks close to you, weeks of prayer, reflection and exchange, and already turning towards the fields of our daily ministry, we implore your apostolic blessing on the persons, families and different communities of their dioceses, as well as on their countries and all of their populations.

[00340-02.03] [RE000] [Original text: French]

NOTICES

- PRESS CONFERENCE
- LIVE TV COVERAGE
- TELEPHONE NEWS
- OPENING HOURS FOR THE HOLY SEE PRESS OFFICE

PRESS CONFERENCE

The fourth and last Press Conference on the synod work (with simultaneous translations in Italian, English, French and Portuguese) will be held in the John Pail II Hall in the Holy See Press Office today, Saturday October 24th 2009 (after the Final List of Propositions), at approximately 12:45. The following will intervene:

- His Em. Card. Peter Kodwo Appiah TURKSON, Archbishop of Cape Coast, President of the Association of Episcopal Conferences of Western Africa (A.C.E.A.O/A.E.C.W.A.) (GHANA), General Relator- His Exc. Mons. Damiao Antonio FRANKLIN, Archbishop of Luanda, President of the Episcopal Conference (ANGOLA), Special Secretary
- His Exc. Mons. Edmond DJITANGAR, Bishop of Sarh (CHAD), Special Secretary.

The Press Ocnference will be presided by Fr. Federico LOMBARDI, S.I., Director of the Holy See Press Office, Secretary ex-ufficio of the Commission for Information of the II Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops.

The audio-visual operators (camermen and technicians) are requested to apply to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications for an access permit.

LIVE TV COVERAGE

The following event will be broadcast live on the TV monitors in the Telecommunicaitons Room, in the Journalists’ Room and in the John Paul II Conference Hall of the Holy See Press Office:
- Sunday, October 25th 2009 (10:00 am.): Solemn Concelebration of the Holy Mass for the conclusion of the Synod (St. Peter’s Basilica).

TELEPHONE NEWS-BULLETIN

During the period of the Synod, a telephone news-bulletin will be available:
- +39-06-698.19 for the ordinary daily Bulletin of the Holy See Press Office;\
- +39-06-698.84051 for the Bulletin of the Synod of Bishops - morning session;
- +39-06-698.84877 for the Bulletin of the Synod of Bishops - afternoon session.

OPENING HOURS OF THE HOLY SEE PRESS OFFICE

During the II Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops, the Holy See Press Office will be open during the following hours:
- Until Saturday October 24th: 9:00 am. - 4:00 pm.
- Sunday October 25th: 9:00 am - 1:00 pm.

Return to:

- Index Bulletin Synodus Episcoporum - II Ordinary Special Assembly for Africa - 2009
  [Plurilingual, English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish]

- Index Holy See Press Office
  [English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish]