Becoming independent
The Church in Africa has committed itself to work towards greater self-sufficiency, with a view to eventually becoming fully self-reliant. The goal is a transformation of the continent’s Church to a point where it can declare financial independence.
The goal was stated repeatedly at last year’s Second Synod of Bishops for Africa, which in its Propositions document noted: “As in the case of the early Church, the Church in Africa and its islands must develop an internal system for taking care of their needs.” This is particularly important for Southern Africa at a time when foreign funding is becoming scarce and therefore more difficult to obtain.
As the number of Catholics in the developed world shrinks, so does the fiscal pool that has traditionally funded Church activities and projects in missionary territories. South Africa especially is widely regarded as a relatively affluent country with access to resources not available to many other African countries.
This does not mean that our region’s needs are diminished—on the contrary, there are areas where the local Church absolutely needs material help, such as in is initiatives on HIV/Aids. Nonetheless, with international funding declining, the Church in Southern Africa must by force become more independent and consequently more mature.
The bishops of Southern Africa have taken an important and necessary practical step in that direction by setting up the SACBC Foundation, which aims to raise a minimum R50 million from the region’s Catholic community so as to replace international funding for the bishops’ conference’s activities, which are so vital to Church life. Greater self-sufficiency will change the Church in fundamental ways.
In the future, the works of the Church will not be funded mostly by agencies that deal with officials of the Church or those acting on their mandate. The channels of accountability will change. Church institutions—including the bishops’ conference—will have to account to the laity (whose money funds their activities) in ways that we may not quite realise yet. Indeed, the laity will need to be increasingly involved in the management and oversight of Church funds, and be equipped with the requisite competence to do so.
The experience of parish pastoral councils and their finance committees may be instructive, in their successes and failures. An independent national council for the laity might well be a pillar of the local Church’s drive towards self-reliance. As the Church becomes more self-sufficient through the support of the laity, its hierarchy will need to foster and, if necessary, rebuild its relationship with those Catholics who are being asked to open their purses. It is evident that there are points of rupture in that relationship.
The misgivings expressed by some about the building of a new chancery in Johannesburg and the cathedral centre in Durban may have less to do with the actual need for these projects—which appear to be essential—and more to do with a lack of confidence in the Catholic Church as an institution. As part of the local Church’s self-reliance programme, that trust needs to be built up and restored.
We are still at an early stage on the way towards financial independence in the African Church. There will be obstacles caused by widespread poverty, poor fiscal management, unpredictable commitment by lay Catholics and external factors such as natural disasters, civil unrest or war.
We must not be discouraged by setbacks and disappointments. The transformation of the Church in Africa is necessary for its future. The laity, clergy and hierarchy will have to be active collaborators to keep spreading the Good News on our continent.
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