AFRICA : CAPE VERDE : 2 DEACONS ORDAINED AT BISHOPS CONFERENCE

Agenzia Fides REPORT - The inter-territorial Episcopal Conference of Senegal, Mauritania, Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau, held from 26 November to 2 December, its first ordinary meeting of the pastoral year 2012-2013. For the first time the Bishops gathered in Cape Verde, in Rui Vaz, 22 km from the city of Praia, in the diocese of Santiago de Cabo Verde. According to information sent to Fides Agency by the Curia of Bissau, the opening session was attended by the Apostolic Nuncio, His Exc. Mgr. Luis Mariano Montemayor, who focused on the service that the Church carries out in favor of the many people who live in the various countries that make up the Inter-territorial Catholic Episcopal Conference. He also stressed the invitation by the Church to all Christians to live with joy the Year of Faith. As is customary in the first meeting, the Bishops focused their attention on the exhortation for Lent 2013, which will have as its theme: "Some challenges of ecology in the light of Christian faith." Among the other topics covered in the meeting: the University Unity of Ziguinchor (UUZ) in Senegal, the Synod on the New Evangelization, the 11th International Meeting of the Teams of Nossa Senhora-in Brasilia, the meeting of Caritas Africa and the Year of Faith.
The Bishops had the opportunity to meet various authorities of Cape Verde, visited some historical sites of the island of Santiago, development projects and the new social center of the parish of St. Catherine. After the meeting, they thanked God for the moments of sharing and prayer experiences, for the kindness and hospitality of the people they met, for the commitment of all those who contributed to the smooth running of the meeting, invoking the Lord's abundant blessings for all. The celebration of Mass on the first Sunday of Advent, December 2, in the park of the Seminary of St. Joseph, in Praia was very emotional, with the ordination of two deacons. (SL)

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