Catholic leaders discuss church's role in Africa's conflicts

Published: 2007-07-20

BOGOTA, Colombia (CNS) -- African Catholic leaders discussed the church's different roles in some of the world's most intractable and violent conflicts during a recent Catholic peace conference in Colombia. Across Africa, where Catholics and Christians are minorities in most nations, the Catholic Church's role is different and difficult, said some of the leaders. "In Nigeria, we are only 20 percent Catholic, so what the bishop says doesn't carry as much weight" as in countries where Catholics are a majority of the population, said Archbishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria. "We have learned to speak a language that can be heard by everybody," he said. "Although we still hold our Christian position, we speak a language that can address everyone." Archbishop Onaiyekan said Nigeria suffers from tensions between Christians and Muslims, and poverty produced by corruption. Dialogue with the country's Muslims is central to the church's efforts, said the archbishop, who heads the Christian Association of Nigeria.

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